# Complicated Dash Cam Question.



## 234267 (6 mo ago)

Its complicated because I don't really know the nomenclature of the car so well. 

Ok, I'm doing pretty good on UBER and LYFT. I'm making more money than I thought I would be making and I think I'll stick with it. This weekend, I plan on going up to Austin and trying my luck there to see how things work in a bigger city--I'm currently based in Corpus Christi--about 1/4 the size of Austin. 

Anyway, I want to get a dash cam but I don't want a dash cam. See..I told you it was complicated. I want a forward and backward facing camera that is located here--where the arrow is:









I also would like to have it integrated into the rear view mirror itself meaning I'm looking for a mirror with a built in cabin cam as well as a facing forward camera. Partly because I've read reviews of the suction cup models and many of the reviews say that the suction cup gives out and leaves a residue on the glass. And partly because it can be hard-wired into the car's electrical system itself. My existing rear view mirror has the Hyundai Blue Link so I am pretty sure there is a power supply going to it. This would, hopefully eliminate the need for a battery for basic operation although an on-board battery would probably still have to be part of the build to record when the car is off--maybe???? 

Anyway, does such a thing exist? Is there an after market rear view mirror with a built in video recording capability? I have seen the "wrap around" models that are on Amazon. I'd prefer to have one that is integrated into the rear view itself. Any help you can give is will be great.


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## Atavar (Aug 11, 2018)

If you use an aftermarket mirror will you lose your blue link?


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## Coxpal (Aug 26, 2019)

You could have a look at our COXPAL A11T 3 Channel Dash Cam to see if it is the one you like:









COXPAL A11T 3 Channel Dash Cam is finally released!


Hi Guys! Finally our 3 channel dash cam is released, its Amazon link: www.amazon.com/dp/B0B27ZF5N3 Its brief spec: [email protected] + [email protected] + [email protected] by IMX335 + IMX307 + GC2053 respectively; GPS + WiFi + Infrared night vision + Supercapacitor; Supports 512GB max ( Always recommend Samsung EVO...




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## ObeyTheNumbers (8 mo ago)

According to what I've read, there are two basic kinds of dashcams. 

One that is constantly uploading the feed to store on a site online and one that stores locally.

Obviously the one that uploads is the best in terms of catching the perp who killed you but likely more expensive.

One one that stores locally is likely good for those who in most cases, have control over it and the pax is making false claims or being a pain.

Now it seems you want and entirely new rear view mirror mirror with all the goodies integrated into it and probably have the big bucks to afford a custom built one and installed. You'll likely lose any vehicle integration with the custom built review mirror.

So I would question your dealer if that would work or have them disconnect the mirror and see what happens. Then if good try and contact professional custom installers to see what they can do for you if there is an off the shelf product or not or one that can be modified and replace the mirror.


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## painfreepc (Jul 17, 2014)

you said mirror, if you looking to use rearview cam as mirror, do not use wireless, as wireless will have a image delay, not a good thing.


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## 234267 (6 mo ago)

Atavar said:


> If you use an aftermarket mirror will you lose your blue link?


Good question. I never use it anyway but it's a good question in case I wanted to use it at some point.


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## 234267 (6 mo ago)

ObeyTheNumbers said:


> Now it seems you want and entirely new rear view mirror mirror with all the goodies integrated into it and probably have the big bucks to afford a custom built one and installed.


Do you know for certain that there isn't a mass produced item?


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## Atavar (Aug 11, 2018)

TLF said:


> Do you know for certain that there isn't a mass produced item?


There are a few out there but there are also a plethora of mirror mounts. Finding one compatible with your vehicle may be tricky.


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## _Tron_ (Feb 9, 2020)

TLF said:


> Anyway, I want to get a dash cam but I don't want a dash cam.


Not to be out of line, but from the replies I'm not sure most are understanding the OPs question. What the OP seems to be saying is that they want a _hidden_ dashcam. They want to make recordings without the rider being aware they are being taped.

OP, is that correct? Because if so, the conversation really starts (if you are willing) with _why_ you want to do this, and a check from those with more experience as to if this is the wisest move.


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## Boca Ratman (Jun 6, 2018)

COXPAL males an excellent camera that is very user friendly. The mount tapes to the windshield, I'm in South FL and the tape has held fine. I park outside and my car is in the sun sunrise to sunset. 

I don't think you'll find one that can wire into your existing rearveiw but it comes with long enough cables that you can hardwire it into tje fuse panel. It's a simple task, just tuck the wire under the headliner and panels. . The hardwire kit is simple too. Mounting it where you have indicated should be okay, or just under the mirror for better interior coverage. 

