Dash Cam 101 - The Beginners Guide to Dash Cams - What Matters, What Doesn't

[@yumpinyiminy963]

Most channels covering Dash Cams go nuts over features. Thanks for being honest about pitfalls and what is really needed. 👍

[@Lam]

Thanks Yumpin~!

[@BelloBudo007]

Mate, you have done a cracking job explaining a few things that blokes like me would never know otherwise. So good work, thanks for that and much appreciated.

[@Lam]

Hey Bill. Thanks for kind words!

[@monroe2245]

3.5yrs later and still one of the best videos of its kind. Thank you

[@micnor14]

The most informative video to date. This needs to be a stock reference link for all retailers.

[@Lam]

Thanks Mic.

[@ulises3025]

What are your thoughts on using cell phone cameras as dash cameras? I can't find a dash camera that provides a better value than a used Samsung Galaxy Note 3 4k, which is currently priced at about $170 on amazon.

[@Lam]

I'm launching a guide on that exact topic. I'm personally not a fan because once you throw in the sun shining on your dash camera even with air conditioning it's not ideal. Would be interesting to look at smartphone quality.

[@riverdalemaryland]

Hey Andrew, what you think of this dashcam: The Beast BX929

[@itsronny9708]

Car Cam Central hi , in confused about what dual dash cam buy ,,,I need for work at uber so I need record front and Inside car ,,, can you recommended me which is Better for me ??? I'm really appreciate thanks !!!

[@RCdiy]

I wish auto manufacturers would offer dash cameras as factory install options. Sure third party cameras may always be "better" but it would nice have the option. Even just offering a usb/micro usb/type C power outlet near the rear view mirror would be awesome.

[@Lam]

One day it may be offered as an option. Not much demand in North America right now or regulatory demands.

[@StFual]

My Nissan has 4 OK cameras in the front grill and around the car as part of the parking support which could easily be upgraded and attached to a recording device. But the car regs apparently say it has to switch off at above 15 KMh and cant record. . I've often wondered why none of the big camera or car manufacturers are offering dashcams as a big brand could standardize and clean up. I suspect that Dashcams are currently in a very grey area legally when it comes to recording people or public buildings without their permission, using a video device in the front of a car, and safety and regulatory testing for devices and no "name " wants to touch it.

[@nerys71]

no you don't. because then they will be compulsory and the police can demand them.

[@systemsh0wd0wn]

@@nerys71 That's the way it should be, only the guilty have an issue with this.

[@nerys71]

@@systemsh0wd0wn you are ALWAYS guilty. even when you do nothing wrong you are guilty. they will always be able to find SOMETHING you did wrong :-( this is why we want body cams on cops and WHY cops don't want them. this is why I want control of the camera's in my car. we have so many laws that absolutely positively no one in this nation can actually tell you how many we have. no one actually knows. do you believe that? no one even knows how many their are there are so many and there are so many general easy to twist and distort general laws on the books you are almost ALWAYS guilty of "something" even if you don't actually do anything wrong.

[@stevebass]

Absolutely essential viewing when looking for a dashcam. Every quesition answered, every feature explored, myths busted and solid info throughout.

[@Lam]

Awesome stuff, glad I could help!

[@aholegunner]

This video has not aged. That is how thorough and well thought out it was done.

[@Lilbebee07]

Went through 5-6 videos but didn’t get the detail I was looking for. Thank you for being that person that provided the information I was looking for

[@davidthecardcollector]

Another advantage to the cams that clip on your rear view mirror is you can use you sun blocker mat on the windshield without restriction.

[@TV-8-301]

Wooow, there is so much more to consider about dashcams than I had imagined. Thanks for being so thorough!

[@ritadapkey5807]

These cameras should be installed on every car in the United States. In S Korea "Black Boxes" are in the majority of vehicles on the road. I recently bought a cheap unit with a suction attachment and it keeps falling off the windshield. I am regretting the purchase. I should have watched this video first. It is excellent and very informative. Well done - great job! It answered all of my questions I had with the settings and what each one means. I am going to use the info I learned in this video to purchase two more units for myself and my son. Thanks!

[@Lam]

It would help improve the behaviour of other drivers on the road for sure. Glad you found this information useful! -Andrew

[@justinlai5047]

Great video best comprehensive review could never pick a dash cam until I saw this!

