Dash Camera


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Old 04-01-16, 05:41 PM
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Dash Camera

Not sure which forum to post this in.

I am looking for a HD (1080) Dash Camera. If you have one in your car, can you share your thoughts; the brand; how much it cost; and where to buy?
 
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Old 04-01-16, 05:48 PM
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I only know one person who used such a camera. However, he put it on his motorcycle helmet. You might be better off asking some local cops.
 
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Old 04-01-16, 05:59 PM
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I'm trying this one out right now on my wrecker:

http://www.amazon.com/TOGUARD-Dashca...ilpage_o09_s00

Works surprisingly well for it's price. Only downside is that after a week's use it got a little quirky. Initially all I had to do was keep it plugged into lighter socket (only powered with key on) and whenever I started the truck the camera activated. Now it sometimes goes to sleep and I have to push the power switch to wake it up, more than a little annoying considering how well it worked at first. May or may not be typical or maybe I just got a funky one. Other minor downside is instructions sheet is next to useless, although I've been able to click through menu options and figure stuff out.
 
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Old 04-01-16, 06:13 PM
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Thanks for your reply Pulpo. There is one similar to what you described at Costco:
FLIR FX Wireless HD 1080p Wi-Fi IP Monitoring Camera 2-Pack

Unfortunately, that costs way too much $299.

The_Tow_Guy, Thanks for sharing the amazon link. I will look into it. I buy lots of stuff on Amazon but I am a bit caution on some stuff on there. They have a Dash Cam (Cobra $50) from costco but it got lots of low ratings.
 
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Old 04-01-16, 06:13 PM
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Funny you should mention dash camera..... the dash cam pro commercial was just on TV.
 
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Old 04-01-16, 06:21 PM
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Order TWO and get free shipping! Just send me the second one. Might be worth a try at the price. My only comment is that 120 degrees is not a terrifically wide angle, that one I have is 140 degree view.
 
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Old 04-01-16, 06:26 PM
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Originally Posted by PJMax
Funny you should mention dash camera..... the dash cam pro commercial was just on TV.
That is funny. I just saw that exact same one when I was at Fryes a few hours ago.

Originally Posted by The_Tow_Guy
Order TWO and get free shipping! Just send me the second one.
Sure, the free shipping will be used to mail to you.
 
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Old 04-01-16, 06:37 PM
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Not only is the DashCam Pro cheap it also gives you a license to mouth off to law enforcement officers as well as in the courtroom.

And for only $39.99 it just HAS to be good!
 
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Old 04-01-16, 06:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Furd
it also gives you a license to mouth off to law enforcement officers as well as in the courtroom.
Unfortunately, when they pull you over, they make you turn off the engine which kills the power to the camera.

I get pulled over once every six months. I am sure it is because I am driving an old truck. For the most part, this police department does not want to be on national news so they do handle their situations professionally. As long as they keep the city safe and clean, I am OK with them pulling me over every once in a while.

The purpose of the dash camera is because lots of people are driving while texting. Just want to capture in case there is an accident. I had a green light the other day and some idiot still made a left hand turn while he was texting. Luckily, I was fast enough to slam on the brakes.
 
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Old 04-01-16, 08:02 PM
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Dash Cam Pro is supposed to have an internal battery so it should work without the external power cord.

I get pulled over once every six months. I am sure it is because I am driving an old truck.
Or maybe they just like messing with you. It's been at least twenty years since I have been pulled over and my car has had the right rear smashed up for about the last nine months.
 
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Old 04-01-16, 09:17 PM
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That is good to know that it has an internal battery. I will do more research on it. Thanks Furd.

As for getting pulled over, if you live in a city where crime is low and there is not much for the police officers to do, they get super excited when they get to pull people over.

I got pulled over for:
  • no front license plate
  • burned out license plate light
  • burned out right head light

The other 3 times are not directly related to moving violations. As soon as they pulled me over, they ask/look at my driver license and let me go right away. No criminal records and never had a driving ticket in my entire life, well actually one for an illegal U-Turn about 30 years ago.

It never happens when I am driving my other cars, just in this old truck.

I have thought about using a dash camera during a pull over but some how, I think it may agitate them. For the most part, they are very professional but with what we have been seeing on the TV lately, I also do get concern of running into a rogue cop.

I was pulled over in Oct 2015 for having one of the license plate lights burned out. How he saw the burned light, beats me. He pulled me over at 4 am and asked where I was going. Told him that, "I was heading to McDonald to get chicken mcnuggets for my wife. Would you like some?" We laughed it off and he let me go. Told me to fix that light bulb and so I did. Didn't even give me a "Fix-A-Ticket" which I greatly appreciate. It would have costed time and $35 to clear a "Fix-A-Ticket" and would have to drive down to a court to have it cleared.
 
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Old 04-01-16, 09:28 PM
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Crime is far from rampant in my city but it does exist. I have never been pulled over by the local police but I have often seen them "double team" other cars along the road. Maybe I smell too bad for them to stop me.

I found a few review sites on the Dash Cam Pro via a Google search and the most informative had about 14 revues, all one star except a single four star (out of five) revue. Everything from the extremely poor instruction manual, internal batteries that wouldn't charge, never receiving the cameras to them crapping out within a few weeks and other things such that I would spend a bit more to get a better unit.
 
