With folks getting back in their cars after lockdown it strikes me the standard of driving locally has dropped. Therefore, and being late to the party, I'm in the market for a dash cam. I have no smart phone and use no apps so that side is of no interest to me. I can't afford the dosh for forward and rear facing cameras but will require the unit wiring in professionally.
A friend has recommended the Halfords HDC200 which seems a cheap and reasonably specced unit at £44 + £35 fitting. Next up would possibly be a Garmin 66W at £169 + £35 fitting
Is there any feature I should be specifically interested in and does anyone have any recommendations, given that Halfords would be an ideal place to have the thing fitted?
Okay, I have some experience here.
I have a NextBase 402 GPS.
You want:
GPS - So you can prove exactly where you/they were, and the speed you/they were doing.
Small amount of battery built in.
Ability to install a decent size data card, video takes a lot of space.
Ability to 'lock' video segments, prevents them being overwritten. (Dash cams generally write constant video in certain size segments, when the space is full they overwrite from the beginning)
Decent grade, wide angle lens. Obvious reasons.
I'd have a look at online Tec reviews to see what's currently rated the best.
If you can wire a layout you REALLY don't need to pay Halfrauds to do a half-arsed job.
Last year I got a clip of the guy behind me at a 'wonky' crossroads on a corner overtaking me as I turned and nearly causing a four vehicle pile up. I spoke to Thames Valley PF, uploaded clip. A few months later I had response from TVPF to say they spoken to the driver and given him a caution and retained the info in case he does anything again.
So, can be useful.
Be aware though, it records your speed and road position as well as theirs!
@Newportnobby (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=264) Mike makes some very valid points in what to look for. I have the Nextbase 522GW, (with rear facing camera as well) and it was easy to fit. I just used a 'piggyback' fuse connector into a fuse box underneath the dash. The 'piggyback' replaces the original fuse and then the original fuse is plugged into the 'piggyback'. All the wires, (there are only two on mine), fit easily behind the car trim and are totally hidden. Do a quick Google search for your vehicle and dashcam, e.g. Ford Focus Dashcam fitting - there will be some videos on Youtube no doubt. I fitted mine to my previous car after two 'near misses' in as many weeks - naturally, since shelling out the money, it has not been needed. Still, it is a bit like insurance, nice to have but you hope you never have to use it. :)
Addit: After you have watched some videos on fitting, you may decide it is more prudent to pay someone to fit the camera - depends on where the fuse box is and how agile you are feeling. Have you got a friendly neighbour/mechanic who wants to earn the price of a pint? ;)
Quote from: dannyboy on August 30, 2020, 01:38:15 PM
Have you got a friendly neighbour/mechanic who wants to earn the price of a pint? ;)
Blimey, how much is a pint in Leitrim? :goggleeyes: :D
I don't think I could afford a night out there.
I was just making the point that £35 seemed a bit dear for what could well be a 15 minute job. :P. :nerner:.(Not my fault I am from Yorkshire!). However, for somebody who wants the convenience or isn't as nimble shall we say, as they used to be,(no names mentioned), it may well be worth paying £35. :)
Having looked at the spec, it looks like you need a Smart Phone to view the video, otherwise you would need to take the memory card out. I had a Nextbase fitted by Halfords on my previous car. They did a good job and the one I had had a mini USB to connect to it.
Cool mask, Malc :thumbsup:
Quote from: dannyboy on August 30, 2020, 02:46:53 PM
I was just making the point that £35 seemed a bit dear for what could well be a 15 minute job. :P. :nerner:.(Not my fault I am from Yorkshire!). However, for somebody who wants the convenience or isn't as nimble shall we say, as they used to be,(no names mentioned), it may well be worth paying £35. :)
having seen, while on the AA, the number of times they'd managed to fit headlight bulbs the wrong way, I'd be tempted to rethink the Halfrauds route :censored:
Hi
I have a Nextbase 312gw and can't fault it. It might be a bit over the top as it allows you to connect using a smart phone to view the videos without removing the memory card. I would agree with the other posters about being aware that it also records everything you do.
Cheers
Paul
cynical me reckons the £35 install is for plugging it into the cigarette lighter accessory socket
Quote from: themadhippy on August 30, 2020, 06:36:24 PM
cynical me reckons the £35 install is for plugging it into the cigarette lighter accessory socket
I very much suspect that will be their installation.
I've got a Nextbase 312GW. I fit it each time I go out with two rubber bands round the mirror, and plug into cigarette lighter socket.
I remove it when I get home and download to Apple Mac (this ensures permanent record and not nicked overnight while parked outside house). If parking in a "risky" area I also de-mount it and take it with me.
It also has the advantage I can release it and use it hand-held to take video of any incidents in car parks etc.
Just to clarify a couple of things, apart from pumping up tyres, checking oil and washer bottle levels I do nothing to my car as I know the results could be more expensive than me paying someone. The same goes for any problem locos. Letting me loose on anything electrical courts disaster :worried:
My friend who suggested Halfords is, in fact, a Yorkshireman who resents paying £1 full day charge to park at Leyland station for an hour ::) I believe they hard wire it into the ignition wiring but will be checking that out. Thanks for the replies so far.
When I needed a bought my new Navi, I got a Dashcam....