[@Lam]

Glad we can help! -Rolands

[@StFual]

Very good, thank you. The only part i think is missing is some discussion on mounting position. The most logical arrangement for me is as far forward as possible flush against the screen. However many of the oblong cameras seem to be designed to be as far away from the windscreen as possible giving a very nice recording of the dash and the pillars but a lot less road action. Also a big band of interior black dashboard messes up the auto exposure algorithm. This has got worse with the higher res wide angle cameras. I know some people think glare is a problem with flush cameras but there are ways around that. The perfect camera for me would be a lightweight low vibration high res lense and sensor assembly stuck to the windscreen screen (or even on the front grill) with the electronics/ capacitor connected by a high speed cable perhaps hanging off the mirror or on the dash. But for now i'd instantly buy an Opia 2 spec if it was available in a Blackvue 650 style mount. Still looking.

[@Lam]

Hi StFual, the closer you get to the windshield the worse the distortions are for the camera due to the curvature. I notice there's a lot more edge blur in cameras like the A119 which get close to the glass. I haven't seen too many exposure problems with super wide angle cameras like the Yi but maybe I'm only testing the good ones. Thanks for your feedback! -Andrew

[@38dragoon38]

Love this guy! Simple, logical, concise: perfect!

[@randomwicked9806]

As always- appreciate the straight forward reviews and suggestions. Thank you!

[@alk2080]

This was one of the best presentations I have ever seen regarding Dash Cam Cameras. The technical specification on different cameras are explained in a simple language. Thank you that makes it easy to pick a good camera..

[@Lam]

Thanks for the kind words, Al. Hearing stuff like that makes us appreciate what we do. -Rolands

[@stevejette2329]

EXCELLENT video !! Overwhelming for absolute beginner. But I am watching your others. THX

[@teriw4329]

Extremely helpful video. Very concise and understandable. Thank you for posting this video.

[@Lam]

Thank you for watching, Teri! -Rolands

[@brettallenthomas]

Fantastic video.. full of useful information that you don't normally see and wouldn't know without having lots of Dash Cam experience...

[@Lam]

Thanks Brett! -Andrew

[@ians474]

Intelligent, informative, practical. Many thanks for this mate! We need more KZbinrs like you 😄

[@maeve4686]

Considering a purchase. Your explanations are the best I've viewed. Thanks. Only criticism, very minor & I know you're cramped for time, but slow down a bit. A lot of us "older" citizens are not familiar with this growing technology. Great video, friend.

[@jcnme]

Absolutely Excellent Video Sir ! Love your Channel Brother !

[@Lam]

Thanks for the love! -Rolands

[@dej353]

Thank you for such a useful video! Great Job!

[@MustaffaCuppa]

Thanks - your link in the description to the dash cam buyers guide is choc full of useful info. I think I will go with a Nextbase 412GW as it ticks all the boxes.

[@louie2470]

Thanks for the fantastic video. Have you considered using strong plastic velcro, like the ones I use to attach my toll paying transponder, to the windshield, instead of using the suction cup or 3M adhesive tape. The plastic velcro is the flimsy cloth velcro but the thicker, hard plastic type. Removing and hiding the camera would be an advantage in certain areas when parking. Thanks.

[@Milesco]

_"The plastic velcro is the flimsy cloth velcro..."_ Did you mean to say that it's NOT the flimsy cloth velcro?

[@gsmitchell]

That was an awesome overview of what to look for. Thanks, great video!

[@Lam]

Thanks George - glad you liked it. If you haven't seen my video here on my top budget picks; I think it's a great follow-up to the video you watched: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ml6uc36woLR-iZI

[@universaltitlehere9729]

My priorities are: Night driving Multiple angles GPS/driver stats Reliability Portability In basically that order. What would be the best camera(s) to purchase? Thank you for your help!

[@jasonkraus7442]

Very informative, thank you. I've been thinking about buying a dash cam for my jeep and my wife's car; we have a lot of 'idiot' drivers where I live and my daughter is about to get her license. She'll definitely need one. Now, I can make a more informed decision. The scene with the spider.... my wife would have wrecked her car for sure. She HATES spiders and is scared to death of them. lol

[@jesseascriven]

SO WHAT WOULD YOU PICK FOR THE BEST FROM AND REAR CAMERA FOR THE PRICE?

[@markhal5411]

Your dash cam videos are always the best!

[@Lam]

Thanks Mark! -Rolands

[@kariwattsup]

I like the way you used “Jazz Hands” when you said the word “JAZZ”

[@SpaceCadet4Jesus]

Great overview of basic features of dashcams. Answers alot of questions without being boring.

[@Lam]

Thanks Space Cadet - we try! -Andrew

[@christianmejia183]

Wonderfully put together and incredibly comprehensive.

[@Lam]

Thanks Christian!

