Mounting Position Advice

[BobT36]

I have a 622GW and drive a 2012 Honda Jazz/Fit. Where would you advise mounting the dash cam?
I'm well aware that the area immediately in-front of the driver (essentially to the right of the rear-view mirror) is off-limits, including 40mm+ into the wiped area. (Is this the mount, or the visible obstruction, based on my eyesight angle?)

Bear in mind that I'll be wanting to use it as a reversing camera (since I have a rear window cam), so sticking it straight behind the mirror would be useless as I won't be able to see it.
A lot of the features involve interacting with the cam, so a bit silly if the only usable positions are over at the passenger sides or behind the rear view..

I was thinking slightly above the rear view mirror? (even if it has to go over the frit) using the adhesive mount. It's a bit arsey due to the length of the lens.

Any other ideas? (where I'll still be able to see / press the screen on the cam).

 

[Nextbase Support]

Hello,

Please see the two below links on how we recommend fitting the camera:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BpHXl4f5nY&t

https://www.nextbase.com/en-gb/hub/how-to-fit-a-dash-cam/


We do not recommend fitting it on the driver's side of the windscreen for legality reasons.

If the Rear View Camera need to be located away from the main camera because the main camera is located behind the mirror, the rear camera extension cable can be used: https://nextbaseparts.co.uk/collect...ucts/rear-view-and-cabin-view-extension-cable

Kind regards,
Millie
Nextbase Technical Support

 

[BobT36]

Hi, thanks for the response. Yeah I've seen the article & vid and aware of the area to the RIGHT of the mirror that is off-limits.
However putting it fully to the left of, or behind the mirror would render it useless as a Reversing Camera as I wouldn't be able to see the screen.

As it has this feature, I'd want to use it for that. That's why I was thinking of slightly above the mirror as in my pic. however I do note in your article it states:
"If you have a black “spotted” area on the windscreen please make sure that the mount is not touching this.."
What's the reason for this? I'm aware the suction cup mount wouldn't work too well, but the 3m adhesive should, shouldn't it? is there some other reason why it shouldn't be put there?

It's a Rear WINDOW Camera I have to go with it, btw. Not the Rear View. (The latter would render the reversing camera mode pointless as well, I have a mirror for that).

So, where would you recommend putting it, if also using the Reversing Camera function?

 

[Nextbase Support]

Hello,

A lot of vehicle will have a GPS blocker or sensors built into the dotted area at the top of the windscreen. If yours does not, feel free to use this area. Please also be aware that if the dots are in front of the 622GW camera lens, this could reduce the quality of the front image.

I'd recommend to the left of the rear mirror, so that the camera is not within your direct eye view whist in the normal driving position. Just above or below the mirror would make it possible to see if required.
The camera should not be operated whilst you're driving and we recommend a passenger operating the camera if required.

Regards,
Millie
Nextbase Technical Support

 

[BobT36]

A-ha. Mine's nearly 10 years old now, so I doubt there's any chance of that. And yeah I'm hoping I can stick the mount just on the edge of there and have the lens pointing forward above the mirror, but still aimed through the wiped area. I'll have to test.

Only prob with it at the left of the mirror is that I won't be able to easily see the screen for use in Reversing mode (since we can't tilt the camera screen right, without pointing the lens left..). I'm aware of it being a distraction and would probably use the screen saver mode normally.

 

[SawMaster]

Many people risk a citation and put their cam into a prohibited area, dismounting the cam for the MOT test so that it doesn't fail that. It seems that as long as the prohibited mounting isn't a gross violation there's few people even getting a verbal warning about it. Of course I'm in the US but I do read of what goes on around the world regards dashcams so I think my info is accurate. You have to make the decision for you.

There are many dashcams which are not well suited to certain mounting locations, and many form-factors with cams which can work well in those spots, so you have to keep form-factor in mind when buying. And manufacturers need to keep that in mind too when designing cams and implementing features, although that doesn't always happen.

The perfect cam has never been built and never will be, and every choice is a compromise. Decide what you need the most then you'll just have to live with the rest.

Phil

 

[BobT36]

Many people risk a citation and put their cam into a prohibited area, dismounting the cam for the MOT test so that it doesn't fail that. It seems that as long as the prohibited mounting isn't a gross violation there's few people even getting a verbal warning about it. Of course I'm in the US but I do read of what goes on around the world regards dashcams so I think my info is accurate. You have to make the decision for you.

There are many dashcams which are not well suited to certain mounting locations, and many form-factors with cams which can work well in those spots, so you have to keep form-factor in mind when buying. And manufacturers need to keep that in mind too when designing cams and implementing features, although that doesn't always happen.

The perfect cam has never been built and never will be, and every choice is a compromise. Decide what you need the most then you'll just have to live with the rest.

Phil

Yep, this is nextbase's advice:

Slightly above the mirror seems to be ok (as long as it can still see). The UK law is that it "doesn't intrude more than 40mm into the wiped area). Unsure if that's the MOUNT, or the whole camera. Bit hard to measure that though considering it depends on the angle of your window, the angle you're currently sat at etc.

The whole issue with this cam is that everything I've seen recommends it put behind the mirror or way on the left, but it has a "Reversing Mode" that would be rendered pointless if that was the case. Therefore I was wondering what people's opinions were (for my car) for ideas on where to mount it so that the screen could still be seen and the reversing mode could still be used, (as I have a rear window camera, too).

