Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

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Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

June 24, 2012, 06:55:10 pm

We purchased a high quality automatic drive camera for use in our motorhome and Jeep.
We had been using a low resolution camera/VCR for a year and decided having this information has a value to us.

We recently purchased FUHO CDR-E22 Vehicle Video Recorder from Total Guard Systems for $250.
CDR-E22 Full HD (1080P) Vehicle Video Recorder With Built-In GPS : Car Camera |

This video recorder is fantastic in how it works and in the quality of the recording and in the full function of its playback program.

Camera/recorder is small (like a pack of cigarettes), suction cupped to inside of windshield, HD 1920x1080 at 30 frames/second, automatic stop & start with ignition key, continuous loop recording, records date, hour, minute, GPS location.
Recorder has a 3-axis G-sensor to record sudden movements and will 'lock' video frames if movements are above settable sensitivity.
There are settings for lower resolution, etc.

Video playback on computer also shows driving speed, direction, location on a Google map. Files can be stopped, slowed down, speeded up, skipped during playback. Individual frames can be extracted to a JPG file.

Resolution is so good, under the right conditions, a license plate can be read.
Microphone will record inside sounds and voices and can be turned off.

Recorder uses SD memory cards. Our 32GB SanDisk Extreme 45MB/s SDHC-I memory card ($38 Amazon) will record about 6 hours before it starts to write over the earliest video files. Recorder comes with a 4GB memory card.
A new standard video format filetype .TS file is written to SD memory card about every one minute. Each one minute video file is about 66MB in size.

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #1 – June 24, 2012, 07:31:57 pm

I like it!

Good information, nice to have a record of events. Also could make for some interesting real life videos ( maybe a new reality show) for T.V.

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #2 – June 24, 2012, 08:45:02 pm

I like it too... I've certainly had my share of bozos acting stupid. With all that information it should be admissible in court as evidence without too much trouble, too. I've been thinking about using one of my standard definition GoPro Hero cameras as an RV cam.

Bicylists in Portland, Oregon (and trust me, there are a LOT of them) are starting to use these cams to help convict hit-and-run drivers. One cyclist in the Bay Area was struck from the rear by a motorist and his helmet cam got a photo of the license plate. One less hit-and-run driver.

Probably need two of them though... one rear-facing and one front-facing. That way you also get the moron who tags the toad. Lucky thing SD memory is so cheap.

Craig

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #3 – June 25, 2012, 12:29:33 am

We were going to buy a bike/sports camera, but could not find any with HighDef resolutions. This camera/recorder has it all for us. I was also looking at multiple security camera sets that come with a DVR, but this FUHO all-in-one is simpler and cheaper

Read about a cop that stopped a motorist saying they were measured with radar going too fast. Motorist response was "we have drive camera that will prove we were under the speed limit". Cop's response was 'bye, have a nice day'.

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #4 – June 25, 2012, 06:50:33 pm

I had a question for Total Guard Systems, who sold us our video recorder and I mentioned that I like it so much that I shared my results with friends.

Their reply included the following: Please have your friends enter code TAKE10 for 10% off their purchase. (Car Camera | In Car Camera | Vehicle Video Recorder | Total Guard Systems.com - )

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #5 – June 25, 2012, 07:03:14 pm

On their website, the diagram shows that it has an audio/video out. Is that just a composite, or is it an HDMI? Also, does the output work for real time viewing or just recorded playback?
Thanks!
Don

Quote from: Barry & Cindy – June 25, 2012, 06:50:33 pm

I had a question for Total Guard Systems, who sold us our video recorder and I mentioned that I like it so much that I shared my results with friends.

Their reply included the following: Please have your friends enter code TAKE10 for 10% off their purchase. (Car Camera | In Car Camera | Vehicle Video Recorder | Total Guard Systems.com - )

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #6 – June 26, 2012, 12:31:55 am

Don,

I don't know if A/V out is real time, but my guess is not. It certainly is not HDMI. It is a single round jack and if it has video, it would have to be composite.

