I was in the market for a dash cam because a semi driver wasn’t paying attention and almost left me for dead! I mean, I was super lucky and was able to avoid him and car only suffered minor damage.
I looked around and went for the best reviewed one, although more expensive compared to others, I think it is very worth it!
Pros:
• It seems OEM built in and has everything what you are looking for in a dash cam.
• It has a nice super night vision back up camera, which I love for parallel parking!
• Park Monitor, I still haven’t seen it work, but supposed to be anti-theft feature when you leave your car with the engine on (i.e. pickup something quick, warming car in winter).
• Powered by USB cable, don’t really need cigarette adapter. You can also use battery power packs!
Cons (not cons, more like suggestions):
• Provide longer angled USB cable, a skinny one so you can route it through the car.
• Provide connectors for the reverse light
• Replace the band holding the device with a strap, so it is more secure and wont attract thieves!
I’m glad I bought this device:
• I’m going to report every BAD semi drivers or any BAD drivers in general! (Save lives while at it)
• Proof if something happens, damn insurance…
• Back up camera!
I normally don't write a review, so this says a lot! =)
Installed on a 2009 Honda CRV.
Both cameras are great! The displays on the mirror are excellent quality, and the mirror itself is large and just as good if not better than the stock mirror. I was worried about the quality of fit/possible vibration but there is none whatsoever. The rubber straps really hold tight & stretch easily around my mirror; the unit comes with a second (larger) pair of straps for bigger stock mirrors. The resolution of both cameras is good, even at night. There was plenty of wire to reach from back to front of the 2009 CRV (about 2 feet extra actually) & we hardwired it in using a hardwire kit purchased here on Amazon.
I had this installed by a professional, who also happens to be my boyfriend so he had a lot riding on installing it perfectly -- he took his sweet time & was extra careful and it took about 3 hours. As I watched him I couldn't help but wonder how a "regular person" wold manage the installation, but other reviewers have mentioned doing it themselves so it's obviously do-able. Hiding the wires under the trim (carefully so there is no evidence/damage) took patience and know-how.
I love this unit. I had questions before we started the install so I emailed Auto Vox, they replied within a few hours and were very helpful and friendly. I recommend this product and this company 100%. Very happy with this purchase.
after literally weeks of research on dash cams, I've settled on this one. I didn't want one that uses a suction cup for fear it would fall off. living in AZ it gets very hot and any items i've used in the past that require a suction cup have always fallen off. the rear camera shoots a nice clean picture and the front camera shoots an even better picture, easy to read license plates, easy to navigate the buttons, a big selling point for me was how it locks on to your existing mirror. running the wires to the back of the car is quite easy, its not hard at all, just requires a little time and patience, but the end result is well worth it. I feel much better now knowing I have a extra eyes watching whats going on. I highly recommend this camera to everyone. the Mirror style gives you a large 5" view screen so its very easy to glimpse at while driving. it deff worth the price. I purchased 2 other cameras at roughly the same time. this one is by far the best. the others I bought were the OUMAX50 mirror style and the Meyoung 4" WDR window mount. I'm having some issues with the OUMAX50 and have sent in a few questions to their official but no responses yet and its been several days.
UPDATE: 3/2/2019
2 years later and this M3 is going strong, no issues at all. once you get the right firmware in, then it's all great from then on. nice solid camera
Pro:
Great front camera quality
Great viewing angles on front cam
Easy hookup (except the backup light sensor than never worked)
DIYS installation was a bliss
Con:
No auto exposure
No video playback from device
Rear cam could be better
Backup light sensor was a nightmare and never worked
No memory mode for the display mode
I was using a $129 dashcam from Costco until it just gave up. I believe it was due to the strong sun we have where I live.
Most of this dash cam is hidden behind the rearview mirror so I have a better feeling about this product. The quality of the video seems to be on par with what I had. Great video wether is really dark or really bright. I do however get a bit more of a glare than the sucktion cup version dascams due to being a bit farder away from the windshield.
First the mirror is just a bigger version of your current mirror. You don't see more and you don't see less. Just bigger. The quality of the mirror is great. I can't see much of a difference between the original mirror and this one.
The nice thing about the screen on this mirror is that you get enough glare that you still see what's behind you even without the back up camera on when the screen is on so you don't have to turn it off right away. It is programmed by default to have the screen turned off after 30 seconds and you can adjust it to turn off after a minute or leave it on all the time.
