Dash cam install: Mini0806
Whether you consider a dash cam a novelty or security, there is really no excuse to not having one nowadays. Sure, the Russian videos of the giant meteor streaking across the sky was cool along with the rampant jumping onto cars for insurance claims is entertaining, the fact is, the dash camera is one of the best protections to have for an automobile besides insurance.
Speaking of which, there is no better way to prove our innocence than with your own exculpatory, video evidence of red-light runners or road ragers than your own video. Historically, the accident or incident happens and it is up to a cop who shows up after the fact to guestimate the blame which can go a long way toward raising your insurance rates. Of course, if you're really at fault, you probably don't want to share your video but for the time being, personal videos taken from inside your vehicle are still yours.
The benefits of having a dash cam far outweigh the negatives, at least for now. It's amazing that with the upbiquitous camera residing in everything from cell phones to sidewalks, stores and even doorbells hasnt' found its way into cars as standard equipment but until it does, it's up to you to install one.
There are a million choices out there. Some big, some small; some with screens, WiFi, GPS, data acquisition and so on as well as cheaper models without. This thread isn't about which camera to buy but a review about my choice which happens to be a pretty nifty Mini-0806. Details here: http://mini0806.com/spec.html
The 0806 is one nifty, little dash camera from the far East with a cult following. It is well made, has excellent specs and takes great video but beyond that, it is packed with camera features and perks like GPS, audio and a screen for a bargain basement price.
Here is the kit I bought from GearBest. It includes everything in the picture in an upscale feeling presentation:
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The camera itself is tiny, feels sturdy and materials that don't feel like a cheap Chinese toy:
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This camera actually comes with a screen which even more epensive cameras omit. This is very handy for aligning the camera angle by view instead of guessing as well as reviewing footage on screen. Once the car is turned on, the screen will stay active between 15 seconds to five minutes depending upon your preferences.
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This model has two memory slots for up to twin 128Gb microSD cards (memory not included) but that's really pointless since recordings are a max of five minutes at a time before creating a new file, a distinction that separates a dash cam from a GoPro. I chose to install a single 128Gb microSD and set the camera to record over the oldest videos once full. Really, the only time you're going to benefit from your recording is right after an accident so five-minute segments are perfect as opposed to going through 200 hours of a single recording just to get to the point of the accident. Also pictured is the optional GPS base the camera slides into and the bottom of the camera showing its micro HDMI port along with the secondary memory slot.
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While this camera can run on its own battery, that requires recharging it every day which is a pain. I chose to permanently install my dash cam via the available hard-wire kit, a surprisingly cheap, $8 option.
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The only other option is a polarizing filter and get this: the Mini0806 has a magnetic lens base to simply hold the filter near it and enjoy the little "snap" when the polarizer gets drawn into place. Since it's magnetically attached, you can simply look at the screen and rotate the polarizer until interference like dash reflections and washed out scenery is eliminated! Very cool. The only negative in my case, and it's not really a negative is that I bought a separate polarizer but once I opened the well-presented Mini-0806 box, there was already a filter included! My bad but kudos and thanks to Mini. The difference is pretty amazing as you can see in the video below:
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I won't get into details about installation since every car is going to be different but it's pretty basic. With the hardwire kit, you simply run the wiring along the top of the windshield frame, down the A pillar to the fuse box and along with an Add-A-Circuit, and you're good. One additional feature of the hardwire kit is that you can select "parking lot protection" in that the camera will record while the car is off and after an adjustable impact sensor has been triggered. That sounds handy but I have it shut off on mine.
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Here is the final installation in my Civic. It is up and out of the way but since the lens is so wide angle, it sees the top of my rearview mirror along with the mirror mount but that's okay.
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The back of the camera is very well laid out with the screen and LED indicators as to recording status and GPS acquisition which so far has been perfect every time.
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Overall, I'm very impressed with the size of the mini, the quality of construction and the absolute myriad of settings that I can't really quantify here but suffice it to say that everything from HD quality, frame rates, exposure compensation and white balance for instance is settable in this little powerhouse and those are usually terms reserved for pro SLR cameras.
Since just as much is going on behind me as in front of me, I bought a second camera to mount in the rear. This will be great for tailgaters who cause an accident or road rage from the rear and then the front. The best part is that once it's configured, you just forget about it. It comes on when you turn your car on and shuts off a few seconds after you've left your vehicle. That's it. The only time I would ever have to mess with it is to yank the memory out after an accident so that if I'm truly not at fault, I don't have to worry about a cop's interpretation of things or partial blame.
