- Joined
- May 10, 2010
- Messages
- 2,669
- Points
- 797
Just wondering if other owners are using a Dash Cam?
If so,
which one are you using?
how have you wired it in?
how/where is it fitted?
are you happy with it's results?
A while ago, while LMAO watching one of the Dash Cam TV programs
(the cyclist giving the V's to the car behind, then crashing head over heels is still tickling me pink even now).
I thought I'd investigate the different cameras on offer and see if I could find one that suited my needs.
What I wanted was something I could leave attached all the time, so no fixing up, pulling down every time I used my car.
Recorded in a reasonable quality day and night, but as cheaply as possible.
Also, it needed to be wired in to stop and start on the ignition but also so the normal power socket was free to charge phone, Sat Nav etc.
A couple of sites help me in deciding what's hot and what's not.
http://www.techmoan.com/
https://dashcamtalk.com/
And this kind of made my mind up on fitting a camera
http://www.swiftcover.com/carinsurance/dashcams/
So first off, power supply.
All cameras come with a ciggy adapter to either USB mini or USB micro cable (depending on camera) or you can buy a hard wire kit (at extra cost).
I decided to just use the ciggy adapter cable and wire in another power socket in the glove box (close to fuse board).
I bought a waterproof power socket (because I wanted a cap on it) for a few quid on ebay and a mini fuse piggyback tap for another couple of quid.
These piggybacks fit easily, just identify a switched live fuse (hand book), pull it out and push the piggyback in the now empty socket to tap the power. The piggyback has two spaces for fuses, one for the fuse that you pulled out and one for the device you are tapping it for.
I soldered up the connections between piggyback and new power socket, then a bit of heatshrink, fitted an earth ring (screwed to the bolt on the bottom right of the fuse board and fed the wires through the hole in the fuse board cover in the back of the glove box.
So now I have another switched power socket in the glove box which is easy to remove without leaving Scotchlocks or split cables for less than half the price of a hardwire kit.
Next up was camera.
I wanted something discreet and preferably with a capacitor rather than a battery as they can get hot.
It really needed fitting to the black masked part of the windscreen behind the interior mirror, so I ended up with the A118C (C for capacitor) for around £46 (plus £5 for GPS module)
http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2014/10/26/the-a118-b40-wedge-dashcam-review.html
Though perhaps the Street Guardian sg9665gc might have been better (Same casing but better lens, sensor and CPL filters are available to cancel out the dash/screen reflections)
Took a bit of adjusting to get it in the correct position, but now it just pokes the lens below the screen mask and is quite hard to see from outside (and not at all from within as it's hidden by the mirror).
Cabling was easy to route and hide.
There's a gap between headlining and screen for the cable to push into.
A couple of inches across the top of the A pillar trim (the only bit visible).
Then down inside the door frame rubber to the glove box.
So far, I've only used it in daylight and the images have been as good as any I've seen posted by others from these cameras, so I expect the night ones will be similar to those already posted.
Next on my list is a Mobius for one of the other cars (and a bit of fun on a bike)
http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2013/7...e-do-it-all-mount-anywhere-1080p-micro-c.html
There is plenty of support for these and also plenty of add ons and extras like different lenses, batteries, capacitor, cases, leads etc.
So will do something like this with the lens remote from the camera.
http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2014/2...ra-and-some-accessories-to-make-my-ideal.html
I know some of you might be a bit weary of these Chinese cameras, but all the branded ones are the same cameras or at least the same internals.
The Nextbase 420 is actually the DOD LS, the only difference is the price hike of the Nextbase!
When I get some broadcastable cam footage (without the x rated language) I'll post some of the A118C and some pics of it fitted.
If so,
which one are you using?
how have you wired it in?
how/where is it fitted?
are you happy with it's results?
A while ago, while LMAO watching one of the Dash Cam TV programs
(the cyclist giving the V's to the car behind, then crashing head over heels is still tickling me pink even now).
I thought I'd investigate the different cameras on offer and see if I could find one that suited my needs.
What I wanted was something I could leave attached all the time, so no fixing up, pulling down every time I used my car.
Recorded in a reasonable quality day and night, but as cheaply as possible.
Also, it needed to be wired in to stop and start on the ignition but also so the normal power socket was free to charge phone, Sat Nav etc.
A couple of sites help me in deciding what's hot and what's not.
http://www.techmoan.com/
https://dashcamtalk.com/
And this kind of made my mind up on fitting a camera
http://www.swiftcover.com/carinsurance/dashcams/
So first off, power supply.
All cameras come with a ciggy adapter to either USB mini or USB micro cable (depending on camera) or you can buy a hard wire kit (at extra cost).
I decided to just use the ciggy adapter cable and wire in another power socket in the glove box (close to fuse board).
I bought a waterproof power socket (because I wanted a cap on it) for a few quid on ebay and a mini fuse piggyback tap for another couple of quid.
These piggybacks fit easily, just identify a switched live fuse (hand book), pull it out and push the piggyback in the now empty socket to tap the power. The piggyback has two spaces for fuses, one for the fuse that you pulled out and one for the device you are tapping it for.
I soldered up the connections between piggyback and new power socket, then a bit of heatshrink, fitted an earth ring (screwed to the bolt on the bottom right of the fuse board and fed the wires through the hole in the fuse board cover in the back of the glove box.
So now I have another switched power socket in the glove box which is easy to remove without leaving Scotchlocks or split cables for less than half the price of a hardwire kit.
Next up was camera.
I wanted something discreet and preferably with a capacitor rather than a battery as they can get hot.
It really needed fitting to the black masked part of the windscreen behind the interior mirror, so I ended up with the A118C (C for capacitor) for around £46 (plus £5 for GPS module)
http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2014/10/26/the-a118-b40-wedge-dashcam-review.html
Though perhaps the Street Guardian sg9665gc might have been better (Same casing but better lens, sensor and CPL filters are available to cancel out the dash/screen reflections)
Took a bit of adjusting to get it in the correct position, but now it just pokes the lens below the screen mask and is quite hard to see from outside (and not at all from within as it's hidden by the mirror).
Cabling was easy to route and hide.
There's a gap between headlining and screen for the cable to push into.
A couple of inches across the top of the A pillar trim (the only bit visible).
Then down inside the door frame rubber to the glove box.
So far, I've only used it in daylight and the images have been as good as any I've seen posted by others from these cameras, so I expect the night ones will be similar to those already posted.
Next on my list is a Mobius for one of the other cars (and a bit of fun on a bike)
http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2013/7...e-do-it-all-mount-anywhere-1080p-micro-c.html
There is plenty of support for these and also plenty of add ons and extras like different lenses, batteries, capacitor, cases, leads etc.
So will do something like this with the lens remote from the camera.
http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2014/2...ra-and-some-accessories-to-make-my-ideal.html
I know some of you might be a bit weary of these Chinese cameras, but all the branded ones are the same cameras or at least the same internals.
The Nextbase 420 is actually the DOD LS, the only difference is the price hike of the Nextbase!
When I get some broadcastable cam footage (without the x rated language) I'll post some of the A118C and some pics of it fitted.
Last edited: