Multiple camera car systems?

[G]

Looking for a cheap system for general observation with multiple cameras - a standard reversing camera and ideally three I can stick on a caravan (as you can't always see what the caravan is close to at all when reversing around a corner.)

Any suggestions?

[J.M.]

For a DIY solution could you not pick up a couple of cheap WiFi cameras?

The IP camera that I've got at home renders a live web image through a cgi script. It's viewable through a standard HTML image tag.

You could enable the Portable WiFi Hotspot on a cheap tablet (which I'm sure you'd have lying around) and throw together a quick and nasty web interface that quarters the screen and puts an image from each camera in each quadrant.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[G]

I've looked at them, but reviews generally suggest there's a bit of lag (they'd also be common for FPV drone flying etc if it wasn't for the lag) - could end badly when reversing and probably feel a bit counter initiative too.

(I do tend to have a decent spec tablet with me normally as it goes and had wondered about getting a mount for it anyway.)

I did wonder about wifi security cameras along those lines - the lag hasn't been THAT bad in the ones I've setup, but I haven't been trying to reverse a caravan at the time!

[J.M.]

The IP Camera that I have (albeit a different one than I linked to. Slightly bigger but still one of the cheapest online) doesn't have any noticeable lag when connected via WiFi and viewed locally over Wireless LAN.

Lag is noticeable when viewing over the internet, but that's due to my internet not being the greatest.

However I'm unsure how well the WiFi hotspot on a tablet would cope with the bandwidth required by 4 of these cameras?
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[G]

ta, will have a look then.

Got the tablet because I'm developing for it, so shouldn't be too hard to knock up an app that offers the option of just viewing one at a time as needed, hopefully reducing bandwidth requirements - when you really want lag free, generally only need to see one or two cameras (ie say side of caravan for another car, then rear as you get near a wall).

I do usually have a small inverter in the van, so wouldn't be the end of the world to run a router, though most take low voltage DC anyway, so could probably wire it into the van.

[J.M.]

On my phone I use an app called iSmartViewPro. It was the recommended app for the camera that I bought. I haven't really tested the market to see alternatives. I'm unsure of its support for other cameras. I don't know how standard the interfaces are.

It has a feature to do the following:
https://cdn.bikechatforums.com/files/screenshot_2015-09-08-12-30-13.png

However as I own only 1 camera, I just view it full screen.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[G]

Thinking about it, lag may not be a massive issue - I'm happy enough reversing with it, but am extra cautious around other vehicles so end up getting out, going around to the other side to see how close it is.

If I had a camera, even if it wasn't 'real time', it'd reduce the time taken to check from thirty seconds to half a second or something, so may still be pretty useful.

[ferrisio]

Not particularly cheap, but something like this - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MINI-Realtime-SD-Car-Mobile-DVR-4CH-Video-Audio-Input-Remote-Controller-17HJ-/161799133106?hash=item25abfad7b2 - could show 4 cameras simultaneously on a monitor with no lag. Would be £100-150 all-in for a usable 3-cam system though.
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BMW R1100R