Dash Cam

[xtruckerbob]

Has any one tried a dash cam? If so which brand, model, and cost.

[Dagwood]

Originally Posted by xtruckerbob

Has any one tried a dash cam? If so which brand, model, and cost.

Oh boy, this is one of those subjects that has numerous opinions and lot's of web pages of info to poor over.

I ended up going with a cheaper Chinese model which costs about $40 US, shipped free, it just takes 3 - 4 weeks.

I bought the G1WH from Gearbest. I only hooked it up yesterday so I can't really comment on dependability but like most stuff, it's hit an miss. I will record a very good daylight adventure and is more than adequate for Night Time.

There are other versions: G1W which is the older model, and then the latest is the capacitor based one that is a G1W-C.

You could also spend upwards of 4 - 500 for a DashCam so Like I said you have to do a little research.

Note: With the Chinese models you need to order from a reputable seller else you run the risk of getting a fake. Gearbest, Estore009 and AliExpress seem to be the preferred suppliers, Gearbest has a US warehouse apparently so shipping may not take as long if the unit is in inventory already.

Here is a website where I started: It reviews different Cams on the market.
G1W / G1WH / G1W-C / G1W-CB

What ever you do, search for Coupons as well. Gearbest has a few which reduces the cost of their Dash Cams about $10 so they are even cheaper.

[BCx213]

I bought a Magellan GPS with the forward facing camera that records. It loops the recording and locks video in the event of a crash.

[rryman]

I bought a windshield mount for my iPod for about $10.00 and use the time-lapse feature. Only used it once so far, but seems to work well.

[FPM III]

I've have a Vosonic 737W that I bought in 2012 from securitysystems.com and use it all the time. They no longer sell the model I have, but the one they currently sell is very similar. Interestingly, it's the same price as when I purchased mine almost three years ago.

Recording at its maximum resolution, 1280 x 720 and using a 32GB micro SDHC card I can record approximately 10 hours of video. I can set it to either stop when the SDHC card is filled or have it record over the oldest recording. I do the latter. The video is written in files that are about 7-8 minutes long. It can also be adjusted so that the video will write in files that are about 3-4 minutes long. The format of the files are .mov and can be viewed using ordinary video software like VLC, Windows Media Player and others. Using a micro SDHC to USB adapter, I can even insert them in the USB port on my television and watch them there.

Below is a picture from my dashcam the day a deer ran in front of the car (I missed him!).

[Seann45]

I bought one over a year ago from Amazon for $18.00 Saw the same one at the RV show for over $75.00.. I bought the biggest memory card it will take.. It has worked well for the last year.. I just wish the instructions were clearer..

[Bookemdanno]

I have the Sony version of the Go-Pro...got it online for $129. Just sits up on the dash. Use it for family videos and other stuff too.

[xtruckerbob]

I was thinking about Mini 803 because of the reviews on you tube plus it seemed to have a great night vision view, but not sure of the price. I also watch several other which are in the $16 to $25 range. They all seemed to do what I am looking for. For me it is just a tech toy with a chance for self preservation.



Mini 0803 - (Probably) The Best Mini Dash cam in the world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LWOq62cY6U

[Dagwood]

I like the tiny aspect of the Mini 803, but like all Dash cams there are good and bad reviews. Amazon has good reviews, but this one user forum shows some problems people are having with them. https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/forums/mini-0803.72/

The 803 costs about $150 Cdn, The G1WH was $46 all in shipped to my door, I just had to wait about a month since it shipped from China but tracking was provided. So far I am real happy with the camera's recording. Day and Night are pretty good but the cam is a little larger than the 803. I have two issues so far with the G1WH. I've tried a kingston 32GB MicroSD Class 10 in it that did not work for me but does for others. I was getting a Memory Error msg. I'm using a 16GB Sandisk now and have a 32GB Adata on order. Hopefully the Adata works although it's not the end of the world if it doesn't. I'll still get about 3-4 hours of record time. The second problem I am having is the last recording gets corrupted if I turn off the ignition which in turn shuts off the cam immediately. For some reason the Cam just turns off without finalizing the last recording first, however if I power it off manually before turning off the car its fine. I figured for $46 It was worth the risk compared to the more expensive cams which also come with some risk of their own. Like I said in my original post, big subject with lots of opinions, you just need to figure out what works for your comfort level. Make sure to watch youtube examples of the different cams. All that said, the tiny size of the 803 is nice. There are just so many other options out there it gets confusing.

[xtruckerbob]

I like the tiny size of the 803. I can leave in the truck with out being so noticable. But more importance is I am cheap and don't want to spend that much.

[Offspring22]

Picked up the Blackvue dr3500-fhd a couple weeks back that included a Power Magic Pro to allow for true parking mode with battery protection (cuts power of battery power drops below a selected value, or after a selected number of hours). Also includes GPS. I'm pretty happy with it so far.