I had a little Cobra CDR 840 Dash cam which worked pretty well but now seems to have developed problems so I purchased a Rexing V1, which is highly rated and was available for a great price on Amazon Prime Day. This camera doesn't come with suction cup holder - only velcro stick-ons pads. Since I want to have the versatility of using it rental cars when I am traveling, I purchased a separate holder for it, which also gives more ability to swivel up and down. This is my problem. The Prius, as you know, has a very sloped windshield. It also has those dots at the top of the windshield in the center, which prevents a suction cup from being mounted there. So the best place I have found to mount it is just below the dots close to the mirror. However, although the screen is nice and big (much larger than my Cobra screen), when mounted, it's angled in such as way that I can't see the picture on the screen. If I adjust the angle of the screen to make it more vertical (using the swivel on the holder) the picture is clear, but the picture points down towards the dashboard. Even though camera lens can be adjusted up and down too, it doesn't turn far enough up to clear the dashboard. I've tried every which way, and even jerry-rigged the suction-cup mount to use the swivel from my Cobra mount - but nothing works. I either can't get a clear picture on the screen (it goes dark) or I see too much of the dash. With the Cobra, I don't have a problem seeing the screen regardless of what angle it's at. I'm posting this here because I'm considering returning this Rexing but I am having difficulty finding a replacement. I don't want to spend a whole lot of money, around $100. Does anybody have any suggestions?
How about making some type of triangle shaped shim (maybe from basal wood or wood block or plastic,,,)something light weight. Then use the 3m auto type double back tape to mount the shim, then use the 3m tape again to mount the camera to the shim ??
Does Cobra had a double-stick-tape mounting bracket for this model series of dashcam? I have other Cobra units in both my cars. The first came with both a suction cup, and a tape mount that holds even on the defrost dots: Adhesive Mount for Dash Cams – cobra.com The second unit (purchased through a different retail channel) came with only the suction cup, so I had to buy this mount $eparately (very expen$ive for what it is, but it works) to do the job right. This is NOT the right mount for your model, so look over Cobra's website for other possibilities.
Thank you both for your replies. I bought the Rexing mount designed specifically for the Rexing dash cam. Other mounts will not be compatible. I don't know why the picture is dark when the screen is tilted back. I can tilt the camera screen using the swivel arm on the mount (I wouldn't be able to do this at all if I used the Velcro tape) but when I get it to where the picture is clear, the camera lens points down towards the dash and I can't adjust it enough to point directly forward. It's hard to explain and I'll post pictures tomorrow.
I guess my question is do other people have this problem viewing the screen on the dash cam? As I said before, I don't have the same problem with the little Cobra screen - the picture is the same whether I'm looking at it at an angle or straight on. Neither do I have a problem viewing my Garmin or cell phone.
This is likely an artifact of the display screen type. Some types displays have wide viewing angles, others are fairly narrow. This is a design and cost choice made by the manufacturer. Personally, my dashcams are placed mostly out of driver view beside the rear-view mirror. I don't watch them while driving, but when stopped can lean over to check that they are functioning. The front seat passenger can easily watch it, if desired. When wanting to mark a time slot to save (not get overwritten by the loop-around), I can easily reach over and feel the necessary button, and hear the confirmation beep.
Do you need to be able to see what is on the screen apart from when setting it up? I had the same dash cam on my previous car (Renault Zoe) and that didn't have such an angled screen as the Prius, but I still couldn't see the screen properly unless I got my head right down and looked under it. For my Prius I bought one without a screen and I can view everything through an App on my phone. It works a treat and is much more discreet as can be seen in the photo below. Due to its size its mounted far away from the dots and has great coverage. It can also be rotated by a huge amount to get the perfect viewing angle. Its much less distracting as I cannot see it from the drivers seat and I forget its even there.
The reason I want a dash cam is not only to have evidence in case of a problem but to also capture video of scenic drive, etc. Maybe it's not absolutely necessary to be able to see the screen clearly after it's set up, but what's the point of having a big screen if you can't see it? I don't stare at the screen while driving but like to occasionally glance up to see that it's angled to get the best view. Thanks for your reply about having the same problem with your previous car. I was wondering about that. I think I need to look for one similar to my old Cobra 840, which has a very small screen but is viewable from any angle, takes up less spaces, can be rotated in any direction, and has GPS logging. The newer Cobras look similar to the Rexing, though I don't know whether they have the same problem.
The first picture shows the default position (back parallel to the windshield). The second picture shows it adjusted vertically to get a clear picture. The bottom 40% just shows the dash. I found the number for Rexing and will give them a call tomorrow to see if they have anything to say. I also took a look at some other dash cams in Best Buy today. None of them had this weird configuration where the lens is at a different angle to the screen and they all came with swivel suction-cup mounts and were less bulky. The sales guy recommended the Eye 1 Pro - it's $150, which is more than what I wanted to spend, but has GPS tracking. Is anybody here familiar with that?
LOL! I found a review of the Rexing on Amazon with the same complaint that I have about not being able to see the screen. Rexing responded as follows: Hello, We appreciate your feedback. It is designed to discourage you from looking at it while driving. The idea is that you will be parked so you can take the unit off of the mount to change any settings or view playback. If you ever need any assistance please contact [email protected]. So why have such a big screen?
Take a look at the Street Guardian 9663. It’s got a rear camera and mounts just under the rear view mirror using a 3M stick on the window mount. I really like mine. The night vision is great and the parking mode is programmable. Everything you need, including a 64gb card is included. I did have to buy a wiring harness for the rear camera so all in on Amazon...$260.
The big screen is better for playing back and viewing your footage, but that's all you need a screen for. My Dod dashcam screen blanks a minute or so after start up for safety and IIRC to comply with UK law.
Why would you need to constantly look at the screen? Set up the camera so it points in the desired direction and you are done. I use a dash cam just like yours on my 2016 Prius 2. You asked a question in post #10, "So why have such a big screen?" The screen is there to aid in setting it up and to view playback, not to be watching while driving around. I have been using my dash cam on several cars and have never had to readjust the camera angle after setting it up. You are putting too much thought into this.
The dash cams in all three of our cars are all up behind the rear view mirror. Out of sight, out of mind. 175 degree field of view, one of them has a 2x2 screen. Simply to show that it’s working. I can download the video to my phone on the off chance something does happen.
My dashcams do get bumped and misaimed occasionally by the front seat passenger, so I need to check their aim periodically. But certainly not daily. One of them (not in the Prius) also locks up and freezes occasionally, once missing recording a significant incident. When this happens, the lockup will not clear and reset until its internal battery drains, taking more than 30 minutes after power is disconnected. So on longer trips, I sometimes lean over to get a quick view of it, to make sure it is still working. Other than these, I have no reason to view them while driving.
I do not need to constantly view the screen but I like to be able to when I want, such as if I'm driving through a scenic area or catch a beautiful sunset. I got a dash cam that I can view. Don't remember the brand right now. It works the way I want it to.
