Every year, manufacturers of equipment delight us with new gadgets that greatly simplify life. At the same time, there is a tendency to combine several devices in one, which is why today you can buy a navigator-recorder with a rear view camera.
Many modern navigator models are equipped with a video input, so if you wish, you can connect both wired and wireless video cameras to them. However, when buying a two-in-one device, you will also receive specially designed software. Thanks to this, you do not have to, for example, get distracted each time and manually switch the DVR to the rear view camera mode. In combined models, this option is triggered automatically when the gearbox is reversed. In addition, conditional markings will appear on the screen, which will show the distance to the nearest obstacle.
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Advantages of a Navigator with a Rear View Camera
Many car owners, especially those who have recently obtained a driver’s license, often face the problem of maneuvering during parking. An ideal assistant in such a situation would be a navigator with a rear-view camera, which will make moving back fast and comfortable. Also, this device has the following advantages:
- Profitability. You buy multiple devices for the price of one.
- The convenience of use. All the driver’s attention is concentrated only on one monitor of the navigator, and is not scattered between different gadgets.
- Save space in the car. There is no need to buy additional monitors and install them, laying meters of wires throughout the cabin. And nothing interferes with the review.
- Security. Thanks to the use of a rear-view camera, you can at any time evaluate the situation behind the car, thus preventing a possible collision with poles, benches, curbs, small animals and children.
- Multitasking. Such devices continue to perform all specified functions, regardless of the mode of operation at a certain moment. That is, if you use the navigator for its main purpose, then the cameras, both front and rear, continue to record and save everything that happens around on a flash card.
What to look for when buying?
Until recently, no one even thought about connecting a GPS navigator and a recorder, but now many models with different configurations and functions are already on the market, so it can sometimes be difficult to navigate. Here are a few criteria to consider when choosing a navigator with a rear view camera:
- Modern cards. First of all, the navigator remains a device for laying the route and monitoring the situation on the roads. Therefore, the convenience of the trip will largely depend on the quality of the cartographic basis. You need to be sure that the developers of the operating system installed on the device will periodically update the information to the latest.
- Screen. When you are driving, there is no time to squint and view the image on a small monitor. Therefore, the size of the display should be at least 5 inches. This is enough to see all the necessary information without cluttering up the space on the windshield.
- Interface. In order not to distract the driver from the road, the icons, icons and buttons on the monitor screen should be as simple and straightforward as possible.
- Processor power. The device performs several functions simultaneously, and this will require a lot of system resources. Insufficient processor performance will affect the operation of the device as a whole.Video recording quality will deteriorate, or the device will freeze. Therefore, it is better to provide a certain power reserve. In any case, the processor performance should be at least 1000 MHz. At the same time, the amount of RAM should also be taken into account: it is desirable that it be at least 1 GB.
- Video camera. The characteristics of this component of the navigator-DVR should be discussed separately.
Choose a camcorder
If you do not want to part with your old navigator, you can just buy a set of cameras and connect them to the device. In this case, the navigator will become the monitor for the rear view camera, but only if it has an av input. Also note that there are two color standards - PAL and NTSC. But not all cameras support both options. The color systems of the monitor and the camcorder must match, otherwise their joint work will be impossible. But all these subtleties can be avoided if you buy a ready-made navigator with a rear view camera.
The first camera models were black and white, today you can easily find instances that shoot color video in Full-HD. However, there are other characteristics besides the quality of the video that you should pay attention to:
- Viewing angle. It is clear that the higher this indicator, the better. But note a little subtlety for yourself: sometimes the viewing angle is indicated not horizontally, but diagonally. With equal values, the review in the second case will be much worse. Most often, this figure is 120 degrees, but there are instances with 180 degrees of view.
- Photosensitivity. The minimum illumination of the camera shows how good video will be at night. It depends on the type of matrix: CCD or CMOS. CCD matrices have the best characteristics. However, the cameras of the DVR operate under the headlights, and this lighting is enough to get a full picture using a CMOS matrix. If the camera is equipped with infrared illumination, then this will also positively affect its photosensitivity.
Wi-fi or wires?
Of particular interest are the characteristics of the rear view camera. They are of a standard type (suitable for any car) and designed specifically for a particular brand of car. The latter are distinguished by the convenience of fastening. But what is really worth paying attention to is the way to connect to the DVR. According to this principle, cameras are divided into wired and wireless. Each type of connection has its pros and cons.
Wireless:
- pros:
- ease of installation;
- no need to open the casing;
- minuses:
- Radius limitation
- the video may be distorted due to the influence of external sources of interference;
- the cost is slightly higher than analogs with a video cable.
Wired:
- pros:
- reliability;
- price;
- minuses:
- the difficulty of installing under the car skin.
Which installation method is better, everyone should decide for himself, but in any case, a good rear view camera should also:
- Protect against dust and moisture. Due to its location, there is a high probability of malfunction due to ingress of dirt or rainwater. The maximum protection level is instances with IP68 code. They take off even under water. However, even their manufacturers do not recommend cleaning with a Karcher, as well as wipe only with a dry cloth. In the first case, it is likely to break the mount under high pressure, and in the second to scratch the lens.
- Parking lines. With their help, it is much easier to determine the distance to the obstacle. However, if desired, this function can be connected.
- Mirror reflection. To facilitate the perception of video, many cameras have learned to flip it, simulating a rearview mirror.
- Temperature Range. The temperature difference in our latitudes can be 80 degrees: from -40 to +40. The camera should work properly at all temperatures.
Camera connection
Rear view cameras work from the energy received from the reversing lamp.When connected, the positive wire of the camera is connected to the positive wire of the flashlight, and the negative is closed on the car body in any place. The video output connection depends on the type of camera:
- through a cable to the navigator;
- to a wireless radio source, which must also be connected to the rear light.
In the latter case, a wireless radio receiver is connected to the navigator.
A correctly chosen navigator with a rear-view camera will allow you to easily and naturally drive both forward and backward. Perhaps the cost of such a device will be slightly more expensive than buying components separately, but using it is much more comfortable.
