Best Dash Cam

[HSKR R/T]

Curious if anyone has any experience or reviews of a Rexing M1 dash cam. My wife bought it for me for Christmas a couple of years ago and I never took it out of the box but am considering using it now. Or am I wasting my time with it?

I have read through some of the other posts in this thread and frankly, y'all have some pretty fancy dash cam's. All I want one to do is record all the time so that I don't have to worry about hitting a button to start recording before an accident happens, and to record great quality video.

The Rexing M1 I have here says it records in 1296p, has the rear camera to mount that apparently feeds video to the rearview mirror.

Thanks for any info and guidance!

Not that specific one, but I have a similar one I use in my work van, and had one in my old Dodge Magnum that I left in the car. It works, I have used the video from it a couples times due to incidents in work van.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

So came to my truck this morning, started it up and the Viofo started to tell me "Insert SD card."

I reached over thinking I just needed to re-seat the card, but it was GONE. I thought for a second the truck was broken into, but with everything still there, who the hell would steal JUST the SD card out of the camera, especially when I had some expensive photography equipment in the truck.

Well, I grabbed another SD card, stuck it into the camera and it would 'click' but it wouldn't actually lock into the camera, I realized a piece inside the camera must've broken over Saturday and it decided to yeet the original SD card from the slot and across the dash. Sure enough, I found the SD card teetering on the windshield defrost vent. I should've grabbed a piece of sticky tape, but I ended up knocking it down inside and it will forever be inside my AC ducts.

I submitted a warranty claim. I think I'm going to have to rig something up to hold the card in. I leave for 2 weeks on Wednesday and I really need a working camera for my 2000mi journey.

I think I'm going to cancel parking mode, it's just too much heat generated when the truck is parked.

 

[Darksteel165]

So came to my truck this morning, started it up and the Viofo started to tell me "Insert SD card."

I reached over thinking I just needed to re-seat the card, but it was GONE. I thought for a second the truck was broken into, but with everything still there, who the hell would steal JUST the SD card out of the camera, especially when I had some expensive photography equipment in the truck.

Well, I grabbed another SD card, stuck it into the camera and it would 'click' but it wouldn't actually lock into the camera, I realized a piece inside the camera must've broken over Saturday and it decided to yeet the original SD card from the slot and across the dash. Sure enough, I found the SD card teetering on the windshield defrost vent. I should've grabbed a piece of sticky tape, but I ended up knocking it down inside and it will forever be inside my AC ducts.

I submitted a warranty claim. I think I'm going to have to rig something up to hold the card in. I leave for 2 weeks on Wednesday and I really need a working camera for my 2000mi journey.

I think I'm going to cancel parking mode, it's just too much heat generated when the truck is parked.

duct tape

 

[securityguy]

So came to my truck this morning, started it up and the Viofo started to tell me "Insert SD card."

I reached over thinking I just needed to re-seat the card, but it was GONE. I thought for a second the truck was broken into, but with everything still there, who the hell would steal JUST the SD card out of the camera, especially when I had some expensive photography equipment in the truck.

Well, I grabbed another SD card, stuck it into the camera and it would 'click' but it wouldn't actually lock into the camera, I realized a piece inside the camera must've broken over Saturday and it decided to yeet the original SD card from the slot and across the dash. Sure enough, I found the SD card teetering on the windshield defrost vent. I should've grabbed a piece of sticky tape, but I ended up knocking it down inside and it will forever be inside my AC ducts.

I submitted a warranty claim. I think I'm going to have to rig something up to hold the card in. I leave for 2 weeks on Wednesday and I really need a working camera for my 2000mi journey.

I think I'm going to cancel parking mode, it's just too much heat generated when the truck is parked.

Heat should have nothing to do with your SD card remaining in its slot. I highly recommend not canceling your Parking Mode...heat should never be a factor.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

duct tape

Something like that. They'll honor my warranty, but I'm about to go on vacation, so I don't have time to go through the whole process of RMA until I return. I contacted them and they told me they'll keep the ticket open.

Heat should have nothing to do with your SD card remaining in its slot. I highly recommend not canceling your Parking Mode...heat should never be a factor.

There's a lot of little components in there, unfortunately, the SD won't stay locked into place.

As far as heat in parking mode. I live in Florida. Even with the windows cracked, the inside of the car is ridiculously hot, plus the camera is getting hit directly from the sun, plus it's generating a little heat on its own. After a few hours, it's simply heat-soaked and I wouldn't put it past a tiny component to warp or break from the heat. Even without parking mode, I can't touch the unit when it's been in the sun.

I have no trouble using the camera when the AC is running.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

Oh, I did end up finding the memory card that launched out. It was down in the defroster vent. A small endoscope cam and some double-sticky tape got it out.

 

[securityguy]

Something like that. They'll honor my warranty, but I'm about to go on vacation, so I don't have time to go through the whole process of RMA until I return. I contacted them and they told me they'll keep the ticket open.

There's a lot of little components in there, unfortunately, the SD won't stay locked into place.

