new post concerning cheap dash cams

[workingonit]

The last XO thread on the subject, AFAIK, was https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...-dash-cam.html, from 2017, so here's a fresh one.

My wife's always complaining about bad drivers out there (she's not too bad herself, after 45 years of driving, and 32 years of my instructions and example!), and she's always driving everywhere, day and night. I, myself, after 60 years of driving, commuting up to 125 miles per day for many years, and a feel of general disgust for most drivers nowadays, choose to do as little driving as I can.

I've been trying to get her to use a dash cam, at least to record incidents when she's out and about at night. I can't convince her that it's in her best interest, but she avoids using tech that can help her (she does use an old Garmin for directions, but I have to update it for her, yearly).

I started using an old Samsung smartphone as a dash cam (on a hanging bracket under the passenger's sunshade) in my X5, primarily to show her how easy it is to use. I use the Drive Recorder App from Google Play (I formerly tried Navmii, but it kept freezing up). Works OK.

Last week, coming back late at night from the inlaws ranch, alone, she said she nearly T-boned an idiot that turned in front of her, against a light. Again, I told her that she needed a dash cam.

So, four days ago, I saw a YouTube video by Project Farm https://youtu.be/uLjGazIxjEA (I'm a real fan), that tested 11 cheap dash cams. Being cheap/retired/on a tight budget, and as a test, I ordered the second cheapest (but it scored about mid-pack in performance), as a test, mind you.



I got it yesterday, and the wife wouldn't allow me to install it in her sancrosanct Lexus, so I decided to test it as a rearview camera, on the X. I previously used a rearview cam on my HHR Panel (with no side windows in the back, it was sometimes difficult to back up in certain situations), and I sorta missed using one, anyhow, since it seems that people like to run full-speed at my X, just barely stopping in time (I might need a video)..

I mounted it just above and to the right of the rear wiper motor hump (my wiper blade and arm had already been removed), and plugged the power adapter into one of the power outlets in the cargo area. It gives me a good clear look at what's behind, at least this afternoon. Since the camera is mounted inside, I wont't get the view obscured so fast, as it often was on the HHR, by dirt, mud, and water (on the HHR, it was mounted under the bumper)

Though the power cable is long (11.5 feet?), I didn't try plugging it into the front lighter circuit (switched), and the rear outlets seem to be hot at all times; I turn off the app on my phone (my main phone, not the secondary phone), but the camera is still live. I don't think it'll draw down the battery (it's always on a Battery Tender at home), but I'll probably run an extension cable to the front switched circuit, so I won't have the camera always drawing power.