Dashcam w/ PVR Recommendations?

[tekrice]

I have 3 of these.

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1]Amazon.com : Black Box G1W Original Dashboard Dash Cam - Full HD 1080P H.264 2.7" LCD Car DVR Camera Video Recorder with G-Sensor Night Vision Motion Detection WDR 140° Wide Angle 4X Zoom - NT96650 + AR0330 : Vehicle Backup Cameras : Car Electronics[/ame]

 

If you use Camel Camel Camel, I bought mine around $51$ ea

 

The exterior construction sucks, but the internal components and video quality is spectacular.

[ras06LGT]

I recently purchased the B40/A118 and hooked it up this past weekend. For about $80 bucks it's great. The video quality is really good and I was very drawn to the small form factor compared to many other options. I have it just to the right of my rear view mirror and it blends in very well. I ran the supplied cable along the headliner, down the a-pillar, and into the fuse box by the driver's kick panel. I used and add-a-line for the fuse box and a replacement female 12v lighter socket to hardwire it.

 

I bought the capacitor version. The only issue I've noticed so far is that it doesn't start up right away when it's really cold out. Take about 5 minutes for the camera to turn on (about the time it takes for the cabin to start heating up). I don't think I can really fault the camera though since it's only rated for 10 degrees C on the low end.

[Dispatch20]

I recently purchased the B40/A118 and hooked it up this past weekend. For about $80 bucks it's great. The video quality is really good and I was very drawn to the small form factor compared to many other options. I have it just to the right of my rear view mirror and it blends in very well. I ran the supplied cable along the headliner, down the a-pillar, and into the fuse box by the driver's kick panel. I used and add-a-line for the fuse box and a replacement female 12v lighter socket to hardwire it.

 

I bought the capacitor version. The only issue I've noticed so far is that it doesn't start up right away when it's really cold out. Take about 5 minutes for the camera to turn on (about the time it takes for the cabin to start heating up). I don't think I can really fault the camera though since it's only rated for 10 degrees C on the low end.

 

I did something very similar. Put up a DIY here: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/dash-cam-install-hardwired-diy-238157.html?t=238157

[error]

I recently purchased the B40/A118 and hooked it up this past weekend. For about $80 bucks it's great. The video quality is really good and I was very drawn to the small form factor compared to many other options. I have it just to the right of my rear view mirror and it blends in very well. I ran the supplied cable along the headliner, down the a-pillar, and into the fuse box by the driver's kick panel. I used and add-a-line for the fuse box and a replacement female 12v lighter socket to hardwire it.

 

I bought the capacitor version. The only issue I've noticed so far is that it doesn't start up right away when it's really cold out. Take about 5 minutes for the camera to turn on (about the time it takes for the cabin to start heating up). I don't think I can really fault the camera though since it's only rated for 10 degrees C on the low end.

 

Very interesting!

My non-capacitor A118 starts right away regardless of the temperature.

 

The only quirk: when the starter is cranking, the voltage in the mirror curcuit that powers the camera drops significantly. If this happens in just the wrong moment during camera's boot up sequence, the camera thinks that the power is off and shuts down after about 5 seconds.

 

It happens once in a while and only when my wife is driving. Apparently, we have slightly different procedures to start the car

[CheckYourLights]

Operating Temp on the B40 is -10 to 60°C

or 14°F to 140°F has it been lower then 14 in your area?

 

Also glad to see someone post the difference between the B40 and the Street Guardian SG9665GC they both use different sensors and the Street Guardian is much better.

You can check out the head to head here

[1454]

Very interesting!

My non-capacitor A118 starts right away regardless of the temperature.

 

The only quirk: when the starter is cranking, the voltage in the mirror curcuit that powers the camera drops significantly. If this happens in just the wrong moment during camera's boot up sequence, the camera thinks that the power is off and shuts down after about 5 seconds.

 

It happens once in a while and only when my wife is driving. Apparently, we have slightly different procedures to start the car

 

What type of connector are you using to power it. If I can eliminate a set of wires that would be awesome. I currently have a dedicated wired running from the cig lighter.

 

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

[error]

What type of connector are you using to power it. If I can eliminate a set of wires that would be awesome. I currently have a dedicated wired running from the cig lighter.

 

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

Mirror harness. This may not work for some 2014 Limited trims where the harness connector is not accessible.

 

I also have an A118 dashcam hardwired into the mirror harness - here is the link to my DIY guide: http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/99-do-yourself-illustrated-guides/178505-diy-gen-4-dash-camera-hardwire-install.html

 

Note that A118 emits quite a bit of electromagnetic noise at certain frequencies - discussed in the linked thread. It may or may not be of importance for your particular situation.

[ras06LGT]

Operating Temp on the B40 is -10 to 60°C

or 14°F to 140°F has it been lower then 14 in your area?

