pillow tft lcd reversing camera manual made in china

A campervan reversing camera can be worth its weight in gold. Most campervans and motorhomes have a very limited view (or none at all) of the rear of their vehicle. So fitting a reversing camera makes perfect sense as it makes reversing and parking much easier and safer.

Some campervans and motorhomes already have reversing cameras fitted as standard. But if yours doesn’t, what options are available? and how easy are they to install?Let’s find out…

Means that the monitor and camera are connected by wires. These systems usually offer the best picture quality and are not prone to interference like some wireless systems are. One, two and even four camera options are available. (Multiple cameras are only really necessary for large motorhomes.)

The wires will need to be routed through (or under) the vehicle, and physical connections made. If you own a large motorhome, then generally awired, twin camera reversing camera system would be a more suitable option than a wireless system.

Means that the monitor and camera are not connected by wires. Sometimes the camera on a wireless system also incorporates the transmitter, where other systems have a separate transmitter that the camera is connected to by wires. This can have advantages as the transmitter can be located closer to the monitor/receiver for a better, stronger signal.

Both types of sensors work by converting light into electrons. A camera with a CCD (charge coupled device) sensor will produce a much better quality image than a cheaper camera fitted with a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor, which is much more prone to noise and will have a lower picture quality.

Well, this all depends on the size of the vehicle. If you have a large motorhome, for instance, a two camera system can work well. One camera can point towards the ground (or towbar, if fitted) and the other camera can be mounted higher up for a broader view.

It’s common to have the camera that is facing the ground (or towbar) activated only when reverse is selected. The second ‘higher up’ camera can be wired to be on all the time, so it can be used as a rearview mirror, handy for motorway lane changes, etc.

Then, if possible, mounting it high up will give the best all-around view and help to minimize blind spots. A camera mounted high up will also be less likely to get covered in dirt and spray in wet conditions.

Such as the Dometic PerfectView 360 use four cameras to give a 360-degree all-around view. They are not cheap – but if you have a large motorhome they might be worth the investment.

And don’t want a monitor permanently mounted on the dash – then how about using your smartphone as a monitor? The camera actually creates its own hotspot (with a range of up to 30m) which the phone then connects to like any other hotspot. How cool is that!

Some reversing camera systems have a microphone incorporated into the camera and speakers built into the monitor. This enables the driver to hear as well as see what’s going on behind the vehicle.

If a twin camera system is used and one camera is going to be always-on (when the ignition is on) then a permanent live positive feed will be required.

Depending on the vehicle, a live feed at the rear of the vehicle may not be available. One option to get around this would be to use the live feed for the side lights, so that when the sidelights are turned on – so is the camera.

Then you could always mount the camera inside the vehicle looking out of the back window if you have one. This would also have the benefit of protecting the camera from any dirt and spray thrown up from the road.

Please note…Any black (- ground) wires from the monitor, camera or transmitter will need to be grounded to either an existing ground wire, or be attached to a bolt or self-tapping screw that is touching a metal part of the vehicle’s bodywork.

If you’re confident in your electrical know-how and prefer to pick and choose each component, then you can buy a monitor, camera/cameras, and wiring all separately, and make up your own reversing camera system.

However, if this is your first time buying and fitting a reversing camera, then a complete kit (with fitting instructions) is probably the best way to go. This way, at least you know that everything is going to be compatible.

The kit includes a 12v/24v 7″ TFT colour monitor (measuring 171mm × 115mm × 16 mm) with glare protection from bright sunlight. The monitor has a mirror image button, which when pushed shows the same view as if you were looking in the rearview mirror. The monitor has 2 video inputs, so you can add a second camera if you wish.

The waterproof high-resolution CCD camera has a 120-degree viewing angle and is fitted with an anti-glare shield, as well as 18 infrared diodes for night vision capabilities. The camera can be adjusted to offer the best viewing angle for your vehicle. The kit comes with 20m of cable making it suitable for long motorhomes.

This system is well worth considering if you’re looking for a quality wired reversing camera solution at a very reasonable price. Have a read through the Amazon reviews where you will even find some pretty good installation instructions by one motorhome owner who bought the system.

The Auto-Vox M1W(the W stands for wireless, it’s also available as a wired version – the M1) is an affordable, easy to fit, wireless reversing camera kit.

The kit uses digital rather than analogue technology to provide a clear and stable image. The adjustable compact waterproof HD camera has a 170-degree wide viewing angle, and also incorporates 6 super bright LEDs that are automatically turned on in low light conditions.

Unusually the transmitter is a separate unit and not built into the camera like on many other wireless systems. This has the advantage of enabling you to locate the transmitter closer to the monitor/receiver, which will provide a stronger more reliable signal. The transmitter is also waterproof, so can be fitted inside or outside of the vehicle.

The 4.3″ colour TFT monitor has a suction pad mount so can be fixed to the windscreen or dashboard. The mount also rotates 360 degrees to provide the perfect viewing angle. The monitor is powered by a standard 12v cigarette plugin type connector.

Installation of the Auto-Vox M1W  is very straight forward…Install the compact camera with the bracket tucked behind the rear number plate (or a location of your choice) using the 3M stickers.

The Auto-Vox M1W is one of the most popular digital wireless reversing camera kits. It’s ideal if you just want a simple, good quality setup without spending much money. Have a read of the

There are numerous reversing camera kits on the market, and at first glance they may seem to all do the same job, but it’s only when you start to dig a little deeper that you realise that quality, reliability, and function vary a lot.

As you’d probably expect from this sort of technology, most reversing camera kits are generic products made in China. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing as long as you do your homework.

So, just to recap on what to look out for when buying a reversing camera for your campervan or motorhome:CCD cameras are better than CMOS cameras.Make sure that the camera is waterproof (look for an IP68 rating which is an international standard. This means that the product should stand up to being submerged in 1.5m of water for up to 30 minutes).Get a camera that can work in low light conditions (so fitted with Infrared diodes or bright LEDs).When choosing a wireless system, digital is much better than analogue. Also, to reduce the possibility of interference and screen flicker, make sure that the distance between the transmitter and receiver is well within the specified range, basically the closer the better.If you need twin cameras, check that the monitor has at least two video inputs.TFT LCD monitors offer the best picture quality.If possible, choose a monitor that has an anti-glare screen.Not all kits come with a standard 12v cigarette plugin type connector included to power the monitor. If you’re not going to be hardwiring the monitor into the vehicle electrics, then you’ll need to buy one of these separately.On some twin camera kits, you can only switch between cameras using a remote, there is not always a button on the monitor for this.