AUTO-VOX TW1 True-Wireless Reversing Camera Kit, 5 Mins Easy Installation, Support 2 Cameras Front/Side and Rear View, Clear Image with Night Vision, Digital Signal Backup Camera for Vans and Cars… …
Buy the additional accessories separately to improve your user experience!!!
- Powered By the Sun: The solar panel can convert the sun to power. Power supply for the TW1 backup camera to extend the usage time. Reduce the frequency of charging. There are 2 versions solar panel. If your solar panel you purchased doesn’t fit your rear camera, please consult us for help, we will send you the one that fits to your rear view camera.
- Support 2 Cameras: TW1 supports 2 cameras. The camera bracket comes with double tape. You can add the second camera on the front or side of your vehicle to get twice view vision for reversing.
- Increase the transmission range up to 20 metres: The extension antenna increases the transmission range up to 20 metres.
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TW1 Rearview Cam | Version 1 Solar Panel | Extension Antenna | |
| Add more cam to expand the vision | Expand the usage time. | Expand the transmission distance up to 20 metres | |
| – | This is version 1, please check it carefully before you purchase. | – |
| Dimensions: | 27.8 x 20.4 x 7.6 cm; 1 Kilograms |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Manufacture: | AUTO-VOX |
| Origin: | China |
So far so good! Does the job very well and no trailing of wires from the back to front of the vehicle. Took about 10 minutes to install. Very satisfied
This is a great little solar powered camera and works fantastic on our motorhome to assist with reversing.
Provides good image,camera fixing and monitor adhesion are weak points.Vicky has been extremely helpful and provides excellent customer service but obviously cannot solve the points mentioned above.
Bought this for my wife’s Peugeot Rifter as it is long wheelbase with no reverse cam.
Fitted within 20mins, connected first time and has been working fine for 3months since fitted. I’ve not had to recharge yet so solar panel is doing its job too.
Excellent product and amazing customer service. Thoroughly recommend, quick and easy installatio
Hi,
AUTO-VOX Solar Reversing Camera Wireless Kit is a great bit of kit. It pairs so fast with the monitor unit and quality and ease of use is excellent. I had one issue and the service I received from Vicky from Auto-Vox was super efficient and solved my little problem so fast and followed up to ensure all was ok. Well done Vicky.
Decla
Product really well made I charged unit 1 time battery still fully charged easy fit of monitor with strong suction cup. 2 screws to remove number plate and camera fitted replace screws, job done works perfectly with clear picture, fantastic and no wires to feed through ca
Bought this reversing camera after reading a few reviews it is absolutely amazing so easy to fit and the quality is incredible, as for the seller wow what a great service, can’t recommend highly enough superb Vicky provided incredible support and assistance of the highest order when I experienced issues, shecreally understood my concern and went out of her way to resolve the issue promptly, a real credit to the company
I have had back up cameras on my cars for years. This product allows me to place a similar product in my family’s cars that don’t have the factory design installed. Easy installation!
Very good quality and a good reversing camera and so easy to install .Very simple to use. No wiring needed . Rechargeable battery is in one unit with the camera which is clipped around the back of the rear Number plate with an adhesive strip. Recharge by use of a cable and powerbank takes 4hours on a dry day or put the powerbank under the car .Battery lasts a long time as reversing only takes between 30 and 90seconds .
Excellent picture and so helpful for a van rather than relying on wing mirrors and guesswork .Night vision pretty good as well.
I use this on my Peugeot Boxer van. Was a bit worried before buying it because my van is a long wheele base but it’s been perfect. Reception is no issue, everything responds instantly and the picture quality is adequate for what I need.
As you can see I’ve put it near the roof aiming down, it goes in tandom with my reverse sensors allowing me to turn safely in tight residential areas with kids and cats etc wondering behind the van. I do courier work so the cam is probably switched on around 40 times a day, even with this usage the battery lasts just over 2 weeks on a single charge.
The only annoyance and the reason for not giving it 5 stars is that they’ve gone with their own power connector instead of using USB. I already had a USB adapter in the van for my dashcam and charging my phone. Would be so easy to plug this into one of the spare USB sockets but instead we need to use the huge, ugly, chunky plug which comes with it.
didn’t know what to expect. ( bought for a ford custom van) but was very pleased with the quality of the product and ease of installation. very good rear view on a clear camera screen with guidelines ( you need to calibrate these yourself–easy enough to do )
camera easily attached to number plate securely . camera has good fixings.
would recommend for extra safety in reversing
Could not get the suction mount to stay on the dashboard. Also due to my number plate having no spare clear space at the top I had to fix both the battery pack and the camera to the base of the number plate. The camera sticks out further than the bumper so will be the first thing to get hit if anyone hits the rear of my car. I have had amazing help from Vicky regarding the problems with the dashboard suction cup and hope to get this resolved soon.
This TW1 reversing camera is excellent. The purchase of the item was made a pleasant experience by Vicky from customer service, nothing was to much trouble fast response and any issues really quickly dealt with. I feel the company have a real asset with this employee. I wish she worked for me! It makes considerable deference to customers the way that they are treated by customer service and Vicky is well suited to her job, maybe she should be also suitable for training other staff. Thank you Vicky
Having been very disappointed with a hard wired front parking system fitted by a main dealer I searched on line for a replacement without success. Then a friend showed me the very impressive AUTO-VOX TW1, he had fitted as a reversing camera which it turned out to be equally suitable as a front parking camera ,so I went ahead and fitted one to my car. The quality is excellent and being wireless it’s a straight forward DIY job to fit, which saves appropriately 200.00 fitting cost on a hard wired system.
The auto vox camera would not work fixed to rear or front license plate after replacing camera still would not work then tried antenna still would not work finally Vicky offered me the new tw1 camera set up up to now this is working brilliantly this was offered free of charge I am delighted to be able to respond to the response I received from Vicky the after service is the best I have ever had to deal with a total of eight emails I sent were answered immediately with a wonderful helpful response Vicky you are a credit to your company I can’t praise you enough what an assess you must be to your company thank you for everything
I have lost a piece of the suction mount holder after a MOT recently and reached out to the customer service team of VOX Solar. Vicky from the customer service team kindly offered to resend a new mount free of charge. Thanks for the prompt reply and helping to resolve this issue.
Had this camera for a while now, its so easy to install and use, its on my camper van chose this camera as didn’t want to take up the roof panels and mess around with getting wires to the head unit for a standard camera, solar charging works very well and have not had to charge it via cable yet. Had one minor issue but Vicky from customer care was brilliant and resolved the issue very quickly, always a worry in case you dont get the support after buying items like this but this is not a issue
Had it on my car for a couple of months and its doing okay.
Solar power is good. Not had to recharge. Its handling the rain.
Not sure how its going to cope through a car wash. Ive been putting off going through car wash because i dont want it to break.
Purchased this in June 2021 and was very pleased with the ease of installation and quality of the system. Unfortunately a couple of weeks ago the system stopped working. After contact with customer services and some fault diagnosis it was identified that the battery unit was at fault. The replacement which was sent arrived within 2 days and my problem was resolved. Many thanks for this and to Vicky in particular for her assistance in sorting this out.
I bought this 18 months ago, for my wife as a gift to make life easier when towing our caravan.
The picture quality is fantastic and even the night vision. She also uses this when overtaking on the motorway to make sure there is room to pull back in. It works great for this as well as a reversing camera.
The built in solar panel keeps the battery charged well.
I will add that last week the camera stopped working. I contacted the manufacturer, and received a response by return. A new part was sent out the next day, which I received ahead of schedule. The customer service experience has been exceptional with my problem and I would highly recommended this product and this company.
Originally the title of this review was “Installation in five minutes? Is there a special training course?” For that reason I gave only a single star review.
Vicky from Auto-Vox Technology was very understanding of my difficulties and offered to help even although I had returned the product to Amazon.
Vicky thought the solution would be to opt for their battery powered model instead and with her help I have installed this alternative and it is now is working satisfactorily.
Vicky obviously has so much valuable experience as you can see this from the number of times she has helped other Amazon reviewers sort out their problems.
Hope to review the installation and operation of the battery model soon and also the wonderful pad that Vicky recommended to improve the adhesion of the suckers to a slightly uneven and sloping dashboard! No more “Blue Tack” and mini jam jar lid!!!
