Time to get Dash Camera

Brieuse

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Sep 15, 2008
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I need to get a dashcam for back and front eventually, couple years ago a guy in a bakkie drove into the back of me when I stopped, in a parking lot to let someone drive away from their parking spot.

luckily their story changed from what accident to I reversed into him, so I won that one with insurance, a cam would definitely have sped things up though,
 

Brieuse

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Sep 15, 2008
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I really want the Hikvision AI one. Has some really cool features and awesome video quality.
s-zoom.file


Linky
this one looks like has voice control etc?
 

AlphaBravo

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Dec 3, 2010
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I bought the optional Garmin 'Parking Mode' power cable & had it hard-wired into an 'always on' circuit in my fuse box and routed behind the a-pillar trim & headlining to just behind the interior rear-view mirror where the magnetic mounting point is attached to the windscreen - it provides constant power and the dash-cam monitors motion detected in front of your vehicle or impacts even when parked and turned off. The cable is 4 meters long.

This is cool, what type of fitters can do this job? Also, does it not drain the battery if your car stands for a long period, so does it have an off-switch?
 

Ivan Leon

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May 27, 2008
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This is cool, what type of fitters can do this job? Also, does it not drain the battery if your car stands for a long period, so does it have an off-switch?
I had a car sound installation shop in Boksburg install it for me - and I usually only leave the dashcam connected to the parking mode power cable when I leave the car parked off & unattended for an hour or two - like when I go shopping - the dash cam is usually detached from the power cable & magnetic mount when I park it at home.

If I remember correctly, the parking mode power cable unit does have a minimum voltage cut-off to prevent it draining the car battery completely over a long period of unattended parking.
 

minkukel

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Dec 27, 2004
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I need to get a dashcam for back and front eventually, couple years ago a guy in a bakkie drove into the back of me when I stopped, in a parking lot to let someone drive away from their parking spot.

luckily their story changed from what accident to I reversed into him, so I won that one with insurance, a cam would definitely have sped things up though,
I got one with front and back cameras after an a-hole drove into me from behind on the highway.
 

Neuk_

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Jan 23, 2018
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I have been using a Garmin DC55 for a while now and it has been great thus far but I have been lazy and still not hard wired it in properly which I suggest doing with any dash cam.
 

killerbyte

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May 10, 2007
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I currently have the 70mai Dash Cam Pro but I have ordered the 70mai Dash Cam A800 (4k camera and a 1080P rear camera bundle) with the hardware installation kit.
Very happy with the Dash Cam Pro, just liked the idea of having the 4k front camera and a rear camera. I installed the Dash Cam Pro and hardwired it into the fuse box with very little effort.
 

The Voice

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Jan 25, 2009
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I went out and bought one of the "best" and most "highly recommended" dashcams I could find: the Nextbase 522GW. 1080p at 60fps, or 1440p at 30fps. I figured it's almost a necessity in the UK with the amount of crash for cash, and god damned foreign drivers (tongue firmly in cheek - to be fair, though, I come from a country that drives on the left).

Not sure if my expectations were too high for a device that's ONLY function is to record video, but the quality of the clips is just plain kak - my phone does a better job. Unclear sometimes, lots of noise. I've tried playing around with the polarising filter, different SD cards in case the write speed was the issue, but I just can't get it as clear as the review samples on YouTube (you can see people's fricking eye colour in some of them). Of course, they could be review samples that have been sent out specifically, while they then just flog the real item which is subpar.

Whatever you choose, make sure you buy a compatible SD card (some insurers may not accept your video as evidence apparently if you weren't using a card designed for video). Something that is heavy duty - dash cams get hot and are constantly writing to the card, and then overwriting as the card gets full. Durability is very important.
 

Pandarye

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Aug 31, 2015
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384
If you can still find a YI Smart Dash Camera anywhere I would definitely recommend it. It doesn't have any fancy features but from my own experience so far it does what it needs to do well without any hassles.
 

RonSwanson

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May 21, 2018
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I'm very happy with my cheapy 70MAI. Easy to install, just plug into a USB cigarette lighter adapter and hide the wire in the console, A-pillar and windscreen crevices. Only problem is that the crash sensor has become a little sensitive, regardless of the setting. I suspect that it may have come loose inside, so it keeps doing emergency recordings every time I go over a speedbump. But other than that, it has worked great for 18 months now, and its nighttime capabilities are good.
 

RonSwanson

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May 21, 2018
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Also have a look at the Blackvue range of dashcams as well - they're at the higher end of the market - so more expensive than the 'el-cheapo' Fong Kong models you get on AliBaba or e-Bay.

The look suspiciously similar to the 70MAI cameras... whitelabelled perhaps?
 

Hamster

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Aug 22, 2006
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As the title says, any recommendations or experience to share with dash cameras? I want to get one before the December break, hitting the long road. I hear it helps to keep the cops honest as well.

I use a Garmin Mini. Would buy it again.
 

Mr Smooth

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Dec 21, 2010
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Matt91

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Sep 4, 2014
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I was just about to post that same link to this thread. :) I think I'm going to get the AI one today. for R1849 haven't found it cheaper anywhere else.
 

Rhein

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Jul 26, 2019
Messages
389
All I want is a device to record what occurs in front of my car for a four hour journey.
Will the Hikvision for R899 do the job?
What extra benefit does the 1849 device offer?

The one day only website refers.
 
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