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songbird11

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Hello,

I am in the market for a dashcams for the front and rear of my car. Looking for forum recommendations.

I am in NJ in the US where we can have big temperature changes, frequently under 30F in winter and over 90F in summer, but of course the inside of the car will be hotter.

From my research here, I feel that a capaciter design will be best for me.

I would also like the units hardwired because I don't have a need or want to take them in and out of the car.

I want something discreet. I park in safe areas, but I don't want it to be attractive to thieves. I have someone to install.

My installer recommended Black box G1W-CB, but that does not look very discreet.

I want the units to use in case of accident. We have very bad drivers here in NJ and there are many accidents daily on my commute.

So I want something reliable, that will have the date/time stamp.

What are the pros/cons of GPS

What are the pros/cons of wifi

What are the pros/cons of having a screen.

I also see a lot of talk about firmware. Do I have to do updates? I want to set it and forget it. Is it best to check your footage frequently?

TIA- Amy
 
Welcome to the party songbird.

Regarding install it might be a good idea to mention what you drive, some cars have a horrible layout on the middle windscreen with sensor arrays and so on.
Hard wire for us generally mean tapping into the fuse box of the car, often to ensure power for parking mode too, most i thing still power cameras via the cigarette lighter socket in the console.
But if you also have chargers and what not going there you might have to go for the fuse box approach.

Dual cameras are just now coming off age, but have been around for a while just with too many drawbacks due to the hardware used to build them, so many of us have resorted to running 2 single cameras, or in the case of us addicts 3-4-5-6-7 single cameras :oops::giggle:
But this have the drawback that you will have to go to each camera to get the memory card, not a big deal but after a while a little pain, also you have 2 devises to route power to.
Reliable are for sure one of the #1 things to look for, and there are plenty of those around.
I like GPS myself, but its not a must have feature, your speed can always be determined by the video footage if need be, but its also good for the build in clock as it can set itself to the correct time/date using the GPS satellites.
WIFI now are pretty much just usefull for doing settings, so if the camera have a little screen you dont really need it, dont mention dashcam on a crashsite dont share footage, wait till you get home and evaluate your footage and give the other part a chance to bury them self in lies, and then you whip out your footage.
Screen dont really matter, they go out after a set number of seconds, you do not want a screen going while driving, look out of your windscreen and be a alert driver, dont jump the LCD / gizmo bandwagon.

It is a good idea to upgrade your firmware, its normally done by putting the new firmware on a blank memory card ( normally called bla-bla.bin ) you then put the card in your camera in the car and turn the key to provide power to the camera, it will them flash for a while doing its thing and then shut down or reboot and start recording normally.
Your firmware are now updated, so you will have to do your settings again after resetting menu settings to default

I have this video demoing the content of a dashcam menu, they pretty much have the same features and look much alike in general.
 
Welcome to DCT :) I'm another who prefers separate cams. Generally speaking, your rear cam doesn't need to be quite as sharp as the front one, and one of the best for that is the B1W. Capacitor powered, reliable, good enough vids day and night in a very discreet form-factor. In front I'd want something better though the B1W would serve most folks well enough there too. A dashcam is a double-edged sword showing your own car position and movements too. Given that if it's really needed your speed can be determined from your footage, I see GPS as a double-ended thing you can avoid by not having it. One less thing that might harm you instead of help you and nothing lost without it :cool: Wifi can be handy sometimes, but it's slow with today's cams which greatly lessens it's utility compared to other devices. Plus it's going to add to the cam's temperature which can be bad on the hottest days. Faster to use an OTG cable or to pull the card and put it into your PC/tablet/phone for viewing. Get it if you want it but don't expect a lot from it :rolleyes: A screen makes set-up, settings changes, and fault-finding easier but it's not really necessary and again adding something to the cam's heat. I prefer small cams which means no screens, but in some instances they are not obtrusive so I'm neutral on screens. Regular firmware updates may or may not be beneficial. If they improve things for you, do it. If it just improves a feature you don't use there's little point in updating the firmware. I prefer to delay updates so that if any problems are caused, that will become known before I wind up in the same boat. They usually go well though.

