DIY: Installed a digital dash cam onto the car, aka DVR
03-04-2013, 10:16 PM
#1
DIY: Installed a digital dash cam onto the car, aka DVR
so there were a couple times i wish i had video surveillance in my car to capture what happens during my 30 mile commute to work, and there have been times where i've ALMOST gotten into accidents from swerving cars, people that don't check their blind spots, slamming on brakes for no reason, etc...
i came across this website from a guy on another forum, he bought from this place and had a good experience, so i decided to try it too, i ordered it from DVRyourCAR.com and got the 720p HD camera with 32gb memory card, it was like $145 shipped and took 3 days to get here, pretty fast
first impression, the size was compact, about the size of a radar detector, i've seen similar models before for $30-40 bucks, and my friends have tried it, but the quality was bad, the video skipped every so often, the footage would randomly erase, etc..
this one is a better quality one, the things i liked about it:
-high def 720p
-motion sensor (if someone backs into your car or walks around your car, it'll turn on and start recording)
-has an internal battery good for about an hour's worth of footage
-re-writes over the OLDEST footage so you don't have to manually clear the memory card
-infrared sensors at night so it's pretty clear, even at night
-120* lens so it captures EVERYTHING in front of you
-even with the screen closed, it will still record, plus the screen swivels all the way around
-at 720p resolution and 30fps, the video and audio is SUPER clear, and on a 32gb card, it will record about 10 hours of footage
i put it in the center of the car, as high as i could without hitting the mirror, and adjusted everything to my likings, then i ran the wires up into the headliner, over to the passenger side, down the a-pillar, behind the glove box (this was a good opportunity to change the cabin air filter too, mine was 20k overdue), down the center console and into the armrest
i didn't want to drill a hole, so i popped out the armrest light (which i NEVER noticed before lol) and fed the wire through there, and plugged the cigarette lighter plug into there, this charges + powers the camera while driving, and when fully charged, it would still have power to turn on with motion detector to keep recording
i think EVERY car should have this on the road, just in case if you get into an accident and instead of "he say, she say", you have video proof to help you, either at the time of accident or in court
when i go to asia, almost every car i've ridden in has one of these devices, i'm not sure why USA hasn't caught on, but in japan, korea, hong kong, and china, it's in 90% of the cars
i needed just a couple trim tools, a philips head screw driver (i used an impact gun), and a metal clothes hanger with some tape or another method of feeding the wire through
i came across this website from a guy on another forum, he bought from this place and had a good experience, so i decided to try it too, i ordered it from DVRyourCAR.com and got the 720p HD camera with 32gb memory card, it was like $145 shipped and took 3 days to get here, pretty fast
first impression, the size was compact, about the size of a radar detector, i've seen similar models before for $30-40 bucks, and my friends have tried it, but the quality was bad, the video skipped every so often, the footage would randomly erase, etc..
this one is a better quality one, the things i liked about it:
-high def 720p
-motion sensor (if someone backs into your car or walks around your car, it'll turn on and start recording)
-has an internal battery good for about an hour's worth of footage
-re-writes over the OLDEST footage so you don't have to manually clear the memory card
-infrared sensors at night so it's pretty clear, even at night
-120* lens so it captures EVERYTHING in front of you
-even with the screen closed, it will still record, plus the screen swivels all the way around
-at 720p resolution and 30fps, the video and audio is SUPER clear, and on a 32gb card, it will record about 10 hours of footage
i put it in the center of the car, as high as i could without hitting the mirror, and adjusted everything to my likings, then i ran the wires up into the headliner, over to the passenger side, down the a-pillar, behind the glove box (this was a good opportunity to change the cabin air filter too, mine was 20k overdue), down the center console and into the armrest
i didn't want to drill a hole, so i popped out the armrest light (which i NEVER noticed before lol) and fed the wire through there, and plugged the cigarette lighter plug into there, this charges + powers the camera while driving, and when fully charged, it would still have power to turn on with motion detector to keep recording
i think EVERY car should have this on the road, just in case if you get into an accident and instead of "he say, she say", you have video proof to help you, either at the time of accident or in court
when i go to asia, almost every car i've ridden in has one of these devices, i'm not sure why USA hasn't caught on, but in japan, korea, hong kong, and china, it's in 90% of the cars
i needed just a couple trim tools, a philips head screw driver (i used an impact gun), and a metal clothes hanger with some tape or another method of feeding the wire through
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Thunderrr (03-22-2013)
03-05-2013, 08:09 AM
#3
BANNED
iTrader: (33)
looks good, can we see some recorded video in day/night time?
