While many of the luxery cars and SUV's already have them they also make sense in vans, buses and delivery vehicles due to the blind spots, for security reasons and for any large vehicle that lacks a rear view mirror. When I began looking for a back up camera system for my work van I wanted to buy one that made sense for my application.

When choosing a back up camera system for yourself consider the following:

 Do I want to be able to transport this system from vehicle to vehicle if necessary?  That's going to depend on the particular system but I can tell you what I did and maybe it'll help. I bought the Jensen RCS50A 5" monitor back up camera system on ebay Express and "installed" it in my work delivery van. I love it! It works best in low- light cloudy gray days because the contrast is optimum. The sun tends to wash out the image on the monochrome monitor but I've gotten used to it and it still gives me the info I need as to what's going on directly behind my van. Installation consisted of mounting the 5 inch monitor to the dash with velcro, running the ample amount of cable inside the interior panels of the van and plugging the power cord into my power port on the dash...and that was it! I mounted the camera to the third brake light using the existing screws although different vans will obviously have different configurations in this respect. I can very easily transport this system to another van of the same model just by sliding out the cable, unscrewing the camera, unplugging the cigarette lighter-style power plug and taking it with me. This appears to be the same system that FedEx and UPS drivers have on their delivery trucks and vans. Note: there's a green wire included in the harness meant to "tap" into the brake light circuit if you want the monitor to come on when you put your vehicle in reverse. I chose not to use this so I can keep my monitor on while driving. It acts like an electronic rear view mirror. Check with your state laws about using video in your vehicle while driving.

It's important to remember that not all monitors will accept the same type of plug or connectors so buying a back up camera system without the monitor isn't your best option. Try to purchase everything together or make sure you check on the compatibilty of the connectors to your monitor. As a rule the cable is hardwired to the camera and both are weatherproof so you can't change anything there. The monitor receives the cable using a connector of a few different styles, some being clips and others being plugs and pins. Ideally you'd be able to just go out and buy a monitor of your choice to connect to the camera using the supplied cable but it's never that easy.  These systems are fused to be able to handle 12-24 volts and the little surges and drops that occur with an engine's electrical system.

Obviously if you're going to hardwire the system directly to the battery or connect the green wire to the brake light circuit it takes away from the portablity of the system.

There are systems that use a camera that mounts to your license plate and sends the video signal wirelessly to a small 2.5" color monitor that you place on your dash. I didn't consider this option because of the small monitor size. I'm spoiled by a big 5" display and even though it's in B&W the details are in the screen size. The other reason is that I needed a camera to be mounted higher up then license plate level. This offers me a view of the lanes on either side of me as well as the back of the van. It's a somewhat distorted view like a fisheye lens but still very informative. I wouldn't suggest a monitor of this size for a typical passenger vehicle but more for a delivery van.

Other factors to consider: Is the camera waterproof? Believe it or not they're not all waterproof so stay away from the cheapies out there. How much cable is included in the system?  Is it fused to accept the spikes and drops of a 12-24 volt electrical system? Can parts be ordered seperately if needed? What is the viewable area  i.e 90, 120, or like mine 130 degrees?

Nobody wants to spend a fortune on a product that may not last long enough to see any benefit from using so I hope my guide has helped you to think about that purchase before plopping down the money. Feel free to email me through ebay if you have questions on this topic. I'll add things to this guide as I think of them. Let's keep ebay safe, honest and fun.