Author Topic: Dashcams  (Read 7345 times)

Hobo

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Dashcams
« on: August 30, 2017, 05:15:47 PM »
Anyone fitted one recently and any recommendations on makes, I am thinking of fitting one to my Civic and looking at the Nextbase 512GW which Amazon are doing for £116 and which appears to get good reviews.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2017, 07:00:11 PM by Hobo »

Jocko

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2017, 06:49:51 PM »
I have a Nextbase 512G which is the predecessor to the GW. It is a superb camera with excellent video. It is recommended not to use Sandisk Micro SD cards. I had one but occasionally it didn't store the data. I now use a 32Gb Samsung Micro SD.
I found that a lot of my files were being stored as "Protected" which don't get written over. I finally figured out that the G sensor, which stores as "Protected" after sensing a jolt, was too sensitive on Medium and have actually switched it Off. If that works I will try the High setting.
I have mine plugged in to the power socket, so it powers up on turning the ignition on. You can hard wire it into a switched circuit, but I didn't bother.
Format the card every couple of weeks, provided there is nothing on it you want to keep.
I made my final crossing of the old Forth Road Bridge, last Saturday, so I have joined and edited 3 video files, using Movie Maker, and now have an mp4 video to keep for posterity!
So if you haven't guessed, I strongly recommend it, after a year and a bit of use.

jonathan

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Hobo

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2017, 12:57:38 PM »
Just ordered the 512GW from Amazon.

No need to hard wire in the Civic, there are three 12v ports one at the front which I use for my satnav, one in the boot and in the central arm rest box there are an HDMI two USB ports and another 12v port which I shall be using for the dashcam, pretty easy to hide the wiring from the screen to the box.
« Last Edit: August 31, 2017, 01:06:02 PM by Hobo »

JohnAlways

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2017, 04:21:58 PM »
Hi all
well does leave dangly wires but I use a dual port adapter for sat nav and dash cam when I have a working one.
Cheapos don't last long!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cigarette-Lighter-3-Socket-Splitter-Detector/dp/B0721DYG7X/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_263_bs_tr_t_1/260-6651441-0280401?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RX4RRFB6KYVYTKH5AVQP

That gives three ports from the standard socket.
Dual port versions are also available.

Kenneve

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2017, 06:07:39 PM »
Hi Guys
I'm running 2  Nextbase 402G cameras (front and rear) each with a 32Gb card.
I am finding that when the card is full, the system does not always overwrite the oldest file first, as one would expect.
It then means that on occasion a particular file that you wanted to save for some reason has been deleted in error.
Last Saturday I covered roughly 300 miles in 3 stints and on reviewing the footage later, i found several sections missing.
I can only think that they were deleted by the system for some reason
Has anyone else found this problem?
 
Incidentally you might ask why have I got a rear camera as well.
It was sods law, last time I had a bump, someone hit me from the rear and at the time I had not got the rear camera installed!!!!!

VicW

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2017, 06:50:41 PM »
Locally I have seen three cars with cameras fitted.
On two of them the rear view camera is mounted right in the middle of the rear window. On the third the front view camera is mounted right in the middle of the windscreen below the mirror.
In all cases the drivers view is obscured !
When people get home do they really sit and see what is stored on the camera?

Vic.

culzean

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2017, 07:32:42 PM »
When people get home do they really sit and see what is stored on the camera?

Vic.

I guess the whole idea of a dashcam is that unless you were deliberately capturing a route for the scenery that you would only ever look at footage either if something strange happened  or you filmed another vehicle having an accident or had an accident yourself,  the truth is that 99.999999% of all the stuff a dashcam films will never be looked at,  and unless file clip is marked either by g force detector or the user pressing the 'save' button to protect a clip then it will get overwritten within a few hours anyway.
« Last Edit: August 31, 2017, 07:35:48 PM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

Hobo

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2017, 07:35:04 PM »
When people get home do they really sit and see what is stored on the camera?.
Not a case of checking to see what is stored more of having proof of fault in an accident, my daughter was recently involved in an accident she was on a main road and someone pulled out of a side road straight into her nearside clipping her front nearside damaging the bumper, headlight, wing and nearside door estimate for repairs £1800.

