I am looking into getting my first dashcam. I have done a fair bit of reading and did a Google site search of these forums. While I found the following thread with a similar request, it was asked almost a year ago and it seems that the offerings change quite regularly for dash cams:
http://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/too-high-a-theft-target.186/
Essentially, what I am looking for is a dashboard camera that has some provisions to prevent thieves from stealing the data my camera collects as they will then have a complete record of my driving habits for a number of previous drives -- which could potentially lead a thief that has broken into my car back to my home along the exact route I took (with my garage door opener in hand). I want my dash cam to be permanently mounted to ensure that I never forget to hook it up or carry it around (this includes not having to remove/reinsert an SD card every time I leave/enter my vehicle) -- because the one time I forget would probably be the time I would need it.
My must haves for a dashboard camera:
1. The camera must prevent easy theft of recorded video by a thief. This may be in the form of one of the following (if there are other features on cameras to deter data theft that I am unfamiliar with, I am interested as well):
- The camera supports some form of simple encryption on the SD card or data files that serves as a first-level deterrent (in my searching, I have not yet found a camera that does this).
- The camera is separate from the DVR such that the camera could easily be stolen but the data would remain secure in a difficult-to-find lockbox hidden elsewhere in the vehicle.
- The camera is easily mounted and blended with the vehicle's interior such that it is effectively invisible and provides no easily identifiable visible cues that the camera exists (if a thief can look behind the rearview mirror in anticipation of a camera and find it easily, this is not acceptable to me if the data is stored in the camera's body)
2. The camera must have image quality that is good enough to read license plates during day light
3. The camera must have acceptable image quality at night, but reading license plates is not absolutely necessary if the data theft concerns can be met.
4. The camera is $350 or less (I would still be interested to see more expensive cameras if they meet all requirements and provide stellar image quality).
The Lukas LK-7300 seems to essentially meet my needs with regards to my must-have requirements (with #1 being satisfied by the camera being separate from the DVR), however I am curious if there are any newer offerings that I have overlooked which provide the same desired functionality while improving on qualities such as image quality or size of the camera (such that it could be even more discretely mounted).
Thank you in advance for your responses!
http://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/too-high-a-theft-target.186/
Essentially, what I am looking for is a dashboard camera that has some provisions to prevent thieves from stealing the data my camera collects as they will then have a complete record of my driving habits for a number of previous drives -- which could potentially lead a thief that has broken into my car back to my home along the exact route I took (with my garage door opener in hand). I want my dash cam to be permanently mounted to ensure that I never forget to hook it up or carry it around (this includes not having to remove/reinsert an SD card every time I leave/enter my vehicle) -- because the one time I forget would probably be the time I would need it.
My must haves for a dashboard camera:
1. The camera must prevent easy theft of recorded video by a thief. This may be in the form of one of the following (if there are other features on cameras to deter data theft that I am unfamiliar with, I am interested as well):
- The camera supports some form of simple encryption on the SD card or data files that serves as a first-level deterrent (in my searching, I have not yet found a camera that does this).
- The camera is separate from the DVR such that the camera could easily be stolen but the data would remain secure in a difficult-to-find lockbox hidden elsewhere in the vehicle.
- The camera is easily mounted and blended with the vehicle's interior such that it is effectively invisible and provides no easily identifiable visible cues that the camera exists (if a thief can look behind the rearview mirror in anticipation of a camera and find it easily, this is not acceptable to me if the data is stored in the camera's body)
2. The camera must have image quality that is good enough to read license plates during day light
3. The camera must have acceptable image quality at night, but reading license plates is not absolutely necessary if the data theft concerns can be met.
4. The camera is $350 or less (I would still be interested to see more expensive cameras if they meet all requirements and provide stellar image quality).
The Lukas LK-7300 seems to essentially meet my needs with regards to my must-have requirements (with #1 being satisfied by the camera being separate from the DVR), however I am curious if there are any newer offerings that I have overlooked which provide the same desired functionality while improving on qualities such as image quality or size of the camera (such that it could be even more discretely mounted).
Thank you in advance for your responses!
