Best Dual Dash Cam ( Front & Back) for Prado 150 VX

[lalsyd Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lalsyd]

Hi All,

I am looking to buy a dual dash camera system to record HD videos (front and back) while driving.
I heard stories of bad drivers hit and run to couple of my colleagues cars So I am seriously thinking to buy one as early as possible.

My requirements are :

1. Should clearly record front and back videos (HD quality & could read the number plate of the cars in front and back)
2. Small in size with less wires.
3. Should be able to connect car power system to automatically start recording once the vehicle is starting and stopped before certain limit of the battery charge. This will allow to record few issues that are happening in street parking as well.
(I can fit this with the help of dealer or mechanic)
4.Officially available in Australia with some good warranty. Not interested in the cheap alternatives available in eBay from international buyers unless someone give very good feedback.
5. My Budget is $300-500.
6. Will be great if we can have an app in android manage the camera settings and videos.
7. Should fit in the Prado front and rear windows and adjustable to see the small and big vehicles. (when I do some research some people are saying it is hard to fit in flat windows)

Please advise,

Thanks in advance..

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

The only one that I know of that meets all your criteria is the Blackvue 650 2CH. Dashcamsaustralia is an authorised reseller with AU warranty: http://dashcamsaustralia.com.au/shop...e-dr650gw-2ch/

Without the app requirement then the Vicovation Marcus 5 is a good option - you need to pay $40 extra to get GPS capability. http://dashcamsaustralia.com.au/shop...tion-marcus-5/

[Guest Close Guest]

To capture the rear vision, wouldn't it be better to have a separate rear facing camera mounted at the back? Otherwise you would be recording most of the interior and the passengers and there's not much you can see out the window if the camera is exposing of the interior brightness scene and not the outside.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

To capture the rear vision, wouldn't it be better to have a separate rear facing camera mounted at the back? Otherwise you would be recording most of the interior and the passengers and there's not much you can see out the window if the camera is exposing of the interior brightness scene and not the outside.

Those ones are like that Andrew. Dual camera units. Front one mounted on front windscreen, Rear one on rear screen with a cable back to the front unit so both front and back vision is recorded on same card.

Option to view each feed separately or via PiP.

[Guest Close Guest]

Those ones are like that Andrew. Dual camera units. Front one mounted on front windscreen, Rear one on rear screen with a cable back to the front unit so both front and back vision is recorded on same card.

Option to view each feed separately or via PiP.

Nice! Didn't know that one.

[Rusty62 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rusty62]

The Blackvue has two camera's. The front one has the GPS and mini sd card and power cord. The rear is just a camera.
What i like about this unit is the wifi. It does not have a screen makes it smaller and from the drivers or passenger seats you can barely see it. Mounted up high behind the mirror. The 64 card holds enough for a full days driving. What i don't like is its hard to remove the mini card.
Mounted the rear on the internal light as didn't want to run the wire all the way through the door.

On our trip to WA it needed to have the files redone once when it wouldn't let us download the days footage.

It has a range of settings such as indicator lights on or off to quality of image, GPS location, speed and G forces. The software also allows to click on the file to reveal in maps the location.

We have permanent power hooked up so when parked is recording. Good for when you leave in a carpark etc.

Really good footage of the trailer.

Rusty.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

Thanks for the pics Rusty. Gives me a better idea of the mounting. - I've got the single camera 550 unit and was thinking of getting the dual unit as its a straight swap for the front mount without having to re-wire.. Take the old unit out, put new unit in the mount then mount and route rear camera.

I was going to mount on the rear window and use the wi-fi to monitor the trailer when full loaded. I was wondering what to do with the cable. Hadn't thought about the light as an option

[Rusty62 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rusty62]

Wouldn't use the wifi for extended periods. It get really hot. When installing the rear cable be careful around the airbags. I had to run the wire down the A pillar and back up the inside of the airbags to the front unit.

Rusty.

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

I have the single Blackvue only, front mounted, though I could have optioned the rear camera model instead.

