Aftermarket Backup Cameras Are the Smart Choice to Enhance the Safety of Your Current Vehicle

As many as 300 people die in backover crashes in the United States every year, according to a March 2011 U.S. News and World Report article. Approximately 1/3 of these victims are children. Another 1/3 are elderly victims over the age of 70. And, tragically, many of these accidents are preventable. One of the most powerful tools in avoiding these devastating losses is a simple backup camera. Installed in your car or truck, a vehicle backup camera expands your field of vision, bringing once-dangerous blind spots into clear view.

In fact, backup camera systems are so vital in preventing backover crashes--and saving lives--that the federal government is in the process of finalizing regulations that will require this feature on all new vehicles. While this legislation will cover all new vehicles manufactured after about 2014 (the exact timeline is still pending), that has no impact on the car or truck you already own. The good news is that you don't have to buy a brand-new car just to access the safety benefits of a rearview camera. Most mobile electronics shops now install both cameras and sensors to provide you with the utmost protection when you're headed in reverse.

Here's how it works. Mounted either in your bumper itself or in a special license plate frame, a tiny camera captures video of the entire area behind the rear of your vehicle. Then that image is displayed on a screen that's conveniently mounted on either your dash or integrated right into your rearview mirror. Working in tandem with sensors that provide an audible beep when your bumper gets too close to any object, backup cameras provide a clear picture of all that's in your path as you reverse. With a backup camera installed, you can avoid all types of backup collisions with pedestrians, traffic, trees and mailboxes, and more!

Wireless backup camera systems are even easy to install, so there's no need to string wires all the way from your bumper to your dash. Your car audio and electronics installers will be able to efficiently and effectively install your new camera system, seamlessly integrating the screen into your dash and the camera/sensors into your bumper for a finished look that appears completely stock. And best of all, your new rearview camera will bring you the peace of mind of safer driving for you, and for everyone around your vehicle. For the utmost safety, look into installing a back up camera system today.

Maria Allen is a mobile electronics aficionado and an Internet marketing specialist for Prospect Genius, offering SEO for local service providers.

Aftermarket Mobile Video: Options for Adding Car DVD Capability to Your Car or Truck

Looking to take your in-car entertainment experience to the next level? Whether you're interested in amusing the kids or you plan to enjoy the system yourself, adding aftermarket car video equipment to your car or truck can help you get the absolute most out of your vehicle. If you're thinking that installing a car DVD player is too invasive or too expensive, you may want to reconsider. There are a variety of mobile video options on the market today that cater to a full spectrum of budgets, styles, and viewing needs.

Ceiling Mounted

Most of these aftermarket car DVD players are what's considered "all-in-one" systems. That means the DVD player, screen, and even speakers are all combined into one unit. All-in-one car video setups are particularly attractive because installation is simple and straightforward: All they need is a power hookup and soon you'll be cruising along with your favorite movie! Ceiling-mounted DVD players provide a number of benefits including easy viewing from anywhere in the backseat, fast installation, and fewer driver distractions (over a dash-mounted system). Ceiling-mounted in-car DVD systems also have the advantage of being most similar to the factory systems commonly installed in cars and trucks today, so with professional installation your new aftermarket DVD player will look virtually stock.

Headrest Mounted

Another popular car video solution is the headrest mount. Also commonly found as all-in-ones, headrest-mounted mobile video systems offer all the same benefits as ceiling mounted equipment, with a few additional advantages. One of these is improved visibility: Some drivers dislike that the rearview mirror can be obscured by the screen with ceiling mounted players. Putting in headrest monitors eliminates that issue. The other primary advantage of a headrest system is that each headrest has its own screen AND its own DVD player. That means the kids won't have to decide on one movie to share. Instead, each headrest video player can show a separate movie.

Fully Installed

If you're a major car audio fan or you're looking to create a showstopper, you can go all out. Skilled mobile electronics installers can hook up video screens and car DVD players in almost any part of your vehicle: dashes, seat backs, doors, ceilings, trunks... These systems can include any number of monitors, source inputs, speakers, and even components like gaming systems. You name it, and they can probably do it. Working with a local car audio video shop, you can create a fully customized video entertainment experience for your ride, have it professionally installed, and be on the road to out-of-this-world car video in no time.

When it comes to in-car video, the sky's the limit. However, that doesn't mean you have to take your mobile entertainment system to the extreme. With all-in-one options available for ceiling or headrest installation, there are affordable, attractive solutions for adding a car DVD player to your car or truck without going overboard. To learn more about specific product offerings or to get started on adding in-car video to your vehicle, visit your area mobile electronics shop today.

Maria Allen is a car audio video enthusiast and an Internet marketing professional for Prospect Genius, working to provide local companies with effective SEO.

Aftermarket Navigation Systems and Car DVD Players: Save Money Without Sacrificing Performance

Navigation systems. Car DVD players. It's easy get swept away by all the latest technology when you're in the showroom shopping for your next car or truck, but it's important to remember that these features are also available in aftermarket models. In fact, choosing to install your car GPS and/or mobile video players as aftermarket equipment can actually save you a great deal of money without undermining either their performance or their appearance!

In the vast majority of cases, when you're purchasing a vehicle, selecting a navigation system or video entertainment isn't quite as straightforward as it sounds. That's because these features come as part of particular packages or vehicle models. So while you may not be interested in heated seats or self-dimming mirrors, those features may also be included in the package that contains your desired in-dash navigation system. Now, you may be thinking, "Wait, heated seats sound awesome," but consider that you're going to end up paying for a whole bunch of features that you may never actually use, just to get that navigation system. Especially if you're trying to stick to a budget, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Aftermarket navigation systems are available in both portable and installed versions, and you may be surprised at just how affordable they are. Portable car GPS are often discounted because of the risk of theft, but they do offer perks like being able to operate the nav system while the vehicle is in motion (let the passenger do it please!) and the ability to transfer the unit from one car to another (great for rental cars, too!). Or, if you're not too keen on that ubiquitous suction cup on the dash or windshield, you can go with an installed model. These types of in-dash navigation systems are often visually indistinguishable at a glance from the OEM setups that come from the factory, but since you won't be shelling out for a huge number of unnecessary features, they won't set you back nearly as much. Now, that doesn't meant that aftermarket car navigation systems are bare-bones equipment. They tend to include options like Bluetooth connectivity as well as car audio capacity (often including satellite radio, auxiliary inputs for iPods, and more).

With aftermarket car DVD players, you can also get the performance and appearance you want without breaking the bank. In all but the highest end vehicles, your options are pretty limited when it comes to mobile video entertainment: usually it's a ceiling-mounted, drop-down screen or nothing. But when you decide to go the aftermarket route, the possibilities really start to blossom. Of course, you can get the standard ceiling mount, and at a quite cost-effective price, but you can also get customized car audio video systems that include everything from headrest mounted screens to video game input jacks and more.

So when you're trying to decide whether to pick out the factory options that include the DVD player and GPS for your next car, make sure you think it through. If you'll use all of the features included in the package that has the electronics you want--and you're content with the features of the OEM DVD player or car GPS--then that option probably makes sense. But if you're paying for tons of features that you know you'll never use, or if you're looking for capability unavailable in stock options, then your best bet is to head on down to your local car audio shop. Their installers can set you up with great aftermarket components that will bring you the style and performance you want.

Maria Allen drives a Ford Mustang and is an Internet marketing specialist with Prospect Genius, using effective SEO to connect customers with local businesses.