In car CCTV

[JonnyP]

I have just read the fred where the chap had his puma written off in what he thought was an insurance scam :0(
So this is a heads-up on a very good tool that will help you in any not at fault accident. I found out about theses cameras on the Landyzone forum where some guy recommended them, so I bought me one. It goes everywhere with me now, and I recorded someone coming at me on my side of the dual carrageway, including all my swearing as I nearly had a head on lol.

This is twenty quid well spent imo.. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270851001986?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You do need to buy an sd card, but they are cheap.
I do not know the buyer etc. Just a happy customer. These are very good cameras (but the sound isn't too good on mine, but thats not needed)

 

[red]

What type of memory card do you use in it?

A Micro SDHC?

 

[Frocat]

If you have an android phone you can use some free apps like DailyRoads Voyager or AutoBoy Blackbox with a windscreen mount to make your phone into a dashcam. I assume there's probably something similar available for iPhone as well. You can set the maximum allotted video space and it will just replace the oldest videos with the new ones when that space is full to prevent filling up your phone with dashcam videos.

I used this everywhere I drove for my first year of driving since my insurance was so expensive. I've not been using it recently however because I've been running the Torque app on my phone to make it into a digital speedometer.

 

[hotrodspike]

What type of memory card do you use in it?

A Micro SDHC?

According to the details, it's just a normal SD card upto 32Gb.

Maplins are selling the same unit for £59.99

 

[JonnyP]

I was using a 2 gig micro sd (with adapter) out of my old phone, but I got me a normal sized 8 gig sd card in it now.

 

[red]

How long does that store? Do you keep it running all the time?

 

[JonnyP]

How long does that store? Do you keep it running all the time?

Dunno, it should do a few hours, but when the sd card gets full, it just starts recording from the start again. It records in 15 minute time slots too, so its easier to find stuff.
I would stick up a demo vid if I knew how to edit them.
In my land rover, the camera turned on and off automatically because the cigarette lighter thingy turned off when I turned the engine off. Its a bit annoying in the puma cos the cigarette lighter is always on, so I have to remember to unplug the camera when I turn the cars engine off. I might rewire it permanently.

 

[red]

Cool, I put one on order to see what they're about :grin:

Just need to buy a suitable SD card

 

[warrenpenalver]

Ive had a camera in the car for a couple of years now.

Give it a few years and it will be compulsory as far as insurance goes if you want a decent quote. They are already on almost all public service vehicles and many big business fleets. Very popular in the USA with insurance companies.

 

[JoeB1]

Not to mention places like Russia...where they're pretty much a necessity for insurance claims. I agree it'll soon become the norm in the UK too.

A lot of them are very bulky and distracting though. Try to get one without a screen.

 

[Dal]

If you use one when it's dark and wait for some car to get behind you speeding - pulling the screen down to show you're videoing it doesn't half make them slow down k:

Or it might be that they see a flash of the orange and think it's battenburg; and then clock the screen and think I'm the plod..lol

 

[JonnyP]

Not to mention places like Russia...where they're pretty much a necessity for insurance claims. I agree it'll soon become the norm in the UK too.

A lot of them are very bulky and distracting though. Try to get one without a screen.

The screen flips up and down on the one in the link. Its not too bulky either.

 

[JQ.]

If you have an android phone you can use some free apps like DailyRoads Voyager or AutoBoy Blackbox with a windscreen mount to make your phone into a dashcam. I assume there's probably something similar available for iPhone as well. You can set the maximum allotted video space and it will just replace the oldest videos with the new ones when that space is full to prevent filling up your phone with dashcam videos.

I used this everywhere I drove for my first year of driving since my insurance was so expensive. I've not been using it recently however because I've been running the Torque app on my phone to make it into a digital speedometer.

. . . and that's the problem with the phone app ones - you need to do it every time you get in your car, even when only nipping round the corner to the shops. As I guarantee the one time you need it is the one time you've not set it up. I couldn't be bothered with that, which is why I do fancy the Ebay ones - once they're set up you never need to think about them again until they're needed, which in reality could be in 2 years time.