Reddit reviews SpyTec Dash Cam Hardwire Kit with Mini USB for Dashboard Camera Power Supply - Low Voltage Protection for Dash Cams

A119 is a great deal, <$100. I disagree with the "wouldn't spend less than $150" comment.

Fitting them is fairly easy. Power is the tricky part. If you have a lighter socket that switches on/off with ignition you can route the cable to it. The better, but more bother, alternative is a hard wiring kit to the fusebox.

Edit: https://dashcamtalk.com is a good source of information.

I had the same issue and discovered it was the hardwire kit and not the camera after I dug through reviews and bought a different brand kit.

I originally bought the Spytec one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Worked fine for two days and then would reboot constantly when it got cold.

I replaced it with this EDO Tech one and have had no problems in since. Note, the USB side of the cable on the EDO Tech is a bit shorter than the Spytec. Measure your length needed to make sure it fits okay.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L3XXRI0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have hardwired Mini0801 and Mini0805 cams in my vehicle. Can't run them without A/C during the summer where I live, but they run 24/7 during the cooler months. I have an AUX fuse block in the engine bay, so I just ran them off that and connected to them via the proper USB converter. A converter like this would work well if you go my route.

As for letting the other guy know how much his parking job sucks, I use the Parking Turtle. I keep a couple copies behind the seat in a pocket. Yeah, it is petty, but someone needs to call some of these assholes out. I doubt they'll "see the light" and park correctly, but oh well...

When mounting the dash cameras with adhesive mounts you get 1 chance at it, you can put the adhesive mount on black dots, but make sure to turn on the dash camera, and make sure the lens is not pointing at black dots. Passenger side behind the rear view mirror is common choice.

You also may want to be able to attach/detach via the GPS mount, leave 1/4 of an inch to do so.

Hardwire kit, This $13 USD hardwire kit is very popular with this camera.

Micro USB vs Mini USB - At some point they decided to make 2 competiting standards. One is very common in Dash cameras - Mini, and other one - Micro is common on cell phones. Some dash cameras are Micro, so becareful.

A119 is Mini USB, also tap a fuse is very useful. Tap a fuse has 2 slots, 1st slot you fill from the slot you pulled from your car's fuse box (protects your car,) 2nd slot 1-5 amp fuse (purchased seperately $1-5 USD) to protect your dash camera. Ground wire completes the circuit - Fuse box wire = positive, ground wire to unpainted bolt = negative.

This hardwire kit isn't perfect, but it's flaws are acceptable. - Cold weather effects it - as soon as vehicle heats up it isn't a problem. - Battery discharge protection box will end up most likely on your dash board (Most people don't notice or mind this) - Black USB/mini cord is just a bit too short to hide the box easily.

I picked a fuse in my vehicle's fuse box - that is only on when the vehicle ignition is on (Cig lighter is a common choice for this option, easy to check plug something into cig lighter when vehicle is off if off, it is only on when the ignition is on.) This means it will never drain my car's battery while parked. - Other people want the motion detection mode enabled. So they find an always on fuse (avoid airbags/engine starter motor/AC/headlamps/security systems, and other high voltage fuses.) - The above hardwire kit does have a low battery protection device, but it is preset, more expensive ones you can change/set to different limitations.

Different vehicles use different Fuses - Read your owner's manual, and look at the fuses before hand. - ATO, Mini, Low Profile Mini, Micro2. - Make sure you get the Tap a fuse, and fuses that match your vehicle.

A119 is an excellent dash camera, however, it's parking mode is lack luster - Not buffered, not automatic. Most people who use it, leave motion detection on all the time, and just forget about it. It could miss some action, but they don't seem to mind.

LDWS/FCWS - is useless on almost all dash cameras of this generation. Too many false warnings, and reduce your options for resolution.

Updating the firmware is worth it. It fixes some of the minor flaws, improves video resolution, and addresses some of the hickups.

BTW as a maintenance note, you should format your micro SD card regularly every 30 days or so.