The menu is simple and straight forward and you easily change the view to be PiP (either way), front or back.
The rear camera is of a lesser quality. I would have liked it to have a better viewing angles to be able to cover more of the side of the vehicle. The picture quality seems to be grainier than the front one and it's got a bit of a rain effect.
Another major issue I had, and I say major because I had to get a technician to try to do this for me and it didn't work is hooking up the rear camera to the back up light. The tech even tried hooking them directly to the battery and still no go. I can see I'm not the only person with this issue with this set.
Another issue arises because of the backup light sensor isn't working. When the camera shuts off then on it reverts back to the default viewing mode. From camera showing big and rear camera showing is the bottom right corner which makes me have to press the the up button 3 time to get to just the rear view mode everyone I want to back up.
So overall it's a great dashcam/security cam for your vehicle. If it wasn't for the backup light sensor issue it would get 5 stars. I will contact autovox and update my review after their response.
Important note for newer German cars! (BMW, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, etc)! You MUST use an anti-interference device to get the back-up camera to work without skipping back and forth with the front camera! Details below.
I was hesitant to purchase another dash cam after a previous experience with a cheaper product from another seller. After saving up a little fun money and reading the reviews of the other folks here and other venues (YouTube, car forums, etc), I decided to give it a go. Installation was pretty straightforward, the directions were simple. If you have experience doing other automotive electrical work, like car stereos or off-road lights, this should be easy for you. I already had the Mini-USB (NOT Micro-, the "fatter", more square variant) hardwired near the mirror from the old dash cam, so I just had to wire up the back-up camera.
The vehicle in question is a 2008 BMW 3-Series sedan, known as the "E90". I removed the trunk lid liner carpet, rubber and metal trunk seal bottom portion, left side trunk carpet (the hard formed part), and the hard plastic bottom piece to make room for installation of the wire. I elected to mount the camera slightly off center, just above the license plate. The handle and button to open the trunk is in the center, and there are plate illumination lights on both sides. I used 3M double-sided tape (locally sourced, not included) to securely stick the bracket behind the license plate, about 2 inches to the left of center. To be clear- the kit does come with a bracket to sandwich between the top of the license plate and it's mount, but I chose not to use it so it doesn't obstruct the trunk opening button/handle on this car. I ran the wire through the flex conduit with the other factory wires by fishing the wires through with a zip tie. The construction of the connectors for the camera and reverse light signal wire are quite stout, and I wasn't afraid to yank it through the conduit with some light oil for lubrication. Using a 12-inch-long zip tie secured around the "headphone jack" end of the camera cable, I slowly fished the signal wire across the top of the trunk, through the left side of the rear seat upright (with other factory wires), down the floor under the edge of the carpet (after removing the trim), along the side of the dash, under the A-pillar trim and airbag, and finally along the windshield edge of the headliner. There was plenty of cable to run the length of the car, so no worries there... This car isn't very large though.
Next, the mirror was easily strapped in place. It comes with some longer silicone rubber straps for fatter or larger mirrors, but I just stretched out the normal length straps. The E90 BMW is a pretty fat mirror (the plastic backing is about 1.5 inches thick), but the straps worked. The dashcam forward-facing lens is on the left side of the mirror, so I adjusted the mirror over a bit from where it usually sits. The glass is glossy and smooth, and obviously a little "tinted" due to the monitor behind it. It works day and night as a mirror just fine. The mirror provides a good view of what's beind me, so that's definitely a non-issue.
On to the test: With everything wired up, I turned on the car, but didn't start the engine. The monitor shows the "AUTO-VOX" logo, for less than a second, then goes to the front facing camera with a smaller view of the back up camera in the lower right corner. Enough to see both pretty clearly. The resolution and size of the monitor is just right. Any bigger and it would be distracting, and any smaller and you might miss an obstacle behind you during the reverse process. With the engine still off, I placed the car in reverse, and the monitor switches to the backup camera. The guidelines and pretty accurate, and there is a flashing "STOP" at the bottom. During bright, sunny days, it is a little hard to see fine details, but you're looking in a mirror at the same time, so you're not missing too much. I back out my garage in the morning, so it'll work good for my purpose.
