Dash Camera

[naggz]

What's involved in installing the cameras? Do they plug into the auxiliary plug (cigarette lighter)?

Generally, yes.
But you can also connect it to a tapped fuse, and then hide the wires.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Generally, yes.
But you can also connect it to a tapped fuse, and then hide the wires.

Or if you are like me, you can take 'em to the auto stereo shop and they can install them (we have them front/back windows) very cleanly for not a whole lotta money. I used to do my own auto accessory modifications, but I don't get much enjoyment climbing under dashboards or pulling apart trim these days.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Just watched a YouTube video about dash cams which was all about how crappy the video quality is with most brands. The reason given was that the system on a chip (SOC) that does the video processing for most brands is from the same manufacturer, Novatek, and is from 2017. The camera sensor is the same Sony Starvis in most brands.

Indeed, just in this thread JoeWras and Sunset have said the picture quality is "Just OK" and "they work well enough", which is not that great of an endorsement. I suppose if all you want is proof that someone who hit you was at fault they would be adequate.

It's a provocative video. I suppose it could be said that the author of the video has higher standards for video from dash cams than most, but he also said a less expensive GoPro camera would give better picture quality.

https://youtu.be/4AnyhHl3_tE

 

[JoeWras]

He's not wrong. This is also the same problem with cassette tape players being produced today. There is literally one manufacturer of the transport device that ends up in 95% of the players, from cheap to expensive.

We always heard in engineering school that design would be modular. Here you go.

 

[Koolau]

Where do you go for one-stop buy/install dash cams? Any good experiences at known outlets?

 

[ERD50]

He's not wrong. This is also the same problem with cassette tape players being produced today. There is literally one manufacturer of the transport device that ends up in 95% of the players, from cheap to expensive.

We always heard in engineering school that design would be modular. Here you go.

Why would anyone want to buy a cassette player today (outside of digitizing an old cassette)?

-ERD50

 

[JoeWras]

Why would anyone want to buy a cassette player today (outside of digitizing an old cassette)?

-ERD50

I dunno. There's been some retro action on it, after the LP craze started a few years ago. I'm with you. I probably played my last cassette 5 years ago when I converted it to digital.

There is a weird market out there, though. And BTW, this standard mechanism isn't new. It's been around for about 20 years, unchanged, so it started even when cassettes were more in use.

The youtuber "Techmoan" has done a few pieces on it. The sad thing is the retro-listeners using this "new" equipment are not getting a good experience at all. Cassettes are pain enough, what with all the noise reduction. Add in cheap transports with their poor speed control, and the experience just sucks.

 

[Dash man]

Where do you go for one-stop buy/install dash cams? Any good experiences at known outlets?

Best Buy sells them and the Geek Squad will install them.

 

[Koolau]

Best Buy sells them and the Geek Squad will install them.

Thanks. I'll check them out.

 

[Qs Laptop]

I dunno. There's been some retro action on it, after the LP craze started a few years ago. I'm with you. I probably played my last cassette 5 years ago when I converted it to digital.

There is a weird market out there, though. And BTW, this standard mechanism isn't new. It's been around for about 20 years, unchanged, so it started even when cassettes were more in use.

The youtuber "Techmoan" has done a few pieces on it. The sad thing is the retro-listeners using this "new" equipment are not getting a good experience at all. Cassettes are pain enough, what with all the noise reduction. Add in cheap transports with their poor speed control, and the experience just sucks.

It is a weird market for vintage stereo equipment. Back in summer of 2020 I sold my 36 year old Sony dual cassette stereo deck. Listed it on Craig's List and got a bunch of hits. I sold it for $60 and I probably could have gotten more.




But that's not all. I had two unopened blank metal cassettes that I sold for $22 a piece!



So I got over $100 for the items.

 

[Sunset]

Best Buy sells them and the Geek Squad will install them.

At a basic level, to install one is:
Take out of the box.
Stick in a memory card.
Stick it onto the vehicle window.
Plug into the cigarette lighter outlet.

