pmanliu

iTrader: (4)

All,

Was just wondering who is running a dash cam in their 2IS? I just ordered a generic one off amazon, and will be wiring it up this weekend. I'm torn between either wiring it to the mirror (radar is currently hardwired to the mirror so maybe just tap into that ), or using a tap a fuse.

Ultimately, I would like to find a powersource that shuts down maybe 2-3 minutes after the car has shut off, not one that is continuous. If there is none however, then wiring it into any power source that is constant on/off when the car is on/off is fine too.

Thoughts/experiences/suggestions? Many thanks in advance!

Hpnotiq

Which one did you get? I'm thinking of getting one, but don't know the first thing about it...

nebojsa

i have one that i bought from amazon for 20 and the 32 mb card fir 25, i just have to wire it. let me know where you wire it. pics would be great

krUnALv99

I have one. It's a Pittasoft Blackvue DR400G-HD.

Works great for me. i wired it under the passenger side airbag piller under the bottom cover under the seat into the 12 V supply in the armrest. It works great and i picked it up for $180 like almost 1 year ago.

pmanliu

iTrader: (4)

I ordered this one because it was one of the smaller/lease intrusive one. Although the car is parked in a garage at night, living in NYC and with the street parking, size of the dash cam was a bigger factor than quality since i didn't want people breaking the windows if they can easily spot the cam.


Its also 12v, so will most likely hardwire to the mirror. I also have a the lsq navigation installed in the car so will wire the video output from the cam to the navi. Will post pics and a tutorial once its finished!

ntech

I got the Blackvue DR500GW-HD. The overall resolution is good, but it can get a little pixelated when there is a lot of data to take in. The audio quality is clear but don’t turn up the bass too much on your music. I like the wifi feature it has where I can view what is on the camera through a mobile device. I don’t like the silver and chrome accents on the camera so I wrapped it in vinyl with decent results. They also offer a power monitoring unit that will shut down the camera if it drops below 12 volts while parked. The camera installs very well in front of the rearview mirror. It is completely obscured from the driver’s position.

Laz823

Looks good. I'm also thinking of getting this as well. I'm just hesitant on the price... is this really worth $330 + magic (before tax)?

Where did you get yours and anyone knows elsewhere for cheaper?

Thanks

ntech

Mine was a gift. I think the quality is there but I am not sure if I would've paid $330 for it. I consider it to be a luxury purchase. The biggest caveat is the slow upload speed and the tech support does not speak English well. The Wi-Fi software can be temperamental at times. There are not a lot of mainstream manufacturers for these types of products, so you have to take what you get. Be advised that the Pitta Soft memory cards get better resolution than alternative memory cards, so you can't really save there either. Good luck.

pmanliu

iTrader: (4)

Nice blackvue... i was contemplating getting one but decided to try out the ebay special first for $40.

Just installed the cam today morning, took about 2 hours total. Its relatively simple but i'll make a more detailed write up soon. For now, the basic steps below:

-------------------------


DIY ON HOW TO INSTALL A 12V DASHCAM

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK! I am not responsible if anything happens to your vehicle.

Materials:
1. Dash cam
2. Two add-a-circuit mini fuses (autozone, pepboys, radioshack should have)
3. Voltmeter

Steps:
1. Pop open the fuse box under the steering wheel, it has a white lid.
2. Locate the following two fuses, and plug in the add a circuits (also confirm with voltmeter both are 12v sources):

• H-LP LVL: This has a 12V only when the acc is on or car is running. Plug your acc wire from the dash cam into this fuse.
• SECURITY: This always has a 12V when the car is running/acc/off. Plug your positive (+) lead from the dash cam into this fuse

3. Ground your negative (-) lead from the dash cam against any of the metal screws near the fuse box.
4. Plug your VIDEO cable from dashcam with screen (if available)
5. Mount cam in desired position (i did right behind the mirror)
6. Run wire along roof liner, A pillar, and through the side of the dash. You don't have to remove the A pillar, you can just tuck the wiring behind the weather strip.
7. Power up and enjoy!

I'll make a new thread hopefully soon with pictures and more detailed steps. This should be enough to walk most people through the process. Please feel free to suggest a better method if you have!

krUnALv99

This is the Video of the Pittasoft Blackvue DR400G-HD I had said that I have earlier in the posts...

Here is a Video:



Also, Dont forget to change it to 1080p. This is what it looks like at Night.

P.S. Turn Your Volume Down, You Will Hear Alot Of Distorted Bass. Sorry.

hayleybean

How are you powering your camera?

pmanliu

iTrader: (4)

look at a few posts above, has steps on how to power it via fuse box

getafewliv

I will post up some pics of mine later.

When I installed my navigation unit, I tapped into the 12v source for the radio and left a plug so that I could add aux devices if need be. That is where I ended up wiring my dash cam.

First one I bought was a cheap $20 eBay one... piece of crap. Ended up tossing it out. Got some off of Alibaba.

dnwin

Is there anyone who purchased on recently or installed it?

xhackr

As this thread had been risen, let me first say this...

Decent? Your results are equal to your modesty. Nicely done there.

Here is a link that I found useful - http://dashcamtalk.com/

I had G1W. It was a lot a bang for the buck on performance. Build quality was poor and the footprint big, so I abandoned it for B40/A118. Mounting it to the aftermarket 5% visor tint, the lens just below the tint, makes for a very clean install. The performance of both are equal, but I am much happier with what I have now. Should you decide on the former, be careful of knockoffs and where you purchase it.

Like the Valentine, both are hardwired into the overhead console - key on hot.