Need cam: small, park mode, mac friendly, wifi, <$350?

AJG049

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Great forum, it has been very helpful to me. The camera would be primarily for general driving and also when parked, as I've already gotten hit while parked. I plan on mounting it once and leaving it. It will be installed in a convertible, so I'm not sure if there are better cam options (I'd put my top up so someone can't just pry it off the windshield).

Req. Features
-high quality video output day/night (see license plates)
-small footprint / something I can stick behind my mirror and forget about
-Mac friendly. I can use VLC Player and/or Parallel if needed

Pref. Features
-WiFi
-Can hook up to my iPhone for viewing
-Good sound recording, or at least have it be adjustable

My price range is <$350, though I'd pref. it to be <$300 bc I'll need to buy a cig. adapt/battery too. I was originally hoping to get a 2ch, but after reading this forum there doesn't seem to be a clear-cut option for what I need. I'll probably buy a less expensive 2nd camera down the road and figure out a way to mount it on the bumper/elsewhere bc of the convert. top. How easy/hard is install w. an adapter (e.g. Power Magic Pro)?

Here is my working list:
BlackVue Wi-Fi DR500GW-HD...the front-runner bc it seems to do everything I need at least decently to well. Should I worry about overheating?
Finevu CR-500HD...I love the look, but it is PC only and pricey for what it offers.
Lukas LK-7900...the crappy mount concerns me, but I think it may be a cheaper alt. to the CR-500HD.

I saw mention (on here) of a new high-end option from a Russian company, though it seemed rather large and weak on details.

I would welcome any feedback about buying my first dash cam.

Thank you!

AJG
 
Consider VicoVation WF-1
 
I went w the Lukas....and it was DOA from green-sum (popular seller on E-Bay). Now they want a video of the problem before they will do anything about it!
 
For Mac and WiFi friendly, the BlackVue DR500GW-HD is the most likely candidate. It has a native Mac application. Just be sure to check out the video quality and see if it is acceptable for you.
 
Hi there,

As DashCamMan said, DR500GW-HD is probably the way to go. We posted a test video and quick links to the Android/ iPhone apps on our store's product page. Check it out here:
http://www.dashcamsource.com/collection ... dr500gw-hd

If you want Parking Mode, you will also need to buy the Power Magic to enable that feature. The DR500GW-HD + Power Magic combo price is $349.99 on our site. We're running a special right now where if you "Like" our store's Facebook page, you'll get access to a 10% off coupon :D Note: After clicking "Like", refresh the page and you'll see the Special Offers tab. Click inside to find your coupon.

Here's our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dashcamsource

And a screenshot:
chxGVhW.jpg


If you have any questions, feel free to PM or msg me any time. I hope you find the right dashcam for you!

Best,
Eva
 
Last edited by a moderator:
DashCamMan said:
For Mac and WiFi friendly, the BlackVue DR500GW-HD is the most likely candidate. It has a native Mac application. Just be sure to check out the video quality and see if it is acceptable for you.


heard Vicovation got good wireless support , would enjoy see a Blackvue Dr500GW vs Vicovation WF-1
i put my cents on WF-1 duo WDR , Good lens , Ambarella A5L vs Texas of Blackvue. :mrgreen:

but Software stuff i think Blackvue stills more developed , but for what softwares you can get information on cellphone whit wireless dash.
i will been testing WF-1 soon.

i think best in moment is wait and see , an new generation of dashcams coming in.
 
I have both the FineVu 500 and Blackvue 500.

The FineVu has no Mac software but VLC plays them just fine.

The Blackvue has Mac software. The Blackvue lost its' GPS on the first hot (87°F) day after installation. Removing the GPS battery seems to have fixed the issue but now has slow GPS lock (of course).

If I had it to do over, I would get two FineVu cameras as they seem a little more robust - they just lack the ability to playback anything with GPS data on the Mac.
 
Thank you everyone for your responses. I will definitely check out both of those cameras mentioned above if I cannot reach a resolution with my DOA LUKAS from e-bay. It's been a day and a half and still no response from the seller.
 
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