I'm very disappointed with the quality of the rear view camera on my Boxster and would like the input of prior/current Porsche owners:

Quality of the image is subpar, cars look elongated, field of view is narrow, resolution is poor.

Guide lines (if you follow them) will drive straight into the obstacle your are trying to avoid (my perception, perhaps need somebody outside the car to do an experiment)

Resolution at night is almost useless.

Worst rear view camera I ever had compare to any other car (you name it)

Is my experience accurate and similar to everybody out there or do I have a defective unit?

Thanks for your input

 

Wow. That's highly disappointing for such an expensive option.

 

Can you give us more information about the package you elected. I ask because I wonder if the screen resolution is tied to the infotainment pkg? I don't have a spyder yet so I'm just asking?

 

I'm going aftermarket. There are lots of reasonable choices for much less.

I mean the 699 isn't horrible it's just that I would have to either buy PCM or get CDR plus with the wart. Neither which I would use so it would end up costing me between 2400-3600 depending on the option.

I'm going to look for an aftermarket Nav too unless the new Porsche Nav in the new Carrera is available as a retrofit

 

the options I have seen don't look cheap please share if you find something.

 

CD-R plus therefore should have the high resolution screen. (Navigation on any car is useless, even in a tesla. Nothing beats your own phone, thus no PCM for me)

In this car, particularly with the top up, you do need a rear view camera. Unfortunately it is a must.

 

If you do a search on Amazon there are several wireless choices under 200. the one that I am considering is wireless and attaches to the rear license plate.

For what it's worth I have 981S and true with the top up visibility is pretty poor but I never had a backup camera or other parking aids and never had an issue. The Spyder will be my 5th Boxster all without parking aids. You just have to be careful and deliberate and I never park in extremely tight parallel spaces anyway.

I will say though given the large blind spots with the top up lane changing is a bit harrowing especially on crowded streets. I wish Porsche had offered some of the driving aids that would be really useful in the Spyder.

 

I have the camera on my '15 Boxster GTS...it's helpful backing out of a parking space for the additional wide angle view but otherwise very poor quality optics. Visibility out the back of all porsche cabs is so bad I find it helpful, but no way near the quality of the Japanese systems or the one Audi uses.

 

Hi,

Maybe one option could be to replace 'just' the Spyder rear camera by an aftermarket one. If you get a better camera, and just replace the original one, the quality might be better (as the screen definition is OK, apparently). But this woud need to be tested...

 

I had a 2015 GT3 and had an aftermarket camera installed since it's not an option on the GT3. The aftermarket camera resolution was excellent so a after market camera swap should work also.

 

Can someone with the stock Back-up Camera take some photos of the PCM/CD-R Plus display in backup camera mode? Curious how bad this really is? Some people have higher standards than others. Example... My Jeep's AEV Backup Camera on my OEM Nav for my Rubicon Unlimited Hard Rock has the worst resolution I have ever seen, but I still like it as something is better than nothing and it is factory. Curious if it's the headunit that is the issue or the camera itself... If the later, maybe the camera can be swapped???

 

I think its the camera because this is the same head unit as the GT3 and I added an aftermarket hi definition camera and the resolution was excellent. I would like to see it also because I might not option it and go with an aftermarket set up.

 

The OEM camera on my TT is perfect and the lines are exactly where they should be, whether straight or "curved".
I'll try to get a pic tomorrow, navanoD, but I have complete confidence in it after 2500 miles. I don't drive it every day so it's not in my main garage right now.

 

I went for a ride today. Remember this is a iPhone photo of the screen with the sun shining on it and then compressed and emailed. It looks better in person but I think this should give you some idea of the OEM camera in my TT. I'm satisfied and, as I said, the lines are right on where they indicate.

 

Nice!!! Thanks for posting this. Is it the best backup camera out there? No. Is it the worse? No. I think some people expect more than others.... And some complain more than others.