Use My Laptop As DVR With Cheap Cameras. Any Software for this?

retidepxe

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In my truck, I run a laptop based GPS, i.e. Delorme Streets, so it is on at all times. Is there any laptop based Dashcam software so that I can plug say 3 cheap cameras straight to the laptop and have loop recording? Thank you for any responses.
 
Not dashcams, you can plug IP cameras into a laptop if it have a network plug, but i think IP cameras are not the best of vehicle cameras. but there are CCTV software out there to let a computer act as a Network Video Recorder
you can run several ip cameras into a switch and then that into the single network plug in a laptop, but you will need a okay laptop i assume to handle all this, some old cheap dualcore laptop i dont think will cut it.
The laptop fan will probably throttle up as it need to handle a lot en encoding, and those can be loud

I use a program called smart PSS on my laptop to access my NVR and view / control via my computer, it should also handle individual cameras, mine just feed into my NVR box that i then access to view the cameras.
But thats just one pice of software there are others out there.
You may also be able to do something with USB web cams, but again they are not really geared for dashcam use so results might be less than optimal, unsure as to software here but i figure there must be something out there.

I think you will be better off just using 3 dashcams, the cheap B1W do a okay job and seem stable, so you could have one aimed out front - one aimed at you - and one aimed at your mirror three to get a feel for what go on out back, though the latter might not be optimal but worth a try.
you can always get 1 camera at the time and trial it in different locations, the B1W are something like 50 bucks on Amazon if i am not mistaking.

I got myself covered by a B1W attached to the mirror stalk, nobody will be able to claim i was doing something i was not.
 
Thanks for the response! Gives me some things to consider. Somewhat computer illiterate. My Toshiba P55-A Best Buy special LOL has been a good performer compared to the dells I've had, but I know that's not saying much. Processor is an "Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3337U CPU @ 1.80GHz with Installed (Ram) 6.00 GB (5.88 GB usable), 64 bit operating system. I appreciated the video from the B1W, good quality, that is definitely an option and probably the my best bet at this point. I'm a believer in the videos. I was t-boned by a 16 yr old gal who ran a stop sign after exiting an interstate and as luck would have it a deputy sheriff was right behind her and caught it all on video for me so there was no question who was at fault. Luckily no one was hurt seriously. Take care.
 
One thing you also have to remember, if you are using a laptop in the car, and its not always there, you will have to remember to bring it, secure it in the car, wire it up to power and whatever cameras, boot ( can take a while ) load the program you use.
Quite a lengthy and tedious process, compared to get in your car ( with your dashcam already there ) turn the key, and drive with the dashcam starting to record on its own in 10 seconds.

Danish kids can drive / get license at 17 now, but they can only drive supervised by a older experienced driver, solo driving they still have to be 18, and thank god if Danish kids could drive on their own from 16 the streets would run red with blood.
 
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