Ring Dash Cam Review: Alexa, Record!

[@liviurosca]

In 2023 all new cars should have dashcams from factory. Of course, facing forward only and optional sound with on/off swich. Better integration, local storage and internet connection via car infotainment system, most of them are connected to 4G or wifi already.

[@christophernava6685]

FRONT AND REAR OF VEHICLE I THINK BUT YES THIS IS A MUST

[@truantray]

But typical of the auto industry, they push 25 stupid gadgets no one wants instead.

[@sepa2401]

The reason they don’t is because they can become slow and outdated as dashcams get better. Just look at the navigation systems of the early 2000s.

[@yaydog2702]

I have a 2023 Hyundai and it doesn’t have a dash cam

[@liviurosca]

@@sepa2401 times when they made a car to last 20 years are gone for good. Sadly now a car it’s outdated after 5 years maximum. This it’s not the reason for the missing dascams from factory, i’m sure about that’s. Laptop cameras didn’t improve too much in the last 20 years. I mean they improve but not in the same way as the CPU, RAM or graphics card. First 1080p camera was launched in 2007, 1080p resolution it’s more than usable today and it’s going to be for 5-10 years at least. So they are greedy, that’s the reason. At their scale they can get 2x cameras and storage for under 50€ for sure but 50€ for each car when you sell millions it’a a lot.

[@cohall46]

CNET - You did a nice job giving a complete description about how the cam works and any issues with operating it. Thanks.

[@Pabla98]

This could be an actual decent dash cam if the video quality was way better, offers local storage and a rear cam option. I like cloud features a lot and for the price it's the cheapest with good value. I am not huge on having Amazon in my car though

[@deerock7]

mine arrived yesterday and watching this video will mean I'll pay more attention to the quality of the video. I really like the 'always on' feature especially since I just bought a brand new truck and I can go live any time, motion sensors turn on the video, etc. Thank you.

[@Andysaid420]

What's your review of yours ? Someone said theirs never would catch motion and it didn't always record all the time. I was wondering if that's a common problem😅

[@OmniRaven]

How is it a year later?

[@NasaRacer]

Also remember with a court order law enforcement or your insurance company can collect all the footage from Amazon to use against the owner.

[@AutomationTechDad]

The USB-C port on the camera arm is on the wrong side. It should be on the drivers/left side for a cleaner install

[@christophernava6685]

if people know how to install without OBD II then they can put plug on the side of wire.

[@Alpz07]

Its true got mine and i was stuuuuuped design

[@RahulKumar-vh4xr]

This will be great to watch my pet bear as it walks through my car at night

[@davidwayne9982]

I want one...maybe two!!! THANKS-- GREAT video too--- simple- accurate--- no long winded BS... or jabbering-- GREAT style!!!

[@S.E.C-R]

It’s a good start but I’ll wait for future versions!

[@charlesbrock5172]

I have this camera, it's absolutely EPIC . The vibration detection is super super sensitive and likely better than most car alarms. If anything touches my truck it alerts me, very fast i might add if in good 4g service. The live view and live chat is awesome, endless use for these features. My guess is that ring will make cameras for the car manufacturers before long. Sure would be nice to live view the 5 cameras/6 camera views built into the new Ram trucks, and many other vehicles.

[@Bugzthestar]

Will is still pick up motion when car is parked and off ?

[@charlesbrock5172]

@@Bugzthestar No motion, but extremely good disturbance detection with adjustable sensitivity.

[@antzpantz]

3:04 ... THERE'S A BEAR IN THE CAR?!

[@michaelnardoni5949]

This dash cam has some great promise, I'm sure Ring will make improvements via firmware updates.

[@truantray]

The major problem with this camera is the power supply from the OBD2 port. Those ports are not designed for continuous use and drivers report using OBD2 plug in devices continuously can lead to major systems failures on cars. OBD2 is a diagnostic port designed to be accessed rarely throughout the life of a vehicle. I would not be surprised if using this might void some manufacturers warranties.

[@SpecRB]

It would use the constant 12v and ground pins only

[@ArmandGirard]

Would like to see GPS co-ordinates and speed embedded in the video like Garmin does with it's dash cams.

