Wednesday 21 January 2015

Auto: HK$400 Dual HD Dash Cam Installation on Tesla Model S & Hands-On Review

Brandless Rearview Mirror Car Recorder
Image from Locky's English Playground
After knowing what has happened to many other Tesla Model S cars on the roads of Hong Kong (and many others cars in fact), I decided it is time to get a dashcam. This one that I found on Taobao has a dual cam option at RMB 313.35 (HK$400, US$51.3), or just RMB 255 for the front cam.

Specification
Image from Locky's English Playground
Specs-wise, there is nothing to complain about, it is simply the same as those branded ones at around HK$3000. You can see that for yourself.

From the side of the box
Image from Locky's English Playground
The question is then, is it really that good? Here I made two videos about the installation and my hands-on review.


Some Model S owners tell me that I can actually wrestle the headliner for a gap underneath it with the help of a tool, but mine seems very toughly glued onto the glass. I am sure some brutality will do the job, but I dare not risk.


There are still certain parts I can improve on this installation, but surely there are parts, say the cable along the small rear seat windows which had to be taped. The tapes themselves are not pretty and I could have gone for a black tape, but black tape usually leaves very sticky residue and 3M Scotch tape seems to be my best option, for now.

Do leave me comments if you have any better suggestions to improve on my installation.


Vocabulary:
wrestle -- (vb) [I or T] to fight with someone (especially as a sport) by holding them and trying to throw them to the ground
brutality -- (n) [C or U] behaviour that is very cruel or violent showing no feelings for others, or an act of this type


Resources:

Tesla Model S Dual HD Dash Cam Installation Part 1 @YouTube
http://youtu.be/gEq1s6ZrfVU

Tesla Model S Dual HD Dash Cam Installation Part 2 @YouTube
http://youtu.be/LOmce2Hg4Ps

正品行车记录仪前后双镜头后视镜一体机高清1080夜视王超广角监控 @Taobao
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.9.79.u1W90s&id=43052843452&_u=l265su1oa2fb

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english-chinese-traditional/wrestle
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english-chinese-traditional/brutality