Non-smartphone reliant dash cams?

[timemech]

Hello,

I'm a newbie to dash cams and am trying to find one for an elderly person who does not own a smartphone. What I'd like is one with "on-board" controls or that she can pop out the SD card and watch the videos on her PC or laptop.

Does such a thing even exist?

Thanks in advance.

TM

 

[TonyM]

There are plenty of cameras with screens and control buttons that you can use without a smartphone. It's only in the last year or two that WiFi connectivity has become an option in some dashcams.

Looking at the Best Dash Cams of 2019: https://dashcamtalk.com/best-dash-cams-of-2019/
Discreet single camera with a screen and GPS

1. Street Guardian SGGCX2PRO
2. Viofo A119S V2 (could also consider the A129 – front camera only)

Both of those would be good options, plus there are plenty more out there, including other models by Street Guardian, Viofo, Vico and Vantrue to name just a few.

Given the hot summer in Florida I would strongly suggest that you make sure the camera has a capacitor rather than an internal battery

 

[timemech]

Thanks for steering me in the right direction

I'd been trying to look them up on-line and most really touted the smart phone angle and not much else, so this site has been really helpful.

TM

 

[kamkar]

Only problem is the screens like the cameras are damn small, so when your eyes are old and tires like mine are the little letters in the menus car hard to read, so out come the reading glasses.
Good thing are the newer models now have audio warnings for the most important things like failure to record, so really you don't have to look at the small screen often.

What about a computer ? it is highly recommended to have a closer look at your recordings now and then, you cant really say that dashcams are set and forget.

 

[SawMaster]

There are many good cams with an LCD screen which do not need a smartphone to set up or use. Viewing is still best done by popping the card into a laptop or PC, and there are several viewer programs for that- many are freeware. I think if there's any issue it might be with hitting the "save file" button which with some cams is small and hard to do when driving. And with any cam you do need to check the card every few weeks to ensure all is still working well. I'm at the age where reading glasses are mandatory for working with my cam screens, but that's not really a problem since you're not doing that as you drive. I do have one with a tiny screen which requires a 2X magnifying glass too, but most cam screens are bigger. Also my fingers aren't as nimble as they once were and with some cams it's easier to dismount the cam and bring it to my desk to get the card out for review. Being in sunny Florida I'd avoid battery-equipped cams; cap-powered cams are common now so that shouldn't be hard to work with.

The "Home" button here opens to current cam recommendations and links to reviews. Take a look around there and then come back here and tell us which ones you like and we'll help you sort through them to get a good one And welcome to DCT

Phil