 

[ERD50]

It is a weird market for vintage stereo equipment. Back in summer of 2020 I sold my 36 year old Sony dual cassette stereo deck. Listed it on Craig's List and got a bunch of hits. I sold it for $60 and I probably could have gotten more.

...

But that's not all. I had two unopened blank metal cassettes that I sold for $22 a piece!

...

So I got over $100 for the items.

Ahh, I did see the episode of Techmoan having to pay out the wazoo for the metal tapes. Hmmm, I better look through my boxes, I might have a few mint TDK-SA cassettes, I don't think I ever sprung for full metal. That was back in the day before digital - I taped my albums to preserve them. A good deck and good tape gave pretty good sound quality, but there's no comparison to digital. Someone might make the case for preferring the sound of vinyl (separate from preferring the experience), but I just see no redeeming qualities to cassettes, their time has passed! And the pre-recorded cassettes (I never bought any) were just awful (cheap tape and cheap recording process).

Now, back to Dash Cams!

-ERD50

 

[Qs Laptop]

Now, back to Dash Cams!

-ERD50

In another post I described my purchase of an Android tablet I made on AliExpress. (It was supposed to be here yesterday, still waiting.) AliExpress is loaded with practically any electronic device, including dash cams, with significant savings. If the tablet works out for me I'm tempted to buy a dash cam from AliExpress as well. I took a peek yesterday and the features to price ratio was incredible. Getting support might be non-existent, however, I'm willing to experiment.

 

[luckydude]

I've been considering a dash cam for a while now. Are they frequently targeted by thieves?

I've had dash cams in both of my cars for 7 years now. I leave them mounted in plain sight and have never had any problems with theft or break-ins, even though I live in SoCal where break-ins and thefts are common.

 

[luckydude]

At a basic level, to install one is:
Take out of the box.
Stick in a memory card.
Stick it onto the vehicle window.
Plug into the cigarette lighter outlet.

You also have to format the memory card and set up the date/timestamp (usually by selecting time zone).

 

[luckydude]

I was in an accident many years ago.
The other driver's insurance company phoned me to state that they felt it was my fault and payment wouldn't be coming.
I was confused and thought it was my insurance company I was talking with, and so I figured they needed "help" and offered to send them the video of the accident.
The agent was surprised I had a video, and then said it wouldn't be needed. They paid up right away.

Funny part was I was thinking about video from my cell phone after the accident, but their reaction convinced me to go buy a dash cam for next time

I've had dash cams in my cars for 7 years now.

In 2017, I was involved in a car accident when another car swerved onto my lane while I was making a left turn and hit the left front bumper of my car. We pulled to the side of the road and the other driver got out of the car and started screaming at me, saying it was my fault and that he was going to sue me for damages. I calmly pointed to the dash cam mounted in my car, and he went quiet like a cricket. No more cussing and swearing and he gave me all the required info and drove away like a good little boy. I sent the video to his insurance company and got it all sorted with zero issues.

I also have a spare one that I take with me when I rent cars on vacations. Great way to record all the driving on my trips (especially the scenic drives) and I save all files along with the travel pics. Watching these files every so often is a fun way to relive the trips I've taken.

 

[Koolau]

At a basic level, to install one is:
Take out of the box.
Stick in a memory card.
Stick it onto the vehicle window.
Plug into the cigarette lighter outlet.

I don't know. Sounds pretty high tech for me.

 

[Qs Laptop]

I also have a spare one that I take with me when I rent cars on vacations. Great way to record all the driving on my trips (especially the scenic drives) and I save all files along with the travel pics. Watching these files every so often is a fun way to relive the trips I've taken.

I love this idea!

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

I bought a VIOFO A119 3 years ago after witnessing two accidents and being in one within a year (wanted one for a while but so many options... the accident reminded me I need one). It has worked flawlessly in that I've not witnessed nor been in a collision since. I hardwired it into my car. Only feature I might want on any future camera is bluetooth but not a big deal as I rarely want to share any videos... I want it for when something bad happens and am happy to have it there silently recording. Every few months, I'll pull the card and look at anything I manually saved and I'll keep it if it's interesting (like the wrong way driver).

