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Dash Cams

74K views 124 replies 33 participants last post by  Gatsby 
#1 ·
I know this isn't particularly specific to the Insight itself.... But, anyone got a dash cam installed? I had one in my Hyundai Elantra that has since migrated over to my new Insight. It's not a terribly expensive unit but does offer some good features and really clear video that's easy to download to a computer. I know in the past I've gotten some good footage of people doing dumb things while out not he road but nothing more than that. It is nice knowing that should I ever be in a legal situation where I would need to defend myself that I would have a digital footprint of where I was and when and what happened both with audio and video. You just never know in this day and age.

To install my dash cam, used a fuse tap in the interior fuse box in the driver footwell area to tap into fuse number one which is the accessory fuse. Allows the dash cam to run run while the vehicle is in accessory or in the on position. It's definitely worth it to do this type of install so that you don't have any cords hanging down and you're not blocking a usb port/12 volt outlet. Simply tucked the lead into the weatherstripping of the driver door and then up into the headliner. Hides the cords and makes the install look really nice.... like a professional installed it. Took about 15-20 minutes to get it finished up.
 
#4 ·
I have front and rear dashcams in my insight. There is a single wire running form the power outlet in the console. I removed the leahter trim on the dash and was able to run the wire within the console into the battery area. It is split there into two USB connections. One runs the front camera, and the other runs to the rear camera underneath the floor mats and under the rear seat and up the passenger side rear. I'm happy with the results. Let me know if you would like photos of the install.
 
#5 ·
Correct! That 10 amp fuse allowed me to add in my fuse tap so that way my camera is powered on when the car is on or when the accessory power is on. A really simple and clean install!
 
#10 ·
Here are the photos of my dash cam installs. I used the dash power outlet to start. The cable runs down beneath the mat into the right side joint. I removed the leather dash trim (it pops right off) and was able to get the cable down to the battery area. It's a split cable I had from some other earlier USB-type-device purchase but worked perfectly for this application. I used a 10ft USB 2.0 A-to-mini-USB for the front camera. I used a micro-to-micro extension for the rear camera. Your needs may differ. Although the cables are visible in a couple places, it's not very noticeable. I wish I had taklen photos when I had everything apart to show the cable routing. My apologies for that. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message. I may clean things up more in the spring as it's starting to get a little nippy outside. :grin:
 

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#47 ·
Hey hasarad, referencing a pretty old post, but did anybody mention to you that your wiring here directly impedes the side curtain airbag? I was undressing my Insight last night for my hardwire kit and saw that the airbag goes up pretty far up the pillar and along the frame. Didn't take any pictures but referenced this video which is fairly accurate in how it looks
 
#11 ·
Attached are the photos of my dash cam install. Using a fuse tap in the number one accessory fuse, I routed the power cord behind the door weatherstripping and then behind the top of the A Pillar. The ground wire is attached to a bolt in the driver foot well. I also used a small zip tie to get rid of the excess ground wire as not to have slack that my foot could get caught in. Next I tucked the cord into the headliner to where the only cord you see is a small pigtail sticking out of the headliner and then plugging into the camera. Took a little longer to install but drives me less crazy (Self diagnosed OCD) to see less of the power cord.
 

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#15 ·
Your Insight's Dash Cam...Pros and Cons...

Hi Everyone,

I have been looking into dash cam options for a long time but can't decide which one is good or bad. I guess there is no "apple" version of dash cams, the competition is very high and all look decent to me. That's why I wanted to open this thread to see if anyone out there using one and...

- what are the pros and cons of your dash cam?
- would you recommend it?


The purpose of getting a dash cam for me is just to capture the accident in the future, not really interested in other features as my EX pretty much has all of other add-on features (such as traffic sign readings, lane departure warnings etc.)

Here are my priorities:


1) Loop recording
2) Good image / video quality day and night
3) Easy to manage the footage through my iPhone
4) Good design (not a fan of bulky looking dash cams)

I would also like to see a setup of yours if you have one, feel free to share pictures, not a huge fan of seeing the cable of the cam going all around my car but let's see how you came up with your setup!
 
