Anyone tried the Papago GoSafe260?

I've been using this for nearly a year now. There is a somewhat lengthy review that can be found by searching for "papago gosafe260" at the bhphoto.com web site. I found that to be pretty helpful and informative.

Here are my comments in addition to what can be found there:
It's my first dashcam so I have no experience with others for comparison, but I like it. It has it's quirks, and the instructions/User Manual could be clearer, but I'm impressed with the quality of the footage, and so are others who have seen footage from it.
It's pretty flexible, what with all the adjustments you can make, e.g. frame size, EV, white balance, loop duration, ISO, lens direction, etc. Luckily, I haven't had to use it "in defense" of a problem situation or accident, but I'm satisfied with it.
I particularly like that it is less obtrusive than many other models, and that it doesn't require a suction mount. (In my state, using a suction mount can earn you a traffic summons if an LEO wants to be picky).
The device itself is wider than the stock mirror in my car, (a 2010 Honda CRV). That's not necessarily a bad thing; it provides a wider field of view and cuts down on "blind spots", particularly on the passenger side.
I have used this powered by a portable power bank, and with a 32GB MicroSD card, and the device's resolution set to 1080FHD 1920x1080, I get approx. 6 hours of recording before the oldest clip is written over. As for the power bank, after approx. 8 hours of recording, the power bank was still holding approx. 70% of its' charge capacity. (The use of a power bank rather than the 12V cigarette lighter outlet allows the camera to run continuously without affecting the vehicle's battery and without shutting down. Except for hard-wiring the device to your vehicle's electrical system, that's the only way I know of to record footage while the ignition is turned off or the vehicle is unattended).
I rarely use the still camera function. The few times I've used it have been by accident while still learning the button functions.
Note that the device does include what I am pretty sure is a non-replaceable, internal battery, but when fully charged, it will only power the unit for a few minutes. I wouldn't expect it to last more than about 5-7 mins. I believe that's for use in those rare occasions where one might remove the dashcam from the vehicle and use it to manually take a few still photos. (You could just as well use a cell phone camera for that).

After a few months of use, these are the few "problems"/disappointments I've found:
- on occasion, I think while still recording, I've pressed one of the buttons and found that the image does invert, though I don't recall if it was after hitting the "Menu" button or the "Mode" button. (I think it was after pressing the "Mode" button). That was confusing at first, but rectified once I got out of the mode I was in. At least once, I had to remove the USB power supply cord to get out of whatever mode I was in, but that was early-on when I was still learning what functions were available for each button. Don't make that mistake! Be sure to stop recording (by pressing the "OK" button) before using any of the function/feature buttons other than the "Emergency Save" button).
- I, too, found the darkened mirror and the convex shape both to be things that took some getting used to. Personally, I don't like the darkened effect, and the convex effect makes things look farther away than they really are.
(In my State, having an aftermarket mirror in place of the stock mirror will cause you to fail inspection; consider removing this when getting your vehicle inspected).
-Some late-model cars now have "stock"features/functions built-in to the mirror, e.g. OnStar, compass, etc. Those make the mirror thicker/deeper than a standard, stock mirror, and the compression tabs on the GoSafe260 may not be long enough to grasp the depth or height of those larger mirrors, so beware if your vehicle's mirror houses any additional functions/electronics; the device may not fit over your mirror.
- It powers-up every time I drive, and on some occasions, I've found that it didn't record footage, even though the red "Recording" indicator was blinking. That was disappointing to learn, as I was on a long drive and hoped to show others some of the footage I took. I haven't yet figured out why that particular trip didn't record, but it hasn't happened since, so I may have hit a wrong button. (Again, using the buttons for any feature is not exactly intuitive. Practice with them until you're sure you understand what each one does).
- Be careful of your settings.
Very recently, I came upon a night-driving situation where the footage would have been helpful. Upon getting home, I found that the footage I hoped to review was not recorded because the cam was set to have
"motion detection" turned off and the moments I wanted to review occurred while the vehicle was not moving.
I've also noticed that with "Motion Detection" turned "On", there seems to be a slight delay in recording once motion has been detected. It's only a second or so, but considering how quickly an accident can
happen, be aware of this. Having learned this, I've set "Motion Detection" to "Off" and expect it to remain that way.
If you're looking for the absolute best-quality image, you should change settings such as EV and White Balance based on the time of day and prevailing lighting conditions.. I seldom do that, and have found
that colors are not always quite right; close, but not exact. (There is an "Automatic" setting, but IMO it's slow to respond and can lead to variations in lighting). But, in defense of Papago, this is not a Pro-level,
3-chip camera).
I've recently reviewed some footage of both day and night driving and both seemed just a tad dark, so I've decided that I'll keep my EV setting at +2/3 for a while to see how that works out.
- I'm updating the firmware as I write this, and it's already been running for approx. 20 mins and maybe more. I'm surprised it's taking so long. Both the green and red LED are blinking, so I'm presuming the update hasn't finished yet. I did this by plugging a typical USB cable into one of those 2-to-6-outlet wall adapters with USB charging ports. (Actually, I just glanced over at the dashcam and it appears that the update may be finished; now only the green LED is blinking).
- I do wish the recorded footage did not include the Papago logo. Thus far, I've always recorded the Date/Time Stamp while recording, which could be helpful when you need the footage for your defense, but that logo is distracting at the same time. I wish there was some way to prevent the Papago logo from also displaying/being recorded next to it. (If there is a way, I haven't found it yet).
- Once the engine is running and the device has powered-up, the small monitor automatically displays what's being recorded. That can be helpful to make sure the lens is centered before you begin driving, but once I'm ready to move, I turn the monitor off by pressing the "Menu" button once. Once recording has begun, pressing the "Mode" button toggles the recording of audio. (I saw the earlier comment and have not had any problem with recording - or not recording - audio; that button/function works fine on my device).
- Clips are stored as ".mov" files, and I view them by transferring them to my desktop and using either QuickTime or VLC Media Player.
- My personal vehicle turns off power to the cigarette lighter outlet when the ignition is turned "Off", though not when it's turned to "ACC". Be aware of how that outlet is handled by your vehicle. Also be aware that newer vehicles often have more than 1 outlet and while 1 may lose power when the ignition is turned "Off", another may not. Be sure you know what happens to the outlet you'll use to power the dashcam.

