Dash Cams -- recommends? -- or not?

Front and rear together also means one power cord.

Hard wiring should just need another 12 volt outlet installed somewhere out of sight. Some brands might offer a kit for it. Working under the dash is just such a pain though, sometimes literally.

I picked up some plastic pry bars for popping off the headliner where needed. I might need a solution for holding the cable in place where it will run along the A pillar. That something should also help with the Scangauge cable.

 

Since I now have 2020 PRIME, I don't want to do a permanent mod that may void warranty. Running wire under the liner to hide it then connect to OEM usb jack should not be be too hard. I also have a set of LED bulbs to replace cabin lights. Oh, yeah, I also bought door edge protector and bumper protectors for the new PRIME that did not come with. They have to go on the car. Another thing I purchased sometime ago but never got to using it is the plastic fatigue matting to cover the entire decking. I already have cargo liner, but I wanted extra layer of protection under it. And, I also wanted to wrap front grill and inside trims... that, I still have not purchased material. My, I better get busy. lol

 

Massachusetts, where traffic signals are mere suggestions.

 

I tuck my power cable under the pillar molding. While more difficult to pry up that hard plastic pillar molding than the headliner, it is still workable.

 

Yap, it is the only place I know North and South are the same directions.

 

I had concerns with the air bag underneath.

 

I have a dash cam option on the Sygic navigation app on my Android phone, but so far I've never used it.

The taxis in which we traveled in Taiwan about five years ago all had dash cams.

 

I am experimenting with an iTrue 3x dash cam and RAVPower RP-PB19 16750mAh power bank configuration. Normally $250, the iTrue is now dirt cheap (<$50) because it has a serious design flaw: The iTrue does not have an internal battery and corrupts the last video file when it loses power, rendering the dash cam useless during accidents. The RP-PB19 power bank (<$30) fixes this problem, but is a little clumsy to operate. You have to wait for the last video file to finish recording (when the red dot stops blinking) before manually disconnecting the power bank USB cable to turn the camera off. Also, you have to manually recharge the power bank once every few weeks (if you operate it in power saver mode). Performance is excellent (high resolution wide-angle with audio) and other niceties that you normally find on more expensive models. GUI is counter-intuitive tho, and takes a lot of trial and error to figure out how to set up the camera. However, once you get past the learning curve it's easy to use.

As stated, the power bank battery life holds at least two weeks worth of charge if you operate the camera in power save mode (motion detection) and turn off the camera (by disconnecting it) when you are done for the day. However, it will drain the power pack if you leave the camera on over night.

I am working on a switch box design to make the the dash cam / power bank configuration easier to use.

 

It's all about frames per second, especially at night. You pay big bucks for frames per second as well as 4K. If I recall, our blackview camera (highest quality on the market) dashcam on ojr model X, with wiring installation thru the headliner was over $800. Even so, it sucked big time. That should tell you how much quality you will get.
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The one I got was recommended in another thread, but I did sort of buy it spur of the moment when it came up as a deal on Amazon.
Most of the dash cam brands are ones I never heard of, and some cameras can be sold under multiple brands.

You can take a look at review sites to get an idea of what is out there. dash cam reviews - Google Search
Netbase and Garmin were common names on the sites I skimmed, but you have to decide on a budget, and what features are important to you. the Garmin Mini is probably the pro equivalent to that cop cam cube.

It seems small 1080p HD digital chips have become a commodity thanks to smart phones. Finding lower definition is probably a challenge, but there are other metrics to consider. Things like the its field of view angle, and Hill mentioned frames per second for recording. Most monitors and TVs can't play back higher 60, and a quick check shows the iPhone and Pixel records video in 30 or 60 fps, so these should be fine for a dashcam.

Do you want a display on the cam itself for controling it, or is operating through a phone fine?
Is being able to easily to remove the unit from the car important? Or is having a sentry mode?
Do you also want to record the car interior, or behind the car?

That's just a few of the choices to make about what you want from it. I opted for the Vantrue because it was low profile, with a rear cam, and removeable memory. The SD card was separate. If you opt for removable be sure to use high speed cards. It also uses a supercapacitor instead of a battery, which should last longer sitting right under glass in the sun or freezing in winter. Sentry mode is a plus.

 

Yes, that one looks more like a voyeur / sex offender cam than a motor vehicle dash cam.

 

the great enemy of electronics is heat. We expect our teeny , very compact - little air circulation inside dash cams to operate in an environment that's extremely hostile to electronics. On any cool morning, you can touch the camera & feel the warmth that it generates, easily feeling like it's running temperature is over human body temps. Even on a day that's in the upper 70s, inside your car will quickly jump to over 100°f. So if the sunshine temp is 100°, your car can hit 150° + inside & near near your car's dash. Now that heat generated by that compact camera is REALLY cooking. Mediocre designed electronics don't last long in that kind of environment.
Tapatalk has a dash cam forum. One of the best - most expensive – dashcam's is blackvue. Read up & discover how troublesome that some these poor cameras can be;
DR750S-2CH | DashCamTalk
If these companies had Stellar support after you lay out good money, it wouldn't be so bad. But support is really pathetic.
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Sorry I guess I did log in and post just to tell you I had no recommendation.
Given the story about your dogs being so helpful, maybe you want to take a que from Dr. Evil and have cameras strapped to their heads?
How intimidating would it be to be met by a pack of upset dogs all with cameras filming your suddenly forehead sweating retreat?

Anybody can have Dash Cam....far fewer a pack of ready Dog Cams.

 

I found this in my e-mail this weekend. I have had one since 2016 and it has worked well. Just make sure to get a high-speed SD card:

Most recently, I used it to record Tesla charging session if I don't use my iPhone. The key is the code "MEMORIALWC" that might save a few bucks. Be sure and cross-check against eBay and Amazon.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

Isn't the 750S an older product? I bought the newer DR900S almost a year and a half ago and installed it in our car about a year ago. Even looking through your links I'm not seeing a lot of recent/current postings.

I picked the Blackvue specifically because they deliberately build them without batteries to enable better reliability in very high temperature operations. I also like the ultra simple usage mode- Just get in and drive. If something happens and you want to manually save an event, just tap the end of the camera body and keep driving.

I can't say anything about their support because I've never had to use it- the thing just works.

 

Is this it? Rove R2-4K Car Dash Cam 2160/30fps with Wi-Fi &amp; GPS, Night Vision&ndash; ROVE Dash Cam

I wonder how easy it is to install and uninstall without hard wiring. As I said, I have a more compact dash cam I bought over a year ago, but I may buy a better one on my wife's SUV.

 

Buy this:

Go on ebay and buy a Hero 2 kit. They are cheap. And bullet proof. And an excellent handheld camera for any event.

I have had mine about 9 years so far. Battery powered really wide angle its on a rubber suction cup so i can jump between cars.
HD. And really tough it has fallen on every surface concrete, dirt, wood, gravel keeps on running. Mine is beat to death still makes a perfect video and has an amazing amount of adapters.

Go on you tube and look.

I do not drive without one. You have no bigger financial exposure in your life then driving a car. And nothing in your life is more dangerous as you found out the hard way.

If you had one you would of had video of your last accident. You get T Boned late at night in an intersection and the other driver says you ran the red light its a he said she said.