 

[SawMaster]

You do seem to understand the problem which is insurmountable in the UK unless you 'bend' the law a little bit. That's the compromise of choice I spoke of. In other less-restrictive places there could be a legal solution, and a different form-factor could make it all work for you. But the reality is different: If you need a reversing cam this cam isn't for you, or if you can do without the reversing feature it can work for you- otherwise there's no good and legal install possible for you.

I do hope you can find a solution you can live with

Phil

 

[BobT36]

pff why would they ever build the function in then? For non-uk countries?

 

[kamkar]

Well there are other markets than the UK.
For the ideal dashcam for your car, if you are smart you look thru threads like the "where-did-you-mount-the-camera-post-your-pictures" thread in here, granted it will probably not have a exact solution for your particular car model and camera of choice, but it is still good to gauge what can be dont in a car resembling your layout.

My car is excellent in regard to the windscreen as there is no sensors on it, and the mirror are mounted some way back and off the roof, though that in turn mean that the mirror style cameras are less optimal as a lot of the shade area will then be in the footage, or i could aim it down further than recommended.
And there can be other challenges in cars, some have a dash socket that is always on, forcing you to hard wire even if you dont want to use parking guard

In Denmark it is actually illegal to put anything on the windscreen, but at the very bottom are usually tolerated, it is also illegal to have things dangling from your mirror.
And to top it all off, those laws, not really something Danish police are upholding, not even in COP programs where they have a camera guy following their every move.
In my car with the cameras installed mostly on the dotted area, i can see their LCD screen above the mirror,,,,,, all 3 - 4 cameras i some times have there.
Cameras i do not remove for the biannual inspection of cars over 4 years of age.

 

[SawMaster]

pff why would they ever build the function in then? For non-uk countries?

Nobody builds cams for a single specific market nation, except perhaps for Street Guardian making their cams very heat-tolerant for sales to their home market of Australia And that isn't detrimental to any market. Where I live that NB cam would be totally legal and in my big old bus totally usable. The only restrictions I have is that nothing may obstruct a driver's view of anything that could affect their driving, and I needn't see the sky to drive safely ( but I think many local drivers are looking up there more than on the road based on how they drive )

Phil

 

[BobT36]

@kamkar Yeah I did have a bit of a look through that thread. Unfortunately they seemed to either be allover the place, or very specifically behind the rear view mirror. Which is why I was after some second opinions as in my case, I'd want the screen to be available, due to the reversing cam function. (I'm generally fine with my eyes and mirrors of course, but if I have a rear window cam, might as well use it! Should help seeing how close I am to a wall or whatevs).

I'm thinking should be alright with the adhesive partially on the dotted area then (guaranteed my old car doesn't have any fancy sensors there), and hopefully pointing down / forward enough just above the mirror. I'll check with the cam on first ofc, it's just hard since the battery doesn't last very long! (And I don't want to sit there running the engine).

Where I'm holding it in the pic should be out of the "red zone" I'm hoping.

It's just tough because anything to the right of the mirror seems to be off-limits, and anything behind it or to the left obscures the screen!

 

[kamkar]

I know the feeling, i also like to be able to see the screen from the driver seat, even if it do go out pretty fast, it is a old habit from the old days before cameras got audio warnings in case of failures.
And then even back then it was a waste of effort as the old cameras would sit there and very much look to be functioning, all the correct things flashing ASO, but they would not be recording anyway.

Some cars also have very little space in front of the mirror, in my car i can fit a shoe box in sideways there, actually once i had a 27X optical zoom analog CCTV camera there of the box type.

On the other hand having +3 cameras in front of the mirror mean some of them are offset to either side of the middle sweet spot, and this also to some degree mess with my OCD, even if it is still usable to fulfill my testing obligations.

 

[jokiin]

@kamkar Which is why I was after some second opinions as in my case, I'd want the screen to be available, due to the reversing cam function. (I'm generally fine with my eyes and mirrors of course, but if I have a rear window cam, might as well use it! Should help seeing how close I am to a wall or whatevs).

actually given where the rear camera will get mounted you will find that as a reversing aid it's not that useful anyway, aside from the tiny little screen the view of directly behind the vehicle is skewed in most situations, maybe it would be useful on a work van that has no rear windows, even then more so to make sure there isn't someone standing there rather than as an actual reversing aid

 

[BobT36]

actually given where the rear camera will get mounted you will find that as a reversing aid it's not that useful anyway, aside from the tiny little screen the view of directly behind the vehicle is skewed in most situations, maybe it would be useful on a work van that has no rear windows, even then more so to make sure there isn't someone standing there rather than as an actual reversing aid

It fixes right at the top of the back window, and I have a stubby hatchback so I'm hoping it will give a decent view of immediately behind.
The instructions for this model describe tapping the small square for the rear cam view, which will then enlarge the rear cam to full-screen? And with Reversing Camera mode enabled (which mirrors the view) it should then be usable.

Theoretically, anyway. I'm just hoping it gives a bit better visibility than just my mirrors. But of course I'd need to see the screen fully to use it.

 

[jokiin]

It fixes right at the top of the back window, and I have a stubby hatchback so I'm hoping it will give a decent view of immediately behind.
The instructions for this model describe tapping the small square for the rear cam view, which will then enlarge the rear cam to full-screen? And with Reversing Camera mode enabled (which mirrors the view) it should then be usable.

Theoretically, anyway. I'm just hoping it gives a bit better visibility than just my mirrors. But of course I'd need to see the screen fully to use it.

try it and see I guess, you could check that before you decide on the final mounting point for the front camera