 

Also glad to see someone post the difference between the B40 and the Street Guardian SG9665GC they both use different sensors and the Street Guardian is much better.

You can check out the head to head here

 

Yeah, I meant -10C. First morning after I installed it the temp was around 0-5F. Hasn't been an issue since that one time.

[CheckYourLights]

Alright So I was on a roll last night when a member asked about my cameras in the 6th Gen thread and ended up typing two posts worth to keep things clean I am going to move it over to this thread.

 

Post 1

Okay lets see what I can do for everyone here.

 

Did you buy all different models of camera because they fit your needs for the specific locations, or did you start with one and then find something better and something even MORE better-er?

 

I started slow. I ended up buying a camera from Amazon that turned out to be junk, and replaced it with something okay, and then as cameras got better I slowly upgraded over time.

 

I've read Amazon reviews for hours, but there's no real consensus as to which is the best camera.

 

I was right where you are about 3 years ago. I read Amazon for a few hours and still ended up with junk. When it comes to doing camera research the only place that seems to be honest is DashCamTalk. I'm there as well as over 12K other members and for the most part if someone does not like a camera they will tell you so.

 

Of the 3 you have, which would you suggest?

Of my currently most used 3 (I own about 10 cameras all together) I like Mini0806 the most. It offers GPS, small design, and a lot of vent holes to keep heat out.

 

Before I bought my Subaru I also liked it because it has a screen off time of 15 seconds where most cameras you have to wait 1-3 mins for the screen to turn off, but it's not an issue now that the 0806 sits completely behind my mirror.

 

I also always recommend someone new read as much as they can on DashCam talk and find what works best for them.

 

I also like my Innovv C4 since the Subaru cuts power to all the sockets when the car is off. In most DashCams the battery is only for saving the rest of the file when you are in an accident and loose power, but the Innovv C4 battery lasts for roughly 1 and a half hours unplugged, and while I would not leave it unplugged while driving it is nice to use while parked up and still have a camera running with the car off if I ho inside a store.

 

You can hardwire a Mini0806, but I bought the extended warranty because my car has Eyesight, and I don't want someone to try to deny my claim because I had a DashCam hard wired in.

 

I'm not a big fan of the CarproCam Z06

I don't like the mount. It's huge and not easily swap-able or replace able if need be.

 

I could not find what kind of chipset is inside, and to me that is a big red flag. If I can't find what chip is inside anywhere it is an instant stay away.

 

I also don't like that it claims to offer a 1440x1080 in general much less claiming at 60fps. I have just seen some of the newer Ambarella A7 cameras handle 1080P at 60 alright.

 

You mentioning it being closer to 25FPS also red flags me as well. The knock off G1Ws do 1080P at 25 FPS and look horrible the real G1Ws do 1080P at 30 and look way better especially at night time.

 

You can download a program called RegistratorViewer and open a clip recorded by your camera in it. You right click on the clip in the list and left click properties and you should have a whole bunch of good tech info. RegistratorViewer is also great for cutting or combining DashCam clips as well as stripping audio and GPS data post recording.

 

I don't mean to sound like a jerk or anything, but I would stay away from this one for the 80 dollar Amazon asking price I would look at the B40/A118 a few members here have and love them, and the 0806 is only a little more.

 

A real G1W also swivels is cheaper and can use a suction cup, sticky or rear view mirror mount

 

Can you snap more pictures of how all the cameras are mounted? I always wanted to get a Go-Pro 3/4 as my front camera.

I can try to snap some for you this afternoon. I would personally not use a Go Pro for at least 3 reasons.

 

They are not very stealthy looking and can not be placed out of the way well

Last time I looked not many models have a loop over old footage function, a DashCam must have feature so you can set it up and leave it alone without having to clear a card.

and because they are Go Pro they will give someone motivation to break into your car.

 

People who really like the Go Pro design and want to stick with the design in general look into cameras like the SJCAM models The SJ5000 and SJCAM M10.

 

There are also Dual Chanel Cameras that are two cameras in one for the front and back. I am looking at getting one in the near future as they become just a little smaller up front.

 

Current good dual camera models are the Panorama X2 and the Vicovation Marcus 5. There is also one called the K1S. It is really small and headed in the right direction, but the firmware needs worked on a little bit.

 

You can also check out http://www.techmoan.com/ He has done a lot of DashCam reviews and does a great job reviewing them with long well done videos.

[CheckYourLights]

Post 2

I'll come back and edit this post later, but as a place holder here is my Innovv C4 on the side of my visor using a Innovv C3 belt clip holder.

 

http://i.imgur.com/uqvyHrMm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/cujieRXl.jpg

The one with the CPL filter under it is the 0806

It either comes with it or is an add on, but the ring around the lens is already built into the camera and is magnetic so you don't have to do any DIY for it to go on.

