The Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera & Rearview Monitor Parking Reverse System, Waterproof Night Vision Cam, 7” LCD Display Built-into Mirror Assembly, Distance Scale Lines, Swivel Angle Adjustable Cam is an upper low range camera from Pyle Audio who specialise in small consumer electronics. They offer a 1 year warranty on all their products and seem pretty responsive when a fault is reported. This give some reassurance when purchasing a cheap reversing camera.
| Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera at a glance | Price (at time of review) |
Our Rating | Awards |
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(Check Prices) | 4.2 |
N/A |
The interesting form factor of the monitor means that it’s designed to clip over and replace your rear view mirror, transforming into and out of a monitor when the camera is activated with reverse gear. It’s a good idea but in practice, it isn’t 100% as the replacement mirror has a blue tint to it and give a poor reflection during night time.
Pyle PLCM7200 Camera
The supplied camera is a typical budget number plate mounted camera. This one comes with a tiltable lens for fine adjustment as well as some integrated LEDs for “night vision”. these LEDs are very weak and struggle to light half a foot behind the car, making them practically no use at all. The camera comes with a scale line distance display so when mounted right helps you judge the distance to any obstacles. It has a resolution of 360 TV lines x60 and an “extra wide” viewing angle, which in practice appears to be around 100 degrees. The camera is also “shower proof” with a IP68 grade.
Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera Monitor
The supplied monitor however is a different story. At a respectable 7″ and 800 x 480 resolution. The majority of the cost of this package appears to be on the screen. The build quality is pretty good with solid buttons and good picture quality. The replacement camera, as stated earlier, is ok during the day but due to the blue tint, is a little bit harder to use at night. It has a decent contrast ratio of 400 CD/M2 and the anti-glare coating helps with the sun. It also has built in speakers so you can connect it to an audio source such as an ipod for which it has an additional connection.
Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera Gallery
Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera Features
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Visual Parking Assist
The camera comes equipped with a visual parking assist, with lines helping you judge the distance of objects and obstacles behind you.
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Mirror Auto Switch
The replacement mirror monitor acts as a monitor up until you put in in reverse and then it swaps to a monitor for your camera.
Common issues
With a cheap camera, you can expect a few quality problems along the way:
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DOA Units
A number of customers have experienced broken cameras and monitors when arriving brand new. As always, these should be returned and replaced.
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Poor quality instructions
Because of the variety of vehicles you install these cameras on, the instructions are often poor but the included instructions are little more than a picture.
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Poor LED for night time reversing
The integrated LED, designed to light the rear of your vehicle at night is very weak and struggles to light further than 6″ away from the vehicle.
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Lens flare in bright sun
The camera not only suffers at night, but also during the day when it’s in direct sunlight. The lens flares and makes it difficult to see where you are reversing.
Is the Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera for you?
The Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera is a difficult camera to recommend based solely on the poor quality of the camera. Paired with a better camera, the monitor would be ok, but when combined with the supplied camera, you will end up with a poor quality reverse camera putting its poor quality video on the decent quality screen.
Although cheap, the Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera does make sense to purchase due to the poor quality. You’d be much better served investing in a better quality product.
Where to Buy
If you absolutely can’t stretch your budget any further, you can get a good deal on the Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera from amazon:
If you are looking to get it slightly cheaper or even second hand, you might want to check these prices at:
Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera Resources
Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera Specifications
| Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera |
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| Price | $69.33 (Check Prices) |
| Wired/Wireless | Wired |
| Screen | 7″ LCD |
| Waterproof Camera |  |
| Parking Assist | |
| Night Vision |  |
| Camera Mount Type | Number Plate |
| Monitor Mount Type | Mirror Clip |
| Camera Resolution | 360×60 |
| Monitor Resolution | 800×480 |
| Viewing Angle | 120 degrees |
| Video Inputs | 2 |
Wrap Up
Pyle PLCM7200 Backup Camera & Rearview Monitor
Pros
- - Good Monitor
- - 1 Year Warranty
Cons
- - Poor Camera
- - LED lights useless
- - Bad Lens flare in sunlight
- - Mirror poor at night
- - Instructions poor
