[ThunderSeven]

Does anyone use a dash cam in their Mini?

A year ago I was in an accident that deemed me 50% at fault and I had a terrible time proving that it wasn't my fault. 5 years ago I did have an accident (when I was first learning to drive) and now I am deemed as an "at risk driver" here in Toronto. Insurances are crazy expensive and I am hoping to install a dash cam to help alleviate any future accidents.

I baught a dash cam about a year ago (iCAN) http://www.canadacomputers.com/prod...item_id=062200&sid=3pmsl416qh3c4upnm00sujkeu7

But I initially find it to be very un-intuitive in the way the functionality works.

Is anyone else using a dash cam that they really love? What are the pros and cons of it?

 

[MintMark]

I'm surprised it isn't an option that you can buy with the car... especially as the driving assistant pack has a front facing camera.

 

[MAC99]

Yep, I use two-one facing the front and one in the rear.

Most people tend to have front facing only, but with a rear facing camera you can capture all those tailgaters and nose pickers etc!

Very useful if someone hits you from behind whilst using their phone perhaps>.

The cameras I use are MINI 0801 and were about £50 each from Amazon.

The cameras have a mount that sticks onto the glass and the camera just slots in.
The power lead connects directly to the base so can be left in situ.
I just run the power lead around the trim and plug it into the accessory socket (you can always hard wire them if desired).

They switch on and off with the ignition, and record in continuous segments until the memory card is used up whereupon the oldest segments get recorded over.

Check out my youtube channel for some footage.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeCoz4eaf3LYtDHvdTKbSMQ

Also check out this guy for lots of detailed reviews, both on website and youtube.
http://www.techmoan.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5I2hjZYiW9gZPVkvzM8_Cw

 

[ThunderSeven]

Yep, I use two-one facing the front and one in the rear.

Most people tend to have front facing only, but with a rear facing camera you can capture all those tailgaters and nose pickers etc!

Very useful if someone hits you from behind whilst using their phone perhaps>.

The cameras I use are MINI 0801 and were about £50 each from Amazon.

The cameras have a mount that sticks onto the glass and the camera just slots in.
The power lead connects directly to the base so can be left in situ.
I just run the power lead around the trim and plug it into the accessory socket (you can always hard wire them if desired).

They switch on and off with the ignition, and record in continuous segments until the memory card is used up whereupon the oldest segments get recorded over.

Check out my youtube channel for some footage.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeCoz4eaf3LYtDHvdTKbSMQ

Also check out this guy for lots of detailed reviews, both on website and youtube.
http://www.techmoan.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5I2hjZYiW9gZPVkvzM8_Cw

Thank you for the detailed reply! I am definitely going to look into this one.
I got one for my brother and a month in he already had a chance to use it because he got a guy back out of the underground driveway and hit him. Crazy!

I really really really wish that the mini had the feature already built in as MintMark mentioned. It seems like such an easy thing to add. I'd rather have more safety and proof on the road than have the the thing do the parking for me :/

 

[MAC99]

Thank you for the detailed reply! I am definitely going to look into this one.
I got one for my brother and a month in he already had a chance to use it because he got a guy back out of the underground driveway and hit him. Crazy!

I really really really wish that the mini had the feature already built in as MintMark mentioned. It seems like such an easy thing to add. I'd rather have more safety and proof on the road than have the the thing do the parking for me :/

I think it will come in the future that all cars are fitted with them from standard.
By the way, the 0801 dash cam has now been superseded by the 0803 which apparently is better in low light conditions.

 

[DigitalChilly]

A great comparison of cams is here:
http://dashboardcamerareviews.com/dash-cam-comparison-table/

The one I've been looking at getting is:
[ame]http://www.amazon.ca/BlackVue-Channel-DR550GW-2CH-Recorder-Built/dp/B00FKA04HY/ref=pd_cp_ce_0[/ame]

More money than I was thinking of spending but it does have some very unique features.

 

[Angib]

I read an interesting article about dash cams and car TV legislation - a dash cam with a video screen on the back is illegal under UK law that prevents a TV or other screen from being seen by the driver, except under certain circumstances. And, before you raise it, presenting navigation information is one of those exceptions, so this doesn't apply to satnavs.

I can't see anyone being stopped for this, but should you annoy the traffic polis, this might be the sort of thing that can be used against you.

