Car camera recommendation

[thebutcher]

Anyone went to the IT show to look for dashcams?

 

Thinking of going there tmr to look for an iRoad dashcam.

[SGCMHello]

iRoad is pretty lousy.

 

Thinkware F800 pro is best of the best, $499, cheap!!! This model is best in the universe at this point of time. F770, second best $399, cheap.

 

Morbella, $399, front n back full HD. This is their highest end model, but still lose to F770.

 

WARNING: if your car is under warranty and you connect camera to fuse or battery, warranty is void! You don’t believe, you call up your AD!

Those sell camera will tell you won’t void warranty, just to sell you camera! Don’t believe them!

You need to buy an external battery pack, easily $250, for car camera to draw power from. Even installing this, you better check with your AD.

 

Remember, you don’t need a highest end camera. Buy a camera that suits your car. E.g. No point buying Thinkware F800 pro for an old car.

 

If car no warranty, buy Morbella, consume little power and connect to fuse. It can record while parking.

If car has warranty, get a battery pack for any camera brand you buy. Try to get full HD for clarity of number plate. Your camera must be able to record while parking, this is very important.

[thebutcher]

But my current dashcam that came free with the car is wired to the fuse, what is the difference?

 

And why is iRoad lousy? Do back up your claims at least @SGCMHello

Edited March 17, 2018 by thebutcher

[HSC19830408]

Anyone went to the IT show to look for dashcams?

 

Thinking of going there tmr to look for an iRoad dashcam.

 

I almost had a heart attack when I was at iRoad's booth today when I decided to buy their camera. The promoter told me the price was $400 inclusive of everything inclusive of installation. I was quite happy with it and since it was my first stop and price was within my budget, I decided to go ahead with it after some explanation by their staff/promoter.

 

I went to their cashier counter and the promoter and the Korean cashier lady was showing me the installation place, opening hours and etc.. When I was about to take out my credit card from my wallet, the promoter started his 2nd sales approach and asked me if I plan to do 24 hours park recording and if so, it is highly recommended to get the external power pack. All THESE was not told to me when I was at your counter just now and I was thinking an external power pack shall not be that expensive so I asked him for the price and he told me the external power pack cost S$3xx!!!!! That is almost the price of the camera I was buying.

 

He tried to convinced me that the iRoad camera could only last a few hours without that external power pack and once you installed that power pack, your parking mode duration could go up to 37 hours. so $400 + $3xx = ALMOST $800!! which exceeded my budget and I felt I was cheated so I backed out at their cashier counter and questioned the promoter why he didn't explain all these to me prior to my decision - ALL HE SAID WAS "CUZ YOU DID NOT ASK".

 

I was extremely disappointed by their tricks and their service attitude so I walk further till I saw Marbella and start to ask them questions after my experience from iRoad. Surprisingly, Marbella staff told me that their camera do not required any external power pack and it can last 48 hours without any attachment of external power pack. The price was $299 inclusive of installation, GST and 32GB MicroSD Card. I double and triple checked with their staff and they assure me their parking mode could last 48 hours as they consume one of the lowest power as compare to others and when I was there, there was a super long que at their cashier counter and I guess it was a good deal.

 

I continue my journey to Thinkware which is only 2 blocks away from Marbella booth. Friendly staff but their price and specification is quite similar to iRoad. They told you in advance you need the external power pack to stretch your parking mode up to 37 hours but their external power pack is much cheaper than iRoad. It's around S$250 which is almost $100 cheaper than iRoad and I am not sure why iRoad's external power pack is so expensive as compare to the rest.

 

I got too confused and I decided to step out of the hall to get some fresh air as the show was very pack today. I walked out with no camera today and I am planning to go back tomorrow and see if there is any good deal for the last day.

 

I DEFINITELY WILL NOT go back to iROAD but probably will be considering Marbella since their price is the most reasonable and their KR6 is very slim and tiny which meet my requirement since I drive into JB to pump petrol and makan often. I was also told that their SD card is not exposed to the sun and the SD card lifespan will be longer as compare to others.

 

Thinkware is a good bargain this show too but then again I still don't understand why I need to spend $250 for this external power pack. Anyways I will need to return to the show tomorrow and get myself clear again but I am 80% firm on the Marbella camera. Please stay away from iRoad and I am sooo glad I did not get their camera after I found their extremely negative user experience review on their Facebook page.

