I've had a camera for about 1 year and it's fully automatic. I bought it on-line from Vision Drive and from memory, I think it was about $142 delivered to home. You might think that is a lot of money but you only get what you pay for. It starts recording when I turn the ignition on.
It records to a mini SD card and has an in-built GPS. When the card fills, the oldest recordings drop off the back end as the new recordings go on the front. It can also be programmed to record voice from inside the cab but I leave that off. It also has a system of recording to a separate file whenever you receive a 'bump' and it records to the special file 10 seconds before the 'bump' and 10 seconds after the bump. In other words, it will show where on the road you were when you were bumped and where you finished up.
Put the SD card into your computer and you will see a very clear, coloured video recording and alongside it is a map showing exactly where you were at the time that video was taken. It also shows the exact time (being GPS) and the speed you were doing at the time. I'm very happy with my camera and being fully automatic, I sometimes forget it's there. It can also be used as a video of your trip.
-- Edited by Captain on Sunday 1st of December 2013 09:04:30 PM
-- Edited by Captain on Sunday 1st of December 2013 09:08:40 PM
My dash camera is a Navman and it does all you say excepting that 10 second thing. It works well and even works on battery for about an hour so that if I plug it into the socket that is not live 100% of the time and I park somewhere, it reverts to recording only when what it is looking at changes or significant sound happens outside the car or the motion sensor is tripped (eg, someone breaking into the car or ramming it).
Here is the problem I found with dash cams. No-one thought to tell Aussies that the dash cams dont go well with Australian Summers. I had a dash cam that isnt a Navman version from last Xmas for about 6 weeks. One day I left the car parked for around 2 hours near the start of February 2013. It got to about 30 outside the car, maybe 32 and it got to around 55 inside the car as it was in the direct sunshine. Worse than that, the dash cam was also in the direct sunshine. When I got back in the car I noted the dash cam wasnt working. This often happens with any dash cam if the micro SD card needs formatting (that can happen for a variety of reasons). I tried to get to the menu to do that and couldnt do a darned thing. Later, I worked out that though the thing showed no damage, it had been internally cooked. So, if you are going to park your car in the sunshine on a hot day (middle 30s and up) then make sure that either the dash cam is in the shade or if that cant happen, then take it down and put it on the floor. If you dont, you are likely to have a useless bit of plastic that doesnt work any longer.
I did ask in a dash cam group what works better in such conditions. The experts on dash cams said that there is nothing that would help other than to do what I have said, put it on the floor in the shade. So far, 6 months with the Navman one and it is going great but I do tend to look after it/
Oh and BTW, do yourself a favour before handing the keys over to get the car tuned - format your micro SD card because it can be fun for the people in the workshop to review your card if you dont. My particular bad habit in the car is when listening to the radio, I get annoyed with people mispronouncing words (Pronouncing NEGOTIATE as NEGOSEEATE for example) and using words incorrectly (using regime when they mean regimen for example) and so on. So, I format the card before I hand the keys over. Dont know that I would want all THAT appearing on YouTube! ;-}
I got one they sell at the post office for $65.00 + 45 for the 32 meg micro card , great for filming the trip also use it in my boat as I don't have a GOPRO yet but chrissie is coming. See ALDI is selling 32 meg micro cards for $25.oo in their latest cattledog
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Oh and BTW, do yourself a favour before handing the keys over to get the car tuned - format your micro SD card because it can be fun for the people in the workshop to review your card if you dont. My particular bad habit in the car is when listening to the radio, I get annoyed with people mispronouncing words (Pronouncing NEGOTIATE as NEGOSEEATE for example) and using words incorrectly (using regime when they mean regimen for example) and so on. So, I format the card before I hand the keys over. Dont know that I would want all THAT appearing on YouTube! ;-}
I find it handy to leave the dashcam turned on whilst the car is being serviced. You can see how long the car is actually in the workshop and the driving style of the 'test driver' after the service.
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Neil & Lynne
Pinjarra
Western Australia
MY23.5 Ford Wildtrak V6 Dual Cab / 21' Silverline 21-65.3
I've had a camera for about 1 year and it's fully automatic. I bought it on-line from Vision Drive and from memory, I think it was about $142 delivered to home. You might think that is a lot of money but you only get what you pay for. It starts recording when I turn the ignition on.
It records to a mini SD card and has an in-built GPS. When the card fills, the oldest recordings drop off the back end as the new recordings go on the front. It can also be programmed to record voice from inside the cab but I leave that off. It also has a system of recording to a separate file whenever you receive a 'bump' and it records to the special file 10 seconds before the 'bump' and 10 seconds after the bump. In other words, it will show where on the road you were when you were bumped and where you finished up.
Put the SD card into your computer and you will see a very clear, coloured video recording and alongside it is a map showing exactly where you were at the time that video was taken. It also shows the exact time (being GPS) and the speed you were doing at the time. I'm very happy with my camera and being fully automatic, I sometimes forget it's there. It can also be used as a video of your trip.
-- Edited by Captain on Sunday 1st of December 2013 09:04:30 PM
-- Edited by Captain on Sunday 1st of December 2013 09:08:40 PM
Sounds much the same as mine with the GPS, time & map etc, I dont wish to test this but its supposed to freeze the frame in the case of an accident so that if it does not get turned off it will not record over it.I do leave the voice recording on so if you have an irate driver on the tow way that causes trouble you have him recorded.
Delta 18; good thought, not that mine has been in for a service yet.
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Thanks for the heads up wombat, went to the post office in Dubbo today and bought one today. The best part of it all was that the price is down to $49 on special. Did a trial run with it today, very good. Just have to sort out the installation.
briche
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