Looking 4 Dash Cam For My Car That Can See Plates

[crazyoildude]

I am looking for a dash cam that is reasonably priced and that can see license plates fairly easily. I also want it to be recording when i am driving for long periods. Anyone have one they can recommend under say $80.00
Any info would be great.

 

[bigdom]

Gopro

 

[EdwardC]

I use a Mobius keychain type action camera, it takes pretty good video and has all the options you'd need, like continuous recording and automatic recording on power up. And it's within your budget.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GT2B...1YAH0XPP8VXPX7K

I hid a wire in the headliner connected to a switched power line. It's attached behind the rear view mirror so I can't even see it while driving. I put one on the motorcycle when I ride as well.

I tried the G1W cameras, but they're much bigger, and I realized I have zero use for a screen on the camera.

 

[turtlevette]

Originally Posted By: bigdom
Gopro


no way, I'm not paying 400 for a camera. Ebay has tons of them starting around $20.

 

[wkcars]

Lots reviews on the web seems to point to G1W or G1W-C, seems decent and inexpensive.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: bigdom
Gopro


no way, I'm not paying 400 for a camera. Ebay has tons of them starting around $20.



you want a [censored] dash cam? It's that ONE TIME it would come in handy, and you find out that it has not been recording for the last two weeks.

I recommend a Road Hawk DC-2. Half the price of a GoPro, and reliable electronics.

You set it and forget it until you need it, that' the ideal, unless you're in Russia.

 

[mikered30]

https://dashcamtalk.com/

Lots of fake or counterfeit cameras out there. The $20 ebay ones are junk.

 

[spasm3]

can most of these cams be quickly adjusted to left or right views is needed? I.E. out the side of the car?

 

[KrisZ]

I don't know if I would want a $400 camera in my car. It's too easy for an average kid, strapped for some quick cash, to smash a window and grab the camera.
I prefer to leave nothing even remotely valuable in the car.

 

[MalfunctionProne]

.....like, Police use?

Or is this simply a car that records everything going on inside/around it? Audio and video? (*Like, for example, a video and audio-documented recording of a police stop and interaction?)

 

[MalfunctionProne]

http://reason.com/archives/2010/09/20/how-to-record-the-cops

 

[whip]

If you install a camera in your car, remember it can be used against you just as easily as it can be used against other parties.

 

[eljefino]

I got the one listed in here Xmas 2013:

http://jalopnik.com/this-is-the-mid-priced-dash-cam-you-should-buy-475625317

I've discarded the suction cup mount and run a 1/4" screw through my passenger sun visor to "permanently" mount it. Also hid the wire in the a-pillar trim to make it a neat install.

It has a wide angle lens, not quite fisheye, maybe 24mm equivalent. Great for catching traffic approaching from left or right. Will get a license plate when it's bumper to bumper.

Only issue I see is it loses time & date when I don't run the car. It's ignition switched and has some sort of internal battery to remember this stuff but it's flaky. If I "see something cool" I unplug it so the last file isn't overwritten. It uses file date logic to erase the last file, but all my files are Jan 1, 2010 or something.

I deliberately turned off sound so I'm not accused of "wiretapping" the po-po.

Sample vid:

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: bigdom
Gopro


no way, I'm not paying 400 for a camera. Ebay has tons of them starting around $20.



I have a number of these things. The cheap ones are universally awful.

The best one I have is a "Lukas Blackbox".

One thing to keep in mind, you absolutely need 1080P resolution (not simulated-upconversion, but actual sensor resolution) "IF" you want to read plates. The bigger the lens, the more expensive the sensor and the optics the better the unit will perform, especially in low light.

Surprisingly, you actually get what you pay for....

 

[cbear]

Originally Posted By: eljefino


I deliberately turned off sound so I'm not accused of "wiretapping" the po-po.


VERY important, depending on your state wiretapping laws.

 

[crazyoildude]

Absolutely not without a warrant and besides it is up to you if you want to keep it or erase it.

 

[MalfunctionProne]

Originally Posted By: cbear
Originally Posted By: eljefino


I deliberately turned off sound so I'm not accused of "wiretapping" the po-po.


VERY important, depending on your state wiretapping laws.


Though this is true, don't trust a police "misinterpretation" of said laws.

What whip said is also correct (*like in a speeding ticket case, for example.)

IIRC, there is also some question as to admissibility of the evidence...

I have been searching for a car some guy in I think Chicago or Detroit (? memory fails me) that could record and remotely store all video and audio in and a good pace behind the car, if police wanted to rip out things they thought were recording devices during a (presumably illegal) stop or attempt to search and/or sieze.

 

[MalfunctionProne]

I like this posted called HONORYOUROATH.