Where did you mount the camera? Post your pictures

[SawMaster]

A nice install Might want to aim the lens down a notch if you get washout in bright sun

And Welcome to DCT
Phil

 

[Deleted member 37895]

There is a big problem with the headrest mounting location... In my car at highway speeds it vibrates a lot. It seems like a harmonic vibration

 

[Submariner Gold]

There is a big problem with the headrest mounting location... In my car at highway speeds it vibrates a lot. It seems like a harmonic vibration

I am not surprised it vibrates.
I would say my cars an SL500 and a S Class coupe are about as solid a car as you will find, [bar possibly going to a G Wagon jeep]
I would not dream of trying to attach a bracket to the head rest! Too far from the anchor bolts into the floor, plus your bodyweight will flex the seat.
And of course who wants a load of leggo brackets cluttering up the interior.??
Not to mention in a serious crash bodies can move around and you could get speared with those brackets!

Why not get a mount to stick it on the windscreen glass or dashboard.
Hell if I can fit it to the rear screen of an S Class Coupe ( an extremely low-raked screen) pretty sure you can get a bracket?

Not exactly a great job, but pretty much hidden by the mirror from inside ( 100% hidden from driver , circa 80% hidden from passenger.
And all the mounting crap is hidden from outside by the black hatching on the screen ( its solid gloss black from outside!)

And hopefully will improve the look when I go to the much smaller compact 3M sticky pad mount.
If you just dip your head, you can just see the comforting red “recording led”in tne bottom left hand corner.

 

[Deleted member 37895]

I am not surprised it vibrates.
I would say my cars an SL500 and a S Class coupe are about as solid a car as you will find, [bar possibly going to a G Wagon jeep]
I would not dream of trying to attach a bracket to the head rest! Too far from the anchor bolts into the floor, plus your bodyweight will flex the seat.
And of course who wants a load of leggo brackets cluttering up the interior.??
Not to mention in a serious crash bodies can move around and you could get speared with those brackets!

Why not get a mount to stick it on the windscreen glass or dashboard.
Hell if I can fit it to the rear screen of an S Class Coupe ( an extremely low-raked screen) pretty sure you can get a bracket?
View attachment 36850
Not exactly a great job, but pretty much hidden by the mirror from inside ( 100% hidden from driver , circa 80% hidden from passenger.
And all the mounting crap is hidden from outside by the black hatching on the screen ( its solid gloss black from outside!)

And hopefully will improve the look when I go to the much smaller compact 3M sticky pad mount.
If you just dip your head, you can just see the comforting red “recording led”in tne bottom left hand corner.

Because having the interior of the car captured too is pretty cool. And because I don't want mess with my A pillars because there are airbags mounted in them

 

[Submariner Gold]

Because having the interior of the car captured too is pretty cool. And because I don't want mess with my A pillars because there are airbags mounted in them

I definitely understand you concern of messing with airbagged A pillars. The covers of my A pillars are very firmly fixed , I was lucky one could just fit the cable under the edge.

I guess I am too old or self assured to feel the need to have everything I do documented by a selfie, let alone a video!
But hey its your lifestyle and I respect that.
But the only benefit (other than having paid off ones Mortgage) of getting old is hindsight.
In this case were you in a serilius accident and those brackets damaged someone ... I guarrantee both your and the oppossing party’s insurance company would walk away from any liability caused by injuries inflicted by the brackets.,
Putting in an unapproved modification (brackets) at face neck level would constitute reckless endangerment, at best.

OK its unlikely your family would bancrupt you, but I do know of two work colleagues ... best of friends for many years until an accident permenantly disabled one .... end result he sued the arse off his ex best mate!

 

[Deleted member 37895]

I definitely understand you concern of messing with airbagged A pillars. The covers of my A pillars are very firmly fixed , I was lucky one could just fit the cable under the edge.

I guess I am too old or self assured to feel the need to have everything I do documented by a selfie, let alone a video!
But hey its your lifestyle and I respect that.
But the only benefit (other than having paid off ones Mortgage) of getting old is hindsight.
In this case were you in a serilius accident and those brackets damaged someone ... I guarrantee both your and the oppossing party’s insurance company would walk away from any liability caused by injuries inflicted by the brackets.,
Putting in an unapproved modification (brackets) at face neck level would constitute reckless endangerment, at best.