03-05-2013, 08:54 AM
#4
My first ricer
iTrader: (4)
Pretty cool, and the price is less than a GoPro so you could also use it if you're into filming races etc.
Also on a side note I hope it doesn't catch on here, from a privacy stand point.
Also on a side note I hope it doesn't catch on here, from a privacy stand point.
03-05-2013, 11:17 AM
#5
takin care of Business in
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sub'd for videos
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TmaX (03-14-2013)
03-06-2013, 12:02 AM
#6
here's a video from their youtube account, with the motion detector feature
from what i was explained, with the unit on after the car is parked, it runs off the internal battery for about 2 hours, for those 2 hours, the camera "see's" whats going on, but doesn't record anything unless there's movement close enough to your vehicle
this was exactly what i bought it for because i live in the city where people don't know how to park, and unfortunately, street parking is all we have =(
imagine if someone backed their MPV up into our cars, potentially causing hundreds of dollars of damage we're stuck with, i'm sure we could use this as evidence for our insurance companies to claim a "hit n run" and since the license plate is clearly visible, it's a $150 very well spent
be sure to watch it in 720p for to see the quality
from what i was explained, with the unit on after the car is parked, it runs off the internal battery for about 2 hours, for those 2 hours, the camera "see's" whats going on, but doesn't record anything unless there's movement close enough to your vehicle
this was exactly what i bought it for because i live in the city where people don't know how to park, and unfortunately, street parking is all we have =(
imagine if someone backed their MPV up into our cars, potentially causing hundreds of dollars of damage we're stuck with, i'm sure we could use this as evidence for our insurance companies to claim a "hit n run" and since the license plate is clearly visible, it's a $150 very well spent
be sure to watch it in 720p for to see the quality
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03-06-2013, 01:56 AM
#9
Sub'd I like this very much, I wish there was a full 360 for the car also as like security, my car got keyed last year and I feel like I know who did it but I have no evidence. This would be perfect.
03-07-2013, 01:47 AM
#10
i'm actually thinking of purchasing another unit to attach to the upper rear windshield facing backwards to catch bumper tappers and people that tailgate
03-07-2013, 02:08 AM
#11
03-07-2013, 12:38 PM
#12
takin care of Business in
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damn, now thats not bad at all
03-13-2013, 01:33 AM
#13
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NBP04TL4ME (09-15-2013)
03-13-2013, 01:39 AM
#14
So really do you know how long the battery last when power is cut? Have you gotten any good footage yet?
I'm going to hardwire mine into the dome lights of my car so it'll be a little more clean and convient.
03-15-2013, 01:35 AM
#16
I'm waiting for money to clear paypal to buy it, but I'm not going to get the card since I'm sure I can find a better price out there online for one.
So really do you know how long the battery last when power is cut? Have you gotten any good footage yet?
I'm going to hardwire mine into the dome lights of my car so it'll be a little more clean and convient.
So really do you know how long the battery last when power is cut? Have you gotten any good footage yet?
I'm going to hardwire mine into the dome lights of my car so it'll be a little more clean and convient.
03-15-2013, 01:40 AM
#17
i saw in another thread someone attempted to "make" a similar system with a gopro, now THAT'S asking for it, since people actually know a gopro and it's value, plus you have to add components and it lacks a bunch of features, he was easily $400 in the hole and his unit was no where as functional as this was for a vehicle surveillance device, no auto loop, no instant play back, no screen, no 2 min footage clips, no infrared, no time stamp
i can actually see this being used for cruises or track driving, the $90 price tag makes it so worth it, i'm buying another soon for my rx7
03-15-2013, 12:25 PM
#18
Race Director
iTrader: (8)
Not bad!
