r/Dashcam • u/blackboxmycar • Dec 15 '22
There are a lot of dash cams out there, and the choices can be overwhelming. And just because it's rated as "the best dash cam", doesn't mean that it's best for you. The best dash cam is one that suits your wants and needs. Not looking to go through all of this? Take our quick, 2-minute quiz to find the right match for you!
This is a great starting point to finding the dash cam that's right for you.
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Hey guys, you might recognize us from various posts and threads, or maybe even from elsewhere on the Internet! We’ve been working on becoming more active on Reddit and answering as many questions as you can throw at us, and generally sharing our insights and expertise on dash cams.
Throughout the years, we’ve often seen the same questions being asked from time to time, so we’ve compiled a Dash Cam 101 guide for you and other Redditors to easily find the answers you are looking for. We will be continually updating this guide to include all of the new questions and concerns that you may have too.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/dash-cam-new-buyers-guide-hub
Full disclosure: We are from blackboxmycar.com, a dash cam retailer that’s been around since 2012. We’re writing this guide to help spread valuable knowledge as dash cams can be seen as technical, but it doesn’t have to be! We don’t want this to be salesy, and we do see the potential conflict of interest here. If we make any dash cam recommendations that we also happen to sell on our website, do know that it’s because these are products that we have tried and tested and are confident in its success for you. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. We’re always here to help.
What’s a dash cam and why do I need one?
A dash cam is a small video camera that mounts to the dashboard or windshield of your car and records the view of the road and traffic through the windshield. Dash cams are often used to provide video evidence in the event of an accident or other traffic incident, but they can also be used to record scenic drives or other interesting events that you see while driving too. Some dash cams even have additional features, such as GPS tracking and Wi-Fi, advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), and so much more.
You need one because you never know what’s going to happen while you’re either on the road or away from your car! Accidents and hit-and-runs can happen anywhere, and you don’t want to be responsible for deductibles when it’s not your fault.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/dash-cam
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How many channels do I need for my dash cam?
Channels correspond to the number of cameras you would like in your car. You can choose from:
| Channels | Description |
|---|---|
| 1-Channel | Front only (recommended for temporary cars) |
| 2-Channels | Front & Rear (recommended for most drivers) |
| 2-Channels (IR) | Front & Interior (recommended for rideshare drivers / Uber/Lyft) |
| 3-Channels | Front, Back & Interior (recommended for rideshare drivers / Uber/Lyft) |
| 4- to 5-Channels | Front, Back, Interior & Sides (recommended for diehard fans and car enthusiasts!) |
2-channels is frequently ideal for the large majority of driving, and will with a wide angle, providing plenty of coverage. While setups that cover the sides are possible, they will get more complicated.
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What is parking mode and do I need it?
One of the most important features that dash cams have is called Parking Mode. Parking mode is a safety feature found on some dash cams that allows the camera to continue recording while the vehicle is parked. In parking mode, the dash cam typically remains in standby mode and will only start recording if it detects motion or a change in the surroundings, such as a car pulling up next to yours or someone walking by your vehicle. This helps to protect your car while it's parked and give you that extra piece of mind that your vehicle is protected, while you're away.
Not all dash cams have parking mode, but if it does, you need to make sure that it is installed either through a hardwire installation, OBD power cable or a dash cam battery pack - to ensure a constant power supply for the dash cam to run parking mode while the car ignition is off.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/parking-mode
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I’m looking for a dash cam. What do you recommend?
There are a lot of options out there - we get it. You’re not alone - we get asked this question on a daily basis. Unfortunately, it’s hard for us to answer you without getting additional information, like what your car model is, what your budget is, how you’re thinking of using it, etc.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/dash-cam-new-buyers-guide-hub
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But of course, there’s always a starting point, the bare minimum you should look for. We’d recommend spending at least $100 on a dash cam. While there is no shortage of thrifty dash cams on the market, at the $100 price point, you can buy a good dash cam from a trusted brand, built with reliable components and covered by a warranty. A good dash cam can last you several years.
You’ll find a lot of brands mentioned here, including but not limited to, VIOFO, Thinkware, BlackVue, FineVu, Wolfbox, VanTrue, Garmin, and more. In our experience, VIOFO, Thinkware, and BlackVue have been the most reliable.
