Has anyone got a dash cam?

[MOA4B9]

I was thinking about getting a dash cam and have narrowed it down to Garmin 55 and Nextbase 512wg. I would like to know your opinions. I'm more inclined for garmin as it's smaller and looks nicer. Otherwise the specs are identical. What I like about the nextbase is possibly being able to plug in a rear facing camera in the future. I just don't know how much vision will they obstruct. Can they be fully hidden behind the mirror? If you have a dash cam can you please post a pic of how you attached it.
I see that Halfords can hardwire them for £30. The website doesn't specify if they can do it in A4. Has anyone got it hardwired by them.

 

[Daggerit]

I can’t remember who it is, but a lad on here has the Blackvue and it’s completely hidden from the drivers view when he installed it. It can also have a rear camera if you want to go that route. I think it would be my camera of choice as the video quality is also extremely good.


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[Happy Grumpz]

I had a nextbase 312GW in my A3 Saloon (hardwired by Halfords) which was nice but not completely hidden behind the rear view mirror.

I’ve now got a Blackvue DR750S in my A4 and it’s completely hidden behind the rear view mirror. Such a clean and tidy installation (done by myself this time).

The image quality on the Blackvue is much better than the nextbase imo.

 

[MOA4B9]

The Blackvue camera is very nice but very pricey. I can see how it can be hidden and will look very professional. I don't think it's in my price range.

 

[Headzup]

Audi do the UTR (Universal Traffic Recorder)which seems like a good idea and you can get it for front and front/rear.
Anyone got one or have experience of them..?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/232489324774

 

[oliquattro]

Audi do the UTR (Universal Traffic Recorder)which seems like a good idea and you can get it for front and front/rear.
Anyone got one or have experience of them..?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/232489324774

I am probably going to get one of these. However price is a bit silly.

Audi said they’d fit front and rear in a couple of hours because they have to remove the roof liner. It’s all very hidden and fits behind the rear view mirror.

It also links to an app so you can see if someone is trying to break into your car. It detects movement when parked. Seems like a decent bit of kit.

 

[MarkOC]

DO NOT GET THE GARMIN!!!!!!
I had narrowed down to the same ones, and decided to go with the Garmin because of size and functions. I got 2 of them, one for me and one for the wife. At first they seemed to work well, but then the problems started:
To hardwire you have to get the specific kit from Garmin which is 3 times more expensive than other ones.
It has voice activation, which just seems to activate ALL THE TIME, even with general conversation and voices from the radio.
My first one kept thinking it was losing power and kept switching itself off, then back on.
It will just crash completely for 10 mins at a time, becoming unresponsive and unable to reset it manually.
I spoke to Garmin about this and they said that they shouldnt be doing this and to send the cameras back to them and they would provide new ones, had to be sent separately, at my own expense. So £15 in postage fees as had to be sent Special Delivery.
New ones arrived, and same issues, so they now have to go back again, at my own expense again.
Pathetic service from a massive international company.

 

[Salba87]

The Audi UTR seem very good, they were fitted to the A4 I test drove back in November. Didn't even notice them in the car, I have ordered them as an extra to be fitted to the car.....they may seem expensive but I like the Audi brand on my car. I have heard very good things about the Blackvue though. I don't trust myself with fitting anything like that.

 

[gone]

I have a blackvue, it will sit behind the rear view mirror and with my line of site I see the mirror not the dashcam, however mine is mounted higher as the passenger view is compromised. Easy to wire into a spare fuse slot down in the passenger footwell, tucked the wire gently behind the headlining and A pillar down to the fuse box. It’s wired through ignition, I keep meaning to try it permanently connected and monitor battery drain, not sure how hefty the Audi battery is .... I haven’t seen it

 

[Happy Grumpz]

I haven’t seen it

It’s in the boot under your space saver

 

[MOA4B9]

Thanks for the comments. The more I look at the Blackvue DR750 the more I want it however its double the price of the other ones and the 2 channel one is even cooler.

