I bet Honda or an "airbag expert" would want to err on the side of safety and recommend not having anything near air bag enclosures. I have seat covers designed for air bags. They have very weak, widely-spaced stitching on the airbag side of the seat covers.

 

I like the mount shown in the stock photo you have on the top. That looks much better than the mount that comes with the camera.

Do you have the LCD screen turned off when driving? I find the light distracting at night.

 

I'm seeing more people mount the dash cam to the dash not the windshield. I'm not exactly sure how this is better or less intrusive, so I'd be curious to here the thoughts behind this. My dash cam is hidden from my view because it is behind the rear view mirror so I don't find it intrusive. I wonder if there are any consequences in terms of captured footage depending on whether the camera is at the top of the windshield or the bottom.

What kind of mount are you using to secure the GPS above the center AC vents? That seems like a great place to mount a display.

 

Did you use the suction cup on those black dots behind the mirror? I couldn't get it to stick there. When it was mounted slightly to theright, I could still see it.

I used the standard XM mount - the sticky mount. I've used these before, and they can be removed without damage to the dash. I've removed them from several dashes.

 

I read a bunch of reviews for dash cams and they often mentioned how the suction cup doesn't stick to the black dots around the rear view mirror. But for some reason the cheap suction cup that came with my dash cam sticks just fine. I was pleasantly suprised. The suction cup has a lever that pulls the rubber circle tight against the glass, creating a vacuum, so maybe that has something to do with it. But I thought most automotive suction cup mounts had that lever. If it hadn't stuck to the black dots I would have probably tried some double sided tape or something.

 

Yea that's how suction cup things work. Some of the better auction material these days are made of this sticky rubbery silicone that seems to conform to shape, instead of the older hard solid silicone suctions.

 

Those black dots create an indent on the suction cup material, and it prevents making a good seal. I used 3M doubled sided tape like whats on the vent visors and body molding to the suction cup, and that sticks to the black dots. To remove the camera I unscrew the bolt to separate the cup from the bracket and presto.

I have it behind my rearview mirror. Down on the dash doesnt make sense to me though it works. Its out of the way for me.

Another question, is 720p 60F better than 1080HD as a setting for this camera? Is the picture any sharper with 1080HD? I didnt really notice a difference. Also has anyone put one in the back window at all in addition to the front one?

 

1920x1080 is over twice the number of pixels as 1280x720. More pixels makes it easier to make out license plates. I find that 720p is not adequate for capturing license plates of cars in adjacent lanes, while 1080p allows you to at least get a partial plate of cars in the next lane over.

Increasing the frames per second from 30 to 60 will give you twice the number of frames but with the same 720p resolution which is not quite adequate for capturing license plates. The video will be smoother, so it might be a little bit easier to read plates than at 30fps, but you will get much more detail by increasing the resolution to 1080p instead of increasing the frame rate.

High frame rates are typically used for producing slow-motion video, or if a buttery smooth video experience is desired like for a video game.

If you want to make slow motion replays from your dash cam, go with 720p60, otherwise I can't think of a reason why one would want to use anything but the maximum resolution of their camera.

 

I had a Honda technician briefly look at the dash cam power cable that I tucked in between the seam of the side curtain airbag and the door, and he said it was "probably fine" as long as it isn't in front of the airbag.

 

"Technician" I once had a starter cable corrode itself to death on a trip. I managed to improvise a fix to get it working, and I stopped at the first place I saw that might do a proper repair - a Walmart's Auto Center. I said I would like the starter cable replaced. The boss said, "These are technicians, not mechanics." Interesting answer. I had to fix it myself.

 

Thank you Simon. I made the change today, I'll take a few captures later and see how it looks on the computer.

 

At first I was only 50% sure that the wire wouldn't interfere with the airbag, but after the "technician's" opinion, my confidence shot up to 51%. And 51% rounds up to "Yes" I am sure it is safe. At least I will have a video of the crash where my curtain airbag fails.

LOL Walmart

 

 

any ideas on a hidden or covert camera for the inside of the car? 2015 lx

 

This is how I mounted my valentine one radar detector. The black moulding around the doors can actually be removed by pulling in towards door opening and you can tuck the wires under it for more sound installation. Don't worry about any adhesive or fasteners, there is none, just the rubber strip.

 

wow, considering the price, this is awesome quality

 

Is there a picture I'm missing?

 

Great idea, and would seriously like to get one myself.
Those windshield suction mounts may be a problem however.
Just recently purchased a new GPS unit and found out that the
supplied suction cup windshield mount is illegal in most states in the USA.
Therefore, I had to purchase a dash mount in order to legally use the unit.
I am of course assuming that any windshield suction cup mounting device would be also illegal for any gadgets, including Dash Cams.

 

Those laws are vague, and they leave enough room for a cop to give you a ticket. In NY, nothing can obstruct the view through the windshield. That could include fuzzy dice or anything sitting on the dashboard. My dashcam is on the dash, on the far right side. Mounted like that it's actually upside down, and so is the video it produces.

 

So does it record you too or just the road?

Thanks