Back up cam and TPMS. Ideas please!

[13speed]

I want to have NH install a reasonably high quality (wired) back up camera. My thoughts are to connect it to a touch screen radio with a extra video input so I do not need a monitor with it. I did a Google search but did not come up with much. Any recommendations? I only plan on using it while backing into RV spots so my wife does not have to go back there with a walkie talkie.  

I would also like to find a good TPMS system for the trailer and maybe the tractor as well if there are any that go up to the higher pressures.  Anyone have any experience with those?  

 

[jeffw]

love the tst 507 tpms. we have it on both truck and trailer.

we have a system from https://www.rearviewsafety.com/

it has three cameras: one on the back of the trailer, one at the hitch and one high on the back of the cab. they are all quite useful.

 

 

 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Voyager is another good brand to look into.

[RickS]

We have the TST 510 system for the trailer and the factory TPMS in the Volvo. We have Voyager wired camera on the trailer that was installed by RV manufacture. It's funny that you wouldn't want to have the camera available while traveling. The four monitored camera's we have the one I use the most is the one on the back of the trailer when passing and changing lanes.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

10 hours ago, RickS said:

It's funny that you wouldn't want to have the camera available while traveling. The four monitored camera's we have the one I use the most is the one on the back of the trailer when passing and changing lanes.

 

I use ours all the time while in traffic.  Our rear camera is mounted high on the back cap.  With a 120* angle of view, when I can see the vehicle I passed in the camera, I have 6-8' clearance in front of you.   The side mount camera's are great for backing in on the blind side, as well as seeing just how close to the curb the tires are rolling.

[jkoenig24]

Feces occurs. Even with an excellent camera, it would still be prudent to have a set of human eyes in the back watching.

[Brad & Jacolyn]

My cameras are also from Rear View Safety. I running one at the hitch and one on the back of the rig that we keep turned on all the time.

 

Brad

[13speed]

12 hours ago, RickS said:

We have the TST 510 system for the trailer and the factory TPMS in the Volvo. We have Voyager wired camera on the trailer that was installed by RV manufacture. It's funny that you wouldn't want to have the camera available while traveling. The four monitored camera's we have the one I use the most is the one on the back of the trailer when passing and changing lanes.

I was never given the option of ordering TPMS from Volvo. I will call on that Monday. 

I just never thought about needing a camera to drive with. Maybe that is the truck driver in me. It could be useful in blind side maneuvers but I have managed for 20 years without one. 

I really didn't  want a separate screen mounted in the cab. I really wanted it to be through the radio if possible.

[DJohns]

I have a Kenwood radio garmin and backup camera all in one unit in my Volvo that was installed but the bed builder. I think there is more than one input. I just have not investigated that yet.

[Chad Heiser]

I will give my vote for Voyager cameras.  They are high quality and easy to install.  I have two on the truck: one at the hitch and one at the license plate.  I have four on the trailer:  rear view mounted up high, one on each side and one on the pin box facing forward.  I also use my cameras while driving.  The one on the pinbox allows me to see cargo on the bed of the truck to make sure it doesn't shift while in transit.  I am rethinking this camera now though since I went to the short pinbox from RVHLifestyles.  Now there is a lot of trailer overhang in front of the pinbox that restricts the camera vision some.  I may move this camera to the back of my cab up high.  The camera on the rear of the trailer allows me to watch my Jeep when I double tow it.  I can't see the Jeep in my truck mirrors because it is narrower than the trailer.

 

I will also give a vote for the TST TPMS system.  I have had both the 510 system (on my last 5er) and the 507 system (on my current 5er).  I liked them both a lot, but I prefer the 507 system with the pass through sensors.  It makes it much easier to adjust pressure when needed or to verify pressure with a quality gauge.  I also like the replaceable batteries, although in a little over a year I have yet to have the need to replace a battery.

[Jack Mayer]

TST, for sure as far as I'm concerned. And I've used others.

For the cameras it depend somewhat on what you want to do. For simple things like in the OP the Voyager or other similar aftermarket analog cameras will work just fine.

I'll share with the group a project I'm working on. It uses an NVR (which is all digital) with IP cameras on both the truck and trailer. All these are fed across the network to the NVR and wherever else the network can take them....for example, monitoring the trailer cameras while away from the trailer on my smartphone. The liveview of the cameras going down the road is handled by an android tablet in the dash (literally ON the dash face with magnets for easy removal - in the area above the radio). This takes the place of the analog cameras typically used, records (in the case of the development project) 8 channels of live video to disc, acts as a security system for the trailer and truck, as a dashcam, and also allows the following functions (and more) on the tablet:

• live stream video, single view or split any way you like - all software controlled.
• Pandora Bluetooth to the truck radio
• Live data via the Mobley integrated with the system router....email, text, etc on the tablet. 
• Copilot navigation
• All your RV apps like Allstays, etc work on the tablet.
• Anything else a tablet can do. The tablet has built in GPS so that opens a wide range of possibilities.