 

[Happy Grumpz]

After having a head on crash in October where sadly someone died, the only evidence backing up my story that the other driver had lost control of his vehicle and came down my lane sideways, was my dash cam.

Get the very best you can afford

 

[BarryG79]

I am probably going to get one of these. However price is a bit silly.

Audi said they’d fit front and rear in a couple of hours because they have to remove the roof liner. It’s all very hidden and fits behind the rear view mirror.

It also links to an app so you can see if someone is trying to break into your car. It detects movement when parked. Seems like a decent bit of kit.

Forum sponsor was doing a deal on these.

Genuine Audi Traffic Recorder / Dashcam
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh...affic-Recorder---Dashcam.341585/&share_type=t


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[A4 Annoying]

I’ve just got my Audi A4 two weeks ago. I love it and coming from a BMW I’ve switched over with no issues.

Anyway I got a dash cam with hard wire kit for Christmas. Can anyone please post a couple of pictures of how they’ve hardwired it for the B9? I’m confused about where to run the cable along the roof and a pillar. I know there’s an airbag in the pillar so don’t want the wire to go across it.

A couple of images would be greatly appreciated.

 

[oliquattro]

Forum sponsor was doing a deal on these.

Genuine Audi Traffic Recorder / Dashcam
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?share_fid=2376&share_tid=341585&url=https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/index.php?threads/Genuine-Audi-Traffic-Recorder---Dashcam.341585/&share_type=t


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Thanks for that....will give them a go.

 

[pierreluigi88]

I think the Audi UTR looks really good, but where it's for sale on eBay, the listings say the following:

Remarks: Radar function in park mode, not in combination with equipment: insulated glass (do not use with PR numbers: 4GB, 4GG, 4GK, 4GL, 4GM, 4GN, 4GR, 4GY)
Not in combination with rear electric sun blind. (Not with PR no.: 3Y2, 3Y5, 3Y8)

I'm not sure how true this is, but if you've got accoustic glass then the park mode might not work - assuming that's what is meant by 'insulated glass'.

 

[cuke2u]

I don't think its accoustic glass, as I believe that's a standard fit on the A4, but the sort that have the heads up display?
Plenty have dashcams with the A4...

 

[pierreluigi88]

I don't think its accoustic glass, as I believe that's a standard fit on the A4, but the sort that have the heads up display?
Plenty have dashcams with the A4...

Ah fair enough - I thought most dashcams just use the camera for parking mode and that the Audi one is peculiar by using radar.

Equally I thought accoustic glass was only part of the privacy glass option.

 

[cuke2u]

I think you'll find its the front side windows that are acoustic when specifying the privacy option. Still doesn't matter because dashcams work fine with acoustic glass..
Taken from the configurator:
"Dark tinted rear and rear side windows (from B-pillar backwards) and front side windows in acoustic glass for better insulation from exterior noise."

 

[Theonenonly]

I bought the Blackvue dr490l-2ch. Retails for around £300 then you have to add £40 on for the gps adaptor.

Recommended to me from a Tesla owner and the quality is very good.

I bought a refurb model from a third party seller with full 12 month warranty, gps and a 64gb card for £230 so it was a steal! it’s very very clear, 1080 on both front and rear cameras.

It’s currently in my wife’s car as I’m waiting on my A4 so will see how easy it is to fit, roll on March!

 

[SRB93]

I've just bought a blueskysea b1w for £50 an it's a smashing little dashcam for the money! Wifi & a dedicated app to modify the settings.

 

[ScottishA4B9]

I would like to get one for mine but I don’t fancy installing it myself and nobody seems to fit them!

 

[MOA4B9]

I would like to get one for mine but I don’t fancy installing it myself and nobody seems to fit them!

Have you checked with Halfords? They hardwire them for £30 but I'm not sure if they do all the cars.
I haven't had time to make any progress in getting my dashcam yet.

 

[Daggerit]

Blackvue have their own installers if you order a camera through them. Mobile fitters so they come to you.

 

[Theonenonly]

I would like to get one for mine but I don’t fancy installing it myself and nobody seems to fit them!

