Dashcams Thinkware F50?

[cal45]

Looking at getting a simple, easy to setup & use dashcam. Just desire the video recording and not interested in any GPS or other bells & whistles these products may have. Looking at the Thinkware F50 and it seems to be a match but would like to hear what fellow members have been using.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/thinkwar...ustomerreviews

To show you how much I'm a newbie at these - are all now battery operated and no internal wiring has to be done for power, right? Just fix them to either your rv mirror or windshield and power on.
** Edit to add that it looks like this unit has to plug into a 12v socket from the Bets Buy link Q&A section.... would like a battery operate one.


Thanks for any advice.

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[Mr Twisty]

Batteries and a hot summer windshield aren't a good mix.

I have a VicoVation TF2 that's been (almost) continuously running for 5 yrs or longer. Finally had to replace the SD card the other day.

[Coleroad]

I have 5 black box gw1c. It has a capacitor instead of a battery. So you don't have to worry about a non-replaceable battery going bad or leaking. It does everything you want and not any have the things you don't want. It records in full hd. It still records well at night. There is a reason why I have kept buying the same model as I worked at putting one in every car of mine.

[cal45]

Originally Posted by Mr Twisty

Batteries and a hot summer windshield aren't a good mix.

I have a VicoVation TF2 that's been (almost) continuously running for 5 yrs or longer. Finally had to replace the SD card the other day.

LOL - yeah, agree. The Thinkware unit can be easily detached from the mounting bracket, which I would do if left in a parking lot.

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[Mr Twisty]

I would prefer a dashcam you can leave in the car, for hit and runs and vandalism.

The capacitor is a good idea, in a bad hit the cam is probably gonna lose 12v so you get that extra bit of footage after the fact.

[cal45]

Originally Posted by Mr Twisty

I would prefer a dashcam you can leave in the car, for hit and runs and vandalism.

The capacitor is a good idea, in a bad hit the cam is probably gonna lose 12v so you get that extra bit of footage after the fact.

Need to wire the cam into the car for the surveillance capabilities and it needs constant power, wasn't looking to do that but I do think that's a great option.....just not what I'm looking for.

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[Mr Twisty]

My truck is my job, so it's logical I would have one run all the time. I can also understand why you'd just want it for accident witness (among other things) Mine isn't hardwired, I just never unplug it from the 12v.

They have changed quite a bit in the last 5 years, much more popular, and less expensive. I think I gave ~$300 for mine, but like I said, it's been plugged in continuously except for vacation, and I think I left it on more than once even then. Money well spent.

If I was in the market for another, I would look for one that the video can be read by Windows Media Player, etc. without needing proprietary software.

I agree GPS seems to be useless, unless you're using it on a track.

I prefer a small vid screen on the unit, only used to verify aim pretty much. If I'm going to review footage I want to see it on a large screen, laptop size or better.

G-meter and capacitor is a good idea, just to make sure the cam records and saves moments before, and a little after a hard impact.

[Scalded Dog]

I've run a few dashcams... so, as an "expert," I'll suggest a few things:

Some cameras have a front and rear aimed camera, in order to simultaneously record in both directions. However, note that in the Camaro, that rear window is so small and distant, it may not be successful at rear- shot video. I had to take my two- way dashcams out of the Camaro, but have great success with them in my truck.

G-force sensors--- in my opinion--- suck. The technology is not well developed. The idea is that after an accident (which it senses by G- forces, in theory), that portion of the video recording will be locked (so it cannot accidentally be recorded over later). However, I have yet to see a device that doesn't trigger the automatic locking of a section of video from potholes, hard stops, or door slams. This means that after a few days, you discover that ALL of your video clips are locked, and have no more available memory on your card... until you go and manually unlock each and every section. Pain in the butt... and you could get caught in a situation where you THOUGHT you were recording, but weren't. I recommend either getting a device that does not include that feature, or can be disabled.

However, you may want the feature that INITIATES recording whenever it senses motion while your vehicle is parked. That can help identify the car that bumps you in the parking lot and drives off, or even the neighborhood kids who think that jumping on the hood is hilarious fun when they've smoked too much weed one night.

To answer your original post question: All dashcams require power. Yes, most (probably all) have some sort of internal battery, but it is only good for a few minutes. All dashcams need to be powered by the vehicle, in order to keep the battery charged, and keep the device working. Easiest is to simply plug it into a cigarette lighter- style 12V plug... all dashcams include this power cord. However, cleaner/ neater/ easier is to hardwire it. It can either be hardwired to come on and off with the vehicle, or always on, or however you like... an electronic store shop should be able to do this in any way you like (if you are not handy with a multimeter and electrical tape!)... but, all dashcams need SOME sort of power source to keep them alive and well.

Note that many (most) dascams are not high enough resolution to capture most license plates... I strongly recommend that you look for one that DOES have very high resolution. License plates are critical info in many situations. "Grayish mid- 90's sedanish looking car" is never a good enough description to go find who hit and ran... but a license plate can increase the odds of finding the scumbag.

One more warning: Once you go, you can never come back. I started using a dashcam about a year and a half ago. Now all four of my vehicles have them, and I take an easy- to- attach portable unit whenever I rent or borrow another vehicle. I can't go without a dascam... I'd rather drive around naked with no doors on the car than go without a dashcam. It's saved my tail in an accident situation already (two different stories, naturally, but my dashcam revealed who was telling the truth!), and the cops have used my footage (from a crime that I and my dashcam witnessed). I've also gotten cool footage of wildlife and other random odd things. Point being, I can't live without it now. I just KNOW that if I tried to drive a mile without one, I'd be involved in three different accidents (none my fault, but all other drivers would be compulsive liars), I'd see Elvis, a unicorn would cross the road in front of me, and Olivia Munn would flash me.

[Mr Twisty]

G meter works great on mine. Once a month it may post a false event but it's never been an issue with filling the sd card. You can also adjust the sensitivity if it gets many false events.

The problem with resolution... Most cams use a fisheye lens. Even at high resolution it's spread out to 120 degrees or so. 2000 lines resolution at 120 degrees makes for fairly low resolution when you just want to read something as small as a license plate. Having said that, not all lenses are the same. A very good quality lens may give you the resolution to read a plate.

[cal45]

Thanks, Scalded Dog ...... getting one for sure so I don't miss Olivia Munn.

Appreciate the info.

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[jshaf]

have this cheep 23 dollar one I got off Ebay, can't kill the damn thing, left it inside the camaro during winter storage outside and it endured subzero freezing, 100 degree summer heat, thing just keeps working. was hoping to replace it with a blackvue 650 eventually but it is not cooperating

[AmberLynn]

Originally Posted by jshaf

have this cheep 23 dollar one I got off Ebay, can't kill the damn thing, left it inside the camaro during winter storage outside and it endured subzero freezing, 100 degree summer heat, thing just keeps working. was hoping to replace it with a blackvue 650 eventually but it is not cooperating

Which one do you have? Do you leave it plugged in?