Dashcam setups (cheap)
 

If anyone is using a dashcam, I'd love to see the setup, as well as the device you as using.

I'm in the process of [probably] adding one myself, and want to keep it cheap and effective.

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

... unless you're trying to replace or augment an existing mirror with a camera. ;)

Are you trying to replace rear view mirrors, or are you looking for forward-looking video capture and storage?

I'm sorry, I should have been more clear. I want to capture forward-facing footage of my 15-20 minute commute.

I believe Arrongonis(sp) is using one. If you are looking for a cheap one check out Techmoan on Youtube or his blog Techmoan - Techmoan he does great reviews.

Kirk

As soon as my car gets out of the shop, I'll take pictures of the mounting hardware & camera setup. It's nothing fancy - once you see the parts, you can figure out what it looks like. :)


Camera:
JVC Everio HD
from the local Walmart ~$140
(separate 32GB SDHC flash & a larger JVC 14Wh battery pack [BN-VG138U; 3750mAh] bought online, somewhere)


Dash mounting parts from Ram-Mount:

1" Ball with 1/4"-20 Male Thread
Product Number: RAM-B-237U
Your Price: $8.19

Double Socket Arm for 1" Ball Bases
Product Number: RAM-B-201U
Your Price: $13.31

1.5" x 2" Rectangle Base with 1" Ball
Product Number: RAM-B-202U-152
Your Price: $20.43


Acquired from Home Depot:
Toggle Bolts
Drill bit for tile

An Iphone4. Cost = $0 for video (already had one). $15 and you can get Harry's Lap Timer, which will allow you to datalog OBD2 information alongside/overlayed on the video using a PLX OBD Wifi (PLX Kiwi Wifi - Connect your iPhone / iPod Touch to your car's OBD2 OBDII Port.).

example: (not me) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5O0rDuHDZA

The data can also be exported for analysis.

There is a similar app for Android phones.

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

http://www.mobilesandeverything.co.u...scam_side1.jpg

Sometimes these come in a tube design but the insides are the same.

http://mall.bfewww.com/bfepics/fast2.../T2409/4-1.jpg

They record onto Micro SD cards and can take 8GB ones easily - but the film is split into 500MB segments. When the card is full the oldest is deleted to make room. I've recorded an hour or so on a card and had room left over.

Downsides ? The mountings are usually cr@p - the suction cup fails very quickly. Secondly the batteries are hit and miss, they usually fail after a couple of months completely. Finally the tube ones have a metal case with a glass cover at the front which rattles making the sound useless.

I've now switched to using my phone. Work was kind enough to get me a new Samsung Galaxy S2 (although I understand there is an inferior Apple alternative also available :D). I added a windscreen mount like this

http://www.ultimate-mobiles.co.uk/li.../gallery/1.jpg

which has a slot for the camera. The flexible mount allows you to put it where you like and it can be bent as well, mine is behind the rear view mirror so it doesn't take any windscreen space.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-ar...3474-mount.jpg

The little blob of blu-tak stops it shaking. The phone also takes the Micro SD cards I got for the other cameras and I can get an hour's journey onto a card in HD. Here is a short test so you can see the quality - I put the SG2 into the shot as well. If you select 1080p on youtube you can see the SG2 figures very clearly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bm4Ue_1fzo

Hope this helps.

Torque for Android comes in free and paid versions - there is a thread on it somewhere.

I got one of those ELM (?) OBDII adaptors as well for £6 - the usually cost £10-15. The Torque WIKI says they may work but for £6 I got 2 just in case.

Both worked and I sold one on for what I paid for it, and actually also the second one - I didn't get into Torque that much because there were issues about turning the engine off at lights and having the app come back on automatically etc.

It is still installed though and I think (I haven't tried it - yet) it can record position / time via GPS without being connected to the car so you can combine the video and a map from Google - might try this at some point.