Porsche Dashcam Experience - My Personal Review after ~2 weeks.

[Great_Cookie]

TLDR: In my experience, the Porsche Dashcam is expensive due to ‘ Porsche Tax’ but at same time it just works and should be a good option for those wanting to go down the ‘Original’ route (for whatever reason)

Honestly, I was pretty worried/apprehensive given all the nay-saying about the Porsche Dashcam and how people were having lots of issues with it. So I was pretty relieved after picking my vehicle up (almost 2 weeks ago) that it’s actually not as bad as all the information put out there.

The following are purely my thoughts/opinions based on my experience:


1. The Porsche Dashcam is absolutely overpriced (read: typical ‘Porsche’ tax) for the technical specs/functions/form-factor. Read in another forum that it’s just a rebranded Audi Dashcam (but that kinda makes sense as well given that prewired connector is also from VAG) but if it works I guess, why change? In a ‘perfect world’ the Dashcam would be designed by ‘Porsche Design’ befitting the marque (and then cost at least double the current price )

2. Quality of recordings to be fair is actually pretty good (to my eyes) - I run Iroad X11s in my other vehicles and the Porsche images are just as good (to my eye). Was especially concerned as my front tint is a 35% VLT and rear darker at 19% VLT. And whilst at night it’s pretty clear that rear camera quality doesn’t match the front - it’s still not horrible. Maybe the forums just scared my expectations into non-existence

3. For me (and most people?), I just leave the Dashcam to ‘do its thing’ 99% of the time. If I want to casually view a clip, I’ll just connect to the Dashcam via wifi using the App/Phone. any thing more than a couple of clips, it’s just easier to take the micro SD card out and load it to a PC/Mac instead.

AGAIN (as others have mentioned) if you’re planning to use the Dashcam App, please remember to disconnect/turn CarPlay OFF prior to connecting to Dashcam as it also uses phone’s wifi) otherwise you’ll end up tearing your hair out as the phone keeps establishing a CarPlay connection, which will then repeatedly drop your Dashcam connection (read: super frustrating).

ALSO note that annoying, both FRONT AND REAR video clips are save on the same File as a SINGLE video (with only single micro SD in the front Camera). To view the rear camera, you either have to use the App, OR if exporting to PC, use a freeware viewer (VLC media player) to view the separate video track.

4. If you ‘want’ (for whatever reason) to go Original Dashcam route, definitely get the pre-wiring as I believe this is the only way you can get the rear camera (happy to be proven otherwise though). Extra fuse/circuit is also a minor plus too!

5. I have the acoustic glass package and happy to report (in my instance at least) - that even with that PLUS the tint (mentioned above) - GPS signal seems fine AND parking radar also seems to trigger.

All-in-all, I have no doubts that there are more ‘cost effective’/‘better performing’/‘better looking’ options out there - but for a ‘no fuss’ (just pay the dealer and go back to them if any warranty issues), integrated approach - don’t rule this out totally.

Image grab from front cam at night as example (full GPS Coordinates blanked out)

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[Petzi]

thank you for this helpfull info. there is one thing i would like to know: what if you want to record something intentionally? is this even possible? do you have to disconnect carplay first, connect the phone and start recording? is there any connection to the pcm? thank you

 

[ColdCase]

TLDR: In my experience, the Porsche Dashcam is expensive due to ‘ Porsche Tax’ but at same time it just works and should be a good option for those wanting to go down the ‘Original’ route (for whatever reason)

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4. If you ‘want’ (for whatever reason) to go Original Dashcam route, definitely get the pre-wiring as I believe this is the only way you can get the rear camera (happy to be proven otherwise though). Extra fuse/circuit is also a minor plus too!

...

My dealer said they will not install the rear cam in a Macan EV without the prewire. They would install the front camera. The only thing the prewire gets you is the video cable. An independent shop or DIYer would have to run a compatible video cable front/rear to get to the same starting point.

