Peak backup camera My X-mas Present :)

[FenderBender]

My wife bought me the Peak back up cam for X-Mas. :)
I am just looking for some input for the install. I want it be a rear view cam not just for backing up. I will wire it to a switch or a circuit switched on by the ign. The camera mounts on the license plate but I already have a led light bar mounted there. My plate lights were rusted out. This was a quick easy fix. So I am considering mounting it in the factory spot in the half moon.
I wanted one with the display in the mirror. Not sure if I can mount this one on the mirror and if I do this one plugs into the cig lighter. I would have to run the wires under the headliner. Not sure if I want to do this much work. I am also not sure if I want it plugged into the lighter all the time. It would be nice to hard wire the monitor also or maybe just install a hidden power port.

Any suggestions or input from anybody who has installed one already is greatly welcomed.

Thanks, Mike

[FenderBender]

Ooops I forgot to click the email notification. :bwgy:

[tom4bren]

My plate lights were still working but I went ahead and added an adhesive LED band to the bracket. Very easy install. I don't think that you need to remove anything other than to make the wire connection inside the door. Unfortunately I can't be sure of that since I had the door apart anyway.

So you could still use the license plate frame mount for the camera.

I don't think that there is an alla-time hot wire back there so you'll probably have to run one from the dash. Someone with a back up camera will have to chime in on that. Since the camera was a factory item for JDM, there might be one.

[FenderBender]

I don't think that there is an alla-time hot wire back there so you'll probably have to run one from the dash. Someone with a back up camera will have to chime in on that. Since the camera was a factory item for JDM, there might be one.

The book says to tap into the reverse lights for power. I figured I would have to run a new wire from the dash. I never thought about the factory JDM wire. Hmm I would think it would be there. That would save me some time and work.

The package says It installs in minutes but it does not say how many. LOL :(

[tom4bren]

If there's a wire back there for the JDM camera, it may be switched for reverse as well so if you want to be able to use the camera for lane changes, you may have to find another source.

[FenderBender]

If there's a wire back there for the JDM camera, it may be switched for reverse as well so if you want to be able to use the camera for lane changes, you may have to find another source.

Yep I thought about that after I made the last post. I guess I will find out when I dig into it. Maybe tomorrow I will start checking it out.

[tom4bren]

If you have to run a wire from the dash, I'd suggest that you run a heavy wire & mount a cig lighter jack back there ... always a handy option. You can just continue the wire from there into the rear door for the camera.

[evillecutter]

they had "wireless" backup cameras with a color screen for $59 on sale at meynards the other day - but you still had to wire it up to something because it said it only worked with vehicle in reverse - i love it when something "wireless" requires being wired up because it has wires

[FenderBender]

Tom That's a great idea.

Yep this is the "wireless" That comes with lots of wire that maynards and many others sell...lol
It is a wireless receiver except for the cig lighter power cord. The camera and the transmitter have to be wired for power and they suggest tapping in to a reverse light so the camera comes on automatically while backing up.

Here is a link to the one I got.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Peak-Wireless-back-up-camera-system-with-3-1-2-in-LCD-monitor/_/N-26n7?itemIdentifier=251333_0_0_

[PK]

The JDM ones are wired into the reversing lights, so they too only come on when reversing.

PK

[FenderBender]

Thanks for the info PK

[evillecutter]

would be neat to have it on all the time

[VXorado]

I had a camera wired to stay on all of the time. I spliced into the cig lighter and just ran the wires to the rear door and mirror. Worked well but if you go this route, I suggest having an on/off switch. Mostly because the camera can be pretty bright at night from headlights, street lights & snow.

[FenderBender]

VXorado, Thanks yet another thing I did not think about. I think I will go with a switch. That way I know there will be no power drain also.

[kehecross]

My wife bought me the Peak back up cam for X-Mas. :)
I am just looking for some input for the install. I want it be a rear view cam not just for backing up. I will wire it to a switch or a circuit switched on by the ign. The camera mounts on the license plate but I already have a led light bar mounted there. My plate lights were rusted out. This was a quick easy fix. So I am considering mounting it in the factory spot in the half moon.
I wanted one with the display in the mirror. Not sure if I can mount this one on the mirror and if I do this one plugs into the cig lighter. I would have to run the wires under the headliner. Not sure if I want to do this much work. I am also not sure if I want it plugged into the lighter all the time. It would be nice to hard wire the monitor also or maybe just install a hidden power port.

Any suggestions or input from anybody who has installed one already is greatly welcomed.

