Dual dash cam (front and back) for large vehicle

[Fardringle]

This is vehicle related so I guess it'll go best in this forum...

I'd really like to get a dual dash cam for my 2013 Dodge Durango.There are too many bad drivers around here, especially getting close to snow season, so I want to have the ability to use video evidence if someone does something stupid and hits my vehicle.

Top priority is a good quality camera for the front view that can be installed without having to dismantle the dash to connect the power. There are 12V and USB ports available on the front dash and a 110V power inverter in the center console between the driver and front passenger seats, so pretty much any power option is feasible.

I'd also like to have a second camera for rear view but do not want one where the front and rear cameras are both in the same device mounted on the front window/dash as the rear one would only record what happens inside the vehicle and little (or none) of what happens outside to the rear. A second camera that mounts in the back window would be ideal. There is a 12V power port in the back as well, so that would be the best option, but a USB adapter is also a possibility.

Easy download of videos to a cell phone is a definite plus, but not a requirement.

I'm not having trouble finding cameras that meet these specifications. The problem is figuring out which of the hundreds of options are actually good options, so I'd really appreciate some suggestions!

Thanks.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Well, you have a newer vehicle than I. I'm running a 26-year-old Trooper LS -- 1995 technology. I mounted an 8" Android tablet in front of the center air-vent on my dashboard, fed by a QC USB charger, connected to audio with Bluetooth devices/receivers. I got a "backup" (rear-view) camera that has a Wi-Fi connection to the tablet. The tablet of course has a rear-side camera lens facing the windshield and road, so it offers some features of a "dash cam". I still need to work out how it will record and manage storage, and the android camera doesn't have "night-vision". For the rear, however, I have this:

Rohent HD Wi-Fi backup cam

At least this way, I can run the tablet cam app and the Wi-Fi cam app simultaneously and have them in a split-screen, as much as Android does that.

But if you're really serious about well-managed footage as proof in an accident, you might want something with its own SD storage -- managing the video files automatically. I have looked at several such options, and wouldn't know precisely what I'd recommend. Some of them come in a package with both dash and backup cameras, sometimes with the option of a Wi-Fi connection for your phone and tablet.

Routing wires, even to a USB dashboard port, is tedious -- I grant you that.

I thought I read somewhere that I could have two Rohent cameras, and I could switch between them. But I think the front camera would need to be mounted outside the vehicle, just like the backup camera. The Rohent device is IP-69 rated for being waterproof, so exterior mounting is not a worry. I used twin Neodymium magnets to mount the camera. It ain't never gonna come off the car, regardless the bumpy terrain.

 

[Torn Mind]

Will this camera be on for parking monitoring or just while driving?

 

[Fardringle]

Parking monitoring is a nice feature, but not a high priority.

I mostly just need front and back cameras that will record while driving, that will automatically save video permanently when a collision is detected, and separate front and back cameras so the back camera will actually be able to see out the back window that is about 12 feet away from the front windshield. Video quality good enough to read nearby license numbers, and GPS location/speed/time stamps on the video would also be very nice features.

I really like the features, price, and reviews on this one: VAVA Dual 1920x1080P FHD | Front and Rear dash camera, but there have been some reviews that say it isn't very durable and failed after a short time, and that the phone app is mediocre. I'm not sure if those are just the usual outliers/complainers or a sign of an actual problem...

 

[manly]

Best Dash Cams of 2020 - DashCamTalk

The best dash cams available to purchase in 2020.

dashcamtalk.com

I'd probably get a VIOFO if I was in the market.

 

[Fardringle]

Thank you for the link. DashCamTalk.com seems like a place I'll be spending the next few days. The sample/comparison videos there will be very helpful since sample videos on sites like Amazon get compressed to the point where they are useless.

 

[Fardringle]

Looks like I'm probably going with the Viofo A129 Plus Duo from BlackBoxMyCar.com. They have a "Cyber Monday deal" (actually all week) with an SD card, hard wiring kit, and polarizing lens filter, for the same price as just the basic cameras from Amazon. It's a bit more than I wanted to spend, but adding the wiring kit and an SD card to less expensive (and less recommended) options takes them up to the same price range...