Avrmobiles.co.uk anywhere in the UK they come to you, about £120 front and rear fitted, takes a good half a day

 

[skybluedave]

I bought the ROAV C1 dashcam off Amazon about 6/7 months ago and it was a doddle to fit (not hardwired) with the headlining tool supplied and is very discreet. Didn’t break the bank either. Also, there is an App you can download on your phone that makes retrieving videos really quick and without having to remove the micro SD card. There’s a newer model out now I think but I’d definitely recommend the brand based on my personal experience.

 

[Theonenonly]

I bought the Blackvue dr490l-2ch. Retails for around £300 then you have to add £40 on for the gps adaptor.

Recommended to me from a Tesla owner and the quality is very good.

I bought a refurb model from a third party seller with full 12 month warranty, gps and a 64gb card for £230 so it was a steal! it’s very very clear, 1080 on both front and rear cameras.

It’s currently in my wife’s car as I’m waiting on my A4 so will see how easy it is to fit, roll on March!

Finally got this fitted today, hardwired so records while parked, with motion and impact detection.

Parking mode activates as soon as you open the door and the ignition goes off.

There are only about 3 inches of visible wires leading up to the headliner (nothing could have been done about it) but the rest of the wires are completely invisible, including the connection to the rear cam.

Front camera sticks out like a sore thumb but it is what it is, rear camera looks very nice.

I’ll post some photos tomorrow as it got dark fast lol.

 

[Theonenonly]

Finally remembered to take the pics

Again rubbish photos as light is reflecting but you get the idea.

 

[DohNut]

Blimey I didn’t realise they were so big. That front one looks a bit like an SLR to me. I’d be thinking you were an undercover officer of the law if I spotted that thing.

I have no experience of these and have never considered getting one. Do you get good discounts on insurance with them?

 

[Theonenonly]

Blimey I didn’t realise they were so big. That front one looks a bit like an SLR to me. I’d be thinking you were an undercover officer of the law if I spotted that thing.

I have no experience of these and have never considered getting one. Do you get good discounts on insurance with them?

That can only be a good thing then lol

No benefit to the insurance that I know of, I have it for peace of mind.

It records when parked and alerts me of any footage when I return to the car so if someone hits me and does a runner, I have them bang to rights!

I’ve had a wing mirror taken off once or twice in the past and I’ve had to pay for the repairs myself as the ******* have drove off and not owned up to it!

Also, I like the idea of if some mong decides to lie at the scene at an accident they have caused, Even knowing I have a camera may stop people attempting to lie, if that fails the police can view it and it will go in their statement to the insurers.

 

[MOA4B9]

I still haven't got round to getting my dash cam. The smallest dashcams I've seen are the garmin45, 55 and 65. They are literally the size of box of matches (small box not the jumbo size ones ). Also the newer versions of Blackvue which are cylinder shaped can also be hidden easily behind the mirror.
I'm leaning towards the garmin 55 purely because of price, Blackvue being more than twice as expensive.

 

[Theonenonly]

I still haven't got round to getting my dash cam. The smallest dashcams I've seen are the garmin45, 55 and 65. They are literally the size of box of matches (small box not the jumbo size ones ). Also the newer versions of Blackvue which are cylinder shaped can also be hidden easily behind the mirror.
I'm leaning towards the garmin 55 purely because of price, Blackvue being more than twice as expensive.

Mine is the latest version, records 1080p front and back. I just avoided getting the tubular one as it doesn’t allow you to view the footage there and then, it does look very stealthy though

 

[MOA4B9]

I finally got the garmin 55 dash cam and the hardwire cable. There is a few questions I have before I install it.

1. Which fuse box shall I wire it to. I've seen a video where they wired it to the one on the side of dashboard but that was on s B9.
2. Are there any specific fuses that are better than others ie the horn might be safer than some other sensitive electronic gadget. If so which fuse numbers are they. One wire has to go to always on fuse and the second one to fuse that gets power after ignition is turned on.
3. Lastly, the ends of the cable are bare wires. I've seen some cables that come with a fuse tap. Does it matter if I just wrap the wires around the arm of the fuse?