[@tonyc4035]

You should review the quality of sd card slot. I have had a very expensive dashcam before, but it failed after a few months of use due to sd card read failure. Each time I bought a new sd card, it worked for a few days and failed again. So now I just use a cheap cam which can be disposed of without hurting me much. It would be great to find dashcams that use internal memory without reading the card.

[@donbrunodelamancha1927]

Helpful video. Do you know of dash cams that have: 1. Wide front view 2. Decently wide rear view 3. Audio recording 4. The ability to, without much effort, record a police car stop out the driver’s window? Thank much‼️

[@dansaver8247]

Terrific, thorough presentation. Thank you.

[@dudevraj]

Thank you so much 🙏🏻 I was utterly confused about car DVR cams. Your channel was so very useful.

[@Lam]

Thank you for tuning in! Keep doing that. We like you here :) -Rolands

[@joeyguillen2081]

Dude is running a level 20 camera course for car cameras.

[@louistoscano3830]

No u tube vid compared to this great job Keep it up tru entrepreneur

[@shmookins]

Very informative, thank you. I wish car manufacturers would add dash and rear cams to their cars. In fact, many new cars already have cameras. WHy not use them to record?

[@Lam]

You're welcome and we'll see. I think it's hard as privacy laws are different in every location.

[@alexmcneily]

I just got a dash cam, basically for parking mode/vandalism prevention more than collision. The car battery drain issue is a puzzler though. I have a blink 1080P motion activated security cam at my front door. It gets heavy use with 10 or more events per day, storing 30 seconds at a time and notifying me via it's WiFi link to the home router. Clearly the motion sensor is always active and the two AA batteries last over a year. So I don't know why we would see appreciable battery drain from a car battery with similar workload. I guess the real question is how much does the motion sensor draw if constantly on but not recording? I park my car for several days to 2 weeks at a time on backwoods roads where there are few events, but I want to capture anyone messing with the vehicle. So what is the best practice. a) Just leave in motion activation mode since there will be few events, b) set to ignore motion, but set impact sensitivity to high so it would activate if someone pulls on the door handle, or c) something else?

[@Savedbygrace594]

One of the best informative videos I've seen so far on dash cams 👍 Thank you 😊 5 stars ! It helped in marking my decision on the BlackVue camera 🎥

[@Lam]

Hey Steve, thanks! Did you take a look at my Thinkware F770 video? In my opinion it's the better choice over the Blackvue now as it has better video quality and backup features I think make a difference. Made a review here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5uogX2qhpqDmqM

[@Arunzown]

YOU ARE THE BEST IN DASH CAM REVIEW.

[@JacanaProductions]

Love the spider!! And I ran one of those cameras for a few years, video was not the best but worked flawlessly. I still use it.

[@Lam]

I got lucky when I saw that footage, didn't notice it while driving and I don't watch all the footage I record.

[@viveksmartguy]

Very informative video. There needs to be a next version of the video with review of cameras of year 2022

[@polloloci21]

Holy cow!! THIS is how you do a review!!

[@jackflash5659]

Thanks for the education Andrew!

[@Mark-gg6iy]

Excellent review and production.

[@GSimon850]

the best informative review I have watched on dash cams, thank you.

[@Lam]

Thank you very much! -Rolands

[@americanlocksecurity329]

Personal help? Small inconspicuous camera. No screen needed View through iPhone. G sensor. No parking mode. Display time and date. Clear picture, more day than night driving. Approximately $ 200. Can you recommend? Thanks.

[@systemsh0wd0wn]

I Wish I watched this before I bought my Li dash cam but the video still left me unsure of which dash cam is better to go with if I was in the market to buy one. thanks for the comparisons and breakdown

[@Lam]

Hey, thanks for the feedback. A good video to watch is our guide on the Viofo A129: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIKxkqmuhblko8k We mention our other picks from $50 all the way up to $300+ Hope that helps!

[@dominique13194]

Very helpful. Gives good information and honest pros and cons. Showing my husband so I can convince him to get a car cam.

[@Lam]

Thank you very much, Dominique! Hope you get the camera you want! -Rolands

[@YannisHourdakisPhD]

Very honest and decent video. Congratulations!

[@Lam]

Thank you, Yannis! -Rolands

[@vinayakpai4945]

Very very informative video. You are a champion. Thank you mate.

[@Lam]

Thank you, Vinayak. -Rolands

[@johnmartin4127]

would love a process list of features you could chose from to find the closest to perfect camera to fit your needs.

[@fahadDaar]

Very useful and high quality review. Thank you

[@bluemax1955]

Great video with really good information. Thanks!

