Dash Cams

[RichieH]

@Fubar.

I use Windows movie maker to upload. You can select what quality you want to upload it in when you click on the YouTube icon.

@xreyuk

Its quite difficult to read the reg plates. You can just about make them out.

[slicendice]

I am seriously considering getting one of these after a very close shave the other day - just approaching an island in the nearside lane and some nutcase came tanking up the offside lane and then cut in front of me and jammed his brakes on in order to turn left at the island. I anchored up and didn't actually hit him but it must have been close - the scary thing being if I had hit him, it would have been "my fault" as I would have gone into the back of him. At least with footage from a dash cam it would be possible to show insurance company, police, etc that he'd swerved in front of me.

The one thing that concerns me a little is whether they would be seen as a reason to target your car if spotted by the local pond life...? I know some of them are quite big, esp the bracket to attach them to the windscreen and I wouldn't want it to attract unwanted attention.

Edited 6 May, 2012 by slicendice

[xreyuk]

I am seriously considering getting one of these after a very close shave the other day - just approaching an island in the nearside lane and some nutcase came tanking up the offside lane and then cut in front of me and jammed his brakes on in order to turn left at the island. I anchored up and didn't actually hit him but it must have been close - the scary thing being if I had hit him, it would have been "my fault" as I would have gone into the back of him. At least with footage from a dash cam it would be possible to show insurance company, police, etc that he'd swerved in front of me.

The one thing that concerns me a little is whether they would be seen as a reason to target your car if spotted by the local pond life...? I know some of them are quite big, esp the bracket to attach them to the windscreen and I wouldn't want it to attract unwanted attention.

I think if you can do it, use the velcro. It's much less obvious compared to a big circle on the windscreen behind your mirror.

In the end I went for a different camera, but I'll still be mounting in the same way with the velcro.

[willskoda]

I bought one of the £20 jobbies off ebay the other month for my road trip to Prague - when I get back I'll let you know how it went - oh and if it caught fire!!

[zeffania]

Perfect timing this thread, may have to invest in the £45 from eBay following the you tube clips. Hopefully I can run the power from a switched live cigarette up through the a pillar, across the roof lining and some how attach it to the back of the rear view mirror

[RainbowFire]

Perfect timing this thread, may have to invest in the £45 from eBay following the you tube clips. Hopefully I can run the power from a switched live cigarette up through the a pillar, across the roof lining and some how attach it to the back of the rear view mirror

Take a switched live from the fuse-box, it'll be closer, quicker and easier.

[FUBAR]

The one thing that concerns me a little is whether they would be seen as a reason to target your car if spotted by the local pond life...? I know some of them are quite big, esp the bracket to attach them to the windscreen and I wouldn't want it to attract unwanted attention.

They might think its a unmarked police car

[zeffania]

Take a switched live from the fuse-box, it'll be closer, quicker and easier.

Already got a 4 way in the glove box for the sat nav, but cheers

[RainbowFire]

Already got a 4 way in the glove box for the sat nav, but cheers

Okies cool. Am thinking this will be the way to go soon as well at some point. Would be nice if a multi-socket was installed as standard methinks

[zeffania]

Okies cool. Am thinking this will be the way to go soon as well at some point. Would be nice if a multi-socket was installed as standard methinks

Indeed, keep thinking of doing a dual install in the rear ash tray for the kids, but not sure I'll have the car long enough as they aren't old enough for electrical goods

[classic]

I've also got one of the Smart Cam G206's. Its great, but I'm paranoid that someone will nick it. I've already had a sat nav stolen from the glovebox, the only trace that I'd got one was a very faint partial suction cup mark that I hadn't cleaned off.

These things are best if you can just leave them to record away everytime you drive, whereas I do keep removing mine for fear it will be stolen.

I think the manufacturers are missing a trick with the design. I would like one where the small camera section is seperate to the main unit and has a lead so you could hide the camera on the windscreen pillar, or where the top of the dash meets the screen, and have the unit and wiring hidden well out of sight.

[zeffania]

One made into the rear view mirror would be the best way. No one would even know. Is there enough room in the bulky things to fit one?

[shane_saintsfc]

One made into the rear view mirror would be the best way. No one would even know. Is there enough room in the bulky things to fit one?