Next, I started the engine and backed the car out of the garage. I was not pleased to see the monitor switching between the backup camera and the main dashcam roughly once a second. Once you get your focus on an image, it switches to the other. Arg. I did some internet research, and e-mailed the seller (service[at]auto-vox[dot]com) explaining the issue. Later that evening, the seller replied! I was impressed with the quick customer service. They had a couple more questions, which I answered. After looking around the internet for a while, I realized that the problem was not with my wiring job, or with the camera or the mirror- the problem was with the car! This vehicle, and many other newer cars use Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to lower the voltage of the bulbs to 12 volts when the engine is running. Typicaly voltage generated by an alternator is about 14.4 volts, so the PWM "cuts out" bits of the 14.4 volts DC to make an "average" of 12 volts. My apologies to the electrical engineers reading this, but I wanted to keep the explanation pretty simple. To overcome this problem, I needed to wire in an electrical filter to smooth out the electrical signal to the dashcam. To do this, you can use a standard automotive relay, or use a "Anti interference Install Kit" also avaaible on Amazon from Auto-Vox (https://www.amazon.com/AUTO-VOX-interference-Install-Rectifier-4-26ft/dp/B076F1BYT2) and other vendors. I purchased the kit and installed it after a couple days. Everything works as it should with no flaws! Auto-Vox service did correctly diagnose my problem through e-mail, but I had already purchased the kit after doing my own research. Thank you for a great product at a fair price.
Feature Product
- Stealth Mode: The camera snaps on top of your existing rear view mirror so there is no need to remove your existing one. Even can work with 1.5 inches thick mirror.Most thieves don't know you have a dash cam on your rear view mirror.
- 1080P Crystal Image&Super Night Vision:Embedded LCD screen is able to work as a front-rear view camera showing footage from both the front and the rear cameras.
- G-Sensor And File Protection：The current video is locked when the built-in gravity sensor detects a collision/shake, ensuring important footage is kept protected. Locked video will be kept safe from being overwritten.
- Super Accessories: IP68 waterproof backup camera makes you easily reversing in raining days with parking line. With 8.5 Meter video cable,easy to run the cable from windshield to backup camera.With extra USB port ,the car charger could supply power to other device simultaneously.
- Why rear image swithes to front image when reversing? For newer cars with PWM(Pulse Width Modulation) like BMW, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, etc,so you MUST use an anti-interference device to get the back-up camera to work.
Description
AUTO-VOX M3 perfectly integrates the functions of Car DVR and Car Parking Assist System, with an Anti-Glare Mirror.
Installation is extremely easy, this product binds right in front of your original mirror and can also be removed easily if needed. A space saver, and a money saver, should you ever have an accident! For the backup camera installation, you should follow the manual.
We care about our customers! Should you have any question, please feel free to contact us!
Highlights of this product:
WDR: it will provide you a balanced lighting exposure, allowing to properly see both bright and dim areas in the video
G-Sensor: if the camera detects a collision using its embedded accelerometer, it will automatically lock the video so it is not overwritten at a later date
Park Monitor: ever been worried of someone hitting your car when it's parked? The park monitor feature will make the camera start recording if it detects a shock
Dependable Hardware: the -25 to +60 C (-13 to 140 F) operation range allows for reliable operation in the harshest environmental conditions.
Specifications:
- Front view video resolution: FHD1080P
- Display size: 5.0"
- Rear view video resolution: HD 1280*720
- Front view lens view angle: 165
- Rear view lens view angle: 170
- Photo resolution: up to 8M (selectable)
- Video format: AVI - Photo format: JPEG
- USB format: USB 2.0
- Parking guide lines for rear camera: can be enabled by cutting the green wire
- Microphone for audio recording: internal
- Speaker for playback: internal
Nice backup camera and glad I upgraded from M2!
Pros:
* Nice quality dash cam front and rear
* I like the stealth mode. Most thieves don't know you have a dash cam on your
rear view mirror.
* Nice large mirror but not too large. Just the right size.
* Excellent backup lights when backing up at night. Well done there
Auto-vox!
Con:
* Like most DIY installs may be a bit of a learning curve to figure
out how to hook it up to your wiring system.
* The menu isn't the easiest to navigate
* If you have the sleep mode on, meaning the screen turns off
after so many seconds, that will also turn off your backup camera
when you are backing up! You can toggle the power button,
increase the sleep time to 60 seconds or longer or just don't use
the sleep mode but I didn't like the image on all the time so sleep
mode was mandatory for me.
I highly recommend this dash cam/backup camera and would buy it
again if I get another vehicle.
My mom purchased this AUTO-VOX M3 Dual Lens Dash Cam from AUTO-VOX for me for Christmas because She has one and loves hers.
