Reversing sensors or camera

[Stephen44]

Part of my £2500 spend.

(£5000 suspension refresh is a different project)

So I'm replacing my single DIN Sony unit that flashes blue patterns that a nineteen year old at a rave would love! You need chopsticks to hit the little buttons, my left hand sausages can't do it unless I take my eye off the road for 30 seconds 🤣. The only feature I'll miss is it does have a single CD slot in the car and the six CD changer in the frunk.

So my local audio specialist says that my option of a double DIN touchscreen unit with a reversing camera will leave me disappointed from the view from a rear camera.

The alternative is a continental retro unit with reversing sensors.

https://www.cen.uk/continental-cdd7418ub-or-bluetooth-car-stereo-dab-radio-cd-player-usb-retro-oem

The benefit of the continental unit is it matches the orange climate screen & comes with DAB, Bluetooth hands-free(which the double din unit can do of course) and I'm old-fashioned it has a CD slot, which means I can keep my CD storage below it.

It has a USB plug on the front so I can become modern and learn how to rip CDs to MP3 whatever that means 🤔

The reversing sensors will be in the pre-marked positions on the rear bumper and will be color coded to the bumper.

Is that a good choice? Can anyone show me a picture that the reversing camera can give I assume mounted above the number plate?

The other thing we're doing as a side fix is to install a bleeper so I can hear the bloody indicators and not become a BMW driver 🤪🤣.

I'm sure someone will say how sad it is that I worry about rear sensors on a sports car but I love making the cockpit mine 🤪🤪🤭🤣🤣🤣😬

Views and hopefully pictures please?

[Menoporsche]

Nice Q. As someone only with sensors I’d love a camera, to see bollards, shoppers nipping past etc. 

Surely the camera problem depends on the particular camera used?

[Stephen44]

1 minute ago, Menoporsche said:

Nice Q. As someone only with sensors I’d love a camera, to see bollards, shoppers nipping past etc. 

Surely the camera problem depends on the particular camera used?

Although my post is light hearted, I'd really like some people with rear view cameras to post a photo and tell us where their camera is mounted and presumably model.

I'm spending all this money & I can't excited about sensors in the way that a rear view camera would.

However I actually think my center console would look better with continental orange than  Pioneer LCD?

[edc]

Pretty much all cameras are mounted in the same place above the number plate where the light is. 

[Stephen44]

2 minutes ago, edc said:

Pretty much all cameras are mounted in the same place above the number plate where the light is. 

I agree...but what picture angle does it allow?

The bumper sticks out quite a way above the license plate and I'm wondering if my installers point is the lack of angle he can get?

[edc]

Anecdotal, but quite a few here have done this and I can't recall many or any posts complaining about the picture not being functional. 

[eob]

I'll be honest, my iX3 is the first car with a reversing camera and I was excited to get one but I never use it.

[Stephen44]

3 hours ago, edc said:

Anecdotal, but quite a few here have done this and I can't recall many or any posts complaining about the picture not being functional. 

Anecdotally,  not many people here admit a mistake. ...🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Stephen44]

4 hours ago, eob said:

I'll be honest, my iX3 is the first car with a reversing camera and I was excited to get one but I never use it.

I think that's my audio specialists point..ty

[edc]

The newer Boxsters have the camera in the same place. If you don't want one or need one or think you'd ever use it I wouldn't bother. If it's a weekend car and you drive mostly with roof down and not parallel parking in town centres regularly I think I'd also leave it. 

[Stephen44]

6 minutes ago, edc said:

The newer Boxsters have the camera in the same place. If you don't want one or need one or think you'd ever use it I wouldn't bother. If it's a weekend car and you drive mostly with roof down and not parallel parking in town centres regularly I think I'd also leave it. 

Ta...SWMBOB...wants the camera....lol..the car probably wants her to have the darn camera..lol

[edc]

Then don't worry about whether it works great or not just get it in and be done with it 😆

[Stephen44]

8 minutes ago, edc said:

Then don't worry about whether it works great or not just get it in and be done with it 😆

Yup...been there when I bought the money pit..haha..

Fitting sensors 😄🤣😂😂😂😂 haha

[edc]

Sounds like you are looking for good excuses to tell her why the camera is rubbish. 

[999mch]

My wife has had a camera and reversing sensor on last two land rovers. She loves the camera, I can not get on with them. Friend had a Lexus many years ago with just a camera and the lens was iced up, still a picture but a bit cloudy. He hit a post ! That is why many factory fit often have camera and reversing sensor.

[Richard Hamilton]

I find that I only use the revering camera on my Audi is when it is dark, or nearly dark.  With the reversing lights on, it works better than my eyes.

[Menoporsche]

1 hour ago, 999mch said:

That is why many factory fit often have camera and reversing sensor.

Ah maybe this explains my enthusiasm. All the cameras I've used/seen have been OEM and usually given a proximity warning as well as showing the picture. So it hadn't occurred to me that there would be a camera with no proximity warning! Yes I can see how that could go wrong.

[Happy Days]

Our McCann has surround cameras which are bloody fantastic. There are four cameras, rear, front and in both wing mirrors. Software blends the picture together so that you have a view as if you are looking down from above the car. Great when lining up between lines in a car park. Wish the 718 could have that, but no, I just have front and rear beep-beeps.

[EXY]

22 hours ago, Happy Days said:

Our McCann has surround cameras which are bloody fantastic. There are four cameras, rear, front and in both wing mirrors. Software blends the picture together so that you have a view as if you are looking down from above the car. Great when lining up between lines in a car park. Wish the 718 could have that, but no, I just have front and rear beep-beeps.

Is that what you call an Irish Cayenne

 

[Menoporsche]

On 8/16/2023 at 8:11 PM, Stephen44 said:

Ta...SWMBOB...wants the camera....

Alert. If you only get the sensors, the minute she reverses into something it will be YOUR FAULT.

[Stephen44]

33 minutes ago, Menoporsche said:

Alert. If you only get the sensors, the minute she reverses into something it will be YOUR FAULT.

The first car I had with a reversing camera she reversed into a pole and smashed the camera... That was my fault as well 🤔

[Everywhen]

Sensors. 

I had a car with cameras, they were usually covered in road grime or had a huge drop of water on them distorting the view.

Getting out to clean the lens rapidly became a chore. I didn’t bother with them.

 

[½cwt]

I first experienced a reversing camera in an Infinity (Q30 ?) hire car in Florida back in 2012.  It was accurate with overlay of the reversing field and with projected position with current steering input.  Didn't see this in Europe for about 7 years.  I find the camera to be useful my first car with one was a Mk6 Golf where it was hidden under the VW badge on the tailgate, the badge tilted to reveal the camera when you engaged reverse - no road grime or water problem there.  I do find the useful now I've had them on my last 3 daily cars, until I jump back into the 986 with no camera or sensors...