Original review follows:-
Unfortunately I seem to have been let down by the Amazon product information. The manufacturer’s claim “Save 150 in 5 minutes DIY” is questionable.
The manufacturer’s instruction leaflet (see my picture) is not very helpful. It is unclear with tiny illustrations and small font.
Perhaps my second picture will help show some of the problems purchasers may have to consider in the five minute time schedule!
The red plastic covers the adhesive pads that will be attached (in the correct position!) on the underside of the plastic registration plate for both the camera and solar battery. I wondered if the wiring would cause bubbling or delamination.
Modern adhesives are effective and fast setting. It would be useful if Auto-Vox could include channelled spacers to prevent the camera or solar battery overlapping numbers or letters on the license plate.
I am on my second pair of plastic number plates on a ten year old UK vehicle. Both front and back plates have been affected by delamination. Future removal of the Auto-Vox devices and putting them on a new plate will not be easy.
Our rear plastic number plate is protected by the tailgate bodywork and it is not clear if Auto-Vox wish you to rely entirely on the fixing to their equipment or if adhesive plates or screws should also fix it to the car.
On my 2009 Landrover Freelander II the recessed tailgate handle and release are central and over the number plate. On each side there are the inset statutory lighting for the plate. It can be seen from my picture that the fixed cable between camera and solar battery is too short to allow the camera to be offset to one side.
It will probably be best for me to return this to Amazon and seek a refund.
Couldn’t believe it when I realised that the camera would fit in the back door window of my Romahome, rather than fiddling with the number plate. So now it stays clean and won’t get damaged by water etc. The picture is clear and I can now see behind me. Well please so far.
Although the 5 minutes installation is a bit optimistic this is a piece of pie to install. Bought it after a couple of dings to my 6m motorhome, fixed the camera and solar panel to the number plate after a few hours on charge, turned on the monitor e’ voila paired and working. Not used it in anger yet but the camera picture is very good and the reversing lines are generous with over 2 feet distance when it gets to the red. Very pleased with the product and got 18 months warranty as well.
Update. I had a problem the second trip in the camper as the system wouldn’t pair with the camera. Autovox replied to my email in good time and have sent a replacement battery and camera which has resolved the issue. Reading other reviews this has happened to other people but I am willing to give them a second chance.
We purchased this product to help with parking since I was a new driver. I was hoping for a kit that works without cables running everywhere. However, it stopped working after 4 months but I contacted Customer Service and Vicky went above and beyond to help. I received a new kit within days and it has been excellent ever since. It’s easy but a bit fiddly to install but it works as it should. Highly recommended product with excellent customer support.
I bought this to go on a LWB Peugeot Boxer van. So here’s a few things worth considering; most of these points are clearly stated in the product description or in reviews. General points first, with a major gripe at the end!!!
This DOES NOT have the separate remote button that you can stick in a suitable location. It’s operated by pressing the top of the plug in charger. Fine for me, but check you can reach it safely when driving, as you can’t in all vehicles.
This system shows the display only after pressing the button, and then it’s on for 1 of 3 pre set times, 30 seconds, 60 seconds or 90 seconds. Then it switches off. This is because it’s a solar charged battery system. So it’s useful to switch on when completing an overtake in a long vehicle, or for reversing. But it can’t be set to show the rear display continuously. That suits my needs. But won’t suit everyone. It could be wired in if you have the auto DIY skills, but then it defeats the point of being wireless, which is to suit those who don’t want to start wiring things in.
The digital picture quality is good. Not the absolute clearest in the world, but it’s not the most expensive system in the world either, so certainly good enough for most peoples needs. There is a VERY SLIGHT TIME LAG, hardly noticeable, due to it being wireless. I really haven’t seen an issue with this, particularly as you should be using this in conjunction with the mirrors.
I didn’t want to use the sticky mount, as I wanted to make sure it wasn’t left in view when I wasn’t in the van, and I could see how the mount that’s supplied would not only leave visible marks but also start to lose it’s ‘stickiness’ if continuously removed and put back on. So I purchased a CD slot mount that’s uses magnetic fixings to attach the monitor and used this instead. For my vehicle this is in exactly the correct position and also keeps the wires neat and tidy.
The van is 6 metres long and so far I haven’t had any issues at all with the camera connecting with the monitor wirelessly.
The set up was easy. I followed the instructions to charge it fully before fitting it (using mains at home). It took about 4 hours then the small red indicator turned green. I haven’t seen any drop in the battery yet, and I can see this lasting a long time before needing a charge. If charging IS required then this has to be done in situ, using a powerbank or a long charging lead if you can get one.
BIG GRIPE TIME
If you have a number plate that’s screwed on, it really will take 5 mins to fit.
HOWEVER, my number plate is not only stuck on (by the lazy dealer who sold me the van who replaced the plates to get free advertising). It is also offset by being on the near side rear door. Taking the number plate off and cleaning the existing sticky pads off the van took an hour (plastic scraper, WD40, elbow grease and endless patience). I then realised that I couldn’t mount the camera at the end of the plate to centralise it, as the metal fixing plate and wire = approx 5mm thick and I didn’t want to leave a big gap for scroats to get their grubby thieving little fingers in and rip it off the sticky pads. So I had to centralise the camera on the plate; this means that the view on the display is definitely NOT CENTRAL (regardless of what some on here say). There’s no sideways adjustment on the camera angle. It’s okay and definitely better than no rear view camera,, but not 100% ideal.
I didn’t want to leave gaps around the number plate, so I chose to fasten it using a holder.
The reason for this long and laborious Aesops fable is a warning that if you are using sticky pads, you have one chance to get it right. The adhesive is really strong. When this camera is mounted it isn’t coming off. Same for the plate. The ideal situation is that you have a plate that’s screwed on. This way you can place the camera in position with the adhesive covers still in place, fasten the plate back on loosely, adjust everything until you’re happy with it, then mark it and fasten it in place.
All of that aside, this is a very clever piece of kit for the price. For a vehicle with centralised plates that are screwed on it is absolutely ideal. Centralised plates that are stuck on is still really good but there’s some work involved. Offset plates that are screwed on is good. Offset plates that are stuck on, are okay, and bring specific problems that need checking and testing before final fitting.
Finally, it’s worth noting that I had cause to contact customer service with a couple of questions and received almost immediate responses. I had read the reviews that suggested the customer services were quick to respond and help with and issues and complaints, so time will tell.
Summary: I’m really glad I bought this, I would buy another, but I would fit if differently. Recommended.
When we first bought it we thought it was excellent, easy to fit and a great quality picture. But after about nine months you had to constantly press the button on the back to make it work and it would work for five minutes and you would have to press it again. Vicky at customer service saw my review, and contacted me and asked if I would like a different model. It arrived the next day, have fitted it and it’s working great. If you have problems contact customer services, they are very helpful
I bought the solar powered version which was easy to fix to the back number plate. I did fix an appropriately coloured number plate bolt through the middle of the plate, going through the hole of the camera bracket to give it an extra secured fixing even though I’m certain the provided adhesive strips are just fine. Regarding another review stating these the strips can damage the paint work, well that is incorrect as using a plastic wedge like tool, some WD-40 and then soapy watered cloth to remove any adhesive with a little careful elbow work will work with any number palte removal.
This is a fantastic product, though I had problem recharging the battery. I contacted Vicky at customer services and a replacement was sent without delay. Her attention to my query was excellent. The replacement works without issue, for now!
I bought the kit plus an additional camera so that I could permanently fix them to the back of my campervan and also to the rear of my towbar mounted bike rack when it’s fitted. It’s easy to switch between the two camera on the monitor which is small enough to be unobtrusive but large enough to be easy to see the picture. Battery life is also very good as is the level of support provided by Auto Vox who are very helpful, friendly and quick to respond (well done Vicky).
The only real criticisms that I have are that the camera needs fairly bright reversing lights(which IO have) to be able to deliver a clear picture and the viewing angle could be just a few degrees wider. However, neither of those points are dealbreakers for me and the convenience of a completely wireless installation easily outweighs them. I am writing this after the kit has been installed for about 4 months.
Camera and monitor worked fine for 10 months , then monitor displayed “NO SIGNAL” Turn on the power switch. Tested with unit fully charged still no signal. Contacted Vox via Amazon. Great customer service replacement sent out , received within a couple of days . New camera fitted everything back up and running as before. Hence five star for great customer service (Thanks Vicky.) All correspondence delt with very swiftly.