The Blackvue is compatible with an Apple laptop. On our trip to W.A. earlier this year, the missus could view the recording on the sd card via wifi onto her laptop. She took a number of photos as we were travelling along, could have also taken a video if desired.

The photos were just slightly darker than if she just snapped a photo from her laptop without the Blackvue recording download, and the photos contained GPS location and speed of the vehicle (towing the van meant I was not over the speed limit)

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Thanks for the pics Rusty. Gives me a better idea of the mounting. - I've got the single camera 550 unit and was thinking of getting the dual unit as its a straight swap for the front mount without having to re-wire.. Take the old unit out, put new unit in the mount then mount and route rear camera.

I was going to mount on the rear window and use the wi-fi to monitor the trailer when full loaded. I was wondering what to do with the cable. Hadn't thought about the light as an option

Think that is the model I have. When I had the piss fart little Prado screen replaced with a larger Clarion unit and screen, I have a reverse camera function on it that can view the front of the van from the Prado reversing camera, but it does not show the top of the van, only from about head height down.

[lalsyd Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lalsyd]

Thanks guys. I was looking to these ones for full day and wonder whether we can fit it by our-self or better to fit by the dealers.

I think all the wires run through the sides right? will they need to open the inside of roof?

Can we use the power outlet behind (in the boot) to charge the rear camera?

Thanks Rusty62 for giving good tip to mount the rear one.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

Think that is the model I have. When I had the piss fart little Prado screen replaced with a larger Clarion unit and screen, I have a reverse camera function on it that can view the front of the van from the Prado reversing camera, but it does not show the top of the van, only from about head height down.

No reverse camera on my 120... Thinking if I get this unit I could use the wifi and rear camera to act as one and as its high mounted you'd see more of your trailer. But the boot time is way too long: Get in car. Start car. Wait for camera to boot. Wait for wi-fi to come on. Mount IPhone in holder. Select camera wifi on iPhone (as home wifi reaches the drive). Start app. Wait to connect. Select rear view camera, select reverse gear, reverse down drive

Would be ok for hitching the trailer though

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

Thanks guys. I was looking to these ones for full day and wonder whether we can fit it by our-self or better to fit by the dealers.

I think all the wires run through the sides right? will they need to open the inside of roof?

Can we use the power outlet behind (in the boot) to charge the rear camera?

Thanks Rusty62 for giving good tip to mount the rear one.

The rear camera picks its power up through the front unit. Only one plug required.

They're easy enough unless you are after permanent power. Mounted my single camera in about 10 minutes including removing the front A pillar panel to route wires down through the dash and into the cig plug. I keep thinking about permanently mounting mine to the aux battery but haven't yet but just use this something like this at the moment. Or you could pick up the roof interior light wiring for permanent power.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-2-Socke...-/300663722617

I'm not sure about the rear camera but should be easy enough to run along the edge of the headliner. Rusty will know more

[Rusty62 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rusty62]

Yeah, run the cable down the RHS just in the hood liner. Then down the A pillar around the airbag (if fitted) and back up the inside of the bag to the front camera. I took the top sunglass holder out and fed the cable from the RHS just above the drivers head to the middle. Could not easily remove the head liner complete. Felt like it would break.

Easy job.

I also have a fuse box with permanent power under the dash for the UHF and brake controller so i added a ciggy lighter socket to it and placed that in the fuse box area on the drivers right knee. I also have permanent power for the Garmin GPS unit.

Rusty.

[lalsyd Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lalsyd]

I have found one more good one..which little more expensive though..

THINKWARE DASH CAM F750
1080p Full HD & Full HD 2CH / 30fps / DUAL SAVE™ /
Road Safety Warning System / Safety Camera Alert/ Built-in WiFi/ Built-in GPS /
2015 CES Innovation Awards Honoree/ Design Award Grand Slam (reddot, iF, IDEA)

http://thinkware.com/Products/Dashcam/F750

Any one with these ones?