Problem positioning a dash cam

I had a little Cobra CDR 840 Dash cam which worked pretty well but now seems to have developed problems so I purchased a Rexing V1, which is highly rated and was available for a great price on Amazon Prime Day.

This camera doesn't come with suction cup holder - only velcro stick-ons pads. Since I want to have the versatility of using it rental cars when I am traveling, I purchased a separate holder for it, which also gives more ability to swivel up and down.

This is my problem. The Prius, as you know, has a very sloped windshield. It also has those dots at the top of the windshield in the center, which prevents a suction cup from being mounted there. So the best place I have found to mount it is just below the dots close to the mirror. However, although the screen is nice and big (much larger than my Cobra screen), when mounted, it's angled in such as way that I can't see the picture on the screen. If I adjust the angle of the screen to make it more vertical (using the swivel on the holder) the picture is clear, but the picture points down towards the dashboard. Even though camera lens can be adjusted up and down too, it doesn't turn far enough up to clear the dashboard. I've tried every which way, and even jerry-rigged the suction-cup mount to use the swivel from my Cobra mount - but nothing works. I either can't get a clear picture on the screen (it goes dark) or I see too much of the dash. With the Cobra, I don't have a problem seeing the screen regardless of what angle it's at.

I'm posting this here because I'm considering returning this Rexing but I am having difficulty finding a replacement. I don't want to spend a whole lot of money, around $100. Does anybody have any suggestions?

 

Thank you both for your replies. I bought the Rexing mount designed specifically for the Rexing dash cam. Other mounts will not be compatible. I don't know why the picture is dark when the screen is tilted back. I can tilt the camera screen using the swivel arm on the mount (I wouldn't be able to do this at all if I used the Velcro tape) but when I get it to where the picture is clear, the camera lens points down towards the dash and I can't adjust it enough to point directly forward. It's hard to explain and I'll post pictures tomorrow.

 

I guess my question is do other people have this problem viewing the screen on the dash cam? As I said before, I don't have the same problem with the little Cobra screen - the picture is the same whether I'm looking at it at an angle or straight on. Neither do I have a problem viewing my Garmin or cell phone.

 

The reason I want a dash cam is not only to have evidence in case of a problem but to also capture video of scenic drive, etc. Maybe it's not absolutely necessary to be able to see the screen clearly after it's set up, but what's the point of having a big screen if you can't see it? I don't stare at the screen while driving but like to occasionally glance up to see that it's angled to get the best view. Thanks for your reply about having the same problem with your previous car. I was wondering about that.

I think I need to look for one similar to my old Cobra 840, which has a very small screen but is viewable from any angle, takes up less spaces, can be rotated in any direction, and has GPS logging. The newer Cobras look similar to the Rexing, though I don't know whether they have the same problem.

 

The first picture shows the default position (back parallel to the windshield). The second picture shows it adjusted vertically to get a clear picture. The bottom 40% just shows the dash. I found the number for Rexing and will give them a call tomorrow to see if they have anything to say.

I also took a look at some other dash cams in Best Buy today. None of them had this weird configuration where the lens is at a different angle to the screen and they all came with swivel suction-cup mounts and were less bulky. The sales guy recommended the Eye 1 Pro - it's $150, which is more than what I wanted to spend, but has GPS tracking. Is anybody here familiar with that?

 

LOL! I found a review of the Rexing on Amazon with the same complaint that I have about not being able to see the screen. Rexing responded as follows: Hello,

We appreciate your feedback. It is designed to discourage you from looking at it while driving. The idea is that you will be parked so you can take the unit off of the mount to change any settings or view playback. If you ever need any assistance please contact [email protected].

So why have such a big screen?

 

I do not need to constantly view the screen but I like to be able to when I want, such as if I'm driving through a scenic area or catch a beautiful sunset. I got a dash cam that I can view. Don't remember the brand right now. It works the way I want it to.