In the past, dual-channel cams were quite hardware-restricted in capability and pricey, but that has changed and now you can get some really good ones at really nice prices (y) If they appeal to you then they are a good choice too- especially if accessing the rear cam to pull the card is troublesome. They usually have a small rear cam which makes for a more discreet install. You'll need twice the card size to get the same recording time as a single cam and large cards aren't cheap, but there's only one card instead of two. Every cam choice is a compromise, but there are now enough good choices for everyone to have a cam they can like :D

Phil
 
Ii think when i have gotten a little sunshine and done some details testing with my B1W test sample i will put it in the rear window of my car.
It will fit well there, should install pretty easy with my layout back there, and not least as i have been without a rear camera for a couple of months now, and its starting to go on my nerves :cautious:

I cant say for sure yet how the B1W will perform long term, but i have faith and besides it is not one of the expensive cameras.

In regard to dual channel camera.
It have been mentioned many times ( the street guardian 9663DC ) and i am pretty sure it will be a safe bet as the company have zero history of launching / selling garbage, and they are extremely proactive in support and customer care + you can get 2 year warranty.
But down to the bone it is hard to tell 100% for sure right now as it is a new camera, but that should matter little with those guys, they are not in the cheap end of things, but i gladly pay a bit more to feel good about my purchase.
I did have a small problem with my SG9665GC i was given by SG, but i fixed it myself and i am sure had i been a paying customer,,, probably also even if i had asked they would have taken care of me anyway.
But it was just a little focus adjustment, and the camera now several years old still do fine but are now in my friends car as SG have supplied me with a newer model of the GC.

So as you can hear i am somewhat affiliated with SG, but i am not on the payroll, and i am sure if you ask any other SG owner in here he would pretty much say the same.

There are also other alternatives at the same prize level, and even some cheaper, but it is also as sure as Amen in the church that their support and customer care are less if not a whole lot less.
 
2 x VIOFO A119s (if you are a little more hands on) ... or ... 1 x Street Guardian DC (Dual front & rear) ... which is one with the lot

Both of these come with excellent support if you get it from a participating Retailer in this forum - Best support on the Planet - I kid you not.
You will probably need assistance along the way, so it is better to get a more popular brand that the good folks on the forum are more familiar with to help you out.

Edit: If you want best bang for buck and are budget conscious ----> VIOFO A119s x 2
If you want a decent setup, pay and get it done where budget isn't so much of an issue ----> STREET GUARDIAN DC

Edit 2: If you are wanting 'Parking Mode' (recording when parked) ... the above recommendations may not be the most suitable --> no idea - other opinions and advice is required.
 
Last edited:
kamkar1 said:
Welcome to the party songbird.

Regarding install it might be a good idea to mention what you drive, some cars have a horrible layout on the middle windscreen with sensor arrays and so on.
Hard wire for us generally mean tapping into the fuse box of the car, often to ensure power for parking mode too, most i thing still power cameras via the cigarette lighter socket in the console.- Subaru Forester 2016.
But if you also have chargers and what not going there you might have to go for the fuse box approach.


WIFI now are pretty much just usefull for doing settings, so if the camera have a little screen you dont really need it, dont mention dashcam on a crashsite dont share footage, wait till you get home and evaluate your footage and give the other part a chance to bury them self in lies, and then you whip out your footage. :)
Screen dont really matter, they go out after a set number of seconds, you do not want a screen going while driving, look out of your windscreen and be a alert driver, dont jump the LCD / gizmo bandwagon.- Always alert :)



I have this video demoing the content of a dashcam menu, they pretty much have the same features and look much alike in general.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your thoughts!- Amy
 
songbird11 said:
Hello,

I am in the market for a dashcams for the front and rear of my car. Looking for forum recommendations.

I am in NJ in the US where we can have big temperature changes, frequently under 30F in winter and over 90F in summer, but of course the inside of the car will be hotter.

From my research here, I feel that a capaciter design will be best for me.

I would also like the units hardwired because I don't have a need or want to take them in and out of the car.

I want something discreet. I park in safe areas, but I don't want it to be attractive to thieves. I have someone to install.

