Daytime video sample from a Viofo A119V3 dash cam. The previous Viofo dash cams have been reliable, and one of my first choices for use in large trucks. The A119V3 should retail around $120, US, with the GPS mount. It should arrive in online retailers in the next few weeks. The current, older version, the A119V2, is still a good choice, and a little cheaper. The V3 should have better night video than the V2, but I have not been able to come up with many night video samples to compare, yet. You can see your speed as determined by the GPS embedded in the bottom left of the video. I prefer to have my speed displayed, I drive very modestly. Some drivers worry about the GPS on the video 'telling' on them, if the police seize the cam. I may be a few MPH over the speed limit, I don't worry about it. It will be hard for the cops, or me, to prove the $10 GPS module option is accurate enough to write a ticket on, or as defense against a claimed speed infraction unless it is totally ridiculous. In casual scrutiny, the GPS speed can show you are adjusting your speed to sudden traffic conditions. If you're worried about having a record of you speeding too often, make sure you use a smaller memory card in your cam, 8 GB, 16 GB, etc. A 64 GB card yield around 8 hours of coverage. The A119 will use a 128 GB card, also, reliably.
There are two I can highly recommend, and are under $100.The Viofo A119. I've used one in my truck for 6-7 months. Overall video and reliability is good. It has a capacitor, which means a possibly longer life with fewer problems than a battery equipped model. For those who prefer a screen, and onboard menu, the A119 has one. The A119 attaches to your windshield with an adhesive tape backed mounting plate. (You may want to buy additional 3m VHB tape to keep on hand to remove and replace the cam)
The 'Mobius'. I have an 'A' model which is 3 years old, and still works well, after working in a truck for months on end. I currently prefer the 'C' model for slightly better night video. My 'C' is well over a year old, and has run in the truck 24/7, for months on end.
The Mobius is small, reliable, and produces good video. It does not have a screen. You have to configure the settings via an easily used software program.
The Mobius uses various mounts that use a standard 'tripod' type thread. These range from suction cup mounts, to adhesive backed mounts.
Both of these dash cams can use a 64GB card, which will give you up to 8 hours of video files.
The A119 comes equipped with a capacitor, the Mobius offers an add-on capacitor which is easily installed, and inexpensive.
Two other dash cams worth considering, are the Ausdom AD282, and A261. Both can be found at Amazon, and other online retailers, provide very nice video, have a screen, and are somewhat easy to use.
(The slight downside is they are not so discrete, and have a battery.)
The Ausdom AD118 is a basic dash cam that is fairly easy to use. The day video is pretty good, night video nothing to brag about, and somewhat typical of lower end dash cams. For many new users of dash cams, the AD118 is probably adequate. It comes with two mounting options, the normal suction cup type mount, as well as an adhesive tape backed mounting plate. The lens is adjustable up/down with a knob that has sufficient tension to keep the desired postion. (Some cams have a 'ratcheting' type adjustment, this does not) 'Motion Detection' on the AD118 is virtually worthless. I tried it for a few minutes while parked. The cam just repeatedly created small recordings, although there was no movement visible, anywhere. 'Motion Detection' on most cams doesn't work well, period. One exception was the Papago! GS 110, which I tested. It worked very well in motion detection mode, and had better night video. For truckers, this is a real benefit for protection of your parked truck for somewhat extended periods. The Papago! GS110 is in the same price range (when discounted) as the AD118, and comes equipped with a capacitor, instead of a battery as well. I'd look at the GS110 if you are shopping for a basic 'big truck' dash cam, as well. The Mobius action/Dash cam? This little cam has a loyal and large following, and is reliable. This is another cam in this price class that is worth considering. The Mobius in the video in this blog post is a C3 version, equipped with capacitor kit. Small, reliable, and discrete. There are a lot of nice dash cams out there, some are very good values. None are for sale at your local truck stop! Do your homework, and you'll get a better deal, and a better cam.
The dash cams you see for sale at truck stops are overpriced, often poor quality, or 'lackluster', overall. There are much better cams and values to be found, online.
All dash cams are made in Asia, most in China, regardless of which big name is on the product. Many factories in China churn out dash cams with multiple names, some of which you will recognize, others you won't. Don't be swayed by a 'big' name on the outside of the cam, or box. Often the unknown names are better quality, and value.
You can buy dash cams directly from suppliers in China much cheaper than you can from retailers in the US, but there are some minor problems. 'Returns' can be costly, and prohibitive. Please check return or replacement costs from a Chinese supplier. Often the costs to ship the item back for refund or replacement are equal to the price you paid for the item. Customer support is also a problem.
Don't get me wrong! I do buy things for my own use from suppliers in China! I understand the risks, and quirks.
Amazon is a safer place to buy dash cams, as well as Spytec, and it's well worth a search on Amazon for a dash cam you are interested in.
Here are 4 dash cams I personally own, use, and can recommend, that are currently available on Amazon.
The Ausdom A261 is a very nice cam, with good video! The 'night' video is better than your average dash cam. It's proven to be reliable in over 40,000 miles of use in a tractor trailer.
The Papago! GS 110 is a very pleasant dash cam. It is very easy to use, and the video output is very clear. This is one of the few cameras I can recommend that 'motion detection' works well on. 'Motion Detection' is a mode that only records when the camera senses some motion within it's view, vehicles, or pedestrians. This is not a 'parking' mode, but can be used as such in a large truck, to extend your coverage and preserve space on the memory card. Please remember, all dash cams use almost the same amount of power in 'parking' or motion detection mode, as in normal mode. In a car, you can kill your battery in a few days (or less) if you use 'parking' or motion detection as a protective mode for an unattended vehicle. This is not a problem for big trucks with more battery capacity.