#16 ·
Hi Ebsandiego. I use the Spy Tec Mobius Action Camera 1080P HD with C2 lenses. I'm in the process of hard wiring them (one in front and one in back) to my fusebox and hope to have it done by next weekend. I'll post pictures when I am done. The big plus for these is they have very good video quality and are also very tiny (2x1x1 inches big and weighing only 1.2oz). They don't integrate with phones, so you have to take the memory card out to view video on your computer. These aren't for people that don't want to mess with hooking them up to your computer to make your settings (of which there are quite a few), or eject the Micro SD card each time you want to view videos. You will be hard pressed to find smaller dash cams that have better video quality than these though.
 
#17 ·
Here's a link to one of the dashcam threads.
https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/7-2019-honda-insight-general-discussion/496-dash-cams.html
I have a rexing dashcam similar to the above thread starter @Johudso7 .


I didn't bother hiding my power cable, I just used the short USB cable(it comes with a long one, too.) that came with the cam, and plugged it into the Insight's USB port. It produces good quality footage both day and night. It's not going to capture license plate numbers at night unless the car is right in front of you and not moving fast like on the highway. I don't think you're going to find a dashcam(I haven't so far) that could do that since most license plates are reflective. The only cons I would say is it uses a built in battery and you have to press the record button each time you start the Insight if you plug it into the USB port. The dashcam thinks you're plugging it into a computer so it prompts you to select storage media. You have to let that prompt disappear after 5 seconds and then press the record button. You can avoid this by using a usb car charger via the cigarette lighter. Then it will automatically record when you start the car.


https://www.amazon.com/Rexing-Dashboard-Recorder-G-Sensor-Recording/dp/B00X528FNE/
https://www.amazon.com/Rexing-Suction-Cup-Mount-3rd/dp/B01N07VKIK/ (I bought this suction cup because I didn't want to use the adhesive sticker which could leave residue on my windshield if I want to remove it)
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Endurance-64GB-Micro-Adapter/dp/B07B9KTLJZ/ (Don't cheap out on the SD card, get one designed for dashcams due to the nature of the device, which does a ton of constant writes/rewrites, and temperature fluctuations in the car. You don't want the SD card to fail on you when you need it most.)


The other con is the built in battery, I'm not sure how it handles in the heat, but during the summer I take it back into my home after I'm done driving. I put it in the glove box when I complete a trip if I'm not home. Not sure if that helps but at least it is not baking in the sun even though the cabin is probably like an oven.



You can manage the footage by pulling the microsd card out, plugging it into a regular size SD card adapter, and then into your computer's SD card reader. You can set the loop recording to every 3, 5, and I think 10 minutes. The dashcam itself does look bulky but it doesn't take up that much space. Looking for the right dashcam is such a hassle due to all of them being no-name brands and reports of them dying within the 1st year. I had the rexing for almost 2 years from my previous car so it is still running at least.



I'm currently considering getting this newer rexing built with a capacitor instead of built in battery and a rear camera. I have never considered a rear camera because if you get rear ended it is automatically the other person's fault. At least I thought it was.... Read about many instances where the at fault driver lied about what happened to their own insurance company and you end up having to fight their insurance company to pay. I have never been in an accident where I was at fault but I have been rear ended 3 times while waiting at a traffic light. During my most recent rear ending(before owning the Insight) I found out Massachusetts is a no fault state(so stupid) but thankfully the at fault driver didn't lie to their own insurance company about what happened.


I will see if I can get a picture of my setup and some sample footage. Hope this helps your decision making.
 
#18 ·
Most dashcams do loop recording. I have a little Aukey camera attached to my rear-view mirror. I recommend getting a mirror clamp instead of a windshield suction cup (which WILL fall off eventually). I've used a fuse-tap and have placed a dual USB socket in the 12v battery area near the firewall. I've routed both front and rear power cables to there. My rear camera is a cheap little chinese one, but it does 1080p and is very tiny. I built a wooden bracket (painted black) which slips between the roof and headliner and is held in place only by friction. It's been there for several months without a problem.

The only thing on your list that's going to be a problem is managing the camera via your iPhone. That's a rare option. I believe there is a company named OwlCam that may offer it - bit I'm sure it will be expensive.

Good luck!
 
#19 ·
I recommend getting a mirror clamp instead of a windshield suction cup (which WILL fall off eventually).
I agree with the mirror clamp. Here is mine holding my Mobius Dash Cam. Will likely still go with a suction mount on my back windshield until I find a better solution like what Hasarad has done.
 

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#22 ·
I belong to a radar detector/laser jammer/dashcam expert forum and have been following many reviews for all things listed.

