Dashboard camera?
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umbertob
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I don't know what your budget is, but the Cowon AC1 I purchased for $150 or so on Amazon last year is decent - for a dash cam. It's no GoPro or HD camcorder quality by any stretch of the imagination mind you, but good enough for video behind an often dirty windshield. I actually prefer its output to the more expensive and popular Blackvue I got recently, lots of bells and whistles that the Cowon lacks (built in GPS, WiFi) but the video shows a lot more digital artifacts than the Cowon at the same resolution (720p.)
As I was mentioning on a different thread, the market for dash cams is becoming big enough for one of the "major" electronics manufacturers to enter it with a better quality product than all these semi-obscure Korean and Chinese manufacturers dominating it right now.
My Blackvue got me out of a $268 BS ticket in court last week ("Crossing the double yellow traffic dividing lane while performing a right turn", the judge dismissed the case after taking a look at my video, the face of the CHP officer who ticketed me and showed up in court was priceless!), so it's paid for itself 2 or 3 times over already.
Here is a sample video from the Cowon AC1, back when I had it mounted on the dash of my 2006 RRS. Lots of bright / dark scenes in that canyon, for a $150 camera I think the Cowon does OK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7X6OkwUAd4#t
As I was mentioning on a different thread, the market for dash cams is becoming big enough for one of the "major" electronics manufacturers to enter it with a better quality product than all these semi-obscure Korean and Chinese manufacturers dominating it right now.
My Blackvue got me out of a $268 BS ticket in court last week ("Crossing the double yellow traffic dividing lane while performing a right turn", the judge dismissed the case after taking a look at my video, the face of the CHP officer who ticketed me and showed up in court was priceless!), so it's paid for itself 2 or 3 times over already.
Here is a sample video from the Cowon AC1, back when I had it mounted on the dash of my 2006 RRS. Lots of bright / dark scenes in that canyon, for a $150 camera I think the Cowon does OK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7X6OkwUAd4#t
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Finlayforprez
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A friend of mine is just launching a new camera that fits on the dashboard and has side cameras. I am not into gadgets at all, but I agreed to let him put the cameras in my truck temporarily when I went off roading this weekend and he is going to send me the video. This takes 4-6 videos (with sound) at once I believe and is tied into Google maps with GPS. After I washed all the mud off my truck this afternoon I took the cameras off to give them back to him - hopefully I will get some good footage and can post it here. The cool thing I liked was that he put an LCD display in my truck and I could see all the cameras working - sort of like the Vision Assist package. It was pretty cool.
Here is a link to what I believe is the company website:
http://www.planethalo.com/
His cameras have now been fitted to NYC taxis, etc. and I think are being released through this main company soon? The one he fitted to my truck was a prototype, but launching soon. He said he also has a night vision feature.
I'll share the video when he sends it back to me.
-David
Here is a link to what I believe is the company website:
http://www.planethalo.com/
His cameras have now been fitted to NYC taxis, etc. and I think are being released through this main company soon? The one he fitted to my truck was a prototype, but launching soon. He said he also has a night vision feature.
I'll share the video when he sends it back to me.
-David
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NASdiesel
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I've been in the market too for a dash camera. Really so much out there. I use a goPro for my d-90 and wheeling. But want more of a day to day camera such as umbertob suggests. I'm also looking for any feedback on the Smarty: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Smarty-BX10...tal_Video_Recorders_Cards&hash=item2576af59fc
If anyone has it. Seems to get great reviews.
If anyone has it. Seems to get great reviews.
Kaaae
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Umbertob, do you run your cameras full time? Why?
umbertob
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That's how they work, they are always recording when your engine is running. If their built-in movement sensor detects a sudden jolt (hard braking, hard turn, a bump, a crash, etc.) it records a video clip - usually starting 15 to 30 seconds before the event takes place and the 15 to 30 seconds that follow - under a separate folder of the microSD card. That's called "Event recording". The rest of the times when you are driving and nothing happens, the recorder just stores 1 to 3 minute clips on a generic "Real-Time recording" folder that automatically gets overwritten by newer files as the card gets full. However with a 32 GB card installed, it's a lot of hours of real time HD recording you have access to. That's how I got the video clip of my bogus ticket to take to court, for example. There is also an option for "Manual recording" by hitting a button on the camera itself, if you see something really odd happening in front of you and would like to save it manually under a separate folder. I have a nice small library of traffic accidents that happened in front of my car recorded that way, lol... Here is one funny example of how SoCal drivers do under the rain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=XSUoHhrYfmc
I actually will be wiring both cameras to my auxiliary battery when I install it, so that I may be able to enable "Park Mode recording" as well and have the cameras up and running even when I am not in the car. In that mode, the cameras stay awake even with the engine turned off, but don't save any clips on the microSD card unless they detect movement (such as someone backing into your car or approaching the vehicle on foot), then they save the clip (again starting 15 to 30 seconds before the event occurs) under yet a different "Park Mode recording" folder.
Clear as mud, right?
It's easier to understand once you see these little cameras in action. Too bad that the Vision Assist cameras on our cars don't allow recording of the video feed, there would be no need for all these extra cameras if they did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=XSUoHhrYfmc
I actually will be wiring both cameras to my auxiliary battery when I install it, so that I may be able to enable "Park Mode recording" as well and have the cameras up and running even when I am not in the car. In that mode, the cameras stay awake even with the engine turned off, but don't save any clips on the microSD card unless they detect movement (such as someone backing into your car or approaching the vehicle on foot), then they save the clip (again starting 15 to 30 seconds before the event occurs) under yet a different "Park Mode recording" folder.
Clear as mud, right?
It's easier to understand once you see these little cameras in action. Too bad that the Vision Assist cameras on our cars don't allow recording of the video feed, there would be no need for all these extra cameras if they did.
Kaaae
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I'm impressed. My modifications list keeps growing.....
Cowon recently released their newest dashcam - Cowon AW1 - with full 1080p recording, smartphone app management and WiFi capabilities. So far, not available from US retailers yet, but can be had for $279.00 on eBay, shipped directly from Korea.
http://www.cowonglobal.com/
http://www.cowonglobal.com/
umbertob
Full Access Member
I placed it behind the rear view mirror. It's completely out of sight when you drive, and if you turn off all the voices and chimes you'll forget it is there. I wish there was a way to turn off the blue LED on the side as well to make it completely stealthy at night, but that can't be done yet (hopefully with a future firmware update.) Anyway, that LED is invisible when you drive, but allows you to quickly find the manual recording button if you need to reach it in the dark.
Only other precaution if you decide to mount it there, is if you have the sensor for the auto high beams behind the mirror. Make sure you mount the camera just to the right of it so as not to cover the sensor. I have a couple of photos of where I had the Cowon on my Sport (it's now on the rear window of the LR4, I have a Blackvue on the windshield, pretty much in the same position though.)
As far as power, I chopped the cig lighter adapter off the end of the power cord and piggybacked the hot and ground leads to the same wiring I used to connect my radar detector above the overhead console. Works great.
Only other precaution if you decide to mount it there, is if you have the sensor for the auto high beams behind the mirror. Make sure you mount the camera just to the right of it so as not to cover the sensor. I have a couple of photos of where I had the Cowon on my Sport (it's now on the rear window of the LR4, I have a Blackvue on the windshield, pretty much in the same position though.)
As far as power, I chopped the cig lighter adapter off the end of the power cord and piggybacked the hot and ground leads to the same wiring I used to connect my radar detector above the overhead console. Works great.