 

Also the indicator LEDs are no where near as bright as they are on the 0803 I used to have to put dark tape over the little LED light when I drove at night with the 0803.

http://i.imgur.com/QyA7MvF.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/6TgwXsT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/CCyUka4.jpg

0806 installed right under the rear view mirror bracket.

 

It comes with a 3M stick pad I believe. I used 3M Dual Lock tape instead this way I can remove the whole mount if need be and only leave the other side of Dual Lock tape behind. You can find 3M Dual Lock on Amazon or at Walmart. It's much better then velcro. It's Amazon ASIN:B00347A8EO

 

I only had some heavy duty Dual Lock tape on me at the time and wanted to get the camera in front as soon as possible so that is why it is white on the other side. Regular strength Dual Lock is clear and is holding my rear camera in.

[im2c0ol]

So you have to manually power the camera on and set it to record everytime before you drive? Do you leave it rolling during short trips to groceries etc or it's rolling the entire time when car left your garage?

[CheckYourLights]

So you have to manually power the camera on and set it to record everytime before you drive?

 

No.

Because the Legacy cuts power to all the ports when the car turns off the cameras turn themselves on when I start the car and off when I turn it off.

 

The only thing I have to do manually is turn the C4 back on if I want it on using its own battery while I am parked because it turns off with the car.

 

The C4 is still in a Beta stage and is not for sale yet so I am pushing for a menu setting that allows me to keep it from turning off when the car tuns off and switches over to battery on its own.

 

If you would hardwire using an add-a-fuse and plug it into an always on fuse then yes the cameras would stay on all the time and you would have to manually turn them off and on.

 

In the car I came from before my Subaru the sockets were powered all the time so I bought a 3 way lighter socket splitter from WalMart that had an independent switch and plugged my camera into that and just flipped the switch.

 

Do you leave it rolling during short trips to groceries etc or it's rolling the entire time when car left your garage?

I always believed more is better to a point while I would not (and can't anyhow) leave them on while I am parked up at my house I do leave the C4 running on battery power under my mirror while I am parked up at a store in case someone hits the car and takes off so I have a chance at catching their plate or something about their car.

 

If you want to take the next step and keep an eye on your car while it is at your house I would install an IP camera set up. DashCams are great while driving, but a CCTV set up looking at your car is more ideal for long term parking like at your house

[im2c0ol]

I have two IP Foscam staring in the front of my house and and almost a monitor in every room in the house to monitor it.

[CheckYourLights]

Nice.

Always good to keep tabs on the car.

[CheckYourLights]

More pictures

http://i.imgur.com/7z6jORx.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HM9wTbV.png

http://i.imgur.com/v4Rdmiy.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZSXvpVR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1LOnFcH.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/133GPnW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/x7GVQ1l.jpg

Also here is a very nice 4th Gen hardwire write up by member Dispatch20

[Paradox]

I know the Z06 isn't the best, but, I spent hours reading reviews and I wanted a dashcam that had a wide POV and this was one of the few that actually did, from pillar to pillar.

 

It does record sound and it's clear and understandable recording whomever is up front, it starts recording within 1sec of the car starting up, and keeps recording for approx 5-7secs after the engine shuts off. You can leave the screen on or off, while its recording. It turns on when the engine is running or whenever the PTS is pressed or key is turned to ACC/ON.

 

I didn't get a chance to check what the recorded footage actual codecs are and so forth, but I do know it records on .MOV format. For me, it's definitely HD and you can make out license plates when they're close enough. The FPS is a minimum of 25FPS, but it might be more, there is no stuttering, which was why I bought a second one a month later for the rear windshield.

 

I knew these weren't the best, but I wanted to try out exactly how a dashcam would be and know that I will be upgrading them in the near future. But now I have a baseline to compare to with any others.

 

When I get a chance, I'll check the cam footage, as I did back some up from other rides, that I felt were funny or just plain idiotic (not on my part). So I'll see what the dimensions are and so forth and report back here. Might take some screenshots of the footage to show.

 

Attached are the shots of the cameras installed in my car. I ran both USB cables up into the roof panel, then down the pillars. For the rear camera, down the pillar and under the left rear passenger kickstop, center pillar and then under the driver's seat, under the center console, then towards the pedals and out into the power adapter.

 

For the front, same with the ceiling, down the front pillar, side of the dash, under the dash and tucked up, then around to the power accessory as well, quite easy as the passenger cover under the dash is just three small clips holding it up.

 

The last shot is from the driver's seat, at my eye level, and you can see the dashcam is not in my view whatsoever. The rear camera is, due to the angle/slope of the rear window, and I was worried about that, but once I'm fully seated and driving, it's actually a small footprint in the window, when looking at the rearview mirror. I might move it to the ceiling, but I wasn't sure how the 3M tape would last on the cloth ceiling over the glass.

