Dashcam advice.

[Pi Tao]

Hi all,

I need some advices to buy a dashcam, around 2000 bahts.

Thanks.

Edited November 14, 2022 by Pi Tao

[seedy]

$60 - forget getting anything decent.

[unheard]

@Pi Tao

Slightly more, but it's real decent:

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/viofo-a119v3-gps-2k-quad-hd-gps-hdr-1-i1650782344.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.19.50c722c5heW57C

 

 

[Pi Tao]

17 hours ago, seedy said:

$60 - forget getting anything decent.

Thanks.

But i can have front and rear camera, in official Toyota dealer, for 4500 bahts.

@seedy

[seedy]

2 hours ago, Pi Tao said:

Thanks.

But i can have front and rear camera, in official Toyota dealer, for 4500 bahts.

@seedy

In your OP you said 2000 THB

 

[Pi Tao]

25 minutes ago, seedy said:

In your OP you said 2000 THB

 

@seedy True, 2000 was for front dascam , only.

And, 4500, for the 2, with installation included.

 

 

[vinny41]

2 hours ago, Pi Tao said:

@seedy True, 2000 was for front dascam , only.

And, 4500, for the 2, with installation included.

 

 

Retail price for Toyota front and back cams is 6,000 baht without installation

https://www.toyota.co.th/accessories/product/detail/5486

If you have been quoted 4500 including installation that seems a good deal with a decent resolution cameras

Front camera with QHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels) and rear camera with FHD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)

[richard_smith237]

I’m a little confused by your comments, installation offers and cost of cams etc... 

Are you looking at buying a Cam for 2000 baht then paying 2500 for Toyota to install it ???

 

What I can advise is something I have done with my last 4 cars. 

Get a decent Cam and install yourself - its very easy, especially if not hard-wiring.

 

My recommendation (last two cars had this dash-cam).

Xiaomi 70mai Pro (Lazada Link)

Front and rear facing.

Good specks, proven to work in the Thailand heat etc.

 

You could simply buy the cam and ask Toyota to install for you. 

Recently I had an Innov K2 cam (fwd / rear facing) installed on my motorcycle by the dealer as installation requires removing of body work etc, doing it very neatly was more difficult than sampling lifting the upholstery and tucking in a wire.

 

Two installation types: 

Simple: Plug into 12v port and tuck the wires of the way into the upholstery - its a 30min job.

NOTE: 12v plug in will not compromise your warranty.

 

Technical: Hard-wiring into your fuse circuit with a fuse tap is a little more technical, you’d have to chose the right circuit so that it doesn’t use an ‘always on’ circuit and drain your battery, you’d have to chose a circuit that is only on when the ignition is on - hence installation this way is slightly more risky for the uninitiated - I didn’t bother, its only useful if you want parking mode to record when someone approaches your car etc (something I don’t need).

NOTE: Hard wiring could compromise your warranty (if something were to go wrong with your battery or electrics).

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by richard_smith237

[Pi Tao]

1 hour ago, vinny41 said:

Retail price for Toyota front and back cams is 6,000 baht without installation

https://www.toyota.co.th/accessories/product/detail/5486

If you have been quoted 4500 including installation that seems a good deal with a decent resolution cameras

Front camera with QHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels) and rear camera with FHD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)

@vinny41My apologies. 6000, cameras and intallation. You're right. My Thai girl friend,  ...

[vinny41]

I would checkout dashcamtalk

Some brands leave you high and dry when a fault is discovered and just the dashcam just vanishes from their sales sites

Viofo is one of the better brands that does provide firmware updates

A800S from 70mai has been discontinued and abandoned. It's because of a faulty chipset they are using in this model.
They are not offering any software updates, any help on forum.
Video quality is bad, they admitted that and still not fixed after 6 months.
When we asked about fix, they said they will fix recording logic in the next model, not update, model.

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/70mai-a800s-discontinued-no-more-updates-support.45879/

[seedy]

 

[richard_smith237]

13 minutes ago, seedy said:

 

A dash-cam can mean the difference between proof of being at fault or not in Thailand. 

 

Thats clearly worth it....  any dash-cam where its clear enough to see whats going on, is worth it. 

 

 

[Denim]

On long journeys I just use Autoboy app on my phone. Free download and works pretty well. Got the mounting bracket free with my phone. Plugs into cigarette lighter.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, vinny41 said:

I would checkout dashcamtalk

Some brands leave you high and dry when a fault is discovered and just the dashcam just vanishes from their sales sites

Viofo is one of the better brands that does provide firmware updates

A800S from 70mai has been discontinued and abandoned. It's because of a faulty chipset they are using in this model.
They are not offering any software updates, any help on forum.
Video quality is bad, they admitted that and still not fixed after 6 months.
When we asked about fix, they said they will fix recording logic in the next model, not update, model.