Insurance companies may ding you if your footage doesn't have GPS data because there have been instances where when the date is off, they wouldn't process it as video evidence. Plus having the precise location of an event, as well as your speed, can be very helpful.
Choose a dash cam with a supercapacitor. Supercapacitors can stand up to the heat compared to batteries, and are generally way more reliable, especially if you live in warmer climates.
Video quality can only get you so far, but at a minimum, choose one with at least Full HD 1080P.
In general, this is how we make recommendations when it comes to deciding between brands. Base this off of what you personally prioritize/value.
| Criteria | Brands |
|---|---|
| Best Price-to-Value Ratio | VIOFO |
| Best Safety Features | Thinkware |
| Best Smartphone App/Desktop Viewer | BlackVue |
| Best Extreme Temperature Protection | Thinkware |
| Best Cloud Features | BlackVue |
| Best Wi-Fi & GPS | BlackVue / Thinkware |
| Best 3-Channel Options | VIOFO |
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So wait… it’s not all about video quality?
Yes, video quality is important because you do want decent footage that can help you identity any incidents and culprits. But there’s much more to dash cams than just video quality, and there’s a lot that goes into determining the video quality that a dash cam outputs, including the image sensor, processor, bitrate, HDR, etc.
Bit rate is an indicator of how much data is transferred in a given time period (BPS = bits per second). Higher bit rates transfer more data and will give better video quality and larger files.
General rule of thumb - as long as the dash cam can capture the accident and the other party’s license plate (or even parts of it), you’ll be fine.
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What about license plates?
This may not be the most desirable answer that you're looking for, but no dashcam can reliably capture license plates in all situations. It's just not possible. License plates are already hard to capture reliably with stationary cameras and tight lenses. It usually takes IR emitters and a camera that blocks visible light and only captures reflected IR light. Dash cams are moving cameras with wide-angle lenses designed to capture as much of the scene as possible, not pin-point details of everything in the scene.
On top of this, you typically only need a dash cam to read a license plate when the person/car is close to you (like in rear ends or hit-and-runs happen), not when a car is driving in the opposite direction from you.
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But what about that Linus Tech Tips video?
You’ve probably watched this video, where he doesn't find the resolution of cameras to be up-to-par (we can't share YouTube links, but you can Google it). Here’s the thing, we have nothing against Linus. In fact, we largely agree with a lot of things that he says in his video, but we don’t agree with the obsession over image sensors and ultra-high resolutions.
While you might think you’re buying a dash cam just for the video quality, there’s so much more to a dash cam than just that. Features like accident file locking, parking mode, WI-FI, and Cloud among others that you can rely on to protect you and your drive.
Recently, there’s also been new advances like energy-saving parking mode / power-saving parking mode, AI damage detection, AI temperature monitoring, and more safety features that have been introduced specifically for those who live in extreme climates or for those who don't drive too often and wants to keep their vehicles protected while they're away for a week or more at a time. These features are meant to help keep the dash cam from shutting down while protecting your car battery.
Beyond that, since that video there have been many improvements to dash cam image quality, especially in the form of the Sony STARVIS 2 image sensor, a new top-tier image sensor, being quickly adopted by various brands, and seeing excellent results, especially when it comes to night vision with HDR.
How do I install my dash cam and how do I get parking mode?
Let’s break the misconception that dash cams are hard to install.
Dash cams can be installed very easily via plug-and-play with the cigarette lighter socket in your car. Just plug in the 12V power cable, and run it to your front camera. If you don’t want loose cables in your car, you can hide excess cables by pushing them into your roof panel and headliner.
This plug-and-play setup is practically foolproof, but the downside is, you won’t be able to run parking mode on your dash cam. In order to have parking mode, dash cams need to have access to power when the car ignition is off. Your vehicles may have a constant cigarette lighter socket (one that still works even when your car is powered off) - DO NOT use it to run parking mode - it will drain your car battery.
The most popular way to run parking mode is a hardwire installation using a hardwiring kit. The hardwiring kit gives the dash cam a safe way to access the car’s battery for power.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/dash-cam-installation-hub
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Can I do the hardwire installation myself?
You sure can! We have a series of installation videos on our YouTube channel that will show you step-by-step how to properly hardwire one yourself.
