Recommendations on Dash Cam?

[Sin Stalker]

I didn't see a better section for this but I assume a mod can move it if it is an issue.

 

I've become convinced to get a dash cam. However I know nothing about them, except for a few articles I've read so far.

 

Anyone know of a good general guide?

 

Anyone know of some good brands and models to compare?

 

Is there anything I should avoid?

 

Thanks.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

subbbed

[jde3]

Maybe a cheeo ass android phone?

 

The advantages to that are, its cheep, and it can cloud sync.

[Spotty]

Are you looking to have a front facing camera only, or a front + rear facing camera?
Are you looking for a camera that comes with a GPS speedo built in (displays speed on camera recordings) or not? Some people like them, and some people dislike them for obvious reasons.

If you're in a hot climate consider getting a capacitor based camera, as in hot climates the ones with batteries will degrade quickly operating at high temperatures and it can get quite hot in a car up against a windscreen in summer.

There's a lot of chinese unbranded ones on ebay. I've used 2 of those before and while they worked and picture quality was okay... They did both break within 2 years (1 I dropped, other battery died). If you're new to dash cams and don't want to spend a lot of money, then they can be basic and okay enough, but I would recommend getting a proper quality one with branding.

Consider getting them professionally installed and wired. If you know what you're doing you can do it yourself, if not, a professional will wire the power cable behind the dash in to a hidden power socket. Much tidier than having cables dangling down or taped around the windscreen and roof. This will improve your overall day-to-day experience with the dash cam in my opinion, so consider leaving money in the budget for this. Any place that installs car stereos and the like can easily fit this for you.

[Oshino Shinobu]

I personally use a Mobius Action cam, hardwired into the car's electrics so it turns on when the ignition is on. 

 

The image from it is pretty good. (foggy as hell, but the only image I have on hand right now)

 

[Oshino Shinobu]

5 minutes ago, Spotty said:

Consider getting them professionally installed and wired. If you know what you're doing you can do it yourself, if not, a professional will wire the power cable behind the dash in to a hidden power socket. Much tidier than having cables dangling down or taped around the windscreen and roof. This will improve your overall day-to-day experience with the dash cam in my opinion, so consider leaving money in the budget for this. Any play that installs car stereos and the like can easily fit this for you.

I'd note here that it's fairly easy to hide the cables, but it does depend on where the fusebox is located if you're tapping into a fuse (what I did). I tucked the cable under the roof liner at the top of the windscreen, then tucked it in to the weather stripping down the side, then it goes behind the dash to where the fusebox is, can't see the wire at all, other than where it comes down to the camera. 

 

That said, quite a lot of the more pricey dash cams (basically, branded ones available from general car stores, like Halfords in the UK) come with a free professional installation, so it may be worth going for one of those and taking the install into account. 

[Pyramiden]

There are a few questions you need to ask yourself first:
- Do you only want one on the windscreen? Or also in the rear?
- How much are you willing to spend on one?
- Does it need to have collision detection when parked?
- Does it need WiFi or apps, etc. or are you fine with removing the videos by hand?
- Does it need to be stealthy and concealed? Or is it not an issue?
- Do you want to plug it into the 12v connector (only possible if your car switches that on with the ignition), or will you hardwire it into the fusebox?

An other tip is to never get a dashcam with battery inside the unit. Batteries can't stand the heat that a dashcam has to endure while being sticked to the window, and they usually die pretty quickly. Look for one with a capacitor instead.

Viofo A118C has the best value for money by quite a big margin, but lacks most of the above mentioned "luxury" features. Here is a video of it (playback on a PC is usually better, since Youtube uses compression):

 

[Sin Stalker]

On 4/23/2018 at 3:15 AM, jde3 said:

Maybe a cheeo ass android phone?

 

The advantages to that are, its cheep, and it can cloud sync.

Problem with that is it isn't reliable at all.

 

On 4/23/2018 at 3:15 AM, Spotty said:

Are you looking to have a front facing camera only, or a front + rear facing camera?
Are you looking for a camera that comes with a GPS speedo built in (displays speed on camera recordings) or not? Some people like them, and some people dislike them for obvious reasons.

If you're in a hot climate consider getting a capacitor based camera, as in hot climates the ones with batteries will degrade quickly operating at high temperatures and it can get quite hot in a car up against a windscreen in summer.

There's a lot of chinese unbranded ones on ebay. I've used 2 of those before and while they worked and picture quality was okay... They did both break within 2 years (1 I dropped, other battery died). If you're new to dash cams and don't want to spend a lot of money, then they can be basic and okay enough, but I would recommend getting a proper quality one with branding.