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/70mai-a800s-discontinued-no-more-updates-support.45879/

Thats very interesting - its the Cam I’ve beee using for over 4 years - no issues at all. 

 

But, I’ll certainly re-think my choice IF looking for a new cam. 

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, Denim said:

On long journeys I just use Autoboy app on my phone. Free download and works pretty well. Got the mounting bracket free with my phone. Plugs into cigarette lighter.

 

 

Yep - but its not there all the time... 

You can guarantee the time you have an accident and fault is ‘negotiable’ you chose not mount the phone because you were only popping down the road.... 

.... thats why dash-cam’s are so useful. 

 

This is the same reason I got a dash-cam for my motorcycle (Innov K2), so that I didn’t have to rely on maybe or maybe not using the go-pro... 

[vinny41]

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Thats very interesting - its the Cam I’ve beee using for over 4 years - no issues at all. 

 

But, I’ll certainly re-think my choice IF looking for a new cam. 

I am using the same model and its working fine although disppointed that no further firmware updates will be released and less than 12 months ago it was the flagship model

[Denim]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Yep - but its not there all the time... 

You can guarantee the time you have an accident and fault is ‘negotiable’ you chose not mount the phone because you were only popping down the road.... 

.... thats why dash-cam’s are so useful. 

 

This is the same reason I got a dash-cam for my motorcycle (Innov K2), so that I didn’t have to rely on maybe or maybe not using the go-pro... 

That is true.

 

Ok if you have just upgraded your phone and can use the old one full time but otherwise you do get lazy.

[recom273]

11 hours ago, Pi Tao said:

@seedy True, 2000 was for front dascam , only.

And, 4500, for the 2, with installation included.

 

 

And it’s not a good camera - I had a choice of a free camera or cash discount for a few thousand. 
 

I had already decided I was going to get the top of the range xiaomi - the quality looked great fir the same price as the toyota discount. 
 

I spoke to a fitter, who was reluctant to fit an aftermarket camera in a new truck. He’d had issues before when his excellent work had voided an Isuzu warrantee. Toyota confirmed this.
 

I chose the Toyota camera. After testing, It’s not so good, there’s not a 100% chance of grabbing a number plate or drivers face from the camera, especially the rear camera - The wifi function is a but naff.
 

The wiring job by Toyota was pretty slick but I needed to modify the cable holder a little and swap the sticky pads.

 

An experienced Thai fitter will charge you 500B.

[vinny41]

Any sd card will work in dash cams however normall run of mill sd cards will go faulty after a short period of time it is worth investing in a sd endurance  card that is designed for dash cams

 

[MJCM]

8 hours ago, vinny41 said:

Any sd card will work in dash cams however normall run of mill sd cards will go faulty after a short period of time it is worth investing in a sd endurance  card that is designed for dash cams

 

Class 10 or UHS-1 (and up) SD cards are best for Dash Cams, because they are fast in writing.

Example:

 

https://www.invadeit.co.th/product/memory-cards/sandisk/32gb-ultra-microsd-memory-card-sdsqunr-032g-gn3mn-p053753/

 

or even better

 

https://www.invadeit.co.th/product/memory-cards/sandisk/32gb-extreme-micro-sd-100mb-s-class-10-no-adapter-sdsqxaf-032g-gn6mn-p049926/

Edited November 16, 2022 by MJCM

[seedy]

12 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

A dash-cam can mean the difference between proof of being at fault or not in Thailand. 

Thats clearly worth it....  any dash-cam where its clear enough to see whats going on, is worth it.

Did you watch the video - or just not comprehend what the poster was saying in said video ?

[Heng]

Not model specific and YMMV, but I've had the same 2000-2500 Baht grade dash cams (no name Fortune IT city type) in all my cars and they've been working fine for 5-8+ years while many of my friends seem to have to replace theirs (same models, purchased around the same time) yearly, many with the rubber parts melted.

 

Covered parking seems to make a big difference with these off brand gadgets.    

[seedy]

49 minutes ago, Heng said:

Not model specific and YMMV, but I've had the same 2000-2500 Baht grade dash cams (no name Fortune IT city type) in all my cars and they've been working fine for 5-8+ years while many of my friends seem to have to replace theirs (same models, purchased around the same time) yearly, many with the rubber parts melted.

 

Covered parking seems to make a big difference with these off brand gadgets.    

If you purchase the highest resolution - 4K - the picture quality will be much improved.

1080P at times the license plates are unreadable

[Pi Tao]

Thank you all, for your comments and advice.

Have a good day.