FITCAMX DashCAM

[David L]

FITCAMX DASH CAM

fitcamx dash cam

fitcamx.com

I just recently installed a Fitcamx in our 2019 Toyota Highlander. At first I installed the 1440p version w/rear CAM, which was very good, then I saw the 2160p version so I returned the first one. I bought it during Christmas 2022 from Amazon so I had a return date through Jan. 31st, which worked out great for me.

This is the one I have installed:


INSTALLATION: Both Installs I did were extremely easy, 10-15 minutes tops. Add another 5-10 to install/setup the App and get it connected to the CAM. Of course the second CAM install went quicker. It is easy enough for just about anyone to do. FYI, I did not disconnect my vehicle's battery, just made sure my vehicle was Off (Just sharing, not recommending). The only issue I have had is trying to tuck the wires back up in the shell, but IMO this is because of the extra Rear CAM and its cable being installed in the cabin of our vehicle.

OPERATION: This Dashcam starts recording to its Micro SD card once you turn on your vehicle and remains recording till you turn off your vehicle. To view or retrieve the footage you connect your phone/tablet to the CAM's WiFi (Access Point) via the Fitxcam App. Retrieving the footage requires downloading to your phone/tablet while your vehicle is on/operating. Of course you can also remove the SD card to get the footage. The videos are in date/time order, the front and rear videos they are grouped together to view/download.

AUDIO: I have nothing bad to say about the audio. Our Highlander has impressed us with its lack of road noise so our audio from the CAM is very clear. I have not tested it with a full car of people, which our highlander has the third row seating. (I will be sharing future videos)

VIDEO: The video quality on both the 1440p and 2160p versions are among the best I have seen from a DashCAM, though this statement is from having a cheap DashCAM in my past and viewing friends/family CAMs. License Plates are very easily read, zooming in on a video I can read plates a couple of cars away distance. The Rear CAM also is of good quality at 1080p. I am able to clearly see the driver and passenger and side and back windows are also in view. One video that comes to mind was a police car that cut me off on a ramp entrance, turns out he was going after someone without his lights/siren on, when viewing the Rear Video you could easily see him come up on us on our right passenger side and then viewing the Front video was nice to have both CAMs (I will be sharing future videos)

REAR CAM: I did not install the Rearcam at the rear of my vehicle, I ended up putting it right above my rear view mirror. My plan is to mount it (with 2 black screws and two lock nuts) to the plastic piece at the rear of the Dashcam.



RECORDINGS: (Video is saved in one minute clips with filename format: year/month/day/hour/minute/second/underscore/filename with A being Front CAM and B being Rear CAM ex. 20230105105029_000993A.mp4 for Front CAM, 20230105105029_000993B.mp4 for Rear CAM)
SD Card Recordings:
Downloaded Recordings: The format is MP4
2k Version (1440p) Front CAM: 1 minute of video avg, file size = 83MB
4k Version (2160p) Front CAM: 1 minute video avg. file size = 129MB
Rear CAM (1080p): 1 minute video avg. file size = 47MB

This is the downloaded video info from the 2k CAM:..........This is the downloaded video info from the 4k CAM:..............This is the downloaded video info from the Rear CAM:


ISSUES: Only thing I can report is if you are connected to the CAM via WiFi, you cannot, to my knowledge, connect to any other WiFi device. While connected, my phone (Samsung S20+) functioned like normal, receiving calls, was able to text and browse the Internet, of course through my cell service network. No other problems/issues so far.

NOTES: Before FITCAMX would complete my order through Amazon, I got this message from them, assuming they do this too if you order direct from them:



COMMENTS: When I was looking for a DashCAM I looked at several from friends/family. I did not like how their cables had to hang/run down to find power. Also, not a fan of the suction cup mounted ones and the ones that strap to your rear view mirror just seemed cheap. In my past I have had a radar detector stolen, the window replacement ended up costing more than the detector. I have also had a GPS stolen so I really liked the idea how retro this DashCAM was. I checked out Toyota's Dashcam but it would not work on our year model of vehicle, according to what Toyota told me. The plastic shell on this FITCAMX looks great, has the same grade/quality (thickness) as the one I took off from Toyota. The color and texture matches perfectly. I truly looks like it came from Toyota. At first I did not like the idea of having to connect my phone to the CAM to view Live feed but other than the extra step in connection, it is pretty much the same as if you had a screen on your CAM, IMO. The downloading of the videos does take much longer (2x) as long as on the 2k version.

CONCLUSION: If you are looking for an Integrated Retrofit CAM and there is not a manufacturer's option, I would highly consider looking at the FITCAMX. The price is about the same as if you were to buy one from the vehicle manufacturer even though it is much higher priced than the non-fixed portable ones out there. Installation is a breeze, only issue I had is trying to

Please check back to this post as I will be updating it with more info

 

[David L]

2K Version:


Screen Capture from my S20+ Phone:


The rattle you hear when crossing the railroad tracks is only due to not having the CAM fully installed:
View attachment 20221203130616_000669A_Short_Clip.mp4

 

[David L]

4K Version:

 

[David L]

Reserved

 

[TonyR]

OPERATION: This Dashcam starts recording to its Micro SD card once you turn on your vehicle and remains recording till you turn off your vehicle.