My choice for a self contained compact hi-res camera in the $100 range was the Viofo A119 with GPS mount and polarized lens cover. Incredible sharp 2K video with location stamping and excellent brightness at night too. The A119S is a nice one too. A little less wide angle, but slightly better at capturing license plates. Might actually be the better one. I plan on getting one of those soon. Both run on USB power, and everything you need comes in the box, including a long power cable that can tuck under the headliner.

Just make sure you get something like a Transcend High Endurance 128 GB micro SD card to take the constant abuse that rewriting high speed video subjects memory cards to. Your average SanDisk will die in short order.

Want to learn about this stuff? YouTube "Vortex Radar". Yeah, he has high-end Blackview 4K cams in his car, but he also does lots of detailed reviews on other options. The A119 series is universally respected...especially for the price.

Phil
 
#24 ·
Yes that sounds very logical. So that means that there might be just over 500 in Canada. I have just over 800km ( 500 miles ) on mine and have never seen another one. To answer Misterb I bought a complete set of Tuxmats and trunk liner, got the rear mudflaps, had the 3M clear protector applied 24" up the hood, on the lights and fog lights, backs of mirrors and top of rear bumper. Also did the Krown spray application. I think I will be good for this coming winter.
Good choice on the floor mats. I put the tuxmat in before the winter and you know what a miserable winter it was. They cleaned up this spring and look brand new. They will be staying in year round. I also installed the rear mudflaps. The U.S. version comes with no mud flaps from the factory and the Canadian model for whatever reason comes with the front ones. When I went to the local Honda dealer to buy rear mudflaps, my only option was to buy a complete front and rear set. I ended up ordering a rear set from the U.S. and had them delivered to a postal drop in Ogdensburg, NY. I also installed a Viofo A119 dash cam I procured at Xmas (gift to myself) from Amazon along with the kit to hard wire it in. Really simple installation (10-15 mins max) and it is so small it is hardly noticeable.
 
#26 ·
It works great. Takes multiple 10 minute clips and if it runs out of room on the card then it starts from the beginning. I bought the dashcam, micro-SD card and hard wire installation separately although they may be available as a package. I attached some pictures of mine both mounted and detached as well as a screen capture from amazon.com. Takes up very little space and when you remove the dashcam, the GPS mount remains in place. The lens should be just below the shaded portion of the windshield and the lens is adjustable up and down. It has a number of options I don't use such as motion detection, lane departure warning and forward collision warning which we already have. Version 2 is the latest one.
 

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#27 ·
I’m having trouble with my dash cam powering off. I have it mounted to the windshield with the power tapped into fuse 1. It powers on but after a few mins, powers down on its own for some reason. It’s sometimes as quick as 30secs, but usually stays on for about 2mins before shutting down. There’s a red light on the camera that stays on though, so I know it’s getting power.

I feel as if it may have something to do with plugging in my iPhone via usb. When my phone is fully charged and plugged in for CarPlay, the camera will stay on, but if it’s charging, maybe the accessory circuit isn’t strong enough to power both the camera and charge my iPhone?

I just drove from Charlotte to Nashville, and it stayed on for the whole drive, though it did power down at first...stayed on only after I physically pressed the power button to turn it back on.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
 
#28 ·
My cams (I have front and rear) have the screens power off after a minute or two. The continue to record. Have you checked the screen dimming setting? Have you checked the SD card to see if it's still recording after the screen goes blank? Dashcams don't draw much power, so I doubt that's the issue. Since the red light is on, it's not a total power loss like a loose wire. You may want to check your ground - where do you have it grounded to?
 
#32 ·
Just curious, but maybe a different fuse might be a better source. Seems like the issue you are having is directly related to installing the hardwire kit.
 
#33 ·
Agree. I’m out of town but I’ll use my Multi-Meter this weekend to find another switched power source to tap into rather than accessory #1. Hopefully I’ll have better luck on another one.

On a side note, my wife has a 2019 Honda Accord Sport and I installed hers the same way using slot #4 IIRC, which is accessory for her car. We haven’t driven it since I added it, so I’ll be curious to see if it stays on.
 
#43 ·
Update. I ended up using the 12v receptacle cord that came with the camera for a few days with no problems. So that pretty much guaranteed it was the hardwire kit that was the problem. I ordered a new one from a different seller on Amazon and have had it installed for about 10 days with no issues at all. I still have it tapped into fuse 14, didn’t see a need to change to #1 at this point.

