First Time Dashcam User

[Lonewolf]

Having recently bought a Škoda Octavia my parents have offered to buy me a Dashcam for it, not a satnav. I’ve bought a Nextbase 522gw which is being fitted on Monday.
Are there any tips or do’s and don’ts for a first time user?

 

[dave28]

just read the manual carefully and try it on a short journey first to get comfortable using it

 

[Nasher]

TBH Google maps or Waze just beat all the others for free. Just tell it where you want to go and follow it, it will try to avoid traffic.

 

[tom_e]

Don't follow it if it tells you to drive into the sea/a river/one way street the wrong way.

 

[Begbie]

TBH Google maps or Waze just beat all the others for free. Just tell it where you want to go and follow it, it will try to avoid traffic.

This. Does your Octavia not have built in auto apple/android?

 

[andy_mk3]

Dashcam is a set and forget thing, assuming it's fitted properly, it will switch on and off with the ignition and record constantly in 3-5 minute clips while powered on. Get a decent microsd card for it, the endurance cards are best suited for dashcams.

 

[DB_SamX]

Check the sensitivity levels.
Check parking mode is on.
Make sure you have a large microsd card in it.
Add your car reg to it, and adjust display settings.

I've got the 512gw.

And if your dab signal gets bad, it's probably the dashcam interfering.

 

[tom_e]

Top tip don't try and use a dash cam as a sat nav or vice versa.

 

[dlockers]

Don't get over excited about catching other drivers out and posting them to YT channels where you generally look like the clown.

 

[tom_e]

Don't get over excited about catching other drivers out and posting them to YT channels where you generally look like the clown.

On a similar note don't start pointing at it when you're calling someone a masterbater

 

[Lonewolf]

Check the sensitivity levels.
Check parking mode is on.
Make sure you have a large microsd card in it.
Add your car reg to it, and adjust display settings.

I've got the 512gw.

And if your dab signal gets bad, it's probably the dashcam interfering.

I was told 32gb was sufficient for an sd card

 

[andy_mk3]

32GB is plenty. But 128GB cards are cheap. It doesn't hurt to have the extra storage, it should also last longer due to not being overwritten so often. I've had a couple of times where I've wanted to check some footage from a week or two ago also, which the extra capacity meant the video was still there.

 

[Penfold101]

And make sure they’re the high speed versions of the cards - Class 10 or U1

 

[Gepetto]

We have a 522GW in my wife's car, complete with the rear camera. I rate it more highly than my Blackvue, and found it easy to set up and use. Mind you, I have a secret weapon. A teenager!

 

[Quartz]

Are there any tips or do’s and don’ts for a first time user?

Buy two of the largest size SD card it will take. Make sure you buy the High Endurance model, not just high speed. You buy two to make sure you have a spare SD card so you can replace the SD card after an incident, thereby preserving evidence from being accidentally overwritten.

I’ve bought a Nextbase 522gw which is being fitted on Monday.

Oh dear. You really want a triple camera dashcam. Front camera, rear camera, and cabin camera. The cabin camera is to prevent false claims that you were using a mobile phone or not wearing your seatbelt or similar.

 

[Lonewolf]

Buy two of the largest size SD card it will take. Make sure you buy the High Endurance model, not just high speed. You buy two to make sure you have a spare SD card so you can replace the SD card after an incident, thereby preserving evidence from being accidentally overwritten.



Oh dear. You really want a triple camera dashcam. Front camera, rear camera, and cabin camera. The cabin camera is to prevent false claims that you were using a mobile phone or not wearing your seatbelt or similar.

Bearing in mind this purchase is a gift I didn’t want to push my luck. I did order the front and rear combo though.

 

[Brun]

Remember it's there and recording any time you might be tempted to drive like a pillock.

(hopefully this advice is unnecessary)

 

[andy_mk3]

Front and rear is plenty enough tbh. External cameras usually give pretty clear vut evidence of who was at fault.

 

[Rroff]

Some older/cheaper dashcams won't accept anything larger than older standard 32GB cards - the older Kingston SD cards usually have as high endurance as the newer "high endurance" cards just a bit slower - but still more than fast enough for dashcam use.

Just make sure it is wired in to go off with the ignition (on some vehicles the connection might still be live for 90-180 seconds after switching off) so it isn't sitting there draining battery all the time.

 

[bainbridge]

My Next base dashcam has issues with recording on anything other than Nextbase micro SD cards.

I had a 32gb nextbase card in it and it was fine. I upgraded to a 64gb Samsung card of the correct type and speed and recording playback was jittery.

Replaced it with a 64gb nextbase card and video playback was fine.

The Samsung card is fine in my other devices.