Dash Cameras

[Davie_GLA]

gaz1234 said:

What's the best way to fit the 801?

Take it no it the box. Stick mount to screen, attach camera, run cabke, drive.

Job done.

[GC8]

Enlightening.

[zcacogp]

Davie_GLA said:

This looks like it will do the job for hard wiring.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NUYUGKM/ref=wl_it_dp...

Edited by Davie_GLA on Wednesday 11th March 15:27

You don't need a kit for hard wiring. If you are reasonably practical you can take the cigarette lighter plug apart and use the little board from in there. Find a switched supply from your car (tap into the loom or take it straight out of the fuse box) and wire it in using some spade terminals and a soldering gun. If you are feeling posh you can package it all into a project box from Maplins but you could use the remains of the cigarette lighter plug case.


Oli.

[rich888]

zcacogp said:

Davie_GLA said:

This looks like it will do the job for hard wiring.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NUYUGKM/ref=wl_it_dp...

Edited by Davie_GLA on Wednesday 11th March 15:27

You don't need a kit for hard wiring. If you are reasonably practical you can take the cigarette lighter plug apart and use the little board from in there. Find a switched supply from your car (tap into the loom or take it straight out of the fuse box) and wire it in using some spade terminals and a soldering gun. If you are feeling posh you can package it all into a project box from Maplins but you could use the remains of the cigarette lighter plug case.


Oli.

Good comment, though one thing to bear in mind if you do wire it in directly to the fuse box so that it's always on, is that most hardwire kits detect low battery voltage and shut the dash cam down in the event that the battery voltage drops too low, rather than leaving you with a flat battery, this probably only affects dash cams set to motion-detect which may be recording video footage even when parked up.

[triple5]

zcacogp said:

You don't need a kit for hard wiring. If you are reasonably practical you can take the cigarette lighter plug apart and use the little board from in there. Find a switched supply from your car (tap into the loom or take it straight out of the fuse box) and wire it in using some spade terminals and a soldering gun. If you are feeling posh you can package it all into a project box from Maplins but you could use the remains of the cigarette lighter plug case.
Oli.

Another way is to hardwire a 12V accessory socket in and hide it out of the way, then you can just plug it in as normal and is easily reversible.

Word of caution though if using them with USB adaptors, as some of them aren’t long enough to reach the bottom of the socket.

[zcacogp]

rich888 said:

Good comment, though one thing to bear in mind if you do wire it in directly to the fuse box so that it's always on, is that most hardwire kits detect low battery voltage and shut the dash cam down in the event that the battery voltage drops too low, rather than leaving you with a flat battery, this probably only affects dash cams set to motion-detect which may be recording video footage even when parked up.

Didn't know that about the hard-wire kits, thanks.

In practice (and I didn't put this in my post!) you'd wire it into an ignition-live supply, so the thing shuts off when the ignition turns off. The camera is designed for this and will shut itself down when the power is disconnected (it has a built-in battery for this purpose).

I'd also be nervous about leaving some piece of possibly low-quality electronics plugged in all the time as it would be a potential fire hazard if it got warm. Wiring it to an ignition-live supply gets 'round this. (Warning - this is not strictly a solution to the problem - it may just mean that you and your family are incinerated as you are sure to be in the car when the cheapo 12v-5v supply device overheats! )


Oli.

[eltax91]

I've got 3 mini 080x devices now. Non of them seem to get warm to the touch. I know this isn't the best measure but hopefully says something about the temperature of the insides!

I've hard wired all mine in the method outlined above. 2 using the add-a-circuit devices in our daily drivers and the one in my weekend shed of an mx5 is wired in using a Heath Robinson hack into the existing cig socket to add another cig socket behind the glove box.

[gaz1234]

Davie_GLA said:

Take it no it the box. Stick mount to screen, attach camera, run cabke, drive.

Job done.

your gla must look ghay inside then.

[pboyall]

You can get piggback fuses so you can hard-wire it with some measure of safety

[Dermot O'Logical]

I've used these for both of my camera installations:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Add-A-Circuit-Standard-M...