Grab the tablet and take it with you by simply removing it  and unplugging a power cord - the magnets work superbly. 

When done this will be an option for our trucks and we will make it available. Nothing really special about it...it all exists today. It has just not all been integrated in this fashion in one package in trucks/trailers. It can be installed and configured by us, or DIY for those with the skills. Probably won't be available for a little bit yet, since we have to some extensive testing of components.

[13speed]

The TST 507 flow through looks good. I would need to have a repeater as well. I will call them on Monday.

As for the camera option one is I need to find out if and when the Volvo touchscreen radio will be available as it will not be coming with my truck Option two is I might get the new Alpine "car play" touchscreen which I think can be used with 3 cameras which would be enough for me I believe. I could do a rear, pass side and hitch. Those would all be handy while backing in and hooking up which is what I need. If I needed them while driving I would have to give up my Super Trucker title

Jack, Your system looks interesting. I look forward to seeing it when it is ready.

[Yarome]

1 hour ago, Jack Mayer said:

TST, for sure as far as I'm concerned. And I've used others.

X2. Customer service is bar none and very reliable gear. My favorite to date.

51 minutes ago, 13speed said:

The TST 507 flow through looks good.

That's what I run. The only slight drawback is that the flow throughs are a bit slow taking air, but when you're only talking a couple PSI it's not much of a hardship.

User replaceable batteries on the fly? Priceless!

[SuiteSuccess]

Jack,

Stupid question here. I have considered using magnets for some electronics suspension but was always afraid of damaging or interfering with the internal workings from the magnetic field. I assume that is not a valid concern?

[jollyrogr]

If there's an easy way to use IP cameras I would think that would be a pretty nice system. IP cameras with 1080p resolution can be had cheap. Typical analog backup cameras are low resolution. 

[Star Dreamer]

Can't help on the cameras. On the TPMS we have been using the TST 507 system for about 5 years now. My only complaint so far is false low battery alarms. We thought we had a dead sensor because it would not show up on the monitor even  with a new battery, so we ordered a replacement only to find out that the replacement didn't work with our monitor. So we had do that trip without a sensor on one tire while we waited for TST to send a new monitor (free of charge). They said I would need to reprogram all of the sensors to use the new monitor. 

I decided to try a new brand of batteries to avoid the false alarms for our next trip. I figured it would not hurt to try the new batteries in the sensor we thought was dead and shocker, it started working. We decided to use the old monitor for this last trip. 

Well we only got about 4 hours in and the sensor stopped working which gives you an annoying beep every time it gets to that wheel. Only way to stop it is to shut off the monitor and turn it back on. Eventually that sensor quit again but then started working again and then died again with more annoying beeps.

Then we started having false low battery alarms on other tires, which drove me nuts as I kept thinking we had a tire going down. After a while the low battery alarms went away on its own, but then triggered again later. At one point I was so frustrated with it the monitor flew across the dash and stayed turned off for quite a while till I calmed down.

I wish they had a different alarm sound for low battery vs a real tire issue.

By the way, i tested the batteries with my meter to make sure they were putting out the correct voltage, and some that were doing the false alarms had brand new batteries that trip.

Dave

[13speed]

5 minutes ago, Star Dreamer said:

By the way, i tested the batteries with my meter to make sure they were putting out the correct voltage, and some that were doing the false alarms had brand new batteries that trip.

Dave

Your entire story sounds like a hooten and holleren good time

[TheLongWayHome]

My planned HDT dash!! Top that Jack. 

[Jack Mayer]

18 hours ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Jack,

Stupid question here. I have considered using magnets for some electronics suspension but was always afraid of damaging or interfering with the internal workings from the magnetic field. I assume that is not a valid concern?

Well, perhaps it would be a concern with a 5 ton electric magnet. But the small magnets seem to work fine on my phones and tablets. I've been using them that way for over three years. It does not seem to affect operation or lifetime.....

[SuiteSuccess]

53 minutes ago, Jack Mayer said:

Well, perhaps it would be a concern with a 5 ton electric magnet. But the small magnets seem to work fine on my phones and tablets. I've been using them that way for over three years. It does not seem to affect operation or lifetime.....

