Considering a front-facing camera and wondered if mounting it high or low might be more useful?
Under the bumper seems better for off-road.
Any opinions?
Under the bumper seems better for off-road.
Any opinions?
Best front facing camera location?
- Thread starter WestCoastDan
- Start date
I've done a lot of trail miles and cleared a lot of obstacles with my camera system. I have 4 cameras - one on the front license plate, one on each side mirror arm looking forward to view the tires, and one on the top of the windshield for an overall view. The license plate camera is mounted with the license plate screws but the other 3 are only mounted when I'm on the trail. I can switch between the cameras without taking my hands off the wheel - each side camera, for example, is activated by the turn signal. If I want to see clearance to the left front wheel, I can flick the turn signal lever for a left turn and that camera will be displayed on my monitor.
In this video I'm negotiating a rock slide and some boulders on the way up the Saxon Mountain trail in Colorado:
This video was taken simultaneously with the one above; my Nikon was on a tripod on the trail behind the Jeep.
Another example from that same trail - there's very little room between the boulder on the right and the dropoff on the left so I'm using both cameras to spot myself.
The license plate camera is handy if I'm topping a rise and can't see over the rise to what's directly ahead of me. The camera up on the top of the windshield doesn't really help nagivate obstacles on the trail but it does make nice overall trail videos.
The ones mounted on the side mirrors are by far the most helpful for navigating obstacles and dropoffs. I could live without the other two cameras, but I wouldn't want to navigate tight trails without the side mirror mounted cameras.
In this video I'm negotiating a rock slide and some boulders on the way up the Saxon Mountain trail in Colorado:
This video was taken simultaneously with the one above; my Nikon was on a tripod on the trail behind the Jeep.
Another example from that same trail - there's very little room between the boulder on the right and the dropoff on the left so I'm using both cameras to spot myself.
The license plate camera is handy if I'm topping a rise and can't see over the rise to what's directly ahead of me. The camera up on the top of the windshield doesn't really help nagivate obstacles on the trail but it does make nice overall trail videos.
The ones mounted on the side mirrors are by far the most helpful for navigating obstacles and dropoffs. I could live without the other two cameras, but I wouldn't want to navigate tight trails without the side mirror mounted cameras.
what monitor and cameras are you using in that setup?
What switching unit are you using to change the view on the display?
My cameras and monitor system were the prototype for Retrofit Offroad's Trailvision system. I designed the system for them and tested quite a few cameras and mounting locations to figure out what was worked best. The side mirror cameras are cube cameras and the mount clamps on the side mirror:
The monitor is one I sourced for Retrofit; it offered multiple views on screen at the same time switchable to a single view, plus wired triggers that could be connected to the turn signals (for example) to cause a particular camera to go full screen. It's also a DVR.
Sometimes it's handy to be able to see both sides at the same time, like this time I was coming up the very narrow shelf trail out of Devil's Punchbowl west of Crested Butte, Colorado.
In this photo both the license plate cam and the windshield cam are visible.
The windshield camera is another cube camera; the wiring is held in place with magnetic clips.
Only the license plate cam stays on the Jeep, the side mirror cams and the windshield cam (and magnetic clipped-on wiring) get stored in an ammo can when the Jeep is doing daily driving duty. The ammo can in this inner fender mount tray; it's always in the Jeep so whenever I need the system I can put the cameras and monitor in place.
Switching the views is done in two ways:
- The monitor has switches along the bottom. They control which camera is displayed and/or which multiple cameras are displayed split screen.
- The system supports "triggers" - when voltage is applied to a wire associated with a particular camera, that camera will be displayed full screen on the display. I have triggers connected to the left and right turn signals to display the left or right cameras mounted to the side mirrors and I have a trigger wired to the high beams so if I flash the high beams the license plate cam will be displayed full screen. This is a nice feature because I don't have to take my hands off the wheel or lose concentration on the line I'm taking on the trail to switch to a different camera.
Thanks for the detailed response. I was looking how to do something similar, especially the split view of two corners. We have the hardware, but the handshakes and software is need to make it easy to use. Looks like you guys did a good job of that.
My favorite obstacles leave you completely blind and dependent on my guides due to the steepness. Now I trust my guides but it would be nice to be able to see my tire lines.
Nice work, Jeff. First time I'm hearing about this system. The "trigger" idea is nicely thought out.
It's not very clear from the website if they are still selling it, though.
Apparently Retrofit has discontinued it. I haven't been in touch with Retrofit since before the pandemic so I don't know any more about the status but it isn't on their web site any more so it must be discontinued. If Retrofit truly has discontinued it then they shouldn't mind if I post detail about the system, its components and installation. I designed and assembled the prototype system based on off-the-shelf components so it shouldn't be to hard for people to create a similar system from available parts.
Jason06
TJ Enthusiast
For the switching, is it not a simple matter of this?
(1) having a way to trigger the screen to show camera feed
(2) constant power to all cameras
(3) multi-way switch to determine which camera feed gets sent to the screen?
That's how I'm planning to do it if I ever get off my butt.
(1) having a way to trigger the screen to show camera feed
(2) constant power to all cameras
(3) multi-way switch to determine which camera feed gets sent to the screen?
That's how I'm planning to do it if I ever get off my butt.
Thanks. Sorry it took me a while to respond, I was driving back to upstate NY from Overland Expo West in Flagstaff.
The inner fender ammo can trays started out as a design project to possibly become a product for the LJ. I did the design and made one proof-of-concept prototype, turned over a design drawing to MORryde, and they made a few more for testing. I've got two in my LJ, the one on the driver's side carries my auxiliary battery (it's got a cover on it made from soft-top fabric) and on the passenger side is an ammo can carrying the camera system components (the cameras and monitor live in there when they're not installed and in use). Both trays with their contents can be seen in these photos, they fit nicely just behind the rear seat.
BTW also visible in the first photo is an Overland Outfitters saddlebag, fits perfectly over the inner fender. And visible in the second photo is the overhead/swing-down MOLLE panel above the cargo area. Also visible in both photos is an Overland Outfitters roll bar bag, hanging on the vertical bar just behind the driver's seat - it carries a recovery strap, and the d-ring shackles to go with it are in the pouches hanging on the back of the driver's seat. (I know you didn't ask about those items but since they're in the photos and very handy I thought I'd point them out.
They work just as intended and I've been using two of them in my LJ for years but MORryde and I decided there wouldn't be enough market demand for them to put them in production so only a few were made. They're a pretty straightforward design, it wasn't hard for me to make the prototype in mt home workshop so I'm sure someone could make their own. This is the LJ version, I never made a prototype of the TJ version, it's slightly different because of the shorter length of the inner fenders.
I could probably find the original drawings and post them if there's enough interest.