It doesnt run directly the battery itself. but you run the Magic pro to the fuse box under the steering wheel and you get power from connecting the wires to the fuses. All instructions are included and you can easily hide all the wires by running them from center console box, under the drivers seat , along the side rail to the fuse box.

 

I am also interested if anyone has hard wired to the battery ......... just hate to see the wires hanging everywhere..

 

I was looking for a dash cam as well. Not necessarily for spying but security. This one just came out and can detect sudden increases in g-forces to capture accidents. But i don't believe it will record continually (say a traffic stop) which is one of the features i wanted.

Garmin Dash Cam 20 review - CNET

 

Majority of the dash cams charge off a 5v 500mA micro USB connector. I don't have any pics but I finally wired mine up, its fairly simple. Main component you'll need is 5v microusb converter.. these are fairly cheap on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Car-Charger-DC-Converter-Module-12V-To-5V-3A-15W-with-Micro-USB-Cable-LS4G-/400715965894?pt=US_Power_Inverters_&hash=item5d4c8865c6
I only had to remove my shift **** and cover to tap into the 12v outlet port, and ran the usb outlet to behind the dash near the floor. Run a USB extension under the carpet and up along the the trim, down to your mirror and to your camera.

On the topic of dash cams, there are also many popular budget models that do the job quite well, but maybe just not to the OP's needs. [TMart] Genuine G1WH w/Novatek NT96650 Processor 1080p Dash Cam - $51.20 CAD - RedFlagDeals.com Forums