Dash Cam help

[Audi Bairn]

Guys, would appreciate any guidance you can provide.
Firstly I'm no use with electrics and don't know much about dash cams and would need to pay to get it installed.
Can you give me some guidance, including the following:

What to consider.
Best makes.
Types (e.g. Hard wired, battery back up, front / rear facing etc).
Does installation affect Audi warranty?
Does installation constitute a mod in the eyes of insurers?

Please keep it simple for the technically challenged

 

[DrEskimo]

Hey AB, did you not have a DashCam in the S5?

Type sort of depends on your budget and wanted features. Front and rear cameras with the ability to record while parked are quite expensive, while you can get pretty heap basic ones. As an example I started with a £30 front only that was plugged into the centre console 12v socket of my A5 (bought an extra long cable and hid it all around the trim). Now though, I have a front and back set up that is hardwired into the fuse box (honestly don't waste £100 getting someone to install it, I knew nothing and it took me about 20mins!) and it records while I'm parked up that was about £350). You have to buy an additional unit thar connects to the camera to monitor the battery level to make sure it doesn't go flat.

Doesn't affect warranty and some insurers will even offer a discount!

I have the BlackVue 650-2ch, but if you want a good front and rear setup with parking mode I would go with the Thinkware 750.

 

[DrEskimo]

Oh...and how does the S3 compare to the S5???!

 

[Peter Metcalf]

I've got a nextbase 312gw which is excellent it can link to your phone so you can download media straight to your phone, nextbase do a hardwire kit so it's very easy to fit but Halfords can fit them for you for a small fee, some insurance companies actually offer discounts if you've got a dash cam, It would very very unlikely to affect warranty, can't see how it could, unless your actually cutting into cables to power it, but you won't be because hardware kits just plug into a fuse, the fuse that you take out plugs into the hard wire in affect piggy backing


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[S32B]

I just plug mine into the 12v thingy front and rear and hide the wire, they start up when the car is on and stop when the car is off

Also get 10% off my insurance for having it

 

[AudiNutta]

This is what I have, a very nice camera with a user friendly interface. I can use the App on my phone to download videos off the camera, same goes with all WiFi BlackVue cameras with or without scree. I also bought from the website I am linking you to, their service is second to none.

http://www.in-car.com/vehicle-recorders/blackvue-dr750lw.php

With regards to installation, don't pay to have someone fit it. It can be a bit tricky feeding up into the headlining, few cuts later (who would have thought the edge of the headlining was razor sharp) and it was in. But, if you just go with the front facing then that won't matter, just a small run down to the glovebox. Whereabouts are you based? If you were local I would be happy to help. I have the Front & Rear because I had someone hit me on the motorway last year, who did a runner. Luckily someone called in with the registration and we were able to get about 10 seconds of footage from the useless motorway CCTV, to prove his dangerous driving. If I had this camera, it would have been a clear cut case in court.

I have hard wired mine, using a fuse tap (will come back to this) and the beauty of it is, it is permanent live now so it records while parked and cuts out of the voltage drops below a set level. For when I park at the airport for example, I can just swap the fuses over in the glovebox and it is then only only with the ignition to save battery and ensure that I see what it's being driven like at the P&R (not left the S3 at the airport and won't be, I will get a lift).

This is what you need, in conjunction with in my case the Blackvue hard wiring kit, which is a 12V socket with 2 bare cable ends to terminate.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pc-Add-A...106702?hash=item23624d940e:g:3HQAAOSw3ydV5lbw

Simply crimp the red cable into the fuse tap, terminate the negative on one of the bolts beside the glovebox which can be seen by clipping off the side panel. Look at your manual. pick a fuse which you think will be either switched live (easy ones to find) or permanent live (I can tell you what I found if need be). Remove the existing fuse, plug into the fuse tap and push the fuse tap in.. easy as that, two fuses in one socket.

If you take your time, it will take about a hour for the front facing and probably around 2-3 for the rear, if you do it properly like I did you should feed the cable for the rear camera through the rubber cover between the body and tailgate, then both boot panels off to feed the cable in (pain in the a***).

 

[Audi Bairn]

Hey AB, did you not have a DashCam in the S5?

Type sort of depends on your budget and wanted features. Front and rear cameras with the ability to record while parked are quite expensive, while you can get pretty heap basic ones. As an example I started with a £30 front only that was plugged into the centre console 12v socket of my A5 (bought an extra long cable and hid it all around the trim). Now though, I have a front and back set up that is hardwired into the fuse box (honestly don't waste £100 getting someone to install it, I knew nothing and it took me about 20mins!) and it records while I'm parked up that was about £350). You have to buy an additional unit thar connects to the camera to monitor the battery level to make sure it doesn't go flat.

Doesn't affect warranty and some insurers will even offer a discount!