Alternatively, if you’re not as comfortable (and that’s ok too), you can visit any reputable Car Stereo or Auto Body shop for a professional installation. If you’re in the Vancouver, BC area, we also offer installations at our office so you’re welcome to reach out to us to schedule an appointment. We also work with installers across North America, so send us a message with your location, and we may have an installer near you.
u/Rick91981 also posted a tutorial on how he hardwired his dash cam here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Dashcam/comments/z76d9z/tutorial_how_to_hardwire_a_dashcam_and_hide_the/
Watch our video here: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/hardwiring-fusebox
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What fuse rating should I be using for my hardwire installation?
For one, we always recommend using add-a-fuses and fuse taps for your hardwire installations. It's significantly cleaner than wrapping the wires around the fuses (and safer too). When you're selecting the fuses to use, you can use a circuit tester to identify which fuse is the ACC and which fuse is the BATT (+)/Constant. Just make sure they're not fuses for safety equipment (check your user manual).
For the fuse slots from your fusebox:
We always recommend selecting fuse slots that are rated between 10A-30A in order to properly provide enough power to your dash cam. Always refer to the vehicle’s owner’s manual to avoid fuse slots that could pertain to certain safety features within your vehicle.
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Does hardwiring a dash cam hurt my car battery?
A dash cam is designed to draw a very small amount of power from the car battery and a hardwire installation should not affect the battery significantly. Still, any power draw on your vehicle's battery when it is turned off, will have slight wear and tear over time, no matter how small. While a Dash Cam will not kill your car battery (if wired properly) you may need to replace your car battery after multiple years of it going strong.
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What about OBD installation? Isn’t that easier?
Yes, it definitely is. With an OBD installation, you just need to connect the dash cam’s OBD power cable to the OBD-II port in your car. While an OBD installation is a much easier way to run parking mode, not all manufacturers offer an OBD installation option for their dash cams, and not all cars have an OBD port. There are also occasional incompatibilities with certain vehicle models.
OBD ports are found in vehicles manufactured from 1996 and onwards. OBD ports are typically used for diagnostic and telematics purposes. In order to run the diagnostic scanner or the auto telematics devices, your OBD port needs to be free, so don't be surprised if they unplug your Dash Cam if installed via OBD.
And, not all dash cam manufacturers offer an OBD installation option. We carry OBD power cables from IROAD. The IROAD OBD cable is compatible with IROAD, FineVu and Thinkware dash cams.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/installation-OBD
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Should I use a dash cam battery pack like the BlackboxMyCar PowerCell 8?
We typically recommend a dash cam battery pack for situations where you want parking mode protection that's longer than 6-8 hours. If you're parked in one spot for a long time or you don't drive that often, then definitely get a dash cam battery pack.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/dash-cam-battery-packs
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Why can't I just use a 10,000 mAh power bank instead of a battery pack? It's much cheaper.
You certainly could, and it's definitely a viable temporary solution. However, something to consider: dash cam battery packs are made out of LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate), which is much safer and more durable for hot climates. When lithium batteries from power banks overheat, they can explode.
The metal casing and ventilation design of dash cam battery packs are designed to be durable, and will last longer, being rated for many more recharging cycles on average.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/the-differences-between-dash-cam-battery-packs-and-usb-power-banks
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What kind of microSD card do I need and how much storage do I need?
Not all memory cards are compatible with dash cams. If you use any other cards, while it may work, problems may start to appear out of nowhere over time. Just watch out for footage not recording/saving on the card, and keep an eye (or ear) out on memory card failure alerts on your dash cam. The worst thing that could happen is you getting into an accident and not having footage for it because your SD card was not reliable.
In our experience, the best microSD card for dash cams are high-capacity cards that are Class 10 with MLC technology, or namely the SanDisk A1, which basically translates to fast download and upload with added durability. Don’t use cards that aren’t labelled “High Endurance” as they’re not designed for day-to-day usage, especially with a dash cam’s loop recording functionality, it’s constantly writing and overwriting the data that’s on the card
The amount of storage space is important and we recommend a 32GB microSD card at the very least. A 32GB card generally holds about 3-4 hours of 1080p Full HD recording, which is more than sufficient for most drivers.
