Dash-mounted suggestions

[nibs]

Hi all. Looking for some suggestions for cams that could be attached to a mount on the dash rather than the windshield, and removed when necessary. I'm ok with an exposed wire running to it while in use. It seems like almost everything is discussing windshield-mounted cams. I've had a look through the forum and couldn't find anyone asking something similar. I've thought about just using a go-pro type camera but was wondering if you dashcam pros might have some suggestions. Any input gratefully received.

 

[kamkar]

Not many have used a camera on the dash, but one guy did as i recall with one of the Mobius cameras.
The camera was places on a mount much like you would use for a gopro or other action camera, and then spaced out with 3-4 inches from the dash, to conceal it he just threw a cap over it when he was parked.

 

[nibs]

Not many have used a camera on the dash, but one guy did as i recall with one of the Mobius cameras.
The camera was places on a mount much like you would use for a gopro or other action camera, and then spaced out with 3-4 inches from the dash, to conceal it he just threw a cap over it when he was parked.

Cheers. I think I'd looked at the Mobius cameras a while ago and forgotten all about them. Thanks for the reminder. Looks like it would work. Seems crazy-hard to find a dedicated dash-mounted option. I know the drawbacks but figured there'd be more of a market than there appears to be!

 

[Dashmellow]

That was @BobDiaz back in 2014, @kamkar1. I thought of that post too when I read the OP.

Here it is. (That's a heat sink on top that Bob installed)

 

[Dashmellow]

Cheers. I think I'd looked at the Mobius cameras a while ago and forgotten all about them. Thanks for the reminder. Looks like it would work. Seems crazy-hard to find a dedicated dash-mounted option. I know the drawbacks but figured there'd be more of a market than there appears to be!

Many windshield mount dash cams these days have a "flip image" or "rotate image 180º" option on the menu (like the Mobius). Check out Viofo, for example. If you can come up with a suitable DIY or suction cup mount option you could make these work for you fairly easily. This way you would have the benefit of more up-to-date sensor and processor technology.

 

[kamkar]

Yeah i really would also look for something with a better sensor than what the mobius cameras are currently using.
Or if it came to that then go 4K with the gitup F1C, that will give you sweet daytime footage, and usable night time footage in regard to liability.

GitUp F1C - 4K F1.8 130° FOV | DashCamTalk

dashcamtalk.com

 

[nibs]

Many windshield mount dash cams these days have a "flip image" or "rotate image 180º" option on the menu (like the Mobius). Check out Viofo, for example. If you can come up with a suitable DIY or suction cup mount option you could make these work for you fairly easily. This way you would have the benefit of more up-to-date sensor and processor technology.

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. I've picked a few random cameras and tried to search for whether they can flip the image, but it's hard to find that detail most places. Even searched the questions section of the Amazon pages. Occasionally you get someone that's asked the same thing. I've looked at the one you suggest and it looks like it might actually work the correct way round if I could MacGyver some kind of mount. Wouldn't look pretty, but I don't care about that.

Is there any reasons you guys can think of that a simple suction-mounted go-pro wouldn't be a decent alternative?

 

[nibs]

Yeah i really would also look for something with a better sensor than what the mobius cameras are currently using.
Or if it came to that then go 4K with the gitup F1C, that will give you sweet daytime footage, and usable night time footage in regard to liability.

GitUp F1C - 4K F1.8 130° FOV | DashCamTalk

dashcamtalk.com

I missed the gitup suggestion as I read this first. That could be exactly what I'm looking for. Cheers. I looked through a couple of threads and it looks like it comes with a threaded adapter for easy mounting too. Could be a winner!

 

[Dashmellow]

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. I've picked a few random cameras and tried to search for whether they can flip the image, but it's hard to find that detail most places. Even searched the questions section of the Amazon pages. Occasionally you get someone that's asked the same thing. I've looked at the one you suggest and it looks like it might actually work the correct way round if I could MacGyver some kind of mount. Wouldn't look pretty, but I don't care about that.

Is there any reasons you guys can think of that a simple suction-mounted go-pro wouldn't be a decent alternative?

If you start a thread over in the General Dash Cam Discussions forum asking "Which dash cams have a rotate image 180 degrees function?", I'll bet you'll quickly get plenty of answers to the question.

Also, as I mentioned, many of the Viofo models have the feature, possibly all of them.

 

[Dashmellow]

Is there any reasons you guys can think of that a simple suction-mounted go-pro wouldn't be a decent alternative?

GoPro cams are not a great choice for dash cam service and they do not have a super-capacitor option available. It's best to stick with an actual dash cam.

 

[nibs]

GoPro cams are not a great choice for dash cam service and they do not have a super-capacitor option available. It's best to stick with an actual dash cam.

Just googled this. Another thing I wasn't aware of. Thanks for the heads-up. If temp wasn't an issue, then capacitor v battery wouldn't be an issue, or are there other factors?

 

[Dashmellow]

Just googled this. Another thing I wasn't aware of. Thanks for the heads-up. If temp wasn't an issue, then capacitor v battery wouldn't be an issue, or are there other factors?

Generally speaking, a super-capacitor is preferable in a dash cam under any circumstances. Even in a mild climate, heat can be an issue inside a car sitting in direct sun. Aside from heat, another concern with lithium-ion batteries (or lithium-polymer) is cold weather. Lithium batteries should never be charged when the temperature is below 32º Fahrenheit as charging a frozen battery can damage it leading to premature failure or even on rare occasions cause them to burst into flames like some cell phones and other devices have been known to do.

Batteries tend to wear out or swell and eventually need replacement whereas super-capacitors tend to be very reliable and last far longer than batteries. Super-capacitor powered dash cams are really the best option.

 

[DrivingPlague]

GoPro cams are not a great choice for dash cam service and they do not have a super-capacitor option available. It's best to stick with an actual dash cam.

I had a GoPro running in my car for long trips, it managed to survive 3-4 summers (with shutdowns bc of overheating, etc), until a few months ago it finally died, the camera doesn't charge, I'll check soon if the battery died or if it's another issue. But I really think that the battery died, the issue too is that the GoPro was the HERO+ (the one that has Wi-Fi and case built-in), so finding a battery replacement (if that's the issue) won't be easy, neither if it's another thing...

 

[kamkar]

Some action cameras work with the battery out of it as long as it get power from USB.

 

[DrivingPlague]

Some action cameras work with the battery out of it as long as it get power from USB.

I haven't thought of this, I'll try it out.