I have the BlackVue 650-2ch, but if you want a good front and rear setup with parking mode I would go with the Thinkware 750.

Cheers Doc. No I've never had a cam before. It sounds like, if I'm getting one, I should get a decent one to start with. I think I'd rather have front & back plus recording while parked too so I'm looking at £300+ excluding installation fee then.
Thanks for the info fella

 

[Audi Bairn]

Oh...and how does the S3 compare to the S5???!

Too early to say to be honest. I love the S3 and won't be disappointed with I'm certain, but not driven it enough to properly compare to the S5.
Only drove 30 miles (in the dark, sleet / rain) home from the garage then my 40 mile round trip commute on Friday.
Surprisingly too, I'm trying to drive it sensibly for the first 1000 miles.
More than happy to do a full review once I'm more familiar.

 

[Audi Bairn]

I've got a nextbase 312gw which is excellent it can link to your phone so you can download media straight to your phone, nextbase do a hardwire kit so it's very easy to fit but Halfords can fit them for you for a small fee, some insurance companies actually offer discounts if you've got a dash cam, It would very very unlikely to affect warranty, can't see how it could, unless your actually cutting into cables to power it, but you won't be because hardware kits just plug into a fuse, the fuse that you take out plugs into the hard wire in affect piggy backing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just plug mine into the 12v thingy front and rear and hide the wire, they start up when the car is on and stop when the car is off

Also get 10% off my insurance for having it

Thanks guys. More great info for me to absorb. I still think I need to get it installed for me as I don't have the skill or patience for this I reckon.

 

[niedzial1983]

Another vote for nextbase 312gw. I have hardwired mine using nextbase kit . Briliant and costs under a £100. Great video quality and wifi is just a bonus

2006 Audi A6 3.0TDI quattro sline le mans | Daytona Grey Pearl

 

[niedzial1983]

And my local halfords offered an install for me for £25 . But i did it myself anyways

2006 Audi A6 3.0TDI quattro sline le mans | Daytona Grey Pearl

 

[Audi Bairn]

This is what I have, a very nice camera with a user friendly interface. I can use the App on my phone to download videos off the camera, same goes with all WiFi BlackVue cameras with or without scree. I also bought from the website I am linking you to, their service is second to none.

http://www.in-car.com/vehicle-recorders/blackvue-dr750lw.php

With regards to installation, don't pay to have someone fit it. It can be a bit tricky feeding up into the headlining, few cuts later (who would have thought the edge of the headlining was razor sharp) and it was in. But, if you just go with the front facing then that won't matter, just a small run down to the glovebox. Whereabouts are you based? If you were local I would be happy to help. I have the Front & Rear because I had someone hit me on the motorway last year, who did a runner. Luckily someone called in with the registration and we were able to get about 10 seconds of footage from the useless motorway CCTV, to prove his dangerous driving. If I had this camera, it would have been a clear cut case in court.

I have hard wired mine, using a fuse tap (will come back to this) and the beauty of it is, it is permanent live now so it records while parked and cuts out of the voltage drops below a set level. For when I park at the airport for example, I can just swap the fuses over in the glovebox and it is then only only with the ignition to save battery and ensure that I see what it's being driven like at the P&R (not left the S3 at the airport and won't be, I will get a lift).

This is what you need, in conjunction with in my case the Blackvue hard wiring kit, which is a 12V socket with 2 bare cable ends to terminate.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pc-Add-A...106702?hash=item23624d940e:g:3HQAAOSw3ydV5lbw

Simply crimp the red cable into the fuse tap, terminate the negative on one of the bolts beside the glovebox which can be seen by clipping off the side panel. Look at your manual. pick a fuse which you think will be either switched live (easy ones to find) or permanent live (I can tell you what I found if need be). Remove the existing fuse, plug into the fuse tap and push the fuse tap in.. easy as that, two fuses in one socket.

If you take your time, it will take about a hour for the front facing and probably around 2-3 for the rear, if you do it properly like I did you should feed the cable for the rear camera through the rubber cover between the body and tailgate, then both boot panels off to feed the cable in (pain in the a***).

Wow, fantastic info @AudiNutta.
Even reading about your installation gets me stressed (due to my lack of skill / fear of causing damage / lack of patience) and sadly I'm quite a few hundred miles away from you to enlist your help
I certainly would go down the same route as you though in terms of equipment etc as I want to be fully covered and a few extra quid now could pay dividends later.
Brilliant write up and info, thanks buddy.

 

[AudiNutta]

And my local halfords offered an install for me for £25 . But i did it myself anyways

2006 Audi A6 3.0TDI quattro sline le mans | Daytona Grey Pearl

Oh god Halfords, nightmare Avoid like the plague.

