Best products from r/dashcams

Sorry to hear about your accidents. A few months ago I was also rear-ended at high speed (he was drunk) in my new car and it made me finally pull the trigger on dashcams for mine (when I get it back...still being fixed) and my girlfriend's car.

I installed the AUKEY dualcam in my girlfriend's car, and it was pretty simple. You just tuck the wires into the ceiling liner and weather-stripping to hide them, and snake them across under the glove box. It took about an hour for me to install it, but it was free? Lol. The difficulty will depend on the car too though, this was in a 2011 Mazda 3 sedan so pretty simple. I got the AUKEY dual for $90 on Prime Day, it's usually like $120ish. I've had no issues with it so far. Pretty simple to use and the videos it records are very good quality.

For my car, I got the Rexing V1P 3rd Gen. It also had a Prime Day special ($116) but was limited to 1 per customer, so I got the AUKEY for the Mazda. I haven't gotten to install or use it yet, but it is larger than the AUKEY. I sort of wish I'd just gotten 2 of the AUKEY, but oh well.

Anyway, I'm by no means an expert on car modding or anything, but I was able to install the camera very easily, and the wires are neatly hidden. The only issue I ran into was the Mazda is such a small car, that the wire to connect the rear cam was about 10ft too long. It is coiled up and I'm planning to hide it better eventually...lol.

If you want the camera hardwired into your fuse box (as opposed to using the cigarette lighter outlet) there are kits and YouTube videos on how to do that.

I think a high end vs bare bones cam will mostly vary in terms of overall video quality and features like GPS, parking mode, etc. For the most part, I think mid range will probably be your best bet in terms of cost to quality/features ratio.

Dashcam is a cheap way to have an extra peace of mind. Definitely recommend it. Also they are low maintenance. I don’t ever notice mine because it sits in front in rear view mirror.

Regarding the price, I say go for a mid range. The cheapo ones can be unreliable and low build quality. The expensive ones tend to be too much and more than what most people need. A good mid range dual cam is the A129. Make sure to get a good SD card too, one that is optimized for video. Fortunately they are pretty cheap.

Installation is easy if you just plug it to your cigarette lighter. Then you just run the cable in your trim, which is super easy to tuck into at the edge.

The next level is hardwiring it to your fuse box. That takes about an hour and can be done with a YouTube video instructional. Or take it into a car audio shop and they can probably do it for $150 or so.

Hope this helps!

I'm also looking and researching good dash cams and here is what I have come up with so far:

Garmin Dashcam 55($200)

• Video Quality
  
• I've heard good and bad about this, apparently it's one of the best out there right now but it had overheating issues from the start. Looks like the latest firmware update for this has resolved the overheating issues (which was like 99% of peoples complaints about it)
  
• Small and inconspicuous when mounted on windshield
  
• High-quality 3.7 megapixel camera with 1440p video capture; works even in low-light conditions
  
• Forward collision and lane departure warnings plus alerts for nearby red light cameras and speed cameras
  *GPS-enabled with automatic incident detection (G-Sensor) saves video footage on impact to show when and where events happened
  
• Voice control allows you to start/stop recording, take a still picture or start/stop the Travelapse photo capture feature
  
  THINKWARE X500D Dashcam($255)
  
  
• Video Quality
  
• If you want a good front + rear dashcam so you can catch things happening behind you too I hear this one is one of the best for the cost
  
• A Full HD 1080p dash cam with Sony Exmor image sensor and a Full HD 1080p rear cam provide complete front and rear surveillance of your vehicle
  
• High performance 32GB UHS-I microSD card with SPOR (Sudden Power Off Recovery) technology specifically tailored for Thinkware Dash Cams
  
• Lane departure, front collision, red light and speed camera alerts help increase driver awareness.
  
• Built-in GPS Tracker embeds crucial data such as time, speed, and location data
  
• Optional accessory: Hardwiring cable to enable Parking Surveillance mode
  
  Mobious ActionCam($70)
  
  
• Video Quality + Audio Quality test
  
• So if your looking for the best deal I hear this one is it. Shoots 1080p, can be concealed in your mirror and apparently takes really good video and sound. But it doesn't have a screen which means downloading them to a pc.

