Dash Cam or Go Pro

I have quite a number of Go Pro videos from 2016 and 2017, that are still un-posted since they are inverted and I have yet to figure out how to fix that.

But the reason for this post is that i am looking to the future. The idea of a dash cam intrigues me because unlike the Go Pro, it's made to be hard wired for power and recording.
In addition, when the S hits the fan, I find I don't have the time nor desire to take any stupid pictures or videos. Thus my total lack of any pictures during the last 18 hours of my trans Atlantic trip to Ireland.

So, anyone out there using some sort of dash cam or thinking about it??

I'd want to hook it directly to boat computer and probably an external drive.

You can get an power adapters for GoPros that let you plug them into USB outlets.

Depends on which model of GoPro you have. For example:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PROtastic-Battery-Eliminator-Action-Cameras-Black-x/dp/B012UFQVLE

You can easily modify a water proof case to allow plugging in the GoPro while still being water proof.

I usually set mine to take a picture using the interval function. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, you can take a picture every few minutes or seconds and then easily combine them into a time lapse movie.

Using the app via the GoPro wifi link makes it easy to change the settings when you want to without having to mess with the camera itself.

You might want to check out the Garmin Virb. It is battery powered but they sell numerous accessories that will permit USB powering.

Are your video's inverted because it is not programmed correctly? Make sure you have it set so you can shoot upside down or right side up.

Car dashcams are quite handy and pretty cheap. Upside is they're largely set-and-forget if you tie them into an ignition-on circuit. The one thing you do want to do is remember to swap out the microSD cards now and then, as the constant re-recording over and over does introduce chances for failure. I swap the ones in the car out every two months.

Also note it's good to keep a phone-compatible microSD card reader AND a spare card handy in the car. That way in the event of an accident you can easily import the contents of the card into your phone to view/save it and swap in another one right away. I did just that for an accident I witnessed. Pulled the card, showed the cop and gave him a copy of it on the spare card. (Pulled from original into phone, copied back out onto spare). Saved the driver that got hit from taking any blame.

Some of the dashcams have an internal accelerometer that shuts them down and saves footage when an accident is detected, If you are in heavy seas that may not be an idea setup.

IronZebra said:

Some of the dashcams have an internal accelerometer that shuts them down and saves footage when an accident is detected, If you are in heavy seas that may not be an idea setup.

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Most that have this also allow the feature to be toggled. Most aren't particularly accurate and one that isn't, in heavy seas, would certainly be a problem. That and they usually have a record button that back-tracks the last few minutes. Tap the center button and it saves a recording to a Read-only folder, so that clips is not overwritten if you don't replace the card immediately.

This is one I've used: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B6MULCC/

It's not the highest resolution, but it's rear camera is small and fits in the rear window of my Cayenne without being obvious or blocking the rear view.

My point here is compared to using a GoPro, dash cams are hands-down much simpler and easier for on-going, roll-over, recording. I have a GoPro (among a ton of other camera gadgets) and have made used of it during autocross and other events. It's handy, I'll grant you, but it's tedious to make use of it every time. Upside is you can get a phenomenal number of cases and mounting options for a GoPro, including fully waterproof (assuming you don't need to power it externally).

I haven't put one in the boat yet, if only because of lack of time to sort of how I'd wire power to it. That and wanting to figure out if I could make use of some sort of security cameras to use in conjunction with the chartplotter video inputs.

The challenge will be how to store in memory, if you are wanting to accumulate footage to make movies.


A camera that is capable of feeding the stream to a big hard drive down below would be required.


Perhaps a combination approach, Dashcam tech for silent sentinel, and fancier cameras for movie purposes?

Yep, it's a modern extension of taking pictures with slide film. Sure, you could take all kinds of pictures... but who's ever going to have time to watch them? Likewise video clips.

I let the dashcam do it's thing and have a reminder on my phone's calendar to periodically swap out the microSD card. I save any recordings made to the "RO" read-only folder and then erase the rest.

Right now there doesn't seem to be a multi-camera, all-in-one solution for 'silent sentinel' and event recording. The trucking industry seems to have a few offerings but I haven't had/made time to look into it further. But it seems like forward from dash, interior cab, trailer contents, trailer rear-view solutions could be adapted to a boat.

Richard -

Get the GoPro Studio software. In that you can import the movie files, select the ones that are upside down, and then click "Rotate/Flip". That will turn your videos right side up.

wkearney99 said:

.... Upside is you can get a phenomenal number of cases and mounting options for a GoPro, including fully waterproof (assuming you don't need to power it externally).
...

Click to expand...

Pretty easy to mod a GoPro case to allow for external power in a waterproof enclosure. Only part that is not waterproof is the connector for the power input (which can be some distance from the water).