Closed Circuit Camera

[Loui]

We have a 04 Montana 3685FL, the DW loves the front living room but has 1 complaint....no front window in the living room
Reading older posts I got an idea from Ozz... mount a closed circuit camera in the front nose of the trailer. Brilliant idea and much simpler than trying to install a front window.
DW is now happy....happy wife happy life

The install was quite simple with the front living room layout the tv is just on the other side of the front nose.
I installed it as high as I could so I can reach it from the roof should I need to clean it from time to time and it lines up just inches from where it plugs into the tv.

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When we move up to a newer model Montana with a 42"flat screen(and it will be a front living room model) I'll be installing a "front window"

[DQDick]

Nice mod! Particularly for a front living room.

[Ozz]

Good mod, we absolutely love ours.
Now, install a high power Infra-red spotlight for nightime, it adds to the security..and fun. :0

[bncinwv]

I really like that idea! We have the 42" LCD front living room TV and I can see the benefits of having the view when the tv is not in use. Wonder if there is any worry about burn-in on the tv picture screen? Anybody know, or is an LCD immune to that? How is the camera powered, is there a cable that can plug into the tv ready made? Are there cameras available with HDMI connections that would hook directly to the TV and get their power from it, or does there have to be a separate 12V feed? Looks like another possible add on to the mod list!! Good Deal!!
Bingo

[Alwims]

Once you get used to it you'll wonder how you ever got along without cameras. We just drove 889 miles back to Missouri because lightening knocked some of our cameras offline during the last round of storms. Not being able to see what was happening back here was driving us nuts. Now we can't wait to get back out to New Mexico and get the cameras on the Montana on the Internet.

[Alwims]

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

I really like that idea! We have the 42" LCD front living room TV and I can see the benefits of having the view when the tv is not in use. Wonder if there is any worry about burn-in on the tv picture screen? Anybody know, or is an LCD immune to that? How is the camera powered, is there a cable that can plug into the tv ready made? Are there cameras available with HDMI connections that would hook directly to the TV and get their power from it, or does there have to be a separate 12V feed? Looks like another possible add on to the mod list!! Good Deal!!
Bingo

This is a half way decent camera that has it's own power supply and plugs into the RCA plugs on your TV. http://www.harborfreight.com/weather...ion-47546.html IMHO this one works a little better. http://www.harborfreight.com/weather...ion-95914.html These are really pretty good for single cameras. We have 3 of these systems, 2 hooked up at home and one on the Montana. http://www.harborfreight.com/surveil...ies-68332.html

[bncinwv]

I would think one would want a high resolution color camera since the tv is 1080p? Now I am off on an internet search!!
Bingo

[Alwims]

Here is a good source for higher quality cameras, but I'm here to tell you, you will be surprised at the quality of HFT cameras. http://www.active-vision.com/Securit...meras-s/36.htm

[Loui]

I bought the camera last fall similar to one like this but in white

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/CCTV-Vandal-W...item1c255514e0

power supply is a 12 volt adapter that plugs into 120 VAC. I picked it up at a local surplus store for $3.00

The other connection is a RCA into an aux port on the TV

[Ozz]

I prefer to have a seperate screen for the video, that way it is always on. My LED has no burn on it.
The bedroom is a LCD, we don't have it on much, but I haven't noticed any burn.
https://picasaweb.google.com/Jimsue13/TVSecurityCamera?authuser=0&feat=directlink

[bncinwv]

As a result of my internet wanderings, I think I can install a 700/750 horizontal line camera on the pinbox, feed it with a dc adaptor and convert the BNC output to RCA output which will enable me to hook it up to the tv in the living room. Looks like I can do all of that for less than $100. The site that seemed to have decent prices and excellent technology was www.gadspot.com. Cool!! On edit: I just need to figure out some fashion of cover for the camera when travelling since it will be facing forward!
Bingo

[Ozz]

I use a Sony that is weather-proof, it seems to be real tight and it is facing forward as well.

[bncinwv]

Sony is what I was looking at too Ozz, with the lack of a front window, this sounds like an attractive alternative. I guess the resolution is the biggest thing, and 750 horizontal lines looks like the breakpoint where the price really goes up for higher resolutions. Like the DW said, it would not do us any good immediately since the girls hi-jack the big-screen when we are camping, to the extent that they would rather lay in the rig and hibernate by the tv than enjoy the outdoors!!
Bingo

[Ozz]

Have you considered a small screen like the one I mounted above the slide? It is always on when we are down there, and quite inexpensive. The camera was not that expensive either.
http://cctvone.com/index.php?main_pa...ucts_id=150469

[bncinwv]

Our intent is not really security but rather to add a window-type view at the front of the rig. Keep in mind our unit is front living room, with the large screen television sitting in the middle of the front cap. I see the result as adding a picture window to the front of the rig.
Bingo

[Ozz]

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

Our intent is not really security but rather to add a window-type view at the front of the rig. Keep in mind our unit is front living room, with the large screen television sitting in the middle of the front cap. I see the result as adding a picture window to the front of the rig.
Bingo

Ahhh, I don't know why I think everyone has a 3400RL. Muddy gene pool on my side of the family probably..