When I first bought the device, the GPS unit/accessory receiver/antenna was not yet available. I recently ordered one and am awaiting its' delivery. Until then, I can't comment on how well/poorly it works, and am not positive I'll always use it. I'll have to play with it a bit and see what it records before I decide.

Overall, I'd recommend this device. I think Papago is on the right track with regard to features, functions, and image quality. In fact, I recently ordered a GoSafe200 that I'll use when driving vehicles other than my own.

I hope this helps anyone interested in how this specific device works.
 
I wrote before about my troubles with my Papago GoSafe 260. I could set the audio to off but on the next use, the sound was recording again even though the icon still showed off. I even tried a second GoSafe 260 but it had the same problem. You did offer a RMA for warranty but I decided to keep the cam due to the cost of returning it and the length of time without a dashcam. This was back in May 2015 and the latest firmware then was version 1.13 dated 20150313. I see there is a newer version 20150806 v1.16. I have installed this firmware and the problem is gone. It is good to see you followed up and continued to investigate this problem and released a firmware to correct the problem. Papago really does offer "LIFETIME FIRMWARE UPDATES". Thank-you Papago!!!!
 
I've been using this for nearly a year now. There is a somewhat lengthy review that can be found by searching for "papago gosafe260" at the bhphoto.com web site. I found that to be pretty helpful and informative.

Here are my comments in addition to what can be found there:
It's my first dashcam so I have no experience with others for comparison, but I like it. It has it's quirks, and the instructions/User Manual could be clearer, but I'm impressed with the quality of the footage, and so are others who have seen footage from it.
It's pretty flexible, what with all the adjustments you can make, e.g. frame size, EV, white balance, loop duration, ISO, lens direction, etc. Luckily, I haven't had to use it "in defense" of a problem situation or accident, but I'm satisfied with it.
I particularly like that it is less obtrusive than many other models, and that it doesn't require a suction mount. (In my state, using a suction mount can earn you a traffic summons if an LEO wants to be picky).
The device itself is wider than the stock mirror in my car, (a 2010 Honda CRV). That's not necessarily a bad thing; it provides a wider field of view and cuts down on "blind spots", particularly on the passenger side.
I have used this powered by a portable power bank, and with a 32GB MicroSD card, and the device's resolution set to 1080FHD 1920x1080, I get approx. 6 hours of recording before the oldest clip is written over. As for the power bank, after approx. 8 hours of recording, the power bank was still holding approx. 70% of its' charge capacity. (The use of a power bank rather than the 12V cigarette lighter outlet allows the camera to run continuously without affecting the vehicle's battery and without shutting down. Except for hard-wiring the device to your vehicle's electrical system, that's the only way I know of to record footage while the ignition is turned off or the vehicle is unattended).
I rarely use the still camera function. The few times I've used it have been by accident while still learning the button functions.
Note that the device does include what I am pretty sure is a non-replaceable, internal battery, but when fully charged, it will only power the unit for a few minutes. I wouldn't expect it to last more than about 5-7 mins. I believe that's for use in those rare occasions where one might remove the dashcam from the vehicle and use it to manually take a few still photos. (You could just as well use a cell phone camera for that).