I recommend this product which is very well made and produces a very clear image on the monitor. Of course it definitely helps if your vehicle rear number plate is held in place with screws when positioning the Solar battery pack and camera.
I am impressed by the Auto-Vox after sales service and in particular Vicky who was most helpful in replacing a damaged Solar Battery On /Off switch…(my fault!.. although a confusing image in the instruction book did not help). The replacement arrived very quickly within 3 or 4 days. A super after sales service by Auto-Vox.
Unfortunately the solar battery was faulty but after contacting Auto-Vox I had a replacement delivered within a couple of days. All works great now and it’s a great bit of kit for the money. Excellent after sales service from Vicky, very professional and made a slightly annoying situation pleasant.
First of all the product – It works very well, giving a high definition image on the screen. We have ours mounted to the back of our caravan and it’s able to transmit the image to the screen without any problems. In fact we were driving away from the caravan and we still received an image up to about 40 meters away.
Now for Auto-vox – I had a small issue when I received my camera. From the moment of contacting them to the point of the issue being more than resolved they were a pleasure to deal with. Vicky dealt with and resolved the issue in a matter of days. They are a true example of how customer service should be.
Before anyone wonders, no I’m not affiliated to this company in any way. I do feel, however, that excellent customer service should be recognised.
To summarise – this is a good product and a good company and I would not hesitate to recommend both to others.
Top quality piece of kit, great vision, ease of set up & yes I use it as a rear view camera more than just a reversing camera. It connects every time to the monitor which is ten meters away from the camera . No hard wiring which is what made it even more appealing .
Customer services, after using it since September the solar pack developed a problem, within five working days & take into consideration customer services are in Beijing the problem was sorted by Vicky, can’t praise her enough
I was a bit dubious about spending this much but have been pleasantly surprised. The original reverse camera on my Motorhome is rubbish & as I didn’t fancy having to run cables through it I decided to give this solar powered wireless one a try. Very easy to fit as the camera mounts fits under the number plate, you just need to make sure the little solar panel bit gets some sun, camera is adjustable which is good. Monitor needs a normal 12v power supply like a satnav or dash cam, this also comes with a very handy wireless push button to turn on & off. Picture quality is great, much better than the original one, I’m considering buying another for an estate car.
I was hesitant to use this system as it’s wireless. However…..it’s really good .
Very easy to install and change the parameters via the menu. So far battery on camera has held up very well too. May be worth investing in the solar panel if it’s as reliable as the rest of the kit.
Time will tell but it makes reversing my trike so much easier !!!
I bought this camera last August.It paired up beautifully and has worked really well.A few weeks ago the rear camera for some reason stopped working.I tried repairing but could not get it to work.I looked in the manual and found that if you wanted advice to contact the service dept.The next day I had a reply.They replaced the camera free of charge.I could not seem to pair it up,but the service team were with me all the way.I could not fault them.I have had excellent service.They could not have been more helpful.I would certainly recommend them to any one wanting a wireless reverse camera.It is good to know that one can still get good service A big thank you to the service team
I have a 5.8metre long motorhome and have for some time wanted a reversing camera on it. But the hassle of running wires around the vehicle has always put me off. Plus early wifi reversing cameras had some issues I believe.
When I saw this unit I couldn’t wait to buy. ‘Fitted in 5 minutes’ is to grab your attention, but on a car it would be a very quick and easy fit. In my case I have a motorbike rack on the back so had to think things over a bit.
With my vehicle being quite long I wondered if it would work. It does. A clear image, and works well at night also. I think the image and wifi capability is due to it being digital. I adjusted the camera angle for best view. Excellent. A very well thought out design, which appears well made. Instructions are clear and methodical.
After sales are really first rate… I had a query.
Recommended.
Having recently purchased a second hand car without a reversing camera, no problem I thought!! In fact I really missed it. So bought this product as it wireless camera, easily charged, and great pictures on the screen that comes with it. Took 40 mins to install and would have been quicker if i could have worked out how to get some really simple panels off to route the power further screen. Would highly recommend.
Battery lasts a good 4 months for me before needing a recharge with a power bank. I would advise only recharging during dry conditions because the flap that protects the solar panel/usb socket from rainwater needs to be open for the charging.
Also, think carefully whether you really want to risk keeping the camera installed when taking the car to a car wash. I took mine for many car washes with no issues but alas, since I came back from the last one, water managed to get in the panel and ruined the camera. I think the guy
spent too long with the hose directly aimed on the camera. The whole car and camera hadn’t been washed in many months so they were very dirty.
Contacting the customer service team from Auto Vox has been great. They sent a replacement free of charge which arrived within a few days. I can see the new camera has a rubber seal around the flap which has a tighter fit and should offer better protection from water.
However, you can eliminate the car washing risk completely with a number plate holder (see pic). You simply stick the camera and panel to the holder rather than the number plate itself. That way, before you’re car washing, you can replace the number plate holder (that has the camera stuck on) with the spare one. This doesn’t take very long once you get good at it. I only car wash every couple of months so it’s not an inconvenience for me. I’d rather protect my camera as I really can’t reverse my car without it!
I had the pleasure of using the, AUTO-VOX Solar Reversing Camera Wireless Kit, while it is a good piece of kit it lacks in a few areas, But now AUTO-VOX Has released the AUTO-VOX TW1 and all I can say is WOW, this new improved version is so much better, from mounting to charging options its 100% better,
Video quality is at 720p and there is a notable difference between the two camera kits from AUTO-VOX
I would highly recommend the AUTO-VOX TW1 model, its also really easy to set-up.
Build quality is great, and been water proof it leaves no need to worry about weather conditions.
Going forward I would like to see an IPS display panel, but for now this is just a minor detail.
Well done for a pleasant experience.
The camera itself is good, if you change vehicle however the bracket is impossible to remove without damaging as the 3m tape is so strong. I contacted the company asking if I can purchase a new bracket and they want me to buy a full camera kit again as they don’t sell separately, ridiculous!!
Update:
Customer support sent out a new camera and solar panel free of charge as the brackets are not available separately, customer support not so bad after all.
Great service good picture. . . Guideline I found harder to use. Not really a fault of the brand it’s maybe where i positioned it on car. As its much higher than normal number plate and I should have centred it better but again it tells you if kid bike or anything that you will bang into. very easy to install easy to remove if sell car. Vicky is extremely helpful and a pleasure to deal with
I purchased the wireless reversing camera and had no issues. Months in I couldn’t get it to connect (pair) to the screen. I tried all sorts. I contacted AUTO -VOX via email thinking here we go, no reply or weeks later but no. I was pleasantly surprised to get a return email same day. A lovely conversation through email with a lady named Vicky who was sympathetic to my problem. A new solar battery fitted to the camera (all one piece) was dispatched to me arrived in a couple of days. I am now extremely satisfied with the after care and would not hesitate to use any of their other products on the back of this experience. I even was told not to return the old one. Thanks Vicki.
i had issues with the original camera. i contacted auto-vox and Vicky was really helpful. i’ve now received a replacement and it’s working great. thanks Vicky from auto-vox
I bought this several months ago as access to the reverse light wiring on my car is a complete nightmare .
Installation was very easy for the camera, and the monitor is fixed securely to the dashboard with all the wiring neatly concealed. Set up was straightforward with better than expected picture quality, just had to flip image as camera fitted at bottom of number plate. Tested at night in complete darkness and all I could see was the guide lines on the monitor, this was worrying until I put reverse lights on and saw a really clear image, night vision is very good .
Unfortunately the camera developed a fault and I contacted the email address given in the handbook.
I received an automated reply that it was Chinese holiday and that I would have to wait days for a reply. However the now famous Vicky replied very quickly and after a few more emails and tests . (all during holiday), she sent me a replacement camera and a free solar panel as a bonus. Absolutely great service, now all working fine again thanks to Vicky.
Only fitted a few days ago but seems to be the business and I would recommend it. Easy to install, good quality camera. Perhaps a little expensive but seems to be a good buy. If installing the camera above the number plate, be sure to check that you have enough enough room to get your fingers behind to open the boot! Had to fit mine to the bottom of the number plate.
