Top Dawg GPS DVR Dash Cam - Crappy night video...???

Discussion in 'Trucking Electronics, Gadgets and Software Forum' started by CallOfTheWild, Feb 27, 2015.

  1. CallOfTheWild

    CallOfTheWild Light Load Member

    159
    145
    Oct 17, 2014
    0
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. tucker

    tucker Road Train Member

    12,647
    40,420
    Jun 13, 2008
    IN
    0
    Only drive in the day.


    I've had the Garmin since December, ain't nothing happened in front of me yet worth watching again.
     
  4. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

    19,705
    12,250
    Jul 6, 2009
    0
    i don't think the technology is out yet to have good night vision.
     
  5. Fajo

    Fajo The Dark Knight

    2,214
    2,352
    Jan 26, 2013
    Boise, ID
    0
    Watch "truck accidents" on you tube, there is some #### good ones out there.
     
  6. djtrype

    djtrype Heavy Load Member

    935
    545
    Jan 3, 2009
    New Orleans
    0
    I had that camera for about 2 months, then the LED screen on it went out. I ditched it for a more reliable and better rated camera. Cheaper too.
     
  7. KW Cajun

    KW Cajun Road Train Member

    2,383
    3,652
    Apr 12, 2013
    Copperhead Road
    0
    The "infrared" leds actually do more harm than good. All they do is reflect back off the windshield and cause additional glare.
    Even if there was no windshield, the infrared leds are way too weak to help 'illuminate' anything beyond the hood.
    The night vision quality, for any dash cam, comes purely from the quality of the actual cam sensor and its lens.
    I know that cams with a Sony Exmor II sensor produce great night vision, tho they are only in a small percentage of all dash cams.

    Check all the reviews on YouTube. There's a ton of dash cam reviews there, showing both day & night performance.
     
    Malta Thanks this.
  8. CJndaTruck

    CJndaTruck Road Train Member

    3,348
    3,364
    Nov 21, 2014
    Knoxville, TN (area)
    0
    Look at utube vids of the garmin. I have it and night view is awesome. Much better then I expected.
     
  9. Vermaxtar

    Vermaxtar Light Load Member

    103
    66
    Aug 30, 2012
    0
    My "TopDawg" crapped out in a few months. While it worked it was good, but then..... I would never buy another one. A Garmin or Cobra will be my next camera.
     
  10. EHB

    EHB Medium Load Member

    489
    198
    Apr 26, 2011
    Newfoundland
    0
    What model do you have?
     
  11. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

    20,614
    99,952
    Dec 18, 2011
    Michigan
    0
    A bit of advice, don't get a camera that is going to sit inside the cab looking out with any infrared LEDs because it reflects back to the camera and you can't see anything or it is all crap.

    Try taking some electrical tape and covering those LEDs with the tape, don't cover the lens and then see if it improves, I'm betting it will make a big difference.

    There is a standard camera board from China that has four and another one that has six that costs about $3 which is used by many companies. I bought a bunch of cheap cameras that used those boards for my house a few years back, I mounted them indoors because they were indoor cameras. I got them to see where the dogs were at in the yard, every one of them I painted over the LED so I can see outside when it was dark. I put up infrared lights outside to light up the dog run and the deck (those were not cheap) and I could see everything, even the raccoon trying to get into the garbage next to the garage.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.