@Not_Bot_Not All backup cameras come with a “trigger wire” that is connected to the reverse positive wire. You could easily connect the “trigger wire” to any positive to make it come on. (like a toggle switch) I’m thinking of doing the exact same thing for my CanAm Spyder so that I can see better behind me while riding down the interstate.
@Not_Bot_Not I have a similar system in my old 2004 Lexus. It will turn on automatically when it receives the power upon starting the car, but it will eventually turn off and you can set the duration.
Unfortunately, it does not know when you are actually backing up (no trigger wire), so you do have to touch the button on the side of the screen to wake it up again.
the main issue with this is that it’s a backup camera, so if you don’t already have a camera, you can’t use this one as a backup, since it just becomes a regular camera at that point.
@hchavers@Kyeh@yakkoTDI Yes indeedy, some of us prefer them that way. Some of us actually enjoy the freedom that only a cheap, mostly functional car can bring. There’s just no fun to be had in “keying” a 2003 Kia Optima, and that’s fine by us. But … er … a backup camera would be nice.
@hchavers@Kyeh Yup. My current one was made well before 2018… Working on trying to break my previous record which was that my car lasting 25 years and 3 mo before it became a junkyard decoration. That was a grand caravan that died because it blew an engine bearing. It was of the era of the peeling paint and my kid called it the ghetto van. She swore it would be too embarrassing to drive. She lied.
@hchavers Until I get the 5 camera dashcam system that I want for my 2003 RV, this will make backing that beast up much easier and safer. $25 for this for now vs $500 for the system I want. This will do for a while.
@yeppers Meh’s version is the WBU-900 B2, but your link appears to be for the 1000. The manual for the 900 is here – I’m not sure what the B2 is about.
I have a wireless backup camera. I like it, but one does have to be careful because it does not substitute completely for visual checking. The one that I have currently is my third. The first one lasted probably 5 years, maybe more - forgot. The second about a month. The third, and current edition, is going strong after about 6 months. And yes. It is wireless. The backup camera requires an initial USB charge, but is solar powered after that with potential occational recharges depending on the availability of sunlight. The camera comes on when powered on, then times out with an interval set by the user up to 90 seconds. When that isn’t sufficient, there’s a button to turn it on again.
Are there any issues with an activation code due to these being refurbs? Some low score Amazon reviews state that their cam didn’t come with an activation code, apparently because WallyMart is the official seller.
@UnawareWolf I saw those reviews, but the manual makes no mention of an activation code. I wonder if those reviews are for a different product (since Amazon allows sellers to change the product and keep the reviews).
Re installation. Very simple, depending on the individual model. Typically, the camera comes on a plastic frame that fits over or with the license plate. You have to remove the plate and reinstall it with the camera/holder/framework. At some point before first use, typically you have to USB charge the camera battery. Depending on the model that may be the only recharge ever needed. My experiance is that recharge is needed once every few years with a ‘good’ model - YMMV. The monitor installation is potentially problematical. You have to find a place to put it where it will be visible, not pick up reflections, and not be in the way, then plug it into car power. It may be necessary to go into the menu to set right/left/up/down orientation, brightness/contrast, power timeout, other stuff depending on the model. Some models are pure junk, some pretty decent.
This one says it’s solar powered. That’s good; some are only battery or wire powered. This one’s solar cells look to me to be meager but I have no experiance with this particular model. I’d check Amazon or whoever to see what customer feedback says.
@DaveMan2048 That’s a great idea. When I had my tiny 1995 Civic, I had no trouble parking. Ever since I started driving Corollas, I’ve had trouble centering my car in parking spaces. It finally occurred to me why: I’m too short to see the lines once I start to pull into a space, so I have to try to remember where they are in relation to the car. A front camera would help with that.
Thinking about this. The manual says it has a range of 328’. A couple years ago I was doing a project hauling logs out of the woods. I had pulley redirects that had to be disconnected before the log got to them. Having a camera pointed at the logs would’ve made the job much easier. I don’t currently need a camera, but it may be cheap enough to buy just in case.
