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Dash/Windshield Mounted Video Cameras and State Laws

scouser

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2011
Messages
1,341
Location
804, VA
so how many people ordered one of these cameras this week? Mine should be here tomorrow, then I'll be able to start my collection of 'just look how stupid this person is' movies of people who think attempting to cut off an 18 wheeler loaded with gasoline on 360 near Woodlake makes them the next Danica Patrick .. and that's just the male drivers.
 

nuc65

Activist Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
Messages
1,121
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
You do indeed get glare from anything that is reflective to IR light if the IR LEDs are on. The ones on our vehicles are not equiped with IR lights for this reason. I have seen clips from the unit on amazon showing night recordings. They don't exhibit the problem so there must be a way to turn them off. The camera must be dual mode day/night because it is a color picture during the day. Come to think of it, the night shots were also color so maybe I am wrong and the IRs just weren't on because of ambient light. I will let you know after I have tested the unit I ordered. It should be here day after tomorrow.

Placing the lens against the glass or as close as possible will minimize the reflection/glare from the IR.
 

cptstoney

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2012
Messages
75
Location
fairfax
i use my GOPRO camera for a dash cam and i works great. i have a bunch of the stickey mounts placed all over the jeep to catch rock crawler footage but i use it as a dashcam when not wheeling.

the new gopro3 blacks have a wifi system built in that allows you to turn the camera on and off from your phone.

the audio and video quality is top notch, alot of the close up shots on mythbusters during explosions are shot with go pros

you can also get a mount to slap the camera on your pistol or rifle :)
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
i use my GOPRO camera for a dash cam and i works great. i have a bunch of the stickey mounts placed all over the jeep to catch rock crawler footage but i use it as a dashcam when not wheeling.

the new gopro3 blacks have a wifi system built in that allows you to turn the camera on and off from your phone.

the audio and video quality is top notch, alot of the close up shots on mythbusters during explosions are shot with go pros

you can also get a mount to slap the camera on your pistol or rifle :)

Battery life is the problem with GoPro's.

My Blacks don't last as long as my 2's.
 

scouser

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2011
Messages
1,341
Location
804, VA
Mine came in the mail today. I purchased the one from amazon. Anyone use theirs yet? Thoughts? Tips?

yeah, my truck was in the shop so I threw mine on the windshield this afternoon when I picked it up. Battery lasted about an hour before I had to plug it into the 12v outlet.

Just need to edit the length down and upload a sample to the y-tube place. I tried it without the sound being recorded because I already have a sound recorder running anyway
 

cptstoney

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2012
Messages
75
Location
fairfax
AND mines going back. The video skips horribly..... :-(

This is just my unit. the video is unusable

Does the camera require you to use an sd card? I couldnt find it on the specs.

If so you need to run a high class card( no not a sd card in a suite). The higher the class the quicker the camera can send the bid to the card. I run cheap transend class 10's sd card in all my cameras


To figure out what class card your using look for a tiny number inside of a circle that the class card you are using
 

scouser

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2011
Messages
1,341
Location
804, VA
Does the camera require you to use an sd card? I couldnt find it on the specs.

If so you need to run a high class card( no not a sd card in a suite). The higher the class the quicker the camera can send the bid to the card. I run cheap transend class 10's sd card in all my cameras

To figure out what class card your using look for a tiny number inside of a circle that the class card you are using

same thing I used and the video looks fine on mine, just having issues trying to copy from the camera to my computer .. I know I've overlooked something just haven't narrowed it down yet
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
same thing I used and the video looks fine on mine, just having issues trying to copy from the camera to my computer .. I know I've overlooked something just haven't narrowed it down yet

Looks a little stormy to me:uhoh:

[video=youtube;5kNWGSbluhM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5kNWGSbluhM[/video]
 

cyras21

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
152
Location
Stepehens City, VA
I've had mine for years now with no issue. I really love "capturing" that speeding LEO with no lights or sirens and emailing the vid to the appropriate authorities.

I have one mounted in the front, back, and one to capture anyone standing at the drivers window.
 

FBrinson

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2013
Messages
298
Location
Henrico, VA
Got mine today. I couldn't be bothered to read the instructions and mount it in the truck. I sure am regretting that. I saw a meteorite falling from about 60 degrees above the southern horizon. Super bright green fireball that almost made it down to the ground, or so it appeared. I could have had a video of the damned thing. :mad:

DSC_1925sm.jpg
 

cyras21

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
152
Location
Stepehens City, VA
Got mine today. I couldn't be bothered to read the instructions and mount it in the truck. I sure am regretting that. I saw a meteorite falling from about 60 degrees above the southern horizon. Super bright green fireball that almost made it down to the ground, or so it appeared. I could have had a video of the damned thing. :mad:

View attachment 10058

Don't bother with the instructions, very simple, just browse through the menu. If your plug is always "live" you'll want to unplug it at the end of your day. I unplug mine each night and plug it back in the morning and it automatically starts recording. If your plug only works while your vehicle is running, you'll be ok.
 

Glockster

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2010
Messages
786
Location
Houston
Until you shut your car off if/when you get pulled over...

Roscoe

Since you brought it up, that brings up two practicality questions that I've been pondering. The first being that you may not have a power point that stays live when you turn your car off (and in the case of my Toyota I'm not sure if I can easily/quickly figure out that correct number of button pushes as there is no key to turn and I regularly get "lost" trying to figure it out!).

The second issue is whether or not you would actually need to worry about that anyway. The camera is pointing out the window, I'm assuming from all I've seen. The LEO pulling you over would be where, in back of you? If so then all you get is audio from this in that particular situation so it's on the same level as a basic voice recorder?

As I've read it, these are particularly popular in Russia as proof that you didn't cause an accident. I'm not so sure of the real utility though for example with traffic stops?
 

roscoe13

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
1,134
Location
Catlett, Virginia, USA
The second issue is whether or not you would actually need to worry about that anyway. The camera is pointing out the window, I'm assuming from all I've seen. The LEO pulling you over would be where, in back of you? If so then all you get is audio from this in that particular situation so it's on the same level as a basic voice recorder?

As I've read it, these are particularly popular in Russia as proof that you didn't cause an accident. I'm not so sure of the real utility though for example with traffic stops?

Most of them are on mounts that swivel....

Roscoe
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
I'm working on a swivel mount that will allow you to move it 360 degrees. If you'tr pulled, just point it to the drivers window.
 
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