OK its unlikely your family would bancrupt you, but I do know of two work colleagues ... best of friends for many years until an accident permenantly disabled one .... end result he sued the arse off his ex best mate!

I think you're right, the aluminum could be dangerous so I'm removing it. I put the camera on the windshield and ran the cable behind the visor and velcroed it to the grab handles, then ran it down to the cargo area power port.

The Golf has no gap between the headliner and the body, it's really tight, and there are airbags along the entire length of the roof

 

[Submariner Gold]

I think you're right, the aluminum could be dangerous so I'm removing it. I put the camera on the windshield and ran the cable behind the visor and velcroed it to the grab handles, then ran it down to the cargo area power port.

The Golf has no gap between the headliner and the body, it's really tight, and there are airbags along the entire length of the roof

I am no expert but sounds safer.
I’ve heard too many stories of how some insurers will try anything to avoid a big number, and permanent disability can be mind blowingly expensive.

Yep these “curtain” airbags pretty much surround all glass areas on my car too. Think there are quite a few.
And I admit I am very cautious not to trigger one or even a chain event ... the dashboard one apparently rips the exclusive leather on it .. so its a new dashboard rumoured at circa £5000 fitted with exclusive leather.

 

[Deleted member 37895]

I am no expert but sounds safer.
I’ve heard too many stories of how some insurers will try anything to avoid a big number, and permanent disability can be mind blowingly expensive.

Yep these “curtain” airbags pretty much surround all glass areas on my car too. Think there are quite a few.
And I admit I am very cautious not to trigger one or even a chain event ... the dashboard one apparently rips the exclusive leather on it .. so its a new dashboard rumoured at circa £5000 fitted with exclusive leather.

Well that's probably good because in a serious crash your car will be totalled.

Even though you aren't triggering the airbags, in a crash they could potentially push the cable out and turn the camera into a projectile

 

[Submariner Gold]

Well that's probably good because in a serious crash your car will be totalled.

Even though you aren't triggering the airbags, in a crash they could potentially push the cable out and turn the camera into a projectile

Nope checked with a MB technician, which way the airbag pillar covers open. My wire is on the glass side, so the bag would force the coveropen onto and trap the wire, not pull it out. There is also about a 3” spare loop under the overhead console-mirror housing, to take up any minor wire movement.
That said in a major smash, I doubt any suction mount would hold, but at least its totally behind the substantial mirror housing.
Having done it this way ..
I could argue any work done, was done responsibly, and shouldn't increase the possibility of negligent accident damage .. other than they could I suppose challenge the whole concept of sticking or mounting a dash cam on the screen period!
My counter argument was they provide centre console trays that people put mobiles on, and an iphone 7 Plus weighs a lot more than these dashcams.
But hey ... thats life.

 

[Blackdog]

Has anyone ever mounted a Street Guardian SG9665GC (wedge shape) in a BMW e89 Z4?

Had mine stealth mounted in my X1 but mid life crisis called for a new car, so I now have a Z4.

The rear view mirror casing looks similar to the X1, so the template I made to cut the vinyl might work, but i’m not sure about feeding the cables, because there is no headlining to tuck it into.

I haven’t had a good look yet (got the car on Saturday and its snowed since then) but i’m hoping someone can give me a heads-up.

Any tips from other convertible owners?

 

[Street Guardian USA]

I haven’t been in one bit If there is no headliner to tuck the wires into you’ll need to use the 3M cable clips.

 

[Street Guardian USA]

I asked the team, and was also told:

"even though it has no headliner there will still be some sort of trim cover at the top of the window. might be beyond DIY skills of a lot of people, trims are a bit tricky so best to get a pro to help"

 

[Blackdog]

Thanks. There is plastic trim along the top of the screen that I think I could tuck the cables into, i'll need to check it a bit more thoroughly.

 

[Blackdog]

Just finished installing the SG9665GC in my 2011 e89 Z4.

Used the same technique as when I did the X1 (black vinyl on inside of windscreen so from the outside it's a nice solid black, not dodgy looking sticky pad). This time I mounted the GPS receiver (after flipping it) in the top left of the windscreen (on a piece of vinyl also).

