Dash cam with extension mic?

[Blue90]

I got into a pickle that prompted me to look for a dash cam, thing is I need one with audio that can record outside the vehicle, the vehicle is a large off road vehicle so audio from outside can only be recorded via an extension mic, I need front and seperate rear mounted camera, and I cant spend a fortune. For legality it needs to be a dash cam and not a tablet etc. Do I have options?

 

[kamkar]

The Viofo A 139 have a plug for a external MIC, and they also have a MIC, which i am also testing and it work just fine, but it is not for outside use of course.

I have the MIC installed on the driver sun visor, as close to the door as it can get.

My A139 is the 3 channel version just do not have the interior camera plugged in when i took these pics, so here just the rear camera plugged in and then the MIC.

To my knowledge very few dashcams have a option for a external MIC

 

[SawMaster]

These cams use electret mics which are sensitive to getting wet, but there's a workaround for external mics. Bake dry a pack of silica gel, place it and the mic in a plastic bag, close the bag to the mic wire with a wire bread tie, squirt silicone sealer into the open end of the bag where it's tied, then apply another wire bread tie just above the first one so that the silicome compresses against the wire and 'oozes' out a bit. Let dry, trim off the excess bag, then mount the mic with it's cable. As long as the bag doesn't get damaged these sensitive mics won't even know it's been covered and sealed. High wind and movement of the bag will create a lot of ear-splitting racket so if possible mount it where it won't experience any of that and don't listen with headphones

Not sure what you're trying to accomplish nor do I know anything of your local laws, but in general if voice recording is allowed then the device it's done with doesn't matter as long as it's not used for illegal purposes. If you are using a dashcam with an external mic to circumvent any laws prohibiting recording, then that ruse will likely be very evident and not end well for you. In matters of law you need to speak with a solicitor (lawyer) or you'll probably end up making things worse for yourself

Phil

 

[Privateer]

I got into a pickle that prompted me to look for a dash cam, thing is I need one with audio that can record outside the vehicle, the vehicle is a large off road vehicle so audio from outside can only be recorded via an extension mic, I need front and seperate rear mounted camera, and I cant spend a fortune. For legality it needs to be a dash cam and not a tablet etc. Do I have options?

Can you give more details of what you want to record outside the vehicle and how far away?

The only thing that I can think of is to you wanting to record the conversation between yourself and an official, possibly even a police officer?

I would go the route of using a normal dashcam that has an external microphone socket (unfortunately the Viofo A119 v3 doesn't) and use a lavalier microphone (possibly with a wind muff) attached to the driver's sun visor and leave the window open a bit.

Regards