After a couple of incidents recently, thinking of picking a camera up. There seems to be a load on Amazon, from China specials to more established names. Not looking to spend a fortune, so any recommendations in the £50-£100 range?

Cheers

Just got one of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/iN-CAR-CAM-412GW-Dash-Cam-NEXTBASE-DVR-Video-Recorder-for-Car-Grade-A-/322585984059?

Seems to do a reasonable job, the footage is clear and I’ve not crashed yet so all’s good to date.

You need to buy an SD card on top.

Which mag rates NextBase and one other. I forget the other.

As a NB owner I’m probably biased.

Out of your price range, but the Garmin 55 is very good.

And voice activation works well so you aren’t fiddling with it when you want to save a video.

It also warns you of red lights, has lane assist and reminds you when your wife’s birthday is coming up.

Ok, maybe not the last one, but it is feature packed.

Me and my friends/family all have the transcend drivepro cameras.

Never had any issues and full 1080p recording.

Nextbase 312GW does the job perfectly well in my car.
Currently £90 in Hellfrauds

Seems to work much better now it’s connected to an ignition controlled live power source.

You can copy files off via wifi to your phone should you feel the need.

So, these dash cams. Do they need to be manually started for every trip or do they somehow self start recording?

I feel it’s about time for one but sure I’d forget to start it if that’s what it needs.

Anyone use a GoPro, stuck to the middle of the dash or windscreen with a self adhesive mount?

It would need manually starting obviously, and I can Blazin-saddle’s point about that, but multi functional as I could use it for biking too.

We have a couple of autovox dashcams in the house. They are hardwired through a piggy back fuse. Turn on with ignition and off when engine stopped. No faffing or fiddling just sit there and do their thing. picture quality is decent and they aren’t expensive.
D1 and a D2 if memory serves me correctly.

So, these dash cams. Do they need to be manually started for every trip or do they somehow self start recording?

They are self-starting and in some cases, such as the Garmin with an optional cable, they are constantly processing images even when parked and if they detect an “event” they will save the video 30 seconds either side of the event.

Which would have been very handy when someone/something smacked an object down on the middle of my bonnet when the car was parked up 2 weeks ago. 🙁

Having seen the guy on a scooter jumping back on to a car this month i might invest in one. What a wally he looked worse than premiership penalty diver

Viofo A119 for me, off Amazon, seemed to get decent reviews, been solid for the past 6 months. Auto start but you have to start the parking mode IIRC (which I don’t use as you need it hardwired into the power)

Redmex – that was a clear case of why they are useful things to have.

Can you imagine the outcome if the woman didn’t have a video of that event ?

Look at the Vantrue X1 (or new equivalent). I bought one and was so impressed I bought one for Mrs. S the very next day.

the Blackvue DR650WG-2CH is the one that seems to be used most by the guys with higher value cars.
Many tag a separate battery installation to cover the battery drain alarm during parking mode but isn’t necessary.
Full HD and a massive viewing angle set it apart form the cheaper ones.

Duplicate post! Whoops

Thanks all. Going to go for the Nextbase 312GW. Purely as it’s available locally. Will be hardwiring it, and they do a specific hardwire kit so you get all the bits in one box just to make things a bit simpler.

I’ve got the same one. Great customer service from Nextbase when I needed help with an issue. Now that the firmware is up to date ‘it just works’, turns on automatically when I turn the key so doesn’t need me to remember to press record or anything.

Book marked.

Will be hardwiring it, and they do a specific hardwire kit so you get all the bits in one box just to make things a bit simpler.

If by all the bits you mean a 12v-5v transformer and some wire then yeah…. But at 20quid for 3.99 worth of bits……naw.

As for nextbase had one. It lasted a week before being return . It would go on and off at random.

Now got 2 Amazon specials

tthew – Member
Anyone use a GoPro, stuck to the middle of the dash or windscreen with a self adhesive mount?

It would need manually starting obviously, and I can Blazin-saddle’s point about that, but multi functional as I could use it for biking too.

