Kansas City MINI Enthusiasts

Is anybody running a dash cam? They seem to be gaining popularity and they are relatively cheap. I am just wondering if anyone has one and if they have captured anything cool?

MiniManiac wrote:Is anybody running a dash cam? They seem to be gaining popularity and they are relatively cheap. I am just wondering if anyone has one and if they have captured anything cool?

I'm thinking of getting a GoPro with wifi on it and getting one of those tow-hook mount gopro mounts for it. Just for kicks, cruising around, and parades and so forth.

The dashcams are popular in Europe. Didn't know they were gaining popularity in the US

Zackattack28 wrote:

MiniManiac wrote:Is anybody running a dash cam? They seem to be gaining popularity and they are relatively cheap. I am just wondering if anyone has one and if they have captured anything cool?

I'm thinking of getting a GoPro with wifi on it and getting one of those tow-hook mount gopro mounts for it. Just for kicks, cruising around, and parades and so forth.

The dashcams are popular in Europe. Didn't know they were gaining popularity in the US

I have a GoPro and I thought about using that one as well. The dash cams are pretty cool because they automatically loop every 3 hours or so. I don't do anything exciting on Post so it would be a pretty lame recording. LOL

Just to add to an old post, I have used the Android app Torque with the Track Recorder add-on and mounted my phone in the windshield. Cost me like $5 but will also overlay a map and engine readouts (speed, boost, IAT, etc). I use it with a cheap bluetooth OBD-II dongle and it works great. Some may remember I used it to clear codes at a previous garage day as well.

nine5raptor wrote:Just to add to an old post, I have used the Android app Torque with the Track Recorder add-on and mounted my phone in the windshield. Cost me like $5 but will also overlay a map and engine readouts (speed, boost, IAT, etc). I use it with a cheap bluetooth OBD-II dongle and it works great. Some may remember I used it to clear codes at a previous garage day as well.

That's a good idea. I haven't purchased anything yet but I am still intrigued by the idea/concept.

I have the Garmin dash cam. You can put in a larger memory card to get a longer record time before looping. Also automatically senses a accident and saves the previous few minutes until you delete it.

I have been thinking about this ThinkWare Cam. http://www.thinkware.com/Products/Dashcam/F750 . Mini makes a Camera system but I cannot seem to easily find it for an 05. Used to have them on ECS tuning.

One concern of mine would be capturing careless drivers in parking lots. They make these motion activated but I am not sure if the field of view is wide enough to really document any plates from door bashers . Could pull a tag from someone backing into the car with reverse cam. No front plates in Kansas so those who cant seem to figure out where the front of their car stops are in safe for smash up derby driving.

It is also hard to deal with parking lot accidents. I just try to drive the family truckster to the stores and running errands.

Many of these have some sort of accident warning systems. I wish they had a warning system for to let me know of eveyone around me with their faces stuck in phones while driving. Face front and forward detection.

The bride got me the Garmin dash cam for Xmas and I've been playing with it a bit, video clarity is amazing - tho in Buzz, every expansion strip or pothole sets off the "event recorder" (like I hit something). I have only seen a few forehead slapping crazies out there so far, but I'm sure to get some lulus over time.

One thing I need is a larger memory card, at 2 gig it overwrites fairly quickly at 1080P - I think about 2 hours total recording time......

I think Samsung is making 256GB cards now if you want to record a year of driving

Yeah but the camera doesn't support those, I think 32g is as big as it will support, have to check.

I'll bet those are spendy too!