Dash Cam - Do You Have One, Would You Purchase One

[JakeR]

How many owners travel with a dash camera? Or would like one after saying "Did you see that?"

If you have one, is it built-in from the factory, easy to operate?

Or did you install a system after researching and knowing what you wanted?

My point here is to discover how the owners of expensive vehicles protect themselves while traveling down the road and also able to record and save all the beautiful scenery. I am a small business owner that supplies video cameras to auto racing teams plus the fire and rescue industry. So I would like to find out more about the owners in this RV market and what may be important to you. The FMCA has a lot of members, many that attend the conventions like the one planned for Madison, WI. in 2015. Being this the area where we live, I am thinking about having a vendor booth for this show if I can see the market needs first.

Here are camera features I believe to be important in this market:

Camera is easy to self install. Pro suction cup to windshield, plug in to 12 volt accesory source, auto start/stop.

Records High Definition video with audio, date and time stamp on video if wanted.

Loop recording of 15 hours with included 32 GB media card, over 60 hours with larger media card.

Camera has HDMI out port. You may watch live camera on any TV in vehicle.

Camera can be removed when not traveling. Use it outdoors, rechargeable battery, waterproof.

Mounts are included for tripod, helmet mount and flat surface mount.

Priced between $400 and $500 for a camera that may be put to use all year long.

I would appreciate your feedback and questions.

Thank you.

Jake Roth

[desertdeals69]

I have looked into having a dash cam and saw a number of them from various manufacturers at the AAPEX/SEMA show in Las Vegas last week. I looked at Fry's Electronics at the retail level and they start at around $100. I think there is a market for them but I think your price point is high.

[billbaldwin]

You can ge a GoPro for $150.00

Thats your price point

[JakeR]

Note: Ad content deleted.

Moderator

Thanks for the feedback so far. Good to hear there is a market here.

Both replies mention the price point of a camera. But I have to keep in mind for the RV market:

Need a power cord for 12 volts, battery alone is 2 hours recording time.

Need memory. Large media card. Small media card is standard. Do you need two cards? Incident happens, save card, put in your extra card.

Mount needed to secure to upper windshield, easy to move to another location. Or are you OK with sticking directly on your dash?(adhesive mount)

Is camera fully programmed, ready to use, plug and play? Or, you don't mind reading how to update firmware and adjust settings.

Did you guys buy the cameras you are speaking of? Why or why not? Thank you.

Anybody else?

[shields]

Jake,

You might take a moment to read the rules of this forum. Using the FMCA forum to advertise or solicit business is prohibited.

Note from moderator: Ad content deleted. As you said, Jake is welcome to ask marketing questions here, but as on virtually all Forums, is not allowed to advertise. Thanks. Brett

[elkhartjim]

I think they are gaining in popularity and as the market increases the price point will continue to drop. I have a friend with one and as I recall he spent less than $200 with card, cord, mounting hardware, etc, and that was over a year ago. I believe the newness soon wore off and he no longer uses it.

[JakeR]

Thanks Jim. This kind of tells me the rank of importance to some owners.

Which is really what I was wondering about today.

[BillAdams]

The OP is trying to sell a product. He's going to wrangle his way into your e-mail box or hint at what you should look for in a dash cam (which only his product can provide) but I will sit back and watch to see how many folks bother to answer his marketing questions.

[JakeR]

Bill, too bad you feel that way.

So after being on this forum for only half a day, not what I thought it was all about here. And so I think I may already have an answer to my first question, should I invest in being a vendor and supporting one of your upcoming conventions. Probably not. Just not where I want to be. Thanks anyways.

[BillAdams]

You are welcome. Since you said you wanted to be a vendor you supported my supposition that you were only here to sell a product. The fact that ad content had to be deleted also supports that supposition.

You are most welcome to sell to your hearts content at one of the FMCA events, but not here.

I made a living for many years selling products at the FMCA conventions and it sounds like you might have a product that would be useful to many RVers. You just can't hide behind a facade in an attempt to promote your product. Open it up, even if that means you simply answer questions asked by others, and make no bones about who you are or what your intentions are.