Feeding the cables was ok in the end, although I had to tuck the power lead behind the A-Pillar trim, because to take it off on this car means messing with the roof seals, so I didn't fancy that!

However....the fusebox on this car has to be the worst design ever! Its underneath and behind the glovebox, which is ok, but you have to lower it, and its really difficult to lower it enough to access the fuse I needed. Then putting it back...absolute joke! Don't think its in the right place, but the car is going into the garage soon, so I'll ask them to re-fit the fusebox properly....probably take them 10 minutes!

I'll post some pictures when I can get some in good light.

 

[kamkar]

Having lost my old file host all of my pictures are gone, so time to start from scratch with a new setup.

So here are the front and rear setup of my car as it is today.

Windscreen.

SGGCX2 - SG9663DC and in the back the 12 mm lens modified Joovuu X cam




On the rear hatch i just have the rear camera of the SG9663DC.
The camera sit over the top heater element so i have a clean view in the footage, and it still have wiper coverage.


Due to placement of USB plug on this rear camera i have had to resort to my trusty old magnet, if it wasent for the placement of the USB plug i would have been able to stick the camera on the 3/4 inch lip of the rear hatch.


I might have to put a pice of metal on the sticky tape of the camera, the "little" magnet just use half of the tape contact surface.
But i make do with this until it might fail due to high heat of the summer.

 

[kamkar]

Expanded a little ( 2 more cameras )

 

[MedicalFlyer]

Here are two set ups of mine.

My previous car and camera. A 2000 Honda Accord with a Mobius (C2+Lens extension). Power was supplied by a Nextbase hardwire kit. This ran flawlessly until the day I took it out to sell the car. Had a 64GB SanDisk card in since 2015ish and never had a problem. Nearly impossible to see from outside and most people in the car never knew it was there unless I pointed it out. Handily the top status light would reflect off the windscreen in darker conditions.


My current car - a 2008 Kia Cee'd now has a Mini 0906 kit installed. Same Nextbase hardwire kit with an adapter. Nowhere near as stealthy and I'm not entirely happy with it as a solution but the image quality is a marked improvement and dual 1080 is nice. Unfortunately in order to make the cabling tidy and the front camera harder to spot I can no longer see either the screen or status lights from the driver's side.
I imagine I will be getting a StreetGuardian dual remote kit when it comes along as I would prefer a much neater install. The less on display the better.

 

[kamkar]

Yeah the remote dual or not gotta be the path to go if you are interested in really stealthy setups.

Only problem i see is as you also mention, no way to visible verify that the camera is recording, at least not if you stash the main unit of a remote camera setup, and that's sort of also one of the major strong points of such a setup.
And i for one would hate to look at such things with the phone, so lets hope we will get a remote INFO LED / LED's, maybe as part of a wired event button.

 

[MedicalFlyer]

Yeah the remote dual or not gotta be the path to go if you are interested in really stealthy setups.

Only problem i see is as you also mention, no way to visible verify that the camera is recording, at least not if you stash the main unit of a remote camera setup, and that's sort of also one of the major strong points of such a setup.
And i for one would hate to look at such things with the phone, so lets hope we will get a remote INFO LED / LED's, maybe as part of a wired event button.

True, I was going to disable the noises on the 0906 where I had it mounted at first. I could easily see the status lights. Now, however, I will leave them on and at least the startup and shutdown noises will indicate that it's powering up and down. I never really checked the mobius that often (twice a year with the clock changes for BST) but a quick look now and again should be enough. I'm just glad I got the 0906 for a good price.

Going by SG's long term work on such things and good response to user feedback I'm sure their solution will be a good compromise for stealth and usability. I was tempted by the K1S back when it was new but didn't want to pay the price at the time - and it turned out to be a bit unreliabe it seems. Now, for a reliable and well spec'd kit, I think such a price would be more than worth it even if I never needed to rely on the footage.

I saw somewhere here that Innovv are working on a K2 kit so that may be another. option. It will come down to price and level of support available.

 

[Indian]

Mine is fitted behind the rear view mirror. The wiring is still temporary as I have not yet wired the rear camera.