 

[mobilize]

2015 Mini Cooper dashcam woes

I'm confused about the dashcam situation, my gf brought a 2015 mini about a month ago and wanted a dashcam so I bought her one for Christmas. We just went out there and the first thing I did was plug the power supply into the cigarette lighter socket and the power was already on, car was off. So I took her keys and locked the doors, still had power flowing through it. Started the car and turned it off at the toggle switch twice (turns the radio and other accessories off) still has power through that socket. I've looked in the manual and that was no help, I looked through the options in the computer and couldn't find anything. Seems like the socket always has power flowing through it? Anyone have any advice or tips? I have the camera all setup to automatically record when there's power and when there's no power it just shuts off and I'm afraid she's not always going to remember to unplug it and it's going to drain her battery one night. I was hoping it would work like my car, I have my radar detector plugged in, when the car is off it cuts power and when it's on there's power, doesn't seem like the 2015 mini works that way.

 

[KazO]

No idea if it actually works like a dashcam with all the expected features, but there is a thing called the MINI Advanced Car Eye (66212289725, 66212289726 and 66212289727) that seems like an Official dashcam-y product, probably at an official product price.

As for the lighter socket being always-on, that's how most BMWs I know of are set up, so it's not a surprise to me. You could rewire it to be a switched circuit, but for the same amount of work you could just hard-wire the camera to do the same.

 

[DigitalChilly]

Yep, I use two-one facing the front and one in the rear.

So MAC99... where exactly did you mount the front facing camera? I've finally bought my dual channel dash cam and wanted to have an idea of where to mount it. I ask because there are so many built-in things in the car already behind the rearview mirror and I don't want to interfere with any of that stuff.

I'm either going to mount it off to one side or down quite low. I'm just not sure what the smartest thing to do is :|

 

[Angib]

No idea if it actually works like a dashcam with all the expected features, but there is a thing called the MINI Advanced Car Eye (66212289725, 66212289726 and 66212289727) that seems like an Official dashcam-y product, probably at an official product price.

I doubt that will be sold in Britain, as its screen is visible to the driver, and so isn't legal in the UK (screens showing navigation or vehicle information are exempt). The police might never stop you but I imagine it would stop Mini from selling it here.

 

[MAC99]

So MAC99... where exactly did you mount the front facing camera? I've finally bought my dual channel dash cam and wanted to have an idea of where to mount it. I ask because there are so many built-in things in the car already behind the rearview mirror and I don't want to interfere with any of that stuff.

I'm either going to mount it off to one side or down quite low. I'm just not sure what the smartest thing to do is :|

HI DC,

I have a camera in the rear as well as one on the front.
The front one was not so easy to position on my F56 as my old R56.
The reason is that the rear view mirror mounting on the F56 is larger by comparison, so I had to sight the camera more to the nearside (passenger side), and further down than previous. This was because on the preview screen it showed some of the mirror mounting. Even so you cannot see the camera from the driving position as it is still hidden behind the mirror, and due to the cameras wide angle lens, the footage is not compromised by being a bit off centre.

Just another note ref Angib's comment. My cameras have a preview screen which switches off after 30 seconds from power up. Just long enough to make sure the camera is functioning but at around 35mm (1.5 inches approx), the screen is so small so cannot cause a problem.
Front cam is obscured by the rear view mirror, whist rear camera is visible. On the Mini 0801 cameras, you get a blinking blue LED when recording, which again is not too much of a distraction (if it does bother you just stick a bit of black tape over it!).

 

[CO2slave]

I'm confused about the dashcam situation, my gf brought a 2015 mini about a month ago and wanted a dashcam so I bought her one for Christmas. We just went out there and the first thing I did was plug the power supply into the cigarette lighter socket and the power was already on, car was off. So I took her keys and locked the doors, still had power flowing through it. Started the car and turned it off at the toggle switch twice (turns the radio and other accessories off) still has power through that socket. I've looked in the manual and that was no help, I looked through the options in the computer and couldn't find anything. Seems like the socket always has power flowing through it? Anyone have any advice or tips? I have the camera all setup to automatically record when there's power and when there's no power it just shuts off and I'm afraid she's not always going to remember to unplug it and it's going to drain her battery one night. I was hoping it would work like my car, I have my radar detector plugged in, when the car is off it cuts power and when it's on there's power, doesn't seem like the 2015 mini works that way.