Auto box wireless reverse camera Tw1 well what can I say . Real easy to install and set up in 5 minutes literally. Just remove rear number plate stick camera to it and refit the plate . Put the monitor on dash and all done in 5 mins.. no wiring no drilling no hassle.and works well .. the simplest I have ever fitted . Excellent view of rear and you can even buy a second camera to fit to the rear of n my caravan using the same monitor (it has a split screen setting) wireless signal very good my van is 7 meters long and works fine .. had a slight fault on first camera .. emailed auto-vox and (Vicky) had a new one out to my address In. 2 days .. excellent after sales team big well done Vicky
Simple to install, excellent picture quality. I have 207 convertible so hard wiring a reverse camera was going to cost over 100 on top of the cost of a camera (and it would have looked ugly). This was an ideal solution as it blends as it looks part of the number plate surround. The monitor sits nicely in the cubby hole where the cigarette lighter is so no wires visible either. Highly recommended for a no hassle, quality product. UPDATE – Had issues with the camera unit not recharging, Vicky (Customer Services) was fantastic and had a replacement out to me within 3 days, amazing service.
I have a campervan and bought this in january it worked well then had a problem with the solar part contacted Vox and got a customer service person called Vicky she was so helpfull tried a few things but then she sent me out a new kit in 3 days I installed it again only takes 15 min as i have a square reg plate i have to set it up different and it works a treat love it love the vox name and company and especially vicky who helped me especialy so recommend this product and sevice
The AUTO-VOX Solar1 is very easy to install, I was a bit dubious regarding the reach of the signal as I was installing it on my 7 1/2 Metre Motorhome which is reversed into a tight, enclosed driveway . I spoke to VICKY on customer services who promply sent me an antenna extension in case there was a problem. I was amazed to find that when I switched on the in cab monitor ( without the antenna extension ) the picture came on imediatly and was a great qualilty image.
Why amazed you might ask?
Because the camera was still in my garage on the bench a good 8 metres behind the 7.5 metre van making 15.5 metre’s in total.
Thanks to Auto – Vox and Vicky for an amazing product and very helpfull aftersales service.
Great bit of kit, best thing is an idiot can fit it and get it working, so simple. Fitted to my work van and much needed in busy yards etc
Was looking for a reliable wireless reversing camera, saw this one, read the reviews, and decided to buy one. Glad I did, as it far superceded my expectations, so easy to setup, camera is very slim, and of good quality, fitted it behind my license plate easy, paired it with the supplied monitor stright away, picture quality very good, even at night the reverse lights more than enough for camera to see.
Vicky of cust support, was so very helpful, could not fault her.
Overall very impressed with kit, worth buying if you don’t want the hassel of wireling your car.
Cust support superb by vicky.
I was worried there would be significant lag in video on the monitor, or interference, as some mentioned, but nothing like that in my case. I have a fairly large SUV, and everything fit, connected, and worked, as advertised.
There are a couple of minuses, in that the camera is not as wide, as to be able to see own car’s bumper, no matter how low you turn it (rotation degree could be improved), so you gotta learn and assume how much space there’s left to your bumpers. Cannot see edges of corners either, so have to assume some distance based on on-screen guidelines. So what I’m saying it’s not as good, as built-in cameras on newer model cars would be, but still helpful, and best one could get.
I’ve placed them on the plates, both front and back (bought a second camera separately), switching is fairly fast, but only with one lower of three buttons on the side of the monitor (hold for 2 secs) – could be more comfortable to have that function on the same button on the plug.
Fits European plates.
The suction cup for holding the monitor is not actually suction, but just with a sticky surface. I’ve decided not to use it for now, screen just lays propped up to another, lower gear switch, which most regular cars don’t have, so others might need to use it.
This product was very easy to install, only took 15 mins mostly on planning where to place the camera and solar panel. Product works with good clear pictures in daylight and night-time.
After about 9 months I had a problem where the unit didn’t appear to be charging correctly. I contacted AUTO-VOX via their website explaining the issue. Vicky from Customer Services replied very quickly with some suggestions, which unfortunately however Vicky responded by sending me a replacement camera/battery unit which arrived within 5 days (well impressed). This solved the problem ad all is working OK now.
Many thanks Vicky for your prompt responses and actions.
I was looking for a rear camera and nearly bought the powered in version. However the solar one had a lot of advantages, so bought that with some trepidation – did it work. It was easy t install although the sticky back was not strong enough and I used self tapping screws to firmly keep the bits in place. However its been in a month now and working really well. In Scotland we don’t get much light in winter but the solar panel keeps it charged and it has functioned on every occasion so far. So yes I would recommend this product. It does what it says on the can.
After 4 months the camera stopped working. I contacted service desk and they were really helpful and after a few checks agreed a new camera was required. This was sent very quickly and I am up ands running again. Unusual to get such good service these days. Well done Auto Vox.
The camera unit is a TW1-UK2 a new model, the old version camera has a cut out for the solar panel version 2 fitting to fit into….so be warned…the camera and solar panel shown in the instruction sheet on Amazon is the OLD version……the new solar panel is version 1 to fit the TW1 UK2…I hope this helps . I have put on a photo of the OLD VERSION CAMERA WITH THE CUT OUT
However…despite promises from the wonderful Vicky it would seem even Autovox do not have their latest solar panel version anywhere in their stock to send me……..so it looks as if the TW1 UK2 will have to be powered by the cable USB micro or a power bank
When I first saw this camera kit I thought wow this is great, no wiring to faff about with and remotely operated, however the latest version DOES NOT have a separate control button, My thought was to hardwire the accessory socket into my vehicle (Mitsubishi L200) and hide all the cable behind the dash and trim panels and power up the monitor with the remote, but to power up the monitor on this edition you have to push the button on the end of the accessory socket, the only other way to power up the monitor it to push one of the 3 buttons on the side of it (which I’m now going to have to do and learn to live with), I emailed the supplier and was contacted by Vicky who I have to say has been brilliant in addressing this issue, unfortunately the latest edition of this kit doesn’t support the button remote as I asked if I could buy one separately, she did however refund me some money as a form of compensation and give me 18 months warranty as opposed to the standard 12.
The actual fitting of the kit is very straightforward with the hardest part removing and replacing the number plate in normal circumstances, but because I hate to see wires festooned everywhere I decided to hardwire the accessory socket into my vehicle wiring circuit with the aid of a couple of bits bought off Ebay for less than 10.00.
The reversing camera works brilliantly, the image on the monitor isn’t as clear as say your TV due to the fact that it’s working wirelessly as opposed to wired which would probably give a better picture, but its perfectly adequate to reverse with which is what its designed for.
Overall I’m happy with my purchase and would recommend this to anyone looking for a reversing camera who doesn’t want to strip their vehicle down to fit one.
Finally, I had a quote from a company to install a reversing camera kit and they wanted 320.00 so I’ve saved over 200.00 !!.
Their customer service, I have to say, were fantastic. One email was answered within a few hours and resolved the problem by telling me to return the one delivered and re-order the version with the remote button (which isn’t obvious on Amazon so they sent me a specific link. Within 48 hours it was back on the car and problem solved. Worth checking that for your vehicle before ordering.
Overall this was very easy to fit and works really well. I’d agree that the quality of image could be better but it’s Ok for the little time you actually use it for. My only other gripe is that the camera and solar unit are linked by a cable on this UK version which means that the cable sits loose behind the number plate. The US version seems to have a solid backing plate linking the two parts so the cable is routed down the plate – seems a better and neater solution.
Generally very happy and I can’t praise their customer service enough.
Failed 1 day after return period
Following my review post Vicky from customer service at auto vox made contact. The unit was fully replaced and 2 solar panels supplied as recompense
All her promises of delivery and action happened promptly.
Couldn’t be more satisfied
Unit works as I need and would recommend it and the company
We purchased the AUTO-VOX Solar Reversing Camera for our 6.7m length Motorhome as we wanted to avoid installing cables etc. Very easy to install and set-up very quickly. As a precaution heavy duty adhesive tape was applied to camera & solar bar at back of number plate for added security.
Unfortunately after 10 months there appeared a problem with the signal and picture quality rendering the camera unusable. I contacted Customer Services via email (not really thinking I’d get anywhere) but Lilly (who dealt with the case) was amazing and was able to sort out the problems by offering instructions to hopefully help….resulting in sending a new camera unit.
