I was at PepBoys this evening, returning a back-up beeping warning light. It doesn't fit through the light bulb opening. As I was at the customer service counter, they had on display a VR3 camera and monitor, which is designed originally to aide in backing up. But, I was wondering if anyone has installed a camera to the front end of your Prius to help aide prevent hitting parking curves with the lower fender? Thanks. Vince.
Vinny, At first I laughed at your topic title. Like do you use a cane with a red tip? B) But the idea is not a bad one. I traded in a Chrysler Town & Country and we were constantly dragging the low front end over curbs and parking blocks. Since we got the Prius, I'm really timid pulling into parking spaces because I don't want to mess up the front trim. If someone has a way or comes up with a way to install one and activate it only when parking, you will have me as a customer.
I certainly would be a customer as well especially if it used the MAP button on the wheel to toggle between the nav and the front camera.
Well, considering there is a MOD to install a switch to turn on the rear camera at any time, I don't see it being too difficult to install a front camera and a three way switch. It would be helpful for parallel parking, or even for regular parking when you're not sure how far to pull up. But mostly it would be fun to turn on while you are cruising on the highway, humming the Knight Rider theme.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vinny @ Aug 31 2006, 08:03 PM) [snapback]312487[/snapback]</div> My first question would be: Can a camera designed to be used on the rear of a car put up with the punishment it would likely see on the front. Headlights and other parts used up front need to be tougher than you might think. Especially if you drive on the feeway a lot, you front end is getting pelted with more sand, tiny stones, water and muck quite a bit. I would guess the camera would get so dirty in short order that would be able to see anything with it half the time. Just something I would think about before spending money on such a thing.
I know theforce is working on one. There's a fairly cheap system ($98) at Costco, which consists of a camera and a monitor, which could be modified. As for protection, get a sheet of Lexan to put in front of it.
Well, after tinkering in my head as to how I can put up a simple camera system on the front end of my Prius, and after deciding to buy a wireless VR3 camera from PepBoys. I just finished installing the camera (which is intended for rear end use, attached to the license plate holder) to the front of my Prius, just below the bumper. It was simple to attach, just by using a plastic locking strap through two conveniently located holes under the bumper. No drilling needed! The wiring was simple enough. I didn't want to go through the trouble of installing an in-dash switch (who wants to drill a hole through the firewall? Not me! So, I decided to splice the hot end of the camera wire to one of the front auxillary lights. Therefore, if I wanted to use the camera as I am pulling up a curb that I am weary of, I just turn on the auxillary lights on, and voila! The camera turns on. Well, it's not a seemless operation folks, I still have to turn on the wireless monitor inside the car. It is powered through the auxillary power outlets. The only thing is, the camera is on during nightime driving (since the lights are on), but at least it isn't on constantly. I seldom travel at night daily anyways. Hey, at least I came up with something! I'm sure someone will figure out a better solution than I have. For the meantime, I think it is GENIUS! Especially for someone like me who's ELECTRICALLY CHALLENGED! I'll post more pics of the monitor inside the car and what it looks like through the camera tomorrow. Vince.
Here's a picture of the monitor from inside the car. The image is the edge of a curb in front of the car. Once I have it in view, I stop and it prevents me from running the car over the curb. Works great! Now, there are times when the reception is not that good, due to the bluetooth interference, but it works just as well when you move the monitor at certain angles. I decided to place a velcro underneath the monitor and by placing it just at the base of the center divider floor, I can see it quite well and the reception is not that bad from this vantage point. Vince.
Before I had my '06 with the rear camera, I would have thought you guys had lost your minds, but I LOVE that rear camera, and have thought it would be way cool to be able to turn on the camera at any time, but it is very useful when parking, especially parrallel parking! I love it! I was curious if they would create a front view camera too, you folks are just so smart!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vinny @ Sep 5 2006, 03:20 PM) [snapback]314718[/snapback]</div> I am definitely interested in a forward facing camera. I took my Prius to an auto electrician friend of mine some 2 months ago with the idea of installing a front beep system. Since then, I have gone off a beeper system and now favour a camera. He had a good look over the car and said that a cable could be pushed through the firewall where other cables already go (left side looking under hood from the front) without drilling a hole. This is in a right hand drive vehicle. By putting the camera power cable through the firewall, one switch could turn on both the camera and the monitor. Could the monitor be velcroed to the dash behind the steering wheel where instruments go on a conventional car? I cannot make out the picture on the monitor. Can you post some specs on the camera such as view angle as it relates to your installation on the Prius? Also, once you have used it for some time would you post some thoughts on its usefulness, such as would it be better to install the camera centrally or closer to the curb side on the car?
Here are two pictures of what the camera sees in the front. I usually look to see when the image (curb) appears and occupies the top half of my screen, then I stop. The distance is good enough for the underside of my car to NOT go over the curb. Vince
Ah, thanks Vince, that makes it very plain what the camera can see. It also helps me to make sense of your original picture. Do you think there would be any benefit from mounting the camera to the passenger's side of the front of the car? The reason I ask, is when pulling out from being paralleled parked the passenger's side front bumper has to clear the car in front. If you were going to hit that vehicle it would be with that corner of your car. I guess what I am on about is trying to do two tasks with the one camera - judge distance from objects in front of the car (as you currently do) and judge distance from the rear outside corner of a car parked in front of you. To help judge when the curb is close, park your car and put a cardboard box in front of you car at the closest point that you would want to park at the curb. Now draw a line with one of those black felt pens on the monitor where the box and the road meet. That is the line that the bottom of a curb should not pass. One other thing Vince, you did not comment on putting the monitor on the dash behind the steering wheel. Will it work there or does the dash interfere with the picture transmission?
Vinny, If it's originaly meant as a back up camera, why isn't the image reversed left-right? Your picture makes it appear to be a regular camera view.
Hi All, What I think would be neet, would be to make a aerodynamic pylon on the roof, and put the camera at the top. Then, add a bunch of high power IR LED diodes, and iluminate the road far a head. If done right, this should give better fog visibity, as well as high up visibilty. Most CCD cameras have some IR detection capability. Look at a remote control LED with an electronic camera sometime.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Orf @ Sep 7 2006, 06:31 PM) [snapback]316002[/snapback]</div> I am pretty much ok with mounting the camera in front of the car. Mounting it on the right side makes it somewhat "uneven" aesthetically for me I'm not that worried about parallel parking, since I'm comfortable with it on this car. I also like the fact, that since I installed my front end license plate holder, the camera is almost HIDDEN. Since I have bluetooth in my car, the wireless system does have interference, which manifests itself as intermittent static on the monitor. I found that by placing the monitor where I have it now...causes LESS interference the most. Putting it on the dash also keeps it visible to the outside. I'd hate to have someone break in my car just because the monitor kinda looks valuable and desireable to steal. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(200Volts @ Sep 7 2006, 07:57 PM) [snapback]316041[/snapback]</div> You can flip the view on the monitor. Vince.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vinny @ Sep 7 2006, 07:16 PM) [snapback]316050[/snapback]</div> Mmmmn, I have bluetooth as well. I might do better with a camera connected by cable. You have a good point, Vince. I am not sure what I will do - more research I guess.