 

[braumeister]

I calmly pointed to the dash cam mounted in my car, and he went quiet like a cricket.

It doesn't take much. Someone hit me about ten years ago and I immediately activated the Recorder app on my phone. When we pulled over to the curb and got out, he immediately came out with "So sorry, it was my fault."

Later, his insurance tried to get out of it but that little recording with its time stamp settled the issue quickly.

 

[teetee]

I installed two dashcams on my car since 2020. Though I haven't had a chance to use any footage for legal / insurance process but if anything similar to the accident happened that totaled my car in 2020 (by a distracted driver) then proving the other party is at fault will be a lot easier.



The installation process is straightforward. I don't need the parked sentinel mode so it was a 12v to 5v step down converter that is tapped to the cigarette lighter fuse in the fuse box to provide the DC power for the two cams (front and rear) that have microSD card in each. I put on my calendar about once a quarter to take out the memory cards and view the footage to make sure they are still working. There are tons of youtube videos showing this type of installation.


It's a one-time $50 insurance policy that will potentially save you lots of headache down the road.


If I were to upgrade, I will look into higher res and capacitor energy based instead of Li-battery powered dashcams.



The impact from the side won't be captured but there is always an option to install more cams on both sides of the car. As matter of fact the 360 degree cams have been popular on AliExpress for several years now but I just did not want to mess with the rear view mirror shell (most side cams are installed below the side rear mirrors which requires drilling).

 

[dawgster]

I was recently on a court case concerning a minor fender bender. The trail lasted 6 days with expert testimony from auto safety experts to brain surgeons.
A semi tractor trailer from local freight outfit rolled into a Honda Accord at a stop light. 2 years of he said, she said, it went to trial, we gave the Honda driver 250k for medical expenses.
I purchased 2 dash cams the next day. I would hate to be in court as the plaintiff or defendant over a minor crash such as that one.

 

[cranberryjoe]

I was in an accident long ago, other driver's fault. I watched the driver admit fault to the responding police officer. Her insurance quickly paid for the substantial repairs to my vehicle, and I thought it was over.

A few months later I got a subpoena to testify as a witness at a trial for the accident. We thought maybe she had a fancy-pants lawyer brother-in-law or something who was going to try to prove it was my fault. Talking to the city attorney ahead of the trial, she was baffled because the police report said the driver admitted fault, so what could she possibly be trying to gain?

It turned out the driver did not have a lawyer. Her testimony: "I came to a full stop at the stop sign before proceeding into the intersection when the other car crashed into the side of my car. Since I came to a full stop, I should not be charged with failure to stop at a stop sign." The judge gently told her that the charge was "failure to *yield* at a stop sign, not failure to stop" and that the accident was her fault because she didn't yield to traffic. Case closed. What a waste of time for everyone.

I've often thought of getting a dash cam since that accident, but haven't gotten around to it.

I was in another accident more recently where a dash cam might have proved useful. I was side-swiped by a city bus. I had to chase the bus for several blocks because the driver had no idea he had hit me. Fortunately, the bus had cameras, and the supervisor reviewed the videos which proved the bus driver was at fault. Had I not been able to catch up to the bus, or had it not had its own cameras, I might have been SOL since I didn't have my own dash cam.

 

[HGTVFanatic]

We bought a Vantrue dash cam. Love it. So easy. We thought it was a necessity since we tow a fifth wheel and people think they can cut you off and you can stop on a dime. It has a screen but it’s very small and the picture quality is fantastic. If there’s an event, the camera automatically saves it. It really gives us peace of mind.

 

[HGTVFanatic]

At a basic level, to install one is:
Take out of the box.
Stick in a memory card.
Stick it onto the vehicle window.
Plug into the cigarette lighter outlet.

We had to do a formatting first on our Vantrue and go through some settings for preferences such as if you also want a voice recording. In response to others having poor video quality, ours is fantastic. I was shocked how clear it was.