I drive a lot for work and there are some crazy people out on the roads.
This device functions as digital video camera, digital voice recorder. It supports real time & date display on video. The main functions of it consist of video recording, camera mode, motion detection, and cycle recording.
It has a backup camera on it so you can see behind you if needed.
It also has the option to record behind you if you have young children or see a vehicle in and out of lanes or up on your back end.
The camera snaps on top of your existing rear view mirror so there is no need to remove your existing one.
It records by using a 32Gb memory card slot is provided at the top of the rear mirror. I haven't found a way to make this easy to remove without removing the mirror itself.
It doesn't have an alarm so don't rely on this if you need that.
The installation may appear complicated but it's actually pretty simple and it plugs into your lighter
Be careful if you have a smaller mirror like I did so in my Gen 3 Prius as you may have to make some adjustments since it'll cause your rearview mirror to shift downward due to its weight.
▶ Auto Record - Once the vehicle powers on, so does the Camera, no need to touch a thing, it's good to go. Automatically shuts off when the vehicle is turned off.
▶ Ultra Wide View - You can achieve up to a 170 degree view (Front-facing: 170o, Rear-facing: 120o). Simply adjust the cameras in a relative same direction, and using the LCD screen, you can keep stretching the view.
▶ Loop Recording - Record in 3, 5, or 10 minute clips (or loops) or continuous recording is an option. Loop recording insures the SD card will never fill up and you will always capture the latest footage.
▶ 4.3 inch HD LCD display - The built in screen serves as 3 functions; 1) no need for a computer to change settings, can be done onscreen, 2) actual real time view of camera views, 3) playback video and pics.
▶ Cord Management System - Clips are also included to help aid in installation if needed; these also help in keeping wires dangling in the cabin of the vehicle.
We have had this installed now for over a year and have been using it mostly for a backup camera. Little did we know, this can serve many purposes! My family was driving down the road, when we were almost hit by a reckless driver who was speeding and driving down the road in a sporadic manner. What we didn’t know at the time was that this vehicle had just participated in a shooting! The vehicle was fleeing the see, where it then raced out onto the roadway almost hitting my family. Well, what they didn’t know was that we had this AUTO-VOX dual lens dash cam installed! We got video of their vehicle leaving the scene on both our front camera, and rear camera! The camera automatically records on an auto loop, and it caught the vehicle! We went home, downloaded the SD card, and turned it over to the police! The video was extremely clear, and even HD quality! Us, and the police, give this product 5 stars. The bad guys give this product a ½ a star.
Auto-Vox unit arrived on time and was simple to install in my truck. After testing it on the road it works as intended with the backup camera coming on when it is in reverse and both cameras recording as I drive. It will take a couple days to get used to the menu's but I expected that.
Couple issues pertaining to my specific vehicle that you should look out for, I had to lower the G sensor sensitivity since my truck has a stiff suspension and on bumpy Michigan roads can lock the recording file. I also found that my 12 volt outlet is not tied to the key ignition so unit does not turn off automatically when I turn off the truck, I have to stop recording manually (unit setting will shut down unit down after not recording). Eventually I plan to splice the 12V unit supply directly into an ignition fed circuit .
Update: Auto-Vox sent me an direct wire installation kit based on my feedback above :-) very impressed
I received a used product with scratches on the mirror and along the top of the mirror at the plug-ins. The license plate mount was missing as well. The description does not mention if there is built-in memory, the micro SD card slot was empty. I am returning this order and re-ordering with the hopes I will receive a new one for installation and evaluation.
UPDATE 29-Sep-2017
I've changed the rating from 3 stars to 5 stars. Auto-Vox sent a brand-new camera without any hassles at all. Unfortunately, THAT camera had issues with "saving the date" and saving the .MOV files to the micro SD card. They then sent out a 3rd camera, again with NO hassles. This camera is working great!
The camera does a superb job of being a dash cam. There are MANY menu options and navigating them can be somewhat daunting but, once you learn to "speak the jargon", they offer a wealth of camera customization. Sometimes you have to hit OK to change the selection, sometimes not. I used a 12V power supply at my desk to comfortably sit and learn the menus, etc.
I especially like the much larger mirror. The mirror in my Dodge RAM 3500 was wayyy too small; the camera mirror allows me to see the even the back corners of my 8' long bed truck.
5 Stars for a great product and even better customer service!
