Tell me more ×
Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for mechanics and DIY enthusiast owners of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 0 down vote favorite

I want to buy a forward-looking camera that starts automatically with the ignition and then just records the traffic while I drive. This would be useful as evidence in case there is an accident.

I've looked on Amazon and found a million choices, from $35 cams that (according to the reviews) are cheap Chinese junk, to $400 complete systems that do way more than I need. I'm shopping in the range of $100 but I don't know how to choose a product among all the choices. How can I find the right product?

My criteria are:

  • Turns on with ignition (and motion sensor?).
  • Gets power from the car's cigarette socket, keeps recording after ignition off.
  • License plates should be readable in recordings (also at night?).
  • No user intervention required for months. Old recordings get overwritten with current recordings.

(Sorry, I couldn't find a good tag.)

share|improve this question
So, do you want it to have a battery on board too, or does your car supply power to the cigarette socket even when the ignition is off (some do, some don't)? – Brian Knoblauch Nov 21 '11 at 14:15
1  
Yes, it should have a battery so that it won't turn off just because I wiggle the cigarette power adaptor, or after a crash. I found this product which looks like a very good fit, but I've learned that apparently recordings are ignored by the law in my country, so making the recording in the first place seems pointless. It might useful to others though so I won't delete my question. – Torben Gundtofte-Bruun Nov 21 '11 at 19:13

closed as off topic by Bob Cross♦, Nick C, Gabriel Mongeon, Mark Johnson♦, Rory Alsop Feb 8 at 9:19

Questions on Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange are expected to relate to motor vehicle maintenance and repair within the scope defined in the FAQ. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about closed questions here.

Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.