Can you recommend a dash-cam?

FernyVR4

New Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2012
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
United States
Hi there.

I'm in the middle of purchasing a new vehicle, and since this one will be my precious [/gollum], I've decided that a dash-cam would be a worthwhile investment.

Must-have-features:
-built-in GPS, no external antennae or cords other than power
-at least 720p video quality @ 30fps (somewhat flexible)
-small form factor; to be placed behind rearview mirror
-integrated mic

Bonus:(these would be nice, though not a deal-breaker)
-ability to hardwire into fuse box (12V)
-Dual camera
-G-sensor
-parked mode

As this is something intended to break the tie between my word and someone else's, or to catch someone abusing the car while I'm not around, I'm looking for something I can set and forget until I need it.

These are what I was looking at prior to finding this forum:
http://www.spytechs.com/Car-Cameras/dual-view-cam.htm
http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/produ ... +camera.do
http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/produ ... car+cam.do
But while they have most of the feature set I'm looking for, unfortunately the video quality leaves something to be desired. That, and from what I've read, Brickhouse is not to be trusted.

I won't say cost is no object, but it's not really a major consideration at the moment. I don't like buying junk, and will spend what is necessary to get something good.

What can you guys recommend? Is there anything that would fit me better than the http://dashcamtalk.com/itronics-itb-100hd/?

Appreciate your advice!

-Andrew
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi FernyVR4,

Looking at the cameras you listed here is my feedback:

1. DR200
The resolution of 640 x 480 resolution at 15 frames per second is horrible and I imagine the videos are poor. With HD cameras available for under $100, no need to waste time on something with poor resolution. $270 is way too expensive.

2. View-I Dual Car Cam
I can't find much info on this camera. However, they do not mention resolution so I imagine it is not HD. Also the $250 price tag is too high.

3. Dual View HD Cam
This is just the F20 dual car cam that sells for about $70 on Aliexpress. So $150 is just way to expensive as well. I haven't read anything exceptional on this camera either.

All 3 cameras have the rear camera in the same unit as the front camera. This is ok if you want to record what is going on in the car (i.e. taxi driver) but very poor at recording what is going on behind the car due to the different light levels inside and outside the car. You can see the AGPtek GD26 review from spaceballsrules to understand what I am referring to.

For dual cam, you really should get a separate camera mounted on the rear window to get a reasonable picture.

As for your criteria.
-built-in GPS, no external antennae or cords other than power
-at least 720p video quality @ 30fps (somewhat flexible)
-small form factor; to be placed behind rearview mirror
-integrated mic

Bonus:(these would be nice, though not a deal-breaker)
-ability to hardwire into fuse box (12V)
-Dual camera
-G-sensor
-parked mode

The 2 cameras that come to mind that meet all of your criteria (except the dual camera criteria) are the Itronics ITB-100HD and the BlackVue DR400G-HD II. The DR400G-HD II is a gamble due to the reliability issues reported. Also it is more expensive than the Itronics. The Itronics is only 24fps but if you watch some of the videos, the quality is still very good. I would choose the Itronics for the primary camera given what you are looking for.

I would suggest buying your front camera first than using it for a while that way you will know what features you need or may have missed out on. Then you can purchase another camera for the back (or move the first camera to the back and buy a new one for the front) since the dual cameras typically do not have all the features you are looking for.

Dash Cam Man
 
Last edited by a moderator:
DashCamMan said:
Hi FernyVR4,

Looking at the cameras you listed here is my feedback:

1. DR200
The resolution of 640 x 480 resolution at 15 frames per second is horrible and I imagine the videos are poor. With HD cameras available for under $100, no need to waste time on something with poor resolution. $270 is way too expensive.

2. View-I Dual Car Cam
I can't find much info on this camera. However, they do not mention resolution so I imagine it is not HD. Also the $250 price tag is too high.

3. Dual View HD Cam
This is just the F20 dual car cam that sells for about $70 on Aliexpress. So $150 is just way to expensive as well. I haven't read anything exceptional on this camera either.

All 3 cameras have the rear camera in the same unit as the front camera. This is ok if you want to record what is going on in the car (i.e. taxi driver) but very poor at recording what is going on behind the car due to the different light levels inside and outside the car. You can see the AGPtek GD26 review from spaceballsrules to understand what I am referring to.

