Austin Branson Posted March 19, 2017 Report Share Posted March 19, 2017 (edited) Greetings, I've bought a dashcam, not that I wish to re-visit the hash I made of that adverse-camber left hander, but around here I think it just a matter of time until I get beaned by a local, intent on occupying the wrong side of the road on blind bends. So, what's the current thinking? If I mount it (as per the instructions) high up, behind the wing mirror, I have a length of black cable dangling down to the foot-well. If I mount it low down on the screen, that may reduce the amount of cover available, but I may be able to hide the cable underneath the dashboard top - unless anyone can suggest a way of attaching the cable to the rubber screen seal? Many thanks for your help. Austin Edited March 19, 2017 by Austin Branson Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted March 19, 2017 Report Share Posted March 19, 2017 Hi Austin, I am something of an expert on this topic. In January I owned a very expensive dash cam for almost two days before exploding it. Firstly whatever you do do not connect your dash cam to the 12V system with anyhting other than the correct cable The special connector that goes into your Aux power socket is a 5V regulator. If you are installing into a modern car there should be enough room between the screen trim and the glass to hide the cable. If you are installing into a TR4-6 then it is possible to lift the screen rubber and tuck the cable under it. I have done this on my 4A I also connected the camera to the 12V supply *wrong connectpr) on the 4A - death is instant. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cew Posted March 19, 2017 Report Share Posted March 19, 2017 (edited) I just got a longer,2metre, cable and routed it along the top and down the N/S of the windscreen and under the dash, all that is seen is the plug which goes into one of the two sockets I have in the H frame. Just seen Rogers post. My dash cam is a Chinese, thing which works for what I want it for, and the cable is basically a phone charging cable. Had no problems(so far!) and it has transferred from the Ranger to the TR and was used in the XK8 all with different cables, but as I say it is a £30 Chinese thing. Edited March 19, 2017 by Cew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim D. Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 I have also seen people route power cables via the ash tray. You can drill a hole into he tray for the cable and use a grommet to seal around the cable. Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Austin Branson Posted March 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 Thanks for the feedback, chaps, I appreciate. Austin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OAF939M Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 My garage fitted mine just to the left of the mirror with the wire fed under the roof lining, and not visible at all. Think they charged me a tenner. This is on my usual modern road vehicle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Green 54 Posted April 24, 2020 Report Share Posted April 24, 2020 I am a big fan of dash cams and they have saved me hundreds of pounds over the years in potential insurance costs. So when I bought 'ROB' (Rusty, Oily and Brakeless) in January, fitting a dash cam was a priority. I bought one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LWN99YA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and also one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07NV7579D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 to plug it into. Took next to no time to fit. Below is a video from the dashcam. The actual video quality is much better, but the YouTube upload has caused a significant loss of definition. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JochemsTR Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Hi Richard, I looked at your amazon link....very nice camera indeed. I am not familiar with the whole series, brands etc.....just wondering, does one use the cam to record in case of a collision or can you also use the cam to record your driving on a racetrack or so....? So the question would be, use a (cheap) dash cam also for action....or use a action camera (GoPro) as a dashcam? Jochem Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Green 54 Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 3 hours ago, JochemsTR said: Hi Richard, I looked at your amazon link....very nice camera indeed. I am not familiar with the whole series, brands etc.....just wondering, does one use the cam to record in case of a collision or can you also use the cam to record your driving on a racetrack or so....? So the question would be, use a (cheap) dash cam also for action....or use a action camera (GoPro) as a dashcam? Jochem Hi Jochem, I have had dash cams in my day car and my classics for years. They run all the time the ignition is on. On two occasions other drivers have reversed into me while I have been stationary in traffic. One particularly driver panicked at a traffic light junction and ended up reversing into me at speed. It was early in the morning and no witnesses. The insurance company told me that without the video footage it would have been automatically assumed to be my fault. I have also used the videos to make recordings of trips on nice roads. This is a short video from a similar dash cam in my Jaguar: Once again I would point out that the actual video quality is better than the upload. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 How long are the video file loops before it records over ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DRD Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 14 minutes ago, Hamish said: How long are the video file loops before it records over ? It depends on the size of the memory card. Dash cams usually record clips of 5mins and when the space runs out start recording over the oldest files. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Green 54 Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 I think that a 32GB memory card will store around 4.5 hours of high definition dash cam footage. Much more if you reduce the quality. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John L Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 I had a dash cam fitted before I went to Moscow just in case, but didn't have any incidents, I can capture photos as well if need be if something is interesting. Its a Nextbase unit, impressed with it. The bit I hadn't realised was the amount of flies and bugs that collect on the windscreen in a 200 mile run, that just seemed to have died right in front of the camera, note for next trip stop and clean the windscreen often! I would post a couple of minutes, but the files are rather big, not sure how to make a link to show them if anybody is interested. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Green 54 Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 15 minutes ago, John L said: I had a dash cam fitted before I went to Moscow just in case, but didn't have any incidents, I can capture photos as well if need be if something is interesting. Its a Nextbase unit, impressed with it. The bit I hadn't realised was the amount of flies and bugs that collect on the windscreen in a 200 mile run, that just seemed to have died right in front of the camera, note for next trip stop and clean the windscreen often! I would post a couple of minutes, but the files are rather big, not sure how to make a link to show them if anybody is interested. John John, You can register for a free YouTube or Vimeo account and upload and share the files. Quality drops off a bit as the files get compressed, but they are not usually too bad. Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JochemsTR Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 16 hours ago, DRD said: It depends on the size of the memory card. Dash cams usually record clips of 5mins and when the space runs out start recording over the oldest files. so how does it know when to stop when having an accident? you have to press the "stop" button yourself? I am just imagining being or seeing an accident and your first thought is having to stop the camera or it will re-record over the actual accident.... Is this how it works? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DRD Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 2 hours ago, JochemsTR said: so how does it know when to stop when having an accident? you have to press the "stop" button yourself? I am just imagining being or seeing an accident and your first thought is having to stop the camera or it will re-record over the actual accident.... Is this how it works? They detect that the car had been in an accident and automatically prevent this clip being deleted. Cheers Daz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TRseks Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 4 hours ago, JochemsTR said: so how does it know when to stop when having an accident? you have to press the "stop" button yourself? I am just imagining being or seeing an accident and your first thought is having to stop the camera or it will re-record over the actual accident.... Is this how it works? The camera will always delete only the oldest recordings so unless you drive on for hours with the camera running it should not be a problem. Another thing is that I had problems with my camera that it stopped recording as it stopped recording because it didn’t record over the old recordings, this was because the memory card was not up to standard, I went and bought a Nextgen memory card specifically designed for dash cams, and it seems to work fine now. Magnus Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phil H 4 Posted February 9, 2021 Report Share Posted February 9, 2021 Hi Richard, Just looking at your April 2020 post and have a question regarding the USB outlet socket you used. Where did you site it? I was looking at using the ashtray aperture to connect a mirror cam and a rear view wirless camera but would be interested to know how you wired yours. Thanks Phil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark69 Posted February 9, 2021 Report Share Posted February 9, 2021 2 hours ago, Phil H 4 said: Hi Richard, Just looking at your April 2020 post and have a question regarding the USB outlet socket you used. Where did you site it? I was looking at using the ashtray aperture to connect a mirror cam and a rear view wirless camera but would be interested to know how you wired yours. Thanks Phil Hi Phil, I purchased one of these from Amazon, wired it up to a radio feed I had fitted into the loom with an inline fuse. Drilled a hole in the ash tray and fed the two usb ends in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark69 Posted February 9, 2021 Report Share Posted February 9, 2021 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phil H 4 Posted February 10, 2021 Report Share Posted February 10, 2021 Hi Mark, Thanks for the link. Phil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CP26309 Posted February 15, 2021 Report Share Posted February 15, 2021 During the Summer I made a simple removable Wooden A frame and cross bar behind the seats (Bit like a roll bar) to which I fit my rechargeable bicycle video camera. It films me at the wheel and the entire dash and the road ahead. It continues to film when I park up and it's quite fun to see who looks at the car and what they say while I'm in shop. To avoid wind noise I have an external Mic which exits the boot lid and is attached to the rear tail light just above the exhaust...cos that's all I wanna to hear! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phil H 4 Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Outlets in, just need to decide on what sort of camera. I'm looking for a front and rear set up but don't know what's better: A camera stuck to the windscreen or a mirror cam using the rear view camera as permanent rear view. Suggestion appreciated. Thanks Phi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Neil T Posted March 16, 2021 Report Share Posted March 16, 2021 (edited) Hello Austin, I have a Garmin 55 that I have owned for a few years now. So far so good with it. Also has speed camera warnings activated (just in case!). The Cam is hard wired into the TR6 (using the ignition switch) and also my BMW, so I can just simply remove the Cam from one car to the other. In the TR, the Cam is situated behind the rear view mirror with all the wiring tucked into and under the chrome finisher on top of my windscreen. The only bit of wire showing is the small bit dangling down from the side of the rear view mirror. The wiring in both cars is the correct Garmin wiring so that everything is compatible. The Cam is wired so that it only comes on when the ignition is switched on. Only thing to remember is to take it out the other car when going for a spin in the TR ! Edited April 11, 2021 by Neil T Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phil H 4 Posted March 16, 2021 Report Share Posted March 16, 2021 That’s Neil, I’ll have a look at the Garmin. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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