[huffypuff]

At Redmond, I walked out of a seminar because a vendor was trying to sell his own less than $100 cheap dash cam. No GPS, software, mapping or sound and low resolution. A cheap China knock off. A GoPro with it's HD is OK for some things but not really a fully feature dash cam. I got a fully feature dash cam for less than a GoPro would of cost me just to have it set up not quite the same.

[tbutler]

I looked at these this fall, Garmin has a good looking one but it works with a proprietary software link for the computer. I don't want a suction cup mount, I'm looking for one that can be mounted on the cabinetry in the front window. I would even like to have one that could be used with 110V electric or a USB which could be run off 110V electric (I have the adapters). I haven't seen any that offer an alternative to the suction cup mount and there don't seem to be any third party vendors making mounts for them yet. So I'm just looking right now. Would really like to have something by next spring.

[dickandlois]

Hi Tom, This weighted dash mount might work for you. It works for small cameras. There is a hock that is attached to the dash, but you might find away to make it work.

http://www.arkon.com/Camera%20Mounts/camera-dashboard--mount.html

Rich.

[tbutler]

Rich,

Thanks for the link. I spent a few minutes on their site and found several screw mounts that would attach to a cabinet to hold a camera, perfect. They really have a very wide range of mounting devices. This is a great resource. I've bookmarked the site!

[huffypuff]

I got something similar to this from same company over a year ago but newer models have come out. Seems to be getting better as time goes on. I have a couple of video clips I would like to share from Redmond, OR and you be impress of the quality. Let me know how to post on here.

http://www.zetronix.com/Car-Cameras/c59/2K-HD-Wide-Angle-Nightvision-GPS-Car/Truck-DVR-Dash-Camera(275)/product_info.html?gclid=CNKZkbfQ9sECFUeBfgodxRoAIQ

[manholt]

I agree with Tim and Bill.

I have always seen a use for the rear camera, but a dash one would just be another distraction for me. Just as I have no use for side cameras. I have learned that my side mirrors, give me more input than a camera does. Also, by disabling the side cameras I always have a clear view off my rear and know when it's safe to return to my lane after passing.

I do admit that GoPro was and is the best stock I ever bought....

Have a great Thanksgiving!

[desertdeals69]

I agree with Tim and Bill.

I have always seen a use for the rear camera, but a dash one would just be another distraction for me. Just as I have no use for side cameras. I have learned that my side mirrors, give me more input than a camera does. Also, by disabling the side cameras I always have a clear view off my rear and know when it's safe to return to my lane after passing.

I do admit that GoPro was and is the best stock I ever bought....

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Side cameras have a use. They are positioned at the front and show the blind area under the mirror. They only come on when the turn signal is on.

[huffypuff]

Both rear and side cameras are useful. I first check if a car is next to the toad, then I use the turn signal to see if a car is next to the coach. One day we will have a four point drive cam recording at all times. Are you listening Silverleaf?

http://www.silverleafelectronics.com/

[uechiyondan]

My 2 cents worth....

We looked at a couple of units in Perry last spring, but didn't find anything we liked at a price we wanted to pay.

We did find and buy a "dash cam" last summer at Sturgis for the Harley. It came with a box of just about every type of mount imaginable. It works pretty good on the engine guard but the vibration and the up and down movement on the bike makes for some "interesting" videos. It works much better in the coach or in the Jeep for recording scenery or as a record for when someone does something stupid just in front of us.

It works well, gives good picture quality and runs off the cigarette outlet, One of the mounting brackets fits nicely on the dash up against the windshield, it doesn't move and gives a clear view out front, fits in the same place on the Jeep too. The biggest challenge it to remember to clear the memory card and plug it in before we start driving.

Almost, if not all are made in China, so there is no way around that, unfortunately.

[wayne77590]

I use a GoPro Hero +3 as a dash cam. It has all the features so far discussed in this thread. When not moving in the RV it can be pulled from the mount and it fits in your shirt pocket. It can be used for video or snapshots.

