======Dashcams====== =====Junsun===== Have recently bought these as a dual camera setup, front and rear (2x 1080p for front/rear) https://go.fox.nz/dashcam ===Summary=== - Not bad overall for the price (Around NZ$160 shipped at the time) - you can get just the front cam and record in 4k (Around $120), and getting the non-GPS models are slightly cheaper (I'd highly recommend the GPS and rear camera though) - Quality is fine. Window reflections are a bit annoying, but some sort of shroud would probably solve this. Wide visibility with playback is great. - A big microSD Card is useful (a 128GB card is working fine on one of mine). Keep a spare SD card in the car in case you want to swap them out in a hurry. - One of mine failed after a few months, (I've purchased 5 sets now), but is still useable and installed... it is just that the display isn't working. - I've already used it once to send to my insurance company for evidence of an incident! ===Functions=== - If you push a button (twice if screen is off) it will lock the most recent recording which is nice, ie won't record over it. I do this often. - the car/lane avoidance stuff is useless to me as it doesn't sound an alarm (visual only.... screen is tiny). - I haven't really tested the GPS stuff, it embeds the location in metadata and you can review via their windows app (I think this is a standard, so other apps will read it). GPS is most useful for the fact that you don't need to set time/date - it is done automatically, - You can save recording space by turning on timelapse. It records at a lower frame rate. I use this in one car that has a smaller SD card installed. - there is movement sensing (i.e. record on movement). I turn this on, but most of the time something is moving in at least one of the cameras. Maybe it is useful if the car is in a garage or something. - It is supposed to automatically lock a file recording after an incident (hi G forces...) I haven't checked this. The one incident I knew I needed it, I pressed the button to lock the file anyway. ===Powering It=== **Simplest Method** - It comes with a cig lighter plug and cable. This is not a very elegant install method (the rear camera has a long cable that plugs into the main camera box) **Better Method** - A power cable with piggyback fuse adaptor, is usually the easiest install. Eg I bought a stack of [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32932724540.html tap mini blade fuse adaptors]] to speed up installations.l . You still need something to supply 5V, eg [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32971436518.html a buck boost module]] - I've also purchased a couple of these [[https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Junsun-F20-DC-12-24V-5V-3A-3M-Mini-USB-Hardwire-Kit-for-Dash-Cam-Reaview/1182006_32969561940.html Junsun hardware wire kits]] to save mucking around with getting 5V power for the install: - You would generally power it from an ACC circuit so it was on when the key was in. If you power it from a permanent you get a permanent record, but your vehicle battery will only last a couple of days if the car wasn't being used.. Installing a switch might be useful, just in case you want some permanent recording (eg if parked on a road overnight) **Best Method** - These [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000246143133.html ZEROGOGO Hard Wire Kit 12V to 5V Hardwire kits]] are probably the best to enable carpark recording and recording when driving. - They cut power to the camera at around 11.4V, so there is still enough power to start the vehicle. Most cars will easily get a day or two of recording out of the battery before this whuts off the camera. I am successfully using these in a few vehicles now (I was previously doing this with a [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32959313382.html voltage detection and cut-out module]]) ===Mounting It=== - I generally always mount the camera to the left of the rear vision mirror, as high as I can (but so your can still get the SD card out) - All the wiring gets tucked in the headliner. - I install the rear camera first. In a hatch/liftback, I mount on the window in the centre up the top, and carefully route the cable though the rubber grommets and flexible pipe that the other boot lid cables go though. - The rear cable is routed (I do this in the side of the headliner) to the camera at the front - there is a socket to plug this camera in. You get enough cable from front to rear to do a decent sized car, but check first. - The 3M mounting pads seem the genuine product and I've never had one let go. - The main camera can be removed if needed, but check there is enough space to do this as it slides upwards. - wherever you mount the front camera, make sure you can reach the button that you press to lock a file after an incident. =====Mobius===== Previous to that I was using a Mobius camera - I have recommended these in the past: https://www.mobius-actioncam.com/ and still use one in one of my cars (now with a Junsun as well). These are great quality, have a decent configuration app (windows) and huge following. They come with a tripod mount, so I purchased this adhesive mount to mount it in a car for $3 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Gopro-Accessories-1-4-Tripod-Mount-Adapter-Long-Screw-J-Hook-Buckle-Flat-Adhesive-Sticky-Mount/32362532310.html My review a few years ago: https://zorruno.com/2014/dashcams-and-the-80-dollar-mobius/ -- CategoryVehicles CategoryCCTV CategoryElectricVehicles