Thread: External Trailer Camera - Pivi Pro or Clearsight

Originally Posted by one_iota

You are not addressing the OP's specific question.

Clearview mirrors are an excellent solution if you own a Discovery 3 or 4 or a Range Rover Sport or Land Cruiser 79 series... they are vehicle specific and not available for a Defender 663.

You might like to think that through.

Not available YET But if enough 663's hit the road it is only a matter of time before they do become available

Clearviews have been around for many years and yet not one 4WD makers fits something similar to their tow tugs despite bragging about being able to tow 3.5t.
A camera on the roof just doesn't cut it.

Hooking g up a camera to the back of a van either hard wired or WiFi is always problematic and usually unreliable.

Originally Posted by trout1105

The clearsight camera would be petty much useless when towing a van or large boat as you would see SFA behind the van/boat with it.
I have a set of "Clearview" mirrors on my 79 Series and I have absolutely NO problems seeing the following traffic in them even if they are right up the arse of the van.
Adding yet another electronic camera to the van is prone to problems, Why not simply upgrade the rear view mirrors and be done with it.
The KISS principle is usually the best approach

Yes! .. but can you see that bollard, or tree stump or rock in the middle of nowhere when you're reversing up some narrow track to turn around safely?

Mirrors do one thing, rear view camera does something pretty much completely different!

I can't understand why you think using a camera is problematic? Trucks buses and all manner of other vehicles have been doing it for years, and any problems are usually solved easily anyhow.
You said yourself ... you use the reversing camera to get the towbar over the towball. Could you do that with just these mystical clearview mirrors?

I think you've misunderstood that the OP is seeking to hook the camera onto the rear of the trailer for seeing behind the trailer.
Does it not makes sense that you will see more behind you with a camera, than just side mirrors near on 10 meters forward of the rear of the trailer?

When I drove trucks with rear camera on the trailer, was a absolute godsend for backing up at supermarket docks next to the respective carparks. Some idiots think that dashing quickly behind a reversing truck is the best way to get home quickly! .. via an ambulance trip to the hospital first maybe? .. I dunno

Originally Posted by AK83

Yes! .. but can you see that bollard, or tree stump or rock in the middle of nowhere when you're reversing up some narrow track to turn around safely?

Mirrors do one thing, rear view camera does something pretty much completely different!

I can't understand why you think using a camera is problematic? Trucks buses and all manner of other vehicles have been doing it for years, and any problems are usually solved easily anyhow.
You said yourself ... you use the reversing camera to get the towbar over the towball. Could you do that with just these mystical clearview mirrors?

I think you've misunderstood that the OP is seeking to hook the camera onto the rear of the trailer for seeing behind the trailer.
Does it not makes sense that you will see more behind you with a camera, than just side mirrors near on 10 meters forward of the rear of the trailer?

When I drove trucks with rear camera on the trailer, was a absolute godsend for backing up at supermarket docks next to the respective carparks. Some idiots think that dashing quickly behind a reversing truck is the best way to get home quickly! .. via an ambulance trip to the hospital first maybe? .. I dunno

Truckkies driving road trains and even B doubles seen to do a pretty good job reversing their trailers without a camera.

On a serious note, IF you are unable to reverse a trailer safely and proficiently using your rear view mirrors you shouldn't be towing one in tne first place.

Originally Posted by trout1105

The clearsight camera would be petty much useless when towing a van or large boat as you would see SFA behind the van/boat with it.
I have a set of "Clearview" mirrors on my 79 Series and I have absolutely NO problems seeing the following traffic in them even if they are right up the arse of the van.
Adding yet another electronic camera to the van is prone to problems, Why not simply upgrade the rear view mirrors and be done with it.
The KISS principle is usually the best approach

The camera is already there, im simply wanting to feed the camera into the Pivi Pro instead of adding the extra screen, like a safety dave.

They are also needed when reversing as you cant see how close you are to anything. The good ones, like on the back of the Zone RV even has a microphone so some behind giving directions can also be heard

Originally Posted by trout1105

On a serious note, IF you are unable to reverse a trailer safely and proficiently using your rear view mirrors you shouldn't be towing one in tne first place.

Again, missing the point with the Defender, the camera saystem allows you to like down the sides and around the back instead if having to add extra mirrors to see down the side.

I would like to say anyone reverse with a 21ft van on the back and know extra where to stop or run into something without a camera on there own. Like a post or a fence etc

Originally Posted by trout1105

Truckkies driving road trains and even B doubles seen to do a pretty good job reversing their trailers without a camera.

yep! ... I used to see these road trains all the time backing into Woolies docks, right next to the pedestrian crossing leading into the car park!

So using just your side view mirrors ... you reckon you can back a caravan up to an obstacle within say 1 foot ... in one go? no spotter

or better yet .. without using the rear view mirror on your truck, and just the side mirrors, can you back the truck up to the trailer and get the hitch perfectly lined up with the towbar, so that's a wind down affair?

Lets try this again.

View out either side is perfect, not asking about looking down the sides.

The question is simply, has anyone been able to connect their camera on their van to the Pivi Pro or clearsight mirror. (both have cameras facing out the rear used for parking and seeing whats behind you)