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.
The earlier versions of the Mobius were compact, and reliable cameras, but the recorded video at night was pretty lacking. The Maxi seems to have improved the night video substantially. I'm running one in my truck now as a second camera, and am happy with it.
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.)
There's no excuse for this Hillcrest Transportation truck to be this close to the car in the left lane. Truckers often try to intimidate cars, by getting up on their bumper. In this video, the small car is 'camping out' in the fast lane, but that is no excuse for the Hillcrest truck to tailgate. If something happens, and it too often happens very quickly, there is no way the truck can avoid hitting the car. This trucker needs to learn some better, and safer habits, or he could end up in some serious trouble.
If a tanker is loaded, you usually also have 'surge' to deal with, as the liquid cargo moves in the tank. Hit the brakes, the liquid moves. Depending on the density of the liquid, and how much empty space there is in the tank, the 'surge' can be fairly intense.
Back off, you stupid trucker!
This video is from an Ausdom AD118 Dash cam I have just started using. The AD118 on initial use and from first impressions, seems to be a nice dash cam, at a reasonable price.
I'll be using this cam in my truck for the next month or so, and posting more information about it, and videos.
The Ausdom A261 dash cam provided by Gearbest.com has been working well in my truck for 3 months. It's reliable, the day and night video is good, and it's pretty easy to use. Like most dash cams with 'GPS', the GPS function is fairly worthless. You can only view the GPS data on the video files with special software programs. I usually don't bother. The software included with the Ausdom A261 has been reported to be not very good, and the speeds inaccurate. This is still a good dash cam, and the price online ranges from $80 to $130 if you shop around. I prefer a capacitor equipped dash cam for truck use, but I have not noticed any heat problems with the A261. Most reports online are favorable for this cam.
The Ausdom A261 dash cam provided for me by GearBest.com has been working well in my truck for two months, while covering around 20,000 miles.
I can recommend this dash cam. The day and night video is good. The cam is reliable, and easy to use.
During this time period, the dash cam was in operation 24/7.
The merge points at highway on ramps are always a problem, usually with somebody in too much of a hurry. A dash cam in your truck can help protect you, when things 'go wrong'. The Ausdom A261 is a nice dash cam, provided by GearBest.com, I'm currently using in my tractor trailer. It provides good day and night video, and is fairly easy to use.
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 dash cams you see for sale at most truck stops in the US are generally over-priced, and often of poor quality. You'll get more 'bang for the buck' by researching dash cams online, and ordering online. You may see some cams for sale with 'big' brand names, but brand names in dash cams mean very little. Most of these cams are made in the same handful of factories in China, and if you have enough money, your name can be put on them. Any of the dash cams I recommend in the list on the right sidebar will perform well for you in your truck, and usually at a much lower cost than the cams you see for sale in the truck stops.
My favorite dash cam is a Mobius, which is available from multiple reliable sources online. My oldest Mobius has been running mostly 24/7 in a tractor trailer for almost two years. I was recently on an overseas vacation, and brought a new dash cam to use and test in a rental car. That cam was very nice, and generally worked well, but I had some problems with the mount. I popped the spare Mobius I brought along in the windshield, and was on my way. No problems. It ticked over, covered me while driving in some pretty bizarre, SE Asia traffic.
Back in my truck in the US, I usually run two forward facing dash cams. One is usually a cam with more features, often one I am testing and reviewing. The second? A Mobius. Small, reliable, and good video quality. Most people won't even notice a Mobius in your windshield.
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
Gearbest.com provided an Ausdom A261 for my use and review. The A261 is a reasonably priced dash cam that has been well received. It features good video, as well as an embedded GPS unit that works well. The GPS locks onto satellites very quickly.
What will a dash cam with internal GPS do?
It won't help you find your way, but it will embed speed, and location data on your video files. You will have to use video viewing software that is capable of displaying this info.
