Bought an HD Dash Cam for my LEAF - Check it out here...

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UBUYGAS

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 20, 2013
Messages
1,368
Location
Central NJ
Hi All,

I bought a Dash Cam that was recommended by TECHMOAN, Not sure if you ever seen his Video reviews but they are very informative.

Attention - NEW DASHCAM INSTALLED ON 05-15-2015 - DUAL CAMERA SYSTEM

CLICK HERE: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=15151&start=90#p423465


Update 07-09-15:

I Added another DVR with two more Cameras pointing side ways, So now I have a 360 degree view around the LEAF and the ability to retrieve the video footage as well.

See install pics here: http://salsleaf.com/dash_cams_rear_doors/index.htm


360degrees.jpg









Honestly I really don't know if I need a Dash Cam. I just bought it because I like gadgets. The thing I didn't want to do was buy a crappy one so I've been watching this Guy's reviews for a year until he found a model that he said is the one he's going to keep in his car.

This is the Unit: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=331062684569" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mine comes with a Built in GPS and I also bought a 32GB micro SD card as well.

I bought mine from an eBay seller in China and it took 3 weeks to show up. It looks like now that there are sellers in CA and that the camera has gone down in price :(

I just got it today, I charged it and I'm going to watch the video again (because he goes through all the settings) and then I'm going to mount it tomorrow.

I will post back with my findings and pics of how it looks installed.

Check out the Video review Here:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdPHXv8Hzj8[/youtube]

Do you already have a Dash Cam in your LEAF?, I'd like to hear why you bought one and if you use it all the time?

Thanks,

Sal
 
Just hooked up the Dash Cam in front of the rear-view mirror. I ran the power line under the ceiling liner and down the windshield all hidden and out of sight.

The Cam has a Motion mode that will record as soon as it detects motion for 1 minute. the bad thing is that the internal battery only last 10 mins (which the reviewer states) I'll need to test it out.

But I am planning on running a direct connection from the 12V battery to keep it on all the time. I also would like one in the back. Going to test this one first up front and if it works out well I'll get another one.

time to go for a drive!
 
Can you set a loop so once the card is full it starts recording over automatically, erasing the older footage?
 
The car cam has saved our family from multiple tickets, showed accident scenes, near accident scenes, etc. Definitely worth the money. We have had a couple for at least 5 years. The audio recording part is great when the officer tells your kid that he ran a red light and of coarse the gps and video when they were at that stop light for 6 seconds. The same video and gps are great to show the judge just how some officers treat young high school drivers! They are also a great tool to use for teenage drivers because you can review their driving habits.

I like the small size of the one in the video. Mine was in the $400. range and is bulky and doesn't have all the cool features. Looks like we are going to be getting a upgrade soon.
 
Lasareath: It would be of interest to some people (and perhaps yourself) to explore the possibility of using microSDXC memory cards that had been formatted for FAT32 (replacing the original exFAT), such as the Sandisk 64GB Ultra microSDXC. If this works OK, I would expect that as larger capacity microSDXC cards become available that they may be usable as well by this device when formatted appropriately using FAT32.
 
I would rather buy from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Ambarella-Black-1080P-OV2710-G-sensor/dp/B00DQCTWN0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1385836577&sr=8-2&keywords=HD+Dash+Cam+Mini+0801+Ambarella+A2S60+Chip+Car+DVR+Blackbox+1080P+G-sensor+GPS" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
adric22 said:
Would it be possible to get power from the rear-view mirror? My Leaf has buttons on the mirror for opening garage doors, etc.

It would be very possible. When Amazon delivers mine I will post.
 
The BlackVue DR-400G-HD has worked well for me the past few years. It's a few generations old now. Their latest version has a front and rear camera that saves to one card and supports WiFi for reviewing files on your phone. http://www.amazon.com/BlackVue-Channel-DR550GW-2CH-Recorder-Built/dp/B00FK7QFM0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In Russia, dashcams are commonly used for protection against insurance scams. Here in the US, they are good for protecting innocent people from police that lack integrity, and for capturing general stupidity (either my own, or other people).

braebyrn said:
They are also a great tool to use for teenage drivers because you can review their driving habits.

