Reversing camera recommendations

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Journeyman

1186 posts

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#257373 29-Sep-2019 15:25

My mum wants a reversing camera for her Corolla. Looking to buy and install locally by professionals (Auckland, pref North Shore).

Does anyone have any recommendations for particular models and installers?

Thanks

richms

28172 posts

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#2326777 29-Sep-2019 17:02

I would just say to avoid the cheap wireless ones since they use 2.4GHz analog video and will get all sorts of interference over the picture and on occasion pop up a video feed from someone elses camera.

I put one on my falcon aimed at the towball to help backing up to the trailer, which has the receiver in an overlay mirror and if I leave it plugged in, it pops up someone elses camera from time to time, and the annoying thing is when the signal goes away the screen stays blue for quite some time, really annoying at night so I only plug the screen in when needed.

When I first installed it I had the camera on the tail lights on the boot lid so I just flicked the lights on and plugged the screen in when needed, but I changed it to the reversing lights later on when I realized that I would be puttting a picture onto other peoples screens whenever driving around at night.

I understand that there are more advanced digital wireless ones that require pairing, are not going to show massive lines on the picture if you're using bluetooth and only show your own camera, but I was after the cheapest way to get a signal thru. It was less than ideal.

Richard rich.ms

old3eyes

9119 posts

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#2326806 29-Sep-2019 18:12

My wife had a wireless camera and screen on the mirror installed on her Corolla. It was fine for a week then we noticed it would randomly flash at nite. Took it back and they changed the camera but the same result. Had it removed and a refund of about $350.

Regards,

Old3eyes

ajobbins

5052 posts

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#2328533 2-Oct-2019 15:43

What year Corolla? I've just replaced the head unit in my Mazda 6 with an Android Auto/Apple Carplay unit than will fit in a single DIN slot (screen is external). Cost me about $1000 but it's a pretty high end unit, and I wired up a reverse camera with it. A little bit fiddly to do yourself, but perfectly do-able if you have the time and inclination. If you're going wired, doing a head unit at the same time would probably cost about the same in installation.

If you can stretch the budget a little more than a wireless reverse camera (I am assuming the car doesn't already have a factory radio with a screen that could accommodate a retrofitted camera) you can probably get a double DIN head unit with a wired camera installed for not too much more. Wired cameras themselves are pretty cheap (Probably $40 - less if you got one from AliExpress) and there are Android Auto/Apple Carplay head units available for under $500.

Twitter: ajobbins

old3eyes

9119 posts

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#2328622 2-Oct-2019 18:47

ajobbins:
What year Corolla? I've just replaced the head unit in my Mazda 6 with an Android Auto/Apple Carplay unit than will fit in a single DIN slot (screen is external). Cost me about $1000 but it's a pretty high end unit, and I wired up a reverse camera with it. A little bit fiddly to do yourself, but perfectly do-able if you have the time and inclination. If you're going wired, doing a head unit at the same time would probably cost about the same in installation.

If you can stretch the budget a little more than a wireless reverse camera (I am assuming the car doesn't already have a factory radio with a screen that could accommodate a retrofitted camera) you can probably get a double DIN head unit with a wired camera installed for not too much more. Wired cameras themselves are pretty cheap (Probably $40 - less if you got one from AliExpress) and there are Android Auto/Apple Carplay head units available for under $500.

2013 Corolla.

Regards,

Old3eyes