

Basically, you route a couple wires from the camera into the trunk area, find the wires going to a backup light (which could mean removing some trim), and connect the camera wires to them. (The best systems allow the video image to be flipped in the display, which lets you mount the camera upside down, if necessary.) To have the camera automatically activate when you shift the car into reverse, the camera needs to be tapped into the car’s backup-light circuit.

For optimum operation, the camera should be centered in the rear of the vehicle, without interfering with a door handle or bumper.
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Most cameras are designed to mount to a vehicle’s license plate, although some can also be mounted directly to the vehicle. But the time it takes can vary a lot, depending on the type of system, as described above. Installing a backup camera is not difficult as long as you’re comfortable with making a wiring connection or two in your car and possibly removing and reinstalling trim pieces. When buying a wireless system, maybe sure its transmission range is long enough to work with your vehicle We’ve also seen fewer complaints about lagging with those models. Many newer wireless systems now use a digital connection, which is less susceptible to interference. But this is susceptible to interference from other electrical or electronic sources, and many users have complained about longer lag times for the monitor to connect and show the video. In many earlier systems, and some of today’s less expensive ones, the video signal is sent from the camera to the monitor via an analog radio-frequency signal. In recent years, wireless systems have become more popular because they’re quicker and easier to install, even for the average DIYer.
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That’s why many buyers have a professional shop install a wired system, which increases the cost. But a wired system requires a lot more time and effort to install properly because much of the vehicle’s interior trim needs to be removed to route and hide the wire. Wired cameras also often use RCA-type connectors, so it’s easier to connect them to an aftermarket car stereo and other in-dash displays with RCA inputs.

This makes the system reliable and ensures the image is transmitted quickly. Traditionally, most aftermarket backup cameras have been wired systems, in which the camera in the rear of the car is connected to the monitor in the dash area with an electrical wire. And the models here have been chosen for a range of do-it-yourselfers, to help you avoid the need for a more-expensive professional installation. But even if you have an older vehicle without this handy feature, you can easily add one to your current car. Most systems also superimpose color-coded guidelines over the image to help you judge the distance of people, cars, or other obstacles behind your car.īackup cameras are so important that all new passenger vehicles built since May 2018 must have one installed as standard equipment, and most cars and SUVs have offered them for much longer. Plus, it can literally be a lifesaver, preventing the kind of backover accidents that occur to at least 50 children every week (some are fatal), according to, a nonprofit safety advocacy group.Ī backup camera automatically activates when you shift your car into reverse, letting you see the area behind your vehicle on a display. It’s a godsend in tight parking situations, especially for parallel parking on a crowded street. Once you’ve used a good backup camera, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it.
