Which Dashcam

[WooburnCalifornia]

After a near miss on Saturday I have decided to invest in a dash cam however looking on Amazon I am overwhelmed by the amount of choice. I am a bit of a numbty when it comes to stuff like this so looking for some advice from you good people.

So, looking for advice on which one to buy?

Also I would like to hard wire it in so looking for advice on this also.

Thanks all

 

[jts46]

plenty of posts on dashcams use the search facility top right

 

[WooburnCalifornia]

There was nothing relevant to my question as I did search first, I was after more updated information.

 

[T6 CFO]

There was nothing relevant to my question as I did search first, I was after more updated information.

Try this thread

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/dash-cam-mifi-install.19864/

Very pleased with the blackvue.

Front and rear hard wired in with battery protection.

I believe they've just brought out an updated model already. Like I said, love mine.

Mike

 

[GrannyJen]

Happy with my next base 402

 

[Tufty_B]

A few months ago one of my sons spent quite a lot of time looking into dashcams and found that most dashcam specific websites advise that the best performing dashcam for use during both day & night is the latest Viofo A119s, which he bought. When my second son passed his test a few weeks ago, I had a look myself and decided on buying him one of these models as well.

A bit of advice, for the best solution buy the dash cam, GPS mount & anti glare lens (CPL filter) and note that they are sold by various 3rd parties, for example RtTech, Boblov, Spy Tec, but they are exactly the same. Also there is a similar A119 model which is a slightly better daytime cam, but slightly worse at night, also the S model beeps if not recording, whereas I don't think the non S does this.
I'd suggest buying from Amazon Prime because I found it to be one of the best prices and it also has the security of Amazon's refund policy.
You should be able to get all the items for just under £115.
Finally don't forget to buy a hardwire kit for a tidy installation and don't buy the cheapest as they are not the most reliable, I bought a Nextbase kit (RRP £20, I paid £15) as it has the same mini USB connector.

I've had a Nextbase 312GW for about a year and the A119s provides better quality recordings, but mine was good enough to ensure that I didn't lose my NCB after a van driver rammed into me on a motorway and drove off without stopping after causing over £4k of damage to my car.

Any camera is better than none, so whatever you get just have a look at some recent reviews first.

 

[MattBW]

I just have a £25 one from a Tesco garage. it has auto looping recording + a parking mode which starts recording if any G force is measured. It also locks files if G force is noted, which means in the beach whenever I go on a bumpy road but its pretty great for the cheap price.

 

[Andy]

I use a nextbase 512gw in truck I drive. Gets good reports. Most importantly for me it will take 128 gb micro sdcard to retain max footage.
Not cheap though £150.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[RodCouncil]

I like idea of combining the sat nav, RCD330 didn't fit so it's for sale, might take down the Garmin so I can combine all.

 

[Lost Boy]

Try this thread

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/dash-cam-mifi-install.19864/

Very pleased with the blackvue.

Front and rear hard wired in with battery protection.

I believe they've just brought out an updated model already. Like I said, love mine.

Mike

How do you manage with the rear one and the rear blind when camping? Any pictures? Thanks

 

[T6 CFO]

Here is the rear one.
Loads of room with no interference from blind.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[T6 CFO]

I thought it would be a problem but it wasn't. If it's away from the glass you can get issues with reflection. I don't as it's tight to the glass. To get the wires in guy used a fibre optic to guide the wiring.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Kmann]

I just went thru a lot of YouTube comparison videos and reviews. And decided to go with the ThinkWare F770 as I found it the best (Compact, great quality day and night, plenty of features as GPS, app, etc.).

It did not take a long time to instal and hide cabling for both the front and rear camera – following the steps provided på @Loz in another long thread regarding DC's.

Short after I installed the cam, a bus rammed my bike rack and drove off in Croatia – but I got all on film. Police, insurance and I was happy – Worth the money!

 

[deccauk]

A few months ago one of my sons spent quite a lot of time looking into dashcams and found that most dashcam specific websites advise that the best performing dashcam for use during both day & night is the latest Viofo A119s, which he bought.

This is a good recommendation. I've had a dashcam for years, and the main problem is battery life. They usually have a small lithium rechargeable battery to finish the recording, close the file and write it to the memory card when the ignition is turned off. Unfortunately, a vehicle is a hostile environment for batteries. They do not like heat, and vehicles get very hot in the sun. Often, the sun is beating down on the camera itself. Eventually the battery dies and the dashcam is useless.

The latest cameras, including the Viofo and similar, use capacitors instead, which is a much better solution for a dashcam.

 

[Tufty_B]

@deccauk
Thanks for mentioning the issue with batteries in dashcams and advantage of one with a capacitor.

Also don't forget about the memory card of which most are Micro SD sized. I would advise staying away from Sandisk as these are renowned for failing, this is not an urban myth as I've had a lot fail on me in the past and now never use them. I once sent one back to them and I kid you not it took them a whole year to send a replacement!

Also make sure that you buy your memory card from a reliable source because there are lots of fakes, especially on eBay.

 

[deccauk]

@deccauk
Also make sure that you buy your memory card from a reliable source because there are lots of fakes, especially on eBay.

Agreed - never EVER buy a memory card from eBay....

 

[Andy]

@deccauk
Thanks for mentioning the issue with batteries in dashcams and advantage of one with a capacitor.

