What are best cloud storage services for use with dash cams or cellphones?

Lou

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Hello all, I was wondering if anyone knows of the best cloud services to use for automatically storing videos recorded on cellphone or dashcam without user intervention? I know this can be done with cellphones but don't know which service is best or is there an app on android or IOS that does this for you? I know it might be a different problem with dash cams because it must have internet connectivity for this to work. Can anyone recommend a good dashcam that does this as well? The reason I'm investigating this is because it's not unreasonable to find oneself in a situation where you have recorded something as evidence that others might want to destroy if they find the recording device. This way you are protected with an offline copy and timestamp which can't theoretically can't be tampered with. Thanks and awesome site :)
 
Welcome Lou.
What you ask for is not there yet, and i allso think data plans need to be better / cheaper.
A good camera make pretty large files, somthing like 350 - 400 MB for each 3 minute file, so just a short trip to the store will be a massive upload.

Best thing is to opt for a stealthy setup, and cameras with a remote box you can hide in your car should allso be on the horizon.

For the most ppl have no clue that that extra thing in the windscreen is, but thats if they spot it which i think is rare, not least in a crash situation where ppl have other things on ther mind.

In here you can find many installs, some custom and extremely discreet.
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/where-did-you-mount-the-camera-post-your-pictures.502/
 
Thanks Kamkar for your response. I'm fortunate to have an unlimited data plan so data cap isn't a problem for me. I know of one device that did online recording, Looxcie HD Explore. Have you tried this product? I would have bought it but it seems the company went out of the consumer business. As for concealment of the cámara; I"m worried about unlawful police destroying evidence to in order hide misconduct they perpetrate. It might sound ridiculous to you but this is indeed happening and has happened in the past here in the USA. A rogue officer will not obey the protection the law provides for unreasonable search of vehicle thus putting the recorder at risk for destruction.
 
I'm fortunate to have an unlimited data plan so data cap isn't a problem for me.
Even if there was such technology available in dashcams you'd need a super 4G/LTE connection with super coverage for the camera to be able to continuously upload the huge amount of data recorded in real time to the cloud. A 100% 4G coverage is not possible (at least not with today's technology) and even if one day they get there, in a moving object there's always the possibility of an intermittent connection.
 
Still, I am sure, even as in reduced resolution, it one day would/could be option and very, very good one!
 
Hello all, I was wondering if anyone knows of the best cloud services to use for automatically storing videos recorded on cellphone or dashcam without user intervention? I know this can be done with cellphones but don't know which service is best or is there an app on android or IOS that does this for you? I know it might be a different problem with dash cams because it must have internet connectivity for this to work. Can anyone recommend a good dashcam that does this as well? The reason I'm investigating this is because it's not unreasonable to find oneself in a situation where you have recorded something as evidence that others might want to destroy if they find the recording device. This way you are protected with an offline copy and timestamp which can't theoretically can't be tampered with. Thanks and awesome site :)

I like the idea of this. A few things are spinning around in my head, none of course would be this exact set up, but if you had a camera installed, and view able on a computer you could record the computer screen; for instance I've used a program called camtasia and it records what's happening on your desktop. The only thing about that is you'd have to have the files set up to record to something like Dropbox.

There are ways to do what you want, but none that wouldn't involve some type of manual saving etc.
 
I like the idea of this. A few things are spinning around in my head, none of course would be this exact set up, but if you had a camera installed, and view able on a computer you could record the computer screen; for instance I've used a program called camtasia and it records what's happening on your desktop. The only thing about that is you'd have to have the files set up to record to something like Dropbox.
For that to work you'd have to carry a computer inside the car all the time (not very practical) and have a permanent, stable and very, very good mobile internet connection (doesn't exist at the moment, or at least not everywhere a person can go driving).
 
They make some pretty small slim laptops, could roll like the police do with it mounted. Or even a mounted tablet; would have to be something like a surface pro or something with a lot of expandable memory. Mobile hotspot would work or even a tablet with it's own internet connection. I've driven coast to coast taking both upper main roads and lower and recall only a few completely dead spots of cell signal. Off the beaten path you'll definitely run into some issues though.
 
I've driven coast to coast taking both upper main roads and lower and recall only a few completely dead spots of cell signal.
4G coverage has nothing to do with cellphone coverage. In most places you can have good cellphone signal and zero 4G.
 
