SpideyTT!!!

Can anyone recommend a great low-profile dash-cam that would work well in a 2019 TT RS Coupé?
I'm looking for something that is as small and unobtrusive as possible, and that won't interfere with the sensors in the rear-view mirror.
Preferably it will be a model that can be connected to the wiring in the mirror, so I don't need to fish cable down to the fuse-box.

Gbob

I'd be interested in suggestions, as well.
B

StraySheep

I have two Blackvue DR750S-1CH connected to a power magic pro, one cam for front and one cam for rear in my 2018 TT RS.
Also have a 4GB data plan in a hotspot I put in the car for cloud access and parking alerts

SpideyTT!!!

Why two one-channel units instead of a single two-channel unit like DR750S-2CH?

audibmi

Repost from my installation a few years ago from another forum. Newer cameras and external batteries are available now but hope this helps as an installation guide.



This is my version of a front and rear dash cam install. I opted for two separate 1 channel dash cams instead of a typical 2-channel system because:

1. I wanted to avoid running wires front to rear for ease of installation
2. Separate cameras have better resolution compared to 2-channel systems which sacrifice rear cam quality
3. SD cards don't have to be large capacity since storage is split over two cards. Also less rewriting cycles prolong the SD card
4. I wanted to run only one camera in parking mode to extend the run time with an external battery

I went with the Blackvue DR750S-1CH due to the small form factor, allows viewing footage wirelessly while recording, ability to download files to my iPhone, and most importantly, the ability to switch to parking mode automatically. Blackvue is also not as finicky with 3rd party SD cards (like Thinkware).

Parts List:
2 Blackvue DR750s-1CH cameras
1 Cellink Neo external battery (for rear cam parking mode). You can check remaining battery levels using a bluetooth app.
2 Sandisk Endurance 64GB micro SD cards.

*Caution* use SD cards specifically designed for repeated read write cycles only or risk premature failure. If you have a lot of time, here is a good explanation: https://www.rdforum.org/index.php?threads/57805/

1 Mirror tap for front camera. I chose the RadarMount version as it was cheaper and the barrel is a perfect fit for Blackvue.
1 Blank aluminum business card for mounting rear camera. Any rigid plastic credit card size card will also do the trick too, but won't look as nice.





Step 1:
Pry top piece of mirror cover to expose wiring harness.



Step 2:
Plug in mirror tap wires. Blue/red wire is switched 12V and Brown wire is ground. Your mirror may differ so have a voltmeter on hand to test. I chose the mirror tap option to avoid the hassle of running wires to the fuse panel.



Step 3:
Mount camera lens directly in front of and as close to the bottom of the rear view mirror so it's centered. I found this position gives the camera full unobstructed view with minimal glare from the dash. With the mirror tap, no wires are visible from the outside for a clean look.



Step 4:
Power cable can exit through small opening without need to drill hole in the cover. From the inside, the camera is almost fully hidden from driver view as it sits behind the rear view mirror.



Step 5:
Mount rear camera underneath the headliner. Using a bent blank aluminum card to stick the camera mount on. Tuck wire under weather stripping.

I avoided mounting on the rear glass because I didn't want to risk damaging the camera every time I slammed the hatch shut. Also, slack is required in the power cable to allow opening/closing of the hatch. If you have tint on the rear glass, removing the camera mount may cause damage as well.





Step 6:
To power the rear cam, simply plug in the 12V socket. In my case, I have a separate external battery to run the rear camera 24/7 to avoid draining the car battery. Since the TTRS doesn't have a spare tire, there is lots of space underneath to hide the battery, but I've left it exposed in the photo so you can see how it's wired.

The Cellink Neo provides over 30+ hours for my rear camera. After leaving my car parked overnight, it only takes ~15-20 minutes to top up to full charge. The Neo has an option to charge faster if you wire directly to the fuse panel with higher current, but the 12V socket is fast enough for my needs.





For those that may only need parking mode occasionally (i.e. parking in a sketchy area), a cheaper option is to get a readily available 5V power bank and a 5V to 12V convertor cable. Also useful for powering camera when removed from the car.



Cellink Neo dashcam battery relocated underneath the trunk. Since the TT RS does not come with a space saver spare, there is quite a bit of storage space in the foam compartments. Perfect place to store your owners manual, etc.

The same pins from the rear view mirror harness used to power the front dash cam can also power a Uniden R3 at the same time.

StraySheep

- Two 1-CH setup allows for two separate SD cards. ie. more capacity and longer recording times. 2-CH only has one SD card to record both cams.
- Less risk of corrupted SD card
- 1-CH cam has better resolution than the rear cam from 2-CH.
- Sometimes, when I bring my car into dealer for service, they would unplug my front dash cam thinking it would stop the recording for both cams, of course to my dislike. But because my rear cam is on a separate power cord, the person does not know the rear cam is still recording and most do not bother to check and unplug the rear cam.

However, my two 1-ch setup is a bit more expensive but well worth the extra costs based on my points above.

Also my setup is a bit different than 'audibmi'.
- power magic pro is wired to the fuse panel under the headlight switch.
- socket from PMP is routed along the drivers side door sill and located under driver seat power seat switches
- both DR750S-1CH power 12v socket are routed to under driver seat as well.
- use a 12v socket spliter to connect the 2 plugs from dash cams to PMP socket
- PMP switch is double sided taped to the driver side removable fuse cover under the head light switch.

FYI, for those using PMP, I used the power seat lumber support fuse as constant power for both dashcams. For accessory power, just use any fuse that only has power when accessory is turned on.
I also got a polarized lens filter for the front cam to reduce the glare from the front dash when it's sunny.

Nikki7

Do you have the backup camera on the inside back windshield or on the outside of your trunk? If on the outside how the heck do you remove the trunk liner? Haha. I have a 2018 a3 and csnt figure it out

Nikki7

Do you have the backup camera on the inside back windshield or on the outside of your trunk? If on the outside how the heck do you remove the trunk liner? Haha. I have a 2018 a3 and csnt figure it out

StraySheep

Rear dashcam is double sided taped on the inside of the rear windshield.

Claudirez

Personally, I use a Mercylion dashcam for Audi . You can mount it anywhere and then take it with you. Lots of various mounts ( removable and non-removable ) and no wiring . I switch it over to my Harley frequently. You can also install the app on your phone to view the positioning of what the cam see's and get a large sim card. Good Luck !