Dashcam

[PeteB]

1 hour ago, Catlover said:

...App on the phone, recognised there was a 322GW but would not connect...

Thanks.  That's exactly the result I get, and the result posted by many others on some of the boards I visit.

Philip reported above that it has worked for him, so at least we know it is possible.

[roger_37]

On 9/8/2021 at 8:38 PM, PeteB said:

 

How do you find it?  As you've continued using it, I'm wondering if they've finally addressed the problems.

Another question to anyone who's got a Nextbase Dashcam, has anyone managed to get it to work with an Android phone?  From various support boards (including the Nextbase one) it seems it connects fine to an iPhone, but I've not seen a single report of it working with Android.  I've tried extensively myself with four different phones (all Samsung) without any success, so I'd be interested to hear other people's experience.

i have the Nextbase 622 gw dash cam i use an android phone and it works  with it ...you have to wait for 3/4 min some times longer for the fone to connect to dash cam to view the footage captured  but it works.

[ernieb]

I’ve been following this thread with interest and over the last couple of days been playing with positions to potentially fit one of the two Dashcam I’ve acquired. I’ve a  Nextbase HD Duo and a older HP Quad 1440p front facing camera. The quality of the HP a is excellent and it’s small and neat whereas the Nextbase gives good results but is a bigger camera to locate. I’m still unsure of what’s best to do but currently leaning towards going for the Toyota Nextbase front and rear and get the dealer to fit. Ive previously fitted all my Dashcam to my cars myself but the knees are telling me it’s probably time to let someone else take the strain.

It’s so frustrating that Dashcams are not integrated into the cars design or at least a designated removable panel that could easily accommodate a camera. They sell them as extras that can be retro fitted but…..

My last car Subaru XV had the Eyesight technology instead of RADAR for the ACC etc., these were twin high definition/resolution cameras that were used in a number of ways by the car, the feeds from these could so easily have been buffered and recorded on a removable SIM. The system was excellent and worked well in spite of what might have been seen using optics rather than RADAR.

[PeteB]

I've long thought that manufacturers have missed a trick here.  My last firm started trying out dashcams in 2007, so they're not exactly new.  And just as having Speakers and a screen in most cars makes fitting SatNav a doddle, it should be so easy to add a Dashcam to many cars with minimal extra hardware (especially with digital rear view 'mirrors' starting to become fashionable so there's sometimes a ready made back camera too).

In fact the first TV article I saw (which I think was demonstrated in a Corolla although it wasn't a Toyota project) had the front camera built into the forward facing side of the rear view mirror.  It was an eyeball type device that swivelled in all directions so that it could be positioned correctly regardless of the positioning of the mirror.

The presenters thought that manufacturers would be rushing to offer this facility, and frankly so did I.  But that was over 15 years ago and I'm still waiting.

[Catlover]

One would have thought with all the scam insurance claims that insurance companies would be pushing for dash cams, plus cams can help determine who is at fault in accidents generally.  I believe some insurance companies offer a discount to owners with a dascam fitted, but neither I nor the wife has been offered a discount. I with LV, wife with eSure.

Any of you guys got a discount or been offered one by an insurance company.

[philip42h]

55 minutes ago, ernieb said:

It’s so frustrating that Dashcams are not integrated into the cars design

+1 for that thought ... and modern cars are so full of cameras already it's hard to see why the manufacturer can't make better use of what we already have. Perhaps it will come soon - probably through legislation etc.

Insurers do ask whether the car has a Dashcam fitted and that will be factored into the premium calculation ...

[Rigsby]

57 minutes ago, ernieb said:

 

It’s so frustrating that Dashcams are not integrated into the cars design or at least a designated removable panel that could easily accommodate a camera. They sell them as extras that can be retro fitted but…..

I’ve had dashcams on my last 4 cars, finding a good location on the front windscreen can be problematic and is often a trade off between location, aesthetics and ease off installation.

Thats why I opted for the FitCamX 4K model, it might not have all the “bells and whistles” that some models have, but video quality is good, mounting position ideal (centralised) and installation couldn’t be easier.

I also had an integrated one on my last car (Jaguar XE R-Sport).

[ernieb]

@Rigsby, I looked for that camera, FitCamX 4K model, and could not find a UK supplier?

I contacted my dealer this morning and they will supply and fit the flat to the screen versions for £350.

[Rigsby]

6 minutes ago, ernieb said:

@Rigsby, I looked for that camera, FitCamX 4K model, and could not find a UK supplier?

I contacted my dealer this morning and they will supply and fit the flat to the screen versions for £350.

Mine came from China and took just over a week to arrive, so not much longer than a UK supplier.

