# Truck Cam



## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

I woke up a few months ago right before Christmas with a major hangover, turn the TV on and start flicking channels and I hit one of the shopping networks and they talking about car cam, original price $99 now on sale $59... It looks good so I order 5 cameras, figure give a few as Christmas gifts and keep one for myself.

I'm driving yesterday and I hit the intersection as the light turned yellow and here comes the lights and a rookie cop in his 20s.
The usual bs "do you know why I stopped you" the usual answer "I have no idea"
He goes you blew the red light, I go officer when I hit the intersection the light just turned yellow... He goes no it was red. I say ok and give him a one valid PBA I had from a retired cop. I am being totally respectful because I have a few good friends who are cops and one of them is a Chief of Port Authority. 
He goes we don't Honor that, so I politely tell him to write me up and when I get home I'll look at the video and see if it was a red light or not. 
He goes what video? and I go the cam on my window (it was right behind the mirror so he probably didn't see it) so he looks and goes "ohhh you got one of them" and I go " yeah " and "you prick under my nose"... so he goes Ok this time I will honor the PBA and cut you a break. When I got home and looked at the video, the light just turned yellow as I was almost right under it... if not that little thing, I would have gotten a red light ticket and there is no way I would beat that ticket.

So if you guys like little toys, this is a real wise investment, not only when driving, but when you parked, or what ever, you can tilt and point in any direction and keep it on all the time while you working or just going to the store get some coffee... it has a 6 hr recording and it loops none stop.

This is the one I got


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## maxwage (Nov 25, 2012)

Sounds like your purchase already paid for itself!

Would be good (god forbid) in case of an accident that wasn't your fault and a dispute arose.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I run in my truck. Ain't caught much yet but is handy just in case. Turns on when vehicle starts and loops. Can view footage on the cam or through the cams app on iPhone.


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## nmirse (Jun 30, 2014)

One of my old cars had a camera mounted behind the mirror(from the factory) and I never knew what it was maybe somthing like this


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Non-stop loop is fine, but a 6-hour video is a HUGE file.

It's better to have a camera that breaks the video loop into smaller files, such as 10- or 15-minute segments. Be warned: Some of the cheap ones that do this will have a slight gap between them, meaning there's a few seconds between each video file that isn't being recorded. But some of the better units don't have that issue, and can be 'spliced' together with video editing software into a seamless movie.

Mine got me out of a red-light camera ticket once.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Mine records at 1080p in 10m segments until the card is full which is about 4.5hrs then it writes over the oldest file. 

I have not noticed a delay between segments but I don't really watch them back. I will check that later.


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## pappagor (Jan 29, 2008)

i do not have one but it is like most things once you have one how did i every get by without one


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

BCConstruction said:


> Mine records at 1080p in 10m segments until the card is full which is about 4.5hrs then it writes over the oldest file.
> 
> I have not noticed a delay between segments but I don't really watch them back. I will check that later.


This one does exactly the same, 6 hr total before it starts to write over.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I think that's how most do it. 

Here's mine. It's the size of a gopro and powers from USB from the back of the head unit. When ignition is turned on then starts recording and when ignition turns of it keeps recording for 10s then shuts down.

I will post a vid of the quality when I get a chance.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

BCConstruction said:


> I think that's how most do it.
> 
> Here's mine. It's the size of a gopro and powers from USB from the back of the head unit. When ignition is turned on then starts recording and when ignition turns of it keeps recording for 10s then shuts down.
> 
> ...



When you say head unit are you talking about your rear view mirror? I've seen that newer vehicles have display screens and such in them for back up cameras etc.

The point in getting at is that you don't have a cord running down to a cigarette lighter sort of deal?


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I have a nav unit and there's 2 AUX USB outputs that are not used in the top of the unit in the dash. They are very easy to access so I run a cable from there up the pillar and under the head liner to the cam. 

When head unit powers up the USB powers up and turns the cam on and the cam can be set to car mode so that when power is sensed through USB it starts recording. 

It's the same cam I done my time lapse with but it does way more.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

If you have *any* indication that you've recorded something of value, don't forget to pull the card out and make copies.

