GoPro Hero 4 as a dashcam

[jsan]

I'm looking to get a new dashcam for my truck. I thought maybe I should get a new GoPro Hero 4. I know most people want a dashcam as a safety, they just put it on and forget about it and hope to never have to use any footage.

I however check my dashcam footage most of the times because I see a lot of interesting things everyday and I save some of the good videos. So I prefer to have a high quality dashcam.

Anyone ever use it?

 

[GJHS]

Yes and No. I have used the SJ4000 which is an exact replica, shape and size. The one issue for a lot of dash cams is theft when parked and that $400+ GoPro is at the head of the list. That has been the one reason most aren't running or even considering the SJ4000 as a dashcam even though it performs well as a basic dashcam. I know I won't leave it when it's parked, its difficult to hide and someone will definitely break the window to get it.

you can see compared to a Mobius, that doesn't look expensive

 

[Dionic90]

ive the hero 4. complete waste of money JUST to use it for a dashcam. i would recommend getting a product thats designed for dashcam use.

the hero is a temp solution and can be used as such, but thats my opinion (and there will be many here)

 

[BlackBoxed.ca]

There are many better and cheaper dash cam products out there than a GoPro. They'll work much better too so they're specifically made to be a dash cam.

Kelvin

 

[GJHS]

Guys has anyone considered, maybe, that he is buying the GoPro Hero 4 because he wants it? He needs a dashcam, why not film in 4k. Honey, I'm buying a camera to protect the truck and save us insurance money. Well played OP

 

[Dionic90]

People are offering opinions. This is a forum. No one can speak on behalf of the op, nor am I trying to.

Shooting in 4k for a dash cam is ludicrous in my opinion. To edit 4k content requires a robust computer and it's just overkill for this application.

Whatevs, that's my opinion. The op will have the last word.

 

[Hillbilly]

Consider this

Does it turn on automatically.

Does it keep recording when the card is full (overwrites).

If it doesnt how are you going to record an incident as it wont be on when it starts and you will be too busy to bother.

Is it suitable if it doesnt do the above NO

 

[CheckYourLights]

I prefer to have a high quality dashcam.

There are a lot of great well built high quality dashcams Vicovation, Street Guardian, and Panorama come to mind

Consider this....

Also I don't know if there is any kind of G-Sensor or manual lock function. If you are looking to check your dashcam footage most of the time ( I do this often with my Mini's) a manual lock file button is a must.
Then I load the card in Registrator Viewer and can instantly find and review a locked file in seconds.

 

[kamkar]

I would like to give some 4k footage a go, only problem i dont have any software ( other than moviemaker ) and i dont have any RAW 4k footage to play with.

Old hardware i know 4 / 8 cores, and my GTX 570 is by no means the biggest baddest around, but i would still like to give it a go.
And perhaps 1 or 2 more SSD drives would not hurt moving 4k footage around, ATM only my C: is a 256 Gb ssd and moving data around on that is damm fast.
The 3.5 GHz is allso minimum the comp trottle up to a little over 4GHz as far as i recall, my cooling system have plenty of headroom, if pressured pump and fans on radiator and case just spin up as water-temperature goes up.

ON topic i would say a gopro 4 is exelent for loggin a drive, but for a permanent feature in the car its too expensive and lack true dashcam features.

 

[scotty_in_farrell]

I'm looking to get a new dashcam for my truck. I thought maybe I should get a new GoPro Hero 4. I know most people want a dashcam as a safety, they just put it on and forget about it and hope to never have to use any footage.

I however check my dashcam footage most of the times because I see a lot of interesting things everyday and I save some of the good videos. So I prefer to have a high quality dashcam.

Anyone ever use it?

Ok, my question is..... " what did you decide to do about a dashcam? " I drive a truck also for a living and have tried 2 different dashcams and didn't care for either one. They were ok in the daylight but at night all I got was red tail light and head lights coming at me. I know this is mainly because I'm not driving in the city where lighting is bright. So if you found something and are happy let us know and I'll give it a try.