If you are a rideshare driver or if you regularly use parking mode, a 128GB microSD card will improve durability and give you extra storage space for parking recording - because footage recorded during parking mode are stored in a separate folder and these files are typically locked and not to be overwritten.
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Can I use an SD card that’s larger than the max capacity noted by the dash cam?
You can, but just keep in mind that there’s a reason that the manufacturer set a max capacity for the dash cam. If you use one that’s higher, then you could risk voiding your dash cam’s warranty.
Over the years, we have seen problems like read/write errors and card failure warnings, and some users were only able to use the maximum capacity according to the specifications.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/sd-cards
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How do I properly maintain my SD card?
We’d recommend reformatting your SD card every 3 months just to ensure that it’s working properly, and clear out any corrupted files, for the health of the card.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/sd-cards
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How much recording time can I get on a 32/64/128/256GB SD card?
Refer to this calculator here from DashcamTalk: https://dashcamtalk.com/recording-time-calculator/
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Is there a way to have my dash cam automatically offload my footage everyday for me?
You can! While we haven’t fully tested this ourselves, it’s possible to do so with BlackVue dash cams using the BlackVue Synology Script.
You can learn more about it here: https://www.rdforum.org/threads/86248/ or https://espenandersen.no/personal-dashcam-server-with-emby/
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Is it normal that my dash cam becomes hot during recording? What can I do?
Yes, it’s normal for dash cams to become warm to the touch during recording. This is especially true for high-consumption dash cams like 4K dual channels and 3-channel systems.
But because dash cams are designed for continuous recording hours at a time, they come with high-temperature protection mechanisms inside. You can also reduce its consumption in various ways such as turning off the WiFi, lowering the resolution and bitrate, disabling parking mode and avoid parking directly under the sun.
Manufacturers always include the dash cam’s operating temperature range in the specs sheets, and some brands are known to fare better in warmer climates, such as Thinkware and BlackVue. However, if your dash cam overheats often and shut down, keep an eye on it because the more it happens, the more it wears down your dash cam. Over time, you’ll need to replace it.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/dash-cam-new-buyers-guide-hub (under Weather Resistance)
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I hear dash cams are illegal. Is this true?
Dash cams are legal in Canada and the US. In other words, you can buy, install and use a dash cam to capture your drive, almost anywhere you go in North America.
But some places do discourage the use of dash cams, such as border crossings. According to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and its Rules & Regulations Governing Conduct on Federal Property (section 41 CFR 102-74-420), you will need permission from the US Customs & Border Protection Officers to keep your dash cam on and filming when you are crossing the border on the American Side. On the Canadian side, CBSA officials do have the authority to inspect devices and review files to see if they are deemed harmful or dangerous.
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Doesn’t installing a dash cam void my car warranty?
Installing a dash cam in your car will not void your warranty, just like how modifications to your vehicle, such as new wheels will not void your warranty.
These installations and modifications are protected under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act enacted by Congress in 1975, a US federal law that was put in place to better protect consumers against deceptive warranty practices. The Act requires warrantors of consumer products to provide consumers with detailed information about warranty coverage. It also has an equivalent in Canada, which is called the Consumer Protections Act.
So while some dealers would have you think otherwise, simply having a dash cam cannot void your warranty.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/blogs/news/need-parking-mode-will-a-dash-cam-install-void-my-car-warranty
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"Would installing a dash cam lower my insurance premiums?"
Unfortunately, not all car insurance providers offer a discount for having a dash cam in your vehicle. But a dash cam can indirectly impact your insurance premiums in many ways.
A dash cam can capture the incident and provide vital information on who was involved and can be used as a tool in assigning fault for an accident. Without a video footage, it’ll be difficult to determine who was at-fault in an accident. This could result in your insurance premiums going up.
With the built-in GPS in your dash cam, you can stamp your footage with date, time and speed and you may be able to use all that information to dispute an unfair driving ticket that could otherwise increase your car insurance premium.
Dash cams protect you against auto insurance fraud because they can show what really happened in a given incident. Fraud costs everyone, don’t be left paying for something you haven’t even done.
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What if someone breaks into my car and steals my dash cam?
