12 volt; Bluetooth; back-up camera..Anyone have one?

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richg99

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Might have put my back out AGAIN this morning hooking up my boat.

My old van doesn't have a backup camera. New van does. I never have a problem hitching up the boat with the new van due to its backup camera.

But, I have to use the old one 5 months out of each year.(long story)

Seems like the solution would be to add an inexpensive Bluetooth backup camera. Then I can just use my iPhone to see how close the ball is.

Anyone with one, or anyone with a different idea, I am all ears!

thanks richg99
 
that would work

I am a cheapo so I use a piece of tape.

with the boat hooked up, and me sitting straight up in the drivers seat, I looked in the rear view mirror and picked a spot on the front of the boat I could see clearly

had a helper put a piece of tape on the rear window of the truck in this exact place.

So now all I do is line up that piece of tape with that spot on the boat.

I don't know how it would work on a van but it works great with the truck
 
Oh, I've got an indicator that is pretty good. See picture below.

The problem, where my boat is now kept, is that I have to be 100% accurate when I hitch up.

The boat is on a hill, which falls away from the parking lot. I have to keep big 8x8 blocks behind the rear wheels to keep her from slipping down the hill. So, when I get the ball really close, I cannot move the boat even an inch forward since I have all of the weight pulling away from me. Trying to pull the boat up the hill is how I messed up my back this morning.

My indicator device worked great in my boat barn, on a fairly flat gravel base, but doesn't help in this instance. I need a device to put me RIGHT ON the spot. The backup camera on the other van does the job!

richg99
 

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They make a device that mounts on the hitch that will guide the trailer onto the ball. It's Vee shaped, as long as your close it does the rest.
 
re V shape....yea, I've seen pictures of those. Afraid that that big device hanging out the back of my van 24/7 in a tight garage might cost me my happy home!

So far, I haven't found a single Bluetooth-equipped camera??? Tons of wireless ones, but they all require transmitters and receivers on both ends and everything connected to 12 volts. I understand the need to connect the camera to 12 volts..but was hoping to make the receiving end simple.
Ha Ha richg99
 
I tried using my SJCam (knockoff GoPro) to hook up my boat once. It has a bluetooth function allowing you to control the camera from your phone. I found out there is about a second delay or so from the camera to my phone. I now have a nice dent/nick in my licenses plate. :(
 
When I bought my new Tacoma I was online doing some research, I saw the back up camera as one of the premium packages. Told myself "what a useless thing that is, I know how to reverse!" Then there was a video of someone hooking to a trailer and that camera is pointed right at the ball. Talk about a brilliant marketing idea to make that video because it started my justification of a $4400 premium package! HAD to have it!!

So for cars and audio video stuff, look at Crutchfield. If they don't have it- IT DOESN'T EXIST.
 
Jethro.....promise not to laugh ( or cry)...when I decided to buy the "new" van, it was a base Toyota LE model Sienna. I didn't KNOW that it had a backup camera and screen.

When I slid behind the wheel at the dealer, I was surprised to find a tiny (3x3) screen! I said the same thing that you did....For what would I ever need that?

Dealer said every model had some backup screen in it, even if it was tiny.

THEN, I found out that backing-up and hitching my boat was no longer a problem. Wow, now I am spoiled. Somehow, I may find a way to get this done on the old van.

Since we leave the van in TN for the Winters, it might last another five or more years (maybe longer than I will last)....

From doing some additional reading, it appears that Bluetooth won't carry a video signal. Most of the units seem to be "wireless" and they work fine.

Most of those units require you to add a small screen to see the output from the camera. I was hoping to just use my phone and not have another screen on my dash.

Between my phone; my Garmin GPS and my radio, there is already a lot of junk up there on this older van (made before internal screens were common). Thanks for all of the help. richg99
 
Check out this site:

https://www.iballhitchcam.com/

The bigger of the two uses a different frequency than the blue-tooth models and is much better at rejecting other signals.
Watch the videos to get a discount code for free shipping.

My buddy got one to hook up and back up his 20' bay boat. He attached the camera (magnetic mount) to his trailer so he can back it into his garage.
 
gotcha

I had one of those magnetic ones too

yes you need a level surface for this to work

I think there is not enough bandwidth on Bluetooth to send live video but I am not certain
 
perchjerker said:
gotcha

I had one of those magnetic ones too

yes you need a level surface for this to work

I think there is not enough bandwidth on Bluetooth to send live video but I am not certain

There is enough bandwidth on Bluetooth for video but it is very low resolution - the larger model listed does not use Bluetooth but a dedicated frequency and has very high resolution. The magnetic base swivels so you can mount it on the hitch itself looking straight back or you can stick it on the tailgate of the truck looking down and back and it works well like that. The only downside I see is that you can not drive off with the camera stuck to the truck as the magnet is not that strong, and road bumps may knock it off.
 
Rich, I don't know what your budget is, but Rostra makes a nice backup camera. They have multiple models for different mounting styles. Just run power to the camera via reverse wire or togfle switch, then run your RCA cables to a replacement mirror which is provided. Mine was a PITA to install, because I put it on my tailgate handle. But a van be much easier.
 
I've never priced back up cameras before so I honestly don't know what a good price is but I ran across this one on Summit this morning.

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/mlc-4843datsen
 

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