Subj : Dash Cameras
To   : BARRY MARTIN
From : Mike Powell
Date : Mon Nov 02 2020 11:28:00

> When I ready the inquiry yesterday I initially thought "Raspberry Pi"
> but then my way is a more complicated than sticking a recording device
> to the dash.

Honestly, I thought about the Pi also.  There might be some challenges, as
you point out, with getting enough power to it in the car.  As you noticed,
it would give more space to save video as the thumbdrives are usually
larger than the sim cards.

> I agreen with Nigel's nightvision suggestion, just don't know if would
> work with the glare of headlights.  Or brakelights.  Aside from that
> detail be sure to get a camera/s with low lux: 0.1.  I'm using
> ELP-USB100W03M-BL36 -- about a 2" cube, plus has a little mounting bar.
> Not sure about the lens -- 3.6mm works nicely for monitoring the front
> yard from the second story window here.  The camera is also HD (1080)
> resolution -- high resolutions have more detail but also require more
> recording space.  Low resolutions require less space but less
> detail/grainy.  A highter frame rate also will make for larger
> recodings.  (I currently record at 2 fps.)

What I have noticed in some side-by-side review videos is that the cameras
meant to be dash cams appear to do better in low-light situations than the
action cameras do, i.e. at night.  On the other hand, the action cameras do
better catching objects in motion in daylight, and with colors.

> Better yet Google "Raspberry Pi dashcam"; first hit is for a
> "RoadApplePi".  Read through various options even if 'naaah": I scanned
> through the one on Dride Zero and an interesting point: British law
> ('who cares, I'm U.S.' -- waaait!) allows the dash cam as long as it
> doens't block the driver's view, so behind the mirror.  (Same would
> apply the cameras.)

I plan to, thanks!  I have also wondered about the blocking the view... I
saw one video where a guy was testing 4 cameras in his car at once.  He
showed where they were mounted and they had to be obscuring his vision out
of the center of the window.  He was somewhere that the drive on the left
side of the road and have McDonald's.  :)

> Semi-interesting little tid-bit on blocking view stuff.  When I was
> working in New Hampshire in the early 70's the side window parking decal
> required by the company I worked for (headquartered in NH) was
> technically illegal by NH State Law as it blocked the view!

That figures.  I would not be surprised if a government facility required
the same thing.  :)

Mike


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