There are some models that clip onto the existing rearveiw, but the ones I have seen aren't nearly as good as the newer ones like @Coxpal


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## WI_Hedgehog (Aug 16, 2021)

Coxpal said:


> You could have a look at our COXPAL A11T 3 Channel Dash Cam to see if it is the one you like:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's an advanced setup, perfect for R/S. I hadn't seen a 3-channel before, thank you!


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

TLF said:


> Its complicated because I don't really know the nomenclature of the car so well.
> 
> Ok, I'm doing pretty good on UBER and LYFT. I'm making more money than I thought I would be making and I think I'll stick with it. This weekend, I plan on going up to Austin and trying my luck there to see how things work in a bigger city--I'm currently based in Corpus Christi--about 1/4 the size of Austin.
> 
> ...


OK. You're schlepping around passengers at $1/mi or less, and your worried about residue on the glass?

You don't really want what you want. Unless you're trying to hide the camera from pax, which is not legal.

In practice, you will need a way to quick disconnect the camera, insert/remove SDRAM, and use menu buttons to change the function of the camera. An integrated rearview wouldn't have any of these features. And the installation you propose would be quite expensive.


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## 234267 (6 mo ago)

OldBay said:


> OK. You're schlepping around passengers at $1/mi or less, and your worried about residue on the glass?
> 
> You don't really want what you want. Unless you're trying to hide the camera from pax, which is not legal.
> 
> In practice, you will need a way to quick disconnect the camera, insert/remove SDRAM, and use menu buttons to change the function of the camera. An integrated rearview wouldn't have any of these features. And the installation you propose would be quite expensive.


Thanks for your input.


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## 234267 (6 mo ago)

_Tron_ said:


> Not to be out of line, but from the replies I'm not sure most are understanding the OPs question. What the OP seems to be saying is that they want a _hidden_ dashcam. They want to make recordings without the rider being aware they are being taped.
> 
> OP, is that correct? Because if so, the conversation really starts (if you are willing) with _why_ you want to do this, and a check from those with more experience as to if this is the wisest move.


Hidden insofar as not obvious...yes. The vehicle I use is my personal vehicle as well and I really don't want a bunch of gizmos on the dashboard or the windshield. Hidden as to covertly record people? No. Here is what I don't want. I don't want anything else attached to my windshield. I have my phone holder dilly-bob and that is plenty. I don't want another suction cup thingy holding a camera. The logical thing to me, it seems would be to integrate a recording device into an existing "obstruction". In this case the rear view mirror. If I could just get my phone to record everything while having the app open, that'd be fine too but I would prefer something that would also record the action through the windshield as well and my phone rig sits right by the door. If I were to take a picture, I'd get the roof support--LOL. I also don't want anything mounted on my dashboard. It looks silly. And, if I stop driving, I don't want holes where the mount used to be. 

So I'm not trying to covertly record people. If it is a legal matter, I'd be perfectly fine putting static clings to my rear door windows stating that activity in the car is recorded. No problem with that. 

As I warned in the OP....the nomenclature of the request I am making is a bit lost on me. I should have probably thought about it more and how to phrase it better.

I'd be fine with the electronics screen (here I go with the ignorance about the nomenclature again) being the place where a camera is affixed as well. Its out of the way.


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## 234267 (6 mo ago)

_Tron_ said:


> Not to be out of line, but from the replies I'm not sure most are understanding the OPs question. What the OP seems to be saying is that they want a _hidden_ dashcam. They want to make recordings without the rider being aware they are being taped.
> 
> OP, is that correct? Because if so, the conversation really starts (if you are willing) with _why_ you want to do this, and a check from those with more experience as to if this is the wisest move.


Also... you're not out of line at all.


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## _Tron_ (Feb 9, 2020)

OK, you're articulating your goal quite well now. Although what you want to do may be hard to accomplish, and will come with its own tradeoffs. When I first purchased a dashcam _my_ goal was not having to run a power cord to it. No dashcam made can power the cam for any length of time from its internal battery (ignore any marketing hype) so I was looking at an external battery pack.

However, in the end I found that the power cord could be run from the camera, across to the side and down the "B" pillar in a hidden manner without having to take the headliner apart. I simply tucked the cable in at the edge of the headliner. The wire is 90% hidden, and I got used to it right away. So glad I gave up the idea of a battery pack. Now in your case I would suggest to let go of the idea of more clutter on the windshield. A dashcam installed just next to the mirror blends in sooner than you might imagine. If you can power it from the voltage supplied to your rear view mirror, so much the better. Otherwise think about my solution. Also, ignore any input about the suction cup leaving a mark on the glass. I promise you any mark it leaves can be cleaned of with some rubbing alcohol or goof-off. Glass is a very smooth surface and cleans up easily.