My installer recommended Black box G1W-CB, but that does not look very discreet.

I want the units to use in case of accident. We have very bad drivers here in NJ and there are many accidents daily on my commute.

So I want something reliable, that will have the date/time stamp.

What are the pros/cons of GPS

What are the pros/cons of wifi

What are the pros/cons of having a screen.

I also see a lot of talk about firmware. Do I have to do updates? I want to set it and forget it. Is it best to check your footage frequently?

TIA- Amy
Click to expand...
Hi Amy, I was in a similar situation recently deciding between screen and no screen. I went with a no screen Thinkware F800 as in my opinion they are smaller and more discrete than a camera with a screen.

GPS can come in handy of you want speed stamped on the video. I believe GPS is also required for the red light camera alerts, but I could be wrong on that or maybe that's a feature you don't care about.

WiFi is best suited for camera without a screen as it will allow you to connect to their app to set the camera, view and download videos from the camera ect.

As far as having a screen goes that is going to be user preference. I had a Garmin Dash Cam 45 before getting the Thinkware and I liked the camera well enough but I did not dig the screen.

Yes you will need to update the firmware every so often to keep the camera running at it's best. Firmware updates fix bugs and / or add new features. My Thinkware F800 can connect as a hotspot and I can do the update(s) without ever taking it out of my car over the air via cell phone connection data.

The Thinkware F800 (or Pro -- more $$) are on the pricey side especially if you add a rear camera to the mix but they have parking mode if that's important to you.

Best of luck in the search!
 
Moon said:
2 x VIOFO A119s (if you are a little more hands on) ... or ... 1 x Street Guardian DC (Dual front & rear) ... which is one with the lot

Both of these come with excellent support if you get it from a participating Retailer in this forum - Best support on the Planet - I kid you not.
You will probably need assistance along the way, so it is better to get a more popular brand that the good folks on the forum are more familiar with to help you out.

Edit: If you want best bang for buck and are budget conscious ----> VIOFO A119s x 2
If you want a decent setup, pay and get it done where budget isn't so much of an issue ----> STREET GUARDIAN DC

Edit 2: If you are wanting 'Parking Mode' (recording when parked) ... the above recommendations may not be the most suitable --> no idea - other opinions and advice is required.
Click to expand...
I do like the specs and price of A119S. what describes "hands on"?

I did say that I wanted things hardwired, but I am now wondering if I even need that. Is it just a matter of tucking wires out of the way? I think I can do that
 
Yes if you just plug into the cigarette lighter plug in the console / dash of your car it is pretty easy, on youtube you can find several videos on how to install a dashcamera, it is pretty much the same for all of them, and the cars are also much alike as to what you can do or have to do in regard to routing the wire/s.

Its a too long and cold swim for me, otherwise i would have loved to help you install a dashcam just like i will anyone for the sake of getting more cameras out there, but swimming or walking are all i can afford when it come to international travel.

By hands on i think he mean installing 2 cameras demand a little more work, you need two power sources for sure as i am not sure even if you got a 12 V splitter for the cigarette lighter plug the wire of one camera might not reach all the way to the back of your car.
A dual channel camera just need one power source, and the rear camera are powered via the same wire that send the video to the front unit where both video steams are then stored on the memory card.
 
kamkar1 said:
Yes if you just plug into the cigarette lighter plug in the console / dash of your car it is pretty easy, on youtube you can find several videos on how to install a dashcamera, it is pretty much the same for all of them, and the cars are also much alike as to what you can do or have to do in regard to routing the wire/s.

Its a too long and cold swim for me, otherwise i would have loved to help you install a dashcam just like i will anyone for the sake of getting more cameras out there, but swimming or walking are all i can afford when it come to international travel.

By hands on i think he mean installing 2 cameras demand a little more work, you need two power sources for sure as i am not sure even if you got a 12 V splitter for the cigarette lighter plug the wire of one camera might not reach all the way to the back of your car.
A dual channel camera just need one power source, and the rear camera are powered via the same wire that send the video to the front unit where both video steams are then stored on the memory card.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your input,

I understand what you are saying. If I have that power source in the back of my Forester, I think I will be good for 2 units. There usually is a plug all the way in the back, I guess for camping... In the back seat area for sure.

With the dual channel, I need to route a cord to the back camera.

by the way, I had the chance to visit your lovely country in the early 90's. I had a few days in copenhagen and I loved every minute and it was winter!

Amy
 
Lucky you, we pretty much have not had winter since 1994, at least not nice winter with snow and all, i think where i live in Jutland in the past 6 years we have gotten a total of 10 - 15 inches of snow and the total time of it having been on the ground is two / three weeks at the most.

Summer time we Danes shine even more, though in 2017 summer pretty much bypassed us all together,,,, aint global warming wonderful.

If your car have a 12 V plug in the back it may be on all the time, for sure something you will want to look into.

Doing a little googling it seem like your 12 V sockets are all only on with ignition only, but better safe than sorry.

Routing a dual channel rear camera wire you pretty much just follow the top of the headline to one side and then out back, but if your car have curtain airbags up there that's a problematic route, but many cars have those airbags on A pillar / B pillar and some i even think deploy from the seat.
Dont have such smart things in my 5 - 6 years old little Suzuki.
But you could then route down the A-pillar to the floor and then go out back down there, for this you might need a longer than normal wire with a Forester like yours, but SG at least also have those.
 
Amy - Unless you are a gadget tinkering type - best to run it all by a friend who is a handy/repair type of person for tips, assistance or can set it up for you.
Best 'friend' is the one that has a Dash Cam in their Car (y)

If you go the 2x VIOFO option ... you will need to purchase 2 micro SD cards ... or ... go the Street Guardian that comes with everything you need + more.
My tip is to spend some more time reading info on the forum and continue asking questions before purchasing a Dash Cam ... to make sure you get the right set-up for you.
 
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Yes, never stop learning, never stop asking questions, the only stupid question are asking the same thing over and over, and expect a different answer.
Thats true with anything in life.
 
I am going to "dip my toes in the water" with the Viofo 119S-V2. I will start with 1 for the front of the car and I will purchase from Amazon.

Recommendation for reliable sellers on Amazon US?

Also, what should I add to my order at this time, micro SD card, clips for guiding the wire, etc.? (specs?) I think I will start without filter to see if I get any glare.

TIA- Amy
 
While you're on Amazon, get a Samsung EVO Select card in the size you want, fulfilled by Amazon. These are great cards and are relabelled for Amazon exclusively, then sold at a bit cheaper price than the original EVO Plus :) Most of us tuck the cabling under the edge of moldings instead of using clips as that gives a neater installation. It's a pretty easy job most of the time ;) I think you'll be quite happy with that cam- it's probably the best value in dashcams today :cool:

Phil
 
Yeah, I second the Samsung EVO Select cards. They have been solid in the all the dash cameras I've used them in so far. They are a good value as well. 64GB is currently $23.
 
songbird11 said:
I am going to "dip my toes in the water" with the Viofo 119S-V2. I will start with 1 for the front of the car and I will purchase from Amazon.

Recommendation for reliable sellers on Amazon US?

Also, what should I add to my order at this time, micro SD card, clips for guiding the wire, etc.? (specs?) I think I will start without filter to see if I get any glare.

TIA- Amy
Click to expand...

Hello, I'm always standing by to give pre/post sales support. We have the latest 2018 stock too if you order the listing Sold By OCD Tronic.

Best memory card is Samsung EVO Select (the Green ones) If you buy 64GB or larger it will be U3. U3 is as good or better than High Endurance too which is a plus.
~Jon
 
OCD Tronic said:
Hello, I'm always standing by to give pre/post sales support. We have the latest 2018 stock too if you order the listing Sold By OCD Tronic.

Best memory card is Samsung EVO Select (the Green ones) If you buy 64GB or larger it will be U3. U3 is as good or better than High Endurance too which is a plus.
~Jon
Click to expand...
I placed my order with you actually and I did get the green Samsung card.

so to confirm, it is okay to place the adhesive on the dot matrix part of the windscreen? the dots are put on by subaru.

Thanks!
 
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