Product Information Archives - Page 3 of 3

Posted on July 14, 2021January 24, 2023 by Eric Rogers

Mini 0803: Coming Soon

Today we’ve been speaking to the Chinese company that manufacture the Mini 0801 about the next-generation of this hugely popular dashcam. To be named the Mini 0803, this new car camera is currently in the final stages of testing before it reaches mass-production.

Featuring an updated Amberalla A7L30 or A7L50 main chip and an AR0330 3MP image sensor we’re anticipating that the Mini 0803 will deliver ultra-clear video and with wide dynamic range (WDR), excellent image quality in all lighting conditions. With talk of including a lane departure warning system, which alerts you if you stray from your lane, this camera could include unique features that set it apart from the rest!

We’re hoping to get our hands on one as soon as possible so stay tuned for our first look reviews and sample video! You can view more information on the Mini 0803 camera on our product page.

Posted on July 14, 2021January 24, 2023 by Eric Rogers — Leave a comment

Monitor your kids behind the wheel

If you’re a parent, handing the keys to your precious car over to your 17 year old son or daughter can be a tough decision – especially if you love your car.. and your child!

We all know that statistically drivers under 25 are at a higher risk of being involved in a car accident. There are many reasons for this including lack of experience and attention, excessive speed, poorly maintained cars, night-time driving, and perhaps a false sense of confidence.

You obviously want your child to be safe and to reduce the likelihood of them being involved in an accident, whether this be a small bump in a car park or a serious high-speed crash. We’ve found that many parents are turning to car cameras as a way to help improve their children’s driving and reduce the risk of an accident.

Aside from saving on car insurance and providing irrefutable evidence in case of an accident, it has been proven that having a car camera actually makes you a more safety conscious and better driver – ideal for young drivers. Of course, if they do have an accident you’ll have video evidence of exactly what happened to help with the insurance claim. Young drivers are vulnerable so this evidence could prove vital in determining the party at fault in an accident.

It’s up to the parent on how they introduce the dash cam but many parents offer their car (or buy a car) providing they use a car camera which can be viewed at any time. As the parent, you can view the footage of their driving and even see their speed and location on a map, providing your camera comes equipped with GPS. You can also see the g-forces being applied so you can identify quick and dangerous moves on the road! Quite a powerful tool for a parent!

You could argue that this is all rather big brother but if you love your kids and want them to be safe, this is a very effective way to ensure they drive safely and reduce the risk of having an accident.

Posted on July 14, 2021January 24, 2023 by Eric Rogers — Leave a comment

10 tips for getting the best dash cam footage

Congratulations on owning a car camera! You’re now fully enjoying the benefits they bring and probably can’t live without it any more? Now you’ve got your camera, you need to make sure you’re getting the most out of it and record the best quality footage you can. We’ve put a simple list of 10 things you can do to improve the video quality and get the most out of owning a car camera.

1. Position the camera in the centre of the screen

It may sound obvious, but we’ve seen plenty of videos where the camera is mounted in the corner which tends to distort the footage making for a less clear picture, especially when driving at night. The camera should be positioned in the centre of the windscreen near the top, ideally behind the rear view mirror.

2. Reduce the amount of sky in the picture

Everyone loves the sky but, unless you’re trying to capture the next meteorite landing, you should limit the amount of sky you capture as you drive. The more sky you have the more sunlight you get which results in more glare, reducing the quality of the video. The camera will also try to compensate for the brightness of the sky, darkening the video, which can make the detail on other vehicles harder to make out. It doesn’t matter if you record more of the car dashboard – as long as you capture the road ahead.

3. Adjust g-sensor sensitivity settings

Many car cameras equipped with a g-sensor automatically lock a video clip if it detects an accident. Sometimes, the camera will lock a file by mistake when you go over a bump or take a sharp turn. You can usually tweak the sensitivity of the g-sensors to prevent your memory card filling up with locked files. Adjust to a setting which works well for you – some cars, particularly performance cars, require a less sensitive g-sensor.

4. Mute/unmute the audio

This is down to preference of whether you want to record sound. Personally, I prefer to mute the sound so I don’t record my dreadful singing or telephone calls on the video. The important thing is the video so sound is an added bonus.

5. Clean your windscreen

It’s vital that you keep your windscreen clean. Aside from being able to see where you’re driving, you’ll have clearer footage should you be involved in an accident. Try and clean the inside with window cleaner every month and make sure you keep your windscreen washer fluid topped up – especially in the Winter.

When driving in the rain or wet conditions make sure to use your wipers to not only see where you’re going (very important!) but to clear the windscreen for the camera. If you have muck or light drizzle on the windscreen the quality of the video footage will be significantly worse.

6. Adjust video quality and frame rate

All cameras provide the option to change the resolution (Full HD, HD, VGA etc.) and possibly the frame rate. Generally speaking, there is no real need for 60fps for a car camera and we recommend the highest resolution possible. When we get a new camera we always experiment with the different resolutions and frame rates to see which works best during the days and equally at night.

