Pearl RearVision Wireless Car Backup Camera | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Product Description
Upgrade your car in minutes with Pearl RearVision, the only wireless backup camera & obstacle alert system that turns your phone into your rearview screen. Solar powered and theft-resistant, it provides super-wide, controllable views of what’s behind your car. Comes with a 3-year warranty.
What’s in the Box is:
Top Reviews
As advertised.by tn kiwi (4 out of 5 stars)
January 13, 2017
I waited until the back-up guidelines were added to the app before buying it. It took less than 5 min to install (2014 BMW 328) with not problems. It took me another 5 min to download the app and set it up. I installed it on my old iPhone4 and my main iPhone6, but I leave the i4 in the car for just this use. I read all the reviews and watched the several online videos, so nothing surprised me about it's performance.
Pros
- yes, the image quality is very good
- the guidelines, initial 'ripple' alert and the final red alert work well (already saved me once)
- very high quality build - even the package opening experience suggests quality.
- it's great to have a backup camera without retrofitting a wired solution.
- the two supplied phone mount options are very good - I use the removable vent mounting
- I emailed Pearl support twice - got prompt and helpful responses.
- As Pearl improves the system, the app gets updated automatically
Cons
- the main 'con' is that, for my car, the license plate illumination lights cast their beam diagonally across the Pearl RearVision camera lenses. The little 'eyebrow' above the top 1/3 of each lens only stops half of this illumination, which causes quite a bright 'flare' in the viewing screen. I'm working on a 'hack' to fix this: I've played with sticking thin dark colored filters (blue and red work best) over the illumination lights, but they also 'color' the license plate - don't want to attract the police unnecessarily. I think a film of polarized window tint film will work. last ditch solution will be to glue extra 'eyebrows' to the sides of the camera lenses (but that'll resume some of their wide-angle view capacity). I'd love Pearl to give me their solution.
Other cons:
- yes, it's initially expensive, but you don't have to pay a shop to install a wired system, possibly messing up your carpets or the car's electrical error-sensing system in doing so, and the app is free.
- I occasionally have to turn the phone's Bluetooth off and back on to get the camera to connect to the phone.
- the auto-activation of the app when you put the phone on the mount has only been working half of the time.
- you have to activate the system (one click on the phone's screen) each time you need it - it doesn't automatically activate when you shift into reverse.
- I understand why the camera turns off at 10 mph, but I wish it would automatically turn back on when speed drops below the 10 mph cutoff (or perhaps when stopped) - that's an unnecessary extra click
Hardware is excellent, camera quality
by Dustin (3 out of 5 stars)
October 29, 2016
It works as described, but has some issues.
Pros,
1. well packaged, and made of quality parts. Hardware is excellent, camera quality. low light viewing. etc
2. installs easy for standard cars with typical mounting brackets
3. easy to use software, comes with a charged battery
4. software is intuitive, but not fully complete
Cons
1. you cannot change the wifi name, so if you are at home and connected to the internet via wifi from your home, it needs to manually switch over
or rely on blue tooth.
2. depending on your bumper, if the plate bracket is below the bumper, can not see anything as "reference" and hard to gauge the width of the car
3. software needs the adjustable parking lines so the user can mark the width of the car in the app
Hoping for a refund
by robert santoro (1 out of 5 stars)
July 19, 2017
This was a cumbersome camera when it worked. After 6 months It will no longer stay charged and is basically useless. The company does not accept phone calls for this POS and directs you to email them from the website only to get no reply.
Its alright but needs alot of improvement.
by Drti Snchz (3 out of 5 stars)
June 16, 2017
2017 F150 Supercrew 4x4.
Received 06/16. Sending back.
Really want to give it a 2.5 🌟
PROS
1. Very easy installation.
2. Very easy setup.
3. Clear crisp image no lag.
4. I was able to drive at regular speed and be able to see behind me for quite some time. In fact I used it so much it drained pretty quick.
5. Guidelines are useful but should be a different color to differentiate real parking lines.
6. Quality product feels sturdy well made. Even the box presentation is like wow.
7. Very nice looking license plate. (I could do without the pearl logo)
8. Security screw is a nice touch. Looks like a hex key but it's not. It's quite unique and only way I see to take it off is to try to pry it off but would most likely break the pearl.