Consider getting them professionally installed and wired. If you know what you're doing you can do it yourself, if not, a professional will wire the power cable behind the dash in to a hidden power socket. Much tidier than having cables dangling down or taped around the windscreen and roof. This will improve your overall day-to-day experience with the dash cam in my opinion, so consider leaving money in the budget for this. Any place that installs car stereos and the like can easily fit this for you.

Is there a different company or suggestion if I wanted just front vs front and back?

I don't think I'd get a use out of a GPS model currently. Perhaps once my kids are old enough to drive in 12 or 13 years.

 

I live in Arizona and can't go with a battery model. It'll instantly die. 

 

On 4/23/2018 at 3:26 AM, Pyramiden said:

There are a few questions you need to ask yourself first:
- Do you only want one on the windscreen? Or also in the rear?
- How much are you willing to spend on one?
- Does it need to have collision detection when parked?
- Does it need WiFi or apps, etc. or are you fine with removing the videos by hand?
- Does it need to be stealthy and concealed? Or is it not an issue?
- Do you want to plug it into the 12v connector (only possible if your car switches that on with the ignition), or will you hardwire it into the fusebox?

An other tip is to never get a dashcam with battery inside the unit. Batteries can't stand the heat that a dashcam has to endure while being sticked to the window, and they usually die pretty quickly. Look for one with a capacitor instead.

Viofo A118C has the best value for money by quite a big margin, but lacks most of the above mentioned "luxury" features. Here is a video of it (playback on a PC is usually better, since Youtube uses compression):

 

I know one feature I'd consider a must is loop-recording. Where it records over the oldest files on the storage device. Although I'd also want it to have the feature where if I select that the moment is important, that it'll mark that file and skip it when it comes to it's turn for being recorded over.

Other than that, I don't need too many bells and whistles. I think I don't need wifi or an app. I will take a look at that A118C. TY.

On security, should wifi be avoided?

One main thing for a cam is that it is high enough definition to make out license plates.  If something happens, I want that clearly recorded without ambiguity. 

Sorry for the late reply. It is nearing the end of the semester. Final exams in about two weeks. I do appreciate your guidance. Thank you.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

4 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

...I live in Arizona and can't go with a battery model. It'll instantly die... 

Not if you get a good one. I also live in AZ. My aftermarket TPMS sensors' batteries hold up just in AZ's heat (and they are just regular button batteries). The dash mounted monitor for the TPMS has an internal rechargeable battery that doesn't receive power from my truck except when truck is running. Even if my truck has been setting undriven for a week or two, the monitor's battery still has a charge on it.

[Sin Stalker]

On 4/27/2018 at 10:31 AM, Lady Fitzgerald said:

Not if you get a good one. I also live in AZ. My aftermarket TPMS sensors' batteries hold up just in AZ's heat (and they are just regular button batteries). The dash mounted monitor for the TPMS has an internal rechargeable battery that doesn't receive power from my truck except when truck is running. Even if my truck has been setting undriven for a week or two, the monitor's battery still has a charge on it.

What model do you use?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

1 hour ago, Sin Stalker said:

What model do you use?

I don't have a dash cam yet (I would like to get one which is why I'm watching this thread). I do have a TPMS which uses a battery in the monitor that would be similar to batteries that a dash cam would use. The wheel sensors use regular button batteries. The wheels sensor batteries are over a year old now and are still working fine despite the heat here in the Phoenix area. The monitor battery is also working just fine. I brought up the batteries for my TPMS to counter your absurd allegation that batteries here would die instantly.

[Pyramiden]

On 29-4-2018 at 2:06 AM, Lady Fitzgerald said:

I don't have a dash cam yet (I would like to get one which is why I'm watching this thread). I do have a TPMS which uses a battery in the monitor that would be similar to batteries that a dash cam would use. The wheel sensors use regular button batteries. The wheels sensor batteries are over a year old now and are still working fine despite the heat here in the Phoenix area. The monitor battery is also working just fine. I brought up the batteries for my TPMS to counter your absurd allegation that batteries here would die instantly.

Li-ion batteries perform optimal between -10 and +30 Celsius. When it is 21 degrees on a semi-hot day the temperature in a car could reach temperatures as high as 45 degrees after one hour if the car is parked in the sun, and the peak temperature at the windscreen will be even higher.. Those batteries are simply not designed to withstand this heat, and that is exactly the reason why most fail within a year. If you buy a high quality dashcam the battery will be mounted lower in the car, where the heat is not as intense. 
 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

1 hour ago, Pyramiden said:

Li-ion batteries perform optimal between -10 and +30 Celsius. When it is 21 degrees on a semi-hot day the temperature in a car could reach temperatures as high as 45 degrees after one hour if the car is parked in the sun, and the peak temperature at the windscreen will be even higher.. Those batteries are simply not designed to withstand this heat, and that is exactly the reason why most fail within a year. If you buy a high quality dashcam the battery will be mounted lower in the car, where the heat is not as intense. 
 