VIOFO A129 Plus Duo 2K QHD 2-Channel Dash Cam with GPS

The VIOFO A129+ Duo offers 2K QHD 1440p recording at 30FPS in the front and Full HD 1080p at 30FPS from the rear camera. Comes standard with 12V power charger, GPS module, parking mode options, a 2" HD screen and much more. H.265 for high efficient video encoding to save space.

www.blackboxmycar.com

 

[Kaido]

Blackvue makes the best ones. They are not cheap, but they are worth it. I consider mine as insurance:

BlackVue X Series Dashcams Available Now - BlackVue Dash Cameras

Updated: January 21, 2021. BlackVue DR900X, DR750X, and DR590X Series models are now available in the BlackVue Shop. The X Series models replace the DR900S, DR750S and DR590W models. As a bonus, the DR900X and DR750X come with a price drop compared to their predecessors. The new models sport...

blackvue.com

In my state, if you rear-end someone, it's your fault. My buddy had just purchased an extremely nice used luxury SUV for an amazing price, was driving down the road, and the guy next to him wanted to get into the strip mall on the left, so he cut my buddy off, slammed on his brakes to turn in not thinking through it properly, and my buddy hit him. My buddy got the ticket & got whacked on his insurance as a result...if he had had a dashcam, he could have shown the officer & the insurance exactly what happened. The Blackvue is pricey, but it does front & rear, has park mode, a hardwired power unit available, etc.

Personally, I wouldn't drive in America without a dashcam.

 

[Kaido]

Looks like I'm probably going with the Viofo A129 Plus Duo from BlackBoxMyCar.com. They have a "Cyber Monday deal" (actually all week) with an SD card, hard wiring kit, and polarizing lens filter, for the same price as just the basic cameras from Amazon. It's a bit more than I wanted to spend, but adding the wiring kit and an SD card to less expensive (and less recommended) options takes them up to the same price range...

VIOFO A129 Plus Duo 2K QHD 2-Channel Dash Cam with GPS

The VIOFO A129+ Duo offers 2K QHD 1440p recording at 30FPS in the front and Full HD 1080p at 30FPS from the rear camera. Comes standard with 12V power charger, GPS module, parking mode options, a 2" HD screen and much more. H.265 for high efficient video encoding to save space.

www.blackboxmycar.com

The one time you need it will be the time that it makes the investment worth it. Plus, you can save all of the video clips of the crazy & stupid stuff you see!

 

[BonzaiDuck]

The one time you need it will be the time that it makes the investment worth it. Plus, you can save all of the video clips of the crazy & stupid stuff you see!

I'm glad he found the right kit.

The Rohent backup camera I linked in my earlier post will do the recording, but saving the files on your Android / I-phone device via Wi-Fi. I'm still giving a look at the sort of kits that the OP wants. But with my audio-upgrade Android-tablet-integration and MP3/FM-transmitter project, I wanted to try and get cameras that integrated with my DIY rig and avoid adding too much extra.

I see that some of those kits will still communicate with an Android device via Wi-Fi, but that then knocks out my existing wi-Fi camera -- or -- they can't be used at the same time. And I still have to figure out how to get the Android to record and manage its own camera's files so it doesn't overrun the 128GB SD card.

Also, it's interesting -- you might think a 2013 Dodge Durango would have some or all the features the OP desires. I guess not, then. Well -- that was "seven years ago" . . so . . .

 

[Fardringle]

I'm glad he found the right kit.

Also, it's interesting -- you might think a 2013 Dodge Durango would have some or all the features the OP desires. I guess not, then. Well -- that was "seven years ago" . . so . . .

Me too. The sale kit with the extra components was a nice find, for a VERY high rated set. I'm anxious to get it and try it out!

Also, this 2013 Durango is the "Citadel" model so it has pretty much every feature available at the time. It does have a lot of nice features, but factory dash cams just weren't an option at the time. As far as I can tell, they still aren't even in the 2020 model year...

 

[manly]

Yeah all the dashcam nerds hang out at that site, so glad it helped OP research and decide.

Personally, I wouldn't drive in America without a dashcam.

Have you seen dashcam footage from Russia? It's truly amazballs.

