Request from a family member

[Kip]

Hello, hoping someone here knows of something suitable. One of my family members has been asking me about dash cams. He needs a permanent front camera capable of recording 12-16 hours (so 128GB of supported storage) and an interior camera which is only required occasionally (maybe once every 1-3 months) which will only need a 32GB card. He will also need a way of powering 2 cameras, a sat nav and a mobile phone from one 12v socket. His budget for it all is £200 although the less spent, the better. Dual camera systems are more or less ruled out due to having two streams recording to a single memory card, that will reduce recording time (unless the 2nd camera can be installed/removed quickly and easily). He and his wife are not tech savvy folks hence the need for a long record time (they wouldn't be able to manage the USB OTG thing and 1 large card is prefered over 2 smaller cards).

We've agreed that the Viofo A119S would be the best front camera for him when it's available but are clueless as to what camera would suffice for the interior. It doesn't need IR or the best low light ability as it will be used only to film in daylight hours. It will probably be mounted on the front windscreen at the very top and on the passenger side. For once, video quality is not the biggest concern:

-A screen is prefered so that he can aim the camera easily and change settings himself.

-A G-sensor either needs to be non-existant or can be turned off completely. GPS, LDWS, etc, are not required. Just basic loop recording, reliable and fitted with a capacitor, not a battery.

-The interior camera does not need to be discreet in the slightest, however, the mount without the camera attached should be. Ideally, it should be a small adhesive mount with an easy to use release/attachment system. The key word is not 'quick' here but 'easy'.

-Audio quality should be good. I haven't forgotten that the A119S will be there too but this one needs good audio as it is likely to be used in an ongoing civil court case and keeping it simple for the court (no edits) would be best. The audio needs to be loud and clear to pick up even quiet conversations at the back of the car.

Any suggestions at all are welcome, mostly the interior cam but a suitable dual channel cam could be considered. Also welcome are any suggestions for a 4-into-1 12v cig. socket adapter or a multiport USB car charger, again, not something I've looked into before.

 

[SawMaster]

Mobius ticks most of the boxes for an inside cam but has no screen. In its favor is easy focusing to get the best pics up close, a wide range of settings to enhance that, relatively cheap, discreet and adaptable mounting, super-caps can be had, and rock-solid reliable with good audio. A DIY mount can be as easy as a metal strip with a 1/4-20 screw threaded through it- slide the cam in or out of the mount sleeve as needed. All dashcams use an electret mic for audio and enlarging the hole in the case increases sensitivity. If you're really, really careful not to let the hand-turned drill bit poke inside you don't even have to take the device apart but I always do anyway since I'm blessed with bad luck. A tiny amount goes a long way with this so do it in very small steps till you're happy with the results. This will cure almost any fixable low-audio problems but it can't fix hardware issues or a defective mic. Best to check with your Solicitor to see what's needed for accumulating evidence- there may be laws or restrictions involved and you need that to be done right.

Phil