Looking for options to go with my new Head Unit

theandromeda

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Hey All,

I just got an Alpine ILX-W650 Head Unit w/ Android Auto and, as dumb as this sounds, I've been looking for a new dashcam. I was interested to hear about the A129+ Duo but had no clue if I could even connect this to my new head unit so I could see the back camera. I originally also had the idea of getting the Alpine HCE-C1100 Rear-View Camera to go with it, but that would leave me with the dashcam to figure out. I'd love to record the back as well, but I guess I wouldn't be able to do so with the Alpine back up camera I have.

Not sure what to do here, I'm kind of new to all this :whistle:
 
Welcome to the forum.

It is true some / many cameras have a AV out signal, and this you can connect to a AV input in a car radio.
But that is also just about it for a few reasons.
1. most dashcams you can not mirror the footage, so unlike a proper reversing camera the footage will be "reverse" which of course you could get used to i am sure.
2. The dashcams dont have guide and distance lines in the footage, so you are doing things "by feel" so to say, but just like people flying FPV race you can also adjust to the way a wide angle lens change perspective ( making things look further away then they are )
3. some / many dashcams now with more channels, they can not remember what channel are the previewed one, so they often start up in PIP mode and you have to press a button one or more times to just have the footage from the rear camera.
4. in general while dashcams are also wide angle systems the install of them and aim are different from reversing cameras, a dashcam you optimal place high on the respective glass and it should be aimed strait at the horizon.
This Aim mean that you can have a blind spot just behind the car, me personally i have that too on my small almost micro 5 door hatchback.

You are much better off nstalling a proper reversing camera for just that operation, and then a dashcam for that job.
 
Many new dashcams also have wifi, and you can stream the footage to the APP on the phone,, but connecting the phone the dashcam loose the dashcam feature #1 which is starting to record with no interaction.
And some cameras, also lower bit rate / image quality when wifi are on, it generate heat so really not something you want on all the time.
Also a live screen even if it is just video of what go on behind your car, that might actually be illegal in your state / country.
The LCD reversing mirrors have only lately ( a few years ago ) become legal in Denmark for instance )

It is also fairly slow to connect the phone with a APP to the camera, faster to get out of the car and push it in place.
 
Although some cams can interface with other devices (Bluetooth, Wifi, cabling) most do not do that and also record to the card together- it's one or the other. And even then, the extra load of Bluetooth and especially Wifi causes the cam to run hotter, and heat is always an issue with dashcams. I personally feel that the best approach to dashcams is as a stand-alone system used minimally, as that offers the most stable and reliable cam operation. Just let it record to it's card- that's what they do best ;) Same as with everything else, the more things you add, the more there is which can go wrong, and it usually does.

Phil
 
So I think what I've decided to do is basically get a standalone dual dash cam and keep the back-up camera I have purchased through Crutchfield. It just felt less of a hassle and to be quite frank, I have no idea I'll be using the front. I was eyeing the A129 Dual 2K since it was a good compromise (y)
 
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