Dash cams, what to get and where to get it (Q&A only)

Any tips on reducing the reflection glare on the video? I can see the reflection of the dashboard on window on the video

cormie wrote: »

Does anyone else have the mini 0803? I've been using mine and it seems fine, but every now and then, it will make a warning beep and flash a sign on the screen saying that my card is slow, even though it's a samsung or sandisk (forget which) class 10

I've only had my 0803 less than a week, but haven't seen that error yet

Tazium wrote: »

Got a mini 0803 myself. Also, like you D'Agger don't want cables all over the place. I bought a piggy back fuse and a micro usb 12v to 5v 3 metre cable. Waiting on one cable to arrive so using the stock one at the moment. It's not heard to tuck the cable under the trim, then down the rubber on the door frame to the fuse box. Once there, you take an existing fuse that's not constant (starts and stops with ignition on/off). Use this fuse in the piggy back with a new 5V fuse and replace it in the existing socket. The cable is then tapped into the live cable port and earthed to the glove box bolt.

Ebay link for the power cable here
Ebay link for the piggy back fuse here
1 Pack of 2 5v fuses from your local auto parts store.

Sounds like a good idea for wiring up, mine, I have to keep plugging in and out everytime and it takes up space on the multi 12v adapter. I'll have to check and see if there are spare fuse locations that have 12v power on them, I'd prefer that and run a wire from it if I can get access to the back of the fuse panel, havent tried to gain access to the back of it, sometimes can be difficult, so I'll have to check.
How much for the 0803?, I thought it looks ok, but then following on see people are having problems possibly?
and where do they come from?
Saw some for 100 dollars, shipping from China, got a cam that way and it ended up being next to useless, took ages, got hit for import tax/duty too.
Makes me wonder if some 0803's are as bad??

Someone suggested wiring to the interior lights or where sunroof power is, not sure about the sunroof but if someone only has interior lights there, I thought some might also be able to turn on with the ignition off. Not a bad idea if it switches itself, but the cable you link to has the 12v-5v voltage regulator, very near to the mini b connector, be handier if it was longer maybe? as that might not fit in a space behind a light?

cormie wrote: »

If anything, give it to a charity Good luck!

I'll make a donation, havent done it yet, I get around to everything eventually, opened up the dash cam, had a look, no obvious signs of damage, I was thinking of replacing or testing two capacitors, but the LED stays on, so suggests the power stays on and the capacitors are working.
It did record, it beeped a bit, I was thinking of covering or cutting a connector to the buzzer on the PCB.
I tried to see if there was an update for the firmware, but it's not available/supported anymore, not sure why? maybe they expect everyone has it or its time for people to upgrade to a new roadhawk? you'd think they could leave it up on their website, not so.

I am still not sure why the GPS doesnt show on either cam, when I take a recording no map is displayed, but the blue light is mostly on solid on mine, I thought it was meant to flash, but has also been off completely.

I havent easily been able to use editing software either, I downloaded flashback, but the free version is limited and then started getting all kinds of webpages opening on my laptop, spent a bit of time sorting that and then the dash cam got sidelined.
My own cam then started beeping, somehow while swapping SD cards between the cams but, formatting the cards seems to have stopped that on both cams, but I havent tested it longterm, just briefly.

That cam seems to work, but no GPS maps on the recordings for a while before I got your old cam, either makes me think there is something wrong elsewhere, ie maybe Ive messed up a setting on the roadhawk software or on google maps which it uses??
I just checked and this seems to be a problem experienced by other roadhawk users, either anti virus blocking googlemaps on antivirus update or firewall, which seems reasonable as the gps info is still there if you hover the cursor over the GPS + symbol, but no map, still havent found whats blocking maps.

cormie wrote: »

Does anyone else have the mini 0803? I've been using mine and it seems fine, but every now and then, it will make a warning beep and flash a sign on the screen saying that my card is slow, even though it's a samsung or sandisk (forget which) class 10

Does continuous recording affect that? maybe it needs to be formatted from time to time? or does that affect the card memory too? I noticed the SD card in the RH-1 gets very warm, when I take it out after use.

Cybercommando wrote: »

You're going way too fast in the residential area at the start of that video.

Sometimes the speed can seem faster viewing on dashcams, might even depend on the playback speed?