4G or Cloud dashcams are dashcams where you can log in and watch your dashcam remotely via the 4G network. Cloud dashcams are ideal for fleet management solutions but also to secure your car as an individual. In most cases, Cloud dashcams send alerts to your phone via 4G when an incident occurs, such as impacts while parking. Also, the GPS in the dashcam allows you to track your car live via Cloud.
More and more people use a dashcam to secure their car when it is parked, for example. They then like to be able to watch remotely to keep an eye on it or even receive notifications when someone has been in or around the car. To communicate remotely with your dashcam, you will need to have a dashcam with Cloud function. Such a dashcam is continuously connected to a remote ‘Cloud’ server, allowing you to access your dashcam from anywhere in the world.
To use the Cloud service on a Cloud dashcam, you will need an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot in most cases. This is because the Cloud dashcam needs to be connected to the 4G internet to store images. With some Cloud dashcam, we offer a SIM LTE adapter to create an in-car Wifi hotspot. With other Cloud dashcams, it is possible to insert a SIM card directly into the dashcam.
The Cloud function works differently to Wifi dashcams. With Wifi, the dashcam itself sends out a Wifi signal that you can log into via your phone. The problem with Wifi is that the range of the Wifi signal is only limited, just like in your home, for example. As a result, you usually have to be within 10 metres of the dashcam to connect to it.
Cloud interface
Dashcams with Cloud functionality often have their own dedicated app and PC viewer. BlackVue, for example, has their own BlackVue ‘Over the Cloud ’ that you can use with an App or via desktop. G-Net uses the new WithCloud system. These Apps and programmes make it very easy to interact with your dashcam. For example, you can view and/or download images or change settings remotely. You can also receive notifications via the App when something has happened in or around the car. Sometimes it is also possible to talk to the driver via the dashcam. The latter can be useful for transport companies who want to communicate with their driver.
Connecting dashcam to Cloud
There are two types of Cloud dashcams, each connecting to the Cloud in a different way: Via a Wifi Hotspot in the car or via a SIM card in the camera. In the first (and most common) case, the dashcam needs to be connected to the internet using a Wifi Hotspot. By no means all cars have this capability, which is why we offer a SIM Wifi adapter with each dashcam to easily create a Wifi hotspot.
Some dashcams have the option to insert a SIM card. In that case, a Wifi hotspot is no longer needed, as the dashcam is directly connected to the internet (just like a mobile phone). In both cases, however, you will need a SIM card with mobile data subscription.
Viewing videos in the Cloud
FullHD or 4K video files are often very large, sometimes up to hundreds of MBs. It is virtually impossible (and unaffordable) to send all these files via your mobile data to the Cloud and store them there. Most SIM data subscriptions, for example, only go up to 20GB and even ‘unlimited’ subscriptions eventually have a usage limit. The storage method therefore works slightly differently from the MicroSD card. The dashcam actually sends a small and compressed video of each video (often in VGA resolution) to the Cloud. This does not show many details but it is just enough to recognise a situation. You can then download the original video directly to your computer or phone via the App or PC.
Cloud storage and Live view
The videos are stored as compressed files in the Cloud. With BlackVue, you get 5GB of Cloud storage as standard, so this is good for around 18 hours of videos. After this, the oldest files are automatically deleted for newer files. In addition to storing images, it is also possible to watch Live along with the dashcam. The table below gives an insight into the data consumption required for this.
Costs Cloud dashcam
Besides the fact that dashcams with Cloud option themselves are usually not cheap, the (unlimited) use of the Cloud service also comes at a price. With BlackVue, the free plan lets you watch up to 10 minutes a day live and perform up to 100 views or downloads per month. Besides these costs, you will of course need a Wifi hotspot or SIM card with hefty data plan. The video files are often very large so you will consume a good number of GBs per month.