Personally my tastes have shifted toward Excellent Parking mode dash cameras. Thinkware F50 ($90-100 USD) is more suitable to my tastes, or BlackSys CH-100B 2-Channel ($269.99 USD), or Thinkware F770 ($360 - $10 = $350 USD) would be my choices. However A119 is an excellent choice for picture quality dash cameras. Excellent day/ good night/ good shadow with a 140 angle lens which doesn't fish eye/distort speed/distance as much as a 165 ultra wide angle. The others I listed are fair for Thinkware F50, and good picture quality for BlackSys CH- 100B 2- channel/Thinkware F770. My car gets hit when I am parked more often then when I am driving.

This is the hardwire kit and this is the add a fuse

The add fuse will vary depending on the fuses your car uses.

I used one of these and one of these

You need a hardwire kit. There's tons out there. Check ebay. I got one for $8. It will have a step down transformer and ideally, an inline fuse. It will have a red power wire and a black ground wire.

Hook the ground wire to some bare metal. Most likely there is an easy bolt near the fuse box under the dash.

Hook the power wire to a key-on/switched power source - as in, the circuit is only powered when the key is in the ignition, that way the cam doesn't run when you're not in the car.

One way to do this is with an add-a-fuse to an existing fuse in the fuse box. Insert red wire into blue butt connector, crimp with pliers. Replace existing fuse with addafuse (addafuse takes two fuses- old + new). Be sure to size the new fuse correctly. Should be 1.5-2 amps.

Run the wires up the A-pillar and under the roof liner for a concealed, factory look.

Something like this is perfect: http://www.amazon.com/Dash-Camera-Vehicle-Hard-Wire/dp/B00MH4ZVHO

The wiring kit and the add a fuse tap. Get whichever tap for your size fuse in your interior fuse box. Run the wires in the headliner and down the a pillar.

I recommend the a118c dash cam.

https://www.amazon.com/Dash-Camera-Vehicle-Hard-Wire/dp/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474857212&sr=8-1&keywords=dash+cam+wiring+kit

https://www.amazon.com/Pico-0956PT-Blade--Circuit-Holder/dp/B001QRSBW0/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1474857229&sr=1-1&keywords=add+a+fuse





I copied this from a response I got when I was researching this.

You can hardwire it so it's always on. I'm using this kit on my G1W and if you tap it to an always hot fuse it'll stay on 24/7 without draining the battery.

I followed this video for my install: https://youtu.be/kTZ6_guh6nM
I used this hardwire kit for my A119 dashcam: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Most people suggest this one here I am using this but the capacitor version is always suggested over the battery. I haven't run into any issues so far. I can only see the corner of it poking out of my mirror so it doesn't obstruct my view.

I was able to hard wire it with these:

Power adaptor

Fuse add-a-curcuit

The wiring kit and the add a fuse tap. Get whichever tap for your size fuse in your interior fuse box. Run the wires in the headliner and down the a pillar.

I recommend the a118c dash cam.

https://www.amazon.com/Dash-Camera-Vehicle-Hard-Wire/dp/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474857212&sr=8-1&keywords=dash+cam+wiring+kit

https://www.amazon.com/Pico-0956PT-Blade--Circuit-Holder/dp/B001QRSBW0/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1474857229&sr=1-1&keywords=add+a+fuse

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A8IQBBGLCSUJ7

Do you use the above power cord for constant power? I actually have this model in my amazon cart.

OP, my assumption is that you are looking for a very long cable in order to hardwire the camera? If that's the case you are probably wanting something like this: Spytec hardware kit

The kit is very long, definitely long enough to make it from a fuse box to anywhere in the front of your car. I recently wired two of those into my car, one for my rear cam as well, and I did have to splice in about 6' of wire to make it long enough. It was super easy to do though.

An easy way to attach it to your fuse box it with these: add a fuse 5 pack they plug into a existing fuse hole, and you put the fuse into the tap. It gives you the red wire feed you need for the hardware kit. The black wire for the kit goes to ground (and has a metal semicircle for bolting to an existing frame bolt, not pictured in the Amazon picture)

As far as memory car durability, try to get a MLC type memory made for dashcams (stay away from SanDisk Ultra). Here is a good article about it

Bought this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and tapped into the wiring for the overhead "room lights" using Scotchloks. As far as "good" goes, I just had to replace this as the last one for my A118 only last two years.

