Action Cam Transformed Into Dashcam

Everett Bradford found a cheap GoPro clone 4K action camera on eBay for $20. While it’s resolution was “clearly a blatant lie,” he notes that it’s actually a “pretty capable device for the price,” and went to work converting it into a dashcam for his car.

The first order of business was to construct a magnetic mirror mount for the camera, which he made in ABS, using a 3D printer and 3D pen. He also needed the camera to start recording every time the car is powered up — and presumably driving — in order to avoid having to remember to activate and deactivate it over and over.

For this task, he turned to a tiny PIC10F322 on a breakout board, which he was able to squeeze into the space next the recording switch PCB on inside the camera. When power is applied via USB, the chip switches the input to start recording via the top button, hacked with an extra input wire.

Once external power is removed, it stops the recording via the same button after a short delay, then turns the camera off via an also-hacked power button on the front of the camera. The modifications don’t interfere with normal button operation, so if he wants to power it up or start/stop recording manually, this functionality is still available.