 

[Street Guardian USA]

We have many happy Panorama G truck driver customers.


Edit: Panorama G is now known as the SGZC12SG

 

[GJHS]

Ok, my question is..... " what did you decide to do about a dashcam? " I drive a truck also for a living and have tried 2 different dashcams and didn't care for either one. They were ok in the daylight but at night all I got was red tail light and head lights coming at me. I know this is mainly because I'm not driving in the city where lighting is bright. So if you found something and are happy let us know and I'll give it a try.

If you want to list your requirements, we would be happy to help you sort thought the list of cameras and find the right one. From other posts, night time is important

 

[JooVuu.allen]

Gopro camera used as dash camera ,did anybody meet the overheat problem that it makes the cam hang,striped?

 

[gitup]

Also I don't know if there is any kind of G-Sensor or manual lock function.

SJCAM series does not support G-sensor which is basic function for a dash cam.

 

[Schnickelfritz]

I have tried models of GoPro Hero cameras--the HD, the 2, the 3, and the 3+ as dashcams. All tended to overheat--as in hot to touch--after a few hours. None are capacitor models, so all required internal batteries, and I could not get any to run from an external power source without the internal battery installed. Thus, you have the heat build-up from both the internal battery and the body itself, which overheats too.

I strongly do NOT recommend the GoPro as a dashcam that you are going to drive or park and leave somewhere for a few hours. They simply were not designed one bit to be dashcams!

I don't recall if any GoPro has cyclic recording. I always had to check every few hours to see if the card had filled up.

Afterall, the Hero cameras are action cameras, where proper ventalation isn't as likely to be as much of an issue (surfing, skiing, vehicle racing, swimming, mountain climbing, aerial activities, etc). Paying more for a camera doesn't mean you are getting something better for the intended purpose.

 

[Street Guardian USA]

I have tried models of GoPro Hero cameras--the HD, the 2, the 3, and the 3+ as dashcams. All tended to overheat--as in hot to touch. None are capacitor models, so all required internal batteries, and I could not get any to run from an external power source without the internal battery installed. Thus, you have the heat build-up from both the internal battery and the body itself, which naturally overheats.

I strongly do NOT recommend the GoPro as a dashcam that you are going to drive or park and leave somewhere for a few hours. They simply were not designed one bit to be dashcams!

I don't recall if any GoPro has cyclic recording. I always had to check every few hours to see if the card had filled up.

Afterall, the Hero cameras are action cameras, where proper ventalation isn't as likely to be as much of an issue (surfing, skiing, swimming, mountain climbing, aerial activities, etc. Paying more for a camera doesn't mean you are getting something better for the intended purpose.

+1,
avoid large big battery action cameras as full time dashcam appliances.

 

[jokiin]

GoPro is a great product, give credit where its due, it is not intended as a dashcam though and won't work reliably for long periods at a time, never part of the design brief

 

[David106]

SJCAM series does not support G-sensor which is basic function for a dash cam.

I disagree with this statement. The first setup option i check is off is the g-sensor, the second option to turn off is the motion detection.

 

[arsh]

I tried to have this argument with a friend recently that the purpose of a dash cam is to set and forget and just pull footage when you want it versus purposefully setting it all the time. While yes a go pro could do some good footage, it's just not meant to be a dash cam, its just literally a camera which is separate. It's about the same as saying well why do I need to use my phone to take pictures when I can use a digital camera, well yeah you can, but there's blantant differences, like the fact that you can't automatically upload the pictures to a text message.

 

[Schnickelfritz]

We all have different reasons how we use dashcams.

If the camera has it, I turn off G-sensor (shock sensor) and motion detection.

If I'm letting the camera run, some important event could be occurring that doesn't involve shock. Motion detection can be very dicey to set. Some motion detection devices are so sensitive that moths flying by at night or tree branches swinging in the wind can set it off...and so, you end up searching the video recordings of motion detection events that are basically "nothing". It can be difficult to determine the correct and useful motion sensitivity setting. Dicey in my book.