@lxskllr yes. My driveway is about 150’. Theoretically I could put a camera at the bottom of my driveway and see who is coming/tripping the driveway alarm without getting up from my office desk.
$25 is cheaper than any other solution to this… Although I’d need to get a 12 volt adapter which would probably double the price…
@connorbush That’s what I was thinking. I can’t find any reviews that specifically state they used it for a camper trailer but I guess I’ll try it out.
@mediocrebot That crane looks more condemned than vulnerable.
If I came across it in the wild looking like that, I 100% would not consider it vulnerable. It looks like it made it through a battle zone, and it’s the only one still standing.
I just got mine. Assembly process was annoying, which would have been fine if it worked, but apparently it’s not compatible with cars made out of metal. My rear hitch completely blocks any signal unless you bring the monitor 2 feet away from it. It seems like it would work if I taped the camera to the rear window, but that’s not really a working solution, and the video quality is potato-level.
@TexasDex purpose of these is so you don’t back into someone/something, so quality isn’t really a priority. Worked for me with signal going through my metal trunk lid, back seats and front seats. Shows full signal. I’d call the support number for whistler
@TexasDex Interesting, I have a 2001 Yukon XL with a huge steel aftermarket bumper and I have zero signal issues in the driver seat. I did have to replace the almost-dead internal battery on the camera though.
@noadave should have a suction cup mount and a disk with adhesive in case you need dash mount. I’d call the support number on the slip in the package. 1-800-531-0004
I hope everyone else had better luck than I. Absolute junk. The range to connect was less than 5 feet, line of site with no obstructions like window glass, tailgates, or trunk lids. Tried recharging the camera a couple of times. Made no difference. After fooling with it for several hours, mine went straight to the trash.
@GoCats@narfcake also a slip inside with a support number, and one stating “90 day warranty only” probably because refurbished. Mine worked fine on the license plate, so going through the metal trunk lid, back seat, and front seat.
Thanks for the replies. I’ll try calling customer service, but after seeing the comments on Amazon, regarding Whistler’s customer service, I’m not holding out much hope for their help.
To the staff at meh.com: A big “Thank you” for taking care of the problem I was having with my recent order. I appreciate your prompt handling of this matter.
OK so I got mine a few days ago and I too had all sorts of performance issues BUT the primary one was that the internal battery was shot on mine. Even after charging it up all night, it would only last maybe 10-15 seconds.
If anyone has a problem like that (I imagine many will as these likely sat in a warehouse for way too long), the internal lipo battery dimensions are 6.5mm x 40mm x 60mm. I bought this one (link later) from amazon and it is a perfect fit but the connector is different so I had to splice on the connector from the dead battery.
Now it works perfectly. Great signal in my 2001 Yukon XL and the camera stays on for quite some time (haven’t tested max run time yet". This thing will make getting the hitch on the ball a breeze now!
I did just email Meh about the dead original battery of course but I thought this might help others. Oh, I never had to pair the camera even after the battery swap so I didn’t know about or need the codes.
Specs
Product: Whistler Wireless Backup Camera
Model: WBU-900 B2
Condition: Refurbished
What’s Included?
Price Comparison
$129.99 (New) at Amazon
Warranty
90 days
Estimated Delivery
Tuesday, May 28 - Thursday, May 30
YES!! Now I get to see their look of terror no matter which way I am going.
Does it come with the cool WIRELESS license plate?
@heartny Oops, apparently it’s WIRELES, with one “S”. Which I guess makes it S-LESS. Or would that be S-LES?
@heartny Maybe it’s pronounced “Wih-Reh-Lehs.”
@heartny @Kyeh Or maybe like a Greek hero, Wih-rel-ees?
@heartny @Kyeh @werehatrack
Or wyr-els
Can I use it as just a camera to see behind me while driving? (e.g. if my rear view mirror is blocked by a bunch of stuff?)
@Not_Bot_Not All backup cameras come with a “trigger wire” that is connected to the reverse positive wire. You could easily connect the “trigger wire” to any positive to make it come on. (like a toggle switch) I’m thinking of doing the exact same thing for my CanAm Spyder so that I can see better behind me while riding down the interstate.
