I need to buy 95 cheap dash cams for my fleet - Suggestions?
Discussion
After some consideration (and some incidents...) I would like to fit my fleet of vans with dash cams.
As I need to buy 95 of them, I would like to pay as little as possible while still getting a unit that:
1) Records a half decent image, complete with audio recording.
2) Has GPS Speed recording (Preferable, but not essential).
3) Will turn itself off and on automatically even if the 12v plug feed stays live all the time (So it doesn't drain the battery).
4) For cost reasons, we will just be sticking the cams in the vans ourselves and plugging into the 12v socket.
Other considerations:
1) I don't think I need a screen. I doubt the image will need to be viewed unless there is an incident and we take the SD card out for a look (Do I need a screen?)
2) How many hours do these things record for? Does that entirely depend on the SD card size? I ask because our drivers are probably on the move for maybe 2-3 hours per day, and I would like to store 7 ish working days worth of video: Around 21 hours. Usually if there is a complaint about one of our drivers, then it comes to us within a week, and we need to be able to go back a dew days and review the footage.
Do you think this length of recording time would be an issue?
Any suggestions or tips welcome!
As I need to buy 95 of them, I would like to pay as little as possible while still getting a unit that:
1) Records a half decent image, complete with audio recording.
2) Has GPS Speed recording (Preferable, but not essential).
3) Will turn itself off and on automatically even if the 12v plug feed stays live all the time (So it doesn't drain the battery).
4) For cost reasons, we will just be sticking the cams in the vans ourselves and plugging into the 12v socket.
Other considerations:
1) I don't think I need a screen. I doubt the image will need to be viewed unless there is an incident and we take the SD card out for a look (Do I need a screen?)
2) How many hours do these things record for? Does that entirely depend on the SD card size? I ask because our drivers are probably on the move for maybe 2-3 hours per day, and I would like to store 7 ish working days worth of video: Around 21 hours. Usually if there is a complaint about one of our drivers, then it comes to us within a week, and we need to be able to go back a dew days and review the footage.
Do you think this length of recording time would be an issue?
Any suggestions or tips welcome!
BlindedByTheLights said:
You had a look at something like Samsara instead so you get value from it?
We had a look at the optional dash cam system provided by our fleet tracking company, but it was quite expensive. About £11 per month, per van... So £12,500 per year... every year! It had loads of good features, but at a cost.Fortunately, we only have maybe 1 incident a month, if that. Sometimes one incident every 2 months, across the whole fleet, so we don't really think it's worth paying the tracking companies for a subscription for cameras.
If we could fit all the vans for say £100 a unit (one off payment of £9500) and keep them for a few years, this would be a decent solution.
But only if the cheap dash cams can hold enough hours of footage (Not sure how big of an SD card would be needed, or what the cost of these would be).
Worth having a chat with your insurer first, something like samsara or similar systems can have a cost reduction to offset the ongoing costs.
From experience the dashcams will simply be unplugged, SD cards removed/lost, cameras covered, and when you really need some footage it won t be there.
From experience the dashcams will simply be unplugged, SD cards removed/lost, cameras covered, and when you really need some footage it won t be there.
Edited by BlindedByTheLights on Tuesday 14th October 21:33
Mont Blanc said:
After some consideration (and some incidents...) I would like to fit my fleet of vans with dash cams.
A
3) Will turn itself off and on automatically even if the 12v plug feed stays live all the time (So it doesn't drain the battery).
4) For cost reasons, we will just be sticking the cams in the vans ourselves and plugging into the 12v socket.
Other considerations:
1) I don't think I need a screen. I doubt the image will need to be viewed unless there is an incident and we take the SD card out for a look (Do I need a screen?)
2) How many hours do these things record for? Does that entirely depend on the SD card size? I ask because our drivers are probably on the move for maybe 2-3 hours per day, and I would like to store 7 ish working days worth of video: Around 21 hours. Usually if there is a complaint about one of our drivers, then it comes to us within a week, and we need to be able to go back a dew days and review the footage.
Do you think this length of recording time would be an issue?
