On 30/05/2018 23:40, F wrote:
I'm about to install a Next Base 312GW dashcam in Management's car and
am not sure on whether I should connect it to a permanently-on source or
one which is live only when the ignition is turned on.

Dunno about that model but mine comes with an accelerometer which means
that it takes a 10s burst if anything nudges the car. Mine is on the
cigarette lighter and although it would stay live I unplug when not in
use. I prefer not to add the base load on the battery unnecessarily.

The car is parked on the drive overnight, so it would be useful to have
a recording of anyone messing with it, and the local supermarket seems
to collect drivers who think they're auditioning for some kind of
demolition derby.

If I was to wire it permanently-on, what would the downsides, other than
an eventually flat battery, be?

Your fault if the wiring you have added ever goes wrong.

I should add that it does have a 'parking mode' that responds to
movement, but that needs to be set manually each time the car is parked,
something I'm not sure might happen...

Are you sure about that?

Mine has a sticky setting that allows it to take 10-30s snatches if
there are high g forces or undue vibration even when it is notionally
off. The instructions are invariably in Chinglish and make no sense at
all so you have to explore the menus to find out what is possible.

One thing I would advise after an incident yesterday with a deer forcing
a hard emergency stop is too make sure you clamp the camera *very*
firmly as otherwise you will get a picture of the sky when you have to
brake really hard rather than of the road ahead.

I missed the deer by inches and was hoping for good footage but once I
began to brake the camera shows the tip of its ears and a lot of sky.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown