Sunday, December 1, 2019

iBeam 360-Degree 3D SVM Vehicle Camera System with DVR


If you’re looking for something for your car, either a stereo, accessories or components, chances are Metra has you covered. One of the companies under Metra’s corporate umbrella is iBeam. They make some great car accessories, such as back-up cameras. They even make 4 camera kits, so not only do you see the back, you also see the front and both sides as well. Up for review today is their top of the line iBeam TE-360-3D. It’s their 360 degrees 3D camera system.



Features and specs:

Includes (4) high resolution 180-degree fish-eye cameras

Exclusive fish-eye distortion correction

Seamless 3D & 360 degree video merging

Dynamic & intelligent view angle switching

Includes calibration tools

Independent camera calibration

3D video de-interlacing and noise reduction technology for CVBS signal decoding

Digital 1080p recorder supporting up to 32GB USB flash drive or SD card

Smart power management to preserve battery power

Automatic recording for up to 28 hours

SD card sold separately (TE-16SD)


The iBeam TE-360-3D came in a nice looking color printed box, with photos of different views of the vehicle with the camera in use. Also shown was its features and photos of the equipment included. Opening the box, revealed a well protected product held in place with custom molded foam. Included is the interface, interface wiring harness, remote control, the 4 fisheye cameras, camera extension cables,  calibration tools, and installation instructions. They even included a hole saw, to cut the hole for the cameras. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic for the wires. But the interface was a metal box. The 4 cameras were also made of metal for the housing, and the lens actually appeared to be glass. The quality of materials used was excellent, especially for the lenses. I was not expecting the metal housing. Fit and finish was also very good.

 

The iBeam TE-360-3D is unique. With the 4 cameras, each being 180 degree fish-eye cameras, you get a complete panoramic view of all 4 sides of the vehicle. Not only can you switch between viewing of the different cameras individually, it also does video merging. This video merging allows you to see around the entire vehicle at the same time. The interface also includes a built-in DVR with recording onto either a SD card or flash drive for up to 28 hours. The included remote allows for simple navigation in the interface. There’s even integrated triggers so when you back up, or turn, you get the image of the direction you’re heading. You even get alerts for potential collisions. And since the system can record even when the vehicle is parked, it’s also great for surveillance. It sounds like it could be too good to be true, so I am excited to see how well it actually works!


The included installation guide is very easy to read and follow. Typically that is often the weak link in a product, so I was very impressed! For you guys that are going to be installing this yourself, that’s very good news. It’s a fairly sophisticated system in its abilities. So if you are competent in your handywork, you should be fine by just following the instructions. And as long as your car receiver has a camera input, or video input, which most do, you’ll be golden for this camera system.  Now that it’s installed, lets see how it works!
 


The iBeam TE-360-3D integrated seamlessly with my Kenwood eXcelon Reference DDX9905S receiver.  The included remote worked well in getting everything set-up.   The menus are self explanatory, so getting everything set up was simple.  And I loved the way it integrated.  When I turn on my truck, my receiver turns on, and it shows the front of the vehicle.  When I back up out of my garage, it automatically switches view to the back of my truck so I can see what is behind me.   The same also happens when I turn.  Whether it is left or right, when I use the turn signal, it automatically shows the image of the direction that I am turning.  Once the turn signal is no longer engaged, it automatically goes back to display the source that I was listening to. 

I love the way it automatically goes to the direction I am going.  And once I am done turning, or backing up, it automatically goes back to the regular radio display.  Part of the set-up is you can select the type of vehicle that shows up on the display with the cameras.  It was a little confusing to me why it can’t just show the image of your vehicle that it is seeing, but no big deal.  My truck is a full-size Nissan Titan, and while it showed the image of the vehicle that was designated in the set-up screen, like a generic SUV, it still showed a very small part of my truck. 



The dual screen images was also really cool.  The screen is split in two. The right side of the screen displays where you are going.  If you are turning left, it will display the image from the camera on the left side of the vehicle.  If you are backing up, it will be the image of the rear camera that will be displayed.  And the image on the left side is the 360 degree image of the vehicle.  In the middle of the screen is an image of the entire vehicle, from the viewpoint of the top of the vehicle, as if you were looking down at it.  And it shows what is in front of the vehicle, behind the vehicle, as well as what is on all sides.  It is a stitched image from all four cameras to give you a 360 degree image of what is around the vehicle.  It’s pretty cool. 



While it’s really cool having a camera system in my Titan, and the image looks cool when it comes up on my display, that’s not the most important part.  It’s the added security that it gives me that is the most critical and beneficial.  Seeing vehicles next to me when I turn, or what’s behind me, can potentially be huge.  It can be an accident saver.  Especially when you’re backing up.  I’ve heard the nightmare stories of the toddler playing behind the vehicle that wasn’t seen by the parent backing up.  Now you can see what is behind you, immediately behind you.  The peace of mind alone is well worth any cost of the system.  Fortunately I have not needed to see how the built-in DVR works in the time of an accident.  But I am glad that it constantly records video onto a memory card, that way if there is an accident, you have it saved for law enforcement.

 

The iBeam TE-360-3D is iBeam’s top of the line system, and it showed. The quality of materials and the components were excellent, and a well written manual was provided. It should give many years of service. And it all came together in a great looking image on screen. It worked just as it should, which is one of the best compliments you can give. Based on its design, features, quality, and performance, the iBeam TE-360-3D has earned our Editor’s choice award. At an MSRP of $1,032 it isn’t cheap, but you do tend to get what you pay for. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.ibeamusa.com.  A free sampling of the product being provided did not in any way impact the opinions in the review.


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