Garmin announces Dashcams

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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
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Kaido... Lets start a new thread since this one is 3 years old...?
Also its pretty short...?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57616708-1/garmin-launches-new-dash-cams-at-ces-gps-optional/
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Bartman39



http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57616708-1/garmin-launches-new-dash-cams-at-ces-gps-optional/

Summary:

* 2 models: Dash Cam 10 & 20 (available in February)
* Dash Cam 20 is $249 & has an internal GPS receiver for data stamping (speed, position data, etc.)
* Dash Cam 10 is $219 (only $30 less)
* Suction cup mount
* Powered by 12-volt system
* Starts up & shuts down when the car does
* Includes 4GB MicroSD card (up to 32gb supported)
* Continuous loop recording (WVGA, 720p, 1080p)
* Wide-angle camera & microphone
* G-force sensor (records for strong braking/hits)
* If you crash, you can remove the dashcam and use it to take still pictures of the crash

It's interesting to see a big brand making dashcams. The BlackVue is still more fully-featured (front & rear cameras, plus parking mode), but is also significantly more expensive ($479 for the top-end model at the US store). I'm sure Garmin will start pumping out various models pretty quickly that compete with it. Neat!
 
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Jimzz

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For that price they better be good. The 4gb card is a joke; I would not run anything less than 16gb myself but 8gb may work for some. I run a 32gb card in mine.
Of course the market for those that don't know where to look is also good.

You can get decent 1080p ones for less than $60 now and then $100-200 range provides even better than that.

If the quality is good (video and reliability) then it should sell well in the US. If they take off can't wait to see what the courts say when you get a speeding ticket and use this as a defense.
 
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Kaido

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aren't all those features doable on a modern smartphone + software?

Yes and no. You would need a mount for your smartphone, an app for your smartphone, and ideally, a power line to your smartphone (video sucks up power). What if a call comes in? What if you're on Verizon and want to talk & use data at the same time? (depending on the GPS functionality of the dashcam app) There's no parking mode either since you take your phone with you (i.e. records if someone breaks into your car or hits you in a parking space).

So there are some limitations, but if you want a budget option and don't mind the small hassles of having a non-dedicated device, it's a pretty nice option. Lots of people use it - I think we have several smartphone dashcam users here (maybe they could chime in with their experiences).
 

Kaido

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For that price they better be good. The 4gb card is a joke; I would not run anything less than 16gb myself but 8gb may work for some. I run a 32gb card in mine.
Of course the market for those that don't know where to look is also good.

You can get decent 1080p ones for less than $60 now and then $100-200 range provides even better than that.

If the quality is good (video and reliability) then it should sell well in the US. If they take off can't wait to see what the courts say when you get a speeding ticket and use this as a defense.

Yeah, it will be interesting to see the legal effects this has, especially for recording people who have severe road rage and get captured on-camera - you could simply email your local police department the video file. I've seen people act pretty crappy to each other, so having some video proof would sure be nice.

I'd like to see a premium model that adds a reverse camera as well (or perhaps a 360-degree camera so you get out both sides of the window in case someone merges into you or T-bones you) and has parking mode.
 

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
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I wonder if the mount has a swivel so you can record the inevitable police encounter.
 

RiDE

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Jul 8, 2004
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I wonder how long it'll be until we see a camera integrated into the rearview mirror and sold as an option on new cars.
 

Zenmervolt

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Oct 22, 2000
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Yeah, it will be interesting to see the legal effects this has, especially for recording people who have severe road rage and get captured on-camera - you could simply email your local police department the video file. I've seen people act pretty crappy to each other, so having some video proof would sure be nice.

That's just what I want. The nannys who do exactly the speed limit in the left lane sending video to the police of everyone who passes them. :p

Being serious for a moment, I can definitely see the benefit in road rage situations. I do worry a little given the 12 states that require two-party consent to record conversations though. While there are generally exceptions for recordings made where there is no expectation of privacy, that won't necessarily stop someone from filing suit just to annoy the party who took the recording.

ZV
 

Kaido

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That's just what I want. The nannys who do exactly the speed limit in the left lane sending video to the police of everyone who passes them. :p

Being serious for a moment, I can definitely see the benefit in road rage situations. I do worry a little given the 12 states that require two-party consent to record conversations though. While there are generally exceptions for recordings made where there is no expectation of privacy, that won't necessarily stop someone from filing suit just to annoy the party who took the recording.

ZV

Yeah, exactly - for hit & runs and other serious incidents.
 

Kaido

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They have had one out overseas for a year already.

http://forum.dashcamtalk.com/threads/garmin-gdr35.202/

Seems to be good quality. I think this is the biggest name out there to be selling a dashcam.

Nice find! Even has video samples! Interesting little tidbit:

However, if you buy the separate Garmin GBC 30 camera or the GDR 35D package this can be used as a dual lens system (unfortunately I haven't seen the GBC 30 or the GDR 35D package for sale).

As a dual lens system this is more interesting. Both cameras record 720p at 30fps (only a few dual camera systems do this). Day video quality appears to be good.

