Dashcam setups (cheap)

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...except for the "180-degee phase-reversal", the common 'mirror' works well (wink,wink).

Except when you're being followed by one of the a**holes in the giant SUVs, now with two sets of headlights - one low, one high - that they refuse to dim.

Also for night driving, it'd be nice to have something with image enhancement to bring out things - like deer! - beyond the range of your headlights.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Also for night driving, it'd be nice to have something with image enhancement to bring out things - like deer! - beyond the range of your headlights.

Infrared flood lights would work. I'm not sure how one would make those aerodynamic.

UVA spotlights should work for lighting up street signs.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

Infrared flood lights would work. I'm not sure how one would make those aerodynamic.

Shouldn't need any added light, just image processing/intensification on the existing ambient light.

[Arragonis]

Just wearing night vision goggles may do that ?

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Shouldn't need any added light, just image processing/intensification on the existing ambient light.

I suppose it depends on where one is driving. 1am, no moon, up in the mountain; stars aren't enough (even with night vision goggles on) to see a deer on the side of the road. IR will light everything up for the camera, UV will light up the deer's eyes and signs for the driver.

[freakshoww]

I'm really thinking about it also, especially after this video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRC7RO2tOJQ

[Arctic Fox]

[Kodak]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

I have tried a few ideas with differing results. I started out with mini DVR cameras you can buy for about £10-20 on ebay - things like this

Thank you Arragonis - that's basically what I'm looking for. Just something real basic. Doesn't even need to be the highest quality.

Did you fare okay with the cheaper ones until you upgraded? I mean, even if they weren't great, did they do the job?

[Arragonis]

The cheapo cameras worked ok with the problems I listed - rattles from the case, the mounting and battery life. But for £5-15 a time they seemed worth the risk even if they don't work - its not worth sending them back at that price. The quality was OK - see my youtube entries for the shaky ones where I mounted the camera on the headrest using rubber bands.

If you can stretch to it I would go with the phone mount option - most mobiles can take reasonable videos and mountings are widely available together with chargers and memory cards - and blutak is a worldwide product...

Also it is dead easy for casual use, as in you don't have to mount / setup loads of stuff before you film - clip in the phone, set the camera off and drive.

Post back with your videos

[sheepdog 44]

I would like to resurrect this thread. I'm looking into getting a dashcam as it's probably the best thing you can have on the road for how cheap its become. I try to be very aware of my surroundings when i drive, as well as leaving a lot of room in front of me. But you can't trust everyone you see on the road no matter how well you try to avoid them. I know you can get police dashcams pretty cheap from law enforcement auctions. Well see how it goes, then i'll review whatever i buy here.