[@Lam]

Thanks, John! -Rolands

[@gopherb3985]

Great video. Thanks for the advice

[@Krankie_V]

That night footage on the transcend camera looked fine. Plenty good enough to serve its purpose.

[@Lam]

Hey Krankie. Yup, it's still a good camera. -Rolands

[@phantomcruizer]

Excellent video! Keep up the good work.

[@Lam]

Thank you phantomcruizer! Appreciate it! Rolands - Community Support

[@kuba7329]

wow, the speakers. I have not seen them before :)

[@grizzly9960]

at 8:31 you have bigger problems to deal with :P Radioactive Spider

[@1410PK]

Awesome, good Info, Thank you!!!

[@JohnMiller-oz7gv]

Great videos. Really great job.

[@robertspencer3553]

WoW... You did an exceptional job on this video. I subscribed. I am gettin ready to purchase some car cams. I was really leaning toward the raspberry pi .....now I am not sure.

[@Lam]

Thanks Robert. If you can tell me what is your preferred budget and features you would like to see in your dash cam I could help you make the right choice. -Rolands

[@StevenJQuinlan]

Noice. Very useful video for someone who knows next to nothing about Dashcam's, but thinks it would be useful to use one.

[@Lam]

Hey Steven. I'm glad you like it! -Rolands

[@Ngotdzung]

Thanks for your reviews, I learned, I like, and subscribed. Hope all the reviewers out there when review of somethings honestly, so we know which one is not good and which one is good to go buy one, some reviewers has a sponsorship from some company and they always say the good about that products, which is not. When I about to buy that item on the web, the comments of that item always said most bad things about that item.

[@Lam]

Hey Dunstin. Thanks for the sub! We are happy to help! -Rolands

[@decatursinclair7234]

Great introduction to dash cams!

[@PBS-nm1uu]

thanks for all the info. please do an update on the cameras

[@cros99]

Lots of info for a newbie to absorb but very nicely done. I am subscribing to learn more and I appreciate the help......thanks!

[@Lam]

Thanks cross99, I'm coming out with new guides on the basics, maintenance and parking modes. Is there anything you would like specifically from me?

[@cros99]

I'll look forward to your new guides. As car cams become more popular in the U.S, and so many features to consider, it would help for a suggestion section on favorite products that would cover important issues as stealth/clarity and DIY installation (or go pro).

[@Lam]

Yes, I think a lot about how to make it easier for people with specific needs to find the best camera for them. I think I'll have a filtered search on my website in the near future.

[@dk4wncp]

Fantastically thorough.

[@hayksamvelyan]

Good job, love your passion and through explanations. Keep it up!

[@Lam]

Thanks Mrjost55!

[@allancerf9038]

Car Cam Central two quick questions, it's now 2019... 1. which camera, gun to head would you buy in 2019? 2. SIDE cameras are the greatest safety devices.. pulling out of say (in the USA, don't know where you are) an office park onto a right angle street with cars coming at 45 miles an hour... you creep out, you get creamed. side facing cameras (mounted on rear view mirrors) help ameliorate some of the danger of pulling onto right angle streets. can you recommend a good side facing solution?

[@Lam]

Hey Allan, thanks for the compliment. 1) Blackvue DR900S if I had the money. If I wanted value it would be the Viofo A129 DUO. 2) I agree but there's nothing that comes out of a box at the moment. Maybe in the future, we'll have a better solution. I've seen some people use two dual-channel cameras and attach the rear camera to the pillars to face out the side of your vehicle. -Andrew

[@allancerf9038]

Thank you!

[@thevideoark]

Very helpful. Thank you very much.

[@gsau3000]

Good job. Very well presented. Thank you.

[@Lam]

You're welcome! -Rolands

[@GirlArmy21]

Loved this video. I just got a new Jeep and I want to put in a dashcam. I am going to look on your site for something more recent....recommendations for the best camera to buy....watching in 2021. :O)

[@Arthurmd22]

All of your videos are sooo helpful

[@repairitdontwreckit4257]

Very informative. Great presentation.

[@Sulkanator]

Great job. I enjoyed watching your video.

[@Lam]

Thanks Sulka!

[@grizzly9960]

You should do some reviews on the ones that attach to your mirror or completely replace your mirror.

[@Lam]

We will. A mirror dash cam reviews is one of our future priorities . -Rolands

[@scottokeefe]

Vary informative. A few questions . I like the BLACKVIEW I have a BMW i3 electric car and it’s often parked in a private garage for weeks. Can you easily turn off or put the system into a sleep mode ? I appreciate a clean installation ,is it something I can do my self ? My car has a small 12 V service battery that just is there for simple functions like lights and communication so I’m assuming I will need a back up battery system to run this if it’s parked in the parking garage for a while. Thank you

[@NewportKings69]

This is a really great video

[@johnjackson8783]

Thanks for making this video.