One added advantage for truckers of the GS110, is it is capacitor powered, no internal battery. (Except a small one to preserve time and settings.) A capacitor equipped cam will only work when connected to external power. Many of the issues with dash cams are related to heat, and battery failure. No battery? The camera lasts longer, and you have less problems. This is a big plus for truckers, who will use the dash cam extensively. I run mine 24/7, months on end.
The A118-C is kind of the 'old war horse' of Dashcams. It's a bit dated, but reliable. The mounting configuration means you end up with a low profile camera, that is pretty easy to use. Day time video quality is good, night, not so great. There is an optional GPS module you can buy.
Mobius Action Camera 1080P HD Mini Sports Cam - Standard Edition
The Mobius is an action cam that can be used very well as a dash cam. The mobius has a very dedicated following, worldwide, both as a dash cam, and as an action cam, primarily in RC usage. This is a reliable cam, with good video, as well as a lot of help, tips, and information available online from actual users.
The Mobius is small, and one of the more discrete dash cams you can find.
I take mine on vacations, and use it in rental cars. It's tiny. About the size of a matchbox.
My original Mobius 'A' has seen over two years of use in a tractor trailer.
I did replace the OEM battery with a 'super capacitor' at about the one year mark, but I see this Mobius lasting for years, and years. I own the wide angle 'C' and 'C2' versions, also. For truck use, make sure you buy the 'super capacitor' add on! (Save the OEM battery, you can still use the Mobius as a free standing 'action' cam, if you wish, by swapping the capacitor with the OEM battery. It's a 5 minute operation.)
Why do you need a dash cam? We are surrounded by bad drivers. Heck, you may even be one of them? Video from a 2 year old Mobius dash cam that has been running 24/7 for the most of the time I've owned it. The Mobius is small, reliable, and produces good video.
I travel this section of I-40 often. Trucks are prohibited from passing, and it's well marked, but somewhat infrequently enforced. Accidents that block the road for hours are pretty common. The 'no passing' section for trucks is about 20 miles long. Be a little patient, and you are through it in 30 minutes or less. Here we see Yu Express truck #119 who decides he's going to pass, even though he's not doing a good job staying in one lane.
Video from an Ausdom A261 dash cam, provided by GearBest.com
This is a bad situation if you aren't paying 100% attention! The pickup waits until the last minute to cross over to the exit ramp from the far left lane, braking all the time. Get a dash cam to protect yourself! Idiots like this person will lie, and it's hard to explain a rear end accident if you don't have video evidence. Video from an Ausdom A261 dash cam, provided by GearBest.com
I can recommend two models of dash cams I have used extensively, and are available from various sources online. Both provide good video, are reliable, and reasonably easy to use. The Papago GoSafe 110 was a bit of a surprise for me. It's easy to use, has very nice day and night video, and had some other features that made it very suitable for use in a big commercial truck. I didn't expect to like this cam, but I did.
GearBest.com currently has the GoSafe 110 on sale for $63.79, with free shipping. The second basic dash cam I can recommend is the A118-C.
The A118-C is available from multiple suppliers, online. The video quality is good, night video not as good as the Papago GS110. The A118-C is more discrete than the GS 110 in your windshield. Both of these dash cams use a capacitor, not a battery, which aids in longer unit life with less problems. Both mount to your windshield via two sided tape. You can also buy an optional GPS module for the A118-C. The A118-C is proven, and has a pretty good track record for reliability. There are many reviews onliine.
Check the sidebar on the top right for two online sellers of the A118-C. Ready to buy your first dash cam? You'll be happy with either of these. They're also a good Christmas gift for that trucker in your family. (They also work well in smaller vehicles!)
A third DashCam I can recommend, is the Ausdom A261 I am currently testing. I've been using it for a few weeks. The video, day and night is good. One downside is it is a 'battery' model. Sometimes you have problems with the battery and the heat in parked vehicle interiors, but I have not noticed any indication with this cam, yet. Stay tuned for more info. The A261 uses a suction cup mount, (easier to mount, move, or remove) and has GPS built in.
NOTE: GPS in dash cams is of modest use. Usually the GPS data is embedded in the video file, and only visible using special viewing software.
The Mobius Action/dash cam is one of my favorites. I've been using one in a tractor trailer for about two years, 24/7. They're small, discrete, and capable. Buy the aftermarket capacitor kit for severe use in any vehicle. They're not the most 'plug and play' friendly cam out there. They're a good choice for a first cam if you are tech savvy. You'll need to have a laptop or android phone to setup and maintain a Mobius. There is no display screen.
A dash cam can protect you if you drive safely. If you are a professional driver, this is very important. Too often the driver of 'big trucks' is blamed when the other vehicle was the cause, or contributed significantly to the incident. You may also save you or your company time and money wasted in lawsuits. Protect yourself, and your job. Get a dash cam.
The Ausdom A261 has better than average night video. Thanks to gearbest.com for providing this camera for my use, and abuse. I'll be using this cam in my truck over the next few months. So far, I like it.
The Ausdom A261 is a nice dash cam, gearbest.com provided for my use and review. I'll be using this over the next few months in my tractor trailer. Here is some footage from my vacation in Thailand. I used the A261 in a rental car. The GPS locks quickly, the video is pretty good. The reports on this cam have been very good. I will 'torture test' it in a tractor trailer to see how well it holds up. NOTE: when I use dash cams in my truck, they're generally on 24/7. The shock and vibration is much more harsh than in a car. No dash cam is totally 'hands off'. You do need to pay attention to them, make sure they are working and recording properly, and format the memory card on occasion. The 'best' dash cam is one that works when you need it to work! Reliability is a must. Gearbest currently has a coupon code on the A261
