Dash cam experiments

Ebay shows a lot dash cams at affordable prices but there are a wide range of options. Then one of the PriusChat threads suggested getting a smartphone app and sure enough:

• iPhone 4 (work unit)
• ISymDVR (V1.18)
• iPhone holder

So this is what it looks like, on the passenger side, visor:

The installation from the side:

The unit is no where near the driver and only obscures part of the passenger-side, door frame.

So this is what it looks like from the driver's view:

With the aux, iPhone power cable, the unit runs on 'car power'. By turning off the microphone and speaker, I can still use the iPhone to receive Internet radio or play podcasts.

As a practical dash cam, not really. A good dash cam needs to be automatic and not require any driver install with each trip and startup. However, it has been enough to verify the passenger side visor area as a good place. Also, the GPS tags are pretty handy as well as the map:

Driving along on cruise control, posted speed limit 50 mph, following traffic.

Another Toyota can be seen in the rear view mirror, overtaking in the passing lane. He is actually in the blind spot:


So here the other car has passed:


Within a few seconds, the other Toyota is over taking the SUV I was following:


A good dash cam will:

• stay in the car - it needs to handle automotive temperature ranges
• starts with car ON - nothing should be required except the driver concentrate on driving
• stops automatic on G force accident - no one is going to be stopping it
• stops on power off - again, no one is going to hit "stop' and save
• GPS - nice option since it gives speed, altitude, location, and exact time

I like having the dash cam mounted high to look down at the road and instruments. A rear view would also be nice to document over taking traffic.

Bob Wilson

 

I've sent a note to the developer but I am only getting less than a minute of recording at night. Daytime, no problem, it runs for the 10 minutes per session as expected. But I have had not luck getting night drive recordings except for less than a minute.

Bob Wilson

 

Any problems with night recordings?

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

 

I'm going with a dedicated OBD scanner as I want the power and operation to be automatic. The unit I'm looking at has both a forward and rearward camera. It won't be 360 but it will be close enough.

As much as adding OBD data and GPS helps, those are optional for my purposes.

Bob Wilson

 

REQUIRED:

1. Automatic ON/OFF - must not require anything from the driver.
2. Day and night operation
3. Permanently in car, must tolerate -20C to +60C operation
4. Low profile, visor mount on passenger side and/or ceiling just behind passenger visor and/or dome light mount
5. Screen out of sight (will not be used while driving unless providing backup camera function)
6. Front and rear view cameras with concurrent recording

OPTIONAL:

1. GPS - time-stamp, location, velocity
2. Security control, configuration lockout/password with theft deterrent warning text
3. Removable media, SD-style card, computer compatible (need not be encrypted/secured)
4. Wide, front camera field of view
5. Adequate video quality, HD video is NOT required

From Ebay, likely candidates:

• HD 2 3 Car DVR Cam Dash Vehicle Recorder 30 FPS Dual Camera Support GPS G Sensor | eBay
• F20 Dual Lens IR Car Vehicle Dash Dashboard Camera Cam Mini DV Night Vision | eBay
• Vehicle Dash DVR Cam Video Recorder with Dual CMOS Cameras Gravity Sensor | eBay

There may be others but these are the ones that look most likely. I could go with a rear-view mirror mount provided it had GPS. My existing rear view mirror has GPS, bluetooth (broken), and rear mounted camera (bad location, will move.)

Bob Wilson

 

Last night, I finally got a good recording. I suspect my earlier, night recording problem might have been my fumble-fingers and the mount.

Bob Wilson

 

Certainly the Russian tests would prove they can handle the cold. <GRINS>

I'm still unhappy with blind-stops on our Prius. My thinking is the rear view would cover the areas out the rear passenger windows. I'm not worried about directly behind, it is those sneaky b*stards coming up on the adjacent lanes that I want to 'see'.

BTW, I find when using the camera my 'California stops' have all but stopped . . . except for 'right turn on red' . . .

Bob Wilson