When it comes to night time driving, many cameras come equipped with a WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) mode. This mode improve the light for night time driving but does tend to add noise to the footage which can reduce the quality of day-time footage. Generally speaking, if you drive a lot at night then it’s worth using, otherwise, leave it off. Try the settings and see what works for you.

2. Reduce the amount of sky in the picture

Posted on July 14, 2021January 24, 2023 by Eric Rogers — Leave a comment

Does the GoPro make a good car camera?

The GoPro is arguably the best known action camera in the UK and has quickly established itself as one of the most popular on the market. With a range of different cameras and accessories available, it has become synonymous with extreme sports the world over and its high quality videos capture everything from skateboarding to scuba-diving.

So, if the GoPro is that good, does it also make a good car camera? We took our trusty GoPro Hero 3 for a road trip around the hills of Italy to find out!

Firstly, there’s no denying the quality of the video that the GoPro captures. We initially captured footage in full 1080p at 30 frames per second but eventually settled on 720p with an impressive 60 frames per second to give a smoother picture. Image quality was sharp and number plates were largely visible on the videos we took, which is important if you later rely on them as evidence.

Secondly, the GoPro app worked faultlessly and enabled us to position the camera each morning as we were removing it from our hire car overnight. It also offered easy access to the cameras settings and, thanks to the recent update, allowed us to view and manage recorded video files via our iPhone and iPad.

So, the GoPro records great video and is easy to manage. That means its a great car camera right? Unfortunately not. During our tests we identified some fundamental issues which limit the GoPro’s effectiveness as a dash cam.

Aside from the fact that when mounted on the suction cup mount it takes up a significant amount of space, the first issue that we encountered was battery life. While car cameras plug into your vehicles cigarette lighter and draw power whenever your ignition is turned on, the GoPro runs from an internal battery. In our tests, a full charge lasted around 1 hour 45 minutes which was suitable for most of our journeys, but did mean that the battery needed to be charged every evening. That was fine for the purposes of our test, but isn’t a long-term solution for anyone looking for the day-to-day protection of a car camera. It is possible to power the GoPro via a USB cable plugged into cars cigarette lighter but this requires the purchase of several additional accessories, which can be expensive.

The GoPro also breaks long videos up into manageable files of 17.35 minutes, seamlessly ending one video file and beginning the next. Dedicated car cameras use much smaller segments, usually just a few minutes in length, which help when your memory card is full and the camera employs ‘loop recording’ to overwrite old files that are no longer required. While the GoPro offers loop recording, the large video files don’t lend themselves to it as effectively as dash cams.

As well as this, the GoPro lacks some fundamental features that make car cameras as effective as they are. Most importantly, GPS, G-force sensors and a time/date stamp.

GPS allows a car camera to plot your precise location on a map and, using this information, can also measure your speed – a crucial factor in determining the events leading up to any incident and proving your innocence.

Internal G-force sensors enable car cameras to detect sudden and significant movement of your vehicle which could indicate an incident, such as a collision, sudden braking or evasive manoeuvring. Once it detects such activity, a car camera can protect the video file that was being recorded at that time, meaning that it can’t be recorded over accidentally, which guarantees your video evidence is kept safe.

Other more minor issues that we encountered included overheating (possibly due to the GoPros plastic casing amplifying the heat of the sun through the windscreen) and difficulty in managing the camera without the app as the LCD screen faces forwards. Also, with its wide, 170 degree lens, the GoPro has an impressive field-of-view, but the image suffers from distortion at the edge of the frame. This isn’t an issue if you’re filming extreme sports, but if the video from your car camera is to by relied on as evidence, you need to be confident that what’s recorded is clearly legible. As a comparison, the newly released BlackVue DR550 has a 137 degree lens, which seems to be a good compromise between capturing as much detail as possible and ensuring that it’s crystal clear across the entire picture.

So, in summary, while the GoPro is great for capturing a vast array of activities, it is unfortunately limited when being used as a car camera. Dash cams are purpose built to offer the ultimate peace-of-mind whenever you’re behind the wheel and to do this with the minimum amount of effort required on your part after installation. The GoPro may be sufficient for a one-off journey, but it’s not a long-term solution.

Posted on July 14, 2021January 24, 2023 by Eric Rogers — Leave a comment

New iPixi range of car cameras

We’re excited to announce that we’ve introduced two excellent new dash cams to our website from UK-based manufacturer, iPixi. We make sure we only add the best quality cameras to our site and their Winycam range offer some unique features that certainly made them stand out from many of the other’s we’ve looked at.

Firstly, we really like the rotating barrel design of the iPixi X100FHD. This is great for passenger carrying users, particularly taxi drivers, who can quickly switch the camera from recording the road ahead, to pointing inwards, recording passenger activity. With many taxi drivers reporting issues of rude, abusive and even violent passengers, we think the ability to quickly capture HD video evidence will offer some peace-of-mind.

