Dashcam Export — Native macOS app for multi-camera footage

All, can I please ask that we move the conversation to the dedicated app thread here:
johanthoren

Thread 'Dashcam Export — Native macOS app for multi-camera footage'

Scroll down a bit for the app launch announcement and an introduction:
​


Hey everyone! 👋

I'm a Mac user and recent dashcam first-timer, and I've already been frustrated with the lack of good macOS options for managing and exporting footage. I'm thinking about building something to scratch my own itch, but before I go down that rabbit hole, I wanted to see what others are experiencing.

A few questions for my fellow Mac users:

1. What dashcam(s) are you...

Thank you! <3
 
Msg DashCamMan and request he move the thread to a forum you choose, or one that both of you agree on.

He can also probably merge threads or close one of the threads if you want. Having two threads about the same product is bound to split questions between the threads. Users will not know which one to use.
 
Version 1.4.4 has recently been released adding support for Kenwood DRV-A610W and other cameras with the same file system layout and codex.
 
Would this be able to work with two separate cameras? I have Viofo VS1s front and rear.

Thanks.
 
Velvetfoot said:
Would this be able to work with two separate cameras? I have Viofo VS1s front and rear.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I wrote a small helper script for this.

It is meant for cases where you have separate cameras instead of a native matched front/rear set - for example, two VIOFO VS1s, one front and one rear - and you want to turn the clips into a VIOFO-style layout that Dashcam Export can read cleanly.

What it does:
  1. You point it at a --front folder and a --rear folder
  2. It scans for timestamped .mp4 clips
  3. It matches clips whose timestamps are within the chosen tolerance
  4. If one camera starts a few seconds earlier/later, it pads the missing overlap with black video/silence
  5. It writes the outputs back out in VIOFO-style naming (F, R, etc.) so Dashcam Export can ingest them normally

It also supports up to 4 cameras if anyone ever needs that:
  • --front
  • --rear
  • optional --interior
  • optional --telephoto

So the main use case is 2-camera front/rear, but it can also output F/T/I/R sets.

Requirements:
  • Python 3.9+
  • ffmpeg
  • ffprobe

On Mac, easiest install is usually:
Bash: 
brew install ffmpeg

Basic usage on Mac:
Bash: 
python3 combine_dashcam_cameras.py --front "/path/to/front" --rear "/path/to/rear" --output "/path/to/output"

Useful examples:
Bash: 
# Preview only, do not write anything
python3 combine_dashcam_cameras.py --front "/path/to/front" --rear "/path/to/rear" --output "/path/to/output" --dry-run
# Tighter match window (default is 5 seconds, max is 10)
python3 combine_dashcam_cameras.py --front "/path/to/front" --rear "/path/to/rear" --output "/path/to/output" --tolerance-seconds 4
# Skip the confirmation prompt
python3 combine_dashcam_cameras.py --front "/path/to/front" --rear "/path/to/rear" --output "/path/to/output" --non-interactive
# Allow replacing existing outputs
python3 combine_dashcam_cameras.py --front "/path/to/front" --rear "/path/to/rear" --output "/path/to/output" --overwrite-mode replace
# Show more detail about what it is matching/padding
python3 combine_dashcam_cameras.py --front "/path/to/front" --rear "/path/to/rear" --output "/path/to/output" -v

A few notes / limitations:
  • It expects the source files to have recognizable timestamp-style filenames
  • It does not require the source files to already be tagged as F / R; you assign that by which folder you pass in
  • By default it shows a preflight summary and asks for confirmation before writing anything
  • It is safest to use a new/empty output folder
  • I built and tested it on macOS
  • It should also work on Windows/Linux as long as Python 3 and ffmpeg are installed, but I have not tested those myself yet
  • It is intended for normal clip sets; I have not optimized it for extremely large archives yet

So yes: if you have two separate VS1 cameras, this is exactly the sort of scenario I wrote it for.

github.com

GitHub - johanthoren/combine-dashcam-cameras: Combine separate dashcam camera folders into VIOFO-style outputs

Combine separate dashcam camera folders into VIOFO-style outputs - johanthoren/combine-dashcam-cameras
github.com github.com
 
johanthoren said:

Scroll down a bit for the app launch announcement and an introduction:​

johanthoren

Post in thread 'Dashcam Export — Native macOS app for multi-camera footage'

Hey everyone!

I'm an indie developer and a recent dashcam enthusiast. I built Dashcam Export because I wanted a better and faster way to review and export my multi-camera footage on Mac.

Launch Promotion Pricing: $19.99 until February 13 - get it's while it's hot!

What it does:​

  • Instant scanning: Drag your folder, see all driving and parking sessions populated immediately.
  • Multi-camera sync: Front, rear, interior, side — all perfectly synchronized both in the player and during exports.
  • Multiplex export:...
  • Like


Hey everyone! 👋

I'm a Mac user and recent dashcam first-timer, and I've already been frustrated with the lack of good macOS options for managing and exporting footage. I'm thinking about building something to scratch my own itch, but before I go down that rabbit hole, I wanted to see what others are experiencing.