Camera comes with a remote control which will put the camera/recorder into play mode, displaying the video on the small screen. Maybe then, the video will output to the A/V jack.

There is a PAL/NTSC setting along with 50/60 cycle setting, so the recorder is designed to output to a TV.

Output video files can be view with a standard playback that accepts TS filetype.

But to display video along with GPS info that shows Google map location and MPH speed, the playback PC program on a CD that comes with camera is used.

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #7 – October 30, 2012, 11:29:26 pm

Seller of our Fuho drive camera is offering a 10% discount:

enter code "TAKE10" for 10% off the purchase

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #8 – February 25, 2013, 10:40:43 pm

The recent Siberia Russia space rock hit was widely recorded on hundreds of automobile dash cameras.

Looks like the day of the dash cam has arrived.

Even Dave is asking about it

We all better get on board before Dave has us beat.

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #9 – February 26, 2013, 05:30:38 am

Indeed, I appreciate Barry & Cindy's doing the Guinea Pig testing for us, so do not see a big need to worry about this Dave stealing oxygen from anyone. Besides every once in a while, even this dumb bunny gets an idea.

Thanks
Dave M

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #10 – February 26, 2013, 08:10:21 am

Drive cams are great! We have them on the charter buses I drive part time and it has saved my rear twice. Not just from the vidieo but from sound also. Once a parking valet was trying to get a car between the bus and curb at a hotel in downtown Seattle and hit the side of the bus. He said I was the one moving. The drive cam sound proved I was stopped when he hit me. The other time I was making a right turn on a green when a bicyclist on the sidewalk hit the me. He said he had a green walk sign. Drive came proved the don't walk was on also that the hit was intentional. Well worth the money!
Ty
Cheers

Ted

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #11 – February 26, 2013, 08:30:54 am

Ordered a dash cam on ebay couple days ago. Coming from China so have my fingers crossed that
it will do what they say for about $50.00. May even put one with motion sensor over where my Foretravel is stored so I can see if anyone is poking around. Some have a good battery and SD card.
Thats the one. DAN

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #12 – February 26, 2013, 05:11:49 pm

Ted,

How did you present your camera video to prove your case? Did anyone look at it? Did it make it to court? Is the video court admissible?

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #13 – February 26, 2013, 05:22:27 pm

I think that any dash cam without GPS to record your speed and location is unacceptable. Our FUHO has inside voice recording capability, that we have turned off.

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #14 – February 26, 2013, 08:30:20 pm

Barry The units on the buses are commercial units from drivecam The Driver Safety and Driver Productivity System | Driver Risk Management .We never get as far as court. We sent the drivecam file to the hotels insurance company with a tongue-in-cheek note asking where was our error. As for the guy on the bike we email him a link to the vid and he backed down. We had one driver come back to his bus to find the drivers side mirror had been hit. When it was hit it triped the drivecam and the vid showed a Metro bus and the bus #. Starline sent Metro a bill along with a link to the vid. Metro sent a check no questions asked.

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #15 – February 27, 2013, 11:47:42 am

Thanks, Barry & Cindy. Will search for and order one as well. I love the idea of having backup proof in case of an incident.

Regards, Lee

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #16 – February 27, 2013, 01:44:12 pm

Barry,
Thanks for the link for the FUHO CDR-E22, I am guessing that is the model you are using, it is now $249.00 -10%.
Looks like a proper unit, would like your take in it and opinion of the 32 GB SD stick.
Thanks
Dave M

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #17 – February 27, 2013, 02:29:57 pm

Dave,
Donno if you are a Costco or Sam's member, but they sell the SD cards cheap...

