OK after the mixed impression I was left with after looking at the Atlantis X-5600 I did some more rummaging around for combined Backup camera systems / GPS navigation units. The Nextar I4BC was one of the first I looked at next.

First of all its a little bit cheaper than the Atlantis X-560 so I was immediately wondering if the Sat Nav was going to be even more mediocre. However upon looking at the available facts it seems that it is a great improvement over that system as it seems that Nextar are deliberately pitching it as a GPS first Backup camera second. It also includes the ability to play MP3 Audio files stored on SD type memory cards which are also used to add to the devices main memory. It is a smaller unit than the Atlantis with screen just over 4″ in size. Still that is by no means bad, and helps to explain this backup camera systems /GPS  reduced cost.

The camera they include is a pretty basic one I must admit with a quoted effective viewing range of only seven feet. Quite what they mean by this escapes me, I assume its the point that the devices simple lens looses good focus. Indeed regrettably the camera is the weakness of this device as all my sources tell me it is prone to a number of problems. One chap reported his was affected by damp too easily for example.

Overall the build quality of the Nextar I4BC is not as good as it could be and while they are commended to have made a complete unit it occasionally shows that costs were cut. You might find your particular model works fine (if so tell us here please! Comments are always welcome) The Sat nav interface is a good one by all accounts and if that’s your focus first then you should give this due consideration. Perhaps outfitted with a decent stand alone camera – say one with night vision LED’s fitted the whole Nextar I4BC backup camera system /GPS unit would become the decent all rounder we all want it to be.

Some times the geek in me just gadgets right out. I saw this little beauty of a Backup camera system and had to take closer look! With a recommended price of over $600 the Atlantis X-5600 ought to have the kitchen sink included – and it does, but I saw it for sale for as little as $240! This makes it affordable not just as an RV Backup camera  system, but for any decent family vehicle. Goodness if you own both an RV and a family car, a portable unit with this feature set is a must have.

So what exactly does it do I hear you cry? Read on the specs are a dream. First up it has a large 5.6″ screen which is good but that’s the least of it. In addition it is able to accept two camera sources so you could have a dual camera system covering every blind spot even on the larges vehicle. As an added bonus it also plays Mp3 Music files and instead of a Backup camera you can have it display Video output from a portable DVD player or  similar device such as a game consol. But the best is yet to come.

The Atlantis X-5600 has GPS Sat nav capability as well! So there is no need for a second add on device potentially cluttering up space on your dashboard. It has an SD memory card slot for loading extra maps and (Mp3) files externally. This is a feature I found very useful with my own Sat Nav system that I brought over from the UK. All I needed to do was slap a new card in and download the US maps on my unit and I was away – literally.

So are there any drawbacks to this backup camera system / GPS unit? Well first the obvious one really, its an old truism that the Jack of all trades is master on none. From what I have seen the GPS unit in this is only average, so you’d need to put the thing up near the windshield to ensure the best satellite reception.  I know for a fact that few Sat Navs really like being nestled down near the glove compartment, which alas, would be the natural thing to do with a larger sized unit like this. GPS is a subject that’s not really the province of this web site, but from my own personal experience I’d have to say that they are very useful to find places far away you have not been to but once you get into the local area – a local map is oftens the best! A map at least won’t insist on taking you through the city center if you have a nice bypass to choose from instead. That seems to be my GPS units particular foible!

The other thing to remember with this backup camera system / GPS unit is that this is a Display unit only.  Camera’s are not included so that has to be factored in any budget. So I guess that’s my next task, to see if there are some decent stand alone cameras out there and perhaps some better Multi function units as well.

The Atlantis X-5600 is proof of the concept and a decent go at it for the $240 price tag, lets hope they update the GPS soon (something I can check on the manufacturers web site shortly, look for updates here soon) and then this backup camera system will really shine!

This idea caught my eye recently. It is essentially a stand alone screen cunningly built into the center mirror, and unlike others I have seen this one uses a special coating on the mirror so that the display is  invisible when the vehicle is not in reverse.

The screen is available in a multiple options so you are very likely to find one that matches your precise make and model of vehicle. As well as having the option of a 2.4″ or 3.5″ screen. Installation is a little trickier than simply plugging the thing on a stand on the dash of course but not much different than installing a new car radio/stereo set up.

This device is a bit more expensive than some I have seen thus far but that is alas the way things are when you use innovative technology like this.  I see this unit being a perfect retro fit for an RV camera system where the screen  was a bit chunky sitting on top of your dashboard. If you need to spread out in the front of your camping vehicle then one more “thing” stuck onto the windshield or console just gets in the way. Likewise no would be thief is gonna notice this like they might a stand alone unit as they pass by your vehicle. All potentially useful features but only you can decide if they fit your RV or need.

You can learn more about the Gentex Rearview Camera Display Mirror  at Auto Anything to take advantage of the vehicle search option to check for models of this device  specific to your vehicle.

Well it took a bit of looking but after being asked I did it.  Admittedly I wasn’t planning on majoring on RV backup cameras here as that sort of vehicle is not one I’m overly familiar with as they are less common in the UK where I originate from. However when in Rome do as the romans do (Actually I live about 40 miles from Rome…)

So for consideration we have this heavy duty model. The RVS 770613 is a “do it all” RV backup system for those with a serious need. The system is as you can see from the photo a wired one but if we are talking fitment to an RV or similar that is less of a problem as there are usually more out of the way places you can hide that cable.  The whole thing is weatherproofed so if the cable is tied to the under-body of the vehicle you should have no trouble.

What I was impressed with was the fact the heavy camera contains a series of Infrared emitting LED lights which the camera can use at night to detect objects in fair detail up to 50 feet away. It also has three separate channels in its relay box so upto three cameras could be fitted – or retro fitted if you found the need. In my first article  I mentioned the chap that had managed to jury rig up a secondary camera to his cheaper VR3 system, well with this they have done the work for you. Standard additional cameras are listed for about $130 from what I have seen to date (always let us know here if you find a better deal Please!) But I sourced out another vendor HERE that had package deals as well as stand alone cameras. Very roughly it seems you get a 33% discount if you buy the added camera’s in the initial package. So if you have a big rig or full sized RV that’s a point to consider.

The device has a huge 7″ screen and as such passes on a lot of detail to the driver. The viewing angle is 130 degrees which is not bad at all, if you could position them just right (in fairness unlikely) with three of these RV backup cameras you would cover nearly every angle you couldn’t directly see. As an added bonus the “spare” channels of the camera source selector are compatible with a standard RCA composite video hook up so you could make this RV camera system also serve as a screen for your portable DVD player, thought not I trust while you were moving…

So the all important price of this beast of an RV backup camera system.  It varies slightly but the basic one camera package costs around $200 with as I said an extra $80 per camera if you get the multi camera option packs. Online I found them on sale for about $200 each here and here on Amazon.com. I am hoping to broaden my horizons beyond good ol’ Amazon soon but they do have the advantage of an internationally backed reputation and as I found these backup camera systems may be shipped to the UK in some cases as well from there.