Great idea. I wish more parents thought of this. My dashcam is getting sort of old, but it still has GPS and will log trips (with events) using Googe Maps API on the DVR application. It also captures the date, time, and speed. If parents were smart, they would invest this small amount of money into their car. I honestly think it would save lives.
 
GlennD said:
adric22 said:
Would it be possible to get power from the rear-view mirror? My Leaf has buttons on the mirror for opening garage doors, etc.

It would be very possible. When Amazon delivers mine I will post.

The only thing I'm not sure about, though.. Do any of the power sources in the mirror get turned on and off when the cars' ignition is turned on? I think the mirror may have power all of the time. I'd definitely want the camera to know when the car is on so it starts recording, then stops when the car is turned off.
 
EVDRIVER said:
Can you set a loop so once the card is full it starts recording over automatically, erasing the older footage?

Yes. Or you can tell it to stop when its full.



braebyrn said:
The car cam has saved our family from multiple tickets, showed accident scenes, near accident scenes, etc. Definitely worth the money. We have had a couple for at least 5 years. The audio recording part is great when the officer tells your kid that he ran a red light and of coarse the gps and video when they were at that stop light for 6 seconds. The same video and gps are great to show the judge just how some officers treat young high school drivers! They are also a great tool to use for teenage drivers because you can review their driving habits.

I like the small size of the one in the video. Mine was in the $400. range and is bulky and doesn't have all the cool features. Looks like we are going to be getting a upgrade soon.


Those are all excellent reasons why to own a dash cam! Thanks!





adric22 said:
Would it be possible to get power from the rear-view mirror? My Leaf has buttons on the mirror for opening garage doors, etc.

Great Idea. I would love that, put a usb connector on the back of the mirror. I’m pretty sure I saw a post here on MNL with someone who has done this already.






GlennD said:
I would rather buy from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Ambarella-Black-1080P-OV2710-G-sensor/dp/B00DQCTWN0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1385836577&sr=8-2&keywords=HD+Dash+Cam+Mini+0801+Ambarella+A2S60+Chip+Car+DVR+Blackbox+1080P+G-sensor+GPS" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Glenn, the problem with those is that you are not buying from Amazon. You are buying from somebody with 1 feedback. The eBay seller I bought from emailed me as soon I paid and also when they shipped out. They have 1151 feedback with 98.8% positive. Usually I wouldn’t buy from somebody with feedback like that but TECHMOAN suggested them and I had to take into account that people selling stuff from china always have issues with buyers giving them bad feedback because the item usually takes 3 weeks to arrive. The 2nd email made me aware of exactly that. Which I already knew because I buy lots of stuff from all over the world.


Right now I would buy from this guy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=331062684569" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; 100% feedback and is located in CA.



kubel said:
The BlackVue DR-400G-HD has worked well for me the past few years. It's a few generations old now. Their latest version has a front and rear camera that saves to one card and supports WiFi for reviewing files on your phone. http://www.amazon.com/BlackVue-Channel-DR550GW-2CH-Recorder-Built/dp/B00FK7QFM0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In Russia, dashcams are commonly used for protection against insurance scams. Here in the US, they are good for protecting innocent people from police that lack integrity, and for capturing general stupidity (either my own, or other people).


That’s a Great idea, front and rear camera saving to one card. I want 4 way cameras!
 
Here's one 1 minute video of me pulling out of a poorly labelled handicap spot and moving to a non-handicap space.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDGU-mnuxx8[/youtube]
 
Lasareath said:
GlennD said:
I would rather buy from Amazon.
Glenn, the problem with those is that you are not buying from Amazon. You are buying from somebody with 1 feedback.
But you still get Amazon's purchase protection, which counts for something.