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #18 – February 27, 2013, 02:50:57 pm

Thanks Peter, Yes, on the Sams, just picked up 70 cases RotellaT 15W-40 this AM, 420 gal at $69.88 / case, quick $4,891.60, that is about 4-6 weeks worth. Cheapest in area.
Also get pallets of 10W-30 too, seems we use alot of oil.
Dave M

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #19 – February 27, 2013, 02:53:27 pm

RCWNewMexico,
Looking forward to the report, and how complicated it is to use etc.
Thanks
Dave M

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #20 – February 27, 2013, 03:08:14 pm

Quote from: Dave M – February 27, 2013, 02:50:57 pm

Thanks Peter, Yes, on the Sams, just picked up 70 cases RotellaT 15W-40 this AM, 420 gal at $69.88 / case, quick $4,891.60, that is about 4-6 weeks worth. Cheapest in area.
Also get pallets of 10W-30 too, seems we use alot of oil.
Dave M

Not bad if you double up on the sale to installed genset customers...LOL

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #21 – February 27, 2013, 03:35:03 pm

For the last year, we have been using FUHO CDR-E22 with 32 GB SD memory card. And it continues to work very well. We purchased it from
CDR-E22 Full HD (1080P) Vehicle Video Recorder With Built-In GPS : Car Camera | and all contacts with them have been VERY helpful. Our cost was $250. We use it in our motorhome when traveling in our Foretravel and move it to our Jeep when we stop in a campground. Each vehicle has its own USB Mini power cord.

Playback of our FUHO memory card on our computer allows me to slow down, speed up, pause, reverse, skip and grab a single video frame to make a JPG file. While video files continuously display on our computer, on the side of the screen we see our MPH and our driving location on a map.

One of the other important features of the camera is a built-in adjustable sensitivity accelerometer that notes unusual movement. Since the camera writes a new file about each minute, when there is no more room to write new files, the camera will start to overwrite earlier recordings. If there was an incident that triggered the accelerometer threshold, that file will be 'locked' and during overwriting, locked files are skipped and preserved.

Having the largest memory card capacity possible will keep a longer history. Since we are recording at the highest resolution, the files are quite large at about 60 MB each and we can only get about 6 hours. Specifications say 32 MB is the largest the camera will use, but I don't know if it will also use all of a 64 GB card.

I only know about our camera model and it seems hard to find good info on comparisons and to learn about all the manufacturers selling drive cameras in the USA. Both FUHO & TotalGuardSystems don't have the best web sites and are not easily found in Google searches.

I think drive cameras are popular consumer items in many countries, but not in the United States. Of course drive cams are very popular here with law enforcement, buses and commercial trucks. It is the consumer market that is quickly changing and current info is hard to come by. A year ago, we came across FUHO & TotalGuardSystems and made our purchase based upon high resolution, auto stop-start & GPS recording. We have not been disappointed, but do wonder what else is out there that will work the same or better.

There is also a highly defined sport/hunting video camera market in the US and YouTube is full of their results. USA made GoPro is probably the most well know. But I am not sure how well they will work as a drive cam, and in some cases they are more expensive.

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #22 – February 27, 2013, 05:44:51 pm

Barry, Thanks for the info, that is about what I was looking / hoping for. Guess unless something else shows up, I most likely will go for it.
Thanks
Dave M

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #23 – March 01, 2013, 07:56:23 pm

Attached is how FUHO dash cam Windows program display looks.

Also attached is a JPG snapshot from our dash cam video file as we watch fireworks.
During video playback, I can grab a single frame snapshot from the moving video.

Re: Drive Camera (Vehicle Video Recorder)

Reply #24 – March 01, 2013, 08:12:16 pm

Gotta get one, that first shot fully explains it to me, and the fire works shot is also good info, thanks Barry, looks like you just made up my mind, or spending what I have left.
Thanks
Dave M

ps, Just ordered it, and got the added 10% off, so $225.00 + USPS
Now to get the correct physical size SD 32 gb stick. Mo toys!
Thanks again
Dave M

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