This wonderful little car is the pits to back up. I'm 6'1" and you just can't see out the back when you are backing. My 5"5 wife is really reluctant to back it at all.
So what camera options has anyone found?
Don't have Nav, but I do have the Harman Kardon stereo.
I have a nice Android phone that isn't in use, and was thinking I'd make it a dedicated GPS and music server in the car. I'm looking for a Bluetooth solution, I think. Just sounds easy.
But I'd do a wired one if I have to.

What options do I have?

 

 

The advantage to a wired solution is that you don't get caught waiting for the camera and phone to connect. Not all phones, apps and cameras are going to pair or connect at the same rate. You want to back up not wait.

For me, the screen on the phone is too small unless it is right in front of me.

I've been scanning the ads on Amazon for awhile and can't find the one I want yet. I did have one delivered with a 4" screen, but in actuality it turned out to be about 3" with a plastic frame around it to pretend it was a 4" screen. I sent it right back.

My son had one installed in his car recently, it was too small for me but he likes it. Brand name and it was dirt cheap.

 

That looks pretty good. Just wire for power to reverse lights and that's it, I guess.
Have you used one of these? Works okay?

How do you do the switching on the phone? Just keep the app running?

 

I have an old Note 4 that I can dedicate to this and the screen is pretty darn good and nearly 6" diagonal. I wouldn't have any problems seeing that.

 

I ordered the Calmoor mentioned by michaelo, ( ,) and before I even got it they put another one on sale for $89, ( .)
I have heard that the one with the app that uses a phone as interface has to be reconnected each time you start the car. That would be a pain in the neck, seems to me.
I've also realized that either one is going to be "fun" to wire to the tail light.

Has anyone else found a good solution for this? I've seen some that display in the rear view mirror and I'd think that would be a good option for avoiding an extra screen. I'm not seeing a great place to put an extra screen in the little fellow...

Anybody?

 

I just bought and then returned the Calmoor.
On my R52, it stuck out enough to block access to the trunk open button.
I flipped it, then the image was upside-down. The software will only reverse, not invert, the image.
I considered modifying the frame to allow flipping the camera over so it can be at the bottom, but the right way up. It would be easy to do with a step drill and small files.

Image quality was usually good, but would randomly be terrible with extreme graininess and false colors.
It would sometimes connect in 5-10 seconds, but sometimes take several minutes of me repeatedly connecting and disconnecting WiFi, or power cycling the camera.
One time it came up with a different SSID than usual, like completely different.

Too much hassle. When I want to use a reverse camera, I kind of want it right now.

 

I returned both of the Calmoors. I agree that I want it to work, and not be a pain. Never thought about it interfering with the boot access button, but I didn't get that far.

I am going to look at what they have at BestBuy tomorrow. A friend of mine recommended a system that replaces the rear view mirror with one that displays the backup cam info.
One like this one. Linky

I just don't want to give up dashboard real estate, and I sure don't want connection hassles.
We'll see...

 

If you buy the one from Best Buy, might as well save some cash and buy this, same thing different name.

And let me know how it works, still looking.

 

What I read about those, but haven't experienced personally, is that if your headliner is light in color, or if the top is down and it's not dark, you won't be able to see the picture. Following this thread in case I'm wrong.

 

I can see how that is possible. My friend who has one has it in a van with a light interior. He said it was a little "ghost image" like at first, but once he got used to it, it doesn't occur to him anymore that it was like that.
I think that's possible with any screen.
I don't know, but I still think it's a better idea for me than an extra screen. I'll report back. Might be a little while.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/Misayaee-Re...gateway&sr=8-7

I don't know if this is quite the right one, this one replaces one of the license plate light housings. Not used it myself.

 

I purchased a NTV-KIT174 off ebay... the seller was asking 600$, i offered and purchased it for $300.


Then picked up this back-up camera on amazon (item B07NQ9458N)... required some modification to the rear latch; i had to enlarge the hole to fit, then used tiny screws to keep it secure.


4hours and 15' of wire (don't know the gauge, but it was thin and solid, not stranded)

Camera switch is tapping the reverse light...so when it's put into reverse the camera is activated.
the guide lines do not move....


The camera is pretty discrete... i probably could have fitted a smaller camera, but this one has great night vision capabilities, better than the OEM on my wife's SUV.

 

Looks good, but doesn't work for me as I don't have the Nav head.
Still looking...

 

How did you route the video cable to the front dash?

About to install an aftermarket Nav unit and would like to keep it as clean as possible.

Thanks!

 

There is a cable race that goes from the hatch to under the trim inside the hatch. I went over to the left, then inside the trim beside the rear driver's side, then under the door sill trim, with a pit stop at the FWM to tap the reverse light wire for power and then over to the center.

 

I have the plate style (hard wired) to my kenwood headunit (have for the past 2yrs) no issues at all

 

How did you wire the camera up? I tried the reverse signal from the tail, but the camera flickers and shuts off.