Stupid power cable

[GuyRilla]

Just purchased a 512GW only to find the power cable isn't USB.

I'm using it in a different lorry everyday so this is a major fail for me.

Having spent 130 quid on it, having to spend out on a usb cable is more than annoying.

Better be good or it's going back...

Surprised no lens cap either.

 

[jokiin]

why the need for a USB cable, what's wrong with the included power supply?

never seen a dashcam with a lens cap, if they did no doubt someone at sometime would leave it on

 

[GuyRilla]

Because it means you need more than one power socket to run it whilst also running a sat nav/charging a phone!

 

[jokiin]

get a double adapter for the socket, auto parts stores all sell them, USB outputs and long USB cables are often problematic for dashcams, using the included power supply is preferred

 

[M8TJT]

never seen a dashcam with a lens cap,

Blackvue have lens caps for both front and rear cams.

 

[GuyRilla]

get a double adapter for the socket, auto parts stores all sell them, USB outputs and long USB cables are often problematic for dashcams, using the included power supply is preferred

I fail to see why a quality USB cable with decent USB adapter would be any different to the standard setup

 

[M8TJT]

Just purchased a 512GW only to find the power cable isn't USB.

I fail to see why a quality USB cable with decent USB adapter would be any different to the standard setup

Because you will have a 'quality USB cable', that was the shortfall mentioned in your first post.

 

[jokiin]

I fail to see why a quality USB cable with decent USB adapter would be any different to the standard setup

that's no problem, can tell you from experience that a large number of people that do it the way you are wanting to don't use a decent quality cable and adapter, they're not all created equally, if you can get suitable quality product to use then it will work fine

 

[GuyRilla]

So to sum up if nextbase supplied a decent USB cable and adapter everyone would be happy rather than just the privileged few with multiple 12v sockets

 

[jokiin]

So to sum up if nextbase supplied a decent USB cable and adapter everyone would be happy rather than just the privileged few with multiple 12v sockets

the challenge with supplying a cable and adapter is that people often just use the cable and plug into the vehicles built in USB ports (which are most often not suitable for dashcam use), or their own adapter which may be great for mobile phone charging but again not suitable for camera use, there are posts all over this forum from people that have been there, done that

even though the cameras uses a USB connector it is not part of the USB standard so other USB power supplies can be a problem, not all are created equally

 

[M8TJT]

Standard USB2 can supply 1.5A max so is more than enough to run a dashcam.

 

[jokiin]

Standard USB2 can supply 1.5A max so is more than enough to run a dashcam.

the amperage is one thing, a lot of adapters in the market don't put out a clean 5V, put a typical mediocre CCA cable that you're forced to buy off somewhere like eBay as the market isn't exactly spoiled for choice for long USB cables and you'll lose even more voltage, this will be a problem for a lot of cameras, not saying it's not possible but there's plenty of people that have been caught out with this before

 

[GuyRilla]

the challenge with supplying a cable and adapter is that people often just use the cable and plug into the vehicles built in USB ports (which are most often not suitable for dashcam use), or their own adapter which may be great for mobile phone charging but again not suitable for camera use, there are posts all over this forum from people that have been there, done that

even though the cameras uses a USB connector it is not part of the USB standard so other USB power supplies can be a problem, not all are created equally

Good point, just like people who buy cheap double adapers for 12/24 ports.. Prefer to take my chance with 5v TB

the amperage is one thing, a lot of adapters in the market don't put out a clean 5V, put a typical mediocre CCA cable that you're forced to buy off somewhere like eBay as the market isn't exactly spoiled for choice for long USB cables and you'll lose even more voltage, this will be a problem for a lot of cameras, not saying it's not possible but there's plenty of people that have been caught out with this before

Fair point.

So basically because nextbase who are more than capable of supplying a decent adapter and cable that has been tested, they supply a cable that is not a lot of use to the majority (ok 2 sockets are probably standard on Chelsea tractors) therefore leaving users without your specialist knowledge vulnerable too at the least causing damage to their expensive camera?

 

[jokiin]

it's not so much that that it can damage the camera if the power supply is less than ideal although that could be a possibility in worst case, it's more that the cameras can misbehave and have reliability issues which then becomes a support/returns issue

supplying a cable and adapter would suit you but again it can still become a support issue when people decide to use their own adapter because it suits their needs better, or a built in USB port in the vehicle, and then have the same sorts of stability issues, rightly or wrongly people think all USB is the same, they have problems with a camera and neglect to mention they used a different adapter and it gets returned as faulty when it wasn't the camera at fault, they sell a lot of cameras and it easily becomes a problem, the type of cig plug they supply is the same style that the majority of cameras come with, nothing unique with what they're doing

 

[DashcamDPR]

3rd world problem. I was expecting to see a post about some kind of fault with the cam, as opposed to a buyer of a cam who failed to check it met their needs before buying

As said. dual usb sockets can be bought for £1 here, I use one myself, a small price to pay if you paid 130x that for the cam itself

 

[Kremmen]

So basically because nextbase who are more than capable of supplying a decent adapter and cable that has been tested, they supply a cable that is not a lot of use to the majority (ok 2 sockets are probably standard on Chelsea tractors) therefore leaving users without your specialist knowledge vulnerable too at the least causing damage to their expensive camera?

Where do you get 'the majority' from ?

This is the first complaint about the supplied power socket adapter I've seen.

I would say 'the majority' look at what's in the box and then go out 'quietly' and get what they need. Me, I bought the hardwire kit and left the supplied cable in the box.

As far as I'm aware very few cars come with USB power sockets as standard, none of mine have, I've previously had to buy a power socket USB adapter so Nextbase supplying a USB cable for the 'majority' of cars that don't have USB ........

 

[M8TJT]

Because it means you need more than one power socket to run it whilst also running a sat nav/charging a phone!

And if they were both 5V USB charged, unless your lorries have two USB charging points, you would have to buy a double 12V to USB adaptor instead of a dual 12V ciggy lighter socket adaptor?

 

[GuyRilla]

I'm not making the case for being able to use in car/lorry USB points, I'm making the case for being able to use a USB cigarette adapter to charge more than one device at the same time.

Anyhow no matter if I decide to keep it I'll buy a cable

 

[GuyRilla]

https://www.halfords.com/technology...bNK1ncskE0Uqgm92UHDOT5slBydXqmDEaAhdzEALw_wcB

 

[Tony lovelock]

Haven’t seen that nextbase incar charger with cable before, looks interesting though...