Best Dash Cam

[jimothy]

I removed the third brake light which gave me easy access to the space above the headliner. I then used a flexible fish tape which I pushed through the third brake light mounting hole to the driver's side A pillar. I attached the cable to the fish tape and pulled it through to the rear window leaving enough slack to run the cable across the front of the headliner to the the front camera. There was a lot of spare cable at the back, I coiled it up and secured it with a zip tie. There was plenty of room for the coil of spare cable above the rear end of the head liner. I used a bent bracket from The Dash Cam Store to mount the camera in the center of the rear window without interfering with the sliding center section.

I hope this provides you with the detail that you requested.

Yes, thank you. I might look into the bracket, too. I’ve got a different camera (Thinkware U100), but the rear camera has a similar shape. I mounted it off center to avoid sliding window interference, but the bracket might be better.

 

[jefferyrw]

Yes, thank you. I might look into the bracket, too. I’ve got a different camera (Thinkware U100), but the rear camera has a similar shape. I mounted it off center to avoid sliding window interference, but the bracket might be better.

It is not very fancy or anything but here is photo of the rear camera on the bent bracket from The Dash Store. I have tan/brown interior and they had a closely matching color bracket. I don't recall which colors that have the bracket in but it could be easily be painted to match if they don't have one the matches your interior.

 

[securityguy]

View attachment 104158
It is not very fancy or anything but here is photo of the rear camera on the bent bracket from The Dash Store. I have tan/brown interior and they had a closely matching color bracket. I don't recall which colors that have the bracket in but it could be easily be painted to match if they don't have one the matches your interior.

Looks nice, but it appears that the camera needs to be adjusted down another few degrees. Looks to me like it is tilting up based on the side mounted LED position but I could be wrong

 

[jefferyrw]

Looks nice, but it appears that the camera needs to be adjusted down another few degrees. Looks to me like it is tilting up based on the side mounted LED position but I could be wrong

As it is currently aimed, it gets the last half of the bed cover. About >2/3 of the image is behind the truck with <1/3 is the bed cover with a few feet to each side of the bed. When I look at some real video I may do as you suggest and aim it down a bit to include more of the sides of the truck bed.

 

[nc_beagle]

Assuming these cameras can be or are powered by USB cords, I wish the rear view mirror could be a power source for them. Would eliminate routing a cable. Put a plug on the back of the mirror.

 

[jefferyrw]

Assuming these cameras can be or are powered by USB cords, I wish the rear view mirror could be a power source for them. Would eliminate routing a cable. Put a plug on the back of the mirror.

There may be some dash cameras that can be powered from USB (5 VDC) but mine and most that I have looked at use 12 volts. @securityguy may have some better insight into this as he has experience with many dash cams from various manufacturers.

 

[securityguy]

Assuming these cameras can be or are powered by USB cords, I wish the rear view mirror could be a power source for them. Would eliminate routing a cable. Put a plug on the back of the mirror.

I will respond in this way...most all "cheap" dash cams will use a 5V USB connection. The upper tier cameras do not. I, as a professional installer, do NOT recommend using wire taps to the rear view mirror. It is so frickin' easy to run wires in these trucks, just spend another 5-10 minutes and do it right! If you are going to buy a "cheap" camera, stick with VIOFO. Just my 2 cents.

 

[nc_beagle]

I will respond in this way...most all "cheap" dash cams will use a 5V USB connection. The upper tier cameras do not. I, as a professional installer, do NOT recommend using wire taps to the rear view mirror. It is so frickin' easy to run wires in these trucks, just spend another 5-10 minutes and do it right! If you are going to buy a "cheap" camera, stick with VIOFO. Just my 2 cents.

I'll yield to your expertise, though I would like to be able to move it from car to car. Is that an issue if its wired the way you describe?

 

[securityguy]

I'll yield to your expertise, though I would like to be able to move it from car to car. Is that an issue if its wired the way you describe?

You can install a hardwired kit and mount in multiple vehicles and still move it around.

 

[Cliffrunner88]

View attachment 104158
It is not very fancy or anything but here is photo of the rear camera on the bent bracket from The Dash Store. I have tan/brown interior and they had a closely matching color bracket. I don't recall which colors that have the bracket in but it could be easily be painted to match if they don't have one the matches your interior.

Installed this way (well do you have a sunroof?) if you open the sunroof and back window, or all the windows, does the camera shake in the wind or is the bracket pretty stout?

 

[jefferyrw]

Installed this way (well do you have a sunroof?) if you open the sunroof and back window, or all the windows, does the camera shake in the wind or is the bracket pretty stout?