Sadly, yes. I looked at so many units and this seemed to be the only one that had everything I wanted at the time. I wanted both the front and rear cameras to be small and as close to undetectable as possible, have great picture quality, parking surveillance, and also no screen to show the footage. (Seemed silly to me since my focus is on driving and I couldn't help but think any unit with a visual display would likely be lacking important/quality specs and act as a distraction)- just my opinion.

No doubt this was a costly investment but I view it as just that. When I bought the dual dash cams I had just purchased a brand new car. Driving a lot for work, there are many days I spend more than 3 hours in the car. I couldn't bear to think about being hit either in motion or while parked, and someone just taking off, leaving me broken hearted and with a high insurance premium. I also live in a condo complex where cars are stolen/broken into/vandalized way too often. The units are like connected townhouses. Recently a handicapped Vietnam Veteran had his vehicle parked directly in front of his unit. His wheels and tires were stolen off his car in the middle of the night. The POS that did this put the car on milk crates! The car obviously smashed to the ground.

I have concerns about taking my car in for service too. I blame my anxieties on the dashcam footage I've seen of other vehicles being taken out for joyrides and abused. While my car isn't an Aston Martin Vanquish, I absolutely love my new Subaru Wrx STI #subaruambassador It's one of those vehicles that makes 3+hours in traffic more enjoyable, and with no traffic; pure bliss. In the unlikely event I were to ever drop it off and leave it for service, I'd definitely want to know what took place.

There's few things I'm willing to spend more money than anticipated on: family and friends, dog co-pilot, car, food, bed. The dashcam seemed to go hand in hand with the car. I imagine everyone has their own list of some sort and with the dashcam it's really about what's important to you.

Thinkware F770 1080P HD WiFi Dash Camera with Rearview Camera, 64 GB SD Card and 2 Power Harness (3 Items) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M216OYH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HAfuzbE4K57TB

TL:DR New car and hefty list of desired dashcam features justified my purchase

My thoughts are the street guardians are overpriced. In my family we have all viofo's of different models. Get the A129 pro (non 4k) or the new 4k version. You might be able to get the A129 Pro non 4k for cheaper now too. Maybe...

My daily driver, I have a A119S in the front and cheap Rexing camera in the back, that both record of their own sd cards. At the time, budget dual channel dash cams were not out yet. So when I had my rexing in the front, I moved to the back when I upgraded and got A119S. Since both of my cameras work, I don't need to upgrade but if I would, The A129 Pro would be my best bet. And the 4k version is kinda overkill, From what I read 4k will be harder to capture license plates.

For non wifi transfer in my A119s - Keep this little guy in my center console. I can use this device to connect to any device that has USB C, Micro USB) or Regular USB for file transfer to a computer. https://www.amazon.com/Vanja-Reader-Adapter-Portable-Memory/dp/B01JJ1VDQK

For example, I got rear ended a few weeks ago. Before the cop could finish writing his report, I pulled the card out of my back camera, connected to my phone with the above adapter and uploaded the entire thing to my Google Drive right from my phone.

The wifi feature is nice to have but it's not a deal breaker to me.

Viofo will not let you down. good product, especially the CPL filter is a must. .

A solid high endurance SD card is needed too. With a dual channel setup you want 64-128GB. I suggest the 128GB.

Having a CPL filter actually reduces glare on daytime videos but has a slight negative effect on nighttime recording generally. So not having one will actually improve it.

I'd go for a 64 gb card, and spefically a high endurance once like the Sandisk one. They are only a few bucks more than normal ones but apparently better for the cycles that video monitoring systems place on the cards.

As for buying on Amazon vs Viofo, i'd go with the one that's cheaper or has better shipping options. Also, Amazon has easy returns if something happens. Not sure about the Viofo store.

Hi Grace,

The A129 is definitely a good choice. Are you planning on hardwiring it? If so, it does come bundled with a hardwire kit. If you're looking for a higher end model, the Blackvue 750 is a good option for that. But the A129 or A119 are both fine easy to use options.

I got the A119 recently and it's great. I've had multiple dashcam brands in multiple vehicles over the years. The Viofo cams were generally the longest lasting (though I've never had an expensive cam like a Blackvue so can't comment on that). Also, they've recently stepped their game up in few things recently. First, the manual was the first manual i've ever gotten that didn't read like it was all Engrish and it was actually helpful. Second the V3 has really nice video quality. Third, it's pretty discreet. I have it high and tight next to the rear view mirror so it kind of looks like just a part of the assembly.