I know of a couple friends that somehow use a second phone or iPad to view the video. The primary phone continues to be used for wireless carplay.

 

[alxman]

My dealer said they will not install the rear cam in a Macan EV without the prewire. They would install the front camera. The only thing the prewire gets you is the video cable. An independent shop or DIYer would have to run a compatible video cable front/rear to get to the same starting point.

I know of a couple friends that somehow use a second phone or iPad to view the video. The primary phone continues to be used for wireless carplay.

Pairing the iPhone with the car and an iPad with the camera, genius! Great tip!

 

[Petzi]

i found this:

 

[justan]

TLDR: In my experience, the Porsche Dashcam is expensive due to ‘ Porsche Tax’ but at same time it just works and should be a good option for those wanting to go down the ‘Original’ route (for whatever reason)

Honestly, I was pretty worried/apprehensive given all the nay-saying about the Porsche Dashcam and how people were having lots of issues with it. So I was pretty relieved after picking my vehicle up (almost 2 weeks ago) that it’s actually not as bad as all the information put out there.

The following are purely my thoughts/opinions based on my experience:


1. The Porsche Dashcam is absolutely overpriced (read: typical ‘Porsche’ tax) for the technical specs/functions/form-factor. Read in another forum that it’s just a rebranded Audi Dashcam (but that kinda makes sense as well given that prewired connector is also from VAG) but if it works I guess, why change? In a ‘perfect world’ the Dashcam would be designed by ‘Porsche Design’ befitting the marque (and then cost at least double the current price )

2. Quality of recordings to be fair is actually pretty good (to my eyes) - I run Iroad X11s in my other vehicles and the Porsche images are just as good (to my eye). Was especially concerned as my front tint is a 35% VLT and rear darker at 19% VLT. And whilst at night it’s pretty clear that rear camera quality doesn’t match the front - it’s still not horrible. Maybe the forums just scared my expectations into non-existence

3. For me (and most people?), I just leave the Dashcam to ‘do its thing’ 99% of the time. If I want to casually view a clip, I’ll just connect to the Dashcam via wifi using the App/Phone. any thing more than a couple of clips, it’s just easier to take the micro SD card out and load it to a PC/Mac instead.

AGAIN (as others have mentioned) if you’re planning to use the Dashcam App, please remember to disconnect/turn CarPlay OFF prior to connecting to Dashcam as it also uses phone’s wifi) otherwise you’ll end up tearing your hair out as the phone keeps establishing a CarPlay connection, which will then repeatedly drop your Dashcam connection (read: super frustrating).

ALSO note that annoying, both FRONT AND REAR video clips are save on the same File as a SINGLE video (with only single micro SD in the front Camera). To view the rear camera, you either have to use the App, OR if exporting to PC, use a freeware viewer (VLC media player) to view the separate video track.

4. If you ‘want’ (for whatever reason) to go Original Dashcam route, definitely get the pre-wiring as I believe this is the only way you can get the rear camera (happy to be proven otherwise though). Extra fuse/circuit is also a minor plus too!

5. I have the acoustic glass package and happy to report (in my instance at least) - that even with that PLUS the tint (mentioned above) - GPS signal seems fine AND parking radar also seems to trigger.

All-in-all, I have no doubts that there are more ‘cost effective’/‘better performing’/‘better looking’ options out there - but for a ‘no fuss’ (just pay the dealer and go back to them if any warranty issues), integrated approach - don’t rule this out totally.

Image grab from front cam at night as example (full GPS Coordinates blanked out)

Hello

Does parking mode work?

In my case it is not available.
In the application it does not appear

 

[RunningOnSolar]

@Great_Cookie: Thanks for the thorough review! Very helpful.
I have the prewire, but have held off hoping Porsche will go 4K. The usual test is whether you can get a number off the license plate at a sufficient distance and behavior in low lighting conditions. I can’t read any plates in your example, but it is probably compressed. Any thoughts on this? Thanks!

