Aftermarket Backup Camera

[Steveanson]

Hello all - We have three days to finalize our 5.0TA build sheet, and I continue to waffle over the ETI backup camera. Patricia really wants the camera for when she's at the helm, so that settles it. ETI's is costly, and I'm curious if it has any serious advantages over aftermarket kits that cost a quarter to one third the price ETI is charging. Are you happy with the optional camera? If you use an aftermarket model, and are happy with it, which one do you use?
Thanks, Pat & Matt

[camp4528]

Originally Posted by Steveanson

Hello all - We have three days to finalize our 5.0TA build sheet, and I continue to waffle over the ETI backup camera. Patricia really wants the camera for when she's at the helm, so that settles it. ETI's is costly, and I'm curious if it has any serious advantages over aftermarket kits that cost a quarter to one third the price ETI is charging. Are you happy with the optional camera? If you use an aftermarket model, and are happy with it, which one do you use?
Thanks, Pat & Matt

Just a note that the ETI price includes the wiring and installation of the camera itself. The time and materials for you or an installer should be considered.

[tractors1]

If you intend to add your own, have ETI run any wires (power, ground, and video) from the camera end forward to the front of your trailer for the transmitter. Lower risk of dropouts that way.



I've used Tadibrothers on my last two rigs with a mirror-mount monitor, since the inside mirror is useless when towing.


https://www.tadibrothers.com/product...-backup-camera

[Bobbie54]

I got the ETI one and so far am very glad I did. It was easy to hookup and is easy to use.

[glsails]

We too are finalizing our build sheet for our 21C, although we still have another couple weeks. I struggled with getting the back up camera as an option and finally landed on adding it. Didn't feel it would be that necessary for backing up after towing much bigger trailers for a long time. If a marriage can survive 15 years of cooperative trailer reversing, we should be pretty solid ;-) But, I read that a lot of people really like the camera more for driving than backing, something I hadn't really thought about. Most of the aftermarket cameras that I looked at attach at the license plate. ETI's cam is mounted up high and that looks like a better option for mounting location to me. Also, the camera itself needs a power source. You can get battery operated ones that don't need to be wired into the trailer but then you've limited your choices quite a bit. You could wire a camera into license plate or clearance lights yourself, and mount it where you want, but personally, that sounded like a PITA to me and I like the clean install of the factory camera and the added potential driving safety. Drilling into the fiberglass to self-install a $100 camera of unknown functionality lost out to having ETI do it and not worrying about it.

[Bobbie54]

I basically use it for checking behind me. It's also useful to make sure I'm not about to hit my other car as I back into the driveway. Not much use for getting into the garage, though. To turn it on I just turn the headlights from auto to on so it is easy to do while driving.

[Ronn]

We've had the ETI camera for two years now. Never had an issue with it and I would order it again. Don't know much about what else is available but I'd just as soon not mess with mounting etc.

I use it for driving and I hardly ever use it for backing up.

[Steveanson]

I want to thank everyone who responded with so many helpful pro's and no conn's for the factory installation of the backup camera. I'm convinced that I don't need to be messing with installing a camera myself, and let the professionals take care of it. Also, it's a cheap alternative to having to drive 100% of the time, as the boss said it's the only way she'll drive a TV again. . . Matt

[gbaglo]

I was gifted a "wireless" rear view camera from Costco. It cost less than $150. Shop quoted me $600 to install it in my RAV4. And, they said it probably wouldn't work very well.

[75thRanger]

I have the ETI installed camera. Vehicles have to be very close behind for me to see them. Dark colored car, sun, weather, Forget it! See nothing.

I can't remember the cost but whatever it was is too much. Wish I could sell it back to ETI! Good deal too.

[Ronn]

Originally Posted by 75thRanger

Vehicles have to be very close behind for me to see them.

That is one reason I like the camera. You are right, it is not good as a rear view mirror, you can see that traffic with your outside rear view mirrors. But it is great to see what is close behind me.

Also you can see nearby vehicles that are in the adjacent lanes. If you see the front end of a vehicle in an adjacent lane you know your trailers rear is in front of them, for me this makes for safe and stress free lane changes. I believe this also makes driving through major cities less stressful.

I don't like tailgaters and seeing that "too close" vehicle helps with defensive driving. Defensive driving is increased by knowing what and where the traffic is around you. I also use extensions on my mirrors, even so without the camera it is quite common to have close enough behind me that I would be visible by swinging the trailer.