For dual cam, you really should get a separate camera mounted on the rear window to get a reasonable picture.

As for your criteria.
-built-in GPS, no external antennae or cords other than power
-at least 720p video quality @ 30fps (somewhat flexible)
-small form factor; to be placed behind rearview mirror
-integrated mic

Bonus:(these would be nice, though not a deal-breaker)
-ability to hardwire into fuse box (12V)
-Dual camera
-G-sensor
-parked mode

The 2 cameras that come to mind that meet all of your criteria (except the dual camera criteria) are the Itronics ITB-100HD and the BlackVue DR400G-HD II. The DR400G-HD II is a gamble due to the reliability issues reported. Also it is more expensive than the Itronics. The Itronics is only 24fps but if you watch some of the videos, the quality is still very good. I would choose the Itronics for the primary camera given what you are looking for.

I would suggest buying your front camera first than using it for a while that way you will know what features you need or may have missed out on. Then you can purchase another camera for the back (or move the first camera to the back and buy a new one for the front) since the dual cameras typically do not have all the features you are looking for.

Dash Cam Man

Thanks DCM.

I had the nagging feeling that those dash-cams were ripoffs, but until I found this site I really had no yardstick by which to measure them. It wasn't until I saw video coming from a good quality dash-cam that I realized how piss-poor those 3 options really were.

The reason I was originally looking for a dual-camera dashcam was more to record occupants of the car than to see anything significant out of the rear window. I guess, in hindsight, it was a knee-jerk reaction to reading about this: http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/ ... 07580.html

Based on your recommendation and previous reviews I've read, I'll probably go with the Itronics. That being said, I do find it odd that there seem to be no 'major' electronics makers in this market. Typical large manufacturers of cameras, webcams, gps devices, etc, are nowhere to be found. In addition to that, most of these products aren't even marketed in this country. Try buying a dash-cam at Best Buy, I think there's only one offered, the AGPTek. Even Newegg only has a couple. I wonder why that is...?

Anyways, thanks again.

-Andrew
 
Last edited by a moderator:
FernyVR4 said:
Thanks DCM.

I had the nagging feeling that those dash-cams were ripoffs, but until I found this site I really had no yardstick by which to measure them. It wasn't until I saw video coming from a good quality dash-cam that I realized how piss-poor those 3 options really were.

The reason I was originally looking for a dual-camera dashcam was more to record occupants of the car than to see anything significant out of the rear window. I guess, in hindsight, it was a knee-jerk reaction to reading about this: http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/ ... 07580.html

Based on your recommendation and previous reviews I've read, I'll probably go with the Itronics. That being said, I do find it odd that there seem to be no 'major' electronics makers in this market. Typical large manufacturers of cameras, webcams, gps devices, etc, are nowhere to be found. In addition to that, most of these products aren't even marketed in this country. Try buying a dash-cam at Best Buy, I think there's only one offered, the AGPTek. Even Newegg only has a couple. I wonder why that is...?

Anyways, thanks again.

-Andrew

Hi Andrew,

I think with a front facing dash cam and audio recorded, that should be good enough in capturing most events of someone abusing a car.

As for the major electronics makers not being in this market, this is due to demand. There is not much demand for dash cams in the United States yet, the largest consumer electronics market in the world. While popular in Russia and some Asian countries such as Singapore, dash cams sales are still a small / niche market in most countries. If dash cams do catch on, I'm sure most of the big manufacturers will enter and you will see more marketing for dash cams in the US.

Note that some GPS device makers are in this market already but they primarily sell in Asian countries.

Garmin in Taiwan sells Dash Cams
Hyundai MnSOFT sells Dash Cams as well

Dash Cam Man
 
Last edited by a moderator:
DashCamMan said:
Hi Andrew,

I think with a front facing dash cam and audio recorded, that should be good enough in capturing most events of someone abusing a car.

As for the major electronics makers not being in this market, this is due to demand. There is not much demand for dash cams in the United States yet, the largest consumer electronics market in the world. While popular in Russia and some Asian countries such as Singapore, dash cams sales are still a small / niche market in most countries. If dash cams do catch on, I'm sure most of the big manufacturers will enter and you will see more marketing for dash cams in the US.

Note that some GPS device makers are in this market already but they primarily sell in Asian countries.