Never leave anything of value in your car, right? Many people are worried about dash cams being highly attractive to ill-intentioned people. Luckily, dash cams are pretty small in size and are often less visible than you think. They just appear big in photos as we zoom in and crop the images to highlight the camera.
But if you’re really worried about someone stealing your dash cam, consider getting a Cloud-enabled dash cam. A Cloud-enabled dash cams, like BlackVue, automatically uploads all your incident footage to the Cloud. In other words, from the time the thieves walk up to your car and triggers your dash cam’s motion sensor to them breaking into your car (setting off the impact sensors) and stealing your dash cam, you’ve got it all captured and saved on the Cloud. Once it’s on the Cloud, you can access the footage anytime, anywhere - you don’t even need the microSD card or dash cam.
Learn more about accessories: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/dash-cam-accessories-hub
There are other things you can do to not get your dash cam stolen:
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Can I use my smartphone as a dash cam with one of those apps?
There are a number of smartphone apps out there for both Android and iOS that turns your smartphone into a dash cam app, including AutoGuard, AutoBoy, Daily Roads Voyager, Smart Dash, Droid and Driver: Dash Cam and Cloud Sync App.
There are a couple of reasons why we would recommend against using this, namely:
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Why are dash cams so expensive? Are high-end dash cams better?
There are a few reasons why the Thinkware, BlackVue, and VIOFO are priced higher than the budget dash cams on Amazon - and these reasons make a huge difference not just in image quality, but also performance and reliability.
The sleek and thin design of premium dash cams allows you to easily hide the dash cam behind the rear-view mirror away from sight, making it harder for potential wrong-doers to spot.
Premium cameras are equipped with better image sensors that are more sensitive to light and image processors that are capable of more post-processing effects to ensure clarity in all light situations. Results - more details can be seen and captured, even at nighttime.
Premium dash cams also utilize better manufacturing, for better fitment as well as stronger materials. All of these things contribute to a much longer longevity for the dash cam. Plus, premium dash cams have better after-sales support and warranty.
Last but not least, premium dash cams with built-in WIFI can connect directly to your smartphone using a mobile app, and from there you can playback videos, download footage to your phone (and share it to your favorite social networks), updated firmware, change camera settings, and more. This feature comes in handy in any situation where you can’t plug the SD card into your computer to get an in-depth playback.
Learn more: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/high-end-dash-cams-vs-budget-dash-cams
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Which dash cam do you recommend for under $200?
New dash cams come out all the time, so we keep an up-to-date list right here: https://www.blackboxmycar.com/pages/best-dash-cams
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Full disclosure: We are from blackboxmycar.com, a dash cam retailer that’s been around since 2012. We’re writing this guide to help spread valuable knowledge as dash cams can be seen as technical, but it doesn’t have to be! We don’t want this to be salesy, and we do see the potential conflict of interest here. If we make any dash cam recommendations that we also happen to sell on our website, do know that it’s because these are products that we have tried and tested and are confident in its success for you. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. We’re always here to help.
r/Dashcam • u/Mindreeder93 • 8h ago
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The left lane is left turn only. The right lane is straight and right. Bad behavior by the truck probably confused the driver of the white car into thinking they could just drive straight into me.
r/Dashcam • u/toomanytoons • 19h ago
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r/Dashcam • u/SjalabaisWoWS • 9h ago
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r/Dashcam • u/ProxySoxy • 1h ago
I currently have an A129 from 2019 and I think it's time for an upgrade. It's been 7 years, and I want a cam that I'll be happy with 5 years in the future. My two most important features I desire is a good quality front camera and fast Wifi transfers. My current A129 can take 15 minutes to download a video, which is extremely slow.
The A149 Pro Duo is the newer model, and offers a 4k front camera and 1080p back. I don't get 60fps, but HDR isn't available at 60fps anyway, and I drive to work at 5am when it is nighttime, so visibility at night is important.
Given that both options offer a 4k front camera (which is the most important), is it worth the extra $124 to get a higher quality rear camera? Both offer Wi-fi 6, which offers very fast download speeds.
I am not planning to hardwire it or use parking mode.
Is there any feature that I missed out on? It seems like the A149 Pro Duo is the better option given the savings. I still get 4k and fast transfer speeds, although the rear camera is slightly lower quality. I'm not sure is 60fps is worth the extra money
What would you buy given these 2 options?
