dann2707 Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 Hey So tomorrow i'm fitting my dash cam to my car, i'm wanting to wire it directly to an ignition feed so that when my ign turns on the camera starts recording (all programmed in the camera to do so) however previous dashcams has the usb cable going to a usb car charger that plugs into the cigarette socket which is messy and awful. I'm wanting to take it directly to a feed in the fusebox as said, so can I basically take apart a cigarette lighter usb converter, locate the positive and negative in the adapter and connect that to the feed? I'm seeing stuff online about it being 12v and needing to be stepped down or something?! I actually have a usb cable that came with the dash cam but it's for a TV out and on the red power cable it says "warning +DC5v input" so I can't use that?! Am I going to break the camera by simply putting those red and black wires to my cars feed? Help meeeee!! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 All USB ports offer 5V, so you need something to reduce the voltage of the car otherwise your cam will be a bit broken. Just use one of those cigarette lighter adaptors with the usb socket and hardwire that in? They have an inbuilt voltage regulator, although you need to be careful with cheapo ones as they get fairly hot. That's what I am going to do for my phone charger/Aux port when I get round to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isitafox Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 I'm well rusty on car electronics so this is probably a shocking idea but I would go to the scrappy and get a cigarette lighter unit to plug the charger into then run the wires from the back of that to the fusebox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 Yeah, as Paul said, you need something to step the voltage down from 12 to 5v, the ideal thing being a cigarette lighter USB adapter thingy. Either hide the whole thing behind the dash, or spend a few seconds with a multi-meter working out where the relevant inputs/outputs are and just use the internal gubbins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted December 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 Thanks for the replies, thank god I asked before doing it! I've got a usb converter I could use that looks like it's good quality but i've also seen this which would be perfect! Thanks guys http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-12V-to-5V-3A-Step-down-Converter-2-Female-USB-Output-Buck-Regulator-in-Car-UK-/121238087091?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item1c3a5a65b3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam T Posted December 29, 2013 Report Share Posted December 29, 2013 Out of interest Dan, what makes you want a dash cam? Where will you put it just under your rear view mirror? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted December 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2013 Wanted it for a few reasons mate, firstly in case someone crashes into me I can use the footage against them in case they try to get out of it. And also for driving videos, was intending to do a few track days once the handling is sorted out and it can be mounted pretty much anywhere as it's not primarily a dash cam its more of a go-pro but record in 1080p. It's got a really strong user database so people have created an app for it for android phones and a computer program where you can change loads of parameters for different use like "flip image" so if you do use it as a dash cam and its mounted upside down the image looks is displayed the correct way, and another option is different mode settings where for each mode it records exactly how you want (eg 1080, 30fps, wide or low angle view etc etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azarathal Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 Link to said camera? May be interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted December 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukasMcNeal Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 That blokes voice in the video sounds like the art attack man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted December 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 Hahahah yeah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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