My ideal dash-cam, seeking ideas, separate lens & screen, licenses

[nusrat]

Top priorities:
1. Auxiliary output, so I can view real-time image on a separate & larger screen, from an arbitrary mfr.

2. Capture legible license plates at typical/realistic highway speeds & between-car distances. I've read from one mfr's site that this is more dependent on frame-rate than resolution. Highest I've seen is 60fps. If legible LP requires post-processing on PC, that's fine. Also, I've read that police-style LP imaging from moving patrol-car is partly due to "painting" target vehicle with strong IR (which modern LPs are designed to reflect clearly) -- ideas for implementing this are welcome.

BTW, I've heard the argument, "After an accident, you'll be exchanging info, so don't need plate on video" -- suffice it to say, accidents not my concern, need LPs for other reasons.

3. Beyond those 2 items, would be really nice to have (as-is or separately purchased) a lens separate from the recording mechanism (or auxiliary input), to allow an absolutely minimal profile.

 

[SawMaster]

This is technically possible but hasn't happened because of cost. Almost nobody will spend the $1K+ such a cam will cost so no consumer-level cam manufacturers are going to go here. Perfection always has a very high price

Phil

 

[Deleted member 46308]

Welcome to DCT @nusrat

 

[nusrat]

Phil, Gabacho, thx. Does anyone know of ANY dash-cam which can do EITHER #1 (video to a separate, larger screen), OR #3 (lens separate from recorder)?

 

[thancam]

Phil, Gabacho, thx. Does anyone know of ANY dash-cam which can do EITHER #1 (video to a separate, larger screen), OR #3 (lens separate from recorder)?

the SGZC12RC.

 

[SawMaster]

There are some remote-lens cameras such as the motorcycle cams and truck cams, plus several 2 channel cams with a small remote lens module intended for rear mounting. The original Mobuis cam can have the lens module remoted but only a few inches and that will be something of a DIY operation as there are no mounts made for the lens module only. Mobius is quite small in itself and may do as-is. The new Viofo WR1 is another tiny cam. All the cams I am aware of do not record when you are sending the signal to another device for viewing save for the truck cams and perhaps for some of the wifi equipped models of which I know little, but I think that even those have too low a data transfer rate to send you what is essentially a FPV image even within their very limited range. The action cams which do FPV require a separate transmitter and also do not record when used that way. To get both functions at the same time will require 2 cams mounted next to each other; one to record with while viewing with the other.

Plate capture is problematic with dash and action cams; it's hit-or-miss with every dash or action cam once you reach normal road speeds. That is why on all the manufacturer-posted videos they show only very slow city traffic where you can usually get good plate captures. Some do better than others but none do that really well under all conditions. IR 'painting' might help but all these cams have an IR cut filter built into the lens which will reduce that potential. There are also dangers involved with IR illumination as the human eye does not respond to IR the way it does to more full spectrum light.

As I said before, nobody makes the cam you want, not even close really, so you're going to have to make some serious compromises on your desires or look for something other than dash or action cams to fill your needs. Wish I had a better answer for you but that's the bottom line regards dash and action cams.

Phil

 

[kamkar]

Welcome to the forum nusrat.
Many cameras today can do what you ask for,,,,,,,,,, BUT !
In general plate capture will need pretty good weather for it to be fairly certain, it dont have to be after sunset for problems in this regard to appear, actually over here in Denmark in the winter part of the year it can be hard to get a plate capture on a highway ( both cars passing right past each other doing 80 km/h highway speeds )
Unless off course its one of those days where the sun are out, but the regular cloudy days make plate capture hard not least at our highway speeds.

So really you should try to not focus so much on plate capture at any time, its simply a limitation on all current dashcams based in the tech used in them.
Sure things slowly get better, but a thing like plate capture will continue to be a pain for a long time to come.
Even with hit and run on the up here in Denmark plate capture is not really a thing i focus much on as a user, but as a tester i do use it a little, but really i can only test for that being good on sunny days, and if that's the case then most good dashcams can do fine plate captures, then its mostly down to how dirty the windscreen are and the quality of the lens used in the camera.

