Help me pick a dash cam

[Kabish]

Sorry but you totally missed my point. I wasn’t arguing the usefulness of dash cams. If you look at the preceding sentence it may clarify I was questioning the need for 4K video over 1080p since you don’t need to read license plates in either scenario.

I think that is why you still see a lot of 1080 cameras still. I guess it still comes down to making the person liable for the damage done to your car. If someone does a hit and run and you can't see the plates then its all up to your insurance, car still gets fixed though. While if you have that 4k, then you might be able to zoom in, get the plate and make that person liable.

But yes, 100% agree with you, dunno how much its really needed. A lot of the newer cams though are coming 4k and are priced around the same as a 1080. The one thing that I've not seen is a 4k 60FPS camera, where there are 1080 60FPS cameras. To me, 60FPS is more beneficial than the 4k, but I'm still leaning towards the U1000 for the additional newer features that a lot of the 1080/60FPS don't have.

Sponsored

 

[Kabish]

So ended up buying the Thinkware U1000 dual channel and the Cellink NEO Battery Pack. Going to see about installing it myself, but more than likely will end up paying someone to do it lol If it was just the camera I'd do it, but trying to run the wire to the back is not my cup of tea.

 

[highland58]

thinkware website on sale until 12/5

 

[JRinOAK]

Yes, B-Buy is doing the install

@GoIrish, which Best Buy? I'm in Oakland.

Were you satisfied?

How knowledgable of the MME were they?

What all did they install? Do you need to buy everything from them to have them install?

Thanks for the info. Taking delivery soon (hopefully) and definitely want to have a dashcam.

 

[JRinOAK]

thinkware website on sale until 12/5

Best Buy and Amazon also offering this price. BB states that sale ends "tomorrow" (12/5). No notation on Amazon, but assume the same.

 

[JRinOAK]

So ended up buying the Thinkware U1000 dual channel and the Cellink NEO Battery Pack. Going to see about installing it myself, but more than likely will end up paying someone to do it lol If it was just the camera I'd do it, but trying to run the wire to the back is not my cup of tea.

Hi @Kabish. Curious...did you end up installing on your own? I'm leaning towards the U1000 two-camera set up. Is the additional battery pack a must? Or will this camera run well using MME as the power source?

We have a short commute and range shouldn't be a major issue (getting Premium with extended battery).

Thanks for any info. Also, if you have pics to share of your set up...curious where you put that battery pack.

 

[ZuleMME]

I’m rather happy with my vantrue N4. They just updated it again and added more features. Keeps getting better.

 

[Kabish]

Hi @Kabish. Curious...did you end up installing on your own? I'm leaning towards the U1000 two-camera set up. Is the additional battery pack a must? Or will this camera run well using MME as the power source?

We have a short commute and range shouldn't be a major issue (getting Premium with extended battery).

Thanks for any info. Also, if you have pics to share of your set up...curious where you put that battery pack.

So I'm getting it installed on Tuesday from a place I've done business with in the past. I could 100% wire the battery pack and camera without any issues myself. Trying to run the wire to the back though is what I don't want to do. Could I do it, sure, would I rather to pay someone else to deal with it though, yes lol

As of this exact second, the battery pack is in that storage area below where you set your phone. I don't use that area for anything other than holding a rag to wipe down my interior. You can't really even see it down there unless you look for it. I'm going to tell the installers though to put it anywhere they think will make sense if they can fully hide it.

As far as the question of is the battery required.. It has nothing to do with commutes, it has to do with parking mode, if you even use it. If you don't plan on using parking mode then the pack is 100% not needed. There are people who run parking mode off their car's battery, so it can be done. I personally just don't want to have draw off that battery given a low 12v can just cause all types of crazy problems.

 

[JRinOAK]

So I'm getting it installed on Tuesday from a place I've done business with in the past. I could 100% wire the battery pack and camera without any issues myself. Trying to run the wire to the back though is what I don't want to do. Could I do it, sure, would I rather to pay someone else to deal with it though, yes lol

As of this exact second, the battery pack is in that storage area below where you set your phone. I don't use that area for anything other than holding a rag to wipe down my interior. You can't really even see it down there unless you look for it. I'm going to tell the installers though to put it anywhere they think will make sense if they can fully hide it.