Her communication was first class and very professional.
thank you once again Lily 🙂
5 stars for you *****
Fitted this to my motorhome to help with reversing, in addition to the parking sensors already fitted on the rear bumper. Fairly straightforward to fit the camera, once the rear number plate has been removed – removing the plate and cleaning the surfaces for re-sticking was the longest part of the job. The wiring behind the plate prevents a flush fit. The picture quality is good. The coloured lines (red, amber, green) each cover a distance of about 2 feet, making a total of about 6 feet for all three colours. The camera image makes things look further away, while the door mirrors make things look closer! The image stays on for 90 seconds, but can easily be switched back on when it goes off using the wireless button, which I stuck on the dash. Not had it long enough to see how long the battery holds up. Overall, it’s good value and easy to operate.
I have a Thule Velospace XT 2 bike rack which I also use with the Easyspace bag.
The rack is pretty big so I thought a reversing camera would be a good idea, I tried putting a dashcam on the rear window but the angle of the rear window means that it can’t see the rack.
This meant that I had to make a few modifications to fit, which I will detail here in case anyone else is thinking about it. It has fitted very well and was worthwhile doing.
The picture shows it fitted to the number plate on the rack.
The rack has a clip-in system for the rear number plate and a central lever near the bottom of the number plate that you push down (with your foot) to tilt the rack back so you can get to your rear boot.
Because of the lever system I was unable to mount the solar charger unit on the bottom edge of the number plate and had to instead mount it to the side of the camera on the top edge of the number plate.
I therefore had to reverse the bracket on the solar unit so the solar panel would be tilted upwards when mounted.
The mounting bracket feet have a square side and a side with rounded edges, which fits neatly into the solar unit normally as it has recess cutouts to match, but when the bracket is reversed they don’t fit properly and have to rely on the strength of the screws to keep the bracket attached (but as the screws go into proper brass fixings this is OK).
(The cable that goes into the solar unit has a micro USB plug and it easily removed if needed by using a small flat-headed screwdriver)
The number plate fits into two guides at the bottom of the rack and there are 3 removable clips that you attach on the top edge of the number plate. The central camera stops one of the clips being used, but because of the gap between the number plate and the solar unit, I was able to fit the other clip under the solar unit, so it is properly attached.
The display unit has a huge amount of cable attached and annoyingly ends in a 12V cigarrette lighter plug, which does have another USB-A socket in it.
But as I needed a 3-way USB adapter (DeepDream USB Car Charger, 30W 3 Ports) in my lighter socket (sat-nav(phone) + dashcam + this) I had to use a USB-A to 12V cigarrete lighter socket adapter (Vbestlife USB Port to 12V Car Cigarette Lighter Socket Female Converter Adapter Cord). In conjunction with the huge amount of cable this is a bit messy.
Not quite a five minute job, well the installation of the monitor probably was.
However when it came the camera and solar charger/battery if was a different story, not enough cable to be able to run it around the mounting attachment bracket plates so this would mean it would not be able to stick flat.
Once stuck to the number plate I had to cut a channel out of the bottom bracket so the cable would sit flush and the bracket to attach. But once on it works great.
I bought this camera to fit in my new car as I did not want to invalidate the warranty by cutting into the lighting loop to fit a fixed camera. I am very pleased with the product but unfortunately the solar panel developed a fault after 8 months and would not hold a charge despite being parked in direct sunlight most of the day. The matter was quickly resolved by e-mail to the Customer Service team where LILY arranged a replacement battery which was received in a couple of days. I am very impressed by the service provided by LILY although I was unable to use the report form on the web site in the first instance.
Bought this for our 7.5 ton horsebox. Didn’t want to mess around wiring it into the reversing lights (wouldn’t have a clue where to start!) so this solar option is perfect.
The sticky pads on the camera and solar panel are incredibly sticky. I will add a screw at some point but I’m pretty sure it’s not necessary – it’s not going anywhere.
The screen in the drivers area is crystal clear and is powered by the cigarette lighter. Press a wireless button to activate the camera and screen and it comes on pretty much immediately.
I was concerned whether it was only for cars and vans, and was worried my horsebox might be too long a distance between the camera and screen, but it’s absolutely fine The horsebox is 8 meters long and the camera is mounted right on the back and the screen in the cab, and it works perfectly – clear picture and no interference.
I especially like that this was easy to fit – no wiring which after spending hours wiring in a tow-bar I did not wish to pull the van apart to wire in the camera. The added bonus of not having it wired into the reverse system is being able to have a quick glance at any time for what is happening rearwards. I have a vivaro van and the bikes are mounted on a towbar, so I cannot normally see the bikes, yet with the camera I now can check them.
Also, the Viv is about 5m long, and the signal from the camera to the monitor unit is good.
I have docked one star because the camera doesn’t cope will with changes in light: e.g. reversing from light to dark. It is fine if it is already in the dark (well placed that my reverse lights assist the camera). Conversely dark to light and it tends to over expose a bit.
The monitor is clear and easy to see.
The various changes in settings offered are comprehensive enough, very useful to change the distance of the reversing guidelines.
I’d recommend it to a friend, simply for the simplicity of fitting it!
Fitted to VW T6 Camper.
Very easy to install and understand, does the job without the need to break into wires etc.
Picture quality very good.
The monitor power cable can be made tidy if you just take your time to route it around your dash to your PowerPoint.
Had an issue after 6 months, camera would not come on, would not hold a charge.
Contacted customer service and within 2 days I had a new unit. After care and support is spot on.
This now works fine, would not put me off buying from them in the future.
I have used this on my motorhome for about six weeks .
Can’t complain for the price. It is as quick to install as the advertising claims. The camera and the battery/solar pack have sticky pads that you just attach to the vehicle and number plate, absolutely no wiring in or cutting required.
Signal is fine on my 6 meters long motorhome , doesn’t seem to suffer any interference from phones wi-fi etc.
Good picture in bright light and reasonable night time image. The camera stays on for a couple of minutes at a time, enough time for most reversing and you just touch the button to bring it back on .
Never had any issues with battery life but I do park in direct sunlight a lot of the time and only charged it once on purchase from then on it’s been solar only .
It’s worked fine in torrential rain, and temperatures of 0c to 25c+. After reading other reviews I covered the charging port with duck tape to improve the seal just in case of water ingress.
I’ve replaced the included mount with a cup holder mount and wound the wire around it for a neater install. The entire mount and screen can be easily taken in and out of the car as I will only use it whilst the caravan is being towed. It has a little button that I’ve mounted to the left of the steering wheel. When pressed, it activates the camera screen and beams the picture of the rear of the caravan right into the car. This is helpful both when reversing the caravan back down our cul-de-sac onto the drive, but also I found it really useful for activating momentarily when wanting to rejoin lane one of the motorway after overtaking. It gives you confidence that you’ve cleared the vehicle you’re passing before pulling back in. Overall a really useful system. Even between that you don’t need any wiring in between camera and screen. The camera is powered by a solar panel. Again no need for wiring into a light of the caravan for power which has put me off other systems available. Can really recommend for fellow towers.
Got this to put on my caravan without the need to connect any wires. Really easy to fit and works well. Display only stays on for 90
seconds but the remote button that comes with it is placed strategically for quick and easy access to turn it on. Makes overtaking and pulling back in much easier and safer as well as allowing safe reversing. Back of caravan to car dashboard approximately 10 meters but signal works fine. Have tested driving away from caravan and signal stays for much longer distances.
UPDATE: love this kit, really helps with towing and reversing the caravan. Camera/battery recently stopped working outside of 12 month guarantee. Contacted Auto-Vox who initially tried to help get it working and then gave me a link to a replacement camera/battery (my display screen is working ok) which was cheaper than buying the whole kit again and they then gave me a 20% refund on the purchase! Amazing service on a great bit of kit.
Without doubt the simplest reverse camera I’ve ever fitted .and I’ve done loads.
Solar panel fits top of plate,camera bottom.clip n stick on .
Screen in front powered from cig lighter , bump done, no mincing about routing wires round car or trying to tap into reverse light it’s just done .
Only gripe is the delay from switching on to displaying image ,but do that before reverse gear selection and it’s minimal.
Good picture quality (certainly better than all the 15/20 quid cameras I’ve fitted) no interference I’ve noticed .
Probably a little on the pricey side when looking at others that are available, but the ease of use and fitment and quality make it worth it to me.
