Dash Cam - any better than the other?

[Ahmad310]

I went with FitCamX due to the OEM look of the unit and fact it can be powered with the OEM Dash Cam wiring that's pre-wired into the car to allow for "parking mode" It arrived last week, everything looks great. Just waiting on my 4runner to arrive now, should be tomorrow or next day and I will have it installed by this weekend hopefully.

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[rocktheroad]

I went with FitCamX due to the OEM look of the unit and fact it can be powered with the OEM Dash Cam wiring that's pre-wired into the car to allow for "parking mode" It arrived last week, everything looks great. Just waiting on my 4runner to arrive now, should be tomorrow or next day and I will have it installed by this weekend hopefully.

This looks awesome! For me, how something looks is super important, but functionality and practicality are still key. I put my Thinkware cam on the passenger side, right in the "dotted" area, and the lens sticks out just a bit below. It doesn’t block my view at all.

But reaching for the recording button is a pain. "Luckily", Thinkware, so poorly designed that feature that I hardly ever use it anyway.

 

[rocktheroad]

i was you, i picked up a thinkware u1000 and tried it for a few days, it was utter crap. took it back to best buy and go a refund.

eventually i went with a viofo, and i have been happy with them ever since 2019 with my 2 models. going for my 3rd once i get my new 4R.

I thought about returning it, but I’ve put too much time into mounting it to just give up now.

You're totally right! Every time I look to buy a dashcam, I head over to the Viofo site, hoping they’ll have something slimmer and without a screen. I really don’t get why they haven’t figured that out. I’d go with two rear cams if they could work like that. I just need something less noticeable!

 

[Nodak]

I thought about returning it, but I’ve put too much time into mounting it to just give up now.

You're totally right! Every time I look to buy a dashcam, I head over to the Viofo site, hoping they’ll have something slimmer and without a screen. I really don’t get why they haven’t figured that out. I’d go with two rear cams if they could work like that. I just need something less noticeable!

the issue is the cpu to process a rear cam and rear facing cam needs that big main unit.

i know other brands house it in a body without a screen but i prefer the screen but thats just me.

another feature of the viofo is you can add more cam later down the road, unlike blackvue which locks you into a model. if you get a 1-ch one, thats all you can run, you cant add a 2nd cam to it unlike viofo were a year later, hey i want to add a rear cam. just buy the 10 meter cable and rear cam and just run the cord to the main unit.

 

[Van Solo]

FITCAMX all the way, use the link below or QR code for fast direct shipment.
factory fitment factory look high quality options.

https://fitcamx.com/?sca_ref=9482025.Fys4ufUrJO

 

[4RunnerJay]

I've had about 3-4 dashcams in the past, but I can't even remember their names since they were all those cheap $50 ones. I sold each one with the cars I had. The last one I kept was a Blueskysea B1W, just as a backup in case my previous one failed, but it never did before I sold the car, so now it’s in my daughter’s car.

When I got my 4Runner, I figured it was time to get a "serious" dashcam. I wanted things like 4K resolution and all those fancy night vision features and marketing buzzwords that probably only give you a 10-15% bump in quality over the cheaper dashcams that were decent years ago.

I went with the Thinkware U3000, which has all the marketing bells and whistles. The image quality is solid, and the night recording is good too. I didn’t have time to mount the rear camera, so I just tested the front. The radar feature was a big selling point for me since it only turns on in parking mode when it detects movement.

But, man, I've run into some usability issues. I had to turn off all the extra "advanced features" since my 4Runner already has some of those built in. The only one I kept is the beep when the car in front pulls away.

The worst part, though, is when I want to record something manually - it just starts recording right away. I was hoping it would save the last few minutes before I hit record and keep running for a bit before saving.

To top it off, this camera keeps erasing recordings. Most dashcams do this when they run out of space, but this one only keeps the last 2-3 videos and then overwrites them. I ended up wasting money on a big SD card! So if you witness an accident, you can't do much - usually, you need to focus first to avoid being part of the accident.

But, from what I’ve seen from my friends, I’m not sure I’d buy another dashcam. Their experiences seem even worse! And all of them are big, clunky, with a display that I don't want.

So there you have it - one true positive/negative review.

I wonder if a GoPro would work

 

[Nodak]

I wonder if a GoPro would work

it can but its a jack of all for the purpose you are going to use it for

 

[scorp]

It really depends on your usage and your preferences. I've had blackvue cameras in my last 2 vehicles, and went with a Vantrue this time around. I prefer the functionality and access of Blackvue over Vantrue, but the latter supports 4K in both front and rear cameras.

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