Dash Cams?

[Susimi]

I'm looking into getting some sort of dash cam. I was wondering if anyone else here uses them and if anyone has any recomendations?

 

I'm not really looking to spend hundreds on one, just a sort of cheapish one that records in a wider angle if possible.

 

Thanks guys

[Drew Dowdell]

If you have a smart phone, there are apps you can download and get a windshield mount.  Maybe try that setup out first?

[TAF]

I prefer dedicated hardware for certain purposes. And this would be one of them. Besides go pro what else is there? Maybe we should be asking the Russians?

[Thed]

I've got one. Didn't shell out for anything too fancy, but I did make sure to get something with a battery and good picture quality. I had bought another camera before my current one for $12 on eBay just to try it out and see if I liked having it. When it broke, I felt powerless and afraid. I have been driving years without one, but as soon as I lose the one I just bought I felt paranoid. So I bought this.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Spy-Tec-G1WH-Dashboard-140%C2%B0/dp/B00KZ0J452/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1433091988&sr=8-3&keywords=G1w

 

Based on all the reviews this is the best dash cam for a budget minded person. It has some nice options and the picture quality is great. Audio is a little muffled, but I can live with that. With a 32 GB card I have footage dating back to mid April on it right now.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Thed

[Susimi]

If you have a smart phone, there are apps you can download and get a windshield mount.  Maybe try that setup out first?

 

That's a nice idea. I have an iPhone 4 and sadly the battery life on it is a little crap, I'm not sure how long it would be able to record for. I'll look into that either way. Thanks

 

 

I've got one. Didn't shell out for anything too fancy, but I did make sure to get something with a battery and good picture quality. I had bought another camera before my current one for $12 on eBay just to try it out and see if I liked having it. When it broke, I felt powerless and afraid. I have been driving years without one, but as soon as I lose the one I just bought I felt paranoid. So I bought this.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Spy-Tec-G1WH-Dashboard-140%C2%B0/dp/B00KZ0J452/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1433091988&sr=8-3&keywords=G1w

 

Based on all the reviews this is the best dash cam for a budget minded person. It has some nice options and the picture quality is great. Audio is a little muffled, but I can live with that. With a 32 GB card I have footage dating back to mid April on it right now.

 

I'll check out one of these also.

 

If I don't like having a cam up in my car it's not a lot of money spent so I can always sell it or use it for something else.

 

Many thanks guys!

[FAPTurbo]

A good place to go for dash cam info is Slickdeals. You can keep tabs on prices, as well as learn if certain units are knockoffs or counterfeits. 

 

http://slickdeals.net/f/7889999-papago-gosafe-272-dash-cam-2-4-lcd-full-hd-black-99-95-free-shipping-newegg

http://slickdeals.net/f/7704149-request-dashcam-recommendation-reviews

 

Another great resource is RedFlagDeals (Canada) where there's a superthread that tracks deals and information on popular models. 

 

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/merged-car-camera-recommendations-995312/221/#post22608397

[Thed]

I prefer dedicated hardware for certain purposes. And this would be one of them. Besides go pro what else is there? Maybe we should be asking the Russians?

 

GoPro's actually make pretty for bad dashcams. Getting a purpose-built camera instead of a GoPro would be a cheaper and easier alternative. 

[SuperDuper]

You couldn't just steal one from a cop car?

[Drew Dowdell]

I prefer dedicated hardware for certain purposes. And this would be one of them. Besides go pro what else is there? Maybe we should be asking the Russians?

 My go pro burns through battery really quick. I wouldn't use one as a dash cam. 

[Susimi]

You couldn't just steal one from a cop car?

 

Nah I tried it once and got a trunchon over the head for it

 

 

 

I prefer dedicated hardware for certain purposes. And this would be one of them. Besides go pro what else is there? Maybe we should be asking the Russians?

 My go pro burns through battery really quick. I wouldn't use one as a dash cam. 

 

 

How long does the battery last on your GoPro?

[NicCris]

That's a nice idea. I have an iPhone 4 and sadly the battery life on it is a little crap, I'm not sure how long it would be able to record for. I'll look into that either way. Thanks

Putting your smartphone on your dash will expose it to sunlight and excess heat, which may degrade battery life and cause reliability issues over time. And, if you actually need to use your phone for navigation or a call, your smartphone-dashcam setup may prove inconvenient. If you want to record a half-hour of footage on occasion, a smartphone can work, but a dashcam is the better choice for recording every time you drive.

Edited June 26, 2015 by NicCris