I guess someone forgot to tell that to the battery in my TPMS monitor which is mounted to the top of the dashboard right by the windscreen since it is still working just fine after over a year.

[Pyramiden]

1 hour ago, Lady Fitzgerald said:

I guess someone forgot to tell that to the battery in my TPMS monitor which is mounted to the top of the dashboard right by the windscreen since it is still working just fine after over a year.

Hahaha, so if something keeps functioning for over a year automatically means that it is fine? I can probably run my car for a year with olive oil instead of engine oil, but that does not mean that it is fine after doing that. 
I forgot to take my Nokia N8 out of the pockets of my pants a few times, so it experienced the soap and water of my washing machine more than once. It is still working and smells really fresh, so it must be a great way to clean your electronics that will/might not damage the phone whatsoever.

N=1, or you could be lucky, or you are not aware of the degradation of the battery since it is difficult to objectively measure that.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

44 minutes ago, Pyramiden said:

Hahaha, so if something keeps functioning for over a year automatically means that it is fine? I can probably run my car for a year with olive oil instead of engine oil, but that does not mean that it is fine after doing that. 
I forgot to take my Nokia N8 out of the pockets of my pants a few times, so it experienced the soap and water of my washing machine more than once. It is still working and smells really fresh, so it must be a great way to clean your electronics that will/might not damage the phone whatsoever.

N=1, or you could be lucky, or you are not aware of the degradation of the battery since it is difficult to objectively measure that.

I must really be lucky since, for over half a century, I haven't had problems with batteries dying due to ambient heat. Also, your analogies are invalid.

[Sin Stalker]

On 4/28/2018 at 5:06 PM, Lady Fitzgerald said:

I don't have a dash cam yet (I would like to get one which is why I'm watching this thread). I do have a TPMS which uses a battery in the monitor that would be similar to batteries that a dash cam would use. The wheel sensors use regular button batteries. The wheels sensor batteries are over a year old now and are still working fine despite the heat here in the Phoenix area. The monitor battery is also working just fine. I brought up the batteries for my TPMS to counter your absurd allegation that batteries here would die instantly.

It is not absurd. Extreme heat and cold are bad for batteries. However different types of batteries have different ranges for "extreme" heat and cold.
 

On 5/1/2018 at 3:49 AM, Pyramiden said:

Li-ion batteries perform optimal between -10 and +30 Celsius. When it is 21 degrees on a semi-hot day the temperature in a car could reach temperatures as high as 45 degrees after one hour if the car is parked in the sun, and the peak temperature at the windscreen will be even higher.. Those batteries are simply not designed to withstand this heat, and that is exactly the reason why most fail within a year. If you buy a high quality dashcam the battery will be mounted lower in the car, where the heat is not as intense. 
 

I don't think the batteries Fitz is talking about are Li-ion. Which would explain why his TPMS hasn't failed. However looking at what is available, it seems dash cams that are battery operated are Li-ion and would then be subject to the normal results (physics).

So if Fritz grabs a Li-ion powered dash cam, I'd love to know about the results he experiences. Because the physics about Lithium batteries seems pretty clear. But maybe there are new housings that spread the heat away from the batteries or something I am unaware of, that have been implemented in these new dash cams.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

1 minute ago, Sin Stalker said:

It is not absurd. Extreme heat and cold are bad for batteries. However different types of batteries have different ranges for "extreme" heat and cold.
 

I don't think the batteries Fitz is talking about are Li-ion. Which would explain why his TPMS hasn't failed. However looking at what is available, it seems dash cams that are battery operated are Li-ion and would then be subject to the normal results (physics).

So if Fritz grabs a Li-ion powered dash cam, I'd love to know about the results he experiences. Because the physics about Lithium batteries seems pretty clear. But maybe there are new housings that spread the heat away from the batteries or something I am unaware of, that have been implemented in these new dash cams.

Good grief! My screen name is LADY Fitzgerald and my sig starts with JEANNIE and you still think I'm male?

 

Btw, the monitor use a li-ion battery which is rated for up to 188°F.

[Gisram]

I really liked the video released by LTT testing the various models of Dash Cams.  The testing between the different models and price ranges.  The eventual breakdown of compenents really helped me make a well informed decision on what to buy.  Thanks for your continous non bias testing of Tech and helping people make good decisions when spending money.