Dash cam newbie

[deva2005]

Hi all

Firstly Merry Christmas everyone!

I am really new to dashcams, and have absolutely no idea what's best to buy.

I have BMW Series 5 F10, and want a cam for the front windscreen, doesn't need to be too fancy, and if it's possible, does this also record with a rear camera through the car to the back?
My budget is around £ 100.00 or so.

I am open to suggestions as a complete newbie!

Not too worried about too many fancy extras, but would be good if I can view the recordings via my phone? Or do I just have a micro SD card and use it with my PC? Ideally don't want to get jnto a subscription model either.

Hope someone might have some guidance and links for cams on Amazon available in the UK?

Many thanks and Seasons Greetings

David

 

[LateralNW]

Hi all

Firstly Merry Christmas everyone!

I am really new to dashcams, and have absolutely no idea what's best to buy.

I have BMW Series 5 F10, and want a cam for the front windscreen, doesn't need to be too fancy, and if it's possible, does this also record with a rear camera through the car to the back?
My budget is around £ 100.00 or so.

I am open to suggestions as a complete newbie!

Not too worried about too many fancy extras, but would be good if I can view the recordings via my phone? Or do I just have a micro SD card and use it with my PC? Ideally don't want to get jnto a subscription model either.

Hope someone might have some guidance and links for cams on Amazon available in the UK?

Many thanks and Seasons Greetings

David

Hi David,
Here is a couple to start you with.

All the links are to the official Viofo website.
All prices are in UK money
The first camera comes in close to your price point.
It has the ability to have a rear camera added.
It also has the extra ability of even a third camera added.


https://viofo.com/dash-cam/340-viof...oice-control-5ghz-wifi-ultra-precise-gps.html


***********************
https://viofo.com/dash-cam/318-viof...image-sensor-hdr-super-night-sensibility.html

This unit is consider by many on this web site as one of the best bang for buck dashcams.
It has lots of features but adding a camera isn't one.
Price point is under your budget.


***********************
https://viofo.com/dash-cam/79-a129-...i-gps-full-hd-front-and-rear-dash-camera.html
£133.98 £109.86 Save £24.12
This dashcam has 2x cameras, front and rear.



Unfortunately I haven't tested any of the dashcams I just mentioned.
I have tested other Viofo units and I have them running in family cars.
The most up market unit they have is the A229 Pro.
The 'Plus' I suggested is similar but the resolution is not as high.
The 'Pro' I am currently testing and the duo model I have but a much earlier unit.
I have selected only dashcams that have wifi that supports 5GHz. 2.4GHz is so yesterday lol and also very slow.

Its time for me to go work on the my car in the beautiful blue sky outside.
Hope that gives you some insight.

Other will no doubt chip in with other possibilities.

Cheers.

 

[kamkar]

Welcome to the forum.

Some systems have a interior camera, often build into the front camera / main unit, that interior camera might see something out of the windows off to the side and the rear window, but it is not at all comparable to having a actual rear camera.
And i do recommend getting a system with a front and rear camera, even if the front camera will be able to document everything just fine, CUZ what it to is log your driving, and if you are good in relation to the traffic code, then what ever happen off camera can not be your fault.

Also the systems with a interior camera in the front camera, well this do pose some challenges, in my car for instance putting a camera like that in the sweet spot ( middle of windscreen and at high as possible ) well in that case all the interior camera would film is the back side of my mirror.
So i would be forced to install it lower ( not stealthy ) and in Denmark at least it could even be illegal.
You can also offset the camera to a side to have the interior camera clear the mirror, but it would be quite a lot.

And anyway with modern cars and the sensors they have on the top of the windscreen, well those take up the prime location for a dashcam so you are forced to offset, also often the mirror is hung from that where as in my little car the mirror is mounted off the roof, so i actually have a lot of room in front of the mirror.

The good thing with the wedge shaped cameras, even if the are mounted " less fortunate " for some reason, they will actually often just appear as just another sensor on the windscreen.

When hunting for good locations have the camera on and the preview going on your phone, that way you can move the camera around on the glass so you are sure you are as stealthy as possible, and dont have other things in the frame like the sensor housing, the wide angle lens on dashcams do mean you have to offset a bit.

you can browse the install post that is quite picture heavy, and see what people got with sort of the same layout you have in your car, there are also a few creative ways, like the one in the page i link to that thread, that grip onto the mirror stalk and actually let you have the camera below the sensor island / housing, which is quite nifty.
Some have also glued / stuck the cameras to the plastic itself, that is doable too but you need a fairly flat surface, and probably another model dual sided tape as the one provided are for mounting off smooth glass.

Where did you mount the camera? Post your pictures

Cameras are good, it is for sure the short cable. Used the long cable to test both cams and they are fine. When using the short cable on both cams, neither worked. If these plugs are standard, what are they called? I can try to find some locally (highly doubtful though). I wouldnt mind making it...

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