 

[AudiNutta]

Wow, fantastic info @AudiNutta.
Even reading about your installation gets me stressed (due to my lack of skill / fear of causing damage / lack of patience) and sadly I'm quite a few hundred miles away from you to enlist your help
I certainly would go down the same route as you though in terms of equipment etc as I want to be fully covered and a few extra quid now could pay dividends later.
Brilliant write up and info, thanks buddy.

No worries, happy to help. BlackVue is one of the main brands out here, from Korea.. where Dashcams started. In-Car are the best company to use for after sales service, if you can find your chosen camera on there.

I am an Electrical Engineer so most days I am working practically, but really it isn't difficult if you wanted to have a crack. Make sure you choose someone well recommended for the install, we all love our cars after all For example, don't pick Halfords My friend once had bulbs fitted free of charge, he had to fit them himself.. they couldn't figure out how to get the cover off the headlight.

It's definitely worth paying for the best initially, once it's there you want something that is totally reliable that you can forget about. You should format the card once a week (you can do this on screen with the BlackVue) just for good measure.

It is a bit of an ouch initially, but it will pay off if god forbid you ever need to use it. I haven't bought the GPS module, it's cheap and just a plug in add on. I've chosen against this because as much as 9/10 I stick to the speed limits, it will be my luck that if anything ever happened it would be the one time I am 15mph over the speed limit and then the video is watermarked with the speed forever. Better avoided IMO. If you know you will never break the speed limit, then it won't be an issue. It's supposed to be good for proving where you are and at exactly what time as it records the location with the video, but good clear footage of the road should be more than enough proof.

 

[Audi Bairn]

No worries, happy to help. BlackVue is one of the main brands out here, from Korea.. where Dashcams started. In-Car are the best company to use for after sales service, if you can find your chosen camera on there.

I am an Electrical Engineer so most days I am working practically, but really it isn't difficult if you wanted to have a crack. Make sure you choose someone well recommended for the install, we all love our cars after all For example, don't pick Halfords My friend once had bulbs fitted free of charge, he had to fit them himself.. they couldn't figure out how to get the cover off the headlight.

It's definitely worth paying for the best initially, once it's there you want something that is totally reliable that you can forget about. You should format the card once a week (you can do this on screen with the BlackVue) just for good measure.

It is a bit of an ouch initially, but it will pay off if god forbid you ever need to use it. I haven't bought the GPS module, it's cheap and just a plug in add on. I've chosen against this because as much as 9/10 I stick to the speed limits, it will be my luck that if anything ever happened it would be the one time I am 15mph over the speed limit and then the video is watermarked with the speed forever. Better avoided IMO. If you know you will never break the speed limit, then it won't be an issue. It's supposed to be good for proving where you are and at exactly what time as it records the location with the video, but good clear footage of the road should be more than enough proof.

Sounds like BlackVue might be the one then.
Good shout re the GPS too. I'm the same as far as sticking to 20, 30, 40 & 50 limits although I do creep over in the 60 & 70 zones.
I'll do a hit more research and see where I can get it installed.
Thanks again, appreciated.

 

[AudiNutta]

Sounds like BlackVue might be the one then.
Good shout re the GPS too. I'm the same as far as sticking to 20, 30, 40 & 50 limits although I do creep over in the 60 & 70 zones.
I'll do a hit more research and see where I can get it installed.
Thanks again, appreciated.

Yes do your research and take onboard everything else that has been said on this thread, every product will have its pros and cons.

I'm normally very good with the speed limit, stick dead on 70 on the motorway but now being in the S3 I spent more time having fun Hard not to...

 

[Audi Bairn]

Yes do your research and take onboard everything else that has been said on this thread, every product will have its pros and cons.

I'm normally very good with the speed limit, stick dead on 70 on the motorway but now being in the S3 I spent more time having fun Hard not to...

Not sure if it's because the S3 is lighter and I'm not used to it yet but it seems easier to inadvertently exceed the limit on 60 & 70 roads than it did in the S5. Will need to stay focused

 

[AudiNutta]

Not sure if it's because the S3 is lighter and I'm not used to it yet but it seems easier to inadvertently exceed the limit on 60 & 70 roads the it did in the S5. Will need to stay focused

I would imagine it does feel lighter. One Audi I haven't driven is the A5, I know the A4's feel quite detached from the road in comparison to the smaller A3/S3. But I've never driven a sport series A4, I'm going to keep an eye out at my local dealer and see if I can have a go in an RS4 next time one is in

 

[Paul_1985]

I have just bought myself a nextbase 312GW for my new S3. I tried it out in my current car, as I haven't had a dashcam before.

I was really impressed with the quality, and on roads that I know are terrible for pot holes and being generally bumpy, you cannot really tell in the video at all, it is very stable.

I am trying to locate someone local to me in the North West who can fit it into my new car when it arrives. Halford have quoted £30, even though it wasn't bought from them (plus the usual mixed service that seems to happen puts me off).

