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Im looking for a dash camera for the GT4. Read great things about the Blackvue products but wanted to see what other GT4 guys are using and how theyre mounted/powered.
I had the two-channel BlackVue system installed and it's clean and unobtrusive:
During installation
The rear camera is more noticeable in this picture than it is in my rear-view mirror (where I can only see about half of the camera body).
Very unobtrusive from the back
The only issue I have with the system is that the sound clips at high volumes (which is pretty much any time the GT4 is at WOT). Not a big deal for a digital "witness", but less than ideal if you want to preserve footage from track days, twisty road excursions and the like. Still, it's a good system and I'd do it again.
Blackvue 650 2Ch w/cloud firmware can be accessed remotely if you setup a hotspot. This capability allows you to get a GPS location of the car and live video from either camera on your smart phone.
Annoyingly, the company limits the online viewing time to 10 mins/day. Also, I can't say the Firmware or camera is as stable as I'd like - I have experienced some odd behavior that I hope the latest firmware addresses.
Im really leaning towards the BlackVUE 2ch 650 myself... Is it something easy to install or is it something i should leave to a professional.
A front camera is relatively simple, as all you have to do is tap power (usually near the Homelink buttons) and stick it on the windshield. For the two-channel cameras, you need to run the cable to the back and, to do a neat install, a lot of trim pieces need to be removed. My installer also ended up removing all the trim around the inside of the hatch, as the alternative would have left the rear camera sitting further down the window (and in my field-of-view). Unless you're very comfortable taking the interior of your car apart, I'd say give it to a professional.
A front camera is relatively simple, as all you have to do is tap power (usually near the Homelink buttons) and stick it on the windshield. For the two-channel cameras, you need to run the cable to the back and, to do a neat install, a lot of trim pieces need to be removed. My installer also ended up removing all the trim around the inside of the hatch, as the alternative would have left the rear camera sitting further down the window (and in my field-of-view). Unless you're very comfortable taking the interior of your car apart, I'd say give it to a professional.
Will do... I'll have to do some research and see the help of a professional.
I did it on my S2000 but that's partly because I have taken the interior apart in that car numerous times.
The Blackvue seems nice, but it's about 3-4x the cost of other cameras that are both smaller and have just as good video.
I'm trying out the Mini 0805 in my Q7. Video quality has gotten good enough and price points have dropped to a point that longevity seems the biggest x factor between models. The Mini 0805 is cheap enough that it seems to make sense even if it has half the life of a Blackvue.
I only worry about video for the front of the car, as I'm mostly concerned with proof of liability in an accident or road rage incident. It's pretty clear who is at fault if the back of my car gets hit, and that is a much bigger install headache as DeerHunter mentioned.
Here are pics of the Q7 install- as you can see it's invisible from the driver seating position. If it works out well I'll install in the GT4 next.
Dash Cameras - Recommendations