 

https://www.facebook.com/pg/carcamerasg/reviews/

[thebutcher]

Wow such negative reviews.

 

Thanks bro for sharing your experience.

 

Will go down later to look for a dashcam, with all that you have shared in mind.

[Pocy]

Try to check out on Blackvue.

[Aristotle]

My iRoad did not last me 6 months when I bought it in 2015 for my new car. Really disappointing, given that I paid $250 plus for such a unit.

 

Then last year, bought a front cam from Taobao during 11/11, got a local installer to do it for me, and everything in all less than $100. Can even do a voice command via small external speaker to take pic from your front cam, which I thought was quite cool. Only thing is that you need to communicate in Chinese to the device, “我要拍照”. Still going strong

[SGCMHello]

I almost had a heart attack when I was at iRoad's booth today when I decided to buy their camera. The promoter told me the price was $400 inclusive of everything inclusive of installation. I was quite happy with it and since it was my first stop and price was within my budget, I decided to go ahead with it after some explanation by their staff/promoter.

 

I went to their cashier counter and the promoter and the Korean cashier lady was showing me the installation place, opening hours and etc.. When I was about to take out my credit card from my wallet, the promoter started his 2nd sales approach and asked me if I plan to do 24 hours park recording and if so, it is highly recommended to get the external power pack. All THESE was not told to me when I was at your counter just now and I was thinking an external power pack shall not be that expensive so I asked him for the price and he told me the external power pack cost S$3xx!!!!! That is almost the price of the camera I was buying.

 

He tried to convinced me that the iRoad camera could only last a few hours without that external power pack and once you installed that power pack, your parking mode duration could go up to 37 hours. so $400 + $3xx = ALMOST $800!! which exceeded my budget and I felt I was cheated so I backed out at their cashier counter and questioned the promoter why he didn't explain all these to me prior to my decision - ALL HE SAID WAS "CUZ YOU DID NOT ASK".

 

I was extremely disappointed by their tricks and their service attitude so I walk further till I saw Marbella and start to ask them questions after my experience from iRoad. Surprisingly, Marbella staff told me that their camera do not required any external power pack and it can last 48 hours without any attachment of external power pack. The price was $299 inclusive of installation, GST and 32GB MicroSD Card. I double and triple checked with their staff and they assure me their parking mode could last 48 hours as they consume one of the lowest power as compare to others and when I was there, there was a super long que at their cashier counter and I guess it was a good deal.

 

I continue my journey to Thinkware which is only 2 blocks away from Marbella booth. Friendly staff but their price and specification is quite similar to iRoad. They told you in advance you need the external power pack to stretch your parking mode up to 37 hours but their external power pack is much cheaper than iRoad. It's around S$250 which is almost $100 cheaper than iRoad and I am not sure why iRoad's external power pack is so expensive as compare to the rest.

 

I got too confused and I decided to step out of the hall to get some fresh air as the show was very pack today. I walked out with no camera today and I am planning to go back tomorrow and see if there is any good deal for the last day.

 

I DEFINITELY WILL NOT go back to iROAD but probably will be considering Marbella since their price is the most reasonable and their KR6 is very slim and tiny which meet my requirement since I drive into JB to pump petrol and makan often. I was also told that their SD card is not exposed to the sun and the SD card lifespan will be longer as compare to others.

 

Thinkware is a good bargain this show too but then again I still don't understand why I need to spend $250 for this external power pack. Anyways I will need to return to the show tomorrow and get myself clear again but I am 80% firm on the Marbella camera. Please stay away from iRoad and I am sooo glad I did not get their camera after I found their extremely negative user experience review on their Facebook page.

 

https://www.facebook.com/pg/carcamerasg/reviews/

Morbella May be small, that’s because they install the so call big thing in your glove box....that’s something they won’t tell you. You ask them show you a picture. If camera so small, where did all the components go to? and you don’t slot your SD Card into the camera, where do you slot?

 

What’s good about Thinkware is the clarity, especially night vision mode, which other camera don’t have. Time lapse recording is another feature other car cam don’t have.

 

Thinkware not the cheapest, buy you get the most out of every cent paid. Best quality, best features. But if car is old or cheap or a few years left, buy other cheaper brands.

[BengGaBoy]

External battery pack is purely optional. 

 

You have the choice of using your car battery or installed another battery pack or totally no parking mode.

 

Expensive or not, it all depend on how you value parking mode operation. Perhaps, it may mean nothing or expensive to you, once you got a hit and run case where you have no evidence at all, it may probably change your mind forever.

