Where did you mount the camera? Post your pictures

[jokiin]

nice job!

 

[Deleted member 46308]

Looks good

 

[niko]

Further to my post back in May, (and big thanks to MiiHere for giving me the idea), I've finally taken some pictures of my install.

First off, the original install, just sticking the mount's to the window:




Not very discreet! I had originally hoped to mount the camera at the top of the screen next to the rear view mirror, behind the "dots", without using the cable tidy. Unfortunately this resulted in some of the rear view mirror housing being in frame, so wasn't acceptable. Hence the location I've chosen to avoid that, but it just looks ugly.

So I wanted a discreet solution that looked as OEM as I could get, and I knew that meant extending the "black" section where the rear view mirror is. It was MiiHere who gave me the idea to use vinyl.

So here is my first attempt:



(ignore the white paper) - you can see this would hide the camera mount etc, but in my opinion (after I'd applied it) looked silly. I hadn't got it lined up straight and I hadn't gotten all the air bubbles out (this was actually completely black window tint film....in the first picture you can see two black squares on the top left and right of the screen....these were my little "test" swatches of different materials to see which I wanted to use!).

So I decided the black had to blend in with the original section. Thats what the white paper is....one of many templates I made with paper, so that I could just cut the vinyl to the correct shape.

Here's the finished article:











As you can see, the camera peeps out at the bottom. The black vinyl isn't the exact same "shade" as the OEM black section, but in real life it blends in quite well, and it doesn't stand out...lots of cars have these black sections on their screens now, so at a passing glance, you'd just assume it was original.

I got a stone chip that needed repairing and the repair guy initially thought it was genuine... I've still got the template so if the screen does need replacing I can easily do another one (now I commute 100 miles a day, I'm expecting more stone chips!...and now I commute 100 miles a day is the reason I got the dash cam....so many miles = so many opportunities to need it!).

When I first tried installing the vinyl I just tried sticking it to the glass.....it was impossible to get it in the correct position, so I used some water with "washing up" liquid mixed in and then it was easy to slide around to get the correct position and then "squeegee" the excess water and air bubbles out. Also note that in some of the pictures it looks like some of the vinyl hasn't stuck correctly - thats just the muck on the outside of the windscreen that isn't in the wiper path and also the "dots" around the original black section - they are flush with the glass, so not a problem to stick over, and until these pictures I hadn't noticed them that obvious....so in reality they aren't a problem.

From the driver side it looks like this: (apologies for the image being grainy...had to lighten a lot in photoshop to show any detail)



And the passenger side:



The pictures make it look quite big and obvious from inside, but it doesn't seem like that when in the car, i.e. not in your face.

In the drivers view picture you can see the GPS unit in the bottom left of the dash. I had initially put it at the top of the rear view mirror housing (tucked in behind the mirrors cable, just visible in the first two pictures) but you aren't meant to put it so close to the camera (interference?) so I moved it.

Because of how far down I had to mount it, the cable tidy doesn't go all the way up to the headlining, so you can see the wires at that point, but I'm happy with that....call it a compromise.

Taking pictures of the screen is quite difficult with glare and reflections....and also I could've washed it first.

Note my skater dude friend....he's been with me through about 5 cars! (thats 5 car changes...I haven't written off 5 cars!!!!)

Hope you like.

What is your car make / model / year ?

 

[Blackdog]

What is your car make / model / year ?

Hi, its a 2012 BMW X1, pre-facelift.

(Nikolai - I haven't forgotten the other project, I just haven't progressed it for a while).

 

[niko]

Hi, its a 2012 BMW X1, pre-facelift.

(Nikolai - I haven't forgotten the other project, I just haven't progressed it for a while).

Good solution to use tinted film ! [emoji106]

 

[Blackdog]

Updated my post to include vehicle details and screen grab to show the field of view I get.

 

[Dashmellow]

Updated my post to include vehicle details and screen grab to show the field of view I get.

Seems to be yet another example of overly dark SG9665GC footage on a sunny day.

 

[Blackdog]

Seems to be yet another example of overly dark SG9665GC footage on a sunny day.

That may be the truth, but I didn't include that image to show any such issues, I included it purely to show the field of view. Lets leave the that conversation for the other thread.

 

[Dashmellow]

That may be the truth, but I didn't include that image to show any such issues, I included it purely to show the field of view. Lets leave the that conversation for the other thread.