As far as heat in parking mode. I live in Florida. Even with the windows cracked, the inside of the car is ridiculously hot, plus the camera is getting hit directly from the sun, plus it's generating a little heat on its own. After a few hours, it's simply heat-soaked and I wouldn't put it past a tiny component to warp or break from the heat. Even without parking mode, I can't touch the unit when it's been in the sun.

I have no trouble using the camera when the AC is running.

I live in FL too. And with a good quality dash cam, you would not experience these problems

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

I live in FL too. And with a good quality dash cam, you would not experience these problems

I still question how hot I'm willing to let an electronic device get and heat-soak. Not just quality.

I'll check how hot things get this afternoon.

 

[securityguy]

I still question how hot I'm willing to let an electronic device get and heat-soak. Not just quality.

I'll check how hot things get this afternoon.

I have been using and installing Blackvue cameras since I arrived in FL 6 years ago. Never a failure and the heat is extreme as we both know. All four of my vehicles are not garaged and sit in the baking sun all day long. A quality designed electronic device made for vehicle applications should not have heat-soak as an issue...just sayin

 

[c3k]

@securityguy

Great thread, and your contributions are awesome.

Here are my questions:
I'm going to grab a Blackvue 750x Plus 2ch (yeah, I know I butchered their nomenclature, lol). The upgraded 750 with front and rear cameras.

1. I park for extended periods of time. How long does park mode work before the voltage sensor cuts out the camera? I understand there are two settings, 12.0v or 12.5v. 12.5v seems a bit high of a cutoff for a vehicle battery. I'd like to have reliable parking monitoring for ~ a week at a time.

2. With the "Plus" model, (related to above), is the PMP external module required/suggested? What does the PMP module do that the camera does not do?

Thanks!

 

[securityguy]

@securityguy

Great thread, and your contributions are awesome.

Here are my questions:
I'm going to grab a Blackvue 750x Plus 2ch (yeah, I know I butchered their nomenclature, lol). The upgraded 750 with front and rear cameras.

1. I park for extended periods of time. How long does park mode work before the voltage sensor cuts out the camera? I understand there are two settings, 12.0v or 12.5v. 12.5v seems a bit high of a cutoff for a vehicle battery. I'd like to have reliable parking monitoring for ~ a week at a time.

2. With the "Plus" model, (related to above), is the PMP external module required/suggested? What does the PMP module do that the camera does not do?

Thanks!

Thanks my friend!

1. You can actually set various voltages for Parking Mode shut-off directly in the Blackvue app. I suggest that RAM owners set their PM to 12.0-12.2. Setting it higher can cause PM to not function as the battery level drops to 12.5 +/- after the vehicles shut-off. You will get, at most, maybe a full 2 days of PM if running off your vehicle battery. If you want extended PM time, you need to look at external battery packs like this one BlackVue B-124X Ultra Battery Pack

2. You do not need a PMP with the Plus model. The PMP is built into the camera itself which is the beauty of this camera along with several other features like 60fps and an upgraded Sony Starvis Sensor. The camera gives your far more voltage parameters than the PMP so a much better design as well

I hope this answered your questions and feel free to ping me any time or call my cell.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

I have been using and installing Blackvue cameras since I arrived in FL 6 years ago. Never a failure and the heat is extreme as we both know. All four of my vehicles are not garaged and sit in the baking sun all day long. A quality designed electronic device made for vehicle applications should not have heat-soak as an issue...just sayin

With parking mode?

I've lived in FL all my life, I've always had a radar detector and I started using dash cams when they started getting popular (2015). Knowing how things get while just soaking in the glass, I haven't had any issues, either. Everything would start right up as soon as I enter the car and turn the key, even if they were all too hot to touch. The A139 is no different, works just fine, even after a full day in the sun. When I turn on the car and everything powers up, the devices stay cool because I have the AC on.

The problem is parking mode.
I'm running the unit, recording 3 channels of HD video, which generates its own heat. Meanwhile, it's soaking in direct sunlight and the interior of the vehicle is a good 120°+. There's nowhere for the heat to dissipate. It gets fukkin hot.

How hot you ask?
Well, I decided to measure the surface of my radar detector and the surface of my dash cam in the middle of the afternoon with everything off. I was using a Fluke 62 Max.
They were around 140-145°F, pure sunlight, powered off.

With parking mode enabled, as expected, the unit climbed and shut down somewhere around 185°F.
I wouldn't say that's a quality issue, that's physics. The baseline is 145°F with everything off. Of course the unit is going to get hot when it's processing and recording that much data.

If I put a smartphone on the dashboard while it was running apps, it would do the same thing.

 

[securityguy]

With parking mode?

I've lived in FL all my life, I've always had a radar detector and I started using dash cams when they started getting popular (2015). Knowing how things get while just soaking in the glass, I haven't had any issues, either. Everything would start right up as soon as I enter the car and turn the key, even if they were all too hot to touch. The A139 is no different, works just fine, even after a full day in the sun. When I turn on the car and everything powers up, the devices stay cool because I have the AC on.