Is there an option to record while parked to keep an eye out for poor drivers in the parking lot, etc. ?
Thanks for the great write-up, BTW.

 

[David L]

Is there an option to record while parked to keep an eye out for poor drivers in the parking lot, etc. ?
Thanks for the great write-up, BTW.

Yes, you can buy a cable to directly connect to power, I believe it gets power from your fuse panel or wiring harness. I have not done much research on it yet since I am new to this CAM but I will probably most definitely be installing one in the future. Just hope there is a safety to not drain your battery.

Here is an example:

https://www.amazon.com/Fitcamx-Parking-Compatible-Hardwire-Accessories/dp/B09V29XNZS

 

[David L]

FYI, one thing I found is it is best to do a Search for your model of vehicle by name in their Search Bar on their site, when I went to Toyota their description did not have the Highlander listed but when I went to the Add to Cart section...Also one more thing, i will include this in the first post, when I ordered it from Amazon, assume directly from them also, they reached out to me and requested pictures of my shell prior to them completing the order. I guess they do this to lower their returns since they look like they are out of China...



Here is the message I recieved from FITCAMX:


This is the picture I sent them:


First order (2k CAM) came quick from Amazon, second order (4k CAM) took much longer, assuming it had to ship from China.

 

[TonyR]

Yes, you can buy a cable to directly connect to power, I believe it gets power from your fuse panel or wiring harness. I have not done much research on it yet since I am new to this CAM but I will probably most definitely be installing one in the future. Just hope there is a safety to not drain your battery.

Here is an example:

Good to know.
But FWIW, I can't imagine a dashcam draining a healthy battery even overnight.

 

[David L]

Good to know.
But FWIW, I can't imagine a dashcam draining a healthy battery even overnight.

True, but being Semi-Retired, we do not use our vehicles daily. The wife has a 2017 Taurus that sits in our garage, ran weekly, she takes my Highlander most of the time, she really likes it...I wanted to get another truck but this SUV was a good replacement for our aging 2008 Jeep. We bought the Highlander Used (2 years old) with only 13k mileage, came with a 7 year warranty plus it was Certified for the first year and it is a Limited Platinum (AWD), the new Highlanders only had a 5 year warranty. This thing even has a heat steering wheel, which I hit by mistake once , Front Heat/Cooling Seats, Back are only Heated, way too many options to list. The lane assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot sensors, 4 cameras all away around with bird eye view, etc. This Highlander really has came in handy for us Old people

This is a similar Highlander, Same Blizzard Pearl color and same interior as ours:


What I would really like to see/incorporate, is a way the DashCAM would show how fast I was going, maybe the vehicles that come with DashCAMs has this option, don't know, but it sure would be a helpful addition...as long as you weren't speeding

 

[TonyR]

This thing even has a heat steering wheel, which I hit by mistake once , Front Heat/Cooling Seats, Back are only Heated, way too many options to list. The lane assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot sensors,

Sounds like my wife's 2020 Ford Fusion Platinum, the last year of the Fusion.... even has rain-sensing wipers.

 

[David L]

Sounds like my wife's 2020 Ford Fusion Platinum, the last year of the Fusion.... even has rain-sensing wipers.

Haha, this one too. This was another thing I thought was wrong with it when the wipers came on by themselves...

 

[David L]

Have to share a Dashcam story since we are in the Dashcam Forum.

My nephew was on the freeway and got sideswiped by some guy, the guy took off so he tried to chase him down but lost him. He pulled into a Police station and reported the incident, gave the the vehicle info. The Police called ahead and sure enough they were able to pull the guy over. When they asked the guy if he hit anyone, he said no. The Police saw that he had a dashcam and made him show them the footage and they were able to see that he did hit my nephew.

 

[David L]

Confirmed known issue; If you are connected to your DashCAM via your Phone's WiFi viewing Live footage and you get a phone call while your Phone is connected via Bluetooth to your vehicle's Infotainment System, you will experience interference. This has happened with my Samsung S20+ Phone.

I read about this happening on a few other website reviews, I did verify that the recorded video is not affected, so for me this is not a Deal Breaker.

Here are a few examples (Phone screenshots while in FITCAMx App.):

 

[Virga]

I came across the Fitcamx in this forum, and having gotten into ipcams, a dash cam in my vehicle seemed a good idea. I ordered a Fitcamx and had it installed.
After my experience, I would not recommend Fitcamx. There are better options out there.

Pros:
The housing makes for a nice OEM-looking install.

