Dashcam

[demag]

Well not too French maybe but I recently invested in a Nextbase 312gw because Honest John and quite a few other reviewers mentioned how good it was. Unfortunately it isn't and has got to be returned. It gets rather hot when plugged in and I can't get a satellite lock.

When it wouldn't work properly I looked for some info on t'internet and found an excellent site and forum called DashCamTalk, which I have now joined. Needless to say my dashcam didn't receive such rave reviews on there with people complaining about battery and GPS signals among other things.

Apparently the best dashcams have capacitors and not batteries and one that comes recommended​ for a little more than the Nextbase is the Viofo a119 which I will be looking into.

[MikeT]

I hear you! Having bought the 512GW because of the plethora of "great reviews" I read, it wasn't long before I threw it back for a full refund.

[demag]

It's amazing Mike. Honest John said it was possibly the best dashcam available in the UK. I wonder how much he was paid to say that?

[Hell Razor5543]

I have an Ambarella 0801 mini dash cam that I am very happy with (although I do not know if the GPS works in my C5; for some reason SatNavs don't work well in her), and it has been easy to use and view. I also bought my Mum one for Christmas, and recently (when she had occasion to review footage) she was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of the footage. The camera has been updated, and here is a link to one on e-bay;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2017-Mini-080 ... xyBPZTgzjJ

I did find an independent review of my version of the dashcam, and he said (amongst other things) this was the first dashcam he would consider permanently fitting to his car.

http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2013/8/31/ ... creen.html

[demag]

I was wondering if it was the car causing the gps problem but I never have a problem with my Garmin satnav, it always gets a lock. I even held the dashcam out through the car window but it still couldnt get a fix. One of the DashCamTalk members said she got a lock with the Nextbase maybe 1 in 50 times but her Thinkware F770 got a signal without fail every single time it was used. A more expensive dashcam yes but it proves there was a problem with the Nextbase.

[Hell Razor5543]

I will try and take a look at the files sometime soon (to see if the GPS signal is coherent). Barring that potential issue, I would happily recommend this camera. It is very small (easily hidden behind the rear view mirror, it is less than 2" long and about 1" wide), and can slide off the mount), can take photographs when off the mount, but it does use batteries and not capacitors (well, mine does; the new model uses super capacitors).

[wheeler]

(although I do not know if the GPS works in my C5; for some reason SatNavs don't work well in her)

Your C5 will have an athermal windscreen, it is used to stop loosing as much heat/cold from the A/C system. It has a coating in it that can also stop signals going through it as well as normal screens. on either side of the rear view mirror there are small sections without the coating on them (you can see this if you look at the right angle) these sections are for things like auto road toll readers etc as these screens can also stop them working.

[MikeT]

To be fair, with the short use of the 512GW, one thing that wasn't problematic was the GPS (once it was allowed a few mins to update the almanac). In fact, it showed just how under my speedo was reporting, allowing me to travel a few mph quicker than I usually do.

Having said that, once I'd experienced the GPS augmented dashcam, I realised (at least for me) it was just a useless gimmick.

[demag]

The seller has ok'd it to be returned, according to eBay I will get a refund. If so I think I'll go for the Viofo a1999 v2 which is about 20 quid more than the Next base.
James I see the 0801 Mini has been superseded a few times and is now 0806.