Edit: what about the T330? I just learned about this, it's a new model without a screen and is $360, is this model worth considering?
r/Dashcam • u/_AYuSH_KUmAR_hehe • 17h ago
I upgraded to a dash cam with live view and parking mode alerts last month, mostly because my old camera only saved footage to the SD card after the fact. Before buying it I had asked around about whether remote monitoring was actually useful or just another app gimmick, and now I finally had a situation where it mattered. Yesterday I left my car at an airport valet lot and got an impact or motion alert while I was already at the gate. When I opened the live view, the car was being moved much more aggressively than I was comfortable with. For anyone using a dash cam with live view remote monitoring, how would you handle this? Do you call the garage manager immediately while you still have the footage fresh, or wait until you can inspect the car in person and avoid escalating too early?
r/Dashcam • u/known_conflict_82 • 1d ago
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r/Dashcam • u/Hoogheid • 1h ago
Hello,
I have a problem with my X800, it's connected with the 4g hardwire kit and when i start my car it switched on and works perfect.
When i switch off the engine it says it's entering sentinel mode and the screen turns off like it should.
When i go out to take my dog for a walk a few hours later i notice that my lcd screen is turned on and that the cam is recoding (no red circle light) When i enter the 4g module section using the app i see my live screen and that it's recording but when i want to take a picture it says " all functions available when the engine is turned off.
Since it enters sentinal mode when exiting the car i'm assuming it's correctly connected.
please help me out on this because i can't figure it out.
r/Dashcam • u/Acrobatic-Assist5666 • 10h ago
A coworker got backed into in a parking lot and the part that stressed everyone out was not the damage, it was figuring out which dash cam file actually mattered while the car was still running. I always assumed pressing the lock button or trusting the event folder would be enough, but now I am less sure about the practical steps in the moment. After a small hit, do you power the camera off, pull the card, lock the clip, copy the whole folder, or save a few minutes before and after just in case? I am trying to avoid learning the file-management part while already dealing with insurance.
r/Dashcam • u/Western_Ad_8354 • 5h ago
I have the Redtiger F77 V2 Dual 4K Dash Cam installed and want to add remote/cloud access capabilities. Is there a compatible 4G LTE hardware kit or module available for this specific model that allows for Cloud Remote Monitoring, similar to the 70mai 4G kit?
r/Dashcam • u/scarybullets • 6h ago
I just installed the Viofo a119m pro yesterday and took it to work today. After a few hours in the sun about 77⁰ I got back in the car and it was double beeping constantly. I opened the app and it said card error, I tried touching the dash cam and it was burning hot. I unplugged and drove it home and when I got back I plugged it in and it seemed to work just fine.
I have the SanDisk high endurance 128gb which I know they dont recommend but everyone else seems to use it and it works. Could it be the card, do these things overheat easy? Any fixes?
r/Dashcam • u/GurOk4211 • 6h ago
Just picked up two 70mai A800SE dashcams — one for my RAV4 and one for my Lexus — and I'm about to install them both. Before I do, I want to make sure the 70mai app can handle two separate cameras across two different vehicles.
Can you add multiple dashcams to a single account and switch between them easily? Or do you need two separate phones/accounts to manage them independently?
Any insight from those who've set this up would be great. Thanks in advance!
r/Dashcam • u/XenonOfArcticus • 7h ago
I know this is a bit out of left field, but I'm looking for someone who is familiar with the 3rd Eye truck camera system ( https://www.3rdeyecam.com/ ), particularly with production of forensic evidence for a legal case. Hit me up if you've worked with one before.
r/Dashcam • u/True-Gain9317 • 8h ago
My wrangler spare tire blocks enough of the rear window that the stock mirror has always felt half useless, so I tried a mirror dash cam thinking it would clean up the view. The rear camera helps, but the mirror screen is picking up daytime glare and at certain angles I see more of my own cabin than the traffic behind me. I am not sure if this is an install angle problem, a screen brightness problem, or just part of living with mirror cams. For people running these in Jeeps or SUVs with blocked rear glass, what fixed it for you?