I don't have a sunroof and have not driven with the back window open. The bracket is quite stiff so I would think it would be OK. I will try to check that out and get back to you.

 

[jimothy]

I used a bent bracket from The Dash Cam Store to mount the camera in the center of the rear window without interfering with the sliding center section.

Did you order the regular length or short length for the bracket?

 

[jefferyrw]

Did you order the regular length or short length for the bracket?

I have the regular length and it is just right.

 

[Lungs414]

I have the regular length and it is just right.

Just got the bracket, any tips to install it. The roof panel seems pretty stiff.

 

[Efriday]

I have a DR750X-2CH Plus camera that I want to use with the Wi-Fi Hotspot in my 1500 RAM Longhorn. I know the AT&T Hotspot is active because I can use it on my phone and laptop computer. The DR750X-2CH Plus camera doesn't ever see the RAM Hotspot - not listed by the camera as an available network. The Network Analyzer app on my phone shows the RAM Hotspot as existing at 5 GHz, not 2.4 GHz.
Telephone "Help" from Pitasoft suggested there was a way to change the RAM Hotspot freq to 2.4 GHz . Doesn't seem likely. Anyone know of any way to do this?

 

[dmcfadden2]

SHOUT OUT TO @securityguy
Larry is extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. I live in Omaha, Nebraska and when I purchased my blackvue dash cams, I reached out to him on this site to understand the hard wiring of the cameras.
I printed off his instructions and took the truck to a stereo shop for the install and gave them the instructions.
The cameras did not work as supposed to when they were done. I asked them if they followed the instructions provided. They said that they know how to install cameras and that they did it right.
While on vacation in Florida several months later, I reached back out to @security guy to see where he was at in florida and asked him if he had Time to look at the install.
He was about 125 miles from where I was staying and asked if I could bring it to his house that weekend.
Took it there and he spent 6 hours on it to do it right.
He had to basically undo everything that they had done and re run all the wiring. They had wires running in front of the airbags and all.
He is a very generous, knowledgeable, friendly guy.
The cameras are working how they are supposed to now even in park mode.
My only regret is that I could not pay him more money, because he certainly earned it.
Once again Larry, thanks for everything you did to get them working correctly.
Dan

 

[securityguy]

SHOUT OUT TO @securityguy
Larry is extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. I live in Omaha, Nebraska and when I purchased my blackvue dash cams, I reached out to him on this site to understand the hard wiring of the cameras.
I printed off his instructions and took the truck to a stereo shop for the install and gave them the instructions.
The cameras did not work as supposed to when they were done. I asked them if they followed the instructions provided. They said that they know how to install cameras and that they did it right.
While on vacation in Florida several months later, I reached back out to @security guy to see where he was at in florida and asked him if he had Time to look at the install.
He was about 125 miles from where I was staying and asked if I could bring it to his house that weekend.
Took it there and he spent 6 hours on it to do it right.
He had to basically undo everything that they had done and re run all the wiring. They had wires running in front of the airbags and all.
He is a very generous, knowledgeable, friendly guy.
The cameras are working how they are supposed to now even in park mode.
My only regret is that I could not pay him more money, because he certainly earned it.
Once again Larry, thanks for everything you did to get them working correctly.
Dan

WOW!!! Thanks for the shout out Dan! It was great meeting you as well and I was happy I could help get this done right. Enjoy my friend and stay safe around the holidays!

 

[Crawpapa]

Does anyone have experience with the Rexing V1P 4K? This looks to have so many options that the much more expensive BlackVue has at half the cost.

 

[securityguy]

Does anyone have experience with the Rexing V1P 4K? This looks to have so many options that the much more expensive BlackVue has at half the cost.

Don't buy the Rexing. If you are looking to save money, buy the VIOFO A129 Pro. It's a "good" quality camera (I installed this in my daughters SUV to test it out). However, the quality is nothing like the Blackvue. It is a great camera for the money. You bought a very nice truck, don't buy a POS camera

VIOFO A129 PRO Duo | 4K Front and Rear Dash Cam w/ GPS & WiFi

New VIOFO A129 PRO Duo: 4K dual channel dashcam for front + rear recording. WiFi, GPS built-in. Optional Bluetooth Remote, Buffered Parking Mode, etc.

www.thedashcamstore.com

 

[MileHi Guy]

I'm looking to get a blackvue - the model that securityguy mentioned a couple months back. Does anyone know if there are any sites have "black Friday" deals this year?