Yes, http://www.hardwaresphere.com/2009/04/08/rear-view-mirror-car-with-integrated-camera-recorder/

[RainbowFire]

Integrating one should be a doddle really. Most units are only the size they are because of us, e.g. mine and RichieH's have built-in screens, and buttons. Remove the on-device human interface and you're left with something very small indeed. Once you think in terms of integration, you can have a dual-function rear-facing camera too, perhaps an internal one to show people who still insist on driving whilst on the phone (plus it would stop the sudden "there were 4 passengers in the car and they all suffered whiplash" syndrome). You could have some CANbus integration too. Instant Playback could be via the ever growing in popularity LED displays in the stereo system, and all recorded onto a removable hard-disk in the glove box.

I suspect though that the manufacturers would charge £000's for a system that actually costs £0's :( :(

[xreyuk]

I can't decide which dash cam I want.

The HD SmartCam will mount well (I'd mount on dash instead of Windscreen), but it doesn't look as though it can read number plates of cars coming at the cars. This costs £45

Where as the DOD GSE580 is 1080p, definitely can read number plates (I looked at the collision thread on the first page) however, will have to be mounted on windscreen (more inconvenient). This will, however, cost £143.

[slicendice]

One made into the rear view mirror would be the best way. No one would even know. Is there enough room in the bulky things to fit one?

Amazon have exactly that: http://www.amazon.co...36487595&sr=1-9

No idea what the quality is like as there is no brand name to Google, so it would be a bit of a punt to get one...

EDIT: looks like it's made by a company called KiWAV - just found one on eBay that includes sample footage http://www.ebay.co.u...=item1c1fd56dde

Looks like it actually clips over the top of your exiting mirror so you'd have to make sure you got the right one for your size of mirror. It's 720p rather than full 1080p but doesn't look too bad...

Edited 8 May, 2012 by slicendice

[zeffania]

Amazon have exactly that: http://www.amazon.co.uk/accident-recorder-dash-definition-mirror/dp/B006VP1QDS/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1336487595&sr=1-9

No idea what the quality is like as there is no brand name to Google, so it would be a bit of a punt to get one...

I'd want it oem as I'm picky

[slicendice]

I'd want it oem as I'm picky

Time to write to the Skoda CEO....!!!

[RainbowFire]

Something I've noticed looking at some of the footage from my SmartCam is that anything that's got LEDs looks like they're flashing all the time. :S :S

Edited 12 May, 2012 by RainbowFore

[xreyuk]

Well. I ended up buying a new camera.

Here is some example footage from the one I bought. I found someone who'd bought from the same ebay seller, and they offered to send me example footage.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/78928687/AMBA0207.MOV

[slicendice]

Well. I ended up buying a new camera.

Me too!!

Which one did you go for? I opted for BlackVue...

Edited 12 May, 2012 by slicendice

[xreyuk]

It's called a DOD F520, and example of the footage is in my dropbox link above. Cost £100 delivered.

The one that was used in the collision thread listed on the first page of this thread, was a DOD camera.

[RichieJ]

Me too!!

Which one did you go for? I opted for BlackVue...

Hi Slicendice, I'm really interested in the Blackvue cameras but I'm unsure about the video quality. Can you see the number plates of cars around you. I see you can with the DOD GS600 but I do prefer the Bkackvue. Been looking at loads of clips on you tube of both cameras and its so hard to decide. Was wondering what you think of yours?

[xreyuk]

RichieJ, I bought the DOD F520, and I generally found that was cheaper than the GS600. Here is an example video someone sent me from eBay. He bought the exact same camera from exact same seller. It was about £102 posted.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/78928687/AMBA0207.MOV

Can clearly see the registration plates, and quite frankly, I know the quality may not be quite as good as the UK cameras, but it's better than half the price of the likes of the BlackVue one, and DogCamSport MiniDVR. Only problem is obviously if it breaks, coming from Taiwan, returning it will be a bitch :p

[slicendice]

Hi Slicendice, I'm really interested in the Blackvue cameras but I'm unsure about the video quality. Can you see the number plates of cars around you. I see you can with the DOD GS600 but I do prefer the Bkackvue. Been looking at loads of clips on you tube of both cameras and its so hard to decide. Was wondering what you think of yours?

Hi Richie

I've not actually got it yet...still awaiting delivery! In the mean time you could take a look on YouTube as there are a ton of clips taken with the DR400G-HD, both day time and night time. Generally the quality seems to be very good with number plates clearly identifiable. I'll let you know what I think once it's all installed