Garmin in Taiwan sells Dash Cams
Hyundai MnSOFT sells Dash Cams as well

Dash Cam Man

Interesting. My ability to translate Korean is non-existent, but it seems that both of those cameras by Hyundai are around $300. Definitely pricey for what you're getting.

I'm surprised that dash-cams haven't caught on in the US yet, considering we're such a litigious nation, and a dashcam will go a long way to cover your ass.

I assume this one would be a good one to purchase? http://www.ebay.com/itm/ITRONICS-ITB-10 ... 3ccb62b9d0

In addition, I know virtually nothing about flash memory outside of computer RAM. Would this flash memory be appropriate? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 12K0B21514

Thanks for your help.

Andrew
 
Last edited by a moderator:
FernyVR4 said:
Interesting. My ability to translate Korean is non-existent, but it seems that both of those cameras by Hyundai are around $300. Definitely pricey for what you're getting.

I'm surprised that dash-cams haven't caught on in the US yet, considering we're such a litigious nation, and a dashcam will go a long way to cover your ass.

I assume this one would be a good one to purchase? http://www.ebay.com/itm/ITRONICS-ITB-10 ... 3ccb62b9d0

In addition, I know virtually nothing about flash memory outside of computer RAM. Would this flash memory be appropriate? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 12K0B21514

Thanks for your help.

Andrew

Hi Andrew,

Apple-CT is a pretty reputable vendor of the ITB-100HD and they have sold a lot. However, apple-ct has dropped the price on another listing.

$176 for the ITB-100HD
and
$40 for Uninterrupted Power Cable

for a total of $216. The only difference with the package deal is that the package comes with EMS shipping instead of "standard shipping".

Note that Itronics ITB-100HD comes with a 8GB SD card. I'm not an expert on SD cards but if you choose a class 10 SD-card from a good manufacturer (SanDisk, Transcend, Kingston, Verbatim, Silicon Power) you should be ok. Not sure on how Samsung ranks.

Dash Cam Man
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Having read quite a bit of this threaqd and many others and watched umpteen youtube demos I've come to the conclusion that there is no dash cam on the market that just plain works
 
Having read quite a bit of this threaqd and many others and watched umpteen youtube demos I've come to the conclusion that there is no dash cam on the market that just plain works
Welcome to DCT. Your conclusion is incorrect. What's your budget & wants/needs re discreetness, form-factor, feature list, etc?
 
There are plenty that work, and reliably, none are totally 'hands off'.
You still need to check your files periodically, monitor the cam is actually working, and format your memory card at regular intervals.
I have one mobius that has been running 24/7 in tractor trailer for the better part of two years.
 
Your conclusion is incorrect.

Only regarding some cams. Most don't seem to be built to last or have bugs in their software.
A few seem to be well-made and reliable, although as I've commented a few times, memory card failure, power supply failure or user error can affect even the most reliable cams.

Having read quite a bit of this threaqd and many others and watched umpteen youtube demos I've come to the conclusion that there is no dash cam on the market that just plain works

If you're quick (within 10 hours of me posting this), you might be able to grab something from @niko's last few hours of Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale: >link< .
With 15-35% off in the sale prices and relatively strong Pound (1.425 Euros to the Pound; probably 1.375 after conversion charge) it's possible to pick up some decent cams at decent prices and with good customer support.
In ascending price order, converted to Pounds: £101 for a SGZC12SS. £108 for a SG9665GC (that's what I'd suggest if it will fit in your vehicle in a legal position). £115 for a SGZC12SG. £123 for a SGZC12RC-V2.
I expect those cams will out-last most of the similarly priced cams in the UK shops - and customer support is likely to be among the best you'll find.
 
Anything for the US? Been looking all weekend and can't find a killer deal. Looking at 100 USD for a budget.
 