Seems like it has similar features as the blackvues.
Seems like it has similar features as the blackvues.
03-15-2013, 12:29 PM
#20
I'm waiting for money to clear paypal to buy it, but I'm not going to get the card since I'm sure I can find a better price out there online for one.
So really do you know how long the battery last when power is cut? Have you gotten any good footage yet?
I'm going to hardwire mine into the dome lights of my car so it'll be a little more clean and convient.
So really do you know how long the battery last when power is cut? Have you gotten any good footage yet?
I'm going to hardwire mine into the dome lights of my car so it'll be a little more clean and convient.
03-15-2013, 01:24 PM
#21
` . ' . SUV haterrr
Man, your install is way too complicated!
I bought a 5v converter for $5, hid it behind the front ceiling panel (the one with lights, sunroof switch, garage opener) and connected 12V wires to the mirror wiring. This way I have an ignition switched power supply.
converter: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Converter-Buck-Module-12V-to-5V-3A-15W-5V-mini-usb-output-power-adapter-/251120168879?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a77edafafThey only potential problem is that some of those DVRs have non-standard USB jack pinout.
I bought a 5v converter for $5, hid it behind the front ceiling panel (the one with lights, sunroof switch, garage opener) and connected 12V wires to the mirror wiring. This way I have an ignition switched power supply.
converter: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Converter-Buck-Module-12V-to-5V-3A-15W-5V-mini-usb-output-power-adapter-/251120168879?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a77edafafThey only potential problem is that some of those DVRs have non-standard USB jack pinout.
03-17-2013, 04:55 PM
#22
There is a constant 12v wire that you would just need to wire into and connect a ground wire, but I figured this way would drain and kill my battery after awhile so instead I bought the power magic pro to regulate my batteries power so it won't die. It will still be hard wired to the car though.
03-22-2013, 07:29 PM
#23
There is a constant 12v wire that you would just need to wire into and connect a ground wire, but I figured this way would drain and kill my battery after awhile so instead I bought the power magic pro to regulate my batteries power so it won't die. It will still be hard wired to the car though.
I did mine to a fuse box, so it turns on and off with ignition. I rarely leave my car parked outside for long. The battery is good for over an hour and a half!
03-22-2013, 10:47 PM
#24
it turns on and off with the ignition, will never drain my battery, records all the time while i drive, i can manually turn it on to record 100 minutes worth after i park if i choose to
03-22-2013, 10:53 PM
#25
the dome light wire harness is constant 12v, it's the switch that allows power to turn on the light itself
if you tap the unit into the 12v wire, you should fuse it should anything happen, but the device will be powered 24/7, and you would need to manually turn it off and back on again, this would be the preferred way of wiring it to capture hit n run drivers
the way i have mine plugged in, it powers through the cigarette lighter/ignition, so if i wanted to catch a hit n run driver, i have to park the car, turn off my car, and the unit will power down automatically, i would just need to power it back up before i exit the vehicle and it'll record for 100 minutes worth on a 32gb card
either way you wire it up, it's a great investment, i just ordered 3 more for my sister's odyssey and my dad's tacoma
03-23-2013, 11:13 PM
#26
from what i understand
the dome light wire harness is constant 12v, it's the switch that allows power to turn on the light itself
if you tap the unit into the 12v wire, you should fuse it should anything happen, but the device will be powered 24/7, and you would need to manually turn it off and back on again, this would be the preferred way of wiring it to capture hit n run drivers
the way i have mine plugged in, it powers through the cigarette lighter/ignition, so if i wanted to catch a hit n run driver, i have to park the car, turn off my car, and the unit will power down automatically, i would just need to power it back up before i exit the vehicle and it'll record for 100 minutes worth on a 32gb card
either way you wire it up, it's a great investment, i just ordered 3 more for my sister's odyssey and my dad's tacoma
the dome light wire harness is constant 12v, it's the switch that allows power to turn on the light itself
if you tap the unit into the 12v wire, you should fuse it should anything happen, but the device will be powered 24/7, and you would need to manually turn it off and back on again, this would be the preferred way of wiring it to capture hit n run drivers
the way i have mine plugged in, it powers through the cigarette lighter/ignition, so if i wanted to catch a hit n run driver, i have to park the car, turn off my car, and the unit will power down automatically, i would just need to power it back up before i exit the vehicle and it'll record for 100 minutes worth on a 32gb card
either way you wire it up, it's a great investment, i just ordered 3 more for my sister's odyssey and my dad's tacoma
It's pretty easy to use. When i go out to dinner with my girlfriend, we usually get done within an hour and a half, so i let it run on battery and when i come back to the car, its still recording. this thing is awesome.
