Dashboard camera

robatwork

Am thinking about getting a cam to record my journeys. I am guessing plenty of posters here have one. Anyone care to recommend one?

I need to remove it easily after each journey. I don't know much about these but am thinking about spending £50 or so

thanks

Buzby

Used one for 4 years, but there is plenty of choice these days. Can I recommend you opt for a Twin-View model? I gave up standard cams when I had a rear shunt, and the perpetrator did a U turn and made off. All my camera got was the shudder on impact, nothing more.

The new device creates an MP4 file with both images side by side, to they are fully in sync.

motorguy

Similar thread running on pistonheads...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1125173

Worth reading.

ariba10

Google.---- Roadhawk.

Saved me a lot of hassle when I was involved with a no fault of mine accident.

Gers

I've got a RoadEye camera fixed about the rear view mirror and hardwired into the ignition. It takes an SD card which records in continuous short burst. Any impact makes it go into continual record and it has an 'emergency button' which also changes recording mode.

There have been a whole load of incidents recorded - mostly stupid drivers or blind drivers or drivers with no consideration for others on the same road! No collision yet (touch wood).

I don't know about any other models as the car shop installed it.

Crabman

There's a guy on YouTube who reviews these:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFB79814F24001328

It takes time to watch the videos but they're very detailed and it will help you decide what features to look for when buying.

Richard53

I got one of these things a few weeks ago, after I very nearly ran someone over at a pedestrian crossing. It was a young lad, and he waited on the kerb (the crossing was traffic-light controlled and the green was in my favour) and at the last minute launched himself in front of my car, after establishing full eye contact with me. I stopped with a couple of feet to spare, as I was only doing 20 mph or so. It seemed completely deliberate on his part, and I had a few bad moments wondering what would have happened if I had hit him, with no witnesses to confirm I had the green light, was driving at a reasonable speed, and so on. I'm pretty sure things would have gone in his favour and I would be painted as the evil motorist who runs over teenagers, when this was the opposite of the truth. I bought a dashcam the next day.

I got one of those generic ones for about £25 from eBay. It needed a bit of working out how to use it, but for the price it is absolutely brilliant. Image quality is fair (i.e. good enough) and it operates in loop mode, so when the SD card is full it just starts recording over the oldest segment. The only drawback is that my car doesn't have an ignition-controlled 12v outlet (the cigarette lighter socket is always-on) so I have to manually plug it in for every journey. If I had a socket that come on with the ignition, it would be completely automatic. I am very pleased with the device, and now I have 'proof of concept' I am considering getting a better one.

I have not heard that things attached to the screen with a sucker are illegal. If that's true, then most satnav systems are illegal too. I took it for MoT with it attached, and the tester removed it for the test, so this may be a grey area.

But I love it, and I am thinking of getting one for the bike.

scotsbob

Another alternative is to download a free app for your mobile. I use Autoboy Blackbox on my Android phone. Then all you need is a bracket with a suction pad just like you would use for a satnav.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jeon.blackbox&hl=en

See it in action here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNQRqWsD9Yk

Foxy-Stoat_3

If your spending £50 I doubt it will be a very good picture, you need to spend closer to £200+

I have Bluevue 380HD ones....I bought an extra one for my Dad as a present but he didnt want it so trying to sell it at the moment, but its a lot more than £50.

The HD cameras give a crystal clear image with speeds and GPS locations...very good piece of kit.

Although that app is a good clear picture.....may be the best option.

MoneyMate

Hi seen this the other day hope it has not been mentioned B4 ?
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/car-video-recorder/id592376034?mt=8. :beer:

hewhoisnotintheknow

i have this one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271124684015

However DO NOT TRUST THIS SELLER, the seller is called topbosses and ignores all emails and will not make any contact whatso ever. The product has a years warranty, but they are just flatly ignoring me

The camera has a front lense and a rear lense. Sadly if you try to use both at the same time, it just switches the unit off

when just using the front facing camera, it doesnt always turn off properly so in the event of a shunt, i could end up with no evidence

My advice would be dont buy cheap stuff from ebay, false economy

and as for the seller TOPBOSSES - avoid them too!