And here's a way to reduce that window clutter: The dashcam must attach to the windshield for best forward and rear visibility. Not so with your phone! Get that phone holder off the windshield, and instead pick up a magnetic phone holder that attaches to the dashboard. Huge clutter reducer right there. I have tried them all, and the magnetic holders are hands down the best solution. See below photo, although I have way too many devices, the point is I have good visibility of devices mounted on the dash. For your needs I would suggest the far left location. 









Amazon.com: Trianium Magnetic Dash Car Mount Phone Holder Desk Stand Compatible with iPhone, Samsung, Huawei, Nokia, LG, Moto Smartphone, Stick-on Dashboard 3M-Adhesive Bendable Base and Metal Plate Included : Cell Phones & Accessories


Buy Trianium Magnetic Dash Car Mount Phone Holder Desk Stand Compatible with iPhone, Samsung, Huawei, Nokia, LG, Moto Smartphone, Stick-on Dashboard 3M-Adhesive Bendable Base and Metal Plate Included: Cradles - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases



www.amazon.com


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## Heisenburger (Sep 19, 2016)

OldBay said:


> which is not legal.


Citation? I actually disagree and this topic isn't a matter of opinion, it's a matter of fact based on geography.


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## Atavar (Aug 11, 2018)

The laws are clear in the states that fall into the NO category. GPS devices and smartphones are not allowed to be mounted on the windshield of a vehicle. In many cases, a specific mention is made about the obstruction of vision due to non-transparent materials. The states that fall into the NO category include:

Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Georgia
Idaho
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Montana
Nebraska
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming





__





Windshield Mounting Laws for All 50 States in the US | iMagnet Mount Blog







blog.imagnetmount.com


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## Atavar (Aug 11, 2018)

Here in Minnesota we can’t even hang a green paper tree or a graduation dangle from the rear view mirror.


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## TheSorcerer01 (Apr 24, 2020)

my cam is attached to the rearview mirror. No suction but also not integrated with my mirror, as my car already has a back-up cam integrated into the rearview. 
I found an adapter that places the cam slightly under the rearview. The cam itself came with a very long power cord, maybe 10 to 12 feet worth to run along the top and down the side. It's an insignia dashcam from BestBuy front and interior and can run a 128gb memory card, night vision etc... I've had it for over a year, works really well only two negative things I find are you have to use the right memory card, or it will corrupt and 2nd the vibration is sometimes sensitive and requires readjustment from time to time.


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## AdoptedTwice (4 mo ago)

TLF said:


> Its complicated because I don't really know the nomenclature of the car so well.
> 
> Ok, I'm doing pretty good on UBER and LYFT. I'm making more money than I thought I would be making and I think I'll stick with it. This weekend, I plan on going up to Austin and trying my luck there to see how things work in a bigger city--I'm currently based in Corpus Christi--about 1/4 the size of Austin.
> 
> ...


Off-topic question - Has going to Austin been profitable for you? I currently drive in San Antonio. Thanks.


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## 234267 (6 mo ago)

AdoptedTwice said:


> Off-topic question - Has going to Austin been profitable for you? I currently drive in San Antonio. Thanks.


The two times I've done it, I haven't been able to take advantage of the surges due to my girlfriend being up there and we're usually "busy" during the surge...._evil grin_. 

I'm down here in Corpus and I drove for 2.5 hours today 4:30 to around 7PM. I made $40-$50. I drove for about 2 hours in Austin twice (give or take) , I did about $80-$100 as I recall and that was on a Saturday afternoon both times. The surge area was fragmented...the lake, the airport, QCF2 stadium up in Round Rock, the University area...can you imagine the surge this weekend when 'Bama comes to town? Theres going to be 70,000 fans there in downtown alone. 

If I were you, I'd strap on the body armor and give this Saturday a try up there.


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## AdoptedTwice (4 mo ago)

TLF said:


> The two times I've done it, I haven't been able to take advantage of the surges due to my girlfriend being up there and we're usually "busy" during the surge...._evil grin_.
> 
> I'm down here in Corpus and I drove for 2.5 hours today 4:30 to around 7PM. I made $40-$50. I drove for about 2 hours in Austin twice (give or take) , I did about $80-$100 as I recall and that was on a Saturday afternoon both times. The surge area was fragmented...the lake, the airport, QCF2 stadium up in Round Rock, the University area...can you imagine the surge this weekend when 'Bama comes to town? Theres going to be 70,000 fans there in downtown alone.
> 
> If I were you, I'd strap on the body armor and give this Saturday a try up there.


Thanks a bunch for the info. Sounds like a great opportunity this weekend. I need some downtime, but have fun!


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