Yep – I do.
Set on loop with cable to charge from car.

Takes a minute or so to set up each time; I’m sure that’d be a huge problem for some.

If it’s not passive the one time you need it is guaranteed to be the time you forgot…and statistically.most accidents happen in short trips 5miles from the house….the sort where you might forget such as nipping to shops.

If by all the bits you mean a 12v-5v transformer and some wire then yeah…. But at 20quid for 3.99 worth of bits……naw.

As for nextbase had one. It lasted a week before being return . It would go on and off at random.

Now got 2 Amazon specials

At what point did you realise you were so awesome, TR? 8)

You were the enabler Jamie 🙂

Seriously though went into halfords with intention of buying the kit you mentioned. Opened box looked at it and thought this isn’t worth 20quid.

Worth is a relitive term though.

I picked a couple of those next base hardwire kits off ebay for about 8 quid.
I deemed that a reasonable price to not have to get out soldering irons etc and save a few quid.

You can get the Chinese/off brand versions for £5-10. Cheapest I’ve seen a legit Nextbase one was £11. Comes with the piggyback fuse jobby which the others don’t seem to.

Yeah that’s the one – it’s plug n play. No faff with cutting wires and soldering etc.
It was a while ago I got them though.

Lots of good reviews and advice here:
http://www.techmoan.com/blog/category/car-dvr-dashcams

I’m on my 2nd garmin 55 dash cam, the first one developed problems with not recognising the memory card, it ran very hot to the point that you couldn’t hold it in your hands without doing a juggle of the dash cam and it used to switch off at random moments which for a hardwired dash cam is rather pointless.

The replacement seems to be doing ok but i’ve only had it a week so far so i’ll wait till i pass judgement.

Nope, the replacement garmin dash cam is developing exactly the same faults as my original, switching off after 40 seconds and randomly throwing a hissy fit with the memory card. Given my previous experience with shite garmin products i should have avoided anything garmin related.

Somafunk – thanks for the heads up – will keep an eye on mine – not seen any problems so far, but haven’t used it much since fitting.

I have Nextbase 512G but I like the look of Viofo A119 as it does not really take up a lot of the space. It is also not obvious. 🙂

Ok, so I bought the Nextbase 412GW for £90 from Halfords with the BC discount. Just waiting for the SD card as I can’t find the one I know I have in the house somewhere!

I have Nextbase 512G but I like the look of Viofo A119 as it does not really take up a lot of the space. It is also not obvious.

Comes with a nice bright grey adhesive bad for what it’s worth.

No it used to come with a nice bright grey pad but the company responded to customer feedback and now supply more subtle black pads 😉
I bought it as I wanted a less obvious dash cam, and not make it a target for the smash and grab type thief.

I stand corrected. Prob still a chance one could get an old one with the grey pad tho? Not that that’s hard to remedy, tho.

I must admit, after being set on a Nextbase, I am tempted by the Viofo A119 due to it’s active firmware development and slimline look.

I got the S with the better night vision but wonder if I should have stuck with the standard one. The S’s night vision is excellent, bought/tested mid winter and I could see more on the film than I could in the car, but am left wondering if I had an accident the investigators would realise the camera could see more than me!
Drop me an email if you want to see some (boring) footage as youtube apparently downgrade the uploaded clips

Jamie, I read that they are now using grey pad but yes there is a chance you might get an old stock.

z1ppy, The wedge shape is a better design because it does not look like a camera. Hence a natural deterrent against the smash and grab thief.

Nextbase 512g is fine but it looks exactly like an attractive camera, and it sticks out a bit when stick to the windscreen. i.e. hanging camera with suction cup.

<squints @ ChewyW> you do understand I own a A119, & mine came with a black pad?

z1ppy – Member
<squints @ ChewyW> you do understand I own a A119, & mine came with a black pad?

Okay, black sticky pad is good.

Wish someone stock A119 so I can physically take a look.