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Other Hondas & General Topics => Off Topic (Non-Honda) => Topic started by: Hobo on August 30, 2017, 05:15:47 PM

Title: Dashcams
Post by: Hobo 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.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko 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.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: jonathan on August 31, 2017, 10:50:48 AM
check this link out..



https://hondakarma.com/guides/hardwiring-dashcam-satnav-for-less-than-%C2%A310-with-diy-kit.1604/
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Hobo 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.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: JohnAlways 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.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Kenneve 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!!!!!
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: VicW 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.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: culzean 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.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Hobo 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.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Kenneve 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.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko 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.

(http://i.imgur.com/1a4z93Q.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/HcBSVeU.jpg)
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: culzean 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
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko 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".
(http://i.imgur.com/JfELFQI.jpg)
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Kenneve 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
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko 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.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Kenneve on September 01, 2017, 04:37:18 PM
As far as I am aware I don't have any protected files, but like you I am finding gaps in particular journey.
Has anyone contacted Nextbase regarding this issue?
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: jonathan on September 01, 2017, 05:06:54 PM
Lets get back to basics, the only reason why we buy a dashcam is to record the last 20 seconds or so of a impending incident that then turns nasty, am I wrong.  ;)
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: jonathan on September 01, 2017, 05:13:38 PM
.....I have the 312GW - Its nice and compact and good enough for capturing the inevitable you don't want..... Maybe not so good as night as 512 but rarely drive at night so no problem for me.

I had a prestigio before this and feel that Nextbase is far superior brand and quality.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko on September 01, 2017, 06:01:00 PM
As far as I am aware I don't have any protected files, but like you I am finding gaps in particular journey.
Has anyone contacted Nextbase regarding this issue?
If you connect the camera to a computer there is a folder called Video and inside it are the video files, plus a folder called Protected. In this folder are the files the camera has determined are important. These files can only be deleted by formatting the Micro SD card.
I only discovered I had files missing last week. I never normally look at the files. They are only there for the last 20 seconds, as Jonathan says. However, last weekend I made my final trip across the old Forth Road Bridge, and I wanted some images for posterity. It was then I discovered missing files (luckily the bridge crossing was there).
I did some research on line, read about the Scandisk cards, fitted a Samsung, and so far I have had no missing files. I'll check another couple of times and see what happens.
______________________________________________________________
Just had a thought. I stuck all the files into one folder before checking them. Maybe the start of the journey was in the protected folder, so saved, and the remainder were unprotected and overwritten once space was used up!
Kenneve: Do you view your files on the camera? The camera shows them all in one folder (as I did) so perhaps the same situation as above has occurred.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko on September 01, 2017, 06:20:16 PM
Just checked some videos and did some sums.
NextBase says a 16Gb card will typically hold 2 hours of video. However, I use a 32Gb card and 1080p video, with sound, and a 3 minute clip is 570 Mb. Therefore my 32Gb card will only hold 2 hours 50 minute of video, and if I have an hour of the video protected, then that only leaves 1 hour 50 minutes before it starts to overwrite. I think I have solved my problem. Nextbase says to use a Class 10 card and my Scandisk card in Class 10. Perhaps I have been fed a red herring from my research, and switching off the G sensor has solved the problem!
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Kenneve on September 02, 2017, 11:59:57 AM
Went out yesterday afternoon, did a couple of hours driving and used 11.1GB of memory on a newly formatted 32Gb Verbatim card. No files missing, so will now see what happens when the card gets full.
All the files are in the DCIM folder on the card and there are no protected files.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko on September 02, 2017, 12:14:49 PM
Do you use 1080p and sound? I have since turned the sound off on mine but I am keeping the 1080p as this shows number plates clearly (which may come in handy).
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Kenneve on September 02, 2017, 05:33:07 PM
Yes, 1080P usually with sound on, I agree the importance of number plate recognition etc.
A clip is usually on average around 350Mb.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko on September 02, 2017, 08:34:23 PM
I take it you shoot 2 minute clips. I shoot 3 minute clips.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Kenneve on September 02, 2017, 09:36:10 PM
Jocks, I don't know the clip length, I've never altered the time, so it's whatever the default value is.
Will check tomorrow.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko on September 03, 2017, 09:17:51 AM
Just going by the fact my clips are half as large again as your's are.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Kenneve on September 03, 2017, 12:48:33 PM
Judging by the time stamp on the files, they are 3 min clips and the spec sheet says I should get up to 240 min from a 32Gb card at default settings (which is 1080P)  Currently 17Gb used, will try to monitor it, to see if I can catch it before it starts to overwrite. Not sure why your file size is so large.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko on September 03, 2017, 03:58:04 PM
I went to check mine. Unfortunately all I have on file are very early one and they are 340 Mb for 3 minutes. The bigger ones must have been 5 minute clips (I was experimenting with different sizes and settings), but I haven't kept any on file (flushed my recycle bin a couple of days ago), so I couldn't confirm if that was the case or not.
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: culzean on September 08, 2017, 02:55:41 PM
Mounting the 512GW on a 2011 Civic (last of the good looking Civics with the wipers that have pivots on each side and leave a dirty 'V' patch in center of screen behind the mirror, which is not at all in the line of vision) has been problematic as you are only allowed to protrude 40mm into wiped area (and the drivers wiper does such a good job there is nowhere left that is not wiped) and not in the area of screen vertically above limits of steering wheel.  I have mounted adhesive base on the drivers side of mirror, which is cleanest area so that mirror pretty much covers cam and I can swing mirror out of the way if I need to access the screen (which should not be very often) - I can just see the 'manually protect file' button on bottom left of dashcam if I need it.  The smaller blade on passenger side leaves a big unswept area behind that side of mirror so the dashcam would be looking through dirty screen.

Playback quality in Nextbase app is pants (but you do get a map and and other stuff), and I was getting jerky footage of 1440quad 30 FPS  files from Window media player and Real Player so I downloaded VLC media player   (free download) and everything great now.  Will try 1080p at 60 FPS for a while to see the difference.   3 minute clips of 1440 resolution are 500 to 600Mb a file (so a 32Gb card don't last long),   I don't have an HD monitor on PC,  so may have to see how they look on HD TV screen (with a file that big they should show the numberplate and the number of squashed flies on it).
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: Jocko on September 18, 2017, 12:28:33 PM
How are things going with the Dashcam? Have you settled on a suitable resolution?
Title: Re: Dashcams
Post by: culzean on September 18, 2017, 06:20:46 PM
Tried 1080p at 60fps but when zooming in number plates weren't as clear as at 1440p 30fps,  mind you my computer monitor is 1920 x 1080p so hard to see what 1440p video is really like.

The 3 minute files are big at 1440p,  about 600kb