Agreed. This isn't the place for it. Just hard to not keep noticing.

 

[DashcamUser1]

My installation;
Car: 2015 (65 registered) Toyota Auris 1.8 Hybrid, Business Edition specification with Toyota Safety Sense package.
Dash cam: Thinkware F770 dual channel cameras with Cellink B battery.

It took me a while to decide where to mount my dash cam, since here in the UK we have a law which restricts the mounting of the dash cam to pretty much anywhere, but behind the rear view mirror. My car also has a big housing of cameras and sensors directly behind the rear view mirror (Toyota Safety Sense) for the collision avoidance system / lane departure warning system / dusk sensors, etc. Placing the F770 on the windscreen directly beneath this housing would have been ideal, but would have meant the dash cam would sit below the rear view mirror (making it illegal). It would have also blocked the access to the micro SD card slot unless if I had installed it further down and away from the housing. Placing the camera on the left hand side of the housing behind the rear view mirror (passenger side) would have caused a problem too, since the camera lens on the F770 unit is also on the left hand side of the unit and, hence, the focus of the camera recordings would be on the far left side of the vehicle rather than from the centre. Also, the reset hole on the left side of the unit would be obstructed by the sensor housing unless installed further away from the housing. (Rant) this camera works well for US / left hand drive car markets, but not for right hand drive / UK markets. I only wish that Thinkware had of thought of to make the camera lens on the right hand side for the UK / right hand drive markets, for this would have been better focused closer to centre even when having to mount the camera on OUR passenger side (rant over).

Before dash cam installation - TSS housing behind rear view mirror.

Before dash cam installation - TSS housing exterior view.

I eventually decided to compromise and install the dash cam onto the bottom of the safety housing, installing it as close to the windscreen as I could get it. This also has the advantage of making it all look as one integrated system and is centre. I know this still may be illegal, but even if it is (which I will only know during my car's MOT test time) I will just remove it and use the extra sticky padding provided to re-attach to the left side of the housing.

To attach it to the bottom side of the housing, I had to remove the old sticky padding from the holder and use new double-sided sticky pads, along with cable ties, to securely attach it to the ventilation grills of the safety sense housing. The new pads were carefully cut to match the grill patterns, so to attach it securely and not to block all of the ventilation to / from the housing.

Front F770 dash cam installed, interior view from driver's side.

Exterior view.

Passenger's side view. The wires hide in behind the rear view mirror housing and into the roof lining. My second choice (and only other available choice) was to install the camera below the dotted area next to the housing.

Rear dash cam installed below third brake light. This was perhaps the easiest part of the installation.

The wires run along the passenger's side roof lining, down the A pillar and below the glove box. Add-A-Fuse circuit used to power the Cellink B battery. Connected to interior cigarette lighter socket.

Wires running from fuse box (below glove box) to Cellink B battery.

Cellink B battery hidden in space available below the centre console.

I decided to use bullet terminal connectors to make the connection between Cellink B battery and F770 dash cam. In case any one component fails, it is easy enough to swap out the affected device.

One more view from the front exterior.

 

[Blackdog]

Nice. I wasn't aware of such a rule about placement of cameras here in the UK, although I agree that some locations are just dangerous if they block vision (the number of cars I see with sat-nav units stuck to the screen below the rear view mirror is amazing, and I've even seen some with the camera in direct line of sight!).

I guess MOT time will be the test. Nice tidy cables in that last shot!

Whats the joystick in front of the handbrake? Is that to control the in car things like sat nav, radio, menus etc?

 

[DashcamUser1]

Nice. I wasn't aware of such a rule about placement of cameras here in the UK, although I agree that some locations are just dangerous if they block vision (the number of cars I see with sat-nav units stuck to the screen below the rear view mirror is amazing, and I've even seen some with the camera in direct line of sight!).

I guess MOT time will be the test. Nice tidy cables in that last shot!

Whats the joystick in front of the handbrake? Is that to control the in car things like sat nav, radio, menus etc?

Hi Blackdog,

Thanks for the compliments.

The rules on mounting dash cams in the UK can be found here: http://suction-mounted-car-cameras.blogspot.co.uk/. I was given a similar leaflet when I purchased my F770 dashcam. What I am surprised about is how Toyota, and other car manufacturers, can get away breaking this rule by having their own safety systems that intrude more than 4 cm into the wiper clearance zone (and beyond the rear view mirror) but if we were to install dash cams in the same area, we could get fined / prosecuted for it.

