What is the best quality 2014 Dash Cam?

[loek]

I just put my new DOD LS430W in use , I like it , a lot ! day and night ( has a 1.6 f lens)
BTW plate visibility is a problem for ALL dashcams because of the wide angle lens ( I mean reading at a distance)

 

[russ331]

there are a few factories that have access to buy this product from the original manufacturer, quite a few people deal with the assemblers that do this model and are not aware that they are not the actual manufacturer, core components are the same but where things sometimes fall over with the 3rd parties involved is with things like using a lower quality car charger, poor quality power supply leads to stability issues, the bit of hardware which some of these resellers have in their hands now is pre production and not the final spec model, be careful where you source from I guess

I hope I'm wrong, but this sounds a little like the G1W, with it's 6 (possibly more) different mainboard versions, etc. Is the 0803 what you have called a 'public model product', when describing the G1W?

When I buy a dashcam I want to feel confident it will deliver the same performance as the one reviewed by Techmoan, etc. I don't see how that's possible when the device is assembled by numerous factories, any one of which may 'adulterate' the device by using inferior components in the pursuit of more profit.

 

[Hilts]

there are a few factories that have access to buy this product from the original manufacturer, quite a few people deal with the assemblers that do this model and are not aware that they are not the actual manufacturer, core components are the same but where things sometimes fall over with the 3rd parties involved is with things like using a lower quality car charger, poor quality power supply leads to stability issues, the bit of hardware which some of these resellers have in their hands now is pre production and not the final spec model, be careful where you source from I guess

Having read your post above, I am now hoping that the pre-order I've made with FoxOffer will be the 0803 Final Spec model, not a pre-production one!!

 

[jokiin]

the 0803 (or 0801) is not a public model product, there are a few factories that have access to buy the product and they finish it off, the mainboards and casings are the same (with the exception of some knockoff versions that appeared late last year), they're not all finished to the same standard

products like the G1W are public model, you can buy mainboards from a variety of suppliers that have created their own version to suit the publicly available casings, these are a minefield, even some of the factories that deal in this product regularly have commented that the quality has dropped right off in the last few months and are starting to get reluctant to continue with the model due to the return rate

 

[jokiin]

Having read your post above, I am now hoping that the pre-order I've made with FoxOffer will be the 0803 Final Spec model, not a pre-production one!!

I can't comment, I don't know which supplier they deal with on this model, they do generally work with the better suppliers though if past history is any indicator

 

[Hilts]

I can't comment, I don't know which supplier they deal with on this model, they do generally work with the better suppliers though if past history is any indicator

Thanks jokiin - I guess if predicted delivery goes back a few weeks then I'll know!

 

[russ331]

the 0803 (or 0801) is not a public model product....

Thanks jokiin. Your knowledge of how the market works will doubtless help you ensure the integrity of your own GuardTrak products ... something that should be factored-in by potential buyers as part of the purchase decision.

 

[spotnz]

I just put my new DOD LS430W in use , I like it , a lot ! day and night ( has a 1.6 f lens)
BTW plate visibility is a problem for ALL dashcams because of the wide angle lens ( I mean reading at a distance)

this helps
http://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/datakam-player-for-mac.4900/
it ain't perfect, but is better than quicktime. due to being able zoom in whever on the screen you want a closer look at

david

 

[Slicer]

Considering that I am in the market for such a device it is/was important to read and research as much as possible to inform, enlighten and finally help me choose the right device for me. So after reading the many posts on the subject and (really) trying to decide "which DC is best for me" I am no further forward in my quest. Indeed I am more confused now than before I started except in the use and technical aspects of DC's due entirely to the many excellent posts which have opened my eyes to this technology for which I am grateful, however it would seem that the industry is very much fragmented and leaves the potential buyer open to all sorts of issues.

Of course I could be so wrong in my assumptions but one common thread that keeps appearing is that of 'confusion' who makes what, who is the real manufacture, does customer service exist, how reliable are these products ? for example I have very little faith in buying from sellers based half way round the world advertising on auction sites I like many have had some bad experiences with the subsequent problems associated with trying to get issues sorted so am VERY reluctant to trust suppliers who use that 'market stall'

It would seem that many aficionados change their DC's quite often why is this? When I do decide I want something that will be fully functional, reliable, not overheat and/or melt down, produce results that are going to provide clear and unambiguous evidence if needed and above does what it claims to do on the box - time after time after time.

 

[russ331]

When I do decide I want something that will be fully functional, reliable, not overheat and/or melt down, produce results that are going to provide clear and unambiguous evidence if needed and above does what it claims to do on the box - time after time after time.

Mobius has fulfilled the above criteria for me. Available for only US $69 or £60 if you want to buy from a UK supplier.

No risk of buying a counterfeit camera. Every Mobius is identical, apart from the lens choice (standard or wide angle).

Miniscule in size, so discreet when mounted & near-invisible to opportunist thieves.

Excellent video quality that embarrasses some $200+ dashcams. It doesn't have a screen or wi-fi, but it gets the essentials right.

Manufacturer support that shames expensive dashcam producers. And it's still only in phase 2 of a 3 phase firmware program, with more features to come in the next few months.

I don't claim it to be the 'best quality 2014 dashcam, though we all probably have differing views on what that actually means.

 

[spotnz]

Considering that I am in the market for such a device it is/was important to read and research as much as possible to inform, enlighten and finally help me choose the right device for me. So after reading the many posts on the subject and (really) trying to decide "which DC is best for me" I am no further forward in my quest. Indeed I am more confused now than before I started except in the use and technical aspects of DC's due entirely to the many excellent posts which have opened my eyes to this technology for which I am grateful, however it would seem that the industry is very much fragmented and leaves the potential buyer open to all sorts of issues.

Of course I could be so wrong in my assumptions but one common thread that keeps appearing is that of 'confusion' who makes what, who is the real manufacture, does customer service exist, how reliable are these products ? for example I have very little faith in buying from sellers based half way round the world advertising on auction sites I like many have had some bad experiences with the subsequent problems associated with trying to get issues sorted so am VERY reluctant to trust suppliers who use that 'market stall'

It would seem that many aficionados change their DC's quite often why is this? When I do decide I want something that will be fully functional, reliable, not overheat and/or melt down, produce results that are going to provide clear and unambiguous evidence if needed and above does what it claims to do on the box - time after time after time.

I had the same problems when I chose my first DC. As always with something new to me, the learning curve is often puzzling & occasionally steep. To cut a long story short, I reviewed the "genuiness" of this forum. Finding it to be great. And went with the recommendations on the comparisons home page. Wether or not their the best for 2014 remains to be seen, as we're only in april. And rumours abound of new & improved DC's on their way to be ready to be sold.

In the end I went with a Panorama II

david

 

[Slicer]

Thank you for the reply's I guess I was being a tad cynical rolleyes in my post as having had numerous 'adventures' into new technology some of which have 'bitten me' as a result of poor decisions, ill-informed purchase or simply rushing in etc. I want if possible to lessen the aggravation and purchase something from a reliable source and that I can rely upon its performance and not have to take it to bits and start to 'mess' with the internal gubbins! from that you will regognise that I am not a 'high end techie' type.

So thanks again for your comments and I will no doubt be using my "Looking Glass" further