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Old 04-01-16, 09:33 PM
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Ok, thanks for looking into it Furd. I will do my research and comparison with other brands.
 
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Old 04-02-16, 08:13 AM
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DH just got this one about a month ago: Thinkware Dash Cam H50
He didn't want to pay a lot either and wanted it for the same reason as you. Pretty good ratings and under $100. The only thing, he had it hard wired and had Best Buy install it, since he was also having them install a new stereo. They didn't charge much for installation.
Hasn't had any problems with it yet.
 
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Old 04-02-16, 09:16 AM
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If you're concerned about recording evidence for crashes, I'd like to offer a few suggestions. First, know whether the camera records from start to finish, like a traditional video camera or GoPro -- video from power on to power off. Some of them may only record 5 or 10 minutes of video, and then record over that video to save space. If it records over itself, you'll want a camera that automatically locks or saves the video after an impact. After you get your bell rung in a crash, reaching up and hitting a "save video" button may not be the first thing on your mind.

Also, you'll want a camera that will save the data even if there's an "improper" shutdown of the camera, such as loss of power. Crashes can and do destroy vehicle batteries and cut cables, and firefighters disconnect batteries for safety reasons. Last thing you want is to have recorded the crash, only to have it not save because the power supply died before the camera wrote it to disk.

A rear-facing (cabin view) camera may be useful as well. If the other driver wants to claim that you were at fault because you weren't looking, were talking or texting on a phone, were eating a cheeseburger, were shaving, or were doing all of the above at once, the video of you paying attention to the road could be just as useful as the video of them crashing into you.

Finally, consider the camera itself. Where will it be mounted? If you've got issues with the police stopping you already, you don't want to give them more reason to do so. States may prohibit devices mounted on the dash, or mounted on certain points of the windshield, or in the driver's field of vision. There are also laws about "video screens" visible to the driver -- whether its a DVD player, or your own live view from your dash camera. Finally, does the camera have any lights on it to indicate that it's on or recording? If there's a big blinking red light, or even a small glowing green, blue, or other light that's visible through your windshield, that can run afoul of the law as well -- anything from displaying improper lights, to impersonating a police officer depending on the nature of the light and your local laws. Whether the ticket would hold up in court, who knows? But it's still time out of your day to be stopped, and to go to court.
 
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Old 04-02-16, 09:23 AM
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Just to add, after reading SuperSquirrels reply, the one I mentioned does auto save on impact.
 
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Old 04-03-16, 05:29 AM
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I had to look up the acronym for DH. Thank you for providing that link and your husband's experience, Shadeladie. That helps.
 
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Old 04-03-16, 05:39 AM
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Originally Posted by SuperSquirrel
After you get your bell rung in a crash, reaching up and hitting a "save video" button may not be the first thing on your mind.
SuperSquirrel, I have not even thought about the recording on "impact" feature or "improper" shutdown feature. Thanks for bringing those to light. Overall, I haven't even thought about the aftermath but you are very right on this.


Again, the rear-facing camera is also a very good point.


Originally Posted by SuperSquirrel
There are also laws about "video screens" visible to the driver -- whether its a DVD player, or your own live view from your dash camera.
This is where Shadeladie's recommendation may work out for me because it does not have a display.


You are a very detail oriented man/woman. Thanks for your thoughts and inputs on this.
 
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Old 04-03-16, 07:20 AM
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I have two dash cams. One front facing and one with 2ry camera on the rear end.
Both have impact feature. G-sensor. They automatically save last recording on impact. Both have "shake it" feature, when someone hits your car when parked or tries to break in. You can set both to record after vehicle shut down. Both are set on 3 minute loop.
Oh, and it's illegal to set them so that they obscure line of sight. Beware of that.
 
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Old 04-04-16, 12:47 AM
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Thanks for your post ukrbyk.

After reading the posts on this thread, I researched and found this: https://www.accidentcameras.co.uk/dash-cam-features
 
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Old 04-04-16, 10:23 AM
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Well, you do NOT want to have dual camera that has cams on the windshield. All you get is your and passengers faces in it. Or, rear seats backrests.
You want to have one that actually has a 2nd cam on the trunk somewhere. Mine is right above the LP pointed down. Sides as back up camera. Problem is, and I shall never buy anything as expensive as you have on that site, display is TINY and very hard to read. I paid something like 50 bucks for mine and been working well for few yrs now.
Oh, wireless 2nd cams are said to be susceptible to interference. Your call. Running cable is sorta PITA. 30 min or so.
 
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Old 04-04-16, 12:21 PM
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Sorry, I should have been more clear. I provided that link in reference to the features that a dash camera can have. I wasn't particularly interested in whatever product that site is offering.

Originally Posted by ukrbyk
You want to have one that actually has a 2nd cam on the trunk somewhere. Mine is right above the LP pointed down. Sides as back up camera.
Thanks for the clarification.

Originally Posted by ukrbyk
I paid something like 50 bucks for mine and been working well for few yrs now.
What brand and where did you buy it?
 
 

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