[@nickice7009]

This is what the have been waiting for. A connect dash can you can access with your smart phone that is more user friendly. Now all I have to wait for. Is a cam that works with HomeKit. This is a good price and monthly fee compared to the other options I may get this for in the interim.

[@garolstipock]

Good start but still seems simply a webcam in an automobile. It needs additional features that are now customary in dashcams such as GPS info. Glad to see that its got "cop mode" a necessary evil for a necessary evil. Such are the times we live in. I think I'll keep an eye out for version 2, with a higher resolution, GPS and trajectory info-- both private to the owner, of course.

[@SevenFiftyNorth]

It feels like they could add overlays for speed and location in a software update if there were enough demand for it. I'd like the option to enable/disable it in the app.

[@cdchannel]

You didn't mention the 2GB limit on the 4G LTE connection and Ring's site didn't mention how much the overages are. If it's continuously uploading to the cloud, you're going to blow through it in no time. Also, they never mentioned this limit at launch. Their site was updated with the info just recently. This lack of transparency left a sour taste in my mouth.

[@CaptainCJ97]

Damn

[@colestreit1500]

I've had this camera for a week or two now. I love it!

[@PimpSolja49]

I would return it. OBD ports are not meant or designed to have accessories plugged into them long term, especially while driving. It's a port for the cars computer for diagnostic only. Not to power accessories. So many reports of cars having total failure after using OBD accessories, especially devices insurance companies offer. if you don't believe me, research for yourself.

[@huecollins6130]

@@PimpSolja49 I can’t find that data. Would you mind sharing some links showing the piles of destroyed automobiles from using the OBD2 port to power a device? I’m wondering why you are so passionately trying to discourage people from using the port. The positive is fist protected and the negative is a solid ground. If you don’t overload them there is nothing to be confused about. If you do overload it then the fuse will blow. Those wires aren’t special just because they supply power to the OBD2 port.

[@PimpSolja49]

@@huecollins6130 Multiple licensed mechanics have stated this on KZbin. I don't have official reports of course. Just taking professional advice from mechanics!

[@GreenMountian]

I have one of these and it has a serious flaw… Used while driving through a snow storm the other weekend. Where the cam mounts to the windshield is directly in the path of the defroster. Even on full power my windshield kept icing up and fogging. Drove like this for a few hours and finally tore the camera off the windshield and the ice and fog went away IMMEDIATELY. Did ring test this in real world conditions?? Return pending….

[@SirDadbod]

Put rear mirror glue..

[@dougdevine]

I wonder how much data they log from your car while driving it since it hooks into the OBD2 port and sends back to Amazon, someone should look into this.

[@dallon507]

Interesting!!!!! Didn’t ever think of this..

[@PimpSolja49]

@Phillip Banes So they say. Also, OBD port is not designed to power accessories long term. So many reports of cars having total failure due to OBD port failing. It's not a cheap or easy fix. Not worth the risk. That port was designed for diagnostic purposes only, not to power accessories while the car is turned off.

[@PimpSolja49]

@Phillip Banes it's not a straight connection to the battery. It passes through the ECU

[@SevenFiftyNorth]

Very curious why Ring chose to have the USB connection on the camera itself come off the wrong side of the camera to lead directly to the OBD-II port on the majority of cars worldwide. Second, I wish Ring would offer a hard-wire kit instead of making the OBD-II port the only option. I currently have a Bouncie plugged into my OBD-II port. Finally, I wish Ring included a warning sticker that could adhere to the inside of a window rather than the outside.

[@truantray]

OBD ports were not designed for continuous use or power draw. Many have reported total car shutdown from these continuous use devices like insurance trackers.

[@SevenFiftyNorth]

@@truantray I've used OBD-II trackers like Bouncie (and before it, Automatic) for years without issue. Vehicles have included late-model Chevy Silverado(s), Chevy Camaro, Chrysler 300, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda Insight.

[@Funktastico]

because this is plug and play whereas hardwire kit isn't such.

