Dashboard Camera

OK, here is the first "big" modification I am doing (ignoring changing main beam / sidelights as a "modification").

I am fitting a small dash cam to the front of the car. I will be fitting a rear one as well which will be another post.

The dash cam in question came from eBay and is wireless - you can see the video on the screen or use a smartphone to monitor / edit the saved videos. It has a built-in WiFi sender, similar to the car itself. I chose this camera as it is small and can be tucked up behind the rear-view mirror out of sight. In the UK it is (in theory) illegal to fit anything to the windscreen where it obscures your forward vision (area swept by the windscreen wipers) so I am fitting it "out of sight".

The next question was power. I did not want to run a cable around and down the windscreen - also most leads are too short for the Outlander. I am going to power it from the domelight. There were two options - solder a connection to the domelight wiring or make an invisible/reversible addition. I am therefore "sacrificing" the driver reading light function as I hardly (if ever) use it.

So here is the modification.

You have to pop the domelight out - this can be done (gently) with a flat blade. I used a butter knife as it is blunt. Insert between the domelight and the headliner and GENTLY twist. Repeat around the unit until you can remove it.

First - Festoon lamp adapter. What was crazy was it is cheaper to buy a LED replacement panel and just use the adapter and put the rest in the "bitsa" bin. (bits a this, bits a that).



Next, a 12v to 5v adapter complete with micro USB plug (for my camera, different plugs are available)



So, the leads are soldered to the festoon adapter and polarity checked using a voltmeter to make sure it is fitted the correct way around.

The USB lead is pushed thru the small holes already in the roof lining and dangles behind the rearview mirror. The small power adapter and excess wiring is tucked up and away in the headlining. I felt this was a safer way to do the modification as it avoids getting anywhere near wiring or sensors for the airbags.

Here is the camera I have purchased. The total cost of the modification was about GBP 40 / USD 60 / AUS 80 including the camera and all of the bits.







I will try and use smaller pictures next time!

Still to do :

Rear Screen Camera
Angel Eye Daylight Running Lights
Rear Power supply.

Oh, I have also fitted these stickers to the car. Inside the car for plain glass, outside the car on the heavily tinted glass (two type of stickers available from Amazon).



Jeff

I would like to see some pictures of the end result

t3lmo said:

I would like to see some pictures of the end result

Click to expand...

I will upload a "full install" picture story of the mod a.s.a.p. . . . . . .

I have had several cameras on various vehicles, some can have problems with overheating in the summer with the sun on the windscreen.

I also don't like things obstructing my view, I always think if it block a child running out for that split second and cost the child its life I couldn't live with that thought (pet hate is windows stickers and toys too, windows are for looking through!)

Having owned many cameras and other devices like speed cam detectors, phone mounts and so on I do have a big box of those sort of bits and managed to merge bits and make an ideal new mount for my current camera that I am very pleased with, it is tucked up nicely next to the mirror. I found from earlier attempts that it needs to be pretty solid as 'wobble' spoils things.

My current camera came from China and was an amazing mere £15 but its one of the best and most reliable I have had. I particularly like the 2.7" screen as you need a microscope to set the clock on the 2" models and unusually it has a 170 degree angle so catches a great view.

I went for stuffing the cable down the pillar trim, around the steering wheel and into the armrest socket, reaches OK.

Be interested in how you get on with yours, I have heard that the wifi ones can be very slow to transfer clips (due to the size of the files and low processing power)


I also have a spare Mio car cam which is not a bad little unit and my plan is to mount that out the rear window and perhaps wire it straight to a power feed in tailgate. Alternately, I also have a left over unit that was a self contained DVR with a screen about the size of a box of cigs which ran with a miniature plug in camera. I might investigate if the DVR could be permanently fed from the cars built in reversing camera and record it.

Hi, thanks for your comments BobEngineer. I have bought a very small camera so as to hide it completely behind the mirror. UK law states nothing should obstruct the view of the driver, which, basically, is the area swept by the wipers. I agree with you, nothing should obstruct the view / concentration of the driver. Years of motorcycling has meant "swivelling eye" syndrome as I am always looking out for anything that could hurt me.

