Chinook RV

I'm starting this thread to discuss rear-view cameras on our Chinooks. lankylady asked about one in a different thread (on couches), and I thought it might be nice to give it its own place. I'm interested in this topic too.

lankylady wrote:I have a 2003 Concourse ... how tough is it to install a back up camera in this unit?

I have been doing some reading preparatory to buying and installing a rear-view camera. Haven't done so yet, but a few things I have gleaned:

1) It's not that hard, just a bit fiddly/time-consuming figuring out how and where to run the wire(s) and then doing it.

2) There are "wireless" cameras, but they may not be as wireless as you think (they still need power, etc.), and they are not as "bulletproof" as wired ones (but they are getting better).

3) Typically these cameras are activated by putting the vehicle in reverse, but as an RV-er, you may prefer to have it on all the time (or at least have a switch so you can turn it on whenever you want). I will do the latter as I mostly want to be able to use it when towing, to keep an eye on the trailer.

I have read many recommendations for this e-Bay seller and his cameras. I think I will buy one of these, likely the 5" or 7" display (not sure on that yet). (But there are many other good cameras/sources, I'm sure.)

http://www.ebay.com/usr/leviathan_holdi ... 1438.l2754

Dragging up an old topic, but it's something I'm interested in. Did you ever get one? I'm partial to a wireless to save running the wires around. I heard that if it's under 30ft, wireless should work fine. I'd also tho like to have side cameras, but that starts talking money...

I didn't, but I'm still actively interested and have looked around a bit. Before I was pretty "against" wireless because it just didn't sound like they worked that well, and it's not THAT hard to run a wire (at least in my rig). But now I've been reading pretty decent things about the wireless cameras, especially in our (short, not too much metal) rigs. And since one can (apparently) tap power from the clearance lights (over the rear door) wireless really does mean not having to run any wires the distance of the coach. So I'm now thinking wireless. As a side bonus I could try to put a second camera on my boat when towing it (that would be more distance, so might not work, but worth a try), and in that case the wireless really would be handy.

"Chinookers Journey" did a nice install of one, cleverly using the ashtray area in the 2003-era console for the display mount (which I also now have), but the one thing I don't like about that specific one is that it's a 9" display. That just sounds a shade big to me, and that company doesn't have the same camera with a 7" display. Too bad as I'm always up for just copying an excellent job

So them's my current thoughts. I think sometime soon I'll take down that "roll" of carpet above the rear door to see how things are laid out behind it (and hey, what else might fit there?! )

Have you looked at any in particular?

The curved header carpeted trim above the rear door can be dropped down to peak behind by removing the screws from the wood trim strip at the top. Behind it are 3+ armored wiring harnesses and some view of the clearance light wires. Not much space in there. Looking at a picture I took I don't think I see the camera wire. It might be just beyond that area behind the bathroom wall.

My Concourse has what I believe is the Chinook optional wired rear view camera. The display is in the sunvisor. It comes on when reverse is engaged or you can push the power button on the display to turn it on when parker or driving forward. From some research I did I believe the camera setup is a Voyager Audiovox AOM561. I found some documentation on it here in the past but not sure if it is still there although a quickie google search should pop it up.

http://www.asaelectronics.com/rv.html

Blue~Go wrote: "Chinookers Journey" did a nice install of one, cleverly using the ashtray area in the 2003-era console for the display mount
(which I also now have), but the one thing I don't like about that specific one is that it's a 9" display. That just sounds a shade big to me, and that company doesn't have the same camera with a 7" display. Too bad as I'm always up for just copying an excellent job
Have you looked at any in particular?

I looked at what he used (I believe it was over $300) and I've been looking around on forums as well as Amazon. I've seen some with high ratings on Amazon for around $150-175. Tempted to try one but then I read some negative reviews and look for something else. At some point I'm going to bite the bullet on a sub-$300 camera. I back into spots all the time and so far I haven't hit anything. I'm more afraid of either bending the step-area or ripping out the black/grey valves.

The system I used is this one http://www.rearviewsafety.com/products/ ... rette.html

Without audio and gridline option the current price is $299.95

It does have a 7" monitor (not 9" as commented above)

I chose it based on guarantee of no interference in a wireless system, reviews, ease of installation, ability to quickly remove monitor if needed, wide angle lens, infra red for night use, everyday driving not just for backing up.

So far it has worked out very well.

More at http://chinookers.blogspot.com/2015/02/ ... amera.html
and http://chinookers.blogspot.com/2015/03/ ... mment-form

Chinookers wrote:
It does have a 7" monitor (not 9" as commented above)

Oh shoot, I am so sorry about that mistake. I guess what I *should* have said is that I would prefer a slightly smaller monitor. Of course I can still copy your excellent ashtray mod In fact, I just pulled that little ashtray plug out of storage the other day (I had removed it since that leaves an ashtray-free storage cubby).

Now that you've lived with yours for awhile, let's say you could have easily chosen the monitor you have or one slightly smaller at no different cost or effort (in other words, all else being equal)..... which do you think you would go with? The size you have or a slightly smaller one?

If the larger (7") is the way to go, then I can just copy your setup completely - sweet!

Again, great to have you posting here!

Blue~Go wrote: Now that you've lived with yours for awhile, let's say you could have easily chosen the monitor you have or one slightly smaller at no different cost or effort (in other words, all else being equal)..... which do you think you would go with? The size you have or a slightly smaller one?

If the larger (7") is the way to go, then I can just copy your setup completely - sweet!

I like the 7" monitor - I don't like peering at tiny screens - maybe that's a function of now being of a certain age!

In a similar vein, I usually navigate with Waze on a Samsung Galaxy, which I just prop up in the drink holder but I'm thinking about rigging a mount for my LG tablet so that I have a bigger screen to look at - most of the time I rely on the spoken turn-by-turn instructions but every so often it's useful to glance at the display.

Continuing the thread... I wanted a backup display that looked like a regular mirror.

So I started with this Pyle 7" display/camera, and a cheap RF transmitter / receiver from Amazon. The price was unbeatable:
Camera - I mounted it on the bottom rung of the ladder, with some washers on one side to change the angle towards the center more. A bit offset view, but okay.

Transmitter - under the right rear closet floor, where I had drilled a hole to bring in the camera lines. It and the camera's power line were tapped into the reverse light wire. (I might change that to power off the running lights. However, reviews say the transmitter gets hot if left on.)

Receiver - I wired it and the display into the overhead console on my 1994, with a switch tapped into the overhead map light power. I drilled a hole in the right front of the console so the wire could go behind the headliner down to the display.
Display - I'm really proud of this. The Pyle has spring-loaded rubber tabs that let it mount over a regular rearview mirror. However, its heavy weight kept pulling down the Ford window glued stock mirror.

So I thought about it, then found a $14 black 1948 Willys new stock mirror that I simply screwed into the ceiling! It's small enough that the Pyle completely covers it. Perfect.
Since the Pyle has two video inputs, I've bought a second camera that I'm going to mount above the rear door, power off the running lights, and run a video cable along the ceiling to the front console... that way, I can leave it on all the time while driving.

I guess you are not taking too many breaks

I see more updated threads... what next!?

BG

PS: I wonder if kyidletime's overhead is like yours, since you have close years. In mine ('99) it's a completely different molded/with swoopy indents/fabric covered fiberglass overhead (on entire cab overhead) that has indents for visors and for a Chinook switch panel. Then the Ford center dome light is just mounted on it. No wood/box/etc. like yours (less space, also).