[Paradox]

Here's the shots of the camera views. First shot is a screencap of the video properties, showing it is Full HD at 29FPS with a high 11Mbs bit rate.

 

The next two shots are of the front camera, one snowy and the other clear and sunny. You can see the POV and it's pillar to pillar.

 

The last one is the rear camera with the same pillar to pillar POV.

[DonnyJagaru]

I like the rear-looking camera. This looks much better than my Dashcam II output.

[CheckYourLights]

Thanks Paradox for the write up and pictures. Based on the time stamp position and type face I am guessing that it is an Ambarella A2S70 processor it looks similar to me as the GS8000 time stamp that uses the same chipset. That was the chipset to go for last year or so if you wanted decent video without spending a lot of money. While I had a GS8000 for a little bit, and it turned out to be very unreliable when it did record video it looked decent.

 

The bitrate is about also what most consider to be preferred minimum at around 11 for video most people like to make sure a camera has around 12-15, but I have seen way worse. Some BlackVue cameras record at around 8 and it causes the video to look very blocky

 

 

I like the rear-looking camera. This looks much better than my Dashcam II output.

 

If you mean The Original Dash Cam 2 that has two lens and records in .avi please run away from it as fast as you can. Really though this camera is pretty bad i've seen it for sale at an auto part store. Any camera that records in .avi should be avoided.

 

Also now a days any camera with IR LEDs around the end should be avoided as well. The IR LEDs are just a market gimmick. They actually make the video look worse because they don't work behind glass and cause extra unwanted reflection.

 

If you have a camera with IR LEDs turn them off.

 

I also wanted to post these two pictures from member USDashCamera over at DashCamTalk. Credit goes to him for the shots

http://i.imgur.com/U1kIq0y.jpg

This picture is from an Innovv C4 I wanted to post this one up and point out near the bottom that is a C3 remote lens stuck to his dashboard I know some members are worried about putting things on their windscreen either because of the eyesight (although a DashCam does not bother it when placed almost against the glass and in between them like the Mini0806) or because they are worried about blocking their view

 

Here a shot of what the C3 sees in this position. http://i.imgur.com/6qFQyyt.jpg

 

I have also personally placed the lens on the bumper of a car and it works great it gets some really cool video down there.

[CheckYourLights]

Wanted to bump this so anyone subscribed would see.

 

estore009 is offering 10 dollars off of the B40/A118 through eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/sme/estore009/Save-10-for-every-75-you-spend/so.html?_soffid=5005654903&_soffType=TargetedOffer

 

Making the A118C without GPS $65 and with GPS $75.

 

While not as nice as a Mini0806 these B40/A118s seem to be very popular here. They have the components of a G1W, but are built better,more compactly, and offer GPS.

 

If you are thinking about picking up a camera but are not sure this would be a good chance to grab a decent camera at a good price.

 

It seems GearBest has also matched here

http://www.gearbest.com/car-dvr/pp_142025.html

 

I have bought a G1W from eStore, and my Mini0803 as well as my G90 and a few other cameras off of GearBest with no issues.

[MaiTai]

I'm leaning torward the Mini 0805 or 0806. With the HDMI out can I plug it into an external monitor while it's recording to watch? I'm thinking later on if I install a backup camera and monitor in dash to be able to view this camera on the same monitor.

[CheckYourLights]

I'm almost positive HDMI out is for playback only

 

The only two cameras I know that allow recording while viewing are the Mobius plugged into a monitor and the Innovv C4 through WiFi

 

Also found this

https://forum.dashcamtalk.com/threads/mobius-rear-view-mirror-project.10402/#post-131967

It mentions that you have to make sure you have a decent monitor to plug it into for it to be of much use.

[CheckYourLights]

Just wanted to bump this and see if anyone else picked up a DashCam or had any related questions.

[harver]

CheckYourLights - you got a great point about hardwiring dashcam to fuse box might bring potential issue to break the extended warranty which I also have because of Eyesight. In this case, I probably will run the cable from passenger side and go to USB for power.

Thanks to Paradox who provided me his experience on how to achieve that.

[CheckYourLights]

CheckYourLights - you got a great point about hardwiring dashcam to fuse box might bring potential issue to break the extended warranty which I also have because of Eyesight. In this case, I probably will run the cable from passenger side and go to USB for power.

Thanks to Paradox who provided me his experience on how to achieve that.

 

The only downside to this is that you will unfortunately loose any kind of parking protection if the car kills power to the USB ports when the car is off. To get around this I have a C4 attached to my either my rear wing mirror or my visor and I power it with a USB power bank.

 

This way the camera is independently powered while the car is parked up and off.

 

I use a Jackery brand Giant+ with a 12000mAh battery

Amazon ASIN ASIN: B00EA1P8OI