I used this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MH4ZVHO

Just searched through my old orders and coincidentally - or not - that is the exact one I purchased that wouldn't work in the cold (but in the UK);

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00MH4ZVHO

So a good chance its the cause of your problem imho. I replaced it with a Nextbase kit which has performed faultlessly since (but I can't see them on Amazon.com);

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XHYSQAC

There's no difference between the two cams in your cart.


Why not grab this hard wire kit? It's a bit cheaper. These things are pretty generic and should work for any camera.

finally pulled the trigger, it been a long time since i wanted one. The only thing that kept me from doing it was that i wanted it hardwire not freaking wires going to my cig lighter port. Well after spending 5 minutes on youtube it's not really hard at all... So i went out to my car to see what would to be done and doubt it will take me no more than 10 minutes to set up.

Just in case anyone want to know what i ordered for their selves

SpyTec A119 + GPS Logger 1440p Car Dash Camera

Spy Tec Dash Camera Vehicle Hard Wire Kit

fuse tap

Lexar High-Performance microSDHC 633x 32GB

No problem! I feel like there was another con or something else I wanted to say about it, but I can't remember....

Biggest complaint is that cigarette lighter power plug. It's huge, it's ugly, and if you bump it slightly it stops making contact and your camera turns off.

Im gonna install another fuses circuit into my fuse box and run this to it. I just haven't gotten around to it because I've never installed a new fuse circuit before and it sounds like kinda a scary task, haha.

Very easy. The hardest part was putting the damned A-pillar back in. You will need the add-a-fuse and a hardwire kit like this. The red wire will connect to the add-a-fuse wire and the black wire goes to ground (there's a bolt just above the fuse box that you could use as the ground). The add-a-fuse is pretty much making a single fuse slot be able to have two fuses on there; one for the original fuse and one for the dash cam fuse. And then the mini usb end obviously goes to the dash cam.

The A-pillar comes off pretty easily. Take caution though as there are air bags in there. You'll need to pry out the airbag logo clip thing and undo the T-20 screw behind it. Next, you just pull the pillar towards you and it should pop off. I zip tied the wires to some existing wires behind the a-pillar and away from the air bags. Then I just stuffed the wires under the front of the headliner and to the rear view mirror area.

I can answer the dashcam wiring for you. Best way that I have found is to use a fuse tap like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Qiorange--circuit-Adapter-Blade-Holder/dp/B015GYN38A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1464329991&sr=8-2&keywords=fuse+tap

You will also need the appropriate fuse for that particular dashcam. And you will need a 12V to 5V converter for the dashcam. Like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Dash-Camera-Vehicle-Hard-Wire/dp/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464330070&sr=8-1&keywords=dash+cam+wire

PS: Best part about this one is that you can install an inline fuse, which is much easier to find an appropriate rated fuse than it is with the automotive fuses.

I went with the A119 instead of the mobius because I liked how it mounted and it will do 1080p at 60 frames. I also purchased a wiring kit so i could tuck everything up behind the rear view mirror.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HN0HBFG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ha... I also wired it up with Spy Tec Mini USB Dash Cam 10 Foot Hardwire Kit for A119 A119S G1W G1WS, so no annoying cigarette lighter plugs.

Presumably so, yes. I'm getting this hard wiring kit... http://amzn.to/2956YhD, which is similar (exact?) to the one u/beth6han recommended.

This one.

I was able to return it too. I don't wanna say they suck because it's "frequently bought together" with the A119. Maybe the unit I received was just defective

You can get a dash cam hardwire kit on Amazon for around $10 that have a 12v to 5v converter built in here's one. They're not very hard to install

First of all let me say that I do not have the A119 so I don't have hands-on experience but I do know something about it.

It does NOT record in 1440 @ 60fps. I don't know where you saw the SpyTec listing saying otherwise but the SpyTec web site clearly states that it is 30fps.

The video image quality has been described as "very good, colors are clear and bright, license plates are generally easy to read even when driving by" Quite honestly, no dashcam can read all license plates all the time, factors such as the reflective coating on the plates, shadows, headlights shining directly onto the plate, etc. but they say that the A119 manages better than a lot of dashcams.