Garmin DriveAssist 51 LMT-S
Adds as security feature a lane change and collision detector. Even in countries were Dashcams are forbidden, I could drive with it, because of the security feature. "I see you have a forbidden dashcam!" - "No way, that is only the lane change and collision detector of my Navi."
Has almost all needed Dashcam features. Wide-angle is the (for me) the only missing feature.
And it means: only 1 device to add/set up
They wired mine into the ignition such that it comes on as you start and goes off about 10 seconds after you switch off. They did a lovely job. They moved it to my next car when I changed, again a lovely job. This time my car has one already fitted. This too is a Nextbase, but you need a smart phone to watch the video.
I hate cars. The only thing that I do with mine here in Australia is look at it with contempt.
I jump in it, drive down the street, and think, Geez, it's time to get it cleaned.
Cannot understand revheads. Fascination with cars is a complete mystery to me.
They're work and worry to me. :no:
I fitted a dashcam last year after a couple of near misses. Mine is a Nextbase, 512 if I remember rightly, cost me roughly £100. I think you need to go for as high a spec as you can afford - the cheaper ones have poorer resolution which will capture only very close number plates. I fitted it myself initially but made the mistake of leaving it plugged into the cigarette lighter - ran the car battery flat in 24 hours! I bought a hardwire kit and only succeeded in disabling the airbags! :doh: I took it out of the car for a while, but after another worrying incident I figured it was worth getting it fitted professionally. I took it to Halfords in Burgess Hill who I've always found very good and they did it in 15 minutes. £35 well spent.
Cheers,
Chris
PS. You don't need a smartphone to watch the video. Why do you need to watch a video anyway unless you want to report an incident? In which case you whip the SD card out when you get home and copy it to your computer.
PPS.
Quote from: themadhippy on August 30, 2020, 06:36:24 PM
cynical me reckons the £35 install is for plugging it into the cigarette lighter accessory socket
No they don't. They do a proper job. (And I speak as someone who generally doesn't rate Halfords all that highly.)
Quote from: dannyboy on August 30, 2020, 01:38:15 PM
@Newportnobby (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=264) Mike makes some very valid points in what to look for. I have the Nextbase 522GW, (with rear facing camera as well) and it was easy to fit. I just used a 'piggyback' fuse connector into a fuse box underneath the dash. The 'piggyback' replaces the original fuse and then the original fuse is plugged into the 'piggyback'. All the wires, (there are only two on mine), fit easily behind the car trim and are totally hidden. Do a quick Google search for your vehicle and dashcam, e.g. Ford Focus Dashcam fitting - there will be some videos on Youtube no doubt. I fitted mine to my previous car after two 'near misses' in as many weeks - naturally, since shelling out the money, it has not been needed. Still, it is a bit like insurance, nice to have but you hope you never have to use it. :)
Addit: After you have watched some videos on fitting, you may decide it is more prudent to pay someone to fit the camera - depends on where the fuse box is and how agile you are feeling. Have you got a friendly neighbour/mechanic who wants to earn the price of a pint? ;)
dannyboy is there something you have not told us
Yes - I am not as agile as I thought I was! The best fuse box for me to use entailed me being on my back on the front passenger seat, feet outside the car, with my head under the glove box and a small torch between my teeth! :'(. Thinking about it - go to Halfords Mick @Newportnobby (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=264) ;D
Mick,
I don't know if you remember but I drive trucks for a living and like you I wanted a dash cam to provide evidence of car drivers misdemeanours.
I bought a cheap £15 camera off Ebay along with a 32gb sdcard and have been using it for the past 5-6 years, changing vehicles every day. It plugs into the cigarette lighter socket and works off 12 and 24v.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-Set-Car-DVR-Compact-Camera-Full-HD-1080P-Recording-Dash-Cam-Camcorder-Motion/401980731967?hash=item5d97eb323f:g:Yz0AAOSw31ddVTPf (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-Set-Car-DVR-Compact-Camera-Full-HD-1080P-Recording-Dash-Cam-Camcorder-Motion/401980731967?hash=item5d97eb323f:g:Yz0AAOSw31ddVTPf)
I use these sdcards one in the camera and 1 spare:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sandisk-32GB-Ultra-Micro-SD-SDHC-TF-Memory-Card-80MBs-UHSI-Class-10/202302861995?epid=10032165604&hash=item2f1a30b2ab:g:N2MAAOSwJpda6PCZ (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sandisk-32GB-Ultra-Micro-SD-SDHC-TF-Memory-Card-80MBs-UHSI-Class-10/202302861995?epid=10032165604&hash=item2f1a30b2ab:g:N2MAAOSwJpda6PCZ)
It worked that well that I put one in the car too.. I just don't see the point in paying out for an expensive all singing dogs danglies camera and "professional" fitting. In the car I've tucked the wire from the cig lighter plug to the camera behind the trim so it is hidden from view. The insurance companies or police will accept the pictures and don't need to prove where you are because the pictures will show that and they can work out how fast you are going from the time it takes to pass white lines or roadside objects. They give a good HD picture and can see in the dark. A 32gb sdcard records about 3 hours of driving before overwriting itself at 720p definition. As they are cheap, the local tealeaves will most likely not bother with them too.
Look after the pennies! Seriously, good luck with whatever you choose..
Cheers
Mark