Rear view camera?

**bogan** · 12th January 2010, 19:40

Originally Posted by banditrider

http://www.4kam.com/bikeeye_wireless...iew_camera.htm

whats up with that bike on the main page, some fat fuck sit on his fuel tank?! also unsure why the wireless is needed as it wouldnt even be 2m of cable.

Realised i need to go down to bout a 5in screen now, might just get a big huckory one and try and modify its case and whatever else is inside if I cant find anything better.

**rwh** · 12th January 2010, 19:52

How about this kind of thing?

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/pro...oducts_id=8335

Not your simple video input, but possibly easier to interface the digital stuff to?

Richard

**bogan** · 12th January 2010, 20:00

trying to avoid any fancy digital stuff at this stage, don't wanna deal with screen driver chips/circuits

**p.dath** · 12th January 2010, 21:19

Originally Posted by bogan

ah, sorry, I should have explained that Im an engineer, half of what we do is come up with solutions to problems that dont exist! But i do have issues with the mirrors atm, the focus on my shoulders as much as the road, they are quite far out of they way to do quick head check (instrument cluster is a lot easier), and i think it'd look better if i was able to get rid of the mirrors.

Why stop at an LCD display? How about a heads up display. Create a pinlock visor that you can clip onto the existing visor (or even replace the existing visor - if you can solve the fogging issue). Then you don't even have to take your eye off where you want to ride.
Of course, it might cost as much as the bike itself.

I'm not familiar with your bike. I'd say on my bike the instrument cluster and the mirrors are equi-distant. I have to move my eyes about the same amount.

How about inventing something tricky, like a "mirror" fed by a fibre optic tube or something, i.e. A mirror that can see around corners without having to be inline. Then you could mount the mirror more centrally, yet "plumb" the optical input from a further out point on the bike.

But considering all this, handling blind spots would still be tricky.

I think you'd be best by coming up with a better mounting position for your mirrors on your bike ...

**jeffs** · 5th May 2010, 01:27

Originally Posted by bogan

Rear view Camera

How did you get on with a water proof mount. Did you design or buy something ?
Also what about security, ie stopping people steeling it when parked ( thinking its a GPS ) ?

I have just fitted a rear cam to my bike and am trialing getting on without mirrors.
My standard mirrors are rubbish because im big, so I moved to bar ends quite sometime ago.
Unfortunately they make the bike wider while commuting in stopped traffic. So I am trying a cam. The angle of view is great, and as for blind spots, I turn my head, just like I do with mirrors ( before anyone raises that one ) . I actually find that I am more alert, because i'm more forward facing, not constantly bobbing my head left and right checking my mirrors.

**jonbuoy** · 5th May 2010, 02:03

Even standard black and white cameras are better at night than your eyes as they partly show IR, CCTV ones might be best - good ones have protection from "whiteout" blinding from bright light sources like car headlamps. Great idea, might get a bit distracting though.

**bogan** · 5th May 2010, 09:30

Originally Posted by jeffs

How did you get on with a water proof mount. Did you design or buy something ?
Also what about security, ie stopping people steeling it when parked ( thinking its a GPS ) ?

I haven't started the project yet, was unable to find a screen that I liked, then decided to do a front end swap on my bike so will have another investigate when I do that

Originally Posted by jeffs

I have just fitted a rear cam to my bike and am trialing getting on without mirrors.
My standard mirrors are rubbish because im big, so I moved to bar ends quite sometime ago.
Unfortunately they make the bike wider while commuting in stopped traffic. So I am trying a cam. The angle of view is great, and as for blind spots, I turn my head, just like I do with mirrors ( before anyone raises that one ) . I actually find that I am more alert, because i'm more forward facing, not constantly bobbing my head left and right checking my mirrors.

Nice, thats exactly the reasons for what i was doing, and the results I would want too! what screen/camera and how well do you reckon it works?

**jeffs** · 5th May 2010, 11:16

Originally Posted by bogan

I haven't started the project yet, was unable to find a screen that I liked, then decided to do a front end swap on my bike so will have another investigate when I do that

Nice, thats exactly the reasons for what i was doing, and the results I would want too! what screen/camera and how well do you reckon it works?

Shame you have not started

To test this out I bought a cheapish wired reversion cam / screen ( less interference ) for $200 from Repco ( on special down from $300 ).

At this time it is an a water tight clear bag ( because im just trialing now ). I will make a bracket with a small sun cowel, as it great after 10am but with the low sun before it is not 100% only 85%, and it needs to be. As for night, no-problems, just turn down the display brightness ( yes down ) and its great.

The thing to get used to is that things seem further away, but that is just a mind adjustment thing. Just like it says on wide angled mirrors " objects may appear further away" so no difference to wide angle mirrors really

But going through traffic, its great so far. My hands are my outer limits, so no more clipping mirrors.