Also don't forget about the memory card of which most are Micro SD sized. I would advise staying away from Sandisk as these are renowned for failing, this is not an urban myth as I've had a lot fail on me in the past and now never use them. I once sent one back to them and I kid you not it took them a whole year to send a replacement!

Also make sure that you buy your memory card from a reliable source because there are lots of fakes, especially on eBay.

Have to disagree I have losts of SanDisk micro cards & only had one fail. They have good warranty if you register them on their website some with 10 years.

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[Mofty in Meysey]

I'm having one fitted professionally, I'm told that insurers are more inclined to be favourable with insurance claims. Its advised also to get one with anti tamper memory so there is no argument with the capture of any incident.... they are so clever these days that they record your acceleration and breaking, how fast you are going and also exactly where you are. Talk to Lindsay at MPH.UK.COM... check out the TVS200HD Camera and videos.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Careful with hardwiring kits, the can be poorly screened and kill your DAB signal.
I changed mine for an online 12v socket, hidden behind the lower dash, and plugged in the original cigar lighter cable - DAB faultless.
As for my dashcam, Transcend 200 prodrive - very wide angle, good in most lights, adjustable g-force activation (limits pothole activating it) no GPS or speed reading (might be an advantage?).

 

[Shane Bennett]

I've been in the market for a dashcam and after reading through here I decide to research it a bit further. There are a lot of review sites but this one in particular http://www.techmoan.com is really good mainly because he is British. Most sites tended to be American and some products may not be available here and some products were ruled out due to hot weather conditions which we don't have too much of a problem with

I went with his suggestion the A119 and while it seems to be pretty good I'm having some mounting issues due to the multiple sensors behind the mirror area on my car, but that isn't the camera's fault. I think I may go for a professional install when the Cali arrives though.

 

[Mofty in Meysey]

Careful with hardwiring kits, the can be poorly screened and kill your DAB signal.
I changed mine for an online 12v socket, hidden behind the lower dash, and plugged in the original cigar lighter cable - DAB faultless.
As for my dashcam, Transcend 200 prodrive - very wide angle, good in most lights, adjustable g-force activation (limits pothole activating it) no GPS or speed reading (might be an advantage?).

Completely agree. which is why I'm going with the professional install route. Screening should not be a problem if there is screening to the PSU needs good earthing and this also speaks of the DAB unit too.

 

[Tufty_B]

Have to disagree I have losts of SanDisk micro cards & only had one fail. They have good warranty if you register them on their website some with 10 years.

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Andy,
We all have different views/experiences of companies and their products, mine has not been good in relation to Sandisk and if you Google the company then you'll see that I'm not alone.
I've bought well over 50 micro SD cards over the years and I'm guessing around 15 would have been Sandisks. Back when they were very expensive I had one fail and returned it under warranty at my expense (to a country outside of the UK) and there was only an online return process and no phone number to call. Months passed and I had no reply from Sandisk and they ignored my emails so I gave up on it. A year later, almost to the day a package arrived at my house and inside was a replacement memory card with a note stating that it was a replacement for the faulty one sent, oddly it arrived from another country from which I had sent mine to originally and after a bit of digging I discovered that Sandisk had relocated their returns dept to another country. I can only assume that it got mislaid internally within their company and then eventually once found it was processed.

Since then I've never bothered returning faulty memory cards because the cost can be more than buying a new one.

All of my 15 odd Sandisk cards have died compared to only one or two of other makes of which I had had dozens of.

 

[Tufty_B]

Have to disagree I have losts of SanDisk micro cards & only had one fail. They have good warranty if you register them on their website some with 10 years.

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Just to make people aware, Sandisk memory cards are covered for a range of 1 year to lifetime (whatever lifetime actually means under consumer law, I don't know), anyway there are exemptions to the warranty and they categorically state that use in dash cams is not covered as shown below (extract from their website https://www.sandisk.co.uk/about/legal/warranty/warranty-emea):
This warranty does not cover use of the Product in connection with the following uses or devices (as determined by SanDisk): ...(iv) in-car recording devices/dashboard cameras/black box cameras
...

There's a note that they do have high endurance products (SanDisk High Endurance Video Monitoring microSDHC/microSDXC Card) for this purpose however the warranty is only 2 years.

 

[Kmann]

I've been in the market for a dashcam and after reading through here I decide to research it a bit further. There are a lot of review sites but this one in particular http://www.techmoan.com is really good mainly because he is British. Most sites tended to be American and some products may not be available here and some products were ruled out due to hot weather conditions which we don't have too much of a problem with

I went with his suggestion the A119 and while it seems to be pretty good I'm having some mounting issues due to the multiple sensors behind the mirror area on my car, but that isn't the camera's fault. I think I may go for a professional install when the Cali arrives though.

If you consider travelling on holiday in southern Europe at some point, you may as well take the heat issue into consideration. It can get extremely hot. We often use the blinds when parking, but it does not cover the DC.

 

[B J G]

Careful with hardwiring kits, the can be poorly screened and kill your DAB signal.
I changed mine for an online 12v socket, hidden behind the lower dash, and plugged in the original cigar lighter cable - DAB faultless.
As for my dashcam, Transcend 200 prodrive - very wide angle, good in most lights, adjustable g-force activation (limits pothole activating it) no GPS or speed reading (might be an advantage?).

GPS & speed are pretty much essential as evidence as is time and date stamp when providing insurance or police with video evidence.