Any suggestions or tips welcome!
The Viofo dashcam range have a no frills small dashcam which has decent video quality and has GPS as well, they may do a discount as well if you're ordering near enough 100 of themA
3) Will turn itself off and on automatically even if the 12v plug feed stays live all the time (So it doesn't drain the battery).
4) For cost reasons, we will just be sticking the cams in the vans ourselves and plugging into the 12v socket.
Other considerations:
1) I don't think I need a screen. I doubt the image will need to be viewed unless there is an incident and we take the SD card out for a look (Do I need a screen?)
2) How many hours do these things record for? Does that entirely depend on the SD card size? I ask because our drivers are probably on the move for maybe 2-3 hours per day, and I would like to store 7 ish working days worth of video: Around 21 hours. Usually if there is a complaint about one of our drivers, then it comes to us within a week, and we need to be able to go back a dew days and review the footage.
Do you think this length of recording time would be an issue?
Any suggestions or tips welcome!
https://viofouk.co.uk/product/viofo-vs1-mini-2k-hd...
You'll want to hardwire them via the interior fuse compartment then up the A pillar with a piggy fuse on one of the circuits which is only live when the keys in, the piggy back fuse's only cost a few pounds, if you rely on the 12v cigarette socket then it looks unsightly and also will be unplugged when the van occupants want to charge their phones.
Get a 128gb endurance memory card from Sandisk or Samsung that's designed for dashcams/cctv as they will be more reliable and having the extra storage is good if a claim comes in a week or two later.
untakenname said:
The Viofo dashcam range have a no frills small dashcam which has decent video quality and has GPS as well, they may do a discount as well if you're ordering near enough 100 of them
https://viofouk.co.uk/product/viofo-vs1-mini-2k-hd...
You'll want to hardwire them via the interior fuse compartment then up the A pillar with a piggy fuse on one of the circuits which is only live when the keys in, the piggy back fuse's only cost a few pounds, if you rely on the 12v cigarette socket then it looks unsightly and also will be unplugged when the van occupants want to charge their phones.
Get a 128gb endurance memory card from Sandisk or Samsung that's designed for dashcams/cctv as they will be more reliable and having the extra storage is good if a claim comes in a week or two later.
This. Drivers will almost definitely unplug them because they don't want their driving videoed, they need to charge their phone or purely by accident, a lot of 12V adapters don't fit very well. AFAIK you can only get a dashcam that records when the engine is turned on but not accessories is by hardwiring to switched and constant power in the fuse box. Also choose a form factor and placement of dashcam that is legal, IE not in the drivers view of the road but in their view of the bonnet or sky, my TM fell short of this.https://viofouk.co.uk/product/viofo-vs1-mini-2k-hd...
You'll want to hardwire them via the interior fuse compartment then up the A pillar with a piggy fuse on one of the circuits which is only live when the keys in, the piggy back fuse's only cost a few pounds, if you rely on the 12v cigarette socket then it looks unsightly and also will be unplugged when the van occupants want to charge their phones.
Get a 128gb endurance memory card from Sandisk or Samsung that's designed for dashcams/cctv as they will be more reliable and having the extra storage is good if a claim comes in a week or two later.
Viofo, Vantrue and Nextbase are reputable brands with cheap 1080p or 1440p dashcams, I personally have a Viofo A329 in my artic. You can go on amazon and buy the cheapest 1080p dashcam and it may work and save you money but I believe that will end in headaches in the long term.
Viofo
https://www.viofo.com/products/viofo-wm1-2k-quad-h...
Nextbase
https://business.nextbase.co.uk/dash-cams/piqo-das...
Vantrue
https://www.vantrue.com/products/vantrue-e1-lite
At 1080p 60fps a 128GB microSD card saved 1-2 days of my driving, most of the recommended cameras are 30fps so you can double that number and figure out how much history you need. You may realise that the lowest acceptable quality (720p 30fps) and largest capacity microSD card may be what you're looking for if you want weeks of driving history or a higher quality image and only a day of footage is required. Hope this helps!
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