This has to be the rear view camera of choice for the simplicity of its installation and operation. Apart from one cable connecting the camera and solar battery and a second cable to provide a 12 volt supply to the monitor, it’s completely wireless. It can provide a rear view when going forwards as well as when reversing. It can see in darkness as well as daylight and it has a larger than average monitor screen with adjustable brightness and guide lines.
With all these features, this unit must have all other rear view camera manufacturers re-designing their products to try and compete with it unless, of course, there is a hidden flaw in this solar powered offering. Sadly, I have reason to believe there is and that I have had the misfortune to experience it.
I may be stupid, lazy, optimistic or all three, but whatever the reason, I am about to embark on my third encounter with this solar powered camera.
I first made its acquaintance in July 2020 and stuck it to the storage box on the back of my campervan. It worked flawlessly for 7 months, at which point, the solar powered battery stopped charging and couldn’t be resuscitated either by sunlight or the optional usb charge point. Amazon kindly took it back and issued a full refund, which I used to purchase the same unit for a second time.
On this occasion, despite the relative absence of sunlight in February, things looked promising. The battery held its charge with my vehicle parked up in a shaded location outdoors for around 6 weeks, at which point the image on the monitor disappeared and was replaced by a “NO SIGNAL” message and advice to turn on the power to the camera using the on/off button on the battery case. Despite following this instruction, charging the battery from usb and attempting to re-pair the camera to the monitor, no rear view image could be persuaded to appear. Amazon came to the rescue for the second time and, despite the cost of the unit having risen significntly since my last purchase, I have ordered another replacement which is due to arrive in the next few days.
The hidden flaw with this unit would therefore appear to reside in the solar powered battery. I suspect water ingress may be the culprit but whatever the reason for its premature demise in my experience of it so far, it would be very difficult to recommend it, despite all its apparent advantages over more conventional rear view cameras.
If you are minded to give it a try, the most important aspect of your purchase may not be the attractive features of the unit, but the fact that it is fulfilled by Amazon and can be returned for a refund if it fails
Update 20th March:
Rceived an unsolicited email from Lily at Auto-Vox service expressing regret at my negative experience of the Solar 1 unit, reminding me of the 12 month warranty for the product and offering to replace individual faulty components rather than the whole unit should problems occur during that period. Depending on whole unit costs, should the need for service arise, this could be beneficial and prompted me to take up the Auto-Vox offer to extend the warranty to 18 months. One more star awarded.
Update 31st March
Camera has been up and running for a little over a week and has endured some really wet weather, parked outdoors on the vehicle. Everything is working as expected and the solar battery remains fully charged. Assuming this situation continues, an additional star has been earned.
1st of all is the obvious, i wanted a reversing camera that was simple to fit .
Many other reviews have covered installation so i will not go into it other than to say it was out of the box and installed in 20 minutes. Picture quality is decent and im very happy with it.
The 2nd reason for purchasing is that i have installed this on my campervan. Because it operates with a remote it means i can switch the camera on while driving if i need to see whats behind me. My vehicle doesnt have a rear view mirror only side mirrors so this function removes any blind spots you sometimes get with big vans.
Finally when i am sleeping in my van i can put the little fob by the side of my bed. Its a little extra security as if i hear noises etc outside i can quickly push the button and see whats going on outside.
All the traditional cameras only operate when the vehicle is in reverse and that for me is where this one has the advantage over the others. It suits my needs perfectly and i would reccommend this product to anyone looking for a portable, easy install reversing camera.
Lily at customer services has also kindly extended my warranty to 18 months so now i have that little more security that this is a product that will last.
Very happy customer.
This really is a 5 minute installation camera. Very easy to use even for someone who finds these things less than straightforward. The best part is not having to send wires across your car. Once it has been set up it will feel like your best friend when reversing. The signal from the camera to the monitor unit is strong with no drop outs. I can only hope it lasts.
Couple of things to point out.
The UK version does slightly conceal the number plate if not fitted carefully.
The adhesive stickers on the camera are very good and more than adequate in terms of ‘stickiness’ however, if like me you have to keep taking it off to adjust the camera unit several times, you may lose that adhesive strength. I also doubt it would remain sticky enough for me to transfer over to my next car. The maximum time for the screen to stay on is 90 seconds which is more than enough but it would have been good to have had the option to have this kept on. Finally, I just wonder about firmware and software updates and how these are applied as surely Auto Vox will release updates to further improve this already wonderful camera?
If you are considering this camera, I would highly recommend it. It makes parking in tight spots so much easier and safer.
I highly recommend this product and service from Lily. Very easy to install. I fitted the camera and solar pack to the number plate with the great 3M adhesive pads supplied and used big stainless self tappers to hold the number plate on. This makes it easy if you ever need to charge up the solar overnight. If like me, you park in a dark area, and it doesn’t get much sun, then over a long period, the indicator on the monitor will show the lower battery state. One day the camera stopped working and on charge overnight the USB socket melted. “No problem” said Lily from customer services, “I have already despatched a replacement and don’t need the old unit back.” It appears that with the torrential rain we had and the flooding of the roads, some water had entered the solar pack and shorted it out. I don’t think it will ever happen again, unless you park the car with the number plate under water !! Really easy to fit and high quality kit.
I bought this camera about 6 months ago and was very pleased with it; easy to set up, and operates as described.
Unfortunately though, about 3 weeks ago it stopped working. It appears that the battery no longer wanted to accept a charge or turn on.
I contacted Amazon who advised me to (in the first instance) take advice from AutoVox, but they would sort it themselves if I couldn’t resolve it this way.
Vicky from customer services at AutoVox ran me through a few troubleshooting ideas, but it soon transpired that it was unfortunately broken. A new camera and battery was despatched immediately (which turned up very quickly) and once fitted it now works properly.
While the product itself may have had it’s issue, I really can’t fault the customer service I received which resolved my issue perfectly.
This is an excellent product. Purchased for a Mercedes CLK convertible. Convertibles are notorious for poor rear view because of the smallish rear windows that they have. This item has solved that. However I would make the point that when fitting, make sure that you do not obscure the numbers and letters on the number plate. The instructions make no mention of this, which leads me to think the instructions are geared towards the US market, where I can only assume that their number plates are larger. Apart from this minor detail the product is excellent. I have messaged the supplier on this point and will see what response I receive.
Update:- Response received from Toshare EU:- Very good service received from Vicky at Customer Services who respond quickly to my message and she has agreed to pass on my comments to the managers and also will send some new sticky pads for the installation brackets. Pleased to see that the company responds positively to enquiries and warranty extended to 18 months as well. Can’t sat fairer than that can you?
Very easy to fit even for a complete novice like me. When I turned the monitor on it couldn’t see the camera but opening the tailgate allowed it to connect and now it works fine.
Deducted one star because the 2 parts together partially obscure the (UK) number plate when fitted as instructed. I would recommend you play with it before fixing it although it wasn’t a big job to remove it and re-fix it slightly away from the number plate.
Very impressed with the quality of the item, well-packed and factory sealed and comes with everything you need apart from a screwdriver.
24 hours after installation the “remote control” button stopped working. It isn’t really necessary but if it’s included, it should work properly.
I use this camera to complement my parking sensors. I like the big, clear screen, battery charge symbol and the ability to change the width of the parking lines. I found it easy to install and just needed to unscrew my numberplate, clean it up a bit (!), then carefully position the camera and solar panel so it didn’t obscure my numberplate, then screwed it back on. I like the on-off button on the solar panel so you can turn it off if you don’t need it for extended periods of time.
I also like the button that you can install anywhere in your car to quickly activate the camera when parking (or at any other time when you want to use it). I am careful and slow parker so would have preferred to be able to set the monitor to run for a little more than 90 seconds at a time before it needs switching on again, but the button is quick to press so not too inconvenient.
I am happy with the wireless connection (and am happy to have saved a lot of money on a hard-wired installation). I get a good signal in my Citroen Berlingo MPV with this device. A very helpful purchase.
This item was purchased to aid rearward vision from the helm of a 35′ motor yacht while docking. This involved a slight adaptation of the camera fitting (no number plate on a boat!) but this was easily achieved as the camera and base have very strong double sided adhesive backings making attachment to any smooth, clean, surface easy. After charging the camera via USB as instructed, the monitor gave a clear picture immediately. Image quality is perfectly good enough for the purpose. Fitment of the camera is a breeze as no wires have to be run. The remote control button is very useful as it avoids having to fumble for the switch on the monitor which, in my case, is an arm’s length away. The monitor is powered from a cigarette lighter socket, so fitment is also extremely easy. All told I am very happy with this unit. It remains to be seen how good the solar charging is in use, but the overall quality suggests it should be good. There is a reassuring 18 month warranty and, so far, customer support has been excellent.
