For Those Without A Backup Camera In Their Kizashi

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redmed
Posts: 492
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:56 pm
Location: Michigan

I just installed this combination backup camera/sonar on my Kiz.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-in-1-Car-SUV- ... SwHHFY-hIT
It is pretty neat because it beeps to tell you how close you are to a object behind. It starts with a slow beep @3 feet and gets faster the closer you get. I installed it and powered it to the reverse backup light. Since I did not have a video monitor in my Kizashi, for a while I used it without any video display and the beeping was quite helpful. I just bought a rearview mirror with a video display and now get video on it and the video is quite good. The rearview mirror just clips on with spring clips and is not real secure so I might remove the mirror and just use the beeping . Until I find a way to mount the mirror more securely or find a better video monitor.
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chazyouwin
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Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2010 9:57 pm
Location: Northern New Jersey USA

Wow, what is most amazing is that the listed price is under $15 with a "make offer" option and free shipping from a U.S. town. If you like the quality of this camera, then it looks like it cannot be beat by anything at that price. Heck, by a few and put them away maybe they get better with age!
2010 Kizashi SLS FWD Gray; 2013 Grand Vitara 4wd red; 2012 SX4 blue; 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV black

Previous: 2002 XL-7 Limited (2); 1992 Accord; '91 Volvo; '85 Toyota; '84 Celica; '73 Mercedes.
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redmed
Posts: 492
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:56 pm
Location: Michigan

I have firmly mounted the mirror now. Now I find that on a sunny day the video image is washed out.
64 Galaxie 68 Olds 442 65 Impala 70 VW Bug
74 Nissan B210 66 Chevelle 73 Olds 98 71 C20
75 Monza 82 Escort 75 E150 75 Civic 76 Accord
86 Escort 87 Taurus 83 Chevy G20 85 Ranger 4x4
93 F250 4x4 95 Silhouette 95 LHS 03 Corolla 10 Kizashi S MT
17 Sienna
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redmed
Posts: 492
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:56 pm
Location: Michigan

I discovered today that the reason the image was washed out was because of the angle I had the mirror. Years ago I had set the mirror at the normal position for my wife and have been using the mirror at the higher nite position for myself. This way we could share the mirror and the only adjustment necessary was flipping lever on the mirror. Like most LED screens the view fades significantly when viewing at a angle other than directly at the screen. Today when I flipped the mirror down to the normal position the image was much clearer.
64 Galaxie 68 Olds 442 65 Impala 70 VW Bug
74 Nissan B210 66 Chevelle 73 Olds 98 71 C20
75 Monza 82 Escort 75 E150 75 Civic 76 Accord
86 Escort 87 Taurus 83 Chevy G20 85 Ranger 4x4
93 F250 4x4 95 Silhouette 95 LHS 03 Corolla 10 Kizashi S MT
17 Sienna
SamirD
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Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:07 pm
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Pretty neat little find. How did you run the video signal to the interior? Was there an existing wiring harness for you to tie into?

It would be interesting to have this on the front for those of us with cars without the front parking sensors.
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redmed
Posts: 492
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:56 pm
Location: Michigan

Ran the wire from the trunk lid, to the passenger side, under the door sills, up the windshield trim to the roof and rearview mirror. Only took about a hour to run the wire.
64 Galaxie 68 Olds 442 65 Impala 70 VW Bug
74 Nissan B210 66 Chevelle 73 Olds 98 71 C20
75 Monza 82 Escort 75 E150 75 Civic 76 Accord
86 Escort 87 Taurus 83 Chevy G20 85 Ranger 4x4
93 F250 4x4 95 Silhouette 95 LHS 03 Corolla 10 Kizashi S MT
17 Sienna
KansasKid
Posts: 428
Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2013 2:19 am
Location: Kansas City, Kansas

redmed wrote:I discovered today that the reason the image was washed out was because of the angle I had the mirror. Years ago I had set the mirror at the normal position for my wife and have been using the mirror at the higher nite position for myself. This way we could share the mirror and the only adjustment necessary was flipping lever on the mirror. Like most LED screens the view fades significantly when viewing at a angle other than directly at the screen. Today when I flipped the mirror down to the normal position the image was much clearer.
Sounds like the screen in the mirror isn't an IPS display. :geek:

As for flipping the mirror lever, anyone else feel really dumb when they finally figured out that's the dimmer setting for the rear view mirror? I know I did when I finally figured it out. When the d-bag with the massive SUV/truck behind is tailgating you with their headlights directly in your rear view mirror, you're supposed to flip the lever on the mirror so it dims the reflection, and then you flip it back when d-bag isn't behind you anymore. My old Kia had an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and it was nice. But I definitely don't feel like it's a necessity or worth what they charge for those things, anymore.
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'93 Ford Escort (Jorge - Prior)
'06 Kia Optima EX (Sakuya - Prior)
'11 Suzuki Kizashi SE AWD (Azumi)
'09 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Base 5MT(Akari - Prior)
'11 Chevy Cruze Eco 6MT (Erika - Prior)
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SamirD
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KansasKid wrote:
redmed wrote:My old Kia had an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and it was nice.
I actually hate these things because you can't see the body lines of the car anymore once it fully dims. It's actually the first thing I turn off when I sit in the Kizashi because it's a standard feature on the SLS Sport. Only other car where I've seen it standard is Mercedes. 8-)
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redmed
Posts: 492
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:56 pm
Location: Michigan

Had the dimming mirror on my LHS and now on my Sienna and like it. Never noticed how much detail was lost when dimmed.
64 Galaxie 68 Olds 442 65 Impala 70 VW Bug
74 Nissan B210 66 Chevelle 73 Olds 98 71 C20
75 Monza 82 Escort 75 E150 75 Civic 76 Accord
86 Escort 87 Taurus 83 Chevy G20 85 Ranger 4x4
93 F250 4x4 95 Silhouette 95 LHS 03 Corolla 10 Kizashi S MT
17 Sienna
SamirD
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Location: HSV and SFO
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redmed wrote:Had the dimming mirror on my LHS and now on my Sienna and like it. Never noticed how much detail was lost when dimmed.
Take a look off to the sides of the beam when it's in dimmed mode at night and you'll typically see nothing. Turn the dimming off and you'll see the body lines of the vehicle. I've seen this in both the Kizashi and Mercedes--it's just the way they work.
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