Hidden Dash Cam

Pinkythelabrat

A2OC Donor
In an effort to avoid any 'he said she said' in this litigious world I decided I wanted a dash cam. They are hideous though.

The ones to replace the rear view mirror are okay but expensive or ugly.

Anyway, I found this:
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It was about £30 (£3postage) on Fleabay. Uses your mobile to review and set up and to save footage from the memory card if you need to capture an incident long term and has all the usual settings available.

It fits around the window mounting point of the rear view mirror like the sensor cameras on some cars (sorry to those with auto-dimming mirrors - I don't think this'll work for you) and you can barely see it from the drivers seat so there's no loss of visibility. My plan is to hook it up to a switched 12v in the headlining from the interior light perhaps but the included power cable was long enough to feed across the top of the windscreen, down the A pillar, under the steering wheel and past the handbrake to my 12v socket. Easy.

It also has a rear view camera to fix next to your number plate. This is trickier as it connects to the main camera to merge the inputs and power it so I need to run wires. I was thinking it could maybe go up through the numberplate light fixing since they are removable and quite cheap anyway so I don't mind drilling a hole and presumably there's a cable space behind it. I'll let you know once I've had a look.

Anyway - maybe an option to try and reduce insurance premiums and sort out liability for no fault claims and it avoids a sight blocking R2D2 stuck to your dashboard.

Alex


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I bought the same one for my dad as I hate the normal dash cams, will be fitting it soon


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Does this work?

Look at this on eBay:
Car Hidden DVR Camera 1080P Wifi with Dual Lens Night Vision Dash Cam App Ctrl






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I was playing with it a bit more today. It has a wifi connection so you can link to your phone, look through footage, download interesting videos and change settings. It was a bit annoying because it meant my phone stopped connecting to the internet in the car.
Solution? Read the manual. You press a button for three seconds to turn off the wifi. Simple.

I am still thinking about how to connect the rear camera but fortuitously one of my number plate light bulbs has blown so I'll need to take it off and can look at wire routing options then.


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Would be interesting to see actual footage to determine quality.

Design and location fitted is making me want to buy one.

Once you have it all connected up Alex, please post some pictures?

Ross
 
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This is it so far.

The plug hanging down is for the rear camera so it's just loose just now.

There is a back piece to cover the two prongs so it surrounds the mirror attachment more neatly.

I've got some test footage on my phone but I've not looked at it on a computer yet. It was good enough to see numberplates on cars but will need to give it more of a look once it's connected. It's set to 720 just now (because I wanted to see how the live feed looked as I was thinking of mounting and old iPod touch to use as a reversing camera ) but 1080 @25fps looked okay too on the small screen.




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The wire to the top is intended to go straight up to a connection in the light so should be a little less messy but it's just stuck in for now.

See the dancing Groot bobble-head?


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Looking for some help now please. I think I'm going to try keeping the rear camera inside to start with but either way I need a cable from front to back and a power source.

I was thinking of taking the 12v from the light unit at the front - any advice welcome but otherwise I'll poke until one says 12v and doesn't switch off with ignition (unless they all do!)

Running the cable to the rear would seem easiest through the headlining - is there a gap and does anyone have any links on removing the headlining or advice on how easy it would be to just push the wires across the gap?

I'd just have a shot but it's been raining for a few days and I'm 'working'.


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Just out of interest, is there any indication on that camera to see if it is recording? My mobius cameras have a tiny LED that flashes on and off when its recording and I can clearly see it doing so.

And do you mean the rear inside light for the power source?
 
There is a flashing light Red light but it's dim and on the opposite side from the driver - because that would be annoying otherwise. :)

The rear camera is powered through the same cables as connect it to the front, main, camera.

I mean I planned to take 12v continuous supply from the front light fitting with the cab light and reading lights if that is possible. It's right next to the camera and would avoid lots of cable around the windscreen.

Anyone know if there is a good constant 12v in the light? I don't have opensky but if the power fixtures are fitted as standard in there that'd be useful. :)


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There is a flashing light Red light but it's dim and on the opposite side from the driver - because that would be annoying otherwise. :)

The rear camera is powered through the same cables as connect it to the front, main, camera.

I mean I planned to take 12v continuous supply from the front light fitting with the cab light and reading lights if that is possible. It's right next to the camera and would avoid lots of cable around the windscreen.

Anyone know if there is a good constant 12v in the light? I don't have opensky but if the power fixtures are fitted as standard in there that'd be useful. :)


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Why would you want a permanent live?

I realise that it might help if the car is hit or damaged while you are not driving it, but leaving it on 24 / 7 surely can't do it much good (or your car battery charge if left for several days?

I had a permanent live but wanted an ignition live so that it auto switched on and off when I drive.

Steve B
 
I actually meant a switched 12v live! Lol! It's permanent at the moment and I want it to go off and on with the ignition not the light - got myself confused!


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Thanks Paul but it would be so much easier if there is an ignition switched 12v live in this bit!


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After a few days away testing the campervan I returned to a dead battery. I had left the camera plugged in - it's the only possible culprit I can think of. So, need to get a move on with a switched live.

As ever, I'm looking for help. Pulled off the front interior light with multimeter in hand and Mr Audi has done a brilliant job of making live contacts 'safe' and thoroughly unpokeable! The only accessible bits I could test were switched by the light switches. One hopeful corner gave me 12v DC with ign on but weirdly gave 4.2v dc (and it moved about a bit) with ign off? Weird and confusing

Obviously I don't want an interior light on to power the camera and equally don't want to pull a bulb in favour of camera power.

Anyone clued up on the wires in this bit? I've got a blue, red, green, stripy white/brown and a brown. I may end up taking Paul's climate control live but this would be SO MUCH EASIER!


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