I have a mobile phone mount fitted in the area below the centre console, the area where the key holder is. I have mounted it there to be near the power supply and the phone is powered from a six inch long USB to iphone connector - so no long lead getting in the way. Looks really neat, holds the phone securely and lets the CamerAlert speed camera program run and link via bluetooth to the radio without causing a distraction.

I think the power to the reversing camera only becomes live when reverse is selected. Hence my ideas in the other post.

I am not too bothered about the speed of the wifi transfer, it was more to be able to tuck the camera away as I can always drop the memory card out if I need it if there is a big file I need. Hopefully, I will never have to bother! In fact, the first wifi camera I looked at did not have a screen, but the one I did get comes with a screen as well, so a bonus. I have a £15 one for the rear screen.

Jeff

jthspace said:

Hi, thanks for your comments BobEngineer. I have bought a very small camera so as to hide it completely behind the mirror. UK law states nothing should obstruct the view of the driver, which, basically, is the area swept by the wipers. I agree with you, nothing should obstruct the view / concentration of the driver. Years of motorcycling has meant "swivelling eye" syndrome as I am always looking out for anything that could hurt me.

I have a mobile phone mount fitted in the area below the centre console, the area where the key holder is. I have mounted it there to be near the power supply and the phone is powered from a six inch long USB to iphone connector - so no long lead getting in the way. Looks really neat, holds the phone securely and lets the CamerAlert speed camera program run and link via bluetooth to the radio without causing a distraction.

I think the power to the reversing camera only becomes live when reverse is selected. Hence my ideas in the other post.

I am not too bothered about the speed of the wifi transfer, it was more to be able to tuck the camera away as I can always drop the memory card out if I need it if there is a big file I need. Hopefully, I will never have to bother! In fact, the first wifi camera I looked at did not have a screen, but the one I did get comes with a screen as well, so a bonus. I have a £15 one for the rear screen.

Jeff

Click to expand...

I have tried to take a picture in the past of my camera and mount but it always looks huge in a photo. It doesn't from the drivers seat and is clear of my view (apart from if a helicopter tried to land on me).. its weird! .. perhaps need to try from the back seat.

I also have an 'industrial' Tomtom on the screen which I tuck bottom right and it works well there, does my speed camera warnings for me. Up behind the mirror I have a patch of velcro stuck on to carry my M6 Toll tag.

I do wonder if the reversing camera is always powered up or not, or if just selecting reverse tells the MMCS to put it on the screen.

A lot of cars now have good front cameras built in for various reasons like in Nissans it reads the road signs and relays it to the screen. Some including the 2016 PHEV have them all around. I think it daft the MMCS (or any other brand car system that I know of) isn't made with a DVR function built in to record all the cameras all the time to an SDcard.

My other interest is some device with a laser detector function, by the time it goes off its too probably too late I know but its interesting to know if your being hit and actual radar detection is pointless these days. Which means you need a device you can turn off all the bits you don't want, these get expensive. I used to have an up market Beltronics but it died.

Meanwhile the wife expects me to do far less interesting things like fix the plumbing... :x

Didn't think they used laser in the UK anymore, but on searching I found this . . .

[b]Radar and Laser Speed Camera Detector Buyer's Guide[/b]

Radar and laser speed camera detectors warn drivers when they are approaching 'LIVE' in-use radar and laser based speed cameras, typically mobile speed camera locations. They achieve this by detecting the various bands and beams that are emitted when Police and road safety team operators are using their radar and laser guns.

While mobile cameras can and do use radar or laser technology, the vast majority of mobile speed cameras these days are laser based. Laser is the preferred method as the operating range is far greater, typically up 1 mile away, rather than that of radar which operates over a distance - typically 200-300yards.

Radar, however is used in all live in-use Gatso speed cameras, so it is possible when using a radar detector to tell you if a Gatso camera at the roadside is live or not.

It is worth noting that when using a radar detector on UK roads, you may receive a lot of false alerts from various sources. These include automatic shop doorway sensors - found at supermarkets and petrol station forecourts, traffic lights and traffic signals and even from other vehicles using adaptive automotive cruise control. However, to limit these false alerts it is possible to turn off radar bands/frequencies on detectors that feature radar detection.

http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/speed-camera-detector-shop.htm

There you go, you learn something every day!