Who uses a dash cam and what do you recommend?

[XraytecH]

I'm thinking of getting this...

Sponsored

 

[XraytecH]

 

[wildtaco]

I have the Viofo A119 V3 hardwired to the power and ignition leads in passenger foot well. Works great.

It's been the go to recommended camera on https://dashcamtalk.com/ for a couple years now.

 

[RCott77]

I use BlackVue DR900X-2CH Plus in both mine and my wife vehicles. The parking feature is pretty great and the clarity tells me all I need to know.

 

[Outback_Joe]

I use a old LG ThinQ cell phone with "Droid dash cam" app. It's a great way to save money and get dash cam footage.

 

[Guns_N_Rosaries]

Garmin Mini 2 here. It's simple, small, and easy to pull videos off of through the app, and it also has where you can say "Hey Garmin, save video" and it'll save the last minute or so.

I threw in a decent sized memory card, and just let it do it's thing without thinking about it.

 

[Moe-Jave]

I'll bump the Garmin Mini 2 with a vote. I think there are many other fine options, but I also had a few experiences with the random brands along the lines of what has been mentioned in this thread.

The whole point is to have an easy to use device that you can trust. I suggest you test your device before relying on it -- many of the cheapest tier would fail to record as expected. So after a few very cheap devices, I went with a name I trust and finally got the results I wanted.

You may want a polarizing filter. I found it made a wider range of uses possible in direct sunlight and related adverse lighting. The unit operates in parking recording mode until it hits the low voltage threshold (but you can choose limited time-based options with a physical switch). It seems to work reliably.

It is physically located in the corner of the windshield so that I can easily reach the record button (and is in the path of the windshield wiper). It was very easy to route the long cable and tuck it away. I'll also add that it works fine with my OBD-2 port while using the security cable bypass with JSCAN. I recommend a higher quality card made for "high endurance".

Here is my total list of parts from Amazon:

 

[Aj58]

I'm thinking of getting this...

That was a pretty good video. Looks relatively easy to install. When the 24’s come out I wonder if you have to run the rear camera a different way to avoid the curtain airbags

 

[ErylFlynn]

Until the Vantrue N4 Pro 3 came out I was leaning to get the Viofo A139. It seems like a strong and good dashcam. The Vantrue though is expensive so might be an issue, but for me I am going to be putting it on a 50k+ vehicle so the cost is minor in the big picture.

Anyone setting up quick connects to replace them as upgrades come along? That way you don't do all the wiring from scratch in a few years if you want to upgrade.

 

[OldSarge]

I'm shopping for one as well - this was a good review of yet another system from Matt at Ozark Overland Adventures

 

[Mr._Bill]

I'm using one of the Ring Dash Cams. It seems to work fairly well. Power comes from the OBD port. Setup and access is through the Ring app that I use for the cameras and security system.

 

[AmosMoses]

Iam reading that the viofo a139 is prone to run hot so not ideal for hot climates in which case the viofo 229 might be better. The vantrue n4 looks like a nice camera. I like the fact that the viofo and vantrue flagship models accept up to 512gb of SD card space. Thinkware is a US company I believe and the U3000 model seems nice as well with similar image quality in addition to recording motion while parked. It doesn't accept 512gb SD cards though.

There's also the issue of customer support and phone app software. No one dashcam does them all perfectly.

 

[sharpsicle]

Iam reading that the viofo a139 is prone to run hot so not ideal for hot climates in which case the viofo 229 might be better. The vantrue n4 looks like a nice camera. I like the fact that the viofo and vantrue flagship models accept up to 512gb of SD card space. Thinkware is a US company I believe and the U3000 model seems nice as well with similar image quality in addition to recording motion while parked. It doesn't accept 512gb SD cards though.

There's also the issue of customer support and phone app software. No one dashcam does them all perfectly.

What do you need the 512gb for? Most dashcams will be able to keep 1-2 weeks on a 256 card, if not more, and with the flagging features and perpetual overwrite, you can hang on to clips for longer if you like and still not run out of space. You don't need to keep boring useless video clips forever.

Not to mention, if you're looking to retain your videos for longer than a week or two, you'll want to back them up to something else like a PC or file server to preserve them. The SD card shouldn't be seen as a long-term storage solution, but more as a temporary in-process stopover for the files. Plus the constant read/write nature of dashcams significantly shortens the lifespan and reliability of SD cards.

I actually run a 128gb no problem. Mark what I want to save and back it up when I get the time. Other than that, it's autopilot for the camera.

 

[AmosMoses]

What do you need the 512gb for? Most dashcams will be able to keep 1-2 weeks on a 256 card, if not more, and with the flagging features and perpetual overwrite, you can hang on to clips for longer if you like and still not run out of space. You don't need to keep boring useless video clips forever.

Not to mention, if you're looking to retain your videos for longer than a week or two, you'll want to back them up to something else like a PC or file server to preserve them. The SD card shouldn't be seen as a long-term storage solution, but more as a temporary in-process stopover for the files. Plus the constant read/write nature of dashcams significantly shortens the lifespan and reliability of SD cards.

I actually run a 128gb no problem. Mark what I want to save and back it up when I get the time. Other than that, it's autopilot for the camera.

That's a good question. Those 3 brands I mentioned are filming in 4k and a couple of them have up to 3 cams or more filming at 30 fps. I don't know how quick a 256 or 512 gb card will fill up with those parameters but I know that 512 will record more than 256 without overwriting. Could be a non issue, I don't know.

 

[SamO.5]

Iam curious if anyone here has any recommendations.
[/QUOTE]

I just bought a Rove R2-4K My buddy highly recommended it, and he has been through three other brands that he didnt like. He swears by this one, and says their Tech Support is excellent.
I just got it from Amazon. I am still reading the manual. It seems easy to set up, install, and so on. I'm still trying to decide if I want to mount it on back of the mirror, or on the windshield. I am liking this camera a lot.
It has 24 hour standby- if something bumps the Jeep while its parked in the driveway, it'll wake up and record a video, and notify you next time you get in the Jeep. It has GPS. They highly recommend their brand memory cards, I do too, the price is comparable.
It is very small and lightweight. It has no battery, it has to be plugged in to work. As long as it is on, it is recording.
Personally, my main purpose is to record the wildlife on my way home. I work in the middle of the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, and drive home at midnight, and if I capture a herd of deer, Ill take out the memory card, and download that to my computer when I get home. Driving with one hand on my phone, one hand on the wheel is not my cup o tea. If this doesn't workout, I still have a very good dashcamera.

Sponsored