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Dash cams

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Polly05
Polly05 Posts: 379 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
Hiya.
I am looking for recommendations for dash cams. There are so many options out there and I'm bamboozled.
I just want something discrete (front and back) that I can forget about. But is there in case of an accident.
I don't want to have to take it out and in. I don't want to have to turn certain bits on and off (saw that on some of the descriptions). I want it to record if someone crashes into me while parked and I'm not in car.
Do all front ones have a screen? I don't really want a screen...
Thanks! 
«1345

Comments

  • UncleZen
    UncleZen Posts: 852 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Nextbase.
    They have a screen, but it can be configured to turn off after 10 secs or so. 
    Ensure you get a large sd card,  more that 64gb if you have a front and back cameras, pref 128gb. In the settings enable parking mode.  But beware this will trigger every time you get in the car, when washing etc, and the recordings are protected (not overwritten) and consume storage space thus reducing space for the day to day recordings (overwriten). To overcome this you will need to manually format the sd card, periodically (monthly) They say this in the manual.
  • Grumpy_chap
    Grumpy_chap Posts: 18,246 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Nextbase is the one to go for. 
    They have a wide range.
    Visit Halfords, choose the one you like and they'll even install it for you.  
    Easy peasy
  • TadleyBaggie
    TadleyBaggie Posts: 6,622 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    A few years ago I bought of eBay a system that had very small front and back cameras which connected to a box that did the actual recording that could be located in a very discrete location. Worked pretty well but unfortunately the video files it produced were in some non-standard format that needs a particular Windows program to display and export. Problem is I now only use a Mac.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,588 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    You also need a super expensive SD card designed for dashcam use- high endurance, which they don't tell you before you buy it.

    A "normal" card is not designed to keep overwriting the data and quickly fails.
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 20,373 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper
    Polly05 said:
    Hiya.
    I am looking for recommendations for dash cams. There are so many options out there and I'm bamboozled.
    I just want something discrete (front and back) that I can forget about. But is there in case of an accident.
    I don't want to have to take it out and in. I don't want to have to turn certain bits on and off (saw that on some of the descriptions). I want it to record if someone crashes into me while parked and I'm not in car.
    Do all front ones have a screen? I don't really want a screen...
    Thanks! 
    Without a screen how do you plan to ensure that it is covering the road? Unless it has a wifi connection that you can view on your phone while setting up.

    You any good at installing stuff like this? S they are best hard wired into the wiring & you also have to feed wires from back to front of car taking trim off to do it. make sure you do not block any airbags, or it could lead to a world of pain when they go off.

    Personally it is a waste to think that it will pick up someone hitting you car while parked. Unless you can find a camera that has 360 vision. Most hits are on the side, odds on will not trigger the camera. Also has a danger of flattening your car battery. Yes I know you can get them that switch off when voltage reaches a certain point. But that defeats the idea of coverage while parked.
    Life in the slow lane
  • neilmcl
    neilmcl Posts: 19,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 22 August 2021 at 2:32PM
    Nextbase is the one to go for. 
    They have a wide range.
    Visit Halfords, choose the one you like and they'll even install it for you.  
    Easy peasy
    I wouldn't call them "discreet" though.

    @Polly05 my recommendation would be the Viofo A129 Duo. The wedge shape of the Viofo cameras make them very discreet and they are very good camera for the money. They do have a small screen but this can be set to turn off after start up so it isn't in any way distracting.

    I'd recommend looking at the pages and forum on https://dashcamtalk.com/
  • EssexExile
    EssexExile Posts: 6,454 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    The Garmin Mini is tiny and has Wi-Fi. I have a Mobius (also tiny) at each end but they are not dedicated dashcams so a bit of a pain to set up. There are plenty of sites listing the pros and cons of various dashcams, for example: https://www.techradar.com/uk/best/best-dash-cam
    Tall, dark & handsome. Well two out of three ain't bad.
  • Car_54
    Car_54 Posts: 8,837 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    neilmcl said:
    Nextbase is the one to go for. 
    They have a wide range.
    Visit Halfords, choose the one you like and they'll even install it for you.  
    Easy peasy
    I wouldn't call them "discreet" though.

    The OP wants "discrete", not "discreet".

  • EssexExile
    EssexExile Posts: 6,454 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Car_54 said:
    neilmcl said:
    Nextbase is the one to go for. 
    They have a wide range.
    Visit Halfords, choose the one you like and they'll even install it for you.  
    Easy peasy
    I wouldn't call them "discreet" though.

    The OP wants "discrete", not "discreet".

    That's what they asked for, but is it what they want?
    Tall, dark & handsome. Well two out of three ain't bad.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 1 October 2021 at 11:26AM
    delete 123
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