Cons:

• The Fitcamx knocked out the GPS in my vehicle.
• The image from the Fitcamx in my vehicle turned out to be poor, and the license plate of a vehicle in front is barely discernible. In part this is because the cam picks up a mirror-like image of the interior of the vehicle from the windshield. The design of the housing is such that the camera lens is fixed and there is no angle adjustability to reduce the impact of the mirror effect.

It took me some time to connect the dots between the Fitcamx install and the GPS going out in my vehicle. With power disconnected to the Fitcamx, the GPS was back to working normally.

Since Fitcamx has you input the specifics of your vehicle to match the right model of their cam, it would have been preferable if they had done their homework and identified that in certain vehicles the GPS antenna is housed where the Fitcamx goes. The power cable to the Fitcamx and/or electronic interference from the Fitcamx, disrupt the GPS.

At first, I thought it may be something to do with how my Fitcamx was installed. Recently I was looking at radar detectors and discovered that there is a forum for that too, as is there for dash cams. Since radar detectors go in approximately the same area of a vehicle as a dash cam (unless a custom install), there was much discussion about how to mount both a dash cam and a radar detector.
I discovered that many others had the same problem with their GPS after installing a Fitcamx. Also discovered many other dash cams that seem to be well regarded and play well with the electronics in the vehicle.
Apparently the Fitcamx uses a Novatek chip set that is described by some as “noisy.”
I decided to get rid of the Fitcamx.

 

[David L]

I came across the Fitcamx in this forum, and having gotten into ipcams, a dash cam in my vehicle seemed a good idea. I ordered a Fitcamx and had it installed.
After my experience, I would not recommend Fitcamx. There are better options out there.

Pros:
The housing makes for a nice OEM-looking install.

Cons:

• The Fitcamx knocked out the GPS in my vehicle.
• The image from the Fitcamx in my vehicle turned out to be poor, and the license plate of a vehicle in front is barely discernible. In part this is because the cam picks up a mirror-like image of the interior of the vehicle from the windshield. The design of the housing is such that the camera lens is fixed and there is no angle adjustability to reduce the impact of the mirror effect.

It took me some time to connect the dots between the Fitcamx install and the GPS going out in my vehicle. With power disconnected to the Fitcamx, the GPS was back to working normally.

Since Fitcamx has you input the specifics of your vehicle to match the right model of their cam, it would have been preferable if they had done their homework and identified that in certain vehicles the GPS antenna is housed where the Fitcamx goes. The power cable to the Fitcamx and/or electronic interference from the Fitcamx, disrupt the GPS.

At first, I thought it may be something to do with how my Fitcamx was installed. Recently I was looking at radar detectors and discovered that there is a forum for that too, as is there for dash cams. Since radar detectors go in approximately the same area of a vehicle as a dash cam (unless a custom install), there was much discussion about how to mount both a dash cam and a radar detector.
I discovered that many others had the same problem with their GPS after installing a Fitcamx. Also discovered many other dash cams that seem to be well regarded and play well with the electronics in the vehicle.
Apparently the Fitcamx uses a Novatek chip set that is described by some as “noisy.”
I decided to get rid of the Fitcamx.

Thanks for your post. I still like the FitCamX in our 2019 Highlander. I have not experienced any mirroring from the windshield. Maybe has to do with the angle of a windshield, don't know. The video is very crisp and detailed. I actually bought two Cams for the Highlander. First the 2K but after I saw they had a 4K with a Back Cam I returned the 2K. I was able to try both. The 4K is nice but what I found is downloading the videos take way too long so even though I have the 4K, I record in 2K now. But the 4K version has no problem capturing license plates. The 2K will but you have to be pretty close...

The Highlander has it's own Maps. We have not experienced any problems, GPS works find. Not sure where the GPS antenna is but I will say I had a very hard time getting all the cables tucked in since I use the back Cam that came with the FitCamX for a cabin camera which give a decent picture @ 1080p in the cab, only problem is of course at night since there is no light in the interior cab.

I agree with your Pros:
My biggest Con is I do not have continuous power to the Cam, I never bought/installed the wiring. So what happens is if I do not connect to the Cam via phone through their App, the video dates/times are wrong which make it hard to find/download any videos. My phone auto connects via WiFi but that is not enough to stamp date/time to the videos. So the pain is remembering to connect to the Cam via their App. Once you initially connect you can disconnect and the videos after that will have the right date/time. The cables they sell connect to the fuse box/wiring harness which I assume would fix this.

Second Con, which I mention before, is if you get a call and are watching the view feed from the Cam, you will get pixilation, I had this happen on both FitCams. It only messes with the video feed, not the recording videos...

Been looking to install a FitCamX for my 2025 RAM 1500 now that they are available. My concern is I connect my phone to uConnect via WiFi for Android Auto. I am hoping that I can just connect my phone via USB cable and not WiFi. I have not played with this yet.

I see there is a polarized lens for the Cam:

https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Glare-Circular-Polarizing-CPL-3345-FITCAMX/dp/B0CR9WSXZH/