[@PimpSolja49]

@@truantray It's insane why these companies are designing products to plug into cars OBD ports. Anybody who knows cars knows those ports are for diagnostic purposes only. Not to power your accessories. This can lead to total car failure.

[@DJSkandalous]

Shame that its been discontinued. Honestly Amazon should just partner with most vehicle manufacturers to have a dedicated dash camera integrated in all new models and have it out of sight for thieves such as Toyota that has a space inside their Toyota safety sense system on the otherside of your rearview mirror. Alexa, Google Assistant and Carplay should all be pre-built in too lol. Dont need these car AI's and random car navigations anymore. Im sure they keep those in though since older generations sometimes still use older non smart phones. So i understand the dillemma.

[@DannerBanks]

Was excited for this until I found out it required a separate cloud subscription

[@digitalparadigms]

Yeah you're much better off going with a solution that requires a separate cellular account or something like OwlCam for $20 a month. /S

[@jotech8386]

I can’t wait till mine come in the mail 😁

[@MrEric915]

It's good to have a camera at the back of the car to record the vehicles behind also.

[@christophernava6685]

a lot of companies don't do this and I don't know why at least give people the option.

[@Bathgate155]

There are better options out there. This is Rings first go at the dash cam market. I'm sure future versions will get better with time. Also, traffic stops can be longer than the 20 minute limit Rings dash cam currently offers. I would suggest using your cellphone!!

[@ButterflyCreativity]

Such a comprehensive and thorough review! Thank you! 🎉

[@Remix26]

Great review, answered a lot of questions I had on this thing.

[@Nabilh17]

Thanks for the review, very clear and dynamic

[@pacs0508]

Thank you for the information about scanning the qr code before placing it on the windshield.

[@MrPNioVideos]

GoPro should have done this ages ago, instead GoPro’s ceo is stubborn and arrogant

[@harram110]

so if I am understanding right you can not get any footage off the cam without a subscription. So to have this dash cam you will pay upfront to own the device then pay for the rest of the devices life monthly? ontop of an already standing ring subscription? If that is the case I dont see why anyone would pay for this when you can get any other dash cam with the same footage, quality, record if the car is off, sense movement, and pay just one time.

[@sidekick96734]

What information is the camera gathering from the OBD2 port? How will Amazon use the driving information it gathers from the OBD2 port?

[@videoreborn]

How exactly do you setup the cam to detect motion OUTSIDE while the car is parked? Can you demonstrate that feature? Thanks

[@luishernandez507]

The cam, being from Ring co. Is programmed to detect motion like their doorbell cameras. There is no additional steps, than just the initial setup that you will have to do, to detect motion. P.S. motion sensitivity can be adjusted like other products they have.

[@iradhill81]

Privacy screen and a quick disconnect will help crafty thieves. They usually scout your car then come back later to do whatever they are going to do

[@albertsitoe7340]

The fact that you know the adhesive is really strong is because someone probably set it up wrong.

[@sumgi1537]

i took off the sticker on the adhesive and while trying to angle it i looked down at something else and adhesive accidentally touched my windshield in an awkward angle and the little mount was extremely hard to come off!! this was another dash cam tho but i understood what u meant haha

[@albertsitoe7340]

@@sumgi1537 😂 Close but no toast 🙌

[@psfgtech]

I know CNET for past 4 yrs was AI , I hope this was a person, not a CGI. You did a great job

[@JSTRonline2]

Interesting first attempt. Can't wait for 2.0 lol.

[@skazyt]

What if you were driving in a remote area without LTE coverage? Does it have internal memory to upload it later on to the cloud?

[@luisvargas4985]

How does the camera work,when your driving? Does it use bluetooth to record while driving?

[@letsgoOs1002]

Is the camera talking to the car via the OBD2 port? Like is it monitoring everything in the car for Amazon?

[@Bugzthestar]

Can this be forward facing as well. ?

[@steevthetech]

My EV6 throws a lot of random errors when I have cams attracted to the OBD port. No issues with yours?

[@rtlamb]

I’ve always understood that driving with anything attached to the data port can potentially damage your car computer!! So therefore this is a hard NO. Also, I just checked Amazon and it says it will take 3 - 6 MONTHS to deliver it!! DOH!!!