[rich888]

Have just discovered that the 0801 dash cam is NOT compatible with the 0805/0806 mount even though the 0801 dash cam does fit in the 0805 mount, how do I know this, well I fitted a new 0805 mount on the screen, then fitted my older 0801 dash cam (Sept 2014 model) only to find it didn't power up - most disappointing considering the 0806 worked perfectly well when fitted to the 0801 mount!

Was hoping to record some comparison video footage between the older 0801 against the newer 0806 model, guess it will have to wait a few more days.

Also.... I've noticed that the USB port (which provides the power) is smaller on the 0805 and 0806 models compared to the 0801 models.

Edited by rich888 on Thursday 12th March 21:44

[gaz1234]

Dermot O'Logical said:

I've used these for both of my camera installations:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Add-A-Circuit-Standard-M...

Cut lead?

[timmymagic73]

I agree, piggyback fuse is the easiest way to hard-wire.

Think of a switched live accessory/function in your car, then look up the fuse position in the manual or fuse box cover diagram. If you're particularly paranoid then choose something non-critical like courtesy lights or fogs, etc...

Pull fuse to test you've got the right circuit. Buy piggyback fuse. Buy 12v cig lighter Y-splitter or extender. Cut off one of the sockets, crimp the positive lead to the piggyback fuse tail, crimp the other wire to a ring terminal or similar and connect to a convenient earth.

Hey presto, a switched live lighter socket that you can plug the dashcam USB power supply into. Conveniently it will probably be located in either footwell, so just press the cable into the gap between the A-pillar trim and the windscreen, same along the top edge of the headlining. I didn't need to remove any trim.

Very pleased with my 0801 btw, well worth having.

[shakotan]

rich888 said:

Also.... I've noticed that the USB port (which provides the power) is smaller on the 0805 and 0806 models compared to the 0801 models.

Probably a switch from Mini-USB to Micro-USB

[GC8]

timmymagic73 said:

I agree, piggyback fuse is the easiest way to hard-wire.

Think of a switched live accessory/function in your car, then look up the fuse position in the manual or fuse box cover diagram. If you're particularly paranoid then choose something non-critical like courtesy lights or fogs, etc...

Pull fuse to test you've got the right circuit. Buy piggyback fuse. Buy 12v cig lighter Y-splitter or extender. Cut off one of the sockets, crimp the positive lead to the piggyback fuse tail, crimp the other wire to a ring terminal or similar and connect to a convenient earth.

Hey presto, a switched live lighter socket that you can plug the dashcam USB power supply into. Conveniently it will probably be located in either footwell, so just press the cable into the gap between the A-pillar trim and the windscreen, same along the top edge of the headlining. I didn't need to remove any trim.

Very pleased with my 0801 btw, well worth having.

Better to either add an automotive adapter with a pair of USB sockets, or a 12v-5v power supply. Both a cheap and have their own advantages. The USB sockets allow the use of a conventional USB lead and allow charging/powering of other USB peripherals and the power supply allows for completely integrated wiring.

[timmymagic73]

Yes, very true - another good couple of options. It all depends on the location of your lighter socket and whether it's already switched live or not. In a Volvo V40 the socket is perm-live, so I had to find another switched live source. It's also in plain sight in the centre console, and I didn't want an obvious USB socket adaptor in there with wires visible.

Either way, hard wiring is definitely the way to go - I don't even think about it being there now, it just works.

[GC8]

http://www.dx.com/p/2-1a-dual-usb-car-cigarette-li...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390566509349?ssPageName=...

[rich888]

shakotan said:

rich888 said:

Also.... I've noticed that the USB port (which provides the power) is smaller on the 0805 and 0806 models compared to the 0801 models.

Probably a switch from Mini-USB to Micro-USB

Thank for the pics, and yes you are quite right, the 0801 uses the Mini USB whilst the 0806 uses the Micro USB, why do they have to go and meddle with something that works perfectly fine!

[Davie_GLA]

rich888 said:

Thank for the pics, and yes you are quite right, the 0801 uses the Mini USB whilst the 0806 uses the Micro USB, why do they have to go and meddle with something that works perfectly fine!

Some are quicker but mostly for revenue

[gowmonster]

have took the plunge for the 801, seems it has went up in price since the start of the month

Anyone hardwired into an E46 BMW with these? any tips?