When car video monitors were first introduced to the market, they primarily consisted of either an overhead or flip down monitor. These types of monitors were geared mainly towards parents who took long trips in the family minivan with their kids. These days, there are quite a few more car video monitor options available to consumers with varying reasons as to what they are used for. Of course the market is still filled with parents looking to keep their keeps occupied during long rides, but now people are installing monitors to entertain business clients, review DVD presentations on the way to a meeting or play the latest Madden football game with their buddies on the way to a pro football game. Aside from the overhead and flip down monitors other types of car video monitors available to consumers include: in-dash monitors, headrest monitors, sun visor monitors, and mirror monitors.

Overhead Car Video Monitors: Overhead monitors are exactly what their name implies. You can attach an overhead monitor to the ceiling of your vehicle. Typically they are installed in larger vehicles such as minivans and sport utility vehicles since they require a good amount of headroom for the overhead installation. An overhead car video monitor often fits over your vehicle’s overhead lighting unit. A typical overhead monitor is 7 – 10 inches, but you can buy monitors as large as 20 inches.

Flip Down Car Video Monitors: A flip down monitor is basically an overhead monitor that flips down for viewing. When the monitor is not being viewed it can be flipped up to add more overhead space to the vehicle. This type of monitor is also popular with consumers that own cars, who want an overhead car video monitor for their back seat passengers. Flip down monitors come in the same sizes as overhead monitors.

In-Dash Car Video Monitors: In-dash car video monitors provide video entertainment to the often-neglected front seat passenger (and driver, although I don’t recommend viewing the in-dash monitor while you are driving). An in-dash monitor is usually one component of a larger unit that includes a TV tuner and receiver. Most in-dash monitors flip up from the unit when being viewed and flip back down to provide more front seat space when it is not being used. These monitors are usually 7 inches or less.

Headrest Car Video Monitors: Headrest monitors can either be mounted to the back of your vehicle’s headrest or mounted into your headrest with the use of a mounting bracket and mounting kit. There are even headrest replacement monitors that are designed to replace your vehicle’s original headrest. This allows the consumer to avoid cutting into the original headrest. When you sell or get rid of your vehicle you can replace the headrest monitors with the original headrests. Headrest monitors can be used in conjunction with or as a replacement to an overhead monitor. They are especially popular with car owners, since cars typically do not provide the necessary overhead space for overhead monitors. Headrest monitors are also generally 7 inches or less.

Sun Visor Car Video Monitors: Sun visor monitors can either be mounted into your vehicle’s current sun visor or purchased as a replacement to your original sun visor. Manufacturers of sun visor replacement monitors have designed the visors in many different colors and textures to match your vehicle’s interior as closely as possible. A typical sun visor monitor is 5 inches in length although they make them as large as 7 inches.

Mirror Car Video Monitors: Mirror car video monitors are LCD displays that are designed to fit over the existing rear-view mirror in your vehicle. Besides being used as a traditional video monitor, mirror monitors are also great for rear view cameras as well. This is the smallest type of monitor available for your vehicle and is generally no more than 4 inches long.