Anybody with a heated screen and a dashcam that can 'see' through it?

[Paul F]

So I bought a Nextbase 622GW dashcam in March and the GPS aspect of it has never worked - so no location or speed recording, just the images.

After a session with technical support on the Nextbase website I was provided with a replacement GPS powered mount, but that made no difference, and Halfords (where I bought it from) let me have a third one, but that didnt work either. I have just come off the phone with the repair centre in Caerphilly and the conclusion is that the heating element in the screen is blocking the GPS signal. I asked why the heating element doesnt block the GPS to my phone, my iPad or my SatNav but apparently those GPS signals arrive via 4G and the dashcam one doesnt!

It is a shame Nextbase dont tell customers this before they spend what is now £239 on a dash cam with only half the effective functionality they claim.

Has anybody else got a heated screen with a dashcam that can 'see' through it?

 

[Paul F]

Surely it's the gps part of the dash cam that's likely to be affected by the screen? In effect it's doing the same thing as the satnav

That makes sense, but then the GPS signal for my satnav is not affected by the screen at all. The satnav may have an external antenna, I really dont know, but if I can get a recommendation of a standalone dashcam that works inside a heated screen, that seems to be the way to go.

 

[The Wino]

That makes sense, but then the GPS signal for my satnav is not affected by the screen at all. The satnav may have an external antenna, I really dont know, but if I can get a recommendation of a standalone dashcam that works inside a heated screen, that seems to be the way to go.

I suppose if it's a built in one you won't know if there's an external aerial or not but the chinese cheapy definitely doesn't and seems to work wherever we put it. Maybe ask others with heated screens what model dashcsm they have and try and get the same from somewhere offering a refund policy

 

[Paul F]

It does. But isn't the point that I capture video of someone else doing something stupid? It won't know their speed.

You are right of course, the main purpose is to capture someone else doing something stupid. However, proving that you were compliant with the speed limit removes the option for them to claim you contributed to the incident (they pulled out in front of you because you were travelling too fast and they didnt see you for example). When people are caught out they will come out with all manner of excuses to try and avoid the consequences of their actions.

 

[offagen]

I have a Nextbase 522GW in my car, which has a heated windscreen. The heating matrix covers the whole of the screen. The dash cam is mounted behind the rear view mirror and looks through the heater matrix. I‘ve had a number of minor irritations with the 522GW but it does always pick up the GPS signal to provide real-time location, vehicle speed, etc.

FWIW when I’ve needed to contact Nextbase’s technical support I’ve not been impressed.

One unrelated point to bear in mind with the *22GW series of Nextbase dash cams is that you need to format the SD card about every 3 weeks or you risk either sporadic recording or none at all! Ask me how I know