The problem is parking mode.
I'm running the unit, recording 3 channels of HD video, which generates its own heat. Meanwhile, it's soaking in direct sunlight and the interior of the vehicle is a good 120°+. There's nowhere for the heat to dissipate. It gets fukkin hot.

How hot you ask?
Well, I decided to measure the surface of my radar detector and the surface of my dash cam in the middle of the afternoon with everything off. I was using a Fluke 62 Max.
They were around 140-145°F, pure sunlight, powered off.

With parking mode enabled, as expected, the unit climbed and shut down somewhere around 185°F.
I wouldn't say that's a quality issue, that's physics. The baseline is 145°F with everything off. Of course the unit is going to get hot when it's processing and recording that much data.

If I put a smartphone on the dashboard while it was running apps, it would do the same thing.

Believe what you want and I have no reason to lie to you, but I have a Blackvue dashcams in my personal vehicle and three more in my other vehicles along with a Uniden R7 and NEVER AN ISSUE with heat. I have also installed them for several neighbors and ZERO issues while running a Blackvue with Parking Mode. All have Parking Mode running and they will record for about 2 days or so without issue. Been using Blackvue cameras since I moved here 6 years ago...ZERO issues. My Uniden R3 was installed for a few years and then upgraded to an R7...ZERO issues!

 

[bigdodge]

want a laugh?

 

[securityguy]

want a laugh?

If you want a GREAT quality dash cam...for budget buyers, don't buy anything less than a VIOFO A129. If you're willing to invest more, get a Blackvue or Thinkware...nuf said!

 

[HSKR R/T]

I use the Viofo A119 in three of my cehicles

 

[HSKR R/T]

If you want a GREAT quality dash cam...for budget buyers, don't buy anything less than a VIOFO A129. If you're willing to invest more, get a Blackvue or Thinkware...nuf said!

Did you watch the video? The blackvur and thinkware he texted didn't have Any better video quality, and in some cases not as good, as the Viofo A119.

 

[securityguy]

Did you watch the video? The blackvur and thinkware he texted didn't have Any better video quality, and in some cases not as good, as the Viofo A119.

I did and that is just his opinion. I have installed hundreds of dash cams and have witnessed the VIOFO, Blackvue and Thinkware first hand and the quality of the camera, and the recorded video is indeed better. Buy what you want, like and can afford. The Blackvue and Thinkware are very high quality units. The VIOFO is a mid-range unit and lacks the overall quality of the others...nothing wrong with it as I installed a A129 Pro 4K in my daughters SUV as a test when it came out. Nice camera and solid picture quality, but the construction just isn't up to par with the BV and TW and the cabling is more difficult to run and camera placement is far more limited based on how the cables connect at the top of the unit versus the side. Just my 2 cents. Until you buy and install a BV or TW, you will never truly understand.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I did and that is just his opinion. I have installed hundreds of dash cams and have witnessed the VIOFO, Blackvue and Thinkware first hand and the quality of the camera, and the recorded video is indeed better. Buy what you want, like and can afford. The Blackvue and Thinkware are very high quality units. The VIOFO is a mid-range unit and lacks the overall quality of the others...nothing wrong with it as I installed a A129 Pro 4K in my daughters SUV as a test when it came out. Nice camera and solid picture quality, but the construction just isn't up to par with the BV and TW and the cabling is more difficult to run and camera placement is far more limited based on how the cables connect at the top of the unit versus the side. Just my 2 cents. Until you buy and install a BV or TW, you will never truly understand.

I'll stick with Viofo. If they all use the same Sony sensor, and basic chipset, there's nothing the more expensive cameras offer that would justify the higher cost, for me. As far as power cord placement, that's just personal opinion. I've installed cameras with the cord in the side and top, and unless they come with a 90 degree end in the cable, I prefer the connector on top when mounting at top of windshield. And 90 degree end on top is even nice. The VIOFO is nice if you get one with the gps unit as the power cord plug into that, and the camera mounts on the sensor. So you can remove the camera without having to mess with power cord.

 

[securityguy]

I'll stick with Viofo. If they all use the same Sony sensor, and basic chipset, there's nothing the more expensive cameras offer that would justify the higher cost, for me. As far as power cord placement, that's just personal opinion. I've installed cameras with the cord in the side and top, and unless they come with a 90 degree end in the cable, I prefer the connector on top when mounting at top of windshield. And 90 degree end on top is even nice. The VIOFO is nice if you get one with the gps unit as the power cord plug into that, and the camera mounts on the sensor. So you can remove the camera without having to mess with power cord.

Again...buy what you like and can afford. Nothing wrong with a VIOFO camera...they are very good for what they are. I strongly suggest folks stay away from most all other Amazon sold cameras and most are just junk. My suggestion to others is to spend the money, at a minimum, for a VIOFO, or look at www.thedashcamstore.com for others that may fit peoples needs if on a budget.