 

So the question is, pay now or wait for things to happen ? Very much same to personal/critical illness insurance premium.

[RogerNg_185295]

External battery pack is purely optional.

 

You have the choice of using your car battery or installed another battery pack or totally no parking mode.

 

Expensive or not, it all depend on how you value parking mode operation. Perhaps, it may mean nothing or expensive to you, once you got a hit and run case where you have no evidence at all, it may probably change your mind forever.

 

So the question is, pay now or wait for things to happen ? Very much same to personal/critical illness insurance premium.

My advise to all members is dun wait for an incident to happen before deciding on running your camera 24/7. A hit and run accident will cost more than the external battery pack already.

[thebutcher]

Morbella May be small, thatâs because they install the so call big thing in your glove box....thatâs something they wonât tell you. You ask them show you a picture. If camera so small, where did all the components go to? and you donât slot your SD Card into the camera, where do you slot?

 

Whatâs good about Thinkware is the clarity, especially night vision mode, which other camera donât have. Time lapse recording is another feature other car cam donât have.

 

Thinkware not the cheapest, buy you get the most out of every cent paid. Best quality, best features. But if car is old or cheap or a few years left, buy other cheaper brands.

What is that black thing?

 

Damn my glovebox with one tissue box already quite full, plus vehicle documents etc..

Edited March 18, 2018 by thebutcher

[inlinesix]

iRoad is pretty lousy.

 

Thinkware F800 pro is best of the best, $499, cheap!!! This model is best in the universe at this point of time. F770, second best $399, cheap.

 

Morbella, $399, front n back full HD. This is their highest end model, but still lose to F770.

 

WARNING: if your car is under warranty and you connect camera to fuse or battery, warranty is void! You don’t believe, you call up your AD!

Those sell camera will tell you won’t void warranty, just to sell you camera! Don’t believe them!

You need to buy an external battery pack, easily $250, for car camera to draw power from. Even installing this, you better check with your AD.

 

Remember, you don’t need a highest end camera. Buy a camera that suits your car. E.g. No point buying Thinkware F800 pro for an old car.

 

If car no warranty, buy Morbella, consume little power and connect to fuse. It can record while parking.

If car has warranty, get a battery pack for any camera brand you buy. Try to get full HD for clarity of number plate. Your camera must be able to record while parking, this is very important.

 

External battery pack charged by ciggy has no issue with AD.

 

Car battery was replaced under warranty.

[HSC19830408]

Try to check out on Blackvue.

Blackvue is not in the IT Show.

What is that black thing?

 

Damn my glovebox with one tissue box already quite full, plus vehicle documents etc..

I just bought my Marbella KR6S, $399 and they upgrade the SD card for me to 64GB FOC and the controller unit can be hidden in 3 place, glove compartments, under the passenger seat and also somewhere near the driver. Have to call the installer tomorrow and ask them more.

[Pocy]

Blackvue is not in the IT Show.

I just bought my Marbella KR6S, $399 and they upgrade the SD card for me to 64GB FOC and the controller unit can be hidden in 3 place, glove compartments, under the passenger seat and also somewhere near the driver. Have to call the installer tomorrow and ask them more.

Share your experience after use.

[Lotr8445r]

Does most user carcam manage to last over 5 years? Mine all never last over 3 years. So in my opinion, any cam that cost over $200 is a waste of money regardless how good the video is. A cheap, so call lousy one, at less than $100 can also do the job as long as the video is clear and, i replace it every 2 to 3 years

[inlinesix]

Does most user carcam manage to last over 5 years? Mine all never last over 3 years. So in my opinion, any cam that cost over $200 is a waste of money regardless how good the video is. A cheap, so call lousy one, at less than $100 can also do the job as long as the video is clear and, i replace it every 2 to 3 years

 

My current Blackvue last over 3 years.

 

My car is under the sun on Wkday.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Davidtch

[Simplecar]

My iRoad V7 is into its 3rd year. Seems fine as i seldom park under the sun except for weekends.

[Pocy]

Does most user carcam manage to last over 5 years? Mine all never last over 3 years. So in my opinion, any cam that cost over $200 is a waste of money regardless how good the video is. A cheap, so call lousy one, at less than $100 can also do the job as long as the video is clear and, i replace it every 2 to 3 years

Can recommend a clear and cheap cam you are using?