@Not_Bot_Not Well… It seems that this one doesn’t even use a power wire to the reverse light. It just comes on when you push the button. Cool. or Meh.
@Not_Bot_Not I have a similar system in my old 2004 Lexus. It will turn on automatically when it receives the power upon starting the car, but it will eventually turn off and you can set the duration.
Unfortunately, it does not know when you are actually backing up (no trigger wire), so you do have to touch the button on the side of the screen to wake it up again.
@TuffDadSF That actually makes it more useful for me.
the main issue with this is that it’s a backup camera, so if you don’t already have a camera, you can’t use this one as a backup, since it just becomes a regular camera at that point.
@omally Nice.
Back-up cameras are required on all passenger vehicles since 2018. Again, Meh is right on time.
@hchavers Some of us (ahem) do have cars made before 2018.
@hchavers @Kyeh And some of us prefer them that way.
@hchavers @Kyeh some of us have several of them!
Hoarder or collector, who is to judge?
@hchavers @Kyeh @yakkoTDI Yes indeedy, some of us prefer them that way. Some of us actually enjoy the freedom that only a cheap, mostly functional car can bring. There’s just no fun to be had in “keying” a 2003 Kia Optima, and that’s fine by us. But … er … a backup camera would be nice.
@hchavers Yup, neither of our cars have back up cameras.
@hchavers @Kyeh Yup. My current one was made well before 2018… Working on trying to break my previous record which was that my car lasting 25 years and 3 mo before it became a junkyard decoration. That was a grand caravan that died because it blew an engine bearing. It was of the era of the peeling paint and my kid called it the ghetto van. She swore it would be too embarrassing to drive. She lied.
@hchavers Until I get the 5 camera dashcam system that I want for my 2003 RV, this will make backing that beast up much easier and safer. $25 for this for now vs $500 for the system I want.
This will do for a while.
@hchavers @OutbackJon Maybe satellite imagery for something that large?
@hchavers actually it was 2016… a lot of manufacturers made them standard in 2015… my 2013 is not so equipped… however dad’s lower spec’d 2015 is…
@blaineg @hchavers It’s a Class B camper van on a Ford E350 chassis. The extra cameras are to record/view blind spots.
The manual
@yeppers Having to turn it on prior to backing up just means I’ll never do it. Yeah. That’s stupid, but I know me. And I know I’m not alone in this.
@Trinityscrew @yeppers Yeah, I’d use it for about a week before I started forgetting to turn it on. Luckily, my car already has a back-up camera.
@yeppers Meh’s version is the WBU-900 B2, but your link appears to be for the 1000. The manual for the 900 is here – I’m not sure what the B2 is about.
I usually close my eyes slam in “R” and floor it. Having a camera can help me aim
@bugger
Hey there… U must live near me. I’ve seen you in the Walmart parking lot.
@bugger @chienfou I think I’ve seen you both at every Walmart I’ve ever been to anywhere!
@chienfou I thought you looked familiar!!
So anyone have any actual experience with something like this? (Usage and installing)
I have a wireless backup camera. I like it, but one does have to be careful because it does not substitute completely for visual checking. The one that I have currently is my third. The first one lasted probably 5 years, maybe more - forgot. The second about a month. The third, and current edition, is going strong after about 6 months. And yes. It is wireless. The backup camera requires an initial USB charge, but is solar powered after that with potential occational recharges depending on the availability of sunlight. The camera comes on when powered on, then times out with an interval set by the user up to 90 seconds. When that isn’t sufficient, there’s a button to turn it on again.
Are there any issues with an activation code due to these being refurbs? Some low score Amazon reviews state that their cam didn’t come with an activation code, apparently because WallyMart is the official seller.
@UnawareWolf I have no experiance with activation codes with these. I wouldn’t buy one that required it; never seen one that did.
@UnawareWolf I saw those reviews, but the manual makes no mention of an activation code. I wonder if those reviews are for a different product (since Amazon allows sellers to change the product and keep the reviews).