03-29-2013, 07:28 PM
#27
just recorded this today. camry driver swears she had the green light. she was happy when she heard i had video recording of the accident and asked for a copy of it. until she heard me say "the rav4 had the green light". watch it in 720p. hard to see light on a phone, best to watch on the computer.
04-05-2013, 12:43 PM
#28
` . ' . SUV haterrr
I can't see the color of the traffic light at all! Do you have your DVR working even when parked? It uses 300-400mA, I wouldn't be comfortable to power it from the battery.
My wife caught a minor hit and run on her dashcam
My wife caught a minor hit and run on her dashcam
04-06-2013, 12:45 AM
#29
I haven't caught any accidents or anything either but I got this recorded. I was at a light and I had right of way and two Honda's a Prelude and a Civic Si pulls in front I was alright...and then I heard the Prelude start WOT and so I was like game on lets play for a little.
I have a 2008 Honda Accord EXL V6 6 speed most of the time I was in 4th gear I didn't feel the need to downshift. Towards the end I shifted into 5th to catch them.
I have a 2008 Honda Accord EXL V6 6 speed most of the time I was in 4th gear I didn't feel the need to downshift. Towards the end I shifted into 5th to catch them.
04-06-2013, 04:56 PM
#30
Instructor
wow i need to get one of these cameras for sure. There is some crazy stuff that has happened around me while driving that i wish i could have had recorded... awesome thread!
04-14-2013, 01:54 AM
#33
04-14-2013, 10:34 PM
#34
Instructor
you saying that about the cop made me think... the cam would also record audio in the event of you being pulled over, theres good insurance against crooked cops... they probably wouldn't even see it or know what it was if they did see it.
04-15-2013, 01:44 PM
#35
Well... I did get hit sadly and caught it on camera...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsLZ4...ature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsLZ4...ature=youtu.be
I can't see the color of the traffic light at all! Do you have your DVR working even when parked? It uses 300-400mA, I wouldn't be comfortable to power it from the battery.
My wife caught a minor hit and run on her dashcam
dashcam
My wife caught a minor hit and run on her dashcam
dashcam
Were you watching in hd720? standard resolution does not have the clarity at all for you to review the light. I have it wired with the harness that they sell at the site to the fuse box, I picked a fuse that is constantly 12v. Since i drive my car everyday, i haven't had any issues with it draining the battery.
04-16-2013, 04:31 AM
#36
04-18-2013, 11:55 PM
#38
takin care of Business in
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^^^ can you run this camera with a battery? say, you wanna record your exhaust tone or you go skydiving, can this be operated like a GO PRO?
04-19-2013, 12:30 PM
#39
What i can confirm is, there is a removable battery, and i can pull it off the mount and do playback/record with it unplugged.
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swoosh (04-22-2013)
04-22-2013, 01:40 PM
#40
Three Wheelin'
Found this
http://dx.com/p/h-264-720p-wide-angl...-2-5-lcd-54137
Avoid the middle man. Looks the same for far cheaper. I've ordered from DX before. Ships from China so it takes a few weeks but I've always got what I ordered.
http://dx.com/p/h-264-720p-wide-angl...-2-5-lcd-54137
Avoid the middle man. Looks the same for far cheaper. I've ordered from DX before. Ships from China so it takes a few weeks but I've always got what I ordered.