Re: Backup Camera: UPDATE
Just a quick note on the wireles VR3 camera. I bought one and tested it. Like other reviews I've read on it the noise from RF interference is just unacceptable. I'll be returning it. Here's a C&P from my post to the Nissan Titan forum id you're interested in the details of my experience...
I've been wanting to install a backup camera to assist with backing up to my boat trailer. I find myself getting in and out several times to make sure I don't get too close and hit my bumper.
I'd already read the negative reviews on the VR3 but decided to give it an honest try. I bought it at Wal-Mart so I figured I can take it back if it's not acceptable.
What's nice about this unit is that the video signal is wireless. You need only to connect power to the monitor and camera. I'd hoped after a successful test I could mount the monitor inside the larger of the two sunglass holders for a "stealth" install.
Mounting the camera to the license plate gives a good view of the area behind you but not the trailer ball which is important for my application of the camera. Using the supplied beveled washers still did not quite work and looked awful too. So for testing I taped the camera to the plastic part of the bumper. That worked.
The instructions recommend wiring the camera power to your reverse lights so that the camera is only powered up when you're in reverse (the same option is available for the monitor too though I just used the cig. lighter adaptor for testing). I removed my drivers side tailight assembly by removing the two philips screws. You need to only lower the tailgate to get to these screws. The light assemble comes right out. I just wanted to identify which wires powered the backup lights. It's the red wire with the blue stripe. With that identified I put the tailight back together. I wasn't going to make connections there, just identifying the wire. Next I crawled under the truck to find the wiring harness that feeds the lights. Easy. There's also a plug for it that's clipped to the frame. I unplugged the plug and inserted my camera power wires into the female side of the plug in the appropriate connectors to power the camera. That way I could power the camera for my test without committing to splicing anything.
Ok so I head up to the cab, turn on the monitor and put the truck in reverse. After about 8-10 seconds the picture comes into view. The picture quality is actually pretty decent. The problem, like others have mentioned is noise. So I covered my connection with aluminum foil to sheild it. There was a slight improvemement but still not acceptable. I then shielded all sides of the monitor except the front. My thinking was I'd block all RF coming in from other directions. This improved the noise problem even more. I even went inside and unplugged the wireless router and turned off our cell phones.
Still before I committed to permanent connections I wanted to try backing up to the trailer. Upon doing so the noise got worse and the picture was complety lost about 50% of the time.
Unacceptable.
I think I gave this a pretty fair effort to make this thing work and even with the added shielding could not achieve satisfactory results. I can't recommend anyone buy this product. Maybe I have a "noisy" neighborhood. Maybe it would work better on a shorter vehicle. Maybe other versions of the camera work better. My experience just wasn't good at all.