This item was purchased back in November 2019 (Pre Covid). It was for me very easy to install and even easier to use.
The item worked perfectly until Covid 19 struck (March / April 2020) when during and after Lockdown my vehicle was little used.
Lockdown was eased after a month but unfortunately we had a further month of lockdown. When I eventually could use my vehicle the camera didn’t work and after a little bit of investigatory work I found out that the battery was at fault. I wasn’t excepting a full charge and would only last a day.
I contacted Auto-Vox and corresponded with a very helpful lady called Lily.
She advised me to parcel the whole unit up and send it back to the Czech Republic and a replacement would be despatched.
The unit was sent back and a copy of the shipping note was emailed to the company. Within 24 hours I received a refund for the postage and a day later a brand new unit was supplied through Amazon).
I cannot fault the service and help from Auto-Vox and especially the personal help of Lily. I would not hesitate to deal with this company again.
The new unit is now up and running without any problems
Thank You Auto-Vox from one very satisfied customer
Regards
Keith McNulty
The installed unit does everything the description said it would do. It connected wirelessly to the display in a few seconds, the picture quality is more than adequate for purpose and the solar charging seems to work well. I particularly like that I can switch on the rear camera by a button in the car, as I am quite new to towing a caravan and was nervous about being over-cautious when pulling back in after overtaking on a motorway, etc. Incidentally, the button is a perfect match for the interior of my BMW – you really can’t tell it is not original equipment.
The battery and the camera fit below and above the rear numberplate, joined by a short cable. As other reviewers have said, you probably can fit the system in 5 minutes, if you have a bolt-on numberplate with a spacer between the back of the plate and the panel of the vehicle. I have an adhesive numberplate (on the caravan) and did not want to drill the body, so had to reinstall the plate with the double-sided tape. This gave a bit a problem with how to run the cable behind the numberplate, so, with the removal and cleaning, it probably took me a couple of hours to do a decent job. However, it looks good and works really well and wasn’t a hardship.
I am very pleased with my purchase and my experience with the product so far has exceeded my expectation.
Ordered this product and it arrived very quickly. followed the instructions and mounted the camera and monitor on my Camper van. shortly after problems arose. An intermittent fault meant sometime I got a picture and most of the time I didnt. contacted Auto-Vox direct by e-mail and was dealt with by Lily a very helpful customer relations staff. went through a number of fixes which included sending me an antenna extension. none worked and it appeared it was a faulty unit. as instructed I sent it back and they refunded my postage and very quickly a replacement unit arrived. Which works perfectly. The whole process took a while but only because my daughter and then my son borrowed the camper and I couldnt get the camera off to return. over all a very positive experience that could have been a nightmare if not for lily. Will definately buy from Auto-Vox again.
I have had this fitted for about four weeks now. I am very impressed with the build quality. Well made and well presented. Considering the camera is quite low resolution, (the same with all the other suppliers I looked at), the image is still very acceptable. The monitor is clear and easy to see even with sunlight. I haven’t used it at night so cannot comment on that yet.
It was extremely easy to fit and not counting cleaning the rear of the number plate and so on then it really did only take five minutes to put it in place and put the number plate back on the car. One bit of caution is that the 3M sticky pads really are very sticky and essentially you have one attempt to put in place – there is no moving it afterwards. I had a bit of a problem on the Honda Jazz. As the photo will show, the camera is placed off centre. The handle for the hatch is immediately above the centre of the number plate, and very close to it. I had to move the camera sideways so that I could use the handle. In addition, I had to ensure the camera did not block the light from the bulb too much. Even so, I think I have placed the camera too low and it is just slightly hiding the top of the 5. I checked with a passing policewoman and she thought it was fine. Hopefully!
I am very pleased with the product and without hesitation recommend it.
*I read all the reviews on reversing cameras and finally settled on this one. Was a bit apprehensive about fitting it myself but it could not have been easier. The hardest part was finding the correct screwholes when replacing my numberplate as there were several previous holes which i hadnt even considered! One of the review drawbacks I had read was that the solar panel battery filled with water. I can see how that may happen, there is a small silicone plug that you pull back for the primary usb charge. It is very tight when you first undo it but not so much when you replace it. To be sure it is sealed, i have place a small strip of black gaffers tape over it, so should prevent any potential issue. Very happy with everything about this camera at the moment but will update in a few months regarding how the battery charges and retains charge. One other review point was that there is a delay when you activate the monitor, it is literally a few seconds, no problem at all. BTW my vehicle is 6.47metres long and the signal front back to front is excellent. Sorry for going on but these are all issues I was concerned about when buying so I hope it will reassure others. I was also looking for a camera which I could activate anytime, not solely reversing, this is perfect. Happy to answer questions where I can. UPDATE: parked by seawall last night and motorhome got swamped with seawater, camera still working perfectly
I recently purchased a Ford Mustang which only comes with a reversing camera & sensors. Not sure what the front end was doing I purchased this item to assist frontal parking…A neat/secure installation requires longer than 1/2 hour as advertised for this application, however this is a minor issue.
I wasn’t comfortable with a so called “technician” adulterating my car or indeed the wiring loom so the wireless installation was very attractive.
Functionality ?
For me it works well. It takes a second or two to boot up upon interrogation but I predict my maneuver prior so no problems there. It has actually paid for itself already saving me damage to the front air dam when parking close to a wall.
The only detraction to the system is the interconnecting cable between the solar panel/battery & the camera. It’s design is poorly routed. It could be rectified by stand off washers between the license plate & the mounting area which isn’t ideal. For my application I cut out an area in the license plate mounting panel/box/plinth which in turn mounts to the front bumper. All taking time…
Note: The cable would be too short for British rear rectangular license plates that you see on older/classic cars.
In addition may I say that the after sales service by Vicky was unparalleled. Problems were very quickly resolved. In all a superb piece of kit… Highly recommended !
This looks and feels like a quality product, but I’d like to meet the person who fitted it in 5 minutes though! I think the seller should say 30+ minutes to install, that would be more realistic. If you want to do a proper job, it’ll take you up to an hour, but don’t be put off by this because installation is very very simple. The only time consuming bit is removing and cleaning the number plate and ensuring the camera and solar unit are positioned centrally. Once that’s done, there really isn’t anything else to do except turn it on and adjust the camera angle which is quick and easy, and takes literally a minute to do. I am definitely not a DIYer by any means and I get my hair off if anything is complicated or fiddly, but I had no temper tantrums fitting this, which is something extremely rare!!
My only criticism is that the solar unit is a bit bigger than I expected, and you cannot adjust the angle of the camera left to right, only up and down, but I would definitely recommend buying this camera.
Amazing idea to do it wireless and I depended from reversing light . Other models you had to take to mechanic to open the cables and join cable to reversing light. This model I have installed myself without mechanic. It’s witless communication and powered from sun light.
I park on my drive way not storing my car in dark garage for long time so ideal for me.
It has nice good size display unit, it’s not huge to take space and not so tiny so possible to see where I’m reversing.
I found this technology great price of main unit bit high but Quality amazing so in overall great unit for me.
I ordered this in January and did sadly have a fault with the solar panel section….as it stopped working. Up to that point it worked seemlesy…however LILY from customer care was fabulous. No messing about. Tried a few fix solutions that sadly didn’t work …then a replacement unit was quickly despatched and delivered meaning I was back up and running in no time. Literally just a few days.
This is a good system and works well. Literally the install is a five minute task. Quality is good. Image is good. Connectivity is good. Battery capacity and holding a charge is good. Charging off the sun works well ( even in gloomy grey UK). If I was pushed to find a negative it would have to be the fact that my initial system did develop a fault two months in sadly ….but again; this was quickly sorted out by Lily in customer care.
Update – after over a year of usage the only problem I’ve had is the remote button stopped waking up the monitor, thinking it was the battery I changed it but still it did not work – it was easily resolved by following Vicky’s instructions from customer services – fantastic service, thank you Vicky.
