Dash Cams

[QueenD]

Hello Funsters. Me, again! Following our dink at the weekend we are seriously considering a dashcam.

A couple of questions... any you would recommend and, more importantly we only have one cigarette lighter socket that we need for the satnav how do we power both at the same time?? Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere.

 

[pappajohn]

Any cam with GPS capability and a decent resolution will be fine.
Power is usually via USB 5v as are modern Satnavs.
If your Satnav has a micro USB socket try using a USB lead and cig socket to USB adaptor plug instead of its standard plug then if it works you can use a dual USB adaptor in the cig lighter socket.

 

[QueenD]

Ok thanks. I’ll try powering the satnav via an android usb to double usb cigarette lighter charge plug.

 

[SteveJ]

Alternatively run in a 12v to USB adapter hard wired into the fuse box. I have a Bluesky dashcam fitted to my MH, came with a Hardwire kit which is a reasonable spec 12V to 5V adapter, connected it up via a piggy back fuse holder.

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=312678742849

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=173340164412

Dashcam is pretty good and very small, can be very easily removed but to be honest it's not actually very visible tucked up behind the rear view mirror.

 

[pappajohn]

As above, I have both mine connected to a hardwired twin outlet USB power supply tucked above and supplied from the interior light.
Only one snag, its permanently live until the doors are locked.

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[Drifter]

We bought a cheap camera from the range, seems to work fine but probably not best for night driving
We power sat Navi and camera using a splitter from Halfords, works good

Mobile Phone Accessories | Halfords UK

Halfords supply a wide range of mobile phone accessories, including powerbanks, multi sockets, chargers and USB cables. Find out more here today.

www.halfords.com

 

[jollyrodger]

Have one similar to this and running a nextbase 512gw as main cam
And one of these hidden

Nextbase

 

[NorthernSands]

I had a Thinkware front & rear dashcam fitted to the Subaru estate a few years ago. I had an installer fit it with the permanent kit that got its power from the fuse box and all cables hidden. It cost a fair bit, even without the installation, but the quality is far better than the cheaper ones out there, and it doesn't have a live screen, so no potential falling foul of the law, and no need for messing with lights, USB power adaptors etc... Being permanently powered and hooked into the alternator output, it knows when the engine is running. When you arrive somewhere, it detects the engine stopping and goes into low power monitoring mode, where it aims to detect incidents in car parks and the like, and also self wakes if it detects movement front or rear. It also monitors the battery levels and deactivates if the voltage gets too low.

We've never had to use it, but the wife (and unborn Sprout) now drives that car, and the knowledge that there's a decent dashcam system fitted is a real piece of mind. Once I'm rid of the BMW and in my own Subaru, I'll be having another fitted.

Having said that, I do have a friend who has one of the cheap 'over the rear view mirror' style ones. The quality is questionable, and will not be useful in as many situations as ours, but has been used in a recent accident and the Police have taken it on-board.

 

[Duck22]

Hello Funsters. Me, again! Following our dink at the weekend we are seriously considering a dashcam.

A couple of questions... any you would recommend and, more importantly we only have one cigarette lighter socket that we need for the satnav how do we power both at the same time?? Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere.

You can buy a double extension from Halfords.

 

[HandyAndy]

If the camera is only going to be used in the one van, fit the wire to a ign supplied fuse using a fuse loop / piggy back fuse.

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m.aliexpress.com

I have the Garmin 55 camera, no faffing pulling the card out of the machine to save or view the footage, just open the garmin d ride app, link it to your camera, choose and save the file via bluetooth on your phone (or it could be wifi), can't remember. But anyway, camera not silly money and also 1440p quad HD.
Garmin Dash Cam 55 1440p GPS Camera with Voice Control, Black/Brown Amazon product ASIN B06XN611DT

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[RedFrame]

We run a Garmin Dashcam in the car... It was a waste of money, we are on our third, they overheat and this eventually causes them to fail. (I use a lot of Garmin kit and love all of it, except this; this is why we plumped for the Garmin Dashcam in the first place, the original intention was to use a couple of them in all our vehicles).