[jennykatz]

We had ETI install power leads to both sides one is live the other works without lights . We bought one off Amazon plugs into elec we leave it in RV not outside it looks through rear window we put a Velcro patch on cabinet and one on camera base works Great . Then plug in videoin 12 volt cig lighter. Good luck JimW .

[tburt]

I went with one from Amazon (for $189), which I really like. It is an HD model and the picture is very clear. I had ETI prewire our 21 for the camera. I think it cost $40.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[C&G in FL]

I initially had the Tadi Brothers before ETI started offering it. I sold it at a greatly reduced price and purchased a Voyager. The Tadi had a monitor and a separate receiver, its camera had a separate transmitter. It was too messy for my tastes, especially in the cab of my truck, a spider web of wires. The Voyager monitor’s receiver is integrated with the screen. Much neater, IMO, and I find the signal more reliable when I use it. But I had ETI add a wire drop from the center conductor of the umbilical to the cabinet over the dinette. With a little creative wire cutting and splicing, and the addition of a switch, I can turn the camera on and off from the driver’s seat. I typically flip it on when going through heavy urban traffic and when backing into a campsite. It makes it easy to see my spouses hand signals when she is behind the trailer.

[TahoeJoe]

What is the monitor like on the ETI unit...like what size and what are the mount options?

[P&L]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

I initially had the Tadi Brothers before ETI started offering it. I sold it at a greatly reduced price and purchased a Voyager. The Tadi had a monitor and a separate receiver, its camera had a separate transmitter. It was too messy for my tastes, especially in the cab of my truck, a spider web of wires. The Voyager monitor’s receiver is integrated with the screen. Much neater, IMO, and I find the signal more reliable when I use it. But I had ETI add a wire drop from the center conductor of the umbilical to the cabinet over the dinette. With a little creative wire cutting and splicing, and the addition of a switch, I can turn the camera on and off from the driver’s seat. I typically flip it on when going through heavy urban traffic and when backing into a campsite. It makes it easy to see my spouses hand signals when she is behind the trailer.

We also had the Tadi Brothers camera before ETI offered theirs, but with a different experience. We had Best Buy finalize the set up for us because we weren't happy with how Escape initially installed it. The camera is wireless and wires in my truck are hidden and I see it on my vehicles monitor. I don't have a sepearate monitor. I can see cars up close and far away. My wife loves it when she drives and feels safer with it.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by P&L

We also had the Tadi Brothers camera before ETI offered theirs, but with a different experience. We had Best Buy finalize the set up for us because we weren't happy with how Escape initially installed it. The camera is wireless and wires in my truck are hidden and I see it on my vehicles monitor. I don't have a sepearate monitor. I can see cars up close and far away. My wife loves it when she drives and feels safer with it.

If you are saying that the Tadi Brothers camera displays on the monitor that came on the vehicle from its manufacturer, I did not have that option, it couldn’t be done. And I do not know if Tadi has changed its system to not have two components on each end. I could have hidden the receiver in the cabinet over the dinette, but it was having two components in the dashboard with their associated wiring that turned me off. In addition, the wiring to connect the receiver unit to the monitor was of such a small gauge that it was difficult to splice, and the harness was too short to hide the receiver behind the dashboard. All that being said, if I could have had the type of installation you have, I would likely not have switched to Voyager. Glad to hear you are pleased with the Tadi system.

[Sandra L]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I was gifted a "wireless" rear view camera from Costco. It cost less than $150. Shop quoted me $600 to install it in my RAV4. And, they said it probably wouldn't work very well.

Glenn,
If you are using it:
Does it work well? Is It the solar license plate one? Was it easy to install?

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Sandra L

Glenn,
If you are using it:
Does it work well? Is It the solar license plate one? Was it easy to install?

I returned it. It was "license plate" install, which required drilling a hole and removal of hatch upholstery to run wires and hook up power and transmitter.

I already had my GPS and Sirius radio using DC outlets in the cab and didn't want more stuff on and around the dash.
I bought a Swift Hitch camera for hooking up.
Then, I bought a 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE AWD that came with a rear view camera. Still getting used to it.

[IMJ in FLA]

We have the factory camera on our 2019 21C.

If I was redoing the build sheet, I would make two changes:

1) Install a second, forward-facing camera on the front of the trailer

2) Wire the power supplies to both cameras via an on/off switch inside the camper, not through the headlight circuit

We use our camera mostly while driving, not for backing up. But I would really like to use the camera for security monitoring while parked -- that's the reason why I'd like the different power source and second camera. A second, forward-facing camera would also be useful for monitoring the secure ride of our 17' kayaks on the TV while driving.

BTW, the monitor on the factory system can support up to four camera inputs.