[@digitalparadigms]

@@rtlamb Yes, 3-6 months. But they will do what they always do. =Much sooner delivery. Re OBD port, having things attached is just fine for the most part. In this case it's simply receiving power, only two pins for the two wires.

[@skywalk3x]

Looks like a good product, wish the video quality was higher. You can get other dash cams with higher video resolution

[@roberthicks686]

Did you try to connect it to a USB-C port? From CES it looked like they had a dongle w/ a USB-C to OBD adapter. Just curious if it works powered off USB-C

[@mmitchum3826]

Same question. (Does it grab any data from the OBD... perhaps the ability to tell if the car battery is low?)

[@Bella-nv2yp]

waiting for Ring Cam 2, current light sensor is crap

[@matthewp5513]

Like the Olde English D cap! ;)

[@shalein6688]

Biggest deal breaker is the OBD power source. U can't drive something plugged in to OBD port all the time.

[@MercSLRFan]

Why not?

[@BillyAu]

​ @G Mercer It was designed to be plug into and be used while parked or driving to get info about the vehicle. It's fine to use it all the time as the camera turns off to not weaken the battery. I use a solar charger all the time plug in and drive, leave park all day and night and have no problems.

[@digitalparadigms]

I've had things continually plugged into OBD ports on multiple cars for over 10 years. No issues.

[@user-bh1pb3ir3g]

Auto wifi from tmobile is plugged in OBD port.

[@TheGamerShowsYou]

OwlCam has been doing this for over five years now I've had their first ever and latest camera, unlimited LTE for 19.99, 1080p/720p options, etc. Ring developed the same camera with no improvements, I was looking for a high quality camera the license plate numbers on this ring camera at night are bad and no night vision cams.

[@MOVIEKICKS]

That seems to be one of the biggest complaints about the Ring dashcam. Can the OwlCam see license plate numbers at night?

[@TheGamerShowsYou]

@@MOVIEKICKS Better than the ring for sure in my opinion but still not top notch unfortunately. The features it provides over the ring camera like night vision and unlimited LTE I find really helpful.

[@iron_recluse]

I get mine delivered tomorrow but I have to say my excitement isn’t as great after seeing the downloaded video quality. Hopefully they improve that bc for $60 a year for cloud recording the service is a pretty good deal. Thanks for the suggestion of the Garmin Live cam. The device was already released. Video quality looks slightly better but subscription much more expensive. The Owl Cam is apparently not recommended due to its non-existent customer service.

[@iron_recluse]

Oh and just found out the Garmin costs $450 when you include the OBD connector. :/

[@christophernava6685]

I get mine tomorrow too we will see how it goes but I probably wont get to see since I get off work late.

[@FreddietheFly]

Hope you can get your money back cause this Ring car cam doesn't look good at all.

[@EASTCAMDEN4LIFE]

Can I add a second Ring cam to the rear?

[@george-gwargisshamoon2738]

Is it true that when you stop at a long stop light it stops continuously recording?

[@SevenFiftyNorth]

That's not been my experience so far.

[@BigPoppa23]

What about the loss of connectivity after a couple of hours because the guard mode shuts down to save the car battery? Plus no built-in in battery to stop the camera from shutting down after a couple of hours. This seems to be the major gripe on the Amazon reviews. I would like to be able to look into my car at anytime. Have you had the same issue with connectivity? Thanks

[@huecollins6130]

Based on my OBD2 breakout box there is continuous power. Communication with CAN goes to sleep but not the power to this port.

[@lockpremium9826]

Hi great video one thing that no one mention or show on reviewing this dash cam is that can it read license play while you driving day time and night time?and what quality you get ? this will be the deal breaker for me to buy this camera or not. again great video is just missing more info about what the canera can do or not do.thanks anyways

[@palenciagatv]

He said quality isn’t great at night…. He shows clips of the day time so you can clearly see it can not read license plates

[@tobyhall473]

@@palenciagatvit looks like the plates are blurred out for privacy in the video.