Otherwise, you may find it's overwritten later when you find out you needed the video.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Yeah that's a good tip for the ones you can't pull the data off with a phone.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

What's the field of view on those things? As I recall, most of the dashcam vids I've seen wouldn't be very effective at seeing what's going on straight ahead _and_ what an overhead traffic light is doing while you're passing under it.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

You'd be surprised Tin, most are very good today...120 degs. of view catches quite a lot...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU77IF9UWh4


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

I wish I had a dash cam the time the cops beat the chit out of me...


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

m1911 said:


> I wish I had a dash cam the time the cops beat the chit out of me...


Maybe a google cam caught it :laughing:

I understand it's hard these days...but you gotta stay away from getting your ass kicked by the cops :laughing:


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

superseal said:


> Maybe a google cam caught it :laughing:
> 
> I understand it's hard these days...but you gotta stay away from getting your ass kicked by the cops :laughing:


I was half joking, but a few years ago, they pulled me over, guns drawn and scared the chit out of me, only to tell me they thought I was someone else because my vehicle matched the description of a robbery suspect's in the area! No apologies, no nothing!


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Yeah, a cam is a good idea, thanks for suggesting it.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

m1911 said:


> I was half joking, but a few years ago, they pulled me over, guns drawn and scared the chit out of me, only to tell me they thought I was someone else because my vehicle matched the description of a robbery suspect's in the area! No apologies, no nothing!


That happened to me as well long ago with my wife/girlfriend back then. My older brother let me borrow his car for a date I arranged and on the way to bringing her back home, we were flagged as robbery suspects and pulled over by a barrage of gun toting uniforms. After a few minutes and me providing the legitimate alibi, we were released with only bruises
:laughing:

No chit...what are the chances


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

m1911 said:


> Transcend 200 is 67mm × 72mm × 34.3mm
> 
> SJCAM SJ4000 is 60mm × 41mm × 24.7mm
> 
> Blackvue DR650 is 118mm x 36mm



That's why I'm getting the smaller SJcam as the sj4000 is just too big for my liking. It's not bad but the m10 is quite a bit smaller. Cheaper too.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

BCConstruction said:


> Some of these things are massive. Can't hardly see mine in the window so no need to remove it each time you park.


BC, you say your running the sj4000 right now?...is it to big? and you want to switch to the cube mini? It does look big in your picture.

Are you driving a superduty? can you post and exterior view so we can see actual scale. I'm definitely trying to stay as discreet as possible.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

you beat me to the post...Amazon has the cube mini for 79.99 i think


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

It's not that big. Same size as a go pro but there's smaller models that do the same thing. I use the sj4000 for time lapse and fishing too so I need a new one for truck so the m10 is the way to go.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I will get pic in the morning.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

BCConstruction said:


> It's not that big. Same size as a go pro but there's smaller models that do the same thing. I use the sj4000 for time lapse and fishing too so I need a new one for truck so the m10 is the way to go.


I like the mini and the 170deg wide lens, but question is, will it survive CA heat sitting in the van windshield?


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

m1911 said:


> I like the mini and the 170deg wide lens, but question is, will it survive CA heat sitting in the van windshield?


I know several I researched listed operating temps...see if I can find it


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

m1911 said:


> I like the mini and the 170deg wide lens, but question is, will it survive CA heat sitting in the van windshield?


I just found this review...doesn't mention heat range...http://www.droneflyers.com/2014/12/sjcam-m10-cube-mini-full-hd-action-cam-first-look-review/


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Here's the pic of the camera in the window. Had to park the truck facing into the sun as any other position it can't be seen. Plus you have to be close to it to spot it even when Suns beaming through the window. 
From any other angle or normal viewing distance it's almost impossible to see even when you zoom in.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

Totally off topic but what tires do you run Barri? How have they done in the snow for you? Do you need to use 4WD much?


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> Totally off topic but what tires do you run Barri? How have they done in the snow for you? Do you need to use 4WD much?


Pirreli Scorpion ATR. They work real well. Never been stuck in the snow or ice even when its real bad ice. Im in a vally so its steep hills every way out of the neighborhood. most times its left in 2wd unless its bad ice then 4wd goes on. 