You are right in CCTV cameras and other gear for capturing plates do use IR light, but then it also work fine no matter of the time of day.
I have argued for dash-cameras to act a little like CCTV cameras and so have IR light backup for low light scenarios, and i would gladly put 2 IR lights where fog lights are supposed to be on the front of my car, and i would gladly take a little bigger dashcam as it would need to host a active IR cut filter like CCTV cameras have.

In the event of a crash i would not disclose anything on site, i would also not say anything about me having a poo - load of cameras in my car.
This is to let the other part dig his own grave with false statements to insurance company and maybe cops at the crash site if it have been that bad.

As mentioned above the SGZC12RC is a dashcam with a little camera unit separated from the main unit on a wire, it is indeed a okay little camera, but if you are not eager to get recording it might be a good idea to wait some months as i am sure by then both better single channel and dual channel with one or more cameras on a wire will be out.

Wedge shaped cameras do well on windscreens, not least the ones with a dotted area in front of the mirror, this way you have have 2/3 of the footprint masked by the dotted area and only have the bottom part with the lens peak out below the dotted area.
Also these wedge shaped cameras also camouflage them self like sensors you will see on some / most new cars.

BUT ! in general most dashcams, even the not so good ones can do a lot of good for a person in a traffic dispute, cuz what most cameras do well and most of the time no matter the light ot weather is documenting the handling of the car where the camera is installed.

So that guy ramming you from behind while he was updating his facetwitt, well he will probably claim you changed lanes just in front of him so he could not react, but your single front camera will document you being rock steady in your lane until you was hit.
you dont need a rear camera for filming him plowing into you, you can prove with your front camera you did nothing but drive your lane, so what ever happen cant be your fault, and if there are a dispute about that then it should be taken care off by your insurance company as that's also why you pay them.

If you are hooked to get going,,,, NOW
Then you could get a single camera for your windscreen, and then later in the year when something better come out, then you can enjoy the gift of giving by putting your old dashcam in a car belonging to family or a friend.

 

[nusrat]

kamkar1, SawMaster, thanks to both for all the time you've spent providing such great GREAT info.
Based on your feedback, and my communications with manufacturers, I've started a somewhat different thread about using an action-cam:

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/action-cam-gopro-viofo-git2-gitup-etc-as-a-dashcam.29649/

(btw, kamkar1, I love your comment about "poo-load of cameras". And I too have had the same idea as you regarding trapping the other driver's lying. My plan would be to first insist that the officer take the other guy's statement first, then ask the officer if the other guy's statement is signed under penalty of perjury, then... [evil-grin]).

 

[kamkar]

Well all my cameras are mostly there as i do testing for some brands, i dont think if i had to pay full price on my own i would have so many.
BUT ! a lot of cameras are nice if you vent your anger over moron drivers by exposing them on youtube, but by far most of my captures are still on the front camera.
A action camera are fine for use inside the car, but i would then go for the more light sensitive Git1 that's a fine little 1080p shooter.
Here in Denmark you will only see a cop at a accident if there have been bodily harm, or the road are blocked.
So most cases it will just be a case of insurance fraud by the other part lying on his insurance claim, but that might bring in the police by then, but that's not something i would bother with, but off-course if they want a statement or witness account in court them i am happy to help.

The 1 idiot i have turned into the police made so much "poo" in like 1/8 mile of driving the police could just drive to his house and collect his license and hand him a hefty fine, but i had to bring in media before the police did anything, but then it only took a week before the police mailed me.
So i burned the raw footage tree 3 minute files and my written witness statement on a DVD and dropped it off at the police station.

BUT ! i have not heard from the police since then, and this kinda provoke me as i fear they just took my material and witness statement to silence me and the press.
I guess its my own fault voting for dumb-asses the past +3 decades

 

[HeWhoMustNotBeNamed]

2. Capture legible license plates at typical/realistic highway speeds & between-car distances. I've read from one mfr's site that this is more dependent on frame-rate than resolution.

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