Am i searching for something that does not exist.

MannyLNJ

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In NJ it is not legal to mount a camera on the windshield.

I have a Falcon 360 dash cam now. It only meets the requirement to not mount on my windshield.

I am looking for a camera that will record the inside and outside of my car at same time. I need the full interior.

Power has to be over USB because my OBD port has a dongle in it.

Is there any camera that will mount to the rear view mirror and can record the inside and outside of my car.
 
I too happen to live in a state where it is illegal to mount virtually anything on your windshield except for a small 4 inch square on the lower corner. There is a stiff fine for doing so. Nevertheless, I've been running multiple dash cameras on my windscreen for 8 years now and have never once had any issues with the police and have even provided dash cam footage to state police officers on multiple occasions and they've never questioned where I mount the cameras. In one instance I even showed a trooper one of my cameras and he basically thought it was cool and was impressed with the quality of the footage compared with the dash camera in his cruiser. These days, I see countless people with radar detectors, GPS units, cell phone holders and toll transponders mounted on their windshield and for a period several years ago when I was worried about the legal restrictions I would ask people I encountered in the super market parking lot with devices on their windshield if they've ever had any problems with the authorities. Not a single person I've ever spoken to has reported ever being asked about this or been cited by the police, even those who stick their GPS units right in the middle of the glass. Most people didn't even know there was such a law.

It seems that many of these laws were written long before these now common devices were in use. Where I live (VT) it seems that although the motor vehicle regulation against mounting objects on your windshield is on the books, it is no longer being enforced. Perhaps it is the same in NJ? Before you go to a lot of effort attempting to find a unique camera that will work for you I would ask around and see what other people experience. I would even talk to one or two police officers and see what they have to say.

If it turns out that no matter what, you cannot attach a camera to the windshield, the thing to do (as you mention) is find a camera that can be mounted on the headliner or rear view mirror/sensor housing and hangs down in front of but not touching the glass. In most states, this will skirt the restrictions as the camera is technically not attached to the windscreen.

One option if you can make it work in your circumstances may be the Transcend Drive Pro 520 which is specifically a dual "taxi/Uber" camera that will record both the road AND the interior.

It may be that in order to get the camera you require a second camera may be necessary to record your interior but one way or another recording the vehicle interior can be done without having to mount something on the glass. For example, you could mount a small suitable camera on the A pillar facing the seats.
 
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Thank you for your feedback. One of the towns that I seem to end up in frequently is known for enforcing the law about cameras and other objects on the windshield. A few months ago I made the mistake of not fully parallel parking to pick up passengers and I was stopped by an officer and given a ticket for windshield obstruction. He specifically pointed out the LYFT amp on my dashboard which is considered legal trade dress. I did not fight the ticket because I did not want it re-written to the obstructing traffic he told me he could have given me.

I will look into something on a A pillar
 
You need to have wiper coverage, or not drive when its wet outside.

If you go my A pillar mounting, then if its a 2 lens camera you will have a poor view of the rear seat, you still have a less optimal ( IMO ) view if you have the cabin camera up high on the mirror or above it.
Down low on the dashboard a full grown man can hide behind the seat / driver.
A cabin camera IMO really need to be aided by IR light at night.

I cant believe that cop was that anal, though the law are the law, here we have pretty strict rules about stuff on the windscreen, but its not something cops enforce, not even cops in TV programs that have a camera guy right there on his heels.
And you can see that looking at Danes windscreens, mostly phones and NAV units and often right smack in the middle of the windscreen.

I have a lot of cameras on my windscreen right in front of the mirror, but they cant be seen below the mirror only above, and that little sliver of view i cant see as a problem being blocked by cameras.

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My B1W camera on the mirror stalk do a okay job of capturing the cabin,,,,, in the daytime.


Down low on the dash a camera are not that good in regard to rear seat.
 
Thank you for your feedback. One of the towns that I seem to end up in frequently is known for enforcing the law about cameras and other objects on the windshield. A few months ago I made the mistake of not fully parallel parking to pick up passengers and I was stopped by an officer and given a ticket for windshield obstruction. He specifically pointed out the LYFT amp on my dashboard which is considered legal trade dress. I did not fight the ticket because I did not want it re-written to the obstructing traffic he told me he could have given me.

I will look into something on a A pillar

That's too bad but now that you mention it I used to visit my brother down in NJ and the cops, especially the State Troopers could be ball busters.

As for the LYFT amp, that would probably get flagged here too as the windshield obstruction law where I live was originally all about displaying "advertising matter or other things on or over any transparent part of a motor vehicle windshield, vent windows, or side windows located immediately to the left and right of the operator". Then they added, "nor hang any object, other than a rear view mirror, in back of the windshield". (it doesn't say "from" the rearview mirror)

Anyway, I think if you get creative you should be OK and I doubt you need to worry about anyone hiding behind the seats. A small, discreet camera attached to and hidden behind your rearview should work for road coverage and the headliner might be a good place to mount a rear facing camera but you'll need to find one with IR illuminators. One option if you are at all handy would be to using any small, discreet camera for interior coverage that fits easily (like the B1W in the post above) and install an IR emitter separately. It wouldn't take much IR to illuminate a car interior.
 
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