A few questions for my fellow Mac users:

1. What dashcam(s) are you currently using? (Brand/model appreciated!)
2. Have you found any decent software for managing your footage on macOS?
- If so, what are you using?
- What did it cost? (One-time purchase, subscription, free?)
- Does it actually work well, or just "good enough"?
3. If you haven't found anything good, what's your current workaround?
- Just Finder and hoping for the best?
- Running Windows software in a VM or Boot Camp?
- Some combination of free tools duct-taped together?
4. What are your biggest frustrations with your current setup?
- File organization chaos?
- Syncing front + rear camera clips?
- GPS/metadata headaches?
- Export and format issues?
- Manufacturer software that's Windows-only or just plain bad?
5. How important is multiplexed output to you? (Combining front/rear into a single file, picture-in-picture, side-by-side, etc.) As a newbie, this seems like a must-have to me, but I'm curious if more experienced users feel the same or have other priorities.
6. If a solid native Mac app existed, what would it need to do to be worth paying for? And what would you consider a fair price?

I've had trouble finding modern looking, good Mac-native options for this, and I'm curious if others have had better luck or are just making do with workarounds.

Even if you just want to vent about your current workflow, I'd love to hear it!

Thanks! 🙏
Click to expand...
Hi Johan

Answer to your questions:

1. Viofo A229 Plus 3 Channel, BlackVue DR770x Box 3 Channel
2. Using DashCam Viewer Plus US$35 purchase, NOT good enough.
3. Combination of free tools duct-taped together. I use tools like DaVinci Resolve and Race Render to get what I want.
4. Syncing front + Interior+ Rear camera clips, export and format issues
5. Very important

I've already purchased your app but it takes ages to export a 1 hour 20 minutes ride from my Viofo Plus. I have not tried exporting my BlackVue clips yet.
I also would like your app to let me set the layout the way I want, make it more flexible because it feels like a straitjacket.
What about the GPS data?
 
Quidagis said:
Hi Johan

Answer to your questions:

1. Viofo A229 Plus 3 Channel, BlackVue DR770x Box 3 Channel
2. Using DashCam Viewer Plus US$35 purchase, NOT good enough.
3. Combination of free tools duct-taped together. I use tools like DaVinci Resolve and Race Render to get what I want.
4. Syncing front + Interior+ Rear camera clips, export and format issues
5. Very important

I've already purchased your app but it takes ages to export a 1 hour 20 minutes ride from my Viofo Plus. I have not tried exporting my BlackVue clips yet.
I also would like your app to let me set the layout the way I want, make it more flexible because it feels like a straitjacket.
What about the GPS data?
Click to expand...
Hi,

Thank you very much for the answers, it's insightful! And thank you for purchasing a copy of Dashcam Export.

Regarding the feedback on Dashcam Export:
  1. The export speed should be very close to what the hardware you have can handle. It's accelerated using Metal which gives Dashcam Export direct access to your GPU. Would you be able to share some exact number that I can benchmark against? For example:
    1. What model and spec are you using. Like Macbook Pro M2 Pro 24GB, or similar.
    2. What resolution is the source material and did you select to downsample to a lower resolution (adds time)?
    3. Have you exported the same material from another program using similar settings with significantly faster speed?
    4. What disk is the source material currently on?
    5. How long does it take to finish?
  2. Currently there are the Tall, Wide, Grid, and PiP for multiplex options.
    1. Is there an additional export option you would like to see?
    2. Are you looking for some kind of free-form option where you can resize individual panes?
  3. I'm working on GPS as we speak. It's going to be part of 1.5.0 unless I hit unexpected bumps in the road. Initial support will be for Novatek chipsets like my A329S. As I get my hands on more clips I'll be able to add more cameras. There will also be an option to read an gpx as well as exporting to gpx from sessions.

I'm very open to suggestions, so I appreciate that you've taken the time to reach out. I do need to consider the right balance between ease-of-use and power users, and I will also likely release a version for iPadOS in the not too distant future.
 
Dashcam Export 1.5.0 is now live on the Mac App Store.

The big addition in this release is GPS support:
  • GPS map in the app: review your drive on a live map that follows playback, with route and current position.
  • Map overlay for exports: add the route-and-position map directly to exported videos.
  • Sharper, lighter map rendering for high-resolution exports.
ui-gps-map.webp


This should make exported clips much clearer when you want to show where something happened, not just what the cameras saw.

Current price is $29.99 USD on the Mac App Store.

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dashcamexport/id6757975286
Website: https://dashcamexport.com

As always, feedback and camera samples are welcome, especially if you have footage that does not import or parse correctly yet.
 
Dashcam Export 1.6.0 is now live on the Mac App Store.

The big addition in this release is Privacy Redaction:

  • Draw one or multiple privacy zones directly in the video player.
  • Move and resize zones to cover sensitive areas.
  • Save them for This Session, All Sessions, or the same Camera Family.
  • Apply zones to All Panes or only the active pane.
  • Choose Solid Redaction, the safe default, or Strong Blur for visual obfuscation.

Privacy zones make it easier to share footage while keeping selected areas of the frame out of the exported video. Everything happens locally on your Mac, and your original recordings remain unchanged.

Version 1.6.0 also adds export layouts for up to six camera angles, including Tesla HW4 layouts, plus beta Tesla GPS support.

Current price is $29.99 USD, one-time purchase with no subscription.

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dashcamexport/id6757975286
Website: https://dashcamexport.com

As always, feedback and camera samples are welcome, especially if you have footage that does not import or parse correctly yet.
 
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