My disclaimer here is for KB. I do not care if others think this is an over kill or the 100 other reasons people think this is a bad idea. I am doing this for me not you. ( there the KB disclaimer over ).

**bogan** · 5th May 2010, 11:22

Originally Posted by jeffs

Shame you have not started

To test this out I bought a cheapish wired reversion cam / screen ( less interference ) for $200 from Repco ( on special down from $300 ).

At this time it is an a water tight clear bag ( because im just trialing now ). I will make a bracket with a small sun cowel, as it great after 10am but with the low sun before it is not 100% only 85%, and it needs to be. As for night, no-problems, just turn down the display brightness ( yes down ) and its great.

The thing to get used to is that things seem further away, but that is just a mind adjustment thing. Just like it says on wide angled mirrors " objects may appear further away" so no difference to wide angle mirrors really

But going through traffic, its great so far. My hands are my outer limits, so no more clipping mirrors.

My disclaimer here is for KB. I do not care if others think this is an over kill or the 100 other reasons people think this is a bad idea. I am doing this for me not you. ( there the KB disclaimer over ).

yeh, too many projects, too little time! Though this would be a relatively quick project if I found a good screen.

Do you have screen/camera specs? Would be interested as to how much res is good, and display types for bright enough during day riding.

**jeffs** · 5th May 2010, 11:37

When I get home I'll pull out the manual, but don't over engineer this. The screen and resolution it uses are good enough.
It does not need to be Hi-def or it will just get stolen.
This is my main concern, how do I fix it so people do not think its a GPS and steal it. And making it detachable is not the way to go, or you can not just jump on you bike without
more fiddling around.

As for day time brightness again this is fixable with a cowl so not as important as you may think. ( the one i'm testing is ok ).

If you live in Auckland you can see it for yourself.

**Headbanger** · 5th May 2010, 11:47

Im interested in this, My mirrors are useless, all I can see is my elbows, and I have to twist my body,lean over one side with my torso,lean over the otherside with my upper body,suck my elbow into my side, and try and crane my neck over to look into the mirror.

Its a giant fuckup.

**bogan** · 5th May 2010, 11:52

Originally Posted by jeffs

When I get home I'll pull out the manual, but don't over engineer this. The screen and resolution it uses are good enough.
It does not need to be Hi-def or it will just get stolen.
This is my main concern, how do I fix it so people do not think its a GPS and steal it. And making it detachable is not the way to go, or you can not just jump on you bike without
more fiddling around.

As for day time brightness again this is fixable with a cowl so not as important as you may think. ( the one i'm testing is ok ).

If you live in Auckland you can see it for yourself.

My plan was to remove the instrument cluster, and put a bit of perspex over it, possibly get a polarising filter to remove glare if that'd work, change dials for digital display or more linear needles to save space, so no fucker would be stealing that! Some sort of self adptive brightness sounds like the way to go, LDRs are pretty cheap and you may be able to just swap out the brightness pot with one. In manawatu so bit far to come and look, but once i decide on a screen and camera I can set em up in various positions and test out before making a proper enclosure, like what you are doing.

**jeffs** · 5th May 2010, 11:54

Headbanger be aware I have yet to get confirmation that this is legal, so before you go out and spend money keep this in mind. That aside, bar ends do a great job for rear vision when you don't like the look of your elbows, so start with that first. Switching to camera is a big mind jump not just in the hardware, but the mindset of stopping checking mirrors that are no longer there

Having said that, I like the speed triple so if you want to swap i'll through in the camera.. Ha ha ha

**bogan** · 5th May 2010, 12:14

Originally Posted by Headbanger

Im interested in this, My mirrors are useless, all I can see is my elbows, and I have to twist my body,lean over one side with my torso,lean over the otherside with my upper body,suck my elbow into my side, and try and crane my neck over to look into the mirror.

Its a giant fuckup.

yeh, for wide shouldered people to get any sort of vision bar end mirrors are almost a nessesity, which may the bike way wider, so screen is way to go I reckon.

Originally Posted by jeffs

Headbanger be aware I have yet to get confirmation that this is legal, so before you go out and spend money keep this in mind. That aside, bar ends do a great job for rear vision when you don't like the look of your elbows, so start with that first. Switching to camera is a big mind jump not just in the hardware, but the mindset of stopping checking mirrors that are no longer there

Having said that, I like the speed triple so if you want to swap i'll through in the camera.. Ha ha ha

I found the relevant legislation (on home comp) but it basically says the mirror must do blah blah... which a screen and camera check all the boxes except the fact they are not a mirror.... so bit hazy whether they mean mirror as in view device, or mirror as in bit of shiny glass.

**Conquiztador** · 5th May 2010, 20:56

Originally Posted by bogan

I found the relevant legislation (on home comp) but it basically says the mirror must do blah blah... which a screen and camera check all the boxes except the fact they are not a mirror.... so bit hazy whether they mean mirror as in view device, or mirror as in bit of shiny glass.

You could always fit the screen where the mirrors are...