First he claimed it was her fault for speeding then that she had been on the wrong side of the road and swerved back across (?), not sure what he meant by that, fortunately her dashcam showed that she was doing just under forty in a forty limit on the correct side of the road and she had swerved to try and avoid him when she realised he was going to pull out without stopping and hit her.
« Last Edit: August 31, 2017, 07:40:36 PM by Hobo »

Kenneve

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2017, 08:44:48 PM »
I'm with Hobo on this, the whole idea of having cameras installed is to collect evidence in the event of a bump, or as a witness to dangerous driving etc.

In my case I can't see the front camera, because it is obscured from my view by the rear view mirror and the rear camera is bolted to the parcel shelf, again out of my line of sight, so in neither case can they be construed as obstructing my view.

My previous post was to highlight the fact that files can go missing and again it would be Sods Law that it would be the file that contains your required evidence.

Jocko

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2017, 09:14:45 PM »
Keneve: I found that the G Force detector, Medium, was too sensitive. As a result it was saving files that included road bumps etc. The camera won't overwrite protected files so it overwrites the oldest of the non protected files. I switched the G Force function off. If I'm involved in a bump I won't be overwriting the file! Another thing I found is that the Nextbase doesn't like Scandisk cards. I changed to a Samsung and have never lost a file that I know off.

Vic: My camera is mounted as close to the mirror as possible, and slightly behind, offset to the passenger side. It does not impede my vision at all. Because I am tall, my eye line is roughly that of the rear view mirror. It has a GPS speed display on the rear, and because of its position, it is very awkward to see. I don't view the files I have shot. It is only for any disputes regarding my driving. Obviously, if an accident happened ahead of me I would keep that (probably offer it to the drivers involved). I once thought I had run a red light, so I checked it later, only to see I hadn't. Today I crossed the new Queensferry Crossing, for the first time, so I downloaded that, edited it, and I will keep it for posterity. You can also take stills from it, but today my wife had one of my digital cameras with here and took plenty photos. I format the Micro SD card every few days, as recommended.




culzean

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2017, 08:45:37 AM »
I'm thinking of getting a Nextbase 512GW this weekend,  Maplin have them for £126,  have been reading dashcam tests for a while now and it seems to come out tops for day / night image quality and build quality - I also like the polarizing filter as I used to use them with my old SLR's and they really do work.  When the worst thing testers can come up with as a negative is 'slightly bulkier than some of the others' (they have to put something down) I can live with that - and Nextbase is also UK company (Surrey) so I'm happy with that as well (but I suppose units are built in PRC ?).

I bought a fairly cheap dashcam from Maplin (about £50) many years ago now and it was a bit clunky,  the mount was awfully complicated and picture quality at 720P wasn't great,  I stopped using it after a while because of its size and awkward mounting.

 I will probably get a couple of  permanent mounting kits, one for Civic and one for her indoors Jazz to make clipping the 512 on and off easy,  but I doubt if other half will use it anyway (if only because it was my idea LOL).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nextbase-Car-Camera-Hard-Wire/dp/B00XHYSQAC

If you look further down the page on above link they want £148 notes for unit and they offer Sandisk 32GB card,  which Jocko has found to be not entirely suitable (will be getting a Samsung card) - but the permanent wiring kit looks OK
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

Jocko

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2017, 09:41:22 AM »
I was finding issues with missing files, and while researching on line I found the info about the Sandisk cards. You don't want to lose an important file for the sake of a couple of pounds.
Here is an image from a video file from my 512G. The 512GW is the upgraded model with even higher quality video.
This has been cropped for a better "photograph".
« Last Edit: September 01, 2017, 09:55:13 AM by Jocko »

Kenneve

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #13 on: September 01, 2017, 10:47:07 AM »
I have selection of cards, all 32Gb from Lexar, Verbatim & Kingston.
I was losing files when using the Kingston card, so have just changed over to the Verbatim card and will report back in due course.
I do think it's important to format the card in the camera, rather than on a PC

Jocko

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Re: Dashcams
« Reply #14 on: September 01, 2017, 01:53:23 PM »
I do think it's important to format the card in the camera, rather than on a PC
It does tell you to do that in the instructions.

Remember. If your protected folder has a lot of files in it then the camera will overwrite the other files far quicker. What I found was I had gaps. I would have the start of a journey but not the end. Shouldn't happen that way.

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