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VIDEO AND SECURITY
Let’s face it, some products are "love it or hate it" — it’s just a fact of life. For some, an object will scream, "oh, this is way too cool," and for others it’ll say, "don’t walk, run!" The SAVV LBM-S5000 Security Rear View Mirror Monitor is definitely a product that falls into the "love it or hate it" category. What do I think? I love it.
The LBM-S5000 is a high-definition, low-reflection 5-inch TFT LCD mounted behind a low glare mirror surface with universal adjustable mounting clasps. The unit looks like a very large rearview mirror that attaches to your existing mirror. It’s NTSC/PAL selectable, has a composite (75-ohm) video input signal, an external dual AV input (DIN or RCA), a built-in speaker, and a full function remote control. In a nutshell, it is a 5-inch monitor that doubles as your rearview mirror.
A View To A Ticket?
Well, it depends on what you use this killer product for — if used as intended, absolutely not! The intent is to use this monitor to see what’s going on behind you when you’re backing up. The wiring is such that the monitor may be set up to turn on and off when you shift in or out of reverse. When off, the mirror functions much like any other mirror, with the exception of the fact that it’s much larger and a slightly different shape than normal. As a mirror, I found that I actually liked it better than the factory one because of the increased viewing area, though the size might turn some people off.
When the monitor is activated, the left corner of the mirror lights up and allows you to see the rather large image of what’s going on behind your vehicle. This feature does take a little getting used to and an easy one-touch dimmer is provided on the remote to keep the brightness just right.
The SAVV color camera really comes in handy and I was actually surprised at how well the image looked. Compared to the backup cameras that I’ve used in the past, which were little more than a novelty to me, the SAVV LBM-S5000 is rather useful.
As a side note, I found that a really cool use for the monitor while driving was as a display for my navigation unit. It freed up my head unit’s display and gave me turn-by-turn in a convenient display size that’s actually quite useful.
The Valet Says!
One of my final tests of whether a product is cool or not is how the various valets around town react to the gear that gets put through the paces in the Escape. Well, the LBM-S5000 was a complete hit — so much so that I need to find a dealer for a couple of guys at Sanctuary, the club featured on the cover of last month’s issue.
The LBM-S5000 offers an easy install, and an easy to use design. The only thing that I’d like to see is a better looking and easier way to mount the camera. Unless a camera mount is specifically made for certain vehicle, it always lacks a certain excitement factor. Maybe making a universal rack adapter would be a good idea? (Hint, hint)
As far as the monitor is concerned, super kudos to SAVV! It features a real stark design, that’s bold, easy to use, and very cool.
Price & Contact: LBM-S500: $299, Color Back-up Camera: $229; Tel: 562-529-7700; www.savv.com
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