I am useless when it comes to these sorts of things - but just wanted to provide a vote for the NextBase.

 

[niedzial1983]

I have just bought myself a nextbase 312GW for my new S3. I tried it out in my current car, as I haven't had a dashcam before.

I was really impressed with the quality, and on roads that I know are terrible for pot holes and being generally bumpy, you cannot really tell in the video at all, it is very stable.

I am trying to locate someone local to me in the North West who can fit it into my new car when it arrives. Halford have quoted £30, even though it wasn't bought from them (plus the usual mixed service that seems to happen puts me off).

I am useless when it comes to these sorts of things - but just wanted to provide a vote for the NextBase.

Get yourself a nextbase hardwire kit. That will make it easy to hardwire. Good cam ,had it for few months now

2006 Audi A6 3.0TDI quattro sline le mans | Daytona Grey Pearl

 

[Paul_1985]

Get yourself a nextbase hardwire kit. That will make it easy to hardwire. Good cam ,had it for few months now

2006 Audi A6 3.0TDI quattro sline le mans | Daytona Grey Pearl

Thanks for that - had spotted that today. On order

 

[Peter Metcalf]

Like niedzial1983 says get a hardwire kit, so simple, anyone can do it, honest, excellent piece of kit the 312GW I love mine


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[Paul_1985]

Like niedzial1983 says get a hardwire kit, so simple, anyone can do it, honest, excellent piece of kit the 312GW I love mine


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I have the hard wire kit now, so just waiting for the new car . That should arrive on Tuesday.

In terms of hiding the cable - I have a brand new S3 coming, anyone done this before and can advise on best course of action? Any gotcha's or hints/tips

Thanks everyone!

 

[Ormesome]

Pretty comprehensive review of around 20-30 dash cameras here. Its on The Times driving section so not sure if you have to be subscribed or not. Apologies if you do.

http://www.driving.co.uk/news/products/buying-guide-leading-dashboard-cameras-dash-cams-reviewed/

 

[Wibbly]

Anyone used 2x Nextbase cameras, one front one rear, as way of emulating a 2CH full HD system (at lower cost?) albeit without the integration between the two cameras?

 

[DrEskimo]

Anyone used 2x Nextbase cameras, one front one rear, as way of emulating a 2CH full HD system (at lower cost?) albeit without the integration between the two cameras?

Yea a lot of people run two single channel systems. As long as you have a decent way to connect the rear cam, then its a good solution. It just lacks the convenience of being connected by a single wire between the two cameras. Then you have the issue of having to run two power management systems if you want to use both with parking mode.

 

[BigBill]

15% off dash cams at Halfords at the moment.

Picked up a Nextbase 312 yesterday for £85

 

[Matt Titanium]

I've chosen against this because as much as 9/10 I stick to the speed limits, it will be my luck that if anything ever happened it would be the one time I am 15mph over the speed limit and then the video is watermarked with the speed forever. Better avoided IMO. If you know you will never break the speed limit, then it won't be an issue. It's supposed to be good for proving where you are and at exactly what time as it records the location with the video, but good clear footage of the road should be more than enough proof.

Agree with this, Argos are selling the Nextbase 212 without the GPS for just over £50 has anyone used these or the smaller 112

 

[Harry Unify]

I am having nightmare selecting the best brand. Not sure anymore, but it seems the Blackvue is mostly voted for. My question is are there other types of the Blackvue dash cam that can be better than the DR750S-2CH blackvue? Has anyone used it before? I found it here: https://dashcamcar.com/blackvue-dr750s-2ch/ , the site directs me to amazon. I don't want to buy from amazon. I am still searching for it on Ebay with no result. Is there a way to get it cheaper than $300 ?

 

[cemerson]

I had a Blackvue DR550-GW 2CH on my PFL car, but upgraded to the Thinkware 750 for my current car. The Thinkware is far better IMO - Blackvue are popular but I don't think software or reliability is as good. Have had no problems with my Thinkware at all. Dashcams can be quite sensitive to what type of SD card you put in them though.

 

[AlS3BE]

Got the thinkware f770 and can’t fault it. Djalix on here installed it and it’s a case of forget about it till
I need it.
Trying to figure out how to keep it running for more than 2 days in parking mode.

 

[Harry Unify]

Thank you @cemerson for your feedback on Blackvue DR550-GW 2CH, I guess I am looking at a higher version. I'll take a closer look at Thinkware Pro as well. regarding SD card, I want to get 123GB for better space.

 

[cemerson]

You might get a 128GB card, not 123

I have a 64GB in mine which works fine - and it's the F770 I have, not the F750 as I said before. It's powered via a Cellink B battery in the glove box, so the battery charges while I'm driving, and the battery powers the camera in parking mode.