@arlene_wechsler @UnawareWolf The manual for the WBU-900 indicates (p. 15) that it does require an initial pairing with a code…
@UnawareWolf According to Whistler at https://whistlergroup.com/pages/helpcenter#reamaze#0#/kb/activation-code/i-purchased-a-whistler-product-from-ebay-craigslist-garage-sale-etc-that-requires-an-activation-code-what-can-i-do
you can email Support@whistlergroup.com and send them the 10 digit “DiSa” code on the back of the backup monitor and they will send you the activation code. (It doesn’t appear to be on the back of the box, only on the back of the monitor.)
I have emailed them and will report back when I hear from them. If you don’t see anything here it means I haven’t heard from them yet.
@UnawareWolf I got my codes! I haven’t tested them to be sure they work but I expect them to.
Re installation. Very simple, depending on the individual model. Typically, the camera comes on a plastic frame that fits over or with the license plate. You have to remove the plate and reinstall it with the camera/holder/framework. At some point before first use, typically you have to USB charge the camera battery. Depending on the model that may be the only recharge ever needed. My experiance is that recharge is needed once every few years with a ‘good’ model - YMMV. The monitor installation is potentially problematical. You have to find a place to put it where it will be visible, not pick up reflections, and not be in the way, then plug it into car power. It may be necessary to go into the menu to set right/left/up/down orientation, brightness/contrast, power timeout, other stuff depending on the model. Some models are pure junk, some pretty decent.
This one says it’s solar powered. That’s good; some are only battery or wire powered. This one’s solar cells look to me to be meager but I have no experiance with this particular model. I’d check Amazon or whoever to see what customer feedback says.
Anyone ever tried to put one on the front plate so you can tell if your parking job is good before you hit the post or whatever?
@DaveMan2048 I love that idea.
I don’t think I’d actually bother doing it, but I’d like to have that option. (I’m just to lazy/cheap to do it.)
@DaveMan2048 @xobzoo Folks do this on sports cars with long hoods and low front ends.
@DaveMan2048 That’s a great idea. When I had my tiny 1995 Civic, I had no trouble parking. Ever since I started driving Corollas, I’ve had trouble centering my car in parking spaces. It finally occurred to me why: I’m too short to see the lines once I start to pull into a space, so I have to try to remember where they are in relation to the car. A front camera would help with that.
Thinking about this. The manual says it has a range of 328’. A couple years ago I was doing a project hauling logs out of the woods. I had pulley redirects that had to be disconnected before the log got to them. Having a camera pointed at the logs would’ve made the job much easier. I don’t currently need a camera, but it may be cheap enough to buy just in case.
@lxskllr 328’???
Road trip in two cars? FaceTime with no cell phone reception needed.
@OnionSoup
I’m guessing 328’ is very optimistic as these things usually are, but even taking 100’ off of that would still be useful to me.
@lxskllr yes. My driveway is about 150’. Theoretically I could put a camera at the bottom of my driveway and see who is coming/tripping the driveway alarm without getting up from my office desk.
$25 is cheaper than any other solution to this… Although I’d need to get a 12 volt adapter which would probably double the price…
I was looking for a backup camera for my '06…
Alright Meh, you twisted my arm
@spadaykitten same, I literally said yesterday, “we could just put a camera on my car”
Could also work on your rider to keep you from backing over the wife’s flowers and bushes!
@chienfou Are you by any chance speaking from experience?
If you’re a vampire, can you put one on both license plates, black out the windows, and drive during the day?
It’s not $129 new. It’s 89 dollars
@sinderella That’s a different model judging by the pictures. This has the solar panels on the side the Amazon one has the solar panels on the top.
Does the display need to be plugged into the charger at all times, or does it have a battery and only need charging periodically?
I wonder if that’s ideal or absolute. Might be only for the “mid-states”. Good luck in Phoenix, or anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line…
Will attempt to use on 20’ travel trailer.
@connorbush That’s what I was thinking. I can’t find any reviews that specifically state they used it for a camper trailer but I guess I’ll try it out.
Attach this to the front of your car so you can see where you’re going when someone is on your hood.