[@ounlalae]

How come i only able to view or watch the video only when I’m home with car running? What I have to do to live video while I’m driving ( it will say Offline).

[@noobwow2009]

We need AVC1 code, also we need dual front camera, 1 wide angle and 1 standard to capture license plate number

[@Yona-z1t]

No rear camera?

[@michealsizemore1]

Question of the day. Does anyone know if the camera is recording when you come to a stop light or stop sign. I have heard that it does and that it does not. Both can't be correct.

[@MarioR23]

Any company that designs a set of mini security cameras with dvr for vehicles will make a lot of money

[@matterdoo]

Will this record on a loop every time you stay driving, or do you have to tell it to start recording every time?

[@CNET]

It automatically records while you’re driving.

[@tinkerbell2882]

I just got mine and it sucks because it keeps turning off because of the car battery to conserve the car battery so until u turn on ur car it will turn on this happens at the end of a day of camera use 2nd it will never alert u if someone is on outside only when someone gets in i gotta turn off this feature to have outside alerts then yet it will never alert u 3rd internal mic is low then high so idk i only like that it records ur drive from the inside see and outside

[@lyfeofdanny617]

Good review! I wish the dash camera footage was better

[@ardonjr]

Some cars, like VWs don't like it if a device piggybacks over the OBDII port. A lot of examples where people have occupied the OBD port ending up with a loud alarm at night. Be aware of that when buying this camera.

[@Zeus-qz2yj]

Thats sucks. Wanted this for my Atlas

[@ruuu48]

3:09 was that my Bear??

[@bruinlane]

I ordered mine on Jan 9 and the confirmation email from that date shows an anticipated delivery date of Feb. 17. I have yet to receive a shipping confirmation however. I look forward to trying this out.

[@KyngMoon]

lucky you mines was delivered and they stole it off my front door 😔

[@chriss7389]

@@KyngMoon Should have bought the Doorbell cam.

[@mmitchum3826]

@@chriss7389 If he had done that they would have stolen his car. :-)

[@MrColdcloud]

Same order date and estimate delivery date here. Just checked the status of my order on rings site and see there is a tracking number, haven’t got second email yet.

[@bruinlane]

Mine is set to deliver tomorrow by 7pm!

[@raymartinez9597]

You could probably use screen record on your phone instead of download a video

[@TheRealoldcar]

The QR code is going to an issue if that is the only location 3:46

[@georgebrodie9795]

Enjoyed your video but to understand your saying to see any video recorded I have to have a paid subscription ?

[@javiersalas7670]

What if somone walks around the outside of your car when its parked and off? Will it detect that???

[@Is_this_handle_available]

Excellent review information. Thank you very much, sir. Very helpful.

[@jerrysmithfinearts]

It will take 6 months if you don't read your email right away. They give you 45 minutes to cancel. After that, you have to wait 6 months to receive it, and then you can return it. You cannot cancel by phone or chat.

[@Rikz72]

ALL cars should have dash cams

[@Kenny-dt4si]

Soo what happens when someone breaks in and closes the front lid. Makes it useless right? Since it stops recording…

[@iamknoware]

Now how well will it survive the Las Vegas heat?

[@upgr8king]

Great review , we’ll done 👍🏻

[@KB-Unc]

Remind me of why tf I need this again???

[@bamhamer]

Dashscams seem to be stuck in the stone age

[@MichaelFenlason]

2:17 no way I am gonna wait in that line

[@666elrey666]

does it work with current ring security cam subscription? I have the 100 a year sub with my ring hoke products

[@Blaksheep314]

Was that vhs footage?

[@davidwayne9982]

Someone should suggest-- STRONGLY--that they make some of these NON-SUBSCRIPTION too-- so they could download all to a card for later use and keeping it PRIVATE at Home!!

[@AntStaffSpeaks]

Does anyone know how you would move this camera from one leased / or purchased vehicle to a new one - if the adhesive is so strong? Will I now be able to relocate it when needed?

[@kickassnetwork]

I imagine once you get it off, you'll have to replace the tape with new tape. I'm sure it's just a variant of 3m vhb tape. All it's really doing is attaching plastic to glass.

