Car Cameras

I have now replaced the DOD LS460 front car cam and DOD LS430 rear cam in my Niro with two Viofo A119S car cams. The rear DOD camera failed with a burnt mother board behind the battery and I replaced it with a Viofo A119S car cam which resulted in a much neater installation taking up considerable less window area. I was so satisfied with the compact size and HD performance of the Viofo camera that I bought one for the windscreen.

The rear camera is mounted on the window as high a possible – limited by leaving enough room to be able to unplug the USB power lead. It hardly affects the rear view.

The front camera is tight against the housing for the windscreen rain sensor and the lane assist camera and as high as possible – limited by the fact that my wife sits further forward in the car and needs the rear view mirror to be swivelled towards her more.  I could possibly have pinched another cm in height but am happy that the camera takes up hardly any windscreen area as viewed from the driving seat.  

Front 1



Front 2



Rear 1



Rear 2



Rear 3




Before ordering a replacement for my dead DOD camera, I did some research to discover what other models might suit. My original very first DOD dash cam had a 140 degree lens but the later DOD cameras I bought have 160 degree lenses which I consider are too wide angled. It gives you less chance of reading number plates. Hence I was looking for a camera with a 140 degree lens again - but they are as rare as hens teeth.I came upon this forum which proved useful https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/

The Viofo A119S camera does not have a battery - but a capacitor - which is more reliable but stores only enough power to write the final file when the car power is switched off. It cannot therefore be used away from the car. It has a 135 degree lens which is another plus. I bought the model with the GPS module which mounts on the windscreen and has a power connection which also feeds the camera. You can therefore easily remove the camera from its mount without having to fiddle with the USB power supply cable. I also bought the circular polarising filters for the cameras which kill dashboard reflections.

This is the web site I purchased from :-

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06Y2P7VB9/ref=pe_3187911_185740111_TE_item 

Anyone tempted to buy one of these cameras should be aware that the camera mount on the GPS unit is not absolutely tight and the camera can vibrate slightly. To cure this, the manufacturer supplies in the box a couple of adhesive backed die cut foam pads which you stick into a recess in the camera to take up the small gap. However – I discovered this the hard way – there is no instruction in the box telling you what they are for and how to fit one.

I found this video on You Tube which educated me. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2x5Tm-NL68

Interesting, thank you. 
I have been thinking about getting one for some time now but there seems to be so much choice difficult to decide which to buy when you have no experience with any of them.

Purwell.

A good place to start is to look at this web site.  http://www.techmoan.com/guide-to-dashcams/

This guy is independent and has no axe to grind. His reviews are quite thorough and easy to understand once you get used to the car cam jargon. For the past several months the Viofo A118 and its A119 and A119S successors have been number one in his list and he has a A119 as standard in his own car.

You are right to be confused with the numerous models available and it is easy to be tempted by some cheap models being sold by Argos, Halfords etc. Like in most walks of life - you get what you pay for. A lot of technology goes into a car cam and the cheap ones compromise on build quality, reliability and features.  I have had car cams for 7 years and am speaking from experience and my own mistakes. Most are made in - you guessed it - China; and it is hell on wheels trying to get a problem sorted if something does go wrong.  The more expensive Chinese ones - like the ones I have just bought - are from well established Chinese manufacturers.

It is too early for me to be able to recommend my latest choice - time will tell - but I am optimistic.

the british are obsessed with watching each other and others watching them - it started years ago when the front room curtain would be slightly drawn for full street viewing!!

Davo- I reject the suggestion that I am obsessed but accept that I am prudent regarding the standard of driving on UK and Europe roads and the high accident rate. I get a discount on my insurance because I have cameras in the car front and back.

For example - in 2014 I was driving down the M42 motorway in the second lane and passing a long convoy of lorries when a white van came up behind me and started tailgating. I could see that the driver had a one hand holding a phone to his his ear and his other hand was over the other ear to cut the noise out. He was doing 70 mph only 3 meters behind me steering with his elbows, it scared the shite out of me. I couldn't quickly change lanes because the lorries, as usual, were driving too close to each other.

My previous car cam shows the incident - but it was a 160 degree wide angle lens which shows a false representation of how close the van was.  My new cameras have a narrower field of view and more useful..

I sent the video to the police who asked me to make a formal statement - which I did. Two months later the police notified me that the driver had been taken to court and dealt with in accordance with the law. I asked for further details but the police declined - quoting the data protection and human rights legislation imposed by Brussels. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhACZb-6y8U

I suppose we just have a bigger country with bigger motorways! - it's always nice to stretch in the morning and not hit the walls!

Way back in the late eighties I bought a van that had been converted, very badly, into a "motor home", It was a without a doubt a very bad buy. The thing was without merit.
When I tried to get hold of the vendor, he had fled to his homeland....Italy.
The entire thing needed total re-hash. There were some wires carrying 240v that were only designed for 12/24 volts
and 12/24 v cables carrying 240v, The gas fired water heater had been fitted almost touching the roof and would have burned the roof if it had been fired up.etc. etc. etc.
Mechanically it was unfit to be on the roads, despite it having a recent MOT certificate (issued by a non-existant garage)
It had a pair of door mirrors that were mirrors in name only.
After I had had a fruitless meeting with the lady at county hall ( in command of the MOT regulations etc) the vendor had fled to his native Italy.
My local garage attacked it and put it back properly to MOT standard and I straightened up the rest.
One of the best mods. was the fitting of an electronic rear-view mirror with a viewing screen on the dash.
Wonderful unbroken view of the entire road .

You would not get that near us - all the roads are broken

Near us it is mainly the vehicles on the roads that are broken.
They suffer very badly from giant agricultural machinery syndrome.

heh you live in a weird world

davo wrote:

heh you live in a weird world

Yes, we do. It used to be called "land of hope and glory".
The Glory has gone (removed by more than a half century of warped, lying politicians) and the Hope has been  destroyed by the same "bent" crew.
There was a politician  quite a few years ago (Enoch Powell) who was not afraid to tell it like it is and predicted precisely that which is now going on in almost all the country.
I am glad I am at the "exit" rather than "entry" door.

We now need a man of Churchill's standing to take over !!

Purwell

That was a good example of "managed" immigration. I know someone whose father was recruited by that very method but underwent a thorough screening of his experience, qualifications and background.

That doesn't happen today - any scruffy toe rag chancer can come here and be given benefits whithout the need to work. It's a total disgrace. Catgate is spot on - politicians almost everywhere live in another World and rarely suffer from the consequences of their perverted decisions.

When I come to power I will put a stop to it................


What this has got to do with the thread on car cameras I really have no idea.

Immigration to UK as existed for thousands of years but of recent dates has increased in numbers - the massive increase from the 1990's has to be questioned in terms of govt strategies or lack of!!






historic UK migration doco

What this has got to do with the thread on car cameras I really have no idea.

Well I suppose it might be that we have the parallel of black and white photographs and black and white immigrants.
Not to mention a lovely cup of tea.