[@doctorartphd6463]

Excellent presentation. I learned quite a bit from you. This was informative, concise, and to the point. Thank you. Been looking at, and researching for cameras for a few months now...

[@Ray-gu5kp]

Amazing video! I just returned Blackview DR 900-4K and the DR 750 IR had nothing but problems from the beginning, I think here is Fl the heat would probably have fried them! Looking at the Thinkware 800pro. What do you think!

[@1seticat]

what did they recommend?

[@milksterz24]

Great Video. It would be awesome if you expanded on hard wiring the cameras and the various kits available

[@Lam]

Thanks Mike, I will in the future. I want to prioritize on dash camera related content before diving into the details of installation. Getting to the point where I am confident in talking about hard wiring will take a fair amount of work. I might team up with someone when I get around to that. DashCamStore has an amazing hardwiring guide: www.thedashcamstore.com/advanced-dashcam-installation/ Although it is just sell their own kit, they put a lot of work into it. Each vehicle is a little different so it's not bad to take a look at a forum for you vehicle to see what changes if any need to be made.

[@love4liberty]

The adhesive and suction cup mounts are not good in Arizona, You also have to be mindful of the camera getting too hot. How do you get a more heat resistant camera? Are their ratings?

[@Schopenhauerscn]

Very imformative. Thank you!

[@Lam]

Thank you!

[@markgiles8527]

If the gps data is looked upon in Court as not being reliable can you resort to go old fashion mathematics and calculate the speed? Surely that can then be used in Court to prove how fast you were going? Speed = Distance / Time. Pretty hard for anyone to argue the result there.

[@EricWohnig]

Going to definitely check out the Dome D201. I love me some 1440P video.

[@ChrisKsan]

Very, very informative! However I'm more confused than before. So choosing a dash cam is not an easy matter at all... I guess, I'll just have to make extra efforts with my selection.

[@Lam]

There are definitely a lot of things to pay attention to Chris, but better to know more than you need and not make crucial mistakes. -Rolands

[@asadina4]

You have done an excellent job comparing those cameras, and this video is an excellent source of information, if someone is interested in purchasing a dash camera. But could you please enlighten us with your opinion as to what camera would be the best camera? In terms of affordability, clarity of video recording, dependability, and easy to use. I know its not going to be very easy for you to tell us that, but a general idea, a camera with more pros than cons?

[@Lam]

Thanks. Our best value camera and top recommendation is the Viofo A119V2. It has pretty much everything - great video quality, great reliability, good error notifications, is very affordable at $80 and now has a working parking mode. The only thing it's really missing is the WiFi functionality, but we think it's not as essential for most people. -Rolands

[@asadina4]

Car Cam Central Thanks so much!

[@DaveManalangLV]

Any latest video update on your dash cam reviews? Please advise. Thank you

[@stefanyen8903]

great job. 👍 I wish if you could also by any chance do a review on DDPai Mini 2

[@Lam]

Yup, I'm doing it right now along with the Thinkware F770.

[@johnnyc563]

Thanks for the updates, Andrew.

[@Lam]

No problems, thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@rob3342421]

We’re getting a new car and want to protect it with a dash cam, we’ve been looking at a next base 322gw as it’s in a bundle at the moment. Would you recommend looking at a higher end model, and if so which? The 622 looks fancy but is quite a jump in price. It’s hard to know what’ll be best because who knows when you may need it and why, but maybe you can help? Thanks in advance!

[@morganbussey2571]

Anyone have recommendations for a teenager? I’ve been driving 2 years and have only hit a deer once. We drive all day everyday because we live in the middle of nowhere. My mom works night shift so she drives at night a lot so clarity at night is an added bonus. We live in southern Maryland so it’s hot but not crazy hot. Would also like it if it recorded all the time Incase of vandalism but we don’t *need* that. Trying to stay under $250

[@johnnyc563]

It would be great to have a dash cam like the A119 with wifi. If they came out with that version, I would probably buy it.

[@Lam]

I wish as well. Developing a good WiFi interface is expensive unfortunately. I can understand why they didn't do it.

[@BoostAndRedline]

Since when do lighter colors reflect more heat ?

[@abbeyjane1306]

Since the beginning of time.

[@mohammadal-jarki4119]

Very valuable information Thank you Greeting from kuwait 🇰🇼🇰🇼🇰🇼