Dash Cam recomandations

[ALPERALP]

Hello all!

 

I will be buying a dash cam for my Octavia MK3. I want to buy a decent one with GPS tracking. 
Do you have any recommendations? Of course, don’t want to spend over 100GBP on it

 

Thanks a lot!!!

[Gasconman]

I have a 'Toguard HD Dash Camera'  with GPS and I'm delighted with it. Great PC software too. Been using it for the last 14 months. I live in France and paid about 70 euros for it on Amazon. So, maybe £60 in the UK?

[EnterName]

This isn't suitable for OP, but I use one of these (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075T8H9XJ/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=). 

Video quality is very good, and it covers the front and rear of your car. I've had mine a couple of years and it's worked well.

I bought the add-on GPS unit, but it's not particularly reliable when it comes to recording vehicle speed. But as a dash camera, the DR02 D is great.

This site might help you ALPERALP to choose a dashcam. 👍

https://dashcamtalk.com/

[ChoonDoode]

I've got a nextbase 312gw in my car and we bought a 322gw for my mum's scala.

 

Picture quality on both of them are fine in the day and night. 

 

They do have map functions iirc, but I've only ever plugged them into a pc to update them.

[Stoofa]

Personally, I don't think Dash Cams are an area to particularly "shop by price". I'm sure there are some really good budget systems out there.

However, like with CCTV, the proof is in the pudding and I'd say there is nothing worse than spending any amount of money and then once you need them to do their job - the end result is useless.

 

That being said, I didn't spend silly money on my Thinkware F770 (Front & Rear). Hardwired in with battery monitoring, so everything cable wise is extremely well hidden and they won't drain my battery when I'm parked up.

 

I'm sure the model I have has been superseded now, but don't know by what.

[BBDom]

You can pick up a decent Nextbase dashcam for that money - I've got an older 412GW and it has been great. Had a couple of issues with the mount but the Nextbase customer service is really good and sent me out another within a couple of days.

[Leodis41]

I have been using a Viofo cam for several years. Great video quality and a really discreet unit. I thoroughly recommend them.

I got mine off Aliexpress - VIOFO A119 V3 2K 60fps Car Dash Cam Super Night Vision Quad HD 2560 * 1440P Car DVR with Parking Mode G-sensor optional GPS.

[EnterName]

13 hours ago, Leodis41 said:

I have been using a Viofo cam for several years. Great video quality and a really discreet unit. I thoroughly recommend them.

I got mine off Aliexpress - VIOFO A119 V3 2K 60fps Car Dash Cam Super Night Vision Quad HD 2560 * 1440P Car DVR with Parking Mode G-sensor optional GPS.

I'm going to check that out, a 2K+ camera sounds like a good upgrade.

It seems really good, according to Dashcamtalk, which has sample videos.

https://dashcamtalk.com/a119/

Edited 1 August, 2020 by EnterName

[Stuart-h]

Im running a nextbase dshcam. Cant remember the model but i cant fault it.

[lway]

Just a query on dashcams, do the screens turn off if driving at night? or dim a bit?

 

Looking at a nextbase dashcam (the 212 if anyone has experience of one) and though it wouldn't bother me driving as it would be kinda hidden behind the rear view mirror and i'd be concentrating on the road, but i'd imagine it might be a different story for the front seat passenger.

The screenless ones like the BlackVue are more than what i'm willing to pay but very discrete looking.

[JD52]

I have a Nextbase 522GW and love it.

 

As for the screen, it turns off a few seconds after starting up.

 

[Gasconman]

The Toguard HD turns off after 3 minutes of driving. It powers on when I unlock the car and powers off when I lock  (connected to the USB socket in front of the gear lever with a r/h connector)

Edited 7 August, 2020 by Gasconman

[Steve vRS]

Are they easy to install and hide the cables? I have seen them for sale where the power is taken from the OBD socket. 

[Gasconman]

I know nothing about taking power from the OBD socket. I do know that some people have wired them direct to the fusebox. For my part, the Toguard came with a very long USB cable which was easy to hide and easily.reached the USB socket below the Infotainment screen. I just bought a very short 90 degree USB adapter so that the cable didn't protrude from the USB socket. The software supplied with this dashcam is excellent  and was the deciding factor in my own purchase. Checkout this video at 1m 40s

 

[lway]

On 07/08/2020 at 18:28, Steve vRS said:

Are they easy to install and hide the cables? I have seen them for sale where the power is taken from the OBD socket. 

