Why bother having the extra hardware requirements if you have smart phone was what I was thinking. And indeed I found that developers have already put some stuff out for this.

Haven't tried any of these and I suppose one issue is where and how the mount on the dash. But I like the idea (as long as you just put it on, and it does its business with little to no interaction)

 

Another issue though is I would expect to have one that was able to run whilst other stuff like GPS could be running although I don't actually need GPS running all the time, most days.

It would also have to be "safe" and handsfree so I can just leave it running.

 

Would be interesting if anyone tries such an idea.

They ought to support both front and rear too, the rear wouldn't be very good but surely it could use the front facing camera like I have on my Moto G.

 

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=dash%20cam&c=apps

Maybe something like this for the dash fixing. I currently have a fixed mount for the lower dash which isn't any use as it doesn't reach the screen, but this kind of thing could work for higher on the dash.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/iZKA-Windscreen-Dash-mount-Suction-Motorola/dp/B00GQC8A12

I have something similar to that for my phone. Might give a few apps a try and see what sort of results I get. Cheers 

Sharkrider's your man, he has an app on his iPhone. 

In my experience, the suction holders never ever work! Always falling off. I've got one of those air vent jobbies, they're awesome, nice and secure etc. But no good for dash cams.

I would disagree about suction tho....clearly all the satnav manufacturers can't be wrong !

Actually I like fabrication and I have an unused suction mount for a faulty satnav I never threw away so thanks for that idea.

 

Might give some ideas around that a go as its only mounting some kind of phone holder to that just for giggles.

 

I find the main problem is not that but the actual phone holding side, since the trending for stupid (sorry smart) devices you no longer get the quick release removals like you so usefully used to have on phones like nokias etc.....

My suction is solid and never falls off. Only a few quid on the bay too. 

Safety warning please make sure you are safe and not operating your phone while driving tho lol

Bit of an inconvenience in my opinion. The thought of hooking my phone up to the mount every time in the car sounds horrendous.

 

Love my dash cam as it cost so little, it instantly records as soon as I turn the key on and it's discrete and hidden behind the mirror.

How little cost ?

How did you hide way the wires etc ? (as you won't have any wires on your phone, unless you need a charge that is lol)

 

Not disputing your solution, just useful to compare.

It sounds like quite a challenge to wire one of those up neatly and discretely for permanent power, just mounting a phone on your dash takes no effort at all - so maybe a stop gap whilst considering something like yours.

 

Or is it chargeable with a remote battery like a mobile on them? I've never looked into one TBH, but having just bought a fast (but cheap) new motog phone just thought it would be useful to get the most out of it.

 

I tend to often put my phone in the car anyway (more to get it out my pocket more than anything) so to be honest the inconvenience would be more having to launch the program rather than fix up the phone in the car.

I've just ordered one of these...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/E-PRANCE-Recorder-G-sensor-Megapixel-Detection/dp/B00FKTQ3NE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1391724100&sr=8-2&keywords=novatek

 

I'm not expecting much, but I expect it will tide me over until such a time comes that I can afford a better one. I intend to hard-wire it into the car, and fabricate a permanent mount for the windscreen, behind the rear view mirror if it's any good.

 

I'll check back to share experiences/post some footage when I've received it and had chance to try it out if it's any help.

 

It'd be handy if folks who've also bought cheap dashcams could share which ones they have, and how good/bad they are. I've tried a couple of the Android apps, and wasn't overly impressed. There'd be glitches everytime any other app did anything, or if I received a notification etc. The footage wasn't great either, especially in the dark. That could've been down to my older HTP phone though.

How little cost ?

How did you hide way the wires etc ? (as you won't have any wires on your phone, unless you need a charge that is lol)

 

Not disputing your solution, just useful to compare.

It sounds like quite a challenge to wire one of those up neatly and discretely for permanent power, just mounting a phone on your dash takes no effort at all - so maybe a stop gap whilst considering something like yours.

 

Or is it chargeable with a remote battery like a mobile on them? I've never looked into one TBH, but having just bought a fast (but cheap) new motog phone just thought it would be useful to get the most out of it.

 

I tend to often put my phone in the car anyway (more to get it out my pocket more than anything) so to be honest the inconvenience would be more having to launch the program rather than fix up the phone in the car.