Thanks

[TheLongWayHome]

11 hours ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Thanks

 

On 7/22/2017 at 3:44 PM, SuiteSuccess said:

Jack,

Stupid question here. I have considered using magnets for some electronics suspension but was always afraid of damaging or interfering with the internal workings from the magnetic field. I assume that is not a valid concern?

Many of the smartphone and laptop inductive charging stations use magnets to hold the devices in place while charging (iPhone, Galaxy, Nexus). The only small magnets you should worry about are the super-magnets - very powerful. Especially near HDD (disk drives).

[Shifted]

I'm a little late to this party, but here are the two products that I've been happy with:

 

Camera system: 

Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/4AV-TRAILER-CABLE-9-MONITOR-WITH-DVR-5-x-REAR-VIEW-CAMERAS-BACKUP-SYSTEM-SAFETY-/222565602261?hash=item33d1f193d5:g:r7kAAOSw5VFWGHXL

If you contact the seller, they can put together whatever package and combination of items that you need.  I got specific cable lengths to meet my needs.  I put three cameras on the trailer (one on each side, and one on the rear), and two on the truck (one pointing at the bed and one aimed at the hitch).  Four of the cameras are in an endless recording loop so I have recorded video of whatever they see.  It's all wired, so no issues with RF interference.  The trailer connection has worked out great.  I ordered a second monitor, another camera (which I attached to a magnet) and trailer cable socket for my "little" truck so that when I need to use it to move the trailer, I can use the trailer cameras and have a camera on the hitch.

I started off with an RF camera system just on the truck, and it worked most of the time, but it often cut out or got static.  And no way would it reach all the way to the rear of the trailer. 

I've had this particular system on the truck for a little over a year and I really like it a lot.

If you're having them install wiring as they build the trailer, I would recommend that you have them leave connections in relatively easy to access locations for each camera.  Whether that means hanging on the outside at each camera location, or easily accessed from the inside, or whatever.  If you change camera systems in the future, you want to be able to easily access the connection points.  You can always make up the right connection type for other cameras if the wires and termination points are accessible.

 

TPMS:

Link: http://www.innotechrv.com/InnotechRV_12_Sensor_Tire_Pressure_Monitoring_System/p1769244_8615290.aspx

I bought this system and added two additional sensors to cover all of my wheels (14).  I also added the repeater.  I wired the repeater's power into the auxiliary power line on the trailer plug so it only comes on when the truck is turned on.  It's mounted behind one of the truck's tail lights and works well there.  Their sensors are the same ones that you can get from http://www.minderresearch.com, so there are alternative sources for the sensors.  I assume that the Minder displays are likewise compatible.  I get a few years of service out of the batteries, but I usually replace them once a year just to be on the safe side.

I've been using this system for a little over 4 years.  I've had two blow outs and the system reported the pressure loss almost instantly.  It's also reported low pressure on tires in a timely manner.  I'm not sure how accurate the temperature readings are on the sensors, but I like being able to monitor that as well.  And to see that the tires on one side are hotter than the other due to the sun shining on them.  And since I have a weedburner exhaust, it is nice to have confirmation that the exhaust isn't overheating any tires.

I particularly like how easy it is to take the unit off of the dash and walk around with it as I adjust tires and sensors.  It has a built in rechargeable battery, so it's very convenient.

 

Let us know what you end up doing.  I would be interested in knowing what works out best for you.

[Jack Mayer]

Many people here have used Leviathan Holdings on Ebay for camera systems like reported above. This system seems like a good alternative now that Steve is retiring.....the alternative is an all digital IP-based system which you will likely have to build up yourself. You get more, but it costs more. Just depends on your goals.

[ALLOY]

We just picked up a Synology DS416PLAY (haven't decided on HD or SSD yet) mirrored hard drives that we'll use for IP (mobile) cameras, pictures, movies and music. A WIFI router will stream video to the truck or to devices in the trailer / around the campsite.

https://www.synology.com/en-us

Cabling is home runs of Lutze Superflex

http://www.lutze.com/superflex

 

 

 

 

[Jack Mayer]

6 hours ago, J-T said:

We just picked up a Synology DS416PLAY (haven't decided on HD or SSD yet) mirrored hard drives that we'll use for IP (mobile) cameras, pictures, movies and music. A WIFI router will stream video to the truck or to devices in the trailer / around the campsite.

 

 

 

 

I'm in the middle of a similar project. So are you going to add an NVR?  Which cameras are you intending to use? I'm using a Samsung S2 8.0 for display in the truck. 

I've been running a 4TB NAS for a few years in my rig and it works well....no drive issues.