A backup camera for $50!!!!!!!!!!!

[Complete Turf Care]

My magnets are delayed by USPS, so I went to my local CarQuest and they had some in stock. Got it mounted up yesterday. Here is what it look like on the bench before sticking it on my attachments.



Next are some pics with it in place. I really like the option of being able to move it around for the different attachments.
This first one is on the grille guard.



This next one is on the loader.



On the bucket....



And finally, on the forks.



I think the magnets will hold it from any vibration or even any jolt from loader work. However, a stick or something will knock it off fairly easily.

The system overall is fairly simple, and is cheaply made. One of the connections must have got bumped and bent, and I was not able to thread it together very well.

Another thing about this system is that when you rotate the view, it rotates both cameras. This means that when I switch from one camera to the other, I will also have to switch the rotation view. A minor inconvenience. Also, the monitor is a little small for my bad eyes. And direct sunlight in early morning and late afternoon will be a bit of a problem.

Anyway, for the money (about $180 including the magnets) I'm happy with what I have. I will test it this week rolling out some sod.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

My magnets are delayed by USPS, so I went to my local CarQuest and they had some in stock. Got it mounted up yesterday. Here is what it look like on the bench before sticking it on my attachments.

View attachment 418878

Next are some pics with it in place. I really like the option of being able to move it around for the different attachments.
This first one is on the grille guard.

View attachment 418879

This next one is on the loader.

View attachment 418880

On the bucket....

View attachment 418881

And finally, on the forks.

View attachment 418882

I think the magnets will hold it from any vibration or even any jolt from loader work. However, a stick or something will knock it off fairly easily.

The system overall is fairly simple, and is cheaply made. One of the connections must have got bumped and bent, and I was not able to thread it together very well.

Another thing about this system is that when you rotate the view, it rotates both cameras. This means that when I switch from one camera to the other, I will also have to switch the rotation view. A minor inconvenience. Also, the monitor is a little small for my bad eyes. And direct sunlight in early morning and late afternoon will be a bit of a problem.

Anyway, for the money (about $180 including the magnets) I'm happy with what I have. I will test it this week rolling out some sod.

 

[Fallon]

I used the waterproof monitor (linked previously) a bit this weekend. Even with that hood it can be really hard to see out in the sun. Image clarity is good but not great. Maybe a hair better than I was expecting for a cheapish monitor & cheap camera. I'm not sure I could recommend the monitor if you are going to be out in bright sun most of the time. Otherwise a decent monitor.

Odd bug... When you tell it to invert because your camera is upside down. It inverts the on-screen menu as well. Annoying but not a show stopper.

 

[Utopia Texas]

I used the waterproof monitor (linked previously) a bit this weekend. Even with that hood it can be really hard to see out in the sun. Image clarity is good but not great. Maybe a hair better than I was expecting for a cheapish monitor & cheap camera. I'm not sure I could recommend the monitor if you are going to be out in bright sun most of the time. Otherwise a decent monitor.

Odd bug... When you tell it to invert because your camera is upside down. It inverts the on-screen menu as well. Annoying but not a show stopper.

Few flat screens work well in direct sunlight be they cell phones, Ipads or the viewers on digital cameras. I fly quad copters with cameras mounted on them for a hobby and use a old IPad to view what the quad copter views when it is in the air. This enables me to steer/fly the unit when it is out of my sight. I've had to build a " sun box" to fit the IPad into in order to see better. Even with the box you will sometimes get a reflection on the screen.

 

[Utopia Texas]

I used the waterproof monitor (linked previously) a bit this weekend. Even with that hood it can be really hard to see out in the sun. Image clarity is good but not great. Maybe a hair better than I was expecting for a cheapish monitor & cheap camera. I'm not sure I could recommend the monitor if you are going to be out in bright sun most of the time. Otherwise a decent monitor.

Odd bug... When you tell it to invert because your camera is upside down. It inverts the on-screen menu as well. Annoying but not a show stopper.

Few flat screens work well in direct sunlight be they cell phones, Ipads or the viewers on digital cameras. I fly quad copters with cameras mounted on them for a hobby and use a old IPad to view what the quad copter views when it is in the air. This enables me to steer/fly the unit when it is out of my sight. I've had to build a " sun box" to fit the IPad into in order to see better. Even with the box you will sometimes get a reflection on the screen.

 

[mangus580]

Thanks for the feedback Fallon.

I wonder if anyone can provide similar feedback on the cheap non-waterproof monitor?

 

[Fallon]

Few flat screens work well in direct sunlight be they cell phones, Ipads or the viewers on digital cameras. I fly quad copters with cameras mounted on them for a hobby and use a old IPad to view what the quad copter views when it is in the air. This enables me to steer/fly the unit when it is out of my sight. I've had to build a " sun box" to fit the IPad into in order to see better. Even with the box you will sometimes get a reflection on the screen.

It does have 2" hood or so on it. That helps a bit, but in a lot of positions it wasn't enough. I cranked up the brightness (with inverted menus) but don't think I took it out after that. It didn't get that much brighter in the shop when I upped it.

