Discreet Dash Cam Install

[Metblackrat]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=261827092725

Now I'm not selling these but I am recommending it as it is a great bit of kit for £16. It installs permanently behind the mirror and best of all it appears it can be connected to the Columbus Nav unit.

I have just installed one and it works a treat.

[john999boy]

How about uploading some footage as it seems extremely good value for money!

[Metblackrat]

If I can work out how to I will!

[mbames]

No GPS.  However I was looking for a camera for the rear of the car, so this could work in conjunction with my BlackVue 400.

[mikey vrs]

Thanks for this,ive just ordered one of these,at this price it seems a bargain. 

[blackspaven]

How does this work with the columbus, can't see what use linking does?

[Nikonite]

Just ordered one too, thanks for link

[meta55b]

No GPS.  However I was looking for a camera for the rear of the car, so this could work in conjunction with my BlackVue 400.

I've always been curious why people want cameras with gps. Personally I don't see the need for it.

[Guest]

Sometimes it may be difficult to identify where exactly a place is just by the image alone, especially if you are travelling a long distance in one go, ie. Motorway.

GPS just helps narrow it down or clarify it.

Also, it is difficult to dispute the GPS time stamp in cases where someone, Like a mechanic states he wasn't driving the vehicle at that time.

Useful, but not essential.

[Liger1956]

It also records your speed which may or may not be benificial.

I use a Mobius which does not have GPS.

[Stormchaser]

Looks a great little cam and a good price [emoji106]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GrahamVRS]

Am I correct in thinking once connected up, this will automatically begin recording every time the car is driven?

[mbames]

Am I correct in thinking once connected up, this will automatically begin recording every time the car is driven?

I've asked the seller that very question on ebay.  "Does it start recording on power up, or do you need to hit the REC button?", I got an OOO reply.  If I hear anything back, I'll post the response.

Edited 3 May, 2015 by mbames

[Metblackrat]

I have fitted it and it does start recording when you turn the ignition on. When you switch off it stores the file. It overwrites the files when the memory card is full. It really is fit and forget.

Despite what the description says, it records in 1080p FHD. A five minute clip takes about 700mb.

The quality is excellent. I highly recommend it.

[GrahamVRS]

Thanks for the reply!

[john999boy]

As other people have previously said that the quality is degraded when uploading to YouTube, would it be possible to send a file to Dropbox instead?

[Nikonite]

Found this, hopefully mine won't be the same lol

 

[adamal]

What is the connector on the other end of the wire please?

[blackspaven]

Bummer, presume this doesn't link with a bolero as there's no satnav.

[adamal]

It won't directly connect to a Columbus. The camera has AV out on the yellow phono plug, the Columbus doesn't have AV in. It'd need a Kufatec type of interface box to match the two.

 

Thanks, yes I saw it on the video in the end, I was thinking more about the power supply.  I prefer a camera that can be detached from the wiring, as I would hard wire it in to the fuse box, so this won't do as it is for my rear view.  I have a Mobius up front and just wondered if this was a cheap alternative for the rear but it doesn't appear to be without modifying the wiring and adding a connector of some kind.

[Jonboy984]

I have fitted it and it does start recording when you turn the ignition on. When you switch off it stores the file. It overwrites the files when the memory card is full. It really is fit and forget.

Despite what the description says, it records in 1080p FHD. A five minute clip takes about 700mb.

The quality is excellent. I highly recommend it.

This looks exactly like what I am looking for. I don't need anything fancy, just something I can hard wire and forget about but be able to remove the sd card following an incident and transfer to my pc and burn to disc etc.

Can I please ask how it's mounted i.e. suction mount or screwed.

[Metblackrat]

This looks exactly like what I am looking for. I don't need anything fancy, just something I can hard wire and forget about but be able to remove the sd card following an incident and transfer to my pc and burn to disc etc.

Can I please ask how it's mounted i.e. suction mount or screwed.

The camera is very lightweight and attaches to the windscreen with a 3M sticky pad. I mounted it just below and to the left of the rain sensor and ran the wire upto the top of the screen. The cable can then be tucked under the front of the headlining (you can just pull it down enough to get the cable it there). I pulled the offside A pillar trim off and ran the cable down to the fuse box from there. I had some auxiliary wiring for a USB charger in the glovebox and an electric cooler in the boot so I spliced into that.

Total time to fit was about 30 minutes but I am a bit OCD so all the cables and joints etc were heat shrinked and taped into the existing looms.

[Paulb64]

Metblackrat

                     Whats the footage like from the Dash cam ? Looking to invest in one soon after a close call with a c--k at the weekend

 

                                     Paul

[Metblackrat]

Due to the size of the files I'm struggling to upload a demo however the footage is as good as if it was filmed on my iPhone. The only criticism is that the edges are a bit distorted however that's common with such a wide angle lens.

[softscoop]

Can you not upload even a short clip to YouTube?

If the files are really big, use AVIDemuxer to cut out a small section of video and save as a copy without having to re-encode the whole thing