 

[Great_Cookie]

Unfortunately no specific button to trigger a manual event. For recording options, there are various drive recording modes options (whilst vehicle is on) for the Dashcam to either continuously record, only record when ‘shocked’ (ie only record when vibration is sensed - this also categorises the event in a separate “Events” folder) or continuously record + shocked. I suspect most would just leave this to ‘continuous recording + shocked’.

Clips (for continuous recording) are save
in one-minute interval files. Should there be an event of interest, I’d more likely just take note of the time.


From the manual on recording modes:

thank you for this helpfull info. there is one thing i would like to know: what if you want to record something intentionally? is this even possible? do you have to disconnect carplay first, connect the phone and start recording? is there any connection to the pcm? thank you

 

[Great_Cookie]

Yes - that’s what I heard as well (in terms of the rear camera). Also note though (as I’ve read), the prewiring option does also get you an extra circuit and fuse location - so not just the video wiring.

So again IF people are thinking they’d like to go down the ‘Porsche Dashcam’ route, I’d definitely suggest they also consider getting the prewiring option (QK3) when speccing their vehicle as missing out on the rear camera is a pretty big thing (imo).

My dealer said they will not install the rear cam in a Macan EV without the prewire. They would install the front camera. The only thing the prewire gets you is the video cable. An independent shop or DIYer would have to run a compatible video cable front/rear to get to the same starting point.

I know of a couple friends that somehow use a second phone or iPad to view the video. The primary phone continues to be used for wireless carplay.

 

[Great_Cookie]

Hi @justan,

Yes, as per my original post, in my case, parking mode (with radar) seems to work just fine. Was pretty happy with camera picking up clips of people walking back to their vehicle (parked just behind mine).

Perhaps send your car back to dealer to configure? I remember seeing a post somewhere (forgot which forum) stating that the workshop also has an option to configure (in their workshop ‘App’) whether Parking mode should be enabled or not when installing the Dashcam. Only if they enable that option, then we can see/configure it in our App.

Hello

Does parking mode work?

In my case it is not available.
In the application it does not appear

 

[Great_Cookie]

Thanks for your kind words @RunningOnSolar. Honestly, like most forums, we mainly hear the polarised views (mainly with a negative slant) - I had read so many negative reviews on the Porsche Dashcam that my expectations were pretty darn low (to the point where I had wondered if I had wasted the money doing the prewiring).

Was in the same camp as you - had really hoped that a revised Dashcam (read: better spec’d) would be released in time for vehicle delivery, but alas, wasn’t meant to be.

Agree on the testing methodology - usually night time recording of Numberplates is my ‘standard’. The Dashcam honestly is a mixed bag at night at reading Numberplates (with the rear faring worse) - In my instance, also a combination of my front and rear tinting (35% and 19% VLT respectively with acoustic glass fitted to vehicle (which may/may not impact).

I also note that this may not be necessarily a fault specific to the Porsche Dashcam; My other Iroad X11’s also struggle at night depending on conditions. Not making excuses for the Porsche Dashcam, but simply that there’s always a limitation of how much light can be passed through a lens of that size. OT - For those into photography, my 85mm f1.2 lens is a sheer work of art, fast and can capture detail like no other - but I wouldn’t want to stick that lens on my windscreen

Whilst not the ‘gold standard’, screenshot of daytime numberplate recognition whilst travelling at a decent speed (90km/hr, 56mph). Again - for what I need it for, seems ‘fine’ to me.

@Great_Cookie: Thanks for the thorough review! Very helpful.
I have the prewire, but have held off hoping Porsche will go 4K. The usual test is whether you can get a number off the license plate at a sufficient distance and behavior in low lighting conditions. I can’t read any plates in your example, but it is probably compressed. Any thoughts on this? Thanks!

 

[alxman]

For those still configuring their car and on the fence, prewiring for a dash camera should strongly be considered if even thinking of installing any camera in the future. It is only $140 and it will make the process so much easier!

