Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I just purchased a 2010 F250 short bed. Did not get the reverse camera option and realized I should have. Looked around Amazom and found the Pyle PLCM 7200 monitor and camera for under $100. The reviews where mid range but it seemed to be only due to the complaint that the instructions are not adequate. Well it is true that they are very very limited but considering all the variations in vehicles it is expected. Basically you need power to the camera, cable run connecting the camera in the exterior back with the monitor in the cab, and power to the monitor. So this is what I had to do. Camera I did not want to hook it up to the license plate holder so some fool could rip it off easily. So a placed it just behind it. There is a panel with two holes. The holes are not in a perfect location but with a metal strip from Home Depot and some bolts, it sits secured and nicely hides between the gate and the license plate. I took a meter and checked continuity between the cables to the trailer connection and the pin out on the connector. On the F250 orange is power (+) and the big white one is return (-). The video cable they give is a little short. I had an additional 4 foot single RCA cable. With an adapter to connect them both to each other, I ran the cable along the non exhaust side to the cabin. So how to get the video into the cab? Well it so happens that on the back of the cab there are two vent openings. Pretty sweet. The cable easily fits through the vent, then you just run it along the trim to the front drivers side. Monitor Attaches right over the existing rear view mirror. Cable slides into where the cabin cealing meets the trim. Down to the drivers side, squeezing into trim. On the side of the dash the panel comes right off, no screws. The cable just makes it into a cavity under the dash. I have a few car power adapters from various flashlights that have died through the years so, I cut the end off of one, metered it to see which side was +, and then wired it to the power wires from the monitor. There are alot of screws to land the ground wire to in the area where the panel came off from. Plug in the adapter, turn the Key to ACC, turn the monitor on and on Video 1 I get a nice clear picture. I used the adapter instead of hardwiring it because it was easy. I do not have a schematic of what all the wires under the dash do. As far as night vision, well with no lights it is dark, imagine that. With break lights and even more with reverse lights I get a descent picture. Definitely good enough to hook up a trailer at night. The remote works nice. There are options to modify brightness, contrast, tint and even if you initialy installed the camera upside down, you can flip the view. Update 5 16 2012. The monitor stop working..trouble shooted....purchased new camera...works sometimes but not when needed...seems to be the display unit....maybe gets to hot in the cab.??