From the video samples that I have seen the A119 appears to cope better than a lot of other dashcams when driving towards the sun. Of course, the more that the lens is pointing towards the sun the worse it is, that's why we always advise that there should be about 1/3 sky and 2/3 earth in the viewing angle, even though in most cases it will mean that some or all of the car hood is in the picture, which seems that a lot of people try to avoid.

Since the dashcam contains capacitors instead of a battery there should be no problem with coping with temperature highs and lows although one does have to use some common sense if the sun is blazing down on your car, and there may be times that you have to remove it.

As for hardwiring the dashcam, it's not difficult at all. You will need to purchase a hardwiring kit, something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Tec-Dash-Camera-Vehicle/dp/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481139941&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Multisafer+hardwire+kit and all you have to do is connect a couple of wire to your fuse box. You can see more kits and read about hardwiring in this excellent, short article here:
https://www.carcamcentral.com/guide/guide-parked-recording-dash-cameras#Programmable

Just one more thing, if you can wait about a week, there will be an upgraded version of the A119 called the A119S which will be listed on Amazon. It is even better video quality-wise.

https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Tec-Dash-Camera-Vehicle/dp/B00MH4ZVHO

12v-5v converter with in line fuse. I wired mine up to my powered mirror up in the headliner.

The Multi-Safer and VicoVation Power Plus are great ways to power your dash camera, but if your just looking for a basic on/off with the car solution, then this one is fine.
https://smile.amazon.com/Spy-Tec-Dash-Camera-Vehicle/dp/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480447316&sr=8-2&keywords=dash+camera+hardwire+kit

Right, I understand all that. But do I need to get a fuse for the second slot (the dash cam slot) in the fuse tap since the hardwire kit that connects to the fuse tap already comes with an inline fuse?

The hardwire kit already has a fuse on the positive cable.

Spy Tec Dash Camera Vehicle Hard Wire Kit

The blackvue is popular and sounds nice, but I didn't feel the need for the wifi or cloud features. So I went with a pair of Rexing V1 cameras, front and rear. For power I made a y-cable and attached it to the extra 12V connector in the headliner compartment. Then I ran power cables through the headliner. The front cable is pretty much out of view. The cable for the rear camera runs exposed for several inches from the rear pillar to the back window — not ideal, but it doesn't bother me.

A year later, I'm happy with the Rexing. Video quality seems fine. I haven't had to use it for anything serious yet, but it helped me identify an object that whacked into me on the freeway.

Here are some of the parts I used. If you do your own installation, pick up some micro2 fuses. It's easy to blow one while working on the power supply. You'll also need a multimeter so you can identify the correct wires for 12V power.

https://www.amazon.com/V1-Dashboard-Recorder-G-Sensor-Recording/dp/B00X528FNE

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MH4ZVHO

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058DN7B8

This is the converter. https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00MH4ZVHO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_O7kKM4d3Am7He

Step 1: Buy a hardwire kit for a dashcam. Here's one I found via a simple amazon search, but you can choose anything that works.

Step 2: Watch this video, or just search dashcam hardwire install on youtube.

Step 3: Carry out the the task at hand.

In addition to /r/dashcam you can check out dashcamtalk.com. It sounds like you want an out-of-the-way install, like an A118C next to or behind your rear view mirror. Add to that a hardwire kit with low voltage cut-off to prevent draining the battery if you park for a few days. The power cable will tuck behind the headliner and pillar and go to the fuse box. You'd need to know how to install that or have someone do it for you.

After finding out which fuse is an accessory 12v one, that's really all you need. One of these will allow you to draw power without having to do anything messy or splice wires. The + (red) wire for one of these gets connected to the add-a-fuse and the - (black) gets grounded to something metal on the vehicle. You can tuck the wire behind the a-pillar cover and up through the headliner, then drape it behind the rearview camera out of sight.

since it doesn't have a parking mode you don't need anything very fancy. I have used this for several family members cars and its worked fine:

https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Tec-Dash-Camera-Vehicle/dp/B00MH4ZVHO

spytec seems like a decent company too, haven't heard anyone complain about them.

just make sure you get the right one, i almost linked you to the one with the fuse adapter but thats micro-usb not mini usb. it is recommended you get an add-a-fuse to assure it is fuse protected.