The joystick in my car is the transmission lever (automatic / cvt gearbox).

 

[DT MI]

...The rules on mounting dash cams in the UK can be found here: http://suction-mounted-car-cameras.blogspot.co.uk/....

You may be good to go with yours since that specifically says it applies to suction mounted devices.

 

[Blackdog]

Thanks.

It says that if the suction mounted camera protrudes more than 4cm into the wiper clearance area that it is illegal. Mine isn't suction mounted, so I wonder if that is a get out clause for me, as mine is clearly over 4cm into this area....Although from the drivers seat it is hidden by the rear view mirror, so it isn't actually blocking my view. I can't see the screen either, although I only have that on for 15 seconds.

All my hard work could be undone!

Will have to wait and see...its not something I would've even considered.

 

[DashCamWarehouse.com]

A typical install example

 

[country_hick]

Thanks.

It says that if the suction mounted camera protrudes more than 4cm into the wiper clearance area that it is illegal. Mine isn't suction mounted, so I wonder if that is a get out clause for me, as mine is clearly over 4cm into this area.....

If the UK is like the USA the law only applies to what it includes. What is not included is considered to be excluded on purpose. In time the legislature may change the wording but for now if you apply adhesive under a suction cup you have a glued on mount which is not covered under that law. If you screw the mount to your roof it should also not be covered by that law. I have no idea if other laws might apply or not. Looking up your laws is a smart move.

 

[Dashmellow]

If the UK is like the USA the law only applies to what it includes. What is not included is considered to be excluded on purpose. In time the legislature may change the wording but for now if you apply adhesive under a suction cup you have a glued on mount which is not covered under that law. If you screw the mount to your roof it should also not be covered by that law. I have no idea if other laws might apply or not. Looking up your laws is a smart move.

Actually, every US state has different laws governing windshield obstructions. Some states are very restrictive, some not so much.

 

[SawMaster]

Dashmellow is correct, but the way our US law system functions, if it is not obstructing your view (such as behind the mirror) a strong argument can be made that the law in itself is wrong or is being wrongfully applied to you. You may have to go through the appeals process to get there though, which won't be easy or cheap. We can question the validity of any law here, but that may not be possible elsewhere. That's how Glik v Cunnife (the ruling which allows public videotaping of government officials) came about.

My approach is always to 'fly under the radar' and not be noticed, and if I happen to be discovered then to be as nice and non-confrontational on the scene as possible which usually lets you get by. Save the fight for the courtroom then have a good lawyer blow them away there

Phil

 

[Dashmellow]

Dashmellow is correct, but the way our US law system functions, if it is not obstructing your view (such as behind the mirror) a strong argument can be made that the law in itself is wrong or is being wrongfully applied to you. You may have to go through the appeals process to get there though, which won't be easy or cheap. We can question the validity of any law here, but that may not be possible elsewhere. That's how Glik v Cunnife (the ruling which allows public videotaping of government officials) came about.

My approach is always to 'fly under the radar' and not be noticed, and if I happen to be discovered then to be as nice and non-confrontational on the scene as possible which usually lets you get by. Save the fight for the courtroom then have a good lawyer blow them away there

Phil

In my state it is totally illegal to mount virtually anything anywhere except the upper left or lower right corner of the windscreen under certain circumstances. When I first got into dash cams I was very worried that I might end up with an expensive ticket if I got stopped by the cops. ($156!).

It turns out the law was written long before toll responders or GPS units became as popular as they currently are and I kept seeing them on local vehicles everywhere I went. (virtually no dash cams though) Some of those GPS units I see are even mounted right in the middle of the windshield! Finally, I started asking acquaintances and random people I would encounter in parking lots who had devices on their windshields if they had ever had an issue with the police over mounting things on their windscreens and universally, everyone said no. Most were not even aware it was illegal and that they risked a big fine. After six years of using dash cams I've concluded that the police have decided to simply not enforce this particular law and it's never been an issue.

Here is a screen shot of the first section of the actual statute in my state.

 

[SawMaster]

I think there are similar restrictions here, but as to enforcement they generally ticket only those who have TV/DVD players where the driver can see them. I'm not sure how to access the DMV regulations here and this is not covered directly in my State laws which can be viewed fully online.

Phil