highmileage
New Member
Hi guys - thank you for this forum, and for welcoming setup questions from newbies. I need your help. I travel nationally for work and often have to leave a car in another state, sometimes for weeks or months.
I need LTE connectivity so I can remotely check on the car occasionally. Specifically, I need a camera that has a low-power state but will wake up when pinged.
I'm fine with one-channel.
Vehicle has a Group 34 AGM battery, a 30-watt solar trickle charger from Harbor Freight that I once connected to the battery but haven't really tested, and both constant and switched 12-volt ports. I just ordered an OBD-to-USB power port with battery drain protection.
I had a Nexar One, which ticks the boxes theoretically, except that by the time they figured out some major software issues, the camera itself bricked. Still waiting for a replacement. If they do replace it, I know it works on standby and can be remotely awakened, though the standby battery doesn't last long.
I just bought a Garmin Live, but as far as I can tell, there is no low-power state: to get Remote Live View, you have to be connected to constant power. It's always drawing power, and when your car battery dies, you can't wake it up for live view. If the camera is on switched power, Live View is unavailable altogether. And there are no push notifications from the app to my phone when a parking incident is detected. Isn't that what LTE is for? I think I have to return it.
Are there any alternatives? One of the cheaper BlackVue cameras, plus the LTE add-on, would cost about as much as the Garmin. I just wonder if the BlackVue has more robust push notifications, and a low-power standby mode.
I need LTE connectivity so I can remotely check on the car occasionally. Specifically, I need a camera that has a low-power state but will wake up when pinged.
I'm fine with one-channel.
Vehicle has a Group 34 AGM battery, a 30-watt solar trickle charger from Harbor Freight that I once connected to the battery but haven't really tested, and both constant and switched 12-volt ports. I just ordered an OBD-to-USB power port with battery drain protection.
I had a Nexar One, which ticks the boxes theoretically, except that by the time they figured out some major software issues, the camera itself bricked. Still waiting for a replacement. If they do replace it, I know it works on standby and can be remotely awakened, though the standby battery doesn't last long.
I just bought a Garmin Live, but as far as I can tell, there is no low-power state: to get Remote Live View, you have to be connected to constant power. It's always drawing power, and when your car battery dies, you can't wake it up for live view. If the camera is on switched power, Live View is unavailable altogether. And there are no push notifications from the app to my phone when a parking incident is detected. Isn't that what LTE is for? I think I have to return it.
Are there any alternatives? One of the cheaper BlackVue cameras, plus the LTE add-on, would cost about as much as the Garmin. I just wonder if the BlackVue has more robust push notifications, and a low-power standby mode.