Thanks, Mike

I put this same camera in my VX. There were no stock wires in the rear door, But I was able to run the wires from the camera through the rubber boot in the hinge into the jack compartment to a harness plug in there that I tapped into.(All the light wire are in there) Was able to make it look like a factory wire job. The hardest part was mounting the camera in the half moon. (It just didn't look right) and the screen was hard to see. I kind of found it to be useless and removed it and bought a new half moon piece and I am back to guessing whats behind me.:mady: LOL

[FenderBender]

I put this same camera in my VX. There were no stock wires in the rear door, But I was able to run the wires from the camera through the rubber boot in the hinge into the jack compartment to a harness plug in there that I tapped into.(All the light wire are in there) Was able to make it look like a factory wire job. The hardest part was mounting the camera in the half moon. (It just didn't look right) and the screen was hard to see. I kind of found it to be useless and removed it and bought a new half moon piece and I am back to guessing whats behind me.:mady: LOL

Great :( Thanks for the input. I have not had time to heat up the garage and take a look at it yet. I'm not sure if returning it is an option...lol
It is a pretty small screen. Now you got me thinking some new speakers in the back might be nice.:smilewink

[kehecross]

Yea. When trying to make the camera look where you need it to, It had to stick out through the punch out in the half moon piece and it looked like it didn't belong. It seemed to work good but the screen was so small and you really could not tell how far away a object was. You could hook it up temporarily and see what I mean. Also if there is not enough light you can't see anything. Sorry for the bad news. But I would hate to see you go through what I did and not be happy. Other things I didn't like were the blinking blue LED that tell that tell you it is on. It is really annoying at low light and it seemed to pick up interferance in the same spots in the road (electric lines, fire departments some street signals) and the screen would act like it was trying to turn on. The blue sceen would come on and then gray and black fuzzy lines would appear.

[FenderBender]

hehecross,
Thanks it is not bad news you just saved me from wasting my time and money. I guess you do get what you pay for. I think it is going back to the store. Maybe some day I will spend the money on a better unit? Or just say the heck with it. I really do not have much problem backing the VX up. I have been driving truck for 24 years and all we have is the side mirrors. I just thought it would be kinda nice to have one. Yep some 6 1/2" speakers would sound so much better than the blown factory ones that I have now. I had to turn the fader to the front the other day. I have Cerwin Vega components in the doors but it sucks without the rears.

[kehecross]

Go with the speakers!!:bwgy: SOUNDS like a better deal:)

[FenderBender]

Yep got the approval to take it back. :) New speakers it is. :)

[tom4bren]

... I kind of found it to be useless and removed it ...

If you'd stuck with it for a while it may have surprised you. The human mind is impressive for matrixing images. I have 3 cameras on the RV. The rear camera is wide angle and points almost directly down (can barely see the rear bumper at the bottom of the screen). When a car is passing you, it appears almost vertical before it disappears from the screen. My mind doesn't even see that anymore. If I'm in the process of changing lanes, the turn signal automatically switches to the appropriate side camera & after getting used to using it, I don't have any issues with the image orientation switch anymore.

With the proper orientation of mirrors & camera, it could have been a useful tool once you got used to it.

I'm not trying to convince you to keep the camera, just wanted to add my observations so that you can make an informed decision.

Just remember that there is no magic cure for bad visibility, but there are things that can help.

[kehecross]

If you'd stuck with it for a while it may have surprised you. The human mind is impressive for matrixing images. I have 3 cameras on the RV. The rear camera is wide angle and points almost directly down (can barely see the rear bumper at the bottom of the screen). When a car is passing you, it appears almost vertical before it disappears from the screen. My mind doesn't even see that anymore. If I'm in the process of changing lanes, the turn signal automatically switches to the appropriate side camera & after getting used to using it, I don't have any issues with the image orientation switch anymore.

With the proper orientation of mirrors & camera, it could have been a useful tool once you got used to it.

I'm not trying to convince you to keep the camera, just wanted to add my observations so that you can make an informed decision.

Just remember that there is no magic cure for bad visibility, but there are things that can help.

(It just didn't look right) and the screen was hard to see. I kind of found it to be useless

The screen was hard too see because it is so small sorry! But I was though I made a informed decision:bwgy: You are comparing 3 cameras to one camera that had many issues. Coming on all by its self (interference from something) a very bright blue LED that flashed to let you know there was power to the unit (Really distracting at night) And last the very small screen with poor resolution. It is a cheap setup and it works like a cheap setup. There are better one's out there. I am with you on the no magic cure for bad visibility but there is a better one then this camera.

[FenderBender]

This is a pretty cheap unit with a 2.4" screen. Not going to see much on that unless it is mounted right in front of you. I think my money is better off being spent on a better quality unit.

I have driven a street sweeper with a setup similar to Tom's RV. The one in the sweeper would allow you to turn it on as a rear view camera. That is what gave me the idea to buy one and hook it up to a switch. Those units are of a high quality and I am sure work much better than this unit.

I took it back today and picked up some Polk Audio 6 1/2" speakers for the rear. I will enjoy them much more. :dance: :dan_ban:

Maybe next sat. I will heat up the garage and install them. I have been wanting to take out the back seat anyways. I helped Breezy put his back together when he changed his rear speakers so I know what I'm in for.

[kehecross]

Rock on FenderBender!!! There was also another thing that did not work so well with this camera setup. The camera was made to be put on the license plate mount. Therefore it was made to look straight back. The knockout in the halfmoon did not let it look that way, So I had to cut it out a bit to get the right angle. That is why I had to buy another halfmoon piece when I took it out.

[Baldwin]

I have something called "Van Eyes" and can see fine with just the rear view mirror. Tryin' to find another one for my 2nd Proton but haven't been able to find it yet in a store.