There are currently a *lot* of listings for this device on Amazon. These two stood out to me:
  • E-Prance - $94.99 & free shipping, plus you can select GPS and SD card options.
  • Spy Tech - $106.60 with GPS & eligible for Prime shipping.
 
Thanks. E-Prance is the place I bought it from. Just from their eBay page instead of amazon.




garsh said:
Lasareath said:
GlennD said:
I would rather buy from Amazon.
Glenn, the problem with those is that you are not buying from Amazon. You are buying from somebody with 1 feedback.
But you still get Amazon's purchase protection, which counts for something.

There are currently a *lot* of listings for this device on Amazon. These two stood out to me:
  • E-Prance - $94.99 & free shipping, plus you can select GPS and SD card options.
  • Spy Tech - $106.60 with GPS & eligible for Prime shipping.
 
Sorry MikeD, I didn't mean to skip your post.

I wish I knew the answer, I think the DVR can only take a 32GB card max. But the guy really to ask is TECHMOAN (Mat) http://www.techmoan.com/about/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


MikeD said:
Lasareath: It would be of interest to some people (and perhaps yourself) to explore the possibility of using microSDXC memory cards that had been formatted for FAT32 (replacing the original exFAT), such as the Sandisk 64GB Ultra microSDXC. If this works OK, I would expect that as larger capacity microSDXC cards become available that they may be usable as well by this device when formatted appropriately using FAT32.
 
Here's a little quirk that I figured out.

If you use the motion sensor so that the Dash Cam records as soon as it senses movement then you will have problems getting into the menu system.

The way the Dash Cam works is that in order to get into the menu system it has to be not recording.

The problem is that it is always recording while you are trying to press the buttons because it's sensing that motion.

So you get locked out of the menu system when the motion sensor is activated.

This is what I had to do:

I had to push the lens up against my leg to block out its view and since it couldn't see anything but black then I was able to stop the recording and press and hold the top button to enter the menu system.

Sal
 
i'm using the Lukas 7900 ACE and I've been very pleased. fantastic HD video quality and the gps maping on the included PC software is a great companion. It also records separately the event recordings which are based on the shock sensor which can be adjusted for sensitivity, and there is a third recording option which records when the car is parked either whenever there is a shock sensor, or whenever there is motion in the field of view.

http://www.amazon.com/LUKAS-LK-7900-ACE-8GB-GPS/dp/B00C48TJ58" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This unit and the Blackvue seem to have the best ratings from users. I might try the Blackvue for my other car so I can compare.
 
I like the Lukas, I just don't like the price. a little more than I wanted to spend.

I'll have to look for some reviews and see what they say.

Do you remove it from your car ever?



palmermd said:
i'm using the Lukas 7900 ACE and I've been very pleased. fantastic HD video quality and the gps maping on the included PC software is a great companion. It also records separately the event recordings which are based on the shock sensor which can be adjusted for sensitivity, and there is a third recording option which records when the car is parked either whenever there is a shock sensor, or whenever there is motion in the field of view.

http://www.amazon.com/LUKAS-LK-7900-ACE-8GB-GPS/dp/B00C48TJ58" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This unit and the Blackvue seem to have the best ratings from users. I might try the Blackvue for my other car so I can compare.
 
Lasareath: I have successfully used a reformatted SanDisk 64GB microSDXC card in a DVR -- the SanDisk V-Mate (a general purpose non-HD recorder which is no longer commonly available), so this experience leads me to understand that other devices may work OK as well with such a reformatted memory card. The 32GB SDHC limit is somewhat arbitrary -- FAT32 supports up to 2 TB on hard drives, for example.

BTW I reformatted it using fat32format.exe (freeware) from http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As far as I know, an SDXC should be capable of being reformatted back to exFAT if need be (be aware that reformatting typically removes all user data).
 
I may hardwire this so that I have a switch that will go between ignition hot and always hot. This way I can have it on every time I drive automatically or the option to turn it off and also have it on all the time with the car off when parked in questionable situations.
 
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