r/Dashcam • u/Technical-Courage248 • 8h ago
I am looking at a wolfbox dashcam setup, and I am trying to be honest about what I actually need. I do not want a camera that turns into another subscription or app I have to manage, but I also do not want to find out after an accident that the card was full, corrupted, or overwrote the clip I needed. For people using dash cams daily, is a high endurance SD card plus occasional checks usually reliable enough, or do you have a routine for making sure the footage is actually there when it matters?
r/Dashcam • u/Upper-Head-737 • 5h ago
I just want something for when i'm driving thats rechargeable. i can recharge at my desk at work, or at home, i park in a garage at both and they have cameras at work. I've tried searching, but cannot find anything. does anyone have have a recommendation? (edited for spelling)
r/Dashcam • u/Stock_Community_2009 • 10h ago
A coworker had a minor parking lot hit last week and the messy part was not the camera quality, it was figuring out which file mattered before normal loop recording buried it under a pile of boring commute clips. That got me thinking about the boring habits nobody talks about when people recommend a dash cam. After something happens, do you pull the card right away, lock the clip on the device, copy the whole folder, or just trust the event file? I am less worried about 4K specs now and more worried about doing the wrong thing in the first ten minutes.
r/Dashcam • u/Odd_Afternoon1758 • 1d ago
I just installed my first dashcam after perusing this thread. I do feel a sense of security knowing I'll have a record if anything bad goes down while driving.
However, watching the first few minutes of video I realized that I've basically done the work of a private investigator on myself. I didn't install an interior camera, but there's still audio of every conversation in addition to the dash videos that show my every move including time stamps, GPS location, and speeds.
I'm a generally law-abiding citizen, but are there cases where someone's own dashcam video or audio are pulled and used against them in cases other than a traffic dispute?
r/Dashcam • u/Doramoron • 12h ago
I want a dash cam for my daily commute, but I really do not want another little box hanging off the windshield with a cable dangling down the trim. The wolfbox mirror-style setup is one reason I keep looking at mirror cams, since it seems cleaner in the cabin, but I am worried about daytime glare, night brightness, and what months of parked-car heat will do to the screen. I care more about something I can forget about than a mirror full of features. Would you run a mirror cam every day, or hide a basic wedge cam behind the mirror and avoid the screen altogether?
r/Dashcam • u/Confident_Device7918 • 16h ago
Rideshare starts soon, so the camera question has moved from nice-to-have to something worth thinking through before buying. Front, cabin, and rear coverage sounds useful for passenger liability, but recording three streams at once also sounds like it will chew through storage fast. Options like the wolfbox are on the shortlist, though memory card sizing and camera angles matter more than the model name right now. Would a high endurance 128GB card give enough loop buffer for an 8-hour shift, or is 256GB the safer choice if important footage should not be overwritten too quickly?
r/Dashcam • u/Triannix22 • 1d ago
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r/Dashcam • u/bmfsfan • 1d ago
Hello All
Looking into purchasing a dual facing dashcam (Viofo A329S) and was wondering is there a preferred installation method in an older vehicle like this (i.e, hardwiring to battery or obd)? Will not have an in cabin camera (if that matters).
Are there any accessories you would recommend for the installation in an older vehicle like this?
Thanks in advance for your time!
r/Dashcam • u/disembodieddave • 1d ago
Saw the Ottocast dashcam and I’m kinda tempted. Being able to pull up clips right on the car’s screen sounds pretty handy, but I’m a little lost on the CarPlay requirement. I have a VW Tiguan with CarPlay, but I heard it needs factory-wired CarPlay to work. Is plugging my iPhone into the USB port and checking that CarPlay comes up enough to know it’ll work, or is there something else I need to check? Anyone here actually using one, especially in a VW? Would love to hear how it’s been before I spend the money.
r/Dashcam • u/farside983 • 1d ago
Live in a cold climate, often gets sub-zero in winter. Had a cheap dashcam die, I believe due to the cold-hot-cold fluctuations when heating the car up in winter. Any insights on brands/models that are made to handle these issues?
r/Dashcam • u/JunkMale975 • 1d ago
I just bought a new car and I want to get a dashcam. Would love recommendations for a good front and back system. And I only know of Best Buy for installation. Are they any good or is there someone else?
Also I can’t use the kind that stick/suction to the windshield. I’m in the Deep South and the heat drops that instantly (had one many years ago and it never stayed up).
Thanks.