 

Here's a video I bookmarked showing a Nextbase being hardwired, seems straightforward enough though I believe the Glovebox can be a bit of a pain to remove and re-install.

Only thing is there's an airbag behind the A pillar trim so I'd rather remove the trim and make sure the lead doesn't interfere with the airbag if it ever went off.

I've seen people tuck the wire behind the rubber in the door frame too instead of behind the A pillar trim.

Not sure if the Nextbase hardwire kit would work for all dashcams that take a micro USB power but I'd imagine similar kits would install the same way.

 

 

Edited 12 August, 2020 by lway
added more detail and caveat on airbag for safety.

[darrenw]

Not cheap, but I have a Blackvue DR750S=2CH with 128GB of micro SD storage. Hardwired in with powermagic and cloud connectivity through a mifi. Both are on voltage drop detectors so they stay operational for a as long as possible without draining the battery too far.

The cable is fed through the headlining and then follows the cable trunking into the tailgate to keep everything tidy.

[TrinityJay]

I've recently got a DR900S but am yet to hardwire, just plugging in to the cigarette socket when driving for now. Is there any trick to popping the headliner down? I have the sunroof and am worried I might break something should I just start prying. A-pillar cover seems easy enough.

 

On a related note, is there a good resource for the various fuse electrical states for cars fitted with KESSY?

[o6w6e6n]

On 31/07/2020 at 12:58, tunedude said:

I've got a nextbase 312gw in my car and we bought a 322gw for my mum's scala.

 

Picture quality on both of them are fine in the day and night. 

 

They do have map functions iirc, but I've only ever plugged them into a pc to update them.

322GW is bang in and not difficult at all to install with the hard wire kit. 

[EnterName]

On 30/07/2020 at 20:59, Gasconman said:

I have a 'Toguard HD Dash Camera'  with GPS and I'm delighted with it. Great PC software too. Been using it for the last 14 months. I live in France and paid about 70 euros for it on Amazon. So, maybe £60 in the UK?

That looks pretty good.

Which Toguard do you have? There seems to be a whole load of them.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Toguard+HD+Dash+Camera&ref=nb_sb_noss

[CathalD]

I bought the Halo Road angel very happy with it, no screen and I love how tidy it fits in front of the mirror it looks very sleek.  No gps though and no rear camera on mine but some models are available with rear I think. Download incidents via WiFi connection with mobile phone. 

 

I also bought a USB extension cord to run the connection neatly under the driver's seat and out again under the passenger seat, I wouldn't be one for hardwiring it into the battery unfortunately

[GlitchGolder]

I have never owned a dash cam so this my seem like an ignorant question but where does having GPS on one come in handy? Is it if the car should get stolen? I'm considering getting one but want to make sure I get one with what's important. 

[PetrolDave]

8 hours ago, GlitchGolder said:

I have never owned a dash cam so this my seem like an ignorant question but where does having GPS on one come in handy? Is it if the car should get stolen? I'm considering getting one but want to make sure I get one with what's important. 

GPS will confirm the location of the camera in case the other party denies they were at that location.

[Gasconman]

8 hours ago, GlitchGolder said:

I have never owned a dash cam so this my seem like an ignorant question but where does having GPS on one come in handy? Is it if the car should get stolen? I'm considering getting one but want to make sure I get one with what's important. 

 

It records your location and your speed. The software used with mine allows you to review every centimetre of your journey and the speed at every moment on a map, and on the video.

[GlitchGolder]

11 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

GPS will confirm the location of the camera in case the other party denies they were at that location.

 

4 minutes ago, Gasconman said:

 

It records your location and your speed. The software used with mine allows you to review every centimetre of your journey and the speed at every moment on a map, and on the video.

 

This makes sense, thanks very much both. 

[TheWanderer]

Anyone got the Nextbase 622GW?

 

Also does it have the capability to link in a rear camera like the 522GW?