As far as the question of is the battery required.. It has nothing to do with commutes, it has to do with parking mode, if you even use it. If you don't plan on using parking mode then the pack is 100% not needed. There are people who run parking mode off their car's battery, so it can be done. I personally just don't want to have draw off that battery given a low 12v can just cause all types of crazy problems.

This is good info/context. Thank you. Would love to see pics once installed this week. Especially of the battery pack.

 

[GoIrish]

@GoIrish, which Best Buy? I'm in Oakland.

Were you satisfied?

How knowledgable of the MME were they?

What all did they install? Do you need to buy everything from them to have them install?

Thanks for the info. Taking delivery soon (hopefully) and definitely want to have a dashcam.

Install hasn't happened yet, will post when it does

 

[Kabish]

This is good info/context. Thank you. Would love to see pics once installed this week. Especially of the battery pack.

So I don't have any pictures right now, but its pretty basic. They ended up wiring the CellLink under the passenger seat. The battery comes with Velcro which is what they used to hold it down. Can confirm, that velcro holds the battery down to the carpet VERY well.

As far as the camera, I personally placed it center under the mirror housing. I tired to place it up in one of the black dot IR areas but did not like the picture at all. I would had liked it up there just for the fact that its not noticeable, but even where it is now its not really that noticeable.

When I start up the car the camera gives its little report of what happened during parking mode, then goes into continuous recording. Then after parking and turning off the car, about 30 seconds or so it kicks into parking mode.

As far as the GPS, it takes about a minute to get a lock where its at on the windshield on average. Sometimes it locks really fast, could be a matter of our marine layer being so thick recently.

So far though everything is working great. They ran the back camera wire up top, took them a while, so I'm glad they did it and not me! lol

 

[JRinOAK]

So I don't have any pictures right now, but its pretty basic. They ended up wiring the CellLink under the passenger seat. The battery comes with Velcro which is what they used to hold it down. Can confirm, that velcro holds the battery down to the carpet VERY well.

As far as the camera, I personally placed it center under the mirror housing. I tired to place it up in one of the black dot IR areas but did not like the picture at all. I would had liked it up there just for the fact that its not noticeable, but even where it is now its not really that noticeable.

When I start up the car the camera gives its little report of what happened during parking mode, then goes into continuous recording. Then after parking and turning off the car, about 30 seconds or so it kicks into parking mode.

As far as the GPS, it takes about a minute to get a lock where its at on the windshield on average. Sometimes it locks really fast, could be a matter of our marine layer being so thick recently.

So far though everything is working great. They ran the back camera wire up top, took them a while, so I'm glad they did it and not me! lol

Great info. Thank you. Did they have to disassemble anything to run rear wiring? Or were they able to push into existing gaps? You have pano roof? Curious if that was used to hide wiring.

 

[Kabish]

Great info. Thank you. Did they have to disassemble anything to run rear wiring? Or were they able to push into existing gaps? You have pano roof? Curious if that was used to hide wiring.

Ya, I have the glass roof. It looked like they were able to get it through without removing much of any trim. I think they removed the B Pillar and of course the passenger side trim, but I think they got it to the back without taking off anything else. Once it was in the back, they did pull off the big plastic square piece and that is where they did the managment of the cord and such. I think they tired to not remove anything unless they absolutely had too.

 

[JRinOAK]

Ya, I have the glass roof. It looked like they were able to get it through without removing much of any trim. I think they removed the B Pillar and of course the passenger side trim, but I think they got it to the back without taking off anything else. Once it was in the back, they did pull off the big plastic square piece and that is where they did the managment of the cord and such. I think they tired to not remove anything unless they absolutely had too.

Again, good info and appreciate your details. Would love to see pics when you have a chance. And a sample video if you can.

 

[GoIrish]

`UPDATE: Had my appointment finally with BestBuy this past Friday, did not go well. They weren't able to figure it out. They have rescheduled for Jan 13, will try again and update the board then.

Sponsored