Me too. The sale kit with the extra components was a nice find, for a VERY high rated set. I'm anxious to get it and try it out!

Also, this 2013 Durango is the "Citadel" model so it has pretty much every feature available at the time. It does have a lot of nice features, but factory dash cams just weren't an option at the time. As far as I can tell, they still aren't even in the 2020 model year...

Depending on when your vehicle generation was first introduced, the design and features set are easily a decade old by now. More to the point, infotainment and other electronic gadgetry are one of the significant areas of "innovation" in recent years. A late model car has way more computing going on than something built in 2012 (particularly for safety and driving assistance). Even a staple such as a backup camera wasn't mandated by the feds until 2018-ish, with some manufacturers complaining it added a lot of cost to save just a small number of lives annually.

 

[Kaido]

Have you seen dashcam footage from Russia? It's truly amazballs.

Yeah it's a whole different world over there haha...I used to watch them on Youtube, until I accidentally watched a NSFL dashcam accident...had to spend a few days on https://www.reddit.com/r/Eyebleach/ after that

 

[Fardringle]

Depending on when your vehicle generation was first introduced, the design and features set are easily a decade old by now. More to the point, infotainment and other electronic gadgetry are one of the significant areas of "innovation" in recent years. A late model car has way more computing going on than something built in 2012 (particularly for safety and driving assistance). Even a staple such as a backup camera wasn't mandated by the feds until 2018-ish, with some manufacturers complaining it added a lot of cost to save just a small number of lives annually.

My Durango with the 2013 Citatel package actually has quite a few toys in it. But there have definitely been a lot of new things added to newer cars in the past few years.

These are the things I consider "extras" that are factory installed in my Durango. I realize that a lot of these have become standard in new cars, but back then a lot of them were new and/or expensive. I bought the vehicle used a few years ago for the normal asking price of a base model Durango of the same year and mileage, so I didn't pay the premium to get the extra toys, but I do like having them!

Really nice 12 speaker stereo system with integrated CD changer, internal hard drive for music/media storage, USB port for uploading media to the drive, integrated GPS navigation (rarely used since the maps are outdated, but really cool when it was new), Bluetooth connectivity for direct media playback and hands-free phone operation.

Backup camera that displays on the big touchscreen on the stereo system, positioned to give a direct view of the tow hitch for really easy link up with a trailer.

Motorized seats for driver and passenger, with both heating AND cooling in the seats. Heated seats in the middle and back rows as well. No cooling in the seats there, but there are AC vents in the roof and floor of each row, with independent temperature and fan controls (that can also be locked/controlled from the main panel in the dashboard).

Heated steering wheel. Living in a place that gets both very hot (over 100F) and very cold (near or below 0F), I really love this feature and the heated/cooled seats!

13" DVD media system that can be controlled from the device itself (above/in front of the 2nd row), or with a remote, or, again, from the control panel in the dash board. Also includes 6 wireless headsets to allow all possible passengers to watch and listen while the front seats can listen to the stereo/CD/stored media separate from the DVD system. Also has inputs to connect to virtually any possible video source, including USB, hard drive, laptop, gaming console, etc.

12 volt, USB, and 110volt outlets in each row. Nice for the kids with mobile devices or for actually using a gaming console with the DVD video system.

Remotely opened power lift gate on the back for easy access to the storage area (with a button on the dashboard to open/close it as well).

Motorized sun/moon roofs.

Remote engine start, that automatically detects the outside temperature and turns on the AC or Heat as appropriate in both the main cabin and in the seats.

Touch sensitive door handles that automatically lock or unlock the doors when touched if the person touching the handle also has an authorized remote key fob in their possession (within a few feet of the door).

Moisture sensor on the front windshield that automatically detects when the wipers need to speed up or slow down to maintain visibility without having to reach for the control lever.

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Overall I really like this vehicle. It just needs dash cameras in case of idiots, since there aren't any idiot prevention accessories in the vehicle..

 

[manly]

I'm not currently shopping for a dash cam, but the following style seems to be increasingly popular.

https://www.amazon.com/VanTop-Mirror-Control-Tracking-Waterproof/dp/B089SVCW1X/

Cheaper models exist, this one appears to be the "latest and greatest."