After a few months of use, these are the few "problems"/disappointments I've found:
- on occasion, I think while still recording, I've pressed one of the buttons and found that the image does invert, though I don't recall if it was after hitting the "Menu" button or the "Mode" button. (I think it was after pressing the "Mode" button). That was confusing at first, but rectified once I got out of the mode I was in. At least once, I had to remove the USB power supply cord to get out of whatever mode I was in, but that was early-on when I was still learning what functions were available for each button. Don't make that mistake! Be sure to stop recording (by pressing the "OK" button) before using any of the function/feature buttons other than the "Emergency Save" button).
- I, too, found the darkened mirror and the convex shape both to be things that took some getting used to. Personally, I don't like the darkened effect, and the convex effect makes things look farther away than they really are.
(In my State, having an aftermarket mirror in place of the stock mirror will cause you to fail inspection; consider removing this when getting your vehicle inspected).
-Some late-model cars now have "stock"features/functions built-in to the mirror, e.g. OnStar, compass, etc. Those make the mirror thicker/deeper than a standard, stock mirror, and the compression tabs on the GoSafe260 may not be long enough to grasp the depth or height of those larger mirrors, so beware if your vehicle's mirror houses any additional functions/electronics; the device may not fit over your mirror.
- It powers-up every time I drive, and on some occasions, I've found that it didn't record footage, even though the red "Recording" indicator was blinking. That was disappointing to learn, as I was on a long drive and hoped to show others some of the footage I took. I haven't yet figured out why that particular trip didn't record, but it hasn't happened since, so I may have hit a wrong button. (Again, using the buttons for any feature is not exactly intuitive. Practice with them until you're sure you understand what each one does).
- Be careful of your settings.
Very recently, I came upon a night-driving situation where the footage would have been helpful. Upon getting home, I found that the footage I hoped to review was not recorded because the cam was set to have
"motion detection" turned off and the moments I wanted to review occurred while the vehicle was not moving.
I've also noticed that with "Motion Detection" turned "On", there seems to be a slight delay in recording once motion has been detected. It's only a second or so, but considering how quickly an accident can
happen, be aware of this. Having learned this, I've set "Motion Detection" to "Off" and expect it to remain that way.
If you're looking for the absolute best-quality image, you should change settings such as EV and White Balance based on the time of day and prevailing lighting conditions.. I seldom do that, and have found
that colors are not always quite right; close, but not exact. (There is an "Automatic" setting, but IMO it's slow to respond and can lead to variations in lighting). But, in defense of Papago, this is not a Pro-level,
3-chip camera).
I've recently reviewed some footage of both day and night driving and both seemed just a tad dark, so I've decided that I'll keep my EV setting at +2/3 for a while to see how that works out.
- I'm updating the firmware as I write this, and it's already been running for approx. 20 mins and maybe more. I'm surprised it's taking so long. Both the green and red LED are blinking, so I'm presuming the update hasn't finished yet. I did this by plugging a typical USB cable into one of those 2-to-6-outlet wall adapters with USB charging ports. (Actually, I just glanced over at the dashcam and it appears that the update may be finished; now only the green LED is blinking).
- I do wish the recorded footage did not include the Papago logo. Thus far, I've always recorded the Date/Time Stamp while recording, which could be helpful when you need the footage for your defense, but that logo is distracting at the same time. I wish there was some way to prevent the Papago logo from also displaying/being recorded next to it. (If there is a way, I haven't found it yet).
- Once the engine is running and the device has powered-up, the small monitor automatically displays what's being recorded. That can be helpful to make sure the lens is centered before you begin driving, but once I'm ready to move, I turn the monitor off by pressing the "Menu" button once. Once recording has begun, pressing the "Mode" button toggles the recording of audio. (I saw the earlier comment and have not had any problem with recording - or not recording - audio; that button/function works fine on my device).
- Clips are stored as ".mov" files, and I view them by transferring them to my desktop and using either QuickTime or VLC Media Player.
- My personal vehicle turns off power to the cigarette lighter outlet when the ignition is turned "Off", though not when it's turned to "ACC". Be aware of how that outlet is handled by your vehicle. Also be aware that newer vehicles often have more than 1 outlet and while 1 may lose power when the ignition is turned "Off", another may not. Be sure you know what happens to the outlet you'll use to power the dashcam.

When I first bought the device, the GPS unit/accessory receiver/antenna was not yet available. I recently ordered one and am awaiting its' delivery. Until then, I can't comment on how well/poorly it works, and am not positive I'll always use it. I'll have to play with it a bit and see what it records before I decide.

Overall, I'd recommend this device. I think Papago is on the right track with regard to features, functions, and image quality. In fact, I recently ordered a GoSafe200 that I'll use when driving vehicles other than my own.

I hope this helps anyone interested in how this specific device works.
Hi, I am new to dash cams as well and I purchased the Papago 260 as well. I liked the idea of the unit being stealth, mounting directly to rear view mirror and can be removed when not used. Easy to install, plug and play. Work great for about 2-3 month, then the unit would freeze up. Was able to solve this by pushing the reset button. The next glitch was the audio (speaker) started to fail, not an issue as long as the video worked,this happened about 10 months after purchase. Then yesterday the unit failed to work, power cord is lit, but no video or audio. Will try to see if resetting does the trick. Will update when I check this out.
 
Hi, I am new to dash cams as well and I purchased the Papago 260 as well. I liked the idea of the unit being stealth, mounting directly to rear view mirror and can be removed when not used. Easy to install, plug and play. Work great for about 2-3 month, then the unit would freeze up. Was able to solve this by pushing the reset button. The next glitch was the audio (speaker) started to fail, not an issue as long as the video worked,this happened about 10 months after purchase. Then yesterday the unit failed to work, power cord is lit, but no video or audio. Will try to see if resetting does the trick. Will update when I check this out.
Try another card.
 
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