I'm looking forward to using the A261 over the next few months. Let's see how well it holds up during use in a rental car in an upcoming vacation trip to an exotic location, as well as the 'torture test' of tractor trailer duty.
The Papago! GoSafe 110 is a small, reliable dash cam, that is easy to use. I tested one in my tractor trailer for three and a half weeks, while traveling 9600 miles in the USA. Video quality is good, day and night. The GS110 has a capacitor, not a battery, which is preferred for a dash cam in daily use in a vehicle. Is this a high end dash cam? NO. I wasn't expecting to like this cam when I was offered one for review, but I was pleasantly surprised. It works, and works well, the video is decent, and it's reliable. For most users, this cam will be sufficient if you are looking for a dash cam you can actually use, and count on for protection while driving. No dash cam is 'set and forget'. At the minimum, you'll need to format the memory card at regular intervals, and also verify the camera is working normally, both by visual checks of the display, and occasional review of save video clips. The GS110 has a small screen, which makes 'aiming' the camera easy, and verifying normal operation, also. It is possible to view saved videos on this screen, but I usually don't do that with any dash cam, since it's much easier to do so via the laptop that is a few feet away. The GS 110 has a 'G Force' sensor to automatically save video during an incident. I don't use this function on most of my cams, but save them manually, if needed.
The GS 110 also works OK in 'motion' detection mode. I've been using this mode for normal operation. The camera will start recording with any movement nearby of a vehicle or person, (Within the view of the lens) and when you start driving. The video segments while in motion detection mode are around 2 minutes each. 'Normal' video segments are a default 5 minutes. (No option to change this, other than going to motion detection, which works well) It's possible to use motion detection for some protection in a parked vehicle, but make sure you have sufficient battery capacity in your vehicle. (This won't work out well for you in a car you leave parked for days, it may drain your car battery. In a large truck with multiple batteries,you're OK) Thinking about a dash cam? The GS 110 is a nice, basic cam, that performs well, is modestly priced, and is easy to use. The current coupon price at GearBest.com is a good deal!
GearBest.com currently has a coupon code on the Papago GoSafe 110.
Enter coupon code GS110 at checkout to get this camera, with free shipping, for $69.99. (US)
The Papago! GoSafe 110 has been running reliably, 24/7, for the last 22 days in my tractor trailer, as I traveled 9200 miles. Day and night video is good. The controls are easy to use. This is a good, basic dash cam that is suitable for most users, in any vehicle.
(Note: the HP F200 shown in this photo is out of production, and not mentioned in this post) The Mobius, A-118-C, and Papago! GoSafe 110 are three reliable dash cams that I have used and can recommend for use in a car or truck. All produce good video, and are proven over thousands of miles of use in a tractor trailer. You won't find these on display at your local truck stop, or other retailer. You can purchase them online from various retailers. Make sure you research the online retailer before you purchase. The Mobius action/dash cam
The Mobius is a small action cam that can be used very well as a dash cam. I've used one in my truck for the last two years. The Mobius is available in several lens versions.
WIDE ANGLE MOBIUS VIDEO SAMPLES
You can see the difference in coverage between the 'wide' and 'standard' lens in the video above.
(Two videos from a vacation trip to Thailand. The mobius is small, easy to pack in your luggage and use in rental cars, also!)
STANDARD LENS MOBIUS VIDEO SAMPLES
The mobius will provide about 4 hours of 1080p Video with a 32GB memory card.
The Mobius can use a variety of easily available, standard 'tripod' threaded mounts.
It's primarily an 'action' cam, but works very well as a dash cam.
Please order the inexpensive, but optional 'super capacitor' for best results in long term dash cam use.
This is a camera you will use for years. The firmware is easily updated.
These are sold under various names, including 'B-40'. For the purpose of this post, I'm discussing the 'Capacitor' version, the A118-C.
The A118-C dash cam is a proven, and popular camera. There is the option to add a GPS module, but this has limited usefulness.