[@ThePenguin-rn1lo]

I love Ring products, had them for years, but this car cam is a disappointment and will need big improvements. It’s video quality, in comparison to my other 3 car cams, is poor and I don’t think it’s even 720p. The video playback is too compressed, pixelated, and glitchy. Defeating the interior cam is way too easy for anyone wanting to avoid being recorded, simply flip up that privacy cover or just yanks its USB cord out. And only pulling 20 second clips of recording at a time instead of most dash cams that offer 5 or 10 minute increments is a total fail for Ring. It has potential, but that potential is nowhere near met right now, needs serious improvements. Here’s a tip, if someone hits your car while driving, you better say Record and read out loud the other vehicles license plate because it’s highly likely that plate won’t be legible. And for those, like me, who bought this, haven’t you noticed there’s basically next to nothing in literature for this device for it’s in-depth operation and use for it? Basically, it’s going to be up to knowledgeable KZbin content makers to explain how to understand and use this beyond the novice user, unacceptable on Rings part.

[@FrenchyAU]

Wait it can still be powered via USB or 12v right?

[@digitalparadigms]

Yes. Officially they say no.

[@ashleyl1757]

For that price they should include a back camera

[@loneric550]

I'll wait for the 2nd generation maybe they'll record in 5K

[@Trust_but_Verify]

Might as well wish for 8K 360fps for slow-mo. & 5G connectivity.

[@loneric550]

@Phillip Banes that’s ok I don’t usually buy the first invention until I find out what it’s issues are.

[@NOFATCHICK1]

I was very interested in this, bur the camera quality is quite bad given the price.

[@Cobraguy321]

Great review thanks.

[@rubenrar1]

I found that the insta 360 x3 was my cam. I looked into it but I changed my mind. I found d out that action cameras was better for me. I can do 4k to 5k and has dual camera and does a complete 360. It is double the cost but for me it's cheaper long term. It even has footage looping as well, not bad If you can afford $459 but dji has there own action camera that does 4k for $359. Highly recommend 👌

[@itsmejona5938]

you got the link

[@Funktastico]

can stand the heat leaving it in car ? battery still working after stays plugged-in prolong period?

[@rubenrar1]

@@Funktastico it says that it does not overheat like the go pro. If you want to read license plates, it does it better in 4k. It is not a promise but it sure makes it easier. You can control sharpness and etc. Lol i even used it on my bike ride 4 fun lol. You can test it and if you do not lile it then return it. It will not auto turn on like a dash cam and you have to manually hit record but you are getting alot in return. And if you do not want to eat your sd card. You can set it in looping. It has 360 mode as well as single lens mode. Amazon is full of accessories for the camera. But i reccommend watching reviews b4 buying to understand more. But i have heard that dji camera does good as well and you can find comparison videos online.

[@rubenrar1]

@@itsmejona5938 i got mine on amazon

[@eduardoelias9877]

They should make it connect to cigarette lighter also for all vehicle capability 👍🏽 for example Big Rig Truck drivers and older vehicles 1996 and below

[@moemuny89]

Do I have to pay for recording?

[@VideoNOLA]

Current UNAVAILABLE on Amazon. What gives?

[@ProductShroomz]

Discontinued

[@73richg]

Once the temperature hits 90 degrees that adhesive stops adhesive’ing

[@2real4me]

Great review

[@MrMannyhw]

Is this cloud based too?

[@Popounited]

Ill stick with nexar for that price, and no monthly fees,

[@ajayp2070]

An excellent presentation!

[@NoFro-TL]

This being a separate cost and subscription from the normal ring sub is ridiculous. What were they thinking. Smh

[@BenZCardiff]

Except it’s not available yet. There is a 3-6 month wait.

[@PimpSolja49]

There is going to be a lot of lawsuits when these devices causes OBD ports to fail and your car has total failure. OBD ports are not designed to have accessories plugged into them long term, especially while driving or while the car is turned off. Even if it's only to tap into power, it can still cause failure. Watch and see in the coming months how many cars fill up the junk yards due to this. It's not a cheap or easy fix.