 

[Gazwould]

Mine is the latest version, records 1080p front and back. I just avoided getting the tubular one as it doesn’t allow you to view the footage there and then, it does look very stealthy though

It should do !

Most cylindrical set up their own WiFi to which a smartphone then connects to via a downloaded app . No home WiFi or data contract required in fact it's best to switch off mobile data .

In most cases it's just two presses away from a live stream .

There's a range of about 5 meters to get a connection , camera has to be on obviously .

 

[Fozzie1960]

I finally got the garmin 55 dash cam and the hardwire cable. There is a few questions I have before I install it.

1. Which fuse box shall I wire it to. I've seen a video where they wired it to the one on the side of dashboard but that was on s B9.
2. Are there any specific fuses that are better than others ie the horn might be safer than some other sensitive electronic gadget. If so which fuse numbers are they. One wire has to go to always on fuse and the second one to fuse that gets power after ignition is turned on.
3. Lastly, the ends of the cable are bare wires. I've seen some cables that come with a fuse tap. Does it matter if I just wrap the wires around the arm of the fuse?

The Audi tech at my dealer said that the 15A bank of fuses are switched live and the 30A fuses are all permanent live). Test the banks with a multimeter to determine which ones are switched and what ones are permanent. Pages 406 to 408 of the owner's manual (8W0012720AE) show the fuse banks. I wired mine into the passenger side fuse bank. Behind the trim on that side is a nice earthing point.

 

[MarkOC]

I finally got the garmin 55 dash cam and the hardwire cable. There is a few questions I have before I install it.

1. Which fuse box shall I wire it to. I've seen a video where they wired it to the one on the side of dashboard but that was on s B9.
2. Are there any specific fuses that are better than others ie the horn might be safer than some other sensitive electronic gadget. If so which fuse numbers are they. One wire has to go to always on fuse and the second one to fuse that gets power after ignition is turned on.
3. Lastly, the ends of the cable are bare wires. I've seen some cables that come with a fuse tap. Does it matter if I just wrap the wires around the arm of the fuse?

Take it back and get a Nextbase one, I wish I had, mine and my wifes are a pain in the bum. I have already sent back 2 of them to Garmin, at my own expense, and I'm on the verge of sending back another one. As I've already said in this thread, it will constantly think it doesn't have power and switch itself off, then back on after a couple of mins, then occasionally crash completely for 15 mins. The voice activation will react to anything and constantly fills up a 64GB card with useless videos/pictures/travellapse etc.

Saying that hopefully it has saved me over £1,000 as I saved a video of me hitting a pothole and destroying a wheel, I just need to wait another 6 weeks to find out if my claim against the council has been successful.

 

[Theonenonly]

It should do !

Most cylindrical set up their own WiFi to which a smartphone then connects to via a downloaded app . No home WiFi or data contract required in fact it's best to switch off mobile data .

In most cases it's just two presses away from a live stream .

There's a range of about 5 meters to get a connection , camera has to be on obviously .

Nah that was the £500+ one, wasn’t prepared to go the extra £200 for WiFi that I wouldn’t use, the screen is built in as well as the power magic pro which stops battery getting drained.

 

[Gazwould]

Holy Mother , you can get a WiFi cylindrical as I described for a little over £50 and 1440P too .

What V setting do you set the Magic Pro to ?

 

[Theonenonly]

Holy Mother , you can get a WiFi cylindrical as I described for a little over £50 and 1440P too .

What V setting do you set the Magic Pro to ?

You get what you pay for, all the Cams I looked at were terrible quality, all boasting 1440p but didnt look anywhere near as good as mine. They also didn’t have the features of the one I chose.

I’ve got the voltage set to the highest at the moment with is 12.8 I think, need to read up on what it can be set too

 

[Gazwould]

12.8 maybe on the high side and switch off the camera early , bit of experimenting needed .

Post up a pic of what yours is seeing .