I have no idea where I am, or where I’m going, so
/buy
@blaineg It worked! Your order number is: outer-eloquent-dime
/showme outer eloquent dime
/giphy outer-eloquent-dime
@mediocrebot Pretty poor job on the /showme, bot. Don’t you know your own rules?
@blaineg @mediocrebot somebody changed some code without thinking through the whole thing first.
/showme outer-eloquent-dime
@mediocrebot
10 S= 10 shillings? I guess that’s like a dime, in a way./showme smoggy sulky hydra
What’s the range of wireless? Would it work on a camper or trailer?
/buy
@testoclesarroyo It worked! Your order number is: vulnerable-condemned-crane
/showme vulnerable condemned crane
/showme vulnerable condemned crane
@testoclesarroyo It has to be a top level comment, replies don’t work.
/showme vulnerable condemned crane
@mediocrebot That crane looks more condemned than vulnerable.
If I came across it in the wild looking like that, I 100% would not consider it vulnerable. It looks like it made it through a battle zone, and it’s the only one still standing.
/buy 3
@outdoorslife It worked! Your order number is: bony-rural-level
/showme bony rural level
/showme bony rural level
With a bit of tinkering, this could be very useful on a bike in lieu of a rear-view mirror.
Wow, sold out!
My unit isn’t working. Sounds like a personal problem, but I guess I’ll just need to request a refund.
@Quakerdan Definitely request the refund. Which part of it is not working? I had to replace the internal lipo battery in mine.
Useless.
I just got mine. Assembly process was annoying, which would have been fine if it worked, but apparently it’s not compatible with cars made out of metal. My rear hitch completely blocks any signal unless you bring the monitor 2 feet away from it. It seems like it would work if I taped the camera to the rear window, but that’s not really a working solution, and the video quality is potato-level.
@TexasDex purpose of these is so you don’t back into someone/something, so quality isn’t really a priority. Worked for me with signal going through my metal trunk lid, back seats and front seats. Shows full signal. I’d call the support number for whistler
@TexasDex Interesting, I have a 2001 Yukon XL with a huge steel aftermarket bumper and I have zero signal issues in the driver seat. I did have to replace the almost-dead internal battery on the camera though.
yeah the video quality is not amazing.
Seems ok, but no parts to mount the camera
@noadave should have a suction cup mount and a disk with adhesive in case you need dash mount. I’d call the support number on the slip in the package. 1-800-531-0004
I hope everyone else had better luck than I. Absolute junk. The range to connect was less than 5 feet, line of site with no obstructions like window glass, tailgates, or trunk lids. Tried recharging the camera a couple of times. Made no difference. After fooling with it for several hours, mine went straight to the trash.
@GoCats These have a warranty, y’know.
https://meh.com/warranty
https://meh.com/support
@GoCats @narfcake also a slip inside with a support number, and one stating “90 day warranty only” probably because refurbished. Mine worked fine on the license plate, so going through the metal trunk lid, back seat, and front seat.
Thanks for the replies. I’ll try calling customer service, but after seeing the comments on Amazon, regarding Whistler’s customer service, I’m not holding out much hope for their help.
To the staff at meh.com: A big “Thank you” for taking care of the problem I was having with my recent order. I appreciate your prompt handling of this matter.
OK so I got mine a few days ago and I too had all sorts of performance issues BUT the primary one was that the internal battery was shot on mine. Even after charging it up all night, it would only last maybe 10-15 seconds.
If anyone has a problem like that (I imagine many will as these likely sat in a warehouse for way too long), the internal lipo battery dimensions are 6.5mm x 40mm x 60mm. I bought this one (link later) from amazon and it is a perfect fit but the connector is different so I had to splice on the connector from the dead battery.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095BRVD96?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
Now it works perfectly. Great signal in my 2001 Yukon XL and the camera stays on for quite some time (haven’t tested max run time yet". This thing will make getting the hitch on the ball a breeze now!
I did just email Meh about the dead original battery of course but I thought this might help others. Oh, I never had to pair the camera even after the battery swap so I didn’t know about or need the codes.
Mine is junk too. Glad to hear I wasn’t the only fool. Now I’m back to turning my neck or looking in the mirrors.