I've been thinking of getting a dash cam but I'm not keen on the ones that are mounted to the windscreen and obscure your vision. Do any of you use dash cams and what setup would you recommend?

I saw another thread where someone hid a camera behind the rear view mirror, but I don't know if I can do that because the rain sensor is in the way. Unless I can get a tiny camera and attach it to the mirror somehow.

I've just ordered a blackvue 650, quite small about 30mm diameter x 100mm ish long. Can be fitted by the mirror so I won't see it while driving. Not cheap but the spec is quite good and comes with a 2nd camera for the rear window. Most of the blackvue or MI witness cameras are fairly small, plenty of cheaper dash cams on eBay too.

http://www.blackvue.co.uk/index.php/online-shop/blackvue-products/dr500hd-non-gps-and-wi-fi-53-55-detail

Cheaper ones are available depending on your budget, cameras without screens are obviously smaller are easy to hide out of the way.

If you fit it at the top of the screen you can run the power cable behind the headlining, down behind the lip of the door seal and connect it to the fuse box using one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171380843401

Hi Phil,

I am using a mio 358 on my fiesta and it works really well, I have put it behind the rear view mirror and doesn't get in the way of my view of the road.

Just run the cable behind the headlining of the car and then down the door pillar to a 12v. I'm not sure about the rain sensor but assume you can attach it away to the side of it or on top of it with no issue? I'm sure the rain sensor is not that big?

I can take some pictures of mine if that would help?

Cheers

Hi Phil,

Mine is mounted befind my windscreen mirror for the most part. I dont tend to see it, but the more discreet are those without a screen, so the likes of the mobius.

Thanks guys, I'll have a look at those. Also wondering if anyone has tried mounting one to a headrest, that seems like an ideal place especially if it's wide angle, you could see what's going on to the sides too. Would also be good to attach one to a rear headrest.

Mobius, only about £42 and amazing picture quality from something the size of a box of TicTacs!

Mobius ftw use one for paintball every fortnight and it's epic for £55 waterproof case is £15 and batteries are only £8 for it, dirty cheap, I'd fix it to the light mount behind you and it should show everything in front just fine, decent wide angle too.

I tried my Sony AS100VR in my car and discovered a small problem. It appears to focus on the elements in the heated screen, you can see the wires quite clearly when you play a video back on my PC.

The downside is the distant focus is slightly blurred so you can't read a number plate. I stuck the camera to the outside of the car and drove the same route and the video is sharp and focussed.

Anybody else seen this with their camera?

I'd fix it to the light mount behind you and it should show everything in front just fine, decent wide angle too.

Good idea. If you can connect it to the 12V do you still need the battery in the camera or can you get it to record whenever the ignition is on, even without a battery?

The battery also allows the camera to save the video and shutdown properly when you turn the ignition off (if it's setup that way).

It is possible to have it on a permanent live and constantly loop...but that's not hiw most people have it

That's good, and I take it you can set it to record automatically when it gets power?

yep, you get a windows application to configure the settings, or can use an OTG cable to configure it via your android.