Thanks!
 
#45 ·
I recently contacted my dealership to have two cams installed on my insight and they said they won't hardwire it due to warranty concerns. Has anyone else had this issue?
I don't believe dealers normally do aftermarket installations of branded hardware that's not theirs. You can do it yourself. The proper way to install it aftermarket is to use a fuse-tap so you won't need to cut the factory wiring. That's what several of us have done. If you don't want to do it yourself, any car audio place should be able to help you out. The best part is it's totally reversible. Done properly, there's no reason it should void your warranty.
 
#46 ·
The dealer only installs OEM accessories, like the Insight-specific ones listed in this attachment or listed in the "build your Insight" section of the the Honda Site. The first attachment includes part and installation costs (and is negotiable). Anything not listed is considered aftermarket and you're on your own to install at your own cost, time and risk.

Even if you did buy OEM accessories after purchase (like from an OEM online site), I'd be surprised if a dealer agreed to install since it's not very profitable for them; they'd miss out selling you the part itself, which is the highest profit margin portion of the sale.

If you decide to move forward with aftermarket dash cam installation, here are a few threads that may be helpful reading:

For a visual reference of the install, the steps Boozeralex used are in a video posted on Verdier's youtube channel (Verdier 400).
 
#48 · (Edited)
Rear Dash Cam Hardwire Installation

Wanted to check out if anybody had successfully performed a clean hardwire install for a rear facing dash cam section without removing the C pillar trim or impeding the airbags. I was having difficulty removing the C pillar trim and went to the Honda dealer to find that apparently there's a single-use clip holding that section (really tightly in place too) and wanted to avoid that extra hassle and money :)

By the way if anyone is interested, here's some scans of their technician's manual on removing the pillar trims and the single-use clip part info: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17H882lCF3pDXSHizpZvp0nATbmnnC065/view?usp=sharing (2.65MB PDF)
 
#49 ·
Wanted to check out if anybody had successfully performed a clean hardwire install for a rear facing dash cam section without removing the C pillar trim or impeding the airbags. I was having difficulty removing the C pillar trim and went to the Honda dealer to find that apparently there's a single-use clip holding that section (really tightly in place too) and wanted to avoid that extra hassle and money :)

By the way if anyone is interested, here's some scans of their technician's manual on removing the pillar trims and the single-use clip part info: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17H882lCF3pDXSHizpZvp0nATbmnnC065/view?usp=sharing (2.65MB PDF)
https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/5...-power-outlet-dash-cam-install.html#post12384 @Boozeralex found a clever way to do it without removing the C pillar trim. :grin:
 
#54 ·
I currently have a Rexing v1 dash cam which I bought in 2017. It's a decent dash cam for what I paid ($80?) and it still works. Just not happy with the footage I get during sunset where it's underexposed so you can't see anything besides the sky. The dash cam mounting hole isn't an exact fit to the windshield mount so it picks up rattle sounds while driving on rough surface roads. Also footage oddly goes pixelated when driving through roads with lots of trees but clears up when stopped.

Been shopping for a better dash cam plus one for the rear. I brushed off getting a rear dash cam earlier since rear end accidents usually result in the other driver being at fault. Watching some youtube videos made me realize there will be situations where the rear dash cam will come in handy like hit & runs or even something like what @Fung2491 experienced. https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/2...lems/3338-car-jolted-while-stopped-light.html

@Boozeralex Looks like you have the VAVA and bought 2 front facing dash cams. Any issues with the VAVA dash cam?


It's currently on the top of my list after watching the below youtube video. Amazon has a new version of it with the rear camera (https://www.amazon.com/VAVA-1920x1080P-2560x1440P-G-Sensor-Recording/dp/B07R5MBNZ7/). The magnet attachment allows it to spin around so it can come in handy when being pulled over by cops or accidents that happen on the side of the car.



 
#55 ·
Looks like you have the VAVA and bought 2 front facing dash cams. Any issues with the VAVA dash cam?
None at all, I have been very happy with them and would buy it again. I am now interested in this new model you sent a link to, too bad it only records at 1080 when in dual mode but the extra resolution is probably not that big of a loss really.

If you get it please let us know your thoughts on it.


My only real nitpick on the VAVA, and this is pretty small, the wifi connection is slow so it takes a while to download video to your phone, not a major problem though as it still beats dealing with the micro sd cards like previous last dash cams.
 
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