I don't quite understand what you're saying. While you won't get 4G coverage everywhere, 3G coverage could do as I'm saying. I'm not saying this is a good way to get what you want done, but it is a way. In most main cities you'll get 4G coverage here - this of course is dependent on your carrier, but for me personally where I live 98% of the time I have 4G even while driving.
 
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This could be a feasible option, IF we can get the dashcam manufacturers to buy in. Traditional IP cameras have had dual streams outputs for a decade or more. The main stream is full resolution, while a second lower resolution / bit rate stream is also available for preview or low bandwidth access. Even at 320 x 240 resolution with audio, the footage could still be very useful if the original were somehow lost (confiscated, deliberately deleted) while in custody. An app on a phone could connect to a wifi enabled dashcam and upload it to the cloud storage of your choice. Continuous live mobile streaming of the full HD footage from a cellphone or dashcam however, is still a little too much to ask of the current infrastructure in the US, not to mention the cost. While they may say that you can have limited data access, the reality is that there are still limits, whether it be in the speed, direction or volume of data. You can also bet that once they see you eating up gigabytes of data per day of upstream bandwidth, you will be dropped like a hot potato.

KuoH

Still, I am sure, even as in reduced resolution, it one day would/could be option and very, very good one!
 
Here in DK where we suposedly have very good cellphone coverage, 4G is only somthing you find in and around a fjew larger towns.
If you get out in the little country you can find yourself in a place where you cant even call for a ambulance with your cellphone, or if you live there have to go outside to make calls from your own home.
And its not like we are hills and vallys here, we are pretty much flat as a pancake, though our tallest mountain is called "sky-mountain" the less than 200 M tall pile of dirt would be calles somthing else in most other countries.

http://qz.com/360548/these-countries-have-the-fastest-4g-wireless-networks-in-the-world/

Here they say 90% of Danes have 4G, but thats becuz 90% of Danes live in or around larger towns, 33% alone live in our capitol Copenhagen.
Here is a snap of my area of Denmark ( central part of Jutland )
As you can see there is plenty of blank spots, and if you go off the major roads it get worse.
coverage.jpg


You can live 20-25 Km from Aarhus the 2 largest town in Denmark, and if you house is in the wrong spot you have to go outside to make cellphone calls, or have a land line too.
I think a trucker or simmilar here driving around in Denmark every day only have 2G connection the most of the time, he might get a little 4G bleep on the radar now and then, but driving on within minutes he have lost that signal again.
 
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I would have to have a dedicated setup for just these types of encounters and have another for routine recording. I found a very interesting link about someone that has solved this use case;

http://www.veteransagainstpoliceabuse.org/ProtectYourself.aspx

There are some tech on his vehicle that I don't agree with implementing as it will land you in jail or possibly killed by police but the recording tech looks very compelling.

@Gabacho Thanks :)
 
I'd just say "Yeah, it's a dashcam and an expensive one. It continuously uploads to the cloud and it's on right now." As little as most people know about this stuff the lie would probably be believed ending the problem. The most powerful tool and weapon you can get is already between your ears :cool:

Phil
 
I do my best to look as naughty as i can when i see a cop car near me, but i can't get them to pull me over.
In all my 30 years of driving that have only happen 1 time for no reason, and that was last year.

Sadly that day i was packing my innovv C1 but i forgot to turn it on when i got out of the car :oops:

Youtube was not nice to the footage off my lukas LK7500 that day.

 
Who would destroy/confiscate your dash cam following an accident?

A simple way is to install a second dash cam and hide it.

Put a box with a small forward facing hole over the cam and hide the cabling.

The whole idea sounds crazy.

Get a gun. That will solve your problem quicker.
 
Continuous live mobile streaming of the full HD footage from a cellphone or dashcam however, is still a little too much to ask of the current infrastructure in the US, not to mention the cost. While they may say that you can have limited data access, the reality is that there are still limits, whether it be in the speed, direction or volume of data. You can also bet that once they see you eating up gigabytes of data per day of upstream bandwidth, you will be dropped like a hot potato.

KuoH
Not only in the US. It's the same everywhere.
 
Well, Portugal is not there and I'm sure we have a much better 4G network than most of the countries listed. For instance, Vodafone PT's 3G network has a technology that allows download speeds up to 40Mbps, so if you happen to be in an area where 4G is not available you'll still have pretty good dl speeds. Another thing they did was to install more than one tower in every 4G covered area so that in the event of a usage peak, traffic is divided by all the towers and the speeds never drop much.
 
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