I didn't get the CPL one either. This is the one I got, if that's helpful to you. Not sure how useful GPS is going to be but thought it was worth it.

From the Community Info, the A119 V2 is your best bet for under $100. Although it doesn't have a dual cam mode being able to record well in low light areas would be very beneficial.

FYI looks like Viofo released an updated version of the A129. Now it's the A129 Pro Duo, and it's 4k in the front cam. Looks really nice.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RXQJ148?ref=myi_title_dp

The A119 is super popular. Good combo of quality and price.

The clear favorite on Reddit is the A129. IT's reliable, capacitor powered so good for extreme temperatures, and long lasting. They just came out with a new one as well. Also it's a lot more reasonable than Blackvue cams. /u/niclariv

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RXQJ148?ref=myi_title_dp

Yeah definitely. Not sure if the hardwire kits are all manufacturer specific but if you get the A129 Pro Duo, Viofo makes a hardwire kit with battery discharge protection. Then this will keep powering your dashcam until your car battery level reaches a certain level and then it turns off so that your car battery doesn't die.

So dashcams are actually made to be housed inside the car, but it can be done extremely tastefully. For example, I have my camera all the way up by my rearview mirror on the passengers side. From the drivers POV, you can't even see it. Then I have the cable running into the little channel that houses all the cables that run into the rearview mirror. And from there it's all tucked in the liner down my A pillar, into my fusebox. Nothing is visible at all. Even installed it in my wifes car who was also skeptical. It's very Kon Mari friendly =]

I have the A129 kit which came with the hardwire kit. This is what you're looking for.

I have the A129 cams hard-wired ( this Dashoto kit is the best deal ). I take the card out and upload to my computer. I need to get a second card so I don't have to bring the computer to the car or leave the cam without a card.

Be sure to get this card.

What dashcam do you have? Cause here is one for the A119 V3, which enables parking mode. And yes, that's how the camera knows to enable parking mode.

I have the new A119 V3 and per the manual this is what it says regarding the operating temperature: -10 ~ 65°C (14°F - 149°F):

That is to say it below it it may work or turn off, but once you get the car started and warmed up it will work.

The good news is that almost all dashcams are made to be installed on the inside. Also they don't leave any permanent things from installation. You can take it out without a trace and reuse in your next car. Since you don't need 4k, I'd go with the A129 Duo. It's one of the favorites on Reddit and they just went live with the black friday deal which is a steal of a deal.

So much like the other poster, my camera is mounted high and tight against the rearview mirror. It really just blends in with the body of the mirror and hardly noticeable. It's very rare to have it stolen. Maybe if you have someting like a blackvue which are known as high end. Out of all the cams I've had, I'd say my A119 V3 blends in the best. Really nice and discreet.

But if you think about it, there's also no second hand market for dashcams, so they aren't really targeted by thieves.

Amazon links without the affiliate tag

• A119 V3 with GPS 2020 edition
  
  
• A129 Duo Dual Cam
  
  
• A129 IR Uber/Lyft cam
  
  
• SanDisk 128GB High Endurance Video MicroSD
  
  
• Rexing V1 3rd Gen
  
  
• APEMAN Mini Dash Cam 1080P
  
  
• AUKEY Dash Cam 1080P
  
  
• AUKEY 1080P Dual Dash Cam

Amazon link for the lazy:

VIOFO A129 Duo 2-Channel Full HD 1080p 30fps Car Dash Camera GPS Logger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CT6JPYW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_b7WMBbVEFR1EZ

How do group buys work OP?

Hi. I was looking in to buying a dash cam, and was wondering if the "A129 Duo" and the "Rexing V1P 3rd Gen " will record 24/7, even if the car is off, as we had a lot of problems with people driving in to our car at night.

My recommendation is to get one of the A119 V3's or the new A129 Pro duo and hardwire it. Specifically, get this hardwire kit: https://www.amazon.com/VIOFO-A129-Hardwire-Enables-Parking/dp/B07JQ1JYPJ/

This allows it to do exactly what you want. It will save the video if your car is hit or somethign happens, but it won't let your car battery die