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Dash cam anyone?


Bryman31

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been wanting to get one also  seems like biggest complaint is the can't handle the heat thur the windshield, seems like a unit with a remote camera would be the best solution to that problem, and also theft it it was remote like in the glove box or somewhere away from line of sight and heat. what units have you looked at?

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the one im leaning towards the most is the thinkware f750.  researching it, it looks like it handles heat well.  i think its more of a matter of having a good quality heavy duty type of sd card.  most only handle 64gb cards so they will have to be done on overlapping loop depending on what resolution. which id put it on the higher end 1080p at least.  they have pretty decent mounts too.  was thinking of mounting it on that black rounded part on the winshield in front of the mirror.  that way it might be overlooked if someone was wanting to swipe it.  plus you can get a rear camera to wire into it as well....

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4 minutes ago, jkeaton said:

There are a couple of threads on the subject. I got mine off amazon for @$20. Has been working flawlessly for over a year now. Stays put on the windshield even in the hottest weather. 

 

 

hmm i didnt find them, i did only search for the term dashcam however LOL

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It may not be the best, but I've had this one for a few years.  It has a G sensor and GPS - note that the GPS is optimistic.  I have it mounted to the right of the rear view mirror and the GPS module is tucked into the headliner, the wiring is snaked down trough the left roof pillar trim and it is plugged into the front power outlet.

There's better out there, of course, but not at this price:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Dual-Camera-Car-DVR-R300-with-GPS-and-3D-G-Sensor-2-7-TFT-LCD-X3000/32673027897.html

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I have just purchased a Garmin "DriveAssist" 50LMT. Did so for a variety of reasons. Some things to consider before making a decision:

 

1) In general most seem to ship with barely-enough power cable length to reach the accessories/cigarette power outlet when you simply root the cable down the center of the windshield/dash and drop down to the outlet. It's annoying because companies like Garmin also sell a separate 5m (16') power adapter which is easily routed to the passenger side along the top of the windshield then down the right hand side where the windshield meets the post, then under the dash and over to the center console. Cost of the separate adapter is about $23, but of course then you have the original power adapter left over. I will go with the default until I confirm all my assumptions, and am keeping an eye on a accessories/cigarette outlet extender, which are much cheaper and usually from 10-15-20ft.

 

2) I already had a few spare 64gbyte class 10 microSD flash cards (photography), so am popping out the now useless 4gbyte card. 

 

3) Hoping that you can Leave the camera on it's mount when you are not in the car probably isn't going to work out. Most thieves are looking for multiple items, and even at night it's still easy to find especially if they carry a small powerful LED pocket light. (Which they do since it means taking way less time to peer into the car. I'd leave it mounted for quick stops, but probably will store it away if going to Costco on a Saturday afternoon. During the holidays.

 

4) Whether or not the mount itself remains stuck to the windshield is going to be a function not only of temperature, but of temperature variations over time. The rubber/glue/suction is most like to deteriorate over time when the temperatures vary alot. I worry more about it giving way in freezing cold than in heat.

 

5) Overheating: First, if you don't take the chance with #2 above and remove the device from the mount while not in the car for extended periods then most likely you will be using A/C to cool the car down as soon as you get in, and even use the windshield defog setting at the same time. While driving, your car would have to be heading in a bad direction at the right time of day to worry about it. So yeah if I'm driving in Texas during the weekday, heading south at say 2pm, in traffic, it might start to overheat. At other times of day the sunlight will generate much less heat penetration. If you are travelling in a non-straight line etc, there usually wouldnt be hour+ constantly increasing heat.

 

One final note: there are some good Youtube videos on how to route your power connection around the windscreen. It's non-specific to any automobile.

 

More info once I gain some experience, and hopefully new wisdom, with regards to the reality of what I've just bought.

 

Edited by JourneyCanada
Clarification on Garmin model
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4 minutes ago, JourneyCanada said:

I have just purchased a Garmin 50LMT. Did so for a variety of reasons. Some things to consider before making a decision:

 

1) In general most seem to ship with barely-enough power cable length to reach the accessories/cigarette power outlet when you simply root the cable down the center of the windshield/dash and drop down to the outlet. It's annoying because companies like Garmin also sell a separate 5m (16') power adapter which is easily routed to the passenger side along the top of the windshield then down the right hand side where the windshield meets the post, then under the dash and over to the center console. Cost of the separate adapter is about $23, but of course then you have the original power adapter left over. I will go with the default until I confirm all my assumptions, and am keeping an eye on a accessories/cigarette outlet extender, which are much cheaper and usually from 10-15-20ft.

 

2) I already had a few spare 64gbyte class 10 microSD flash cards (photography), so am popping out the now useless 4gbyte card. 

 

3) Hoping that you can Leave the camera on it's mount when you are not in the car probably isn't going to work out. Most thieves are looking for multiple items, and even at night it's still easy to find especially if they carry a small powerful LED pocket light. (Which they do since it means taking way less time to peer into the car. I'd leave it mounted for quick stops, but probably will store it away if going to Costco on a Saturday afternoon. During the holidays.

 

4) Whether or not the mount itself remains stuck to the windshield is going to be a function not only of temperature, but of temperature variations over time. The rubber/glue/suction is most like to deteriorate over time when the temperatures vary alot. I worry more about it giving way in freezing cold than in heat.

 

5) Overheating: First, if you don't take the chance with #2 above and remove the device from the mount while not in the car for extended periods then most likely you will be using A/C to cool the car down as soon as you get in, and even use the windshield defog setting at the same time. While driving, your car would have to be heading in a bad direction at the right time of day to worry about it. So yeah if I'm driving in Texas during the weekday, heading south at say 2pm, in traffic, it might start to overheat. At other times of day the sunlight will generate much less heat penetration. If you are travelling in a non-straight line etc, there usually wouldnt be hour+ constantly increasing heat.

 

One final note: there are some good Youtube videos on how to route your power connection around the windscreen. It's non-specific to any automobile.

 

More info once I gain some experience, and hopefully new wisdom, with regards to the reality of what I've just bought.

 

?. when i googled garmin 50lmt it brings up a navigation unit, not a dash camera. am i missing something.....

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  • 3 weeks later...

Garmin sells a friction dash mount that lets you mount the DriveAssist GPS/Dash Cam on your dash which works perfect with the Journey. I bought mine on ebay. I wanted to upgrade my 8.4 to Navigation but for some reason, the 8.4 in the Journey is not upgradable unlike most other Dodge vehicles.

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40 minutes ago, Ray2004 said:

 . . . . .. . I wanted to upgrade my 8.4 to Navigation but for some reason, the 8.4 in the Journey is not upgradable unlike most other Dodge vehicles.

 

Of course it is.  You simply replace the module.  Likely less expensive to do than upgrading the 8.4A.

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