 

£57 including a 32gb mmc that records for 3 hours before overwriting the oldest bit of footage.

 

I hid the wires in the rood lining and along the A-pillar. You can only really see the wire coming out of the back of the camera and that's because I just have a standard cable not one of those 90 degree ones like what sat navs have. Can get a pic for you tomorrow if you want? But it's awesome, and it comes with loads of features that you program on the computer or your android device. Also the size of the phone would annoy me in the windscreen, does the screen light up once it's started?

 

It's just the thought of getting in the car, leaning over, fitting the phone in the cradle, starting the app, then doing the reverse when you want to get out. Not only that but it would drain your phones battery, and take up storage on your phone!

 

Not trying to shoot you down mate, at all. Just think it's one of those things where you should do it right and do it once. 

 

I think the quality is awesome too for the price. (click HD)

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qyc8JWh0w0

Hi Dann. Yeah I reckon the quality is good! What's the advertised resolution or quality or whatever it's called, please? Missed out on a ebuyer special yesterday. Gutted!

Dann - could you link to the item please or share model name please?

It's called the mobius action cam. Will get you a link one sec just on my phone

181168320228 is the item number on eBay buddy

There's a great review of it on YouTube just search the product name and it's like, 32mins long and the guy sounds like the guy from art attack haha

Neil Buchanan? Art Attack was filmed in my home town. I think. Amazing. Ok, Thanks very much for your reply.

That's him haha

You're very welcome! I showed my sister my footage of the wing mirror hitting my screen and now she wants one so looks like I'll be wiring that up for her in the near future haha

I had a Chinese one in my Fabia for a while, i never got around to wiring it properly, just ran the wire along the side of the windscreen and then down the side of the glove box, under the passenger mat, etc but i had a new windscreen fitted the this one sticks out a bit too much to squeeze the wire in the gap along the side so i just took it out

 

The quality wasn't bad and i will one day put it back in properly

 

Another issue was that i had to manually plug it into the cigarette lighter to switch it on every time i drove anywhere

 

It also wasn't too visible from the outside of the car, the sunstrip helped to hide it

Edited 7 February, 201412 yr by Harry1212

181168320228 is the item number on eBay buddy

There's a great review of it on YouTube just search the product name and it's like, 32mins long and the guy sounds like the guy from art attack haha

Oooh. The Mobius one gets good reviews. I hadn't seen it that cheap when I searched.

There is a lot of Dash Camera info on Briskoda if you do a search.

Some dedicated threads in the tech section too.

 

We wire ours in so they go on and off with the ignition.

Playing with a phone every time you get in and out of the car would be a PITA for me.

This bloke seems to like reviewing them.

 

http://www.techmoan.com/

 

Chips and coffee too!

 

J.

I was wondering about night, as no camera seems to deal at all well with pitch black

This seems to be the achilles heel of the device, although far from a shocker really is it, at this price mark.

 

All those moaning about interacting with your mobile to us dashcan apps  but what do you have to do if you decide you need to look at the media away from the car or remove it ? Presumably have to actually remove the SD card and then have to put it in some device etc. My fingers are getting tired just thinking about it lol.

Sorry I'm just being silly now. I've an open mind on both and wouldn't rule out either but more realisically likely to play about with the apps first.

 

I can see fully fitted dashcam being gadget of the minute and quickly forgotten and only used in case of emergency. I like the idea of the mobile because 1) its free, and 2) you are forced to interact with it and its already on your phone which to many is like a hub of your life already.

Although I guess with the fully fitted is kind of the thing that insurers MIGHT like you to have to provide realtime evidence, bear in mind this isn't always in your favour perhaps ?

All those moaning about interacting with your mobile to us dashcan apps  but what do you have to do if you decide you need to look at the media away from the car or remove it ? Presumably have to actually remove the SD card and then have to put it in some device etc. My fingers are getting tired just thinking about it lol.

Sorry I'm just being silly now. I've an open mind on both and wouldn't rule out either but more realisically likely to play about with the apps first.

 

As it's for emergency use you only take the card out every three/four months to reformat it, or if you have an accident.

The danger with using a mobile app is you will fall foul of the law of sod

The time you need it it won't be switched on because

You forgot your phone

You were in a hurry

The missus has just phoned

Your battery has gone flat

Any one of a number of other reasons...