Dash Cams - please share your experience !

[emoremio]

I am thinking about getting a dash cam mainly to be able to have proof of in case of insurance fraud, accident etc.
Please share what model you have, do you like it, were you able to install it yourself or how big of inconvenience is it with the additional wires etc.

I wish that all the safety cameras that the volvo comes in with was accessible for the owner if needed, but I guess that is not possible.

 

[VolvoFan]

I have the BlackVue Wi-Fi 2 Channel DR550GW-2CH with front and rear cameras. I just mount the camera a plug it into the rear 12v. There is a kit that you can put that you can hard wire the camera to the fuse box, just haven't had time to do it yet.

You can order the kit here.
https://www.amazon.com/BlackVue-Wi-Fi-Channel-DR550GW-2CH-Recorder/dp/B00FKA04HY

Here's a great simple install video I used.
[video=youtube;cXh7gT8cRPo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXh7gT8cRPo[/video]

 

[volvojoe]

Haven't used a GoProg but the Chinese knockoffs, of which I have had two (nope - didn't learn a lesson with the first one) are difficult to use, little to no instructions, screens are very small, difficult to read. Couldn't ever master the ability to have the camera come on automatically when powering up the car, and then could not get the cameras to record automatically and loop to have the last 15 or so minutes captured. Gave one away to family and still have the second one in the box, basically unused.
I suggest looking at a GoPro but have never done so myself. You need to figure out if you will want to take the camera in and out of the vehicle frequently or maybe not at all so that you can figure out the electrical power cord - to hardwire or not. Go to a local automotive sound business and get their input and ideas.

 

[satrya]

Please share what model you have,

I use Z-Edge's recorder on my 3 vehicles. 2 of them are the original version (no longer available in amazon), and the xc90 has the newer version:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MEESC0I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In 1 of my vehicles (not xc90), I've been rear ended, and having the recording helped speed up the other driver's insurance to agree that I wasn't at fault.

This is how it looks like (picture from the vendor, via amazon site); the clip-on rearview mirror and the rear view camera shown. Not shown are the other accessories (cables, 12c socket-to-usb charger, etc.).

do you like it,

Yes.

Positives:

• Front facing camera is part of the clip-on rearview mirror, so no need to worry about reliable mounting of the forward facing camera on the dashboard.
• Comes with a 12v socket-to-usb port charger (2 ports). 1 will be used with the provided cable to power the rear view camera unit.
• Can keep on recording even if the monitor is turned off (so you can just use the rearview mirror in the conventional sense).
• Records both front and rear. Some models only record front, or also rear if in reverse gear. That doesn't provide recording when rear-ended.
• Has a variety of features that can be helpful (e.g. ability to save the file with a special filename when impact is detected, so the file doesn't get overwritten; ability to remain in surveillance mode and record when motion in the field of vision of the camera is detected; etc.)

Negatives:

• UI is not intuitive, so initial setup can be a bit confusing. But once you're happy with a particular setting, and/or used to the menu structure, that's not really an issue.
• The SD card (that records the video & audio feed) sometimes errors out. This may be because the SD card that comes with it isn't rated for automotive use. The temperature range it is subjected to may be more extreme than they assume.
• The rearview mirror is larger than the OE mirror. While generally positive, it will likely obstruct the optional homelink garage door button.

were you able to install it yourself or how big of inconvenience is it with the additional wires etc.

Yes. It comes with long enough wire for the rear camera and power to snake around the xc90.
Happy to take pictures but I don't have access to my xc90 at the moment. Here's a stock image from the vendor via their amazon page; the red lines illustrate how the wires can be routed:

You can see a cartoon of two Mercedes Benz GLE (or GLK?), illustrating where the rear view camera wire goes to (red line). My installation is closer to the bottom right one, i.e. via the floor and then to the side. I've done installation in my other 3-row 6-seater vehicle via something closer to the one on the left one. Either way works.

 

[satrya]

I want to add that the 2nd generation Z-Edge mirror I mentioned earlier use blue colored lighting for their buttons on the mirror, as well as on the 12v socket-to-usb adapter. This matches quite well if your interior accent lighting is set to blue.

 

[RL2016Rdesign]

Hello, I have been running the DOD Tech cameras in my cars, I currently have the LS460W and am upgrading to the newer LS475W camera. Both are 1080HD with some of the best night recordings I have seen.

 

[satrya]

I took some pictures to better illustrate. While this is for the Z-Edge version I previously mentioned, most clip-on mirror solution will be somewhat similar in terms of installation.

It will likely have 2 lines coming out, one to power the recorder and monitor in the mirror, and another to connect to the rearview camera. I snake it under the headliner trim by the windshield, and down the A-pillar door seal as illustrated in the arrows:

The system comes with a 12v-to-usb adapter labeled with "1A" and "2.4A", and it doesn't say that it needs the larger one. There is a blue LED on top of the USB port array; not very visible in daytime.

But since I'd like to be able to close the sliding cover to that bin, I routed power this way:

Not on the USB port that allows for smartphone connection to the car UI though.

For the rearview camera, the line that provides power to it and signal back to the monitor gets snaked partially through the same route as power; along the top of the right side windshield behind the liner, down the A-pillar tucked under the door seal, but instead of turning under the dashboard towards the center console, it continues under the floormats and bottom trims of the B-pillar, snaking under the 3rd row seat on the right side, along the right side of the cargo area, up the liftgate seal on the right side, up the D-pillar trim, back into the headliner, and then out of the headliner to where the camera is mounted.

Note that you will need to account for the opening and closing of the rear liftgate when budgeting the line length. Having had installed this in 2 other vehicles (plus having had installed another different type before), and since I didn't have much installation time, I left it as a simple "slop" at the top of the D-pillar. The dangling wire can be seen. If I had more time, I would have coiled it like the line of an old telephone.

The system comes with long enough wire to route the line that connects the mirror and the rearview camera. I've tried a model with wireless rearview camera before in a smaller vehicle, but didn't have good luck with signal quality due to a variety of interferences. Wired rearview takes a bit more work, but will free you from any interference issues.