 

[Great_Cookie]

Actually, thinking about this a little more - the ideal situation would be that Dashcam connects to PCM directly via wifi (nothing new for those that do), BUT given that PCM is now on a new OS (Android Auto), Porsche should develop an app/allow us to download the Porsche Dashcam app to PCM directly so that we can run the app and configure everything in-car but more importantly, let us view recordings using the vehicle’s display.

Surely not a huge ‘leap’ to make this a more seamless implementation. Maybe even the current Android App can be used as-is?

Pairing the iPhone with the car and an iPad with the camera, genius! Great tip!

 

[Mavshyn]

Hey, thanks very much for review. I'm in the same thinking of if I want to take porsche dashcam. having your review in our part of the world convince me to just install it even though it is much more expensive then the typical aftermarket options.

I would also like to ask you some other questions, is it fine to PM you?

TLDR: In my experience, the Porsche Dashcam is expensive due to ‘ Porsche Tax’ but at same time it just works and should be a good option for those wanting to go down the ‘Original’ route (for whatever reason)

Honestly, I was pretty worried/apprehensive given all the nay-saying about the Porsche Dashcam and how people were having lots of issues with it. So I was pretty relieved after picking my vehicle up (almost 2 weeks ago) that it’s actually not as bad as all the information put out there.

The following are purely my thoughts/opinions based on my experience:


1. The Porsche Dashcam is absolutely overpriced (read: typical ‘Porsche’ tax) for the technical specs/functions/form-factor. Read in another forum that it’s just a rebranded Audi Dashcam (but that kinda makes sense as well given that prewired connector is also from VAG) but if it works I guess, why change? In a ‘perfect world’ the Dashcam would be designed by ‘Porsche Design’ befitting the marque (and then cost at least double the current price )

2. Quality of recordings to be fair is actually pretty good (to my eyes) - I run Iroad X11s in my other vehicles and the Porsche images are just as good (to my eye). Was especially concerned as my front tint is a 35% VLT and rear darker at 19% VLT. And whilst at night it’s pretty clear that rear camera quality doesn’t match the front - it’s still not horrible. Maybe the forums just scared my expectations into non-existence

3. For me (and most people?), I just leave the Dashcam to ‘do its thing’ 99% of the time. If I want to casually view a clip, I’ll just connect to the Dashcam via wifi using the App/Phone. any thing more than a couple of clips, it’s just easier to take the micro SD card out and load it to a PC/Mac instead.

AGAIN (as others have mentioned) if you’re planning to use the Dashcam App, please remember to disconnect/turn CarPlay OFF prior to connecting to Dashcam as it also uses phone’s wifi) otherwise you’ll end up tearing your hair out as the phone keeps establishing a CarPlay connection, which will then repeatedly drop your Dashcam connection (read: super frustrating).

ALSO note that annoying, both FRONT AND REAR video clips are save on the same File as a SINGLE video (with only single micro SD in the front Camera). To view the rear camera, you either have to use the App, OR if exporting to PC, use a freeware viewer (VLC media player) to view the separate video track.

4. If you ‘want’ (for whatever reason) to go Original Dashcam route, definitely get the pre-wiring as I believe this is the only way you can get the rear camera (happy to be proven otherwise though). Extra fuse/circuit is also a minor plus too!

5. I have the acoustic glass package and happy to report (in my instance at least) - that even with that PLUS the tint (mentioned above) - GPS signal seems fine AND parking radar also seems to trigger.

All-in-all, I have no doubts that there are more ‘cost effective’/‘better performing’/‘better looking’ options out there - but for a ‘no fuss’ (just pay the dealer and go back to them if any warranty issues), integrated approach - don’t rule this out totally.

Image grab from front cam at night as example (full GPS Coordinates blanked out)

 

[Petzi]

I would also like to ask you some other questions, is it fine to PM you?
[/QUOTE]
zero information for all of us?

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