My experience with an AliExpress Backup Camera (License Plate Light style)
 

I wasnt able to find many people posting about this specific style of backup camera so I thought I give some info. Its the License Plate Light Backup Camera from AliExpress or other Chinese company product. I bought it to avoid drilling any holes into the car even if its the just the trunk garnish piece.

This what the camera looks like (not my car, from aliexpress):
https://i.imgur.com/oec8bFN.png

Link for the camera I purchased:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32831516871.html

For the price of the camera($20), I am very pleased with the quality. One downside of this camera, there small LEDs on them and due to the stock head unit requiring the camera to always be on, the lights on the camera stay on even when driving. Haven't thought of the best solution yet other than covering with black electrical tape.

I paid for the install as I could not quite figure out the wiring of this compared to other OEM tutorials. I am happy to try and answer any questions you have though.

Heres a short video I made displaying the camera quality, how it looks, how the camera lights look when car is on, and camera in reverse being used during daytime, night time, and in a parking garage:
https://youtu.be/5r3r-otPSu0

The camera doesn't always need to be on. The installer told you that because they didn't want to run a relay from the headunit to turn the camera on when the stock radio tells it to turn on.


The radio sends a 6v signal that will only turn on when the camera needs to be on. If you power the camera from that signal (or use a relay to send 12v when that 6v signal is on) then it will only be on when the car first starts and when you're in reverse.

i've have exact same set up as yours, and i tap the 12V from reverse triggering wire and it has enough voltage to power the camera when i put my gear on reverse, running couple years now, knock on wood!!!

Connecting it to the reverse signal shouldn't work. I'm guessing that you connected to the 6v signal that the headunit provides for turn-on.


The Fujitsu Ten headunit does a check when you first turn the car on to detect if a camera is connected. The camera must be turned on to pass this check. The camera won't be on when you first turn the car on if you tap into the reverse signal at the tail light (unless you always start the car when shifted into reverse).

Ahh I see, well thanks for that info. I'll look into installing a relay

It's a low cost one. I always prefer to get a rearview camera with complete system kit. I never bought any auto product from AliExpress but if you want a suggestion then I would Alpine HCE-C1100 if you want to cover dynamic range.