9. Panoramic view is awesome and I think the gives the best view.
CONS
1. Had to start the app manually. (Note 3 rooted)
2. Can't add custom apps to the menu. Maps and Waze are awesome. But should add better music players. (Poweramp FTW)
3. Paranoia...looks purdy and looks tempting to steal.
4. Rear end collision...bye bye pearl.
5. My license plate lights drown out the image.
6. The price. 543.00 exactly. Pearl should start automatically. I should not have to use a "special" magnet for the app to start. And even then why does pearl need my location to start automatically with the magnet?
I think for 200 bucks this would be a definite win. I just can't accept the price of 543. Overall it seems like a good product just not for me. The reason behind this purchase was to avoid going to a shop getting my truck pulled apart and drilled on. Oh well you get what you pay for. Gonna get the OEM backup camera instead.
TL;DR - Cool concept, not worth it.
by mak8 (2 out of 5 stars)
May 15, 2017
UPDATE: The app seems to have stopped opening with the magnetic clip. I had to manually open the app when I need to reverse, but the app started to push an update to the RearVision, which took a few minutes. I had finished parking long before the update finished. I've been trying to look for a reason to keep this product, but unfortunately I've decided to uninstall the app and return the RearVision.
--------
The Pearl RearVision resolves the pain of having to install a hardwired backup-camera. Unfortunately, I'm not convinced this product provides the value for its cost.
PROS:
1) Easy install and quick setup. No drilling. No wires. Simple instructions.
2) The most difficult part was deciding where to stick the phone mount on my dash.
CONS:
1) The Pearl app does not engage when vehicle is placed in reverse, which is odd for a product priced so high.
2) App lags on start-up, meaning I've usually finished parking before the video feed comes up.
3) Video feed occasionally cuts out while backing up.
4) Object sensor is hit-or-miss; I tested this by backing in towards a traffic cone and managed to bump it a few times.
Excellent despite poor initial experience and product support
by Donald T. McFall (5 out of 5 stars)
March 13, 2017
Our first choice was to hardwire a camera using an aftermarket interface to the head unit in our vehicle but that was not possible so the Pearl RearVision was our next best option. Our initial experience was not great as the app needed to update the firmware in the RearVision but kept failing on every attempt. Pearl's support was unable to resolve the issue and said to let it update overnight which made no sense (other than it was close to end of support hours) given that the app was indicating that it could not connect to the RearVision. Later on we determined that it could only connect when the RearVision was within the passenger cabin of the vehicle. Suspecting a defect unit, we had Amazon ship out a replacement. Thankfully, there were no such issues with the replacement.
If you're running into trouble updating the RearVision when installing or having connectivity issues, then try dismounting the RearVision from the back of your vehicle and see if the issues go away with the RearVision closer to the OBD2 dongle and your smartphone.
Now that we have a properly working RearVision we have been very happy with it. The app connects very quickly and the image quality over WiFi is excellent. We were skeptical about the guidelines and object warnings but so far they have been useful. The 180 degree field of view is also very useful. It would be even better if the app could automatically launch when the car is shifted into reverse since the dongle is connected to the OBD2 port but it's still very much worth it to us to have the rear camera.
Great Backup Camera Option
by Amazon Customer (5 out of 5 stars)
February 9, 2017
Excellent Product! However, we came close to returning it before we even opened the box as I discovered a message on the box stating that it would work for I-phone 5 and later and "certain Android" phones. After digging deeper into the Pearl Auto web site I found a list of compatible Android phones only to find that our Galaxy Note 2 didn't have the proper wi-fi or blue tooth software to link to the backup camera. We decided to return our purchase the next day as we weren't going to purchase a new phone just to operate the camera. At dinner I had a thought to see if our recently purchased Verizon tablet would serve as the interface. I sent an email to Pearl Auto and within 30 minutes I had a reply that it would work. I proceeded to install the camera and it actually took less than 10 minutes to install on our 2014 Porsche Boxster (I mention the make of the vehicle as nothing is easy to install on a Porsche!). I was aware where the OBD plug was located (near the left foot rest) and had ordered a 16 Pin Flat Low Profile adapter from Amazon ($6.99) so I could mount the OBD linked sending unit out of harms way. Installation consists of removing the rear license plate, mounting a bracket on the license plate (2 supplied bolts), remounting the license & bracket with the original license plate screws, mount the camera/frame assembly on the license with 1 bolt using a security tool (similar to an allen wrench) and your done with external assembly. Next chore was to simply plug in the sending unit into the OBD port and listen for a chirp. Installing is basically done. All that is left is installing the software on your phone (or in our case tablet). That took about 5 minutes to download and install. We booted the app and had a outstanding view of you choice of rear or corner view. We learned the next day that we could add "guided lines" to the backup screen by going to settings on the app and selecting "guidelines". We had to measure the distance from the road surface to the top of the bracket and designated the location of the license assembly (left, right or center) and we instantly had backup guidance lines. The real bonus is that by using our tablet we now have a larger screen than if we had factory installed backup camera. Also, the tablet now serves as our GPS guidance using Waze. We were surprised that the included Pearl Auto magnetic phone mount holds the tablet securely (so far) during our 2 day test. We removed the case from the tablet for our road use. The only problem we encountered so far was that the camera didn't work the day after installation and we made a call to Pearl Auto and promptly got a great customer support person who advised us to remove and reinstall the sending unit as we might not have closed the app installation properly. We did and it has now worked for 2 convective days. We feel that the Pearl Auto backup camera is as good or even better (with tablet its bigger and the camera has a wider field of view which helps when backing out into traffic) that the factory installed backup system in our 2012 Honda Accord. So far we are very pleased with the unit and Pearl Auto support.
