Dash Cam Long Term Use
- Thread starter Zee09
- Start date
I use it every single drive. If I am going out and leaving the car on a public street or parking lot, I keep it running by using a USB 20000 mAH battery pack that will keep my dash cam running for 24hrs. I thought it was a silly extravagance, until it caught someone dinging my door. I was able to make them pay with the video and audio evidence. Well worth the $150 I think I paid for it.
I have a carpuride clone (carplay screen) with a dashcam on the back. it has a rear one that i'm lazy to install. it works automatically so I dont even know its there until i need to pull data off the sd card. trying to live a simple life where possible with some kind of assurance.
If I didn't drive a different car nearly every day, I might have gotten one already. It would get pretty old pretty fast plugging and unplugging it for every drive. All cars sold the last five years have at least a rear camera if not a 360° setup. Why isn't there a recording function available? Would be more useful than most of the useless tech features manufacturers are installing these days.
I’m really not understanding how one can get tired of using them. Aside from hitting the power button once every two weeks to refresh the SD card, it’s turn the key and drive. 
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I need to get one for both of my cars. The level of driver has degraded significantly in my area. I almost t-boned a lady this morning who decided to run a red and try to turn left as I was going through the intersection. I don't care if I get sick of it, I need them.
Been using them since about 2012-2013. Have 2 mounted in the front and 1 rear facing. Saved my insurance rates twice. People are just driving angry these days. You can get decent ones for about $100. Dashcamtalk(dot)com is a great resource.
GF has one in her car, and turned her footage over to the PD after witnessing a fatal Motorcycle accident a few months back...
We have 2 Garmins. Hers is the small hard to see one that she leaves in her car all the time, it has no built in screen. I got the larger one with screen since I take mine out every time, it also has a wider lens. They upload to the Garmin cloud for 24 hours for free or you can pay for longer storage. I don't like the short recording time, I think it's like 30 seconds. 15 before and 15 after it senses a jolt. I really prefer my old android phone with a free app. Great full time recording and easy viewing. The Garmins have to have 12 volts to play back and hers can be a few steps to remember to get it to play on her phone. Sometimes I bring a power bank for that purpose. And if she can't remember how to play it back what good is it?
Propflux01
$100 Site Donor 2025
I have the small Garmin as well. It records on a minute by minute basis. Only thing I don't like about it is the red power light. Other than that, has been working flawless and is unobtrusive. I remove and reformat the SD card on it probably once every 2-3 months. If I get into an accident or need to show police the footage, I can remove the card and download it as needed.
How can you dl the card at the accident scene tho? A laptop? I'm gonna try another 12v to USB plug, hers is crap I think. The other day I noticed no power to the Garmin. Good thing
I didn't cover the red light like I thought about. It bugs me too.
I didn't cover the red light like I thought about. It bugs me too.
Bud_One
Site Donor 2025
I bought one with a capacitor power supply in it .. plugs up to a 12V outlet and it's been in my daily driver since 2015 .
$80 on Amazon
$80 on Amazon
Have you tried the Garmin Drive app?
Mine is hardwired, so when the car is on, the dash cam is on.
Owen Lucas
$100 Site Donor 2023
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I have front and rear cameras on our vehicles, I have even recorded footage that I uploaded to YT and presented here from the weird things I see on the road.
If you are using a dashcam make sure to use a high endurance SD card. These use MLC memory so they can be constantly written over and over again without degradation.
I once inspected a Porsche 911 that had a really clean setup. A small bullet camera half the size of a cigar in the upper passenger A pillar with a wire going underneath, I presume to a recorder in the trunk or under the seat. I didn't look around too much. The guy also had a LCD license plate cover that could black out the plate on the flip of a switch. I have a feeling this guy liked to drive fast.
If you are using a dashcam make sure to use a high endurance SD card. These use MLC memory so they can be constantly written over and over again without degradation.
I think this comes down to a legal / privacy issue with a lot of manufacturers. Tesla is doing it but maybe they are more confident with their legal standing. A few years ago Corvettes with a built in camera had it's usage turned off for the valet key in an vehicle update due to privacy issues. I mean, that's the best time to have a dash cam recording is when the valet key is used lol.
I once inspected a Porsche 911 that had a really clean setup. A small bullet camera half the size of a cigar in the upper passenger A pillar with a wire going underneath, I presume to a recorder in the trunk or under the seat. I didn't look around too much. The guy also had a LCD license plate cover that could black out the plate on the flip of a switch. I have a feeling this guy liked to drive fast.
How do you use 2 cams in the front?
I have a spare SD card that I can replace to preserve evidence. You don't want the footage being written over.
I had one just like this a few years ago. After 2 years the capacitor or battery in mine started swelling. It still worked but only when the car was on. I bought another one with a similar design as the low profile look is nice rather than having a camera hanging off the windshield, but that works too.
As a Garmin Dash Cam Live user I must say Garmins app is horrible. Great hardware, horrible software.
As someone stated above, the 15 seconds before, 15 seconds after thing is annoying. It should he customizable, or at least default to 30 seconds before and after.
I would not drive in 2023 without a dashcam. People are just too nuts.
I’ll be giving my old one (not a connected/smart one) to my partner for his car if he wants it when I find it.
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Me too. The Lexus is front and rear and my daily driver. My wife front only and she has to plug it in. If I drive the garage Queen I have to get my wife’s (I have another new in box).
True 4k front and 1080p rear. Today I would not be without. Rarely do I offload videos and just 3 min is 600 mb….
No ability to record parking as super capacitor, and I didn’t hard wire…
The front and rear has been as cheap as $119, and front only $109. The product imho is quality
https://a.co/d/9fO0ycK
Edit Ps for those who like things clean…where to mount. Lexus has a rain sensor already off center to passenger side, and with the gps, this is as high as it can go. But I still like it.
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Yes, it's ok. Short videos, wish that was adjustible. Will need a 12v source if car is disabled. The pay to play gets expensive if you wnat more cameras, longer save times.
I just installed my first dashcam a few weeks ago. Viofo A139 with front and separate rear cam. A hardwire kit lets it record for 30/60/90 etc minutes after I turn it off. There's too many idiots out there not paying any attention to what they are doing, and the cops/your insurance co aren't your friends. You need proof.
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