In the MoHo and at work I now use a NextBase 522GW and associated rear window camera which provide good definition (i.e. you can read number plates of oncoming vehicles), is simple to use, works well at night/low light, has a polarizing filter to remove/reduce glare from the windscreen and has remote connectivity (It also provides all the GPS location, speed, time stamps and will link to online maps as jollyrodger 's video shows). With a 64Gb card it will record 8+hrs of driving and is compatible, I believe, with a 128Gb card.

I should say that I do not use either in their "Parking Mode" as neither do a good job (slightest breeze in the trees setting them off and waking to 70 new videos on both)

I hope this first hand experience/comparison helps.

For extra 12V/USB power points, on the go, I use something similar to this...

Amazon product ASIN B07L3V7Q53
Cheers
Red, Bannock and Chris.

Edit: Added 12V splitter data...

 

[QueenD]

That’s great. Thank you.

 

[QueenD]

If the camera is only going to be used in the one van, fit the wire to a ign supplied fuse using a fuse loop / piggy back fuse.

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I have the Garmin 55 camera, no faffing pulling the card out of the machine to save or view the footage, just open the garmin d ride app, link it to your camera, choose and save the file via bluetooth on your phone (or it could be wifi), can't remember. But anyway, camera not silly money and also 1440p quad HD.
Garmin Dash Cam 55 1440p GPS Camera with Voice Control, Black/Brown Amazon product ASIN B06XN611DT

Thanks

 

[Manic]

I’ve got a Nextbase and bought this to power it.

Hard Wire Dash Car Cam Camera Kit For Nextbase 112 212 312 402G 412 512GW DUO 703064136769 | eBay

• Nextbase has two version DUO: HD DUO and DUO. HD DUO has Mini USB port, DUO has Micro USB port. So this item supports Nextbase HD DUO, But Can Not support Nextbase DUO. • The kit contains 3 different fuse holders with 3 different fuses, which cover most of vehicles.

rover.ebay.com

 

[NorthernSands]

I’ve got a Nextbase and bought this to power it.

Hard Wire Dash Car Cam Camera Kit For Nextbase 112 212 312 402G 412 512GW DUO 703064136769 | eBay

• Nextbase has two version DUO: HD DUO and DUO. HD DUO has Mini USB port, DUO has Micro USB port. So this item supports Nextbase HD DUO, But Can Not support Nextbase DUO. • The kit contains 3 different fuse holders with 3 different fuses, which cover most of vehicles.

rover.ebay.com

This is the kind of thing I have for the Thinkware. It tidies everything up nicely.

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[Vic. Parsons.]

We wanted a dashcam and our Snooper sat nav was totally unreliable and needed replacing, so we bought an Aguri 7" motorhome sat nav with built in dashcam. Does the job and all on one supply.

 

[HandyAndy]

We run a Garmin Dashcam in the car... It was a waste of money, we are on our third, they overheat and this eventually causes them to fail. (I use a lot of Garmin kit and love all of it, except this; this is why we plumped for the Garmin Dashcam in the first place, the original intention was to use a couple of them in all our vehicles).

Strange... I've had my Garmin 55 since June 2018, its been in constant use 6 days a week, every week, since then has never been removed from the window unless parking somewhere dodgy.
has baked in this years heatwave earlier this month and has NEVER failed or crashed. In fact some days I've forgotten to uplug it (as my ciggy lighter is permenant live) so the thing has been on constantly for more than 24 hrs more than a couple of occasions.
I know it's still working as it is forever telling me I'm too close to the vehicle in front or telling me I am departing lanes when I shouldn't be or telling me about a speed camera I pass every morning
Hands down the best camera I have had since sacking off the china dot com crap I used to have.