As I said, it may not have all the “bells and whistles” of some cameras, but it records video and sound in good quality and it doesn’t obscure the view or cause a distraction.

I haven’t got round to it yet but will fit a stand alone rear facing camera at some point, picking up the power from the existing 12v accessory socket in the boot area.

[ernieb]

3 minutes ago, Rigsby said:

Mine came from China and took just over a week to arrive, so not much longer than a UK supplier.

As I said, it may not have all the “bells and whistles” of some cameras, but it records video and sound in good quality and it doesn’t obscure the view or cause a distraction.

I haven’t got round to it yet but will fit a stand alone rear facing camera at some point, picking up the power from the existing 12v accessory socket in the boot area.

Thanks for the update.

[Peterd23]

My insurance won't charge the excess (even if at fault) if Dashcam footage can be provided. That is an incentive to have one even if no discount offered on premium.

[Heidfirst]

6 hours ago, PeteB said:

The presenters thought that manufacturers would be rushing to offer this facility, and frankly so did I.  But that was over 15 years ago and I'm still waiting.

Peugeot/Citroen

[smashedcucumber]

I have a Roadhawk in the front and a Nextbase in the back, When they finally fail I'll most likely get one of these

https://www.nextbase.com/en-gb/series-1-dash-cams/380gwx-dash-cam/

[ernieb]

21 minutes ago, smashedcucumber said:

I have a Roadhawk in the front and a nextbase in the back, When they finally fail I'll most likely get one of these

https://www.nextbase.com/en-gb/series-1-dash-cams/380gwx-dash-cam/

They are the same as the cameras from Toyota, rebranded. 

[smashedcucumber]

oh right thanks

[Yugguy1970]

What I have never understood is that we already have cameras front and back. How hard would it be for manufacturers to stick a small amount of storage in, and rolling record the output of these cameras, and let us download this through one of the usb ports?

 

[Cyker]

It can't be done with permanent storage as the Flash chips wear out - I have to change my microSD card roughly every 2-3 years as it gets slower and slower to write to and eventually stops being able to write altogether.

I have theorized that people who use Tesla Sentry mode extensively are going to have some very expensive bills in a few years time when the whole computer module has to be replaced due to all the flash chips burning out!

They could have a storage slot for that purpose tho' - Like you I'm a little surprised none of them harness the existing cameras and advertise such a feature. It doesn't seem like it would require that much more effort since the cameras are already recording constantly for the safety features.

 

[ernieb]

It’s a frustration of mine for some time that you’re nit able to access the camera information on an internal removable device, it’s certainly a not the inability of the technology but the manufactures hesitation. Just one manufacturer needs to make the move and the rest will line up with their offering. This would I’m sure help in the event of an accident and I’m sure the insurance companies would be very happy and maybe our premiums would come down as the crash for cash buys would have less hope of a payout.

This really got my back up with the Subaru Eyesight system as it has stereo HD cameras that really can perform in the worse situations, in the event of a crash the manual stated that the police, insurance companies etc., could get a court order for the video to be made available. So they must loop record and then store if there is a stock detected.

It would be so much better having an inter system.

 

[Heidfirst]

9 minutes ago, ernieb said:

 Just one manufacturer needs to make the move and the rest will line up with their offering.

Again, I say Citroen ConnectedCam -  been around on C3 for several years e.g. https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/tech/does-it-work-citroen-c3s-connected-cam-built-in-dashcam/ & I believe coming to C5.

[Cyker]

Ooh, didn't know about that. I just hope they didn't make the same mistake Tesla did and store the footage on non-removable flash...!

 

[PAISLEY1903]

Reviewed the footage of the 380GWX from my phone today on my dealer pre installed front and rear cam.

Quality is excellent. footage easy to view and download. zero issues.

Haven't activated intelligent park yet but will when out on streets etc but for now its all good. 

[Yugguy1970]

6 hours ago, Heidfirst said:

Again, I say Citroen ConnectedCam -  been around on C3 for several years e.g. https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/tech/does-it-work-citroen-c3s-connected-cam-built-in-dashcam/ & I believe coming to C5.

That is awesome and I wish everyone did it instead of messing about with gimmicky rubbish noone needs like cornering foglights.

[Nick72]

Wonder if Toyota included dash cams as an option they'd just make use of the long play NTSC format VHS tape loop they're using for the reversing camera? 

[ernieb]

3 hours ago, Nick72 said:

Wonder if Toyota included dash cams as an option they'd just make use of the long play NTSC format VHS tape loop they're using for the reversing camera? 

I thought we'd agreed it would be a Betamax?

[Catlover]

The important thing I find with dash cams is how they work at night. The cheap Chinese units seem good in the day, but the value of a cam is what it picks up at night…. As in the case of an accident.