I posted a longer version of this on the Trucks, Tow Vehicles & Trailers forum, but that one doesn't seem to get a lot of viewers. So sorry for the cross-post...but I'd appreciate some advice
I just bought a 2024 Chevy 2500HD Duramax for towing several trailers. It's got 6 or 7 cameras built in (I don't know why it has a windshield or mirrors--the cameras see everything front, back, and sides) and has two trailer camera inputs. I want to put one inside an enclosed trailer and one on the back, ideally compatible with the slick Transparent View system on the truck's 13" screen.
Any advice on what to get and what vendor to consider?
I have no idea, but supposedly my new F-150 has similar abilities. Would love to figure out how to take advantage of them. Ford sells an OEM camera, but it's like $500.
I'd like to know, too. But using the Escape screen
I think it's unlikely that generic aftermarket cameras are going to work with the "invisible trailer" feature. I expect the software to make that work is going to depend a lot on the specific focal lengths, view angles, etc of the cameras used.
As far as trailer cameras go in general, I use a 3-camera (*) system from "rear view safety". One wide-angle above the trailer door looking down (good for determining if you're about to back the trailer into the fence) and a narrower-angle camera mounted high on either side of the trailer looking backwards. The latter two are effectively providing a "side mirror" view from the trailer, and are for lining it up with the opening you're trying to back it into. I'm not trying to integrate them into my tow vehicle's display (2021 F-250), instead I have a wireless display that I normally keep in the enormous center console bin and pull out (cig lighter powered) when towing. (Technically it's a 4 camera system, but the 4th one is another wide field view intended as a backup camera on the truck and I don't need that with the Ford.) This lets me have the factory display showing the "360 camera" view from above for positioning the truck while doing a 3-camera split screen view of the trailer.
Ford offers a single trailer camera similar to the "above door" one, and while I'm sure it's higher resolution than my RVS one (they're NTSC) it's kind of clumsy. There's no provision for running the cable inside the trailer, instead you need to drape it across the roof and then down the front to get to where it plugs into the truck.
The factory trailer tire pressure monitoring system, OTOH, is great.
@Tom, the OEM GM Camera is also about $500.
@codrus, thanks for the detailed information. Your point about the factory cameras probably being necessary for the invisible trailer feature makes perfect sense. My new truck has really good cameras in the mirrors that come on manually anytime I select them and automatically with the turn signals when the trailer is hooked up, so side vision is really good already.
Right now, I'm thinking about buying a $130ish camera like this Boyo from Crutchfield to try, first as a back of the trailer camera that likely won't do invisible trailer, but will still appear on my screen. If I decide I need invisible trailer, I'll mount the Boyo camera inside the trailer as the 2nd camera.
I've used Crutchfield for stereos and other electronics for many years and been happy with them. Etrailer.com seems to be a big player in this space. Are there other vendors anyone recommends?