 

[Utopia Texas]

It does have 2" hood or so on it. That helps a bit, but in a lot of positions it wasn't enough. I cranked up the brightness (with inverted menus) but don't think I took it out after that. It didn't get that much brighter in the shop when I upped it.

Do a cheap experiment and get a small cardboard box slightly larger than the screen. Cut and fit the box around the screen and only leave the end open that faces you when driving. Cutting out as much sunlight as possible may do the trick!

 

[Utopia Texas]

Thanks for the feedback Fallon.

I wonder if anyone can provide similar feedback on the cheap non-waterproof monitor?

See post #295 and attached picture.
As you can see from the picture the cheap screen looks great.

 

[countrybumpkin]

You could always order one of these

 

[s219]

Thanks for the feedback Fallon.

I wonder if anyone can provide similar feedback on the cheap non-waterproof monitor?

Mine has been better than I expected. Haven't run into conditions where I couldn't see the screen. Will pay extra attention next time it's super sunny out.

 

[Fallon]

You could always order one of these

It comes with one of those already. That one looks a bit bigger though.

 

[Threepoint]

Thanks for the feedback Fallon.

I wonder if anyone can provide similar feedback on the cheap non-waterproof monitor?

Mangus, see my post #120 on p. 12 for pics showing resolution on my $28 monitor. I've had it now for nine months with no problems. Still very impressed with it. I did swap out the camera for a non-quideline version recently and prefer that. I bought a second non-guidline camera for the FEL, but haven't finalized how to mount it. Several TBN members have posted good solutions. As for visibility of the monitor screen in bright daylight, I do sometimes get glare that makes it harder to view, depending on the angle of the sunlight. Don't know if a small sunshade at the top would help, but it's not enough of a problem so far that I've experimented yet.

 

[mangus580]

See post #295 and attached picture.
As you can see from the picture the cheap screen looks great.

I was looking for direct sunlight feedback... I know it looks great in a cab!!

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Update and review.

Overall, I am disappointed with the system. I used it for 2 days to roll out 90 rolls of sod on a golf course. This is done with a special attachment. I also had to move around some other sod on pallets.

Here are some of the good and bad of my system, first the good:
1. I really like the magnet mount. I can move the camera to many different positions on my attachments. And, my neodymium magnets came in and are extremely powerful, almost to the point of being dangerous.

2. The infrared lights do provide some light at night, but only about 10'.

Now the bad points:
1. In bright sunlight, the system is pretty much useless for me. I have a cab tractor. If anything is in a shadow, I could not see it. Early in the morning, before the sun was very high, I could see things much better.

2. The monitor is just too small and I could not see much detail of anything.

3. When stabbing the pallets with my forks, I could not tell the angle of the forks, and ended up stabbing them into the ground several times.

I think I will just need to use it more and it will become more useful. On my next project, I will be using the rear camera more since I will be tilling and then laser grading some football fields. Hopefully the system will be more useful there.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Update and review.

Overall, I am disappointed with the system. I used it for 2 days to roll out 90 rolls of sod on a golf course. This is done with a special attachment. I also had to move around some other sod on pallets.

Here are some of the good and bad of my system, first the good:
1. I really like the magnet mount. I can move the camera to many different positions on my attachments. And, my neodymium magnets came in and are extremely powerful, almost to the point of being dangerous.

2. The infrared lights do provide some light at night, but only about 10'.

Now the bad points:
1. In bright sunlight, the system is pretty much useless for me. I have a cab tractor. If anything is in a shadow, I could not see it. Early in the morning, before the sun was very high, I could see things much better.

2. The monitor is just too small and I could not see much detail of anything.

3. When stabbing the pallets with my forks, I could not tell the angle of the forks, and ended up stabbing them into the ground several times.

I think I will just need to use it more and it will become more useful. On my next project, I will be using the rear camera more since I will be tilling and then laser grading some football fields. Hopefully the system will be more useful there.

 

[BX tent guy]

I bought this system. New 7" TFT Monitor Waterproof Car Rear View Night Vision Backup 2 Camera System | eBay
I really need a longer 8 pin cable to go from the monitor to the power source. I can't find anything appropriate. Anyone else out there have a source? I think the cable is 8 pin mini din but that a guess.

 

[BX tent guy]

I bought this system. New 7" TFT Monitor Waterproof Car Rear View Night Vision Backup 2 Camera System | eBay
I really need a longer 8 pin cable to go from the monitor to the power source. I can't find anything appropriate. Anyone else out there have a source? I think the cable is 8 pin mini din but that a guess.

 

[PILOON]

I have played with those cables a bit. Nothing critical impedance wise so you can simply cut and splice to your desired length.
Good luck. Enjoy.

 

[BX tent guy]

I have played with those cables a bit. Nothing critical impedance wise so you can simply cut and splice to your desired length.
Good luck. Enjoy.

I need it longer, not shorter.