Expensive, but excellent quality camera and easy install.
by R. Richardson (2 out of 5 stars)
November 1, 2016
I own a car without a backup camera and with children in the neighborhood, this is a necessary device. The installation took me less than five minutes, then software configuration took about another ten minutes as the device downloaded an update.
The device comes charged well enough to do setup right out of the box.
Once the RearVision's Wi-Fi and BT are connected to your smartphone, in my case, an iPhone, the device is ready to use. When you're ready to back up, it's a simple press of the touchscreen to load the app, and within a second or two, you can see behind you. The app is configured to show wide and narrow angles with the smartphone screen in portrait view, but I prefer the single screen in landscape view as it adds detail.
Image quality is very good in both good and poor light conditions.
The only issue I see with this device is that in my state, Ohio, the cameras cover the name of the state. I'm not sure whether this is legal. I'll find out as I start driving around with this more. If I get a ticket for obstructing my plate, I'll report back here! I think that the cameras should be on the sides of the frame in order to avoid covering the top or bottom of the license plate. This limitation knocks a star off my review and should be a priority for RearVision version 2.
In all, this is a very useful device that is ridiculously easy to set up. I like it, despite the cost, so far.
Edit 11/2/2016: I looked up the license plate display law in Ohio. It indicates that as long as the numbers on the plate, and the registration stickers, are visible, all is good. This device does not cover any of those things. I advise purchasers to look up the law in their local jurisdiction before purchase to avoid problems from your local constabulatory.
Update 12/16/2018: the frame fell off during a long road trip in 2017. I tried calling the new owners of Pearl for a replacement frame (that I was even willing to pay for). However, no one there seemed to know what to do, and eventually I stopped receiving replies. Awful service. Stars removed as a result of bad service. Seems you can't get these anymore, anyway. Too bad, this had lots of potential. Now looking for a standard wired solution as all other wireless solutions I've t tied are trash.
Pearl RearVision Pros and Cons
by Hoa N. (2 out of 5 stars)
December 17, 2016
Pro: Provided clear view at night while backing up my Van
Cons: The battery was running out after 2 cloudy days (after full charged and used about 3 times). Solar charger was not charging enough the battery or the battery won't hold charge? Sometimes it dropped connection with my Iphone 6plus while backing up and give me a false warning beep while nothing was behind the car and couldn't connect with phone (Rearvision had a problem)
Pearl RearVision helps this 75 year old!
by Mac (5 out of 5 stars)
January 12, 2017
At 75 years old, I find that backing up is not as easy as it used to be. I researched a backup camera. A hard- wired camera was not going to happen. I found the Pearl RearVision Wireless Backup Camera. Well, I researched it. All aspects of the camera and installation impressed me. Reviews by others were useful. I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for. After purchasing, I found installation to be a breeze. Now my installation was not typical. You see I have another piece of equipment that uses the OBD (onboard diagnostic port). So I got a "splitter" to plug into the OBD and run both devices flawlessly. Since my purchase, Pearl updated their app to include guidelines while you backup. NICE! My iPhone had an issue and resulted in a problem with the Pearl app. Contacting Pearl resolved my issues with outstanding customer service. I could not be happier. Oh, one last thing...I worried about backing up at night. Not a problem at all. I highly recommend Pearl. I've shown it off to many and several said they would definitely look into getting one.
*If this is not the "Pearl RearVision Wireless Car Backup Camera" product you were looking for, you can check the other results by clicking this link
.
Details were last updated on Sep 17, 2024 04:59 +08.