2000 RPM Thank you . Your advice is most welcome

Someone earlier raised the issue as to why there are no major electronics manufacturers in this market ... and why they're not already fitted to cars as standard equipment. That is a point which should give us all pause for thought . The faults in these cameras isn't so much with their design but in their manufacture and quality control. If these cameras worked as per specification - as do most other big-brand electronics goods - there would be no problem. In the world of dash-Cams however it seems chaos rules. A single design is produced by several different makers with apparently widely varying levels of skill. They are then marketed under many different brands . Finding out what version of the - for example - Mini 0803 you have -needs hours of diligent research. The Chinese made cameras appear to be the ones produced with the most variable quality - even though on paper they would appear to be the best specs for the money.
The usual killer in these small device is heat. Why on earth a screen is built into these cameras, heaven only knows . Sure you need to be able to line up the shot when installing - but after that no screen is necessary. What you do need is to be able to extract the Micro SD card without breaking your fingernails and ensure that the pictures recorded on it will play back through standard media players on PCs
Another design point is that if you opt not to have your speed and location recorded on the display, that information should still be capable of being extracted in the event of being booked so as to assist those accused as to how they should plead - and of course that data should be reliable enough to be accepted as evidence in a court of law.
Anyway as soon as Samsung market a dash cam I am going to buy one.



Only regarding some cams. Most don't seem to be built to last or have bugs in their software.
A few seem to be well-made and reliable, although as I've commented a few times, memory card failure, power supply failure or user error can affect even the most reliable cams.



If you're quick (within 10 hours of me posting this), you might be able to grab something from @niko's last few hours of Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale: >link< .
With 15-35% off in the sale prices and relatively strong Pound (1.425 Euros to the Pound; probably 1.375 after conversion charge) it's possible to pick up some decent cams at decent prices and with good customer support.
In ascending price order, converted to Pounds: £101 for a SGZC12SS. £108 for a SG9665GC (that's what I'd suggest if it will fit in your vehicle in a legal position). £115 for a SGZC12SG. £123 for a SGZC12RC-V2.
I expect those cams will out-last most of the similarly priced cams in the UK shops - and customer support is likely to be among the best you'll find.

youor
 
......Anyway as soon as Samsung market a dash cam I am going to buy one......

Some familiar names (Hewlett Packard, Cobra, Transcend, RAC, Garmin and probably a few others) have dashcams on the market but it seems as if the manufacturing is outsourced to one of just a few large Chinese or Taiwanese factories specialising in camera manufacture.

Transcend cams seem to be a pretty good balance of price/performance/reliability - we have two DP100. I noticed the DP200 was being sold for £69 by some retailers in the Black Friday sales and stocks disappeared within hours.
 
Some familiar names (Hewlett Packard, Cobra, Transcend, RAC, Garmin and probably a few others) have dashcams on the market but it seems as if the manufacturing is outsourced to one of just a few large Chinese or Taiwanese factories specialising in camera manufacture.

Transcend cams seem to be a pretty good balance of price/performance/reliability - we have two DP100. I noticed the DP200 was being sold for £69 by some retailers in the Black Friday sales and stocks disappeared within hours.
Does that have the option of capacitors? Thanks
 
Does that have the option of capacitors? Thanks

DP200 is capacitor but can't be relied upon to retain date/time for more than about five days of not being used.
DP100 is battery and I think it's a relatively large battery, almost 500mAh nominal size.
 
DP200 is capacitor but can't be relied upon to retain date/time for more than about five days of not being used.
DP100 is battery and I think it's a relatively large battery, almost 500mAh nominal size.
Thanks, I will have to look into those cameras. Had not heard of them before.
 
Thanks, I will have to look into those cameras. Had not heard of them before.

The DP200 is very popular in the UK, partly because it was voted 'Best Buy' by AutoExpress magazine & was liked by Techmoan, partly because it's reasonably priced & comes with a 2 year warranty, & that it performs well. I think that the battery-reliant Transcend DashCams get a 1 year warranty ... they're not daft ;)
 
The DP200 is very popular in the UK, partly because it was voted 'Best Buy' by AutoExpress magazine & was liked by Techmoan, partly because it's reasonably priced & comes with a 2 year warranty, & that it performs well. I think that the battery-reliant Transcend DashCams get a 1 year warranty ... they're not daft ;)
Thanks and the price is really not that bad https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00GRYT5QI
 
......I think that the battery-reliant Transcend DashCams get a 1 year warranty ... they're not daft ;)

It says two-year limited warranty on the box my DP100 came in.
My Mio 5-series cams also have a warranty card inside the box stating two years.

But most other brands - including Nextbase - only have one year (some only three months unless you fancy trying to return to China) and I think you're right that it says something about how long they expect the cam and/or battery to last. My 402G battery failed in its first summer so I got a refund rather than replacement.
 
Back
Top