Dash Cam Recommendations?

[generatorlabs]

After using this set up for some time. I have realized that the socket in the trunk has power when the car is charging and also when it's not plugged in but preconditioning.

For those that do not know this yet, the rear-view mirror compass receives 12-13 volts DC only when the car is powered up.
If you want to install a DashCam I suggest you use the hardwire DC-DC converter that SpyTec sells.
I think it costs less than $8
This converts 12-24 volts DC to a clean 5 volts that most dash cams require and it draws minimal current.
It is small enough to fit in the mirror mount if you trim off any of the extra long wire.

I have quite a bit of electrical experience. I cannot be responsible for anything that you attempt to your vehicle. You could damage systems especially if you have little electrical experience or do not put safety first. Always put a properly rated fuse in your circuit!

The wires you need to look at are +Green and -Brown.
This is not a license to put high current devices on that circuit.
Use common sense. Anything on that circuit should draw a few hundred milli-amps only!

 

[DarrenG]

This converts 12-24 volts DC to a clean 5 volts that most dash cams require and it draws minimal current.
It is small enough to fit in the mirror mount if you trim off any of the extra long wire.

Most dash cams? Some of the cheaper ones that are modified webcams sure, but 'most' of the better dashcams are 12v native.

 

[generatorlabs]

Most dash cams? Some of the cheaper ones that are modified webcams sure, but 'most' of the better dashcams are 12v native.

As a person who has designed, built and sold a lot of custom video interfaces out of my garage, I don't know if I agree with this.
I can say with a fair amount of certainty that most dash-cams are working at some voltage lower than 12volts internally.
Whether a vendor chooses to do that within the enclosure or externally is a pure cost/production decision.
And I would think that the small run-time batteries or super caps in some of these units are running in the 5 volts range anyway, so it only makes sense that the core electronics and charging circuits work in that range as well.
So yes the cheaper units may do it by some external means like the 3rd generation 0806 unit I choose to use.
http://www.spytecinc.com/mini-0806-1296p-car-dash-camera-1014.html
These so called "cheap units" are using similar DV/DSC SoC platforms to their famous distant cousin, the Hero.
I am not trying to shoot an iPhone commercial with my dashcam so the Ambarella setup in the 0806 unit will do me fine but may not suit everybody. The biggest challenge with the cheaper units is the lack of production reliability.

But whether a unit is working at 12 or 5 volts is irrelevant. The entire point is that there are options when using one or the other with the i3.
If you have a 12 volt native unit then great, just tap into the compass and roll. (as long as the current consumption designed into the unit is reasonable)
If you have a 5 volt unit then lower it down with a very tiny & inexpensive buck converter made for this application. I don't think they cost more than $7. The entire converter is just a little bigger than an old SD card.
With either path you get a clean install without running long cables to other regions of the vehicle.
My total cable length, including fuse holder is less than 12 inches, and not any of it is visible even if you tried to find it
Also this power approach addresses one of the contributors original concerns about the camera staying on when using the home charger on the i3.

 

[davesw1]

filming while parked isnt all that bad http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-33985435 besides, I can't believe these things really touch the sides in terms of battery usage,

 

[philly10]

I have a Novatek B40 A118 from Amazon for only £45, its already saved me when a woman pulled out on me and tried to say it was my fault, see below...(change resolution to 1080p)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wyzXz5Lk0uk

 

[davesw1]

I have a Novatek B40 A118 from Amazon for only £45, its already saved me when a woman pulled out on me and tried to say it was my fault, see below...(change resolution to 1080p)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wyzXz5Lk0uk

you set the video to private

 

[jacqueusi]

I thought I would resurrect this thread. Can anyone recommend any front and rear dash cams? While witnessing my fair share of crashes and questionable driving including a driver going the wrong way, I've been rear ended more than once.

 

[BMWi3Guide]

You can wire a dash cam into the BMW i3 without connecting it to the 12V cigar charger sockets, or using the car's battery. Here is a great article on i3guide.com that explains how it's done: http://bit.ly/1NU44gR

 

[DarrenG]

I have a Blackvue camera in mine, with front and rear cameras.

 

[i3StormTrooper]

I have a Novatek B40 A118 from Amazon for only £45, its already saved me when a woman pulled out on me and tried to say it was my fault, see below...(change resolution to 1080p)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wyzXz5Lk0uk

Sad news. Hope your i3 is all fixed now.

Did the collision warning activate and help with early breaking? Maybe you were above the speed cut off for the system.

I had it kick in yesterday as I was slowing down.. but not fast enough for the i3 and it kicked in.

 

[vancilwa]

Im also looking for best budget dash cam for audi q3.

 

[DUnit]

After doing some research, it seems the Viofo A119 v2 and the Viofo A119s are popular choices in the sub $100 range with lots of reviews on Youtube. They are more heat resistant during the summer since they both use capacitors instead of lithium batteries and have parking mode feature that should be hardwired using something like the Power Magic Pro (PMP).

The PMP comes with the wire harness and the module. The wiring harness has a accessory wire, constant wire, and a ground wire. For the accessory wire, I plan to use fuse #51, but anyone have a suggestion for the constant wire? The female cigarette socket end will obviously be used to power the dashcam via USB.

UPDATE: I ended up ordering the Thinkware F100 + rear camera + 64 GB + hardwire kit. In parking mode, the unit will actually record 10 sec before and after motion was detected. It will also shut itself off when the battery gets low.

 

[Dodiat]

If you're recording 1080p with audio + wifi capability, don't expect a battery to last long. Definitely go wired. Most of the time you can just run the wire under the dash, up the passenger door brace, under the front of the headliner and back down behind the rear-rearview mirror. Transcend makes a range of dash cams, such as the DP 520 that have everything you mentioned, but it costs a bit more. You can angle the second cam to see the driver and out the back window, and it has GPS + wi-fi capability. It syncs to an app installed on the smartphone.

I do like the suggestions of two cheap cams front & back, but removing them so they don't melt from the tropical sun every time you get out of your car would become a chore. Also increases the risk of someone noticing one or both of them and deciding its worth breaking a window for them.

I worried about people stealing my dash cam a few times, but since I live south Texas without shade to park under the sun will kill it regardless so it is a moot point. I have to pop my dashcam off its mount just so the heat doesn't melt it, and at night nobody will notice it behind the rear-view regardless. You can also hide them between some split/dual sunshades and the rear-view mirror during the day, as another option against heat or pilfering.

Some cams include SDXC cards https://10carbest.com/best-dash-camera what they don't advertise is that most are cheap TLC that will wear out quickly. Transcend ships its own brand endurance brand MLC cards with its cams, so I favor them for that reason.
There are many interesting videos on YouTube, I'll leave one of them here, I hope someone will help in the future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcUGmmQxY0g

 

[randyclark]

The best dash cam i can recommend is YI technology products, you can check some review on youtube.

 

[websterize]

So far, so good with Garmin Dash Cams in front and back. They're tiny.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/567282