I use a Blackvue dash cam and I do exactly what you are doing-the power comes on to the lighter socket when you unlock the car and then turns off 5 minutes or so after you lock the car. So you can use without flattening the battery

 

[johnan]

I use a Blackvue dash cam and I do exactly what you are doing-the power comes on to the lighter socket when you unlock the car and then turns off 5 minutes or so after you lock the car. So you can use without flattening the battery

I use a Blackvue too, and agree with the above. Works fine.

 

[DigitalChilly]

HI DC,

I have a camera in the rear as well as one on the front.
The front one was not so easy to position on my F56 as my old R56.
The reason is that the rear view mirror mounting on the F56 is larger by comparison, so I had to sight the camera more to the nearside (passenger side), and further down than previous. This was because on the preview screen it showed some of the mirror mounting. Even so you cannot see the camera from the driving position as it is still hidden behind the mirror, and due to the cameras wide angle lens, the footage is not compromised by being a bit off centre.

Thanks Mac! I've got the rear camera installed and wire run to the front with no issues. The company I bought it from gives you a trim tool to help in hiding the wires. The front cam is another issue... it is WAY bigger than I thought it was going to be. The DR650GW-2CH won't sit behind the rear-view mirror without interfering with the sensors in the rear-view mirror. So I've temporarily placed it on the dash while I decide what to do. Oh and I still need to wire up the Power Magic Pro (http://www.blackvue.com/en/contents/sub1.asp?idx=13) so I can get 'Parking Mode' working.

 

[davewave]

I thought this was quite a neat setup so nothing is shown on the windscreen http://www.bmwland.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=161667&sid=f37280612b13327f4da9f4220979140b

 

[MAC99]

I thought this was quite a neat setup so nothing is shown on the windscreen http://www.bmwland.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=161667&sid=f37280612b13327f4da9f4220979140b

I agree Dave it looks very neat.
However the camera although small does not have a screen.
On the Mini 0801 that I have there is a small screen, which if required can enable you to playback footage immediately in the event of an " incident". You can also lock the video to prevent it from being overwritten, so the playback screen is a big advantage to me.

 

[uke]

I'm contemplating installing a backup camera. What company did you go with, and how was the install? I'm thinking about DIY but I loathe stringing wires.

What monitor are you using?

Thanks in advance!

 

[DigitalChilly]

I'm contemplating installing a backup camera. What company did you go with, and how was the install? I'm thinking about DIY but I loathe stringing wires.

What monitor are you using?

Thanks in advance!

I went with a local'ish company to save on shipping and cross border bulls**t.
http://www.blackboxmycar.com/

Install was brain-dead simple. Installation tool REALLY helped in opening the cars interior to slip the wires behind. It truthfully took me longer to decide exactly where I was going to place the cameras than it did to run the wires.

Full discloser: I am a former electronics technician so running this may seem super simple to me... but it really was easy. Plan your route first would be my suggestion

I'm not sure I understand your last question. What monitor? Monitor for what, the cameras? I use my cell phone and the free app from BlackVue if I want to check the footage from either camera, it works incredibly well and is quick.

p.s. I almost missed your post as the quote section is missing a square bracket

 

[uke]

I went with a local'ish company to save on shipping and cross border bulls**t.
http://www.blackboxmycar.com/

Install was brain-dead simple. Installation tool REALLY helped in opening the cars interior to slip the wires behind. It truthfully took me longer to decide exactly where I was going to place the cameras than it did to run the wires.

Full discloser: I am a former electronics technician so running this may seem super simple to me... but it really was easy. Plan your route first would be my suggestion

I'm not sure I understand your last question. What monitor? Monitor for what, the cameras? I use my cell phone and the free app from BlackVue if I want to check the footage from either camera, it works incredibly well and is quick.

p.s. I almost missed your post as the quote section is missing a square bracket

Yep, a little overzealous with the editing. But thanks for the response.

I'm well experienced with electronics and wiring, not an issue at all for me. But pulling apart interior panels and worse, getting them back together again, kills me slowly and painfully every time.

By "monitor" I meant how do you view the images from the rear view camera? The reason I ask is because I have a tiny TFT monitor I could use, but placing it is problematical. I am looking with interest at the rear view mirror/video display options out there, and was wondering if you could provide any guidance on them.

Thanks!