There was a range rover evoke stuck on a small slope here about 20mins ago. truck cam caught it trying to go up the hill but he/she was spinning all 4 wheels. most common vehicles i see stuck in the snow or left at side of road are jeeps. They have a short wheelbase and them crappy mudding tires which dont do crap on snow or ice. i go past them in 2wd most times too. What ever tires them things have are awful in the snow.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

here's me going across the bridge near my house. that slope is a lot steeper than it looks on the cam and i was in 2wd in ice it has to be in 4wd on that same hill. 2wd cars cant make it up there in snow at all. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgC_-A2WGHc

i slide down that hill backwards with trailer on the truck last year when i was covered in ice. Was a bad idea trying to take the trailer up it :whistling


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

I just spent the better part of an hour watching Techmoan's review of the SJ 4000 and the next gen. mini cube. 

Mini cube is smaller in certain dimensions, but it does weigh a bit more. Almost identical cameras in a different shell really. 

I'm kinda liking them and the price is right :thumbup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uirzCD-qALE


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

superseal said:


> I just spent the better part of an hour watching Techmoan's review of the SJ 4000 and the next gen. mini cube.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



For what it costs it really can't be beat. It also does other stuff not just a car cam. It's not as good a picture as a $500 go pro but it's not 5x worse.


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## heavy_d (Dec 4, 2012)

BCConstruction said:


> here's me going across the bridge near my house. that slope is a lot steeper than it looks on the cam and i was in 2wd in ice it has to be in 4wd on that same hill. 2wd cars cant make it up there in snow at all.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgC_-A2WGHc
> 
> i slide down that hill backwards with trailer on the truck last year when i was covered in ice. Was a bad idea trying to take the trailer up it :whistling


Video not available?


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

superseal said:


> I just spent the better part of an hour watching Techmoan's review of the SJ 4000 and the next gen. mini cube.
> 
> Mini cube is smaller in certain dimensions, but it does weigh a bit more. Almost identical cameras in a different shell really.
> 
> ...



I was looking at those too, but a lot of the reviews say they are fakes that are being sold. :sad:


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

m1911 said:


> I was looking at those too, but a lot of the reviews say they are fakes that are being sold. :sad:



Make sure it's a SJCAM. But from reputable places like SJCAM or Amazon. What's funny is the SJ4000 is a copy of a gopro but there's copies of the SJCAM too. So it's a copy of a copy lol


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

BCConstruction said:


> Make sure it's a SJCAM. But from reputable places like SJCAM or Amazon. What's funny is the SJ4000 is a copy of a gopro but there's copies of the SJCAM too. So it's a copy of a copy lol


I got mine from B&H Photo - I've bought stuff from them since the '80s and they've always been price competitive and never been hosed...


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

hdavis said:


> I got mine from B&H Photo - I've bought stuff from them since the '80s and they've always been price competitive and never been hosed...


Yeah they are another good place to buy from. I ain't used them very often but when i have it went smooth from what i remember.


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## sunkist (Apr 27, 2012)

Ok guys this dash cam thing has had me intrigued since sparky 480 posted he had bought one maybe a year ago?. So i bought one from wallmart this week.
Now i have surfed and read all the reviews , But not one camara stood out as the one to buy, (now i had the very best eight track, the very best beta max video, and my cassete player in the van still rocks) So as stated on wensday i pulled the trigger on a Pilot Electronics Dash Cam www.pilotautomotive.com The cost of $40.00. 
So i get home unpack it plug it in to charge use the usb cord alls well. 
Half hour later i start to read the manual on the front cover, "caution ; please charge unit completely with car charger and not usb for first charge. Doing so may cause battery damage .
So after unpluging from the usb i run and plug into the truck via the cig lighter.
Fast forward to today got go look at doing a estimate, unplug dash cam stick it on windshield of i go. 20 minutes later cam shuts off LOW BATTERY
3.50 waiting in line a wallmart to replace dashcam, 4.20 get the replacement going to charge useing the car charger tomorrow. performance report to come, i hope:whistling


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