(The speed is not visible on your video, unless you use special video software)
Unlike the Mobius theA118-C attaches to your windshield via a plastic plate and two sided adhesive tape. The body of the camera attaches easily, and detaches easily, while offering a solid mount.
The A118-C also has a display screen, unlike the Mobius.
All of these 3 dash cams have been 'tested' in my truck. This means 24/7 operation, over thousands of miles.
For example, my Original Mobius probably has 150,000 miles on it, and has run 24/7 for over a year.
Don't drive a truck? If these cameras do well with the added shock and vibration in a 'big' truck, they'll work fine in your car.
All of these dash cams are a good choice for your first, or only, dash cam.
If you want a more 'discrete' camera, I'll rate the 3 in order of 'discretion'.
The Mobius
A118-C
Papago! GoSafe 110
Some people worry about people 'seeing' the camera in the windshield. This does not happen often. Most of these cameras are best mounted in the top center of your windshield. Tuck away any power wire out of sight, and most people will not notice them.
It's easy to turn off the display screen on the A118-C and Papago! GoSafe 110 .
The mobius has two, small LEDs that blink.
(they can be turned off in the software program, but are the only way you can tell the camera is functioning properly.)
The mobius is the smallest, and most portable.
The two cameras with 'adhesive' mounts are still capable of being removed, and re-installed, with some spare tape handy, and a few minutes of work.
(I prefer the suction cup mounts, but can live with the 'tape' mounts.)
Make sure you mount these cameras in a position on the windshield that won't obscure your vision, but will remain within the sweep of the wiper blades.
(Check any local laws for windshield mounted equipment limitations, please!)
'up high and out of sight' will give you the best video, also.
Be careful. Drive safely! A dash cam can save your bacon in a questionable traffic mishap.
Most common dash cams have a 'motion detection' setting that is of little use, or users have unrealistic expectations of the camera.
I've been playing with a few dash cams that have motion detection to see how useful they may be for use in a parked truck. I have been leaving at least one of my cams running in the truck, while parked overnight, with the hope of detecting vandals, thieves, and other vehicles that may hit my parked truck while I'm away from it, or sleeping. In normal operation, a dash cam will continuously record, save segments, and erase the oldest segment on the card by recording a new segment over it. This is called 'looping'. How much coverage you will get on your card depends on the card memory size, and the resolution of your camera. Most of the 1080p cams will maintain the last 4 hours of video on a 32gb card. This isn't so bad, if you are sleeping in your truck, and somebody breaking into your truck, or another vehicle backs into you truck and flees before you can really wake up and see much. You can then review the most recent files on your card and possibly see what or who it was. If you have left your truck parked somewhere, unattended, for an extended period of time, with your cam running in normal mode, it's possible the segment containing the information you want, may have been erased. I see 'motion detection' mode as a strong possibility to give you some extended parking protection, without dealing with elaborate camera or memory systems. No, you won't catch everything! One dash cam will only provide coverage in one direction. If you have it mounted in your windshield, somebody walking up from behind your truck and trying to break in won't start the camera. Likewise, a vehicle striking you from behind isn't likely to result in much useful video in a forward facing cam. The goal is to add a little more protection, using a dash cam you have to protect you while driving.
A further limitation on motion detection mode usage in long term parking situations include the battery capacity of the vehicle you have the camera in. If you are reading this, thinking it will work in the car you park for days at a time, you are out of luck. While your typical dash cam only draws about .35 amps, it's enough to kill some car batteries after a few days. (this is not a problem usually in large trucks, which often have 4-8 batteries.) Few cameras also have a 'pre buffer' capability, meaning they always record, and save a few second of video BEFORE the motion detector sensor is triggered. Don't expect miracles, but you may be surprised at how often video from this mode is useful. Let's look at some video clips for motion detection triggered samples from some currently available dash cams. Here's a Mobius Wide Angle cam on a brightly lit day. (All segments start when the cam was triggered, but are not shown in full length)
The next two from a Papago! GoSafe 110, parked in two, different truck stops, with probably better than average lighting.
