VR3 VRBCS300W Wireless Back-Up Camera with 2.5" LCD Monitor

I just finished installing this product on my 2006 Honda Odyssey. Several points to share...

1. This product does what everyone thinks it should do--provide a basic back-up camera to your vehicle, with wireless transmission between monitor and camera.

2. The marketing slogans on the package is absolutely misleading. "Installls As Easy as 1... 2... 3..." means prepare yourself for a major 6-hour project (see details below) "No Holes to Drill" means 3 steps of the installation procedure addresses drilling holes on your vehicle, (potentially). The picture of the camera mounting on the visor? No way!!!

3. Here is my installation diary--

Monitor installation--Moderately easy

The manual requires you to "see vehicle's owner's manual for fuse box diagram," if you decide not to do use the cigarette lighter. I wanted to leave it for cell phone chargers so fuse box is the approach I took. Thanks to detailed descriptions in the Honda manual, +12V was connected to a slot not used and the original fuse was used to keep the wire in place. Get your radio code ready, Honda owner, since you will need to unplug the cathode of the battery.

Camera installation--slightly hard

The biggest hurdle for me to install the camera is about how to open up the tailgate area of my Odyssey. After some prying of panels and internet searching to no avail, I decided to order a $75 Honda service manual so that I do not damage my wife's van. A week later (today) book arrived and it showed me exactly how to open up the tailgate panels correctly. If I do not have this book there is no way I can install this camera even if I drill a hole. Now for Odyssey I found a niche right behind the license plate that I can pass the camera wire through, by replacing an original fastener clip. Camera wire would be routed from above the plate to this through hole. Odyssey does not have license plate threads at the bottom of the plate otherwise external wire routing would be easier. Anyway the point is that you will have to find the best way to install the camera for your own vehicle. Next which power source should I need to connect? I do not want to use the reverse light since that means during a parallel parking when I drive forward the reverse light and therefore camera would be off. I debated with my wife if the license plate light would be a better one, but eventually decided to use the extra +12 lighter socket in the back of the van. I cut the redundant lighter plug (for the monitor) and crimped the wires. These wires are therefore visible inside the vehicle and held in place by Velcro stickers.

So here is my summary

Pro: the kit does the job well (right after installation). Control is simple, and image quality is fairly resistant to the dust particles on the camera.

Con: You will need to make your own decisions regarding mechanical and electrical integration of this camera with your car. Particularly if you do not how to find your reverse light wires, you should prepare to find this out before you make your purchase. Installation takes hours but it is full of easy decisions.

Bottom line: At the end of the day safety is all about peace of mind. I am glad VR3 can bring a cheap camera to the market so that I can enjoy my peace of mind in the suburb. If they can create a website with users sharing installation experiences it can take a lot of guesswork away.

I would give this product a 5 if it wasn't for the few points I outlined below.

Overall this product does what it is intended to do. Its cheap in price considering that one does not have to deal with making holes in the vehicle.

Pros...

Wireless (almost, just need to hook up the monitor to the 12v socket)

Ease of hookup, no wires to route through the vehicleand no drilling to place the sensor/camera.

Brightness,contrast settings for day and night viewing.

Display views allow real world view (like if you are turning your head to see while backing up),

broad viewing angle.

Price is cheap enough in case one has to replace the unit if it fails.

Unit can be also hard wired to the vehicle's electrical system.

Cons...

Camera is slightly noticable on the rear license plate.

The depth deception makes objects closer than they really are (which in a way is a plus for me since I don't end up hitting anything thinking its closer), but to others it might be an issue.

The unit uses bluetooth 2.4Ghz which other bluetooth devices can interfere with it. Case in point, I parked along side another vehicle which also has the Roadmaster VR3 and my unit showed what their unit was showing.

The unit is suppose to go on only when backing up, but occasionally while driving past any bluetooth device/building that is using the same frequency the monitor will turn on and show that units view.

The monitor is small, 2.5 inches, and one has to get used to looking at it when parking, but it is clear and in color.

Monitor is fragile, like all LCD units, if dropped, it will ruin the monitor.

Placement of the monitor is dependent on the user and their vehicle, on mine I just left it in the coin area under the middle console.

Overall, using the unit for the past few months I am satisfied with it and it has help me avoid hitting anyone/anything in my rear blind spots.

Aside from the occasional interference with other bluetooth devices, I would have given this unit a perfect score.

TS

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These units are a good idea in theory, but in practice this particular implementation is poor: The picture is very unstable, with continual tearing and noise bars. The touted "110 degree view" is way overstated: I measured two different units and both have barely a 57 degree horizontal view; which is not wide angle enough.

However, these units seem to be still in development, and are evolving: I'm awaiting my third version, and each newer version has been a little better than the prior version. Oddly though, the model numbers are all the same, so you need to ask which version you'll be receiving!

The oldest version of the VR3 camera system comes with only two buttons: One button for power and and one for 'view mode'. The newer version has FOUR buttons: The extra buttons are for brightness and contrast, which is a useful addition. It also have slightly better picture quality. The newest version, one which I've not yet received, is said to have what I consider an essential addition: The new models will have an antenna!

I don't know why they didn't all come with an antenna in the first place, because without one they are basically useless, since the picture is a hopeless mess unless the monitor is within 1 foot of the camera! In fact, I don't understand why they didn't use the body of the vehicle as an 'antenna', which would have guaranteed good reception anywhere inside the vehicle. At one point I asked their technical support about this, and they suggested that I "wrap several sheets of aluminum foil around the back to act as an antenna".

So, while I have to give this 'thumbs down' as they exist today, I'm hoping that when I receive my new version I'll discover that these units finally live up to their potential. I'll still have to live with the narrow 57 degree view, but at this point I'll settle for a stable picture. I'll try to remember to update this once I receive the newest unit.

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I bought this camera installed it and experienced interference almost everywhere. I called the company tech support waited twice for 45 minutes and was told that interference is normal. Bluetooth, power lines, 2.4 ghz phones, cell phones, and wi/fi will cause interference. Dah? That's everywhere.

I told them I wanted my money back, they refused. This is junk!! don't buy it.

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I installed a VR3 kit (4 buttons LCD version) into our new Toyota Sienna 2007 with no problem and it works very well. True, when I bench tested the kit it worked fine very stable and clean picture. When installed the reception a bit worse but not as bad as other's mentioned the picture has an occasional flick or two because now there's some sheet metal between the transmitter and the receiver in the LCD. But nothing too bad.

This kit is a great idea and quite good of the implementation. It is completely automatic put the car in the reverse and it's on, the LCD turns up and you see the image in about 3-5 seconds. When you switch to drive, the LCD turns off in about 3 seconds. Great! Also, night time performance is remarkable. The picture is good.

True it's only a CMOS-based camera (not CCD sensor everyone swears by) but it serves the purpose. A CCD camera alone would cost as mush as this whole kit.

The antenna for the transmitter would improve the stability of the system. Also keep in mind that the warranty is only 30 days since the purchase date. So buy and install it promptly. Or buy at Target or Costco or such to have at least 90 days to return it.

I like this kit and can recommend it.