It looks like you can buy the dual-lens GDR35D system for around $300 on eBay. There also appears to be a GPS mount, so you only have to attach a single arm to the window:

http://www.garmin.com.sg/m/tw/g/products/ontheroad/GDR30_feature06.jpg

I'm kind of torn. I like the BlackVue the best, but it's also $400+. Garmin is a pretty big name, but we'll have to find out more about dual camera support, parking mode, etc. and from the videos above, the nighttime recording quailty looks a bit subpar. I'm really interested in those bus DVR's from China that can handle 4 to 8 cameras, because then you can get a true 180-degree view when backing up using three separate cameras on the bumper, plus blind spots under each mirror like Honda has on the Accord.
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
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I thought that these things were practically standard equipment in Russia. What took them so long to get here?
 

Jimzz

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I thought that these things were practically standard equipment in Russia. What took them so long to get here?


As bad as many drivers are in the US, US drivers look like well trained race car drivers to most other places in the world.

In many countries stop signs and lights are treated only as suggestions. Right of way? Try get out of my right way. On so on.
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
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No. GPS on a smartphone is less precise and camera quality isn't as good, especially since you need a bigger aperture so the windshield isn't in focus.

My Galaxy S4 works just fine for a dash cam. I don't care about the GPS part (why would I want that?) and the video quality is pretty darn good. It doesn't focus on my windshield. I had to turn it down from 1080p recording though as it was filling my memory card too fast :p

I use a free app (dailyroads voyager) and have 4GB of my 16GB card set to it. Gives me about an hour's worth of video. I only really would need the clip of when something happened, and if something happens I have it save the file so it doesn't overwrite it (just tap the screen while recording and it saves the file). Yes, I have to remember to put the phone in the mount each time but whatever.
 

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
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For that price they better be good. The 4gb card is a joke; I would not run anything less than 16gb myself but 8gb may work for some. I run a 32gb card in mine.
Of course the market for those that don't know where to look is also good.

You can get decent 1080p ones for less than $60 now and then $100-200 range provides even better than that.

If the quality is good (video and reliability) then it should sell well in the US. If they take off can't wait to see what the courts say when you get a speeding ticket and use this as a defense.

I would go with Garmin vs any of those crappy brands you find on Amazon which will just fail in a few months.

But I'd get the Garmin VIRB action cam, which also has GPS and presumably a much better lens and sensor, plus digital stabilization.

Or even the Sony action cam which has mechanical stabilization (I think).

Edit: Sony and Garmin both have digital stabilization http://www.imaging-resource.com/new...pros-turf-with-wifi-capable-action-cam-series
 
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ThatsABigOne

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Too expensive. I would rather go with G1W-C(capacitor model). Only 53 bucks, 1080P, WDR, and a good aperture.
 

Kaido

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Feb 14, 2004
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My Galaxy S4 works just fine for a dash cam. I don't care about the GPS part (why would I want that?) and the video quality is pretty darn good. It doesn't focus on my windshield. I had to turn it down from 1080p recording though as it was filling my memory card too fast :p

I use a free app (dailyroads voyager) and have 4GB of my 16GB card set to it. Gives me about an hour's worth of video. I only really would need the clip of when something happened, and if something happens I have it save the file so it doesn't overwrite it (just tap the screen while recording and it saves the file). Yes, I have to remember to put the phone in the mount each time but whatever.

GPS for proof of location, route, speed, etc. Some just do GPS location stamping and some go as far as saving your route to view on Google Earth. Gives more authenticity to the crash video for verification in court.
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
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I would think if someone hit me it would be pretty darn obvious where the location is as it would be on the police report at the scene. And if it is a hit and run like I get sideswiped and they speed off I would still have video proof of that and their plate anyway to track them down with, so...

I don't really care to constantly broadcast exactly where I'm at to some server someplace. GPS on my phone is turned off 99% of the time. I don't have a tin foil hat but I also don't trust everyone either. Granted my name isn't explicitly on the phone contract (I have my phone through work) but still.
 

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
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I would think if someone hit me it would be pretty darn obvious where the location is as it would be on the police report at the scene. And if it is a hit and run like I get sideswiped and they speed off I would still have video proof of that and their plate anyway to track them down with, so...

I don't really care to constantly broadcast exactly where I'm at to some server someplace. GPS on my phone is turned off 99% of the time. I don't have a tin foil hat but I also don't trust everyone either. Granted my name isn't explicitly on the phone contract (I have my phone through work) but still.

Your location isn't broadcast anywhere. The GPS device doesn't upload any data, it only triangulates your position based on timing information in the signals from the satellites
 

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
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I'm surprised it took this long for a western tech company to actually begin making these things. It's expensive but seems to be one of the more well rounded devices out there. A lot of the cheap Chinese ones don't have GPS or G-force sensing. Will have to see it in action though.
 

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
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I would go with Garmin vs any of those crappy brands you find on Amazon which will just fail in a few months.

But I'd get the Garmin VIRB action cam, which also has GPS and presumably a much better lens and sensor, plus digital stabilization.

Or even the Sony action cam which has mechanical stabilization (I think).

Edit: Sony and Garmin both have digital stabilization http://www.imaging-resource.com/new...pros-turf-with-wifi-capable-action-cam-series


Yea there are a lot of crappy models out there but also a lot of great ones. I have had mine for over a year and still works, cost less than $100.

There are sites for reviews, my fav being http://dashcamtalk.com/, so you can see what works and not.

The G1W seems to be a good cheap model right now. I might get it once I get my Chevy moving better. Unless a new bang for the buck comes out.
 
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