EchoMaster - Universal Wireless License Plate Back-Up Camera - Black

So I purchased and self-installed the EchoMaster Wireless Back-Up Camera about 3 weeks ago and have been road-testing it before I reviewed it. I did a lot of research and weighed my options before deciding to go with this unit, but I don't think it's quite the perfect set up for everyone. PROS: :: Easy to install :: Having installed or helped install a few wired cameras, I can say that this unit was definitely *easier* to install than most, but it's still an undertaking for the typical person. What makes it easier in my opinion is, of course, being a wireless unit it requires less wire-running throughout the length of the car. You basically only have to run power from the camera itself to the tail light/reverse light, then plug the receiver into the back of your head unit and tap power there. You do not have to run wiring throughout the side of the car and then up through the steering column, which definitely saves a good chunk of time. Also, and this was a BIG deal for me, you're running 2 thin wires down to your tail lights (one for power, one that connects to a small wireless transmitter). All of the wired units that I've seen prior have a big thick RCA cable, and trying to run this through the rubber wiring harness in most vehicles can be a humongous pain in the butt. This slipped through considerably easier and definitely saves a lot of times and frustration. :: Reliable :: The idea of wireless concerned me a bit, but so far, it turns on and works 100% of the time without issue. I have mine connected to my reverse light, so that it automatically enables when I place my car into reverse, and it comes on without fail. It takes exactly 3 seconds to kick in, which is perhaps slightly slower than most built-in back-up cams (my wife's brand new Pacifica takes about 2 seconds, for example), but certainly not "slow" by any definition. :: Style :: The style of the camera works with most vehicles optimally. It installs behind the license plate, therefore covering all of the mounting and wiring and leaving only the camera exposed. Those people that have to have visible license plate stickers will appreciate that it will not cover them up whatsoever. :: Visibility :: Some back-up cams become useless at night or in low-light conditions; this unit still allows good visibility in said conditions, although the image quality does suffer (I'll get into that more below). CONS: :: Image Quality :: The image quality on this camera is mediocre, at best. Everything is certainly visible and distinguishable, so in that it does it's job sufficiently, but it does have the general picture quality of a 10-year old webcam. Most things have a muted, slightly blurry appearance and there are some artifacts present in all but the sunniest of conditions. At night, there is a lot of grain and visual noise. If you want the best image quality you can find, this isn't where you'll find it. But it is adequate for what it is. :: Framerate :: While in motion, everything seems to have a slight "stutter" to it, as if the framerate is lower than average. I would assume this is due to it being a wireless connection, and I somewhat expected it to be honest, but it's something you will notice if you're coming from a traditional wired back-up cam. It is not a reason NOT to buy it, in my opinion. :: No Back-Up Guidelines :: Some people don't care about this, but it's important to know. This cam does not have any sort of built-in visual back-up guidelines to display on-screen. A lot of cams include this functionality, whereas some (including EchoMaster's wired version of this same cam) include dynamic guidelines that move with the steering wheel. The guidelines shown in the attached image are generated by my head unit directly, so most people will likely still have this option regardless. In Conclusion: Weighing all of the above from my experience, I would *still* recommend this unit to someone, but only in the context that you're going to install it yourself. Paying for installation can get pricey, and buying a $30 unit online and paying someone $150 to install it will end up costing you more than the price of this cam. Because this cam is legitimately easier to install, the more premium upfront price is definitely worth it. If you're planning on having someone professionally install it, you may be better served to research some wired options and see if they would provide better image quality for the dollar spent. All in all, though, I'm happy with the unit and it meets the basic needs of what it's supposed to be. It's already shown that it can handle buckets of rain and pretty decently cold temps (near 0 already here in the Chicagoland area the past few weeks) without slowing down.

Camera was good to use and helped me a lot in backing.

The good is you don’t need to run a wire from the camera to the head unit. The bad is the picture is very poor quality and slow response. Also no lines to help with backing up. I took it back and got a wired one and what a difference in response time, picture clarity and guide lines.

Good back up camera overall. Pros: Easy to install. No need to run wire. Work with my Pioneer 501EX double din receiver. Ok resolution and low light Cons: not working great with thick license plate bracket unless using body mount. Slightly slow connect to receiver (approx. 2-4 sec)

Easy to install. The wireless feature is what I needed for my truck and this fits the bill.