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Vehicle camera

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Offline nprecon

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Vehicle camera
« on: June 26, 2015, 11:12:18 PM »
I wanted a vehicle camera that I could capture some trail driving and other driving vids with.   I looked at quite a few.  I discounted the Go Pro and their clones type cameras because they all had internal batteries which of course made them portable, but also made them more susceptible to high heat temp degradation which occurs inside a vehicle pretty regularly.  Plus their batteries eventually bite the dust as well and I didn't want the hassle.  For my application, I have no intention of using it for other mobile purposes.   If this camera is ever under water then my truck would be under water too so I went with a camera with a capacitor in it that was powered by the vehicle battery.

So I went with this model.  Video resolution appears to be very good, 32 Gig micro Sd storage, it has video looping or you can tag video segments and it will save it and prevent deleting/overwriting and lastly the price was decent.  30 day return and a 90 day warranty.  I don't expect it to last a life time.  If I get a year or two of service out of it, I'll be a happy camper.

http://www.spytecinc.com/a118-c-1080p-hd-dash-camera-w-capacitor.html

If I need or want to remote the camera (for some reason), I think I can hook it up to my NOCO Genius boost battery (pac) charger and run it that way.

This model also has the ability to add a GPS antennae to it so your video and pics will have location/time tags on it.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2015, 11:15:03 PM by nprecon »
'02 Chezuki Tracker with a 2 Liter and 5spd.  It works for me!!!

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Offline beagle..t

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Re: Vehicle camera
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2015, 07:31:27 AM »
cheap price, now you just have to mount it and show some vids 
new rig aka "the mule" 2002 tracker
V6 swap auto  ,2 dr ,2" BL,2" jeffs kit 512 gears warn hubs and 30/9.5/15 BFG AT

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Offline fordem

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Re: Vehicle camera
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2015, 11:52:10 AM »
That is pretty neat - I like the form factor, & especially that GPS speed stamp feature - let us know how it works, I might get myself a couple.

One of the issues we have here is cops on the roadside with handheld speed radar - they neglect to reset the gun and then pull you before and tell you you were speeding when you weren't.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2015, 12:06:21 PM by fordem »
'98 SQ420 Grand Vitara
'05 JB420 Grand Vitara
'16 APK416 Vitara
'21 A6G415 Jimny

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Offline nprecon

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Re: Vehicle camera
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2015, 12:27:24 PM »
That is pretty neat - I like the form factor, & especially that GPS speed stamp feature - let us know how it works, I might get myself a couple.

One of the issues we have here is cops on the roadside with handheld speed radar - they neglect to reset the gun and then pull you before and tell you you were speeding when you weren't.

Catching vehicle events was a tertiary reason for me buying the camera too.  The GPS feature would definitely help correct the outcome in court if it came to that.  I had also considered the mini with dual cams so one could be oriented forward and the other positioned where ever else I would want or need it to be.  But, I settled on this one after reading info on issues associated with battery operated vehicle cameras, PLUS I wasn't interested in putting a lot of money into the camera for my primary intended purpose.  The video looping feature is useful and a 32 Gig mini Sd card would hold a day+ worth of video, I think.

A guy on zuwharrie provided me this link today.  It appears the camera I bought is rated about #2 on the 2015 list.  Decent "bang for the buck".  I may yet purchase the GPS module for it.   The cost on it was right at $20.

https://dashcamtalk.com/

For the cost of these cameras, one could buy two and mount both inside their vehicle as well, I guess.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2015, 12:30:20 PM by nprecon »
'02 Chezuki Tracker with a 2 Liter and 5spd.  It works for me!!!

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Offline fordem

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Re: Vehicle camera
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2015, 12:38:30 PM »
I'm looking at them on Amazon right now, you can get it from SpyTec through Amazon at the same price (I tend to do business through Amazon marketplace or PayPal to reduce the number of companies who have access to my CC details), as well as a few other vendors.
'98 SQ420 Grand Vitara
'05 JB420 Grand Vitara
'16 APK416 Vitara
'21 A6G415 Jimny

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Offline nprecon

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Re: Vehicle camera
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2015, 06:39:47 PM »
I now have the camera mounted in my truck and have been cruising with it.  The video quality is excellent and it picks up sounds very well too.  It captures video at dusk pretty good, but after the sun sets and it loses ambient light sources, it can only capture out to the limits of the head lights, which is expected, because it doesn't have IR illumination.  Even if it did, the IR illumination wouldn't be powerful enough to reach out any significant distance beyond the hood at night.

I simply unplug it from the vehicle power adapter cord, slide it out of its window mount, plug in the small jump cord that came with it and then plug the USB attachment end into my IBM computer and it automatically recognized the USB.  I open the files as normal and copy to my laptop or just watch them... and erase whatever videos I want to watch and save to my computer or erase from the micro disk.  When I have my Panasonic Toughbook in the truck, I can download the video files in seconds and I can watch what ever recorded video files I want to.

The "save" function works flawlessy too.  You simply push a button to "lock" any recent video footage you want to (like right after an accident... or police pulling you over, or a great scenery or event) and the locked files are automatically stored in separately marked files so you can't easily confuse them or mix them up with the other video files.

The only issue I haven't resolved (yet) is changing the date/time stamp to reflect real time on the video.

Beyond that little issue, it is a great little camera and well worth the price.  You can't hardly see it mounted in the window even if you KNOW it is there.  The audio will easily pick up any conversations you happen to have with someone standing outside your driver's door.... ?  It picks up everything inside the truck as well, to include slight engine exhaust sounds.  It is easy to hear normal conversations during play back, even when driving.

It captures video in short file segments (maybe three or four minutes each?). Once the video file you are watching ends, you click on the next video file and it picks right back up where the last video left off.. WITH a couple seconds of footage overlap so it is virtually seamless.

A good little camera with very good resolution and video file saving software.  For the cost, I'd give it two thumbs up.
'02 Chezuki Tracker with a 2 Liter and 5spd.  It works for me!!!