Update No2 – So happy with the camera I bought another one for my wife’s car but this one stopped working after a few months, I tried all options to get it to work but no joy so I emailed customer services and explained the problem – I had a very quick reply from Lily who told me they would send a replacement camera & battery panel… Amazon delivered this within 2 days. Again absolutely fantastic after sales service. Thank you Lily 🙂
UPDATE:
11 months on, my unit developed a camera fault. I contacted Amazon and ultimately Auto-Vox to report the issue on Thursday night. Long story, cut short. It’s Tuesday morning and I have had a replacement delivered this morning, two days before the expected delivery date. Absolutely BRILLIANT service, TRULY EXCEPTIONAL!
Thank you Auto-Vox (Lily) Greatly appreciated.
The reverse camera kit works amazingly and has surprised me how smart the device is. I did charge this fully before use and yet to charge it again – it’s advertised that it only requires one max charge a year provided it receives at least 30 minutes of sunlight a day as it’s powered by solar energy.
The display is really clear and makes reversing/parking the vehicle very easy with the guidelines provided. Night vision also works really well displaying all obstacles. I’m very pleased with this purchase and would recommend this for anyone who’s looking for reversing camera kit. Works very effectively.
Now that outside job is out of the way, all I had to do is connect monitor inside the car with provided power cable and the mount. This is not the traditional reverse camera. There is no wiring to the reverse light so when you put car in reverse gear camera won’t come on itself, however there is a very small remote control that is supplied in the box to show the picture on the screen. Normally camera is running all the time but screen turns off after the set time. I always keep my remote near my gear stick so when I am parking I just press the button to activate the picture on the screen. Screen can be activated with any button on the screen as well.
From the screen I can set different parking lines. Or I can turn off parking lines completely. On the screen there is a battery indicator for the solar charged battery. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before installation. It can be charged with supplied micro USB cable.
This camera delivers excellent quality pictures because connection between screen and camera is digital and its not interfered by any radio transmission or any electrical circuits. Autovox not only produce great quality camera but they are always evolving with new technologies. Autovox is my go to place for reverse cameras and dash camera.
The W2 is wireless as is this one of course, but the camera requires to be connected to the reverse lights for power. No problem for me, but it’s not for everyone, especially if you don’t have any spare time.
As good as the W2 is (working faultlessly for the last 6 months), this solar one gives you a bigger screen and remote camera activation. That means that I can see behind me any time I like, whereas, with the W2 you have to put it in reverse to turn on the camera – not a good idea to do while driving!!
Yes, I could’ve put a separate switch if I wanted to, but that meant having to put more wiring in and having to hide it — which was the point of buying the (wireless) W2 in the first place so that wasn’t going to happen.
The solar wireless camera is really the best of all worlds! It provides no wiring whatsoever and gives me the opportunity to turn on the rear camera any time I want — even when driving!
So what’s the point of looking behind with a camera while driving when there’s a rear view mirror for that purpose?
The camera takes over from where the mirror ends — that is, you can see FROM the rear of the car and it does make all the difference.
For security reasons, if you’re parked and stationary (ie: car park waiting, etc), you can see if there is someone hiding, without having to put the car in reverse.
When you’re driving, you can check to see if there is smoke coming out of the exhaust for instance (as in burning oil during acceleration), or any other potential fault/problem. I’m sure there are many more possibilities.
All these features are my reasons for choosing this camera, however, the main reason most people would want to buy this model is the ease and speed of installation or is it speedy?
The camera is sold as a 5-minute job installation — and in theory, it is true — though probably more like 10 minutes because you’ll want to clean the rear of the boot lid, which will be extremely dirty from all the road grime collected.
But there is a condition to the “5-minute installation” and that is that as long as your plate is installed with 2 screws, you’ve got no problem. Unfortunately, that’s not everyone’s case — me being one of them!
You see, not all registration plates are put on with screws. A lot of cars in fact don’t use screws at all but rather, double-sided tape!
If this is your case, then you can forget spending 5 minutes or even 10 — it’ll never happen!
Sadly, there are more steps to go through in order to install this camera and it’s going to take you the better part of an hour, depending on how good you are with DIY.
It’s not at all difficult and anyone can do it, it’s just more time-consuming and I will now explain the steps I took.
1 – How to remove a glued-on number plate —
It’s possible to get your fingers behind the plate and pull it off, but that’s not always a solution, as in my case.
The best way is to get some dental floss (or fishing line) behind the plate and use a sawing motion going across the whole plate until it’s removed; if necessary, you can warm up the plate with a hairdryer but must not be hot or risk damaging the numbers. In my case I didn’t use a hairdryer, and even though the plate was very well stuck on, it only took about 5 minutes to remove. Be patient and it will come off without damage.
Now remove the old tape (both on the plate and the boot lid) with some WD40 and scrape with an old credit card, then prepare the painted surface by first washing it with some gentle or car soap, to remove the slippery WD40, so that the new tape will stick properly.
For simplicity, I used isopropyl alcohol — it’s safe for most surfaces and removed the WD40 perfectly.
Buy some double-sided tape —
Use a good quality foam-backed double-sided tape (make sure it is foam, not just tape), otherwise you risk losing your plate.
You can buy it in prepared strips, or a roll to be cut in strips (Halfords has a good selection of both and I recommend buying the roll).
Prepare as many strips as you like, depending on the size of plate. Mine is bigger than standard (see photo) so used a total of 6 strips (3 on each end).
Note that the middle is where the camera and battery are and these have tape already, which is why you don’t need to put anything in the middle of the plate.
Finally, carefully align your plate to get that perfect symmetry and press the plate into place for about 1 minute, to be sure the glue adheres properly.
2 – On to how the camera works.
Being solar, the battery needs the sun to keep them charged of course — but what about when there’s little sun or your car is kept in a garage most of the day?
As a side note, if you need to store the car for a long time (ie: while on holiday or extended business trip), the battery has an on/off switch, so you won’t lose any charge at all.
In all other circumstances, the lithium ion battery is impressively heavy (means that it has a large storage capacity). Auto-Vox says that the battery should last 60 days with zero sun and normal daily usage.
I have had this unit just a few days so cannot say for sure but knowing how electronics work and the little consumption while on standby, together with this high-capacity battery, I can see that 60 days is a fair estimate under normal conditions.
The big and bright (5″) screen displays the charge status constantly (a total of 3 bars), so you know how much charge you have left. Even when the level is on empty (red blinking battery symbol), you’re still good for another 12 days.
Although the sun is minimal in this country (especially winter months), I would guess you shouldn’t really run out of charge in between days with even little sun, but in case you do, the battery unit has a charge point.
If you have a smartphone, you’ll probably have a power bank (if not, get one — you need it!). Auto-Vox recommends using a power bank with at least a 4000mAH capacity (very cheap!).
Worst case, just buy a long USB cable extension and temporarily route it to the cigarette lighter for a charge, while you’re driving.
There is an LED on the battery and will turn green when fully charged, but with even just a few minutes charge, you’ll still get a few days use if necessary.
The power bank, aside using it for your phone, can easily be used with the solar battery and a full charge should take less than 2 hours is my best guess. And yes, the connector is the same used on most (Android) smartphones today.
3 – So was it all worth it?
For me it was because I gained a few features that I didn’t have with the previous model and if you have a plate like mine (stuck on), then the installation tips above will make the job painless, but certainly NOT 5 minutes. Having said that, I’m not disappointed nor unhappy and I knew beforehand what I was getting into in terms of time required.
For those that are looking to install a reverse camera but are not very good with DIY or have little time to spare, this is truly the only solution for you – and you’ll save on installation costs too.
The last thing I want to mention is the support that Auto-Vox give, and in one word it’s… impeccable!
I’ve not had a single problem yet (with this or the previous camera), but have had a few technical questions. Each time I ask support for help, I always get a reply back no later than the next day and sometimes even the same day.
They give me the impression they really care about their products and want to continually improve them too with each new product range.
No, they’re not cheapest to buy, nor the most expensive. If you take into account the quality of the product and service they give, I believe it’s good value.
Speaking of quality, I was surprised to learn that you get 18 months warranty instead of the usual 12 (as long as you register that is). This has changed from the previous model I bought.
Can’t ask for anything more really and can’t wait to see what new products they’ll come out with next — I’m definitely a fan now!
I hope this has been helpful for anyone in the market for an easy-to-install, reverse camera — feel free to ask me any question about the camera or the installation and will be happy to help.