Works for me.

[huffypuff]

Does the GoPro Hero +3 have all of these features?

Main Features

• Wide-angle 120 degree six element sharp lens
• 360 degree bracket swivel
• Full 2K video resolution 2304 x 1269p is 30 percent more pixels than 1080P WOW!
• Advanced H.264 compression allows you to store video with the highest efficiency
• Watch live and play back your videos on a large HD 2.7” LCD Screen
• HDMI and AV Output
• Built-in GPS records your speed and location on Google Maps for playback
• G-Sensor recording documents any shock the camera experiences
• WDR technology allows bright, vivid recording at night
• Lane departure warning system keeps the driver alert
• Built-in mic records sound and can be turned off
• Proprietary software works on PCs with Google Maps
• Video playback works on both PCs and Mac with speed and location
• Loop feature allows for constant worry-free recording
• The time and date is stamped on videos for documentation
• Auto Start Recoding kicks in immediately when your car starts
• Optional motion sensor recording

- See more at: http://www.zetronix.com/Car-Cameras/c59/2K-HD-Wide-Angle-Nightvision-GPS-Car/Truck-DVR-Dash-Camera(275)/product_info.html?gclid=CNKZkbfQ9sECFUeBfgodxRoAIQ#sthash.LNEGNDw7.dpuf

[rwilli]

I think the idea of a camera to record activity on the road, especially in the event of a vehicular accident would be a valued device. My experience has not been from the point of view of the windshield but for the sides of the coach. Being broadsided or sideswiped by inattentive drivers are far more a concern for me when it comes down to who failed to have proper lookout when changing lanes or merging into traffic. Make a camera that records side activity and I am a consumer--mounted on the windshield is not something of personal interest.

[wayne77590]

Does the GoPro Hero +3 have all of these features?

Main Features

• Wide-angle 120 degree six element sharp lens
• 360 degree bracket swivel
• Full 2K video resolution 2304 x 1269p is 30 percent more pixels than 1080P WOW!
• Advanced H.264 compression allows you to store video with the highest efficiency
• Watch live and play back your videos on a large HD 2.7” LCD Screen
• HDMI and AV Output
• Built-in GPS records your speed and location on Google Maps for playback
• G-Sensor recording documents any shock the camera experiences
• WDR technology allows bright, vivid recording at night
• Lane departure warning system keeps the driver alert
• Built-in mic records sound and can be turned off
• Proprietary software works on PCs with Google Maps
• Video playback works on both PCs and Mac with speed and location
• Loop feature allows for constant worry-free recording
• The time and date is stamped on videos for documentation
• Auto Start Recoding kicks in immediately when your car starts
• Optional motion sensor recording

- See more at: http://www.zetronix.com/Car-Cameras/c59/2K-HD-Wide-Angle-Nightvision-GPS-Car/Truck-DVR-Dash-Camera(275)/product_info.html?gclid=CNKZkbfQ9sECFUeBfgodxRoAIQ#sthash.LNEGNDw7.dpuf

Probably not, but who cares. Not me. It's satisfatory for what I want it to do. All a person has to do is look at the options they want and then decide what they want to spend.

[huffypuff]

Both rear and side cameras are useful. I first check if a car is next to the toad, then I use the turn signal to see if a car is next to the coach. One day we will have a four point drive cam recording at all times. Are you listening Silverleaf?

http://www.silverleafelectronics.com/

rwilli I believe what is best in the future is above for all cars. If there is a sideswipe of motorhome and car it is the driver of the motorhome responsibility to avoid the accident.

Wayne I'm glad that the GoPro works for you but I expect more than the GoPro provide and look for the future when 4 point drive cam become standard.

[huffypuff]

Finally got one uploaded, won't let me get another uploaded yet. This one is getting parked at FMCA High Desert Sun Redmond, OR. If I can do it so can anybody, um follow direction.

If you look at the bottom picture you can see the dash cam right above the wipers in the middle.