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Hi All,

I'm wondering if anyone with an R3 equipped with glass displays (2017+ ?)has played with the video features? When I was sitting on an R3 Surf at the boat show, I noticed a video camera icon. I've looked at the Garmon 7607 manual and it appears that you can connect a video camera to the system. The manual is pretty "skinny" in detail.

What I'm wondering is whether you can mount a camera at the tow point (either tower or pylon) and view live video on one of the 7607 screens. If so, how do you control the camera?

While the primary purpose would be to catch video of the kids skiing, it would be cool if the system will display live video on the 7607 - it would obviate the need for the $491 tow mirror?

Thanks,

Bob

So you want a backup camera on the R3?

I have seen wake boats that allow you to display the video from a GoPro camera on the screens at the helm. Pretty cool.

A GoPro mounted to the tower that you are going to buy - hint hint - may be a better idea. If you went that route you would also be able to view the video at a later date, I cant imagine the Garmin has video storage.

NautiGirl wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:24 am So you want a backup camera on the R3?

I have seen wake boats that allow you to display the video from a GoPro camera on the screens at the helm. Pretty cool.

A GoPro mounted to the tower that you are going to buy - hint hint - may be a better idea. If you went that route you would also be able to view the video at a later date, I can't imagine the Garmin has video storage.

I'm heading out to the dealership this afternoon to give them the Cobalt shoulder bag (with manuals, warranty, spare key) from the 210 I traded as well as the 2 batteries I've had in my garage on float charge all winter. I'm going to sit on the boat with the tower (bimini deployed and stored) and I'll also sit in the boat without the tower (just bimini) and make a decision.

Garmin makes a GoPro style camera. I think both manufacturer's cameras are wifi enabled so I was thinking that they pair with the Garmin 7607 to display video and display video there. I was just wondering whether that is a Surf boat function or all 7607's have the feature.

I think the recording would be on the camera itself. Wakeye makes some cool (but expensive) camera mounts that follow the skier by tracking the tow rope movement: https://www.wakeye.com

Just wondering if anyone has played with this stuff.

I've played with one that allowed you to have different "surveillance" cameras around the boat, including an IR camera for night or inclement weather. Kind of neat, but different from what you're trying to do.

John

Make sure you can mount the camera with the binimi deployed. I know mine would not work in the middle of the tower.

Nothing fun happens when the Bimini is deployed anyway. Who tubes or skis /w the Bimini open? Just slows you down lol.

NautiGirl wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:08 pm Nothing fun happens when the Bimini is deployed anyway. Who tubes or skis /w the Bimini open? Just slows you down lol.

hahaha! My bimini is deployed from may until I winterize the boat.

On topic. I noticed the "camera" button when messing with mine last weekend. I clicked it and it just said no camera detected. So I would assume one could be added.

tgrace98 wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:04 pm

NautiGirl wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:08 pm Nothing fun happens when the Bimini is deployed anyway. Who tubes or skis /w the Bimini open? Just slows you down lol.

hahaha! My bimini is deployed from may until I winterize the boat.

On topic. I noticed the "camera" button when messing with mine last weekend. I clicked it and it just said no camera detected. So I would assume one could be added.

I'm going to start boating /w you guys - Katie won't let me open ours. Think its literally been open twice since we have owned the boat, once when we got caught in a thunderstorm and nearly died - no joke - and the other when we had a 2 year old on the boat who was in the early stages of heat stroke.

NautiGirl wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:12 pm

tgrace98 wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:04 pm

NautiGirl wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:08 pm Nothing fun happens when the Bimini is deployed anyway. Who tubes or skis /w the Bimini open? Just slows you down lol.

hahaha! My bimini is deployed from may until I winterize the boat.

On topic. I noticed the "camera" button when messing with mine last weekend. I clicked it and it just said no camera detected. So I would assume one could be added.

I'm going to start boating /w you guys - Katie won't let me open ours. Think its literally been open twice since we have owned the boat, once when we got caught in a thunderstorm and nearly died - no joke - and the other when we had a 2 year old on the boat who was in the early stages of heat stroke.

Yikes! that is why I wanted the tower. So I can drive with the bimini deployed all the time. On my 262 it was October before I even knew how to fold the canvas in lol.

tgrace98 wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:29 pm

NautiGirl wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:12 pm

tgrace98 wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:04 pm

hahaha! My bimini is deployed from may until I winterize the boat.

On topic. I noticed the "camera" button when messing with mine last weekend. I clicked it and it just said no camera detected. So I would assume one could be added.

I'm going to start boating /w you guys - Katie won't let me open ours. Think its literally been open twice since we have owned the boat, once when we got caught in a thunderstorm and nearly died - no joke - and the other when we had a 2 year old on the boat who was in the early stages of heat stroke.

Yikes! that is why I wanted the tower. So I can drive with the bimini deployed all the time. On my 262 it was October before I even knew how to fold the canvas in lol.

The dealer said I can leave the bimini deployed all season. The only negative is the bird crap that might land on it. I was thinking about fading (my boat sits in the water all season - which is 2-1/2 months), but I'm thinking it will just match the bow and tonneau covers.

tgrace98 wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:04 pm

NautiGirl wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:08 pm Nothing fun happens when the Bimini is deployed anyway. Who tubes or ski's /w the Bimini open? Just slows you down lol.

hahaha! My bimini is deployed from may until I winterize the boat.

On topic. I noticed the "camera" button when messing with mine last weekend. I clicked it and it just said no camera detected. So I would assume one could be added.

Your boat isn't a Surf mode, correct? If that is the case, I'm betting I can add a wifi camera and watch video on the 7607's screen while underway. That is pretty cool. The dealer had no clue how the feature works.

BobRae99 wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:43 pm

tgrace98 wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:04 pm

NautiGirl wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:08 pm Nothing fun happens when the Bimini is deployed anyway. Who tubes or ski's /w the Bimini open? Just slows you down lol.

hahaha! My bimini is deployed from may until I winterize the boat.

On topic. I noticed the "camera" button when messing with mine last weekend. I clicked it and it just said no camera detected. So I would assume one could be added.

Your boat isn't a Surf mode, correct? If that is the case, I'm betting I can add a wifi camera and watch video on the 7607's screen while underway. That is pretty cool. The dealer had no clue how the feature works.

Correct mine is the non surf model. As far as the garmins go there is no difference between standard drive and surf. Just the surf comes with tow mode standard.

NautiGirl wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:12 pm

tgrace98 wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:04 pm

NautiGirl wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:08 pm Nothing fun happens when the Bimini is deployed anyway. Who tubes or ski's /w the Bimini open? Just slows you down lol.

hahaha! My bimini is deployed from may until I winterize the boat.

On topic. I noticed the "camera" button when messing with mine last weekend. I clicked it and it just said no camera detected. So I would assume one could be added.

I'm going to start boating /w you guys - Katie won't let me open ours. Think its literally been open twice since we have owned the boat, once when we got caught in a thunderstorm and nearly died - no joke - and the other when we had a 2 year old on the boat who was in the early stages of heat stroke.

Bring her down to Austin this August. She'll be begging for the Bimini in about 5 minutes.

Bimini open and out ALL the time. You Siberian snowbirds wouldn't know anything about that. And the Nauti's are just weird.

So Bob....this has intrigued me. I wouldnt mind setting up a camera on my boat to connect to the 7607. From a little research it looks like it will only interact with Garmin cameras. Not a big deal.....I guess the question I'd have is how hard is it to connect the camera to the 7607? Mounting it on the tower under the bimini would be easy but not sure where you'd have to run the wires and how hard would that be?