A dashcam that can use the factory rearview chanel

[m32]

Greetings all,

Long time reader, first time poster here. Really appreciate the site and the detailed unbiased reviews. Way back in the day y’all helped me choose the A119C which I disassembled and stealth mounted in the mirror cowl of my E60 BMW. I recently traded that car in for a new Chevy Bolt EUV.

I’m liking the move to electric but one of the first things I did was switch out the fancy full display rear view mirror for a normal one since it was the cheapest/easiest way to add Homelink and I usually have two kids in the back so the rear view mirror is more for looking at them then traffic anyway. Now I’m looking for a new dashcam and I’m hoping this forum can steer me in the right direction again. I have two primary questions:

1) I now have an unused factory rear view cam with a small coax connector terminating near the rear view mirror. Are there any two channel cams that might be able to take advantage of that (alternatively just a standalone coax video recorder)? The EUV has a notoriously bad brake light scheme (parts are already on order to improve that) so I would like to have a rear channel just in case. I’ve seen that some Viofos and older Blackvues have coax inputs but I’m wondering if I need to worry about voltage levels and proprietary formats or if coax means it should just work. Haven’t been able to find this info anywhere so advice on where to look is also welcome.

2) I strongly prefer the hidden “OEM” look. I know that FitcamXs are not highly regarded but I’m curious if anyone else is operating in the replacement-mirror-cowl space? I was fortunate with the my previous car to be able to find an OEM cowl with space to fit a camera but options are much more limited on the Chevy. Maybe I can get a Fitcam cowl and transplant the guts of a camera that fits criteria from question 1?

Really appreciate any and all feedback the esteemed forum members might have. Obviously I’m not afraid to void warranties, take things apart, and splice my own cables. I’m just looking for info on what parts might work together and this seems like the best place to ask.

Much thanks!

 

[kamkar]

Welcome to the forum m32.

You will not find any dashcam that can tap into a cars reversing camera, okay some cheapos that have a low resolution rear camera that is analog signal. But that is ancient technology and not something you would want to run.
Even if the car have a digital rear camera, it is probably not a protocol that any dashcam will accept, also most dashcams use USB C for remote cameras, though some new Viofo do use a small coaxial cable instead of USB C
Since it is just 2 wires, i assume image data must be transmitted as modulations in the voltage signal, i think this is the same as the SDI style CCTV cameras would do.

Another thing to consider, on many reversing cameras they are placed very low, which is excellent to spot toddlers hiding behind car in driveway ASO, but it is not much good for proof saving.
Also reversing cameras are external so crud can build up on lens hampering little detail capture even more.

I would personally only run a external rear camera if i was forced to it, and i have flatrate car wash and can some times in summer wash my car 2 times daily even if i have been miles away from the nearest dirt road.
I am very glad my little car have a rear wiper / washer, though the defroster is almost just as big a + due to dew on the glass, used it today driving home, without cars behind me was just a big flare of light, after defroster removed dew on glass it got much better.

 

[m32]

some new Viofo do use a small coaxial cable instead of USB C
Since it is just 2 wires, i assume image data must be transmitted as modulations in the voltage signal, i think this is the same as the SDI style CCTV cameras would do.

This is a good lead, thank you! I wonder if anyone has info on the format that the newer viofos use with their coax cable?

I feel I should clarify that the rear view camera on the EUV is up by the center high mounted brake light and has a dedicated washer nozzle. It is intended to be able to replace the rear view mirror at all times, not just when backing up. There is another, low mounted, camera that is used for the traditional reverse view as well as the top down 360 view.

 

[kamkar]

Yes it is not all cars that have a very low mounted reversing camera, but higher mounted ones might then be very downwards facing and so probably lack visual reach further out back.

Also yes some new cars have a camera instead of the traditional mirror, not quite sure what to think of those, but it is a experience i am still to have, at night i am annoyed by the light of my phone in its dock attached to the driver side door, so not like it is much in the field of view, most times i will completely turn it off CUZ even in dark mode say for navigating with google maps the light is annoying.
Mind you i also dont even like to talk hands free in the phone while driving, so thank god i only get a phone call while driving 1 time a year if not more rare than that, so i pull over and stop to talk / return call.

I am still inclined to guess your rear / reversing camera is just a analog one, that can also be higher resolution than old school 500 TV lines resolution.

 

[Nigel]

I am still inclined to guess your rear / reversing camera is just a analog one, that can also be higher resolution than old school 500 TV lines resolution.

If it is actually a mirror camera then it needs very good HDR and reasonable resolution, ancient analog is not ideal. A backup camera doesn't need to be good, but a mirror does.

I would be very surprised if it was compatible with any of the Viofo dashcams, even if they both use the same standard communications protocol, you can still have incompatible resolutions and configuration commands, and then there are several sizes of mini coax connectors.

Maybe one day these things will be standardised, but at the moment we get new versions every year, and the car manufacturers have no incentive to standardise, it is not like HDMI cables for home video.