While there are several dual lens cameras that perform a similar function, such as the RoadHawk RH-2 and the X-3000, this is a new and innovative solution to the problem. The image being recorded automatically flips as the lens is rotated, so the video remains the right way up. Clever eh?!

Secondly, the iPixi V200HD features a smart 3″ LCD touch screen which we think is great! Not only does it mean that you can view videos clearly, but it makes accessing the menus, and navigating the cameras various settings, a breeze. Also, as the camera features a small second camera that mounts in the rear window of your vehicle, we particularly like the picture-in-picture viewing option which lets you see what’s happening on the road in front and behind you at the same time. The rear camera also means that this camera acts as a reversing aid too!

We hope you like these cameras as much as we do and if you have any questions about them please contact us here

Posted on July 14, 2021January 24, 2023 by Eric Rogers — Leave a comment

Our New Range of Bike Cameras

After receiving many requests for bike cameras as well as car cameras, we’ve started to introduce a carefully selected range from the best manufacturers. But what is a bike camera? And how is it different from a car camera or an action cam?

Essentially, bike cameras enable cyclists and bikers, in fact, anyone who wears a helmet for their chosen activity, to record their actions from their point-of-view. This can give either a detailed record of events on the road in the case of an accident, or, more happily, capture exciting events such as extreme sports – from mountain biking to motor sports!

Bike cameras are designed with the main purpose of being mounted on a bike, or more usually, on a helmet. As well as dictating that they must be compact and lightweight, this means that they need to be weather-proof and be easily controlled by touch alone. To this end, most bike cameras have simple buttons that can be used to start and stop recording without looking, and some even feature vibrating alerts that can be felt through the helmet, ensuring that the user knows that their camera is operating as it should.

Due to their lack of screens, videos are usually viewed on a computer, after being downloaded from the cameras memory card, or a monitor if the camera features a video out option like the Replay XD1080. Without a live view to aid alignment when mounting, some cameras feature a laser pointer built-in, such as the Dogcam Bullet HD 2.

In contrast to our range of car cameras, motorcycle cameras lack features such as event recording and parking protection as these features don’t lend themselves to these applications. However, cameras such as the RoadHawk Ride do offer loop recording, which means that the camera will record continuously, overwriting older files as necessary. This functionality means that a camera can remain in place, recording continually until the latest footage is required, for example, in the case of an incident on the road where video evidence is required to support your explanation of events.

While some motorbike cameras can be hard-wired into the bikes electrical system – in which case they will activate when the ignition is turned on – they usually run off a small internal battery which can be charged
easily via a USB port.

So, whether you’re looking for peace-of-mind on the roads, or video of your extreme sports, our carefully selected range of bike cameras offer various options to deliver precisely the functionality you need and with high-quality HD video.

Posted on July 30, 2020January 24, 2023 by Eric Rogers

Buyers Guide

Why buy a car camera?

Find the perfect dash cam with our simple buyers guide

At first, the process of choosing a dashcam can appear daunting and the multitude of different cameras and brands can feel like a minefield. And then when you’ve narrowed your choice down, the technical details can confuse you even further! From the wide range of video resolutions available to different memory and mounting options, identifying the right dashcam for you can seem impossible. So we’ve produced this guide to finding the right dashcam to help you narrow down your selection and find the right camera for you.

We regularly get asked which dashcam we recommend, and we’re always happy to offer an opinion, but the ideal camera for you is dependant on the features that you’re looking for. You can find out more about the features that are common among dashcams in our guide to the key features of car cameras, but here’s a closer look at the options that you should consider when picking your dashcam.

1. Camera Size

They say size isn’t everything, but it’s an important thing to consider when choosing your dashcam. Most people opt for a small, discreet camera as they believe it’s less likely to be spotted by would-be thieves, and also has less impact on the drivers view. Both very valid points, but small car cameras are also likely to have less features, or require external devices to enable options such as GPS or wifi. This is because there simply isn’t enough space inside for the components required. Larger cameras often feature screens too, which can make viewing footage and adjusting menu settings easier, and can usually be hidden very neatly behind your rear-view mirror so needn’t interrupt the drivers view of the road.

2. Your budget

Needless to say, the amount you have to spend is a key factor in any purchase, and as far as dashcams are concerned there is a camera to suit any size of wallet! But how much should you spend? Well, it really depends what’s important to you. While all of our cameras record outstanding footage, budget cameras may lack the build quality or refinement that more premium, big brand cameras offer. More expensive cameras may also offer advanced features such as wifi and touch screens, and are generally more user friendly too, so it’s important to decide what matters to you most.

3. Video quality and resolution

Your cameras resolution refers to the quality of the video that it can record. The higher the number, the better the quality. And when you may come to rely on your footage as evidence, it’s important that you’ve done everything you can to capture as much detail as possible. While almost all dashcams record in high definition (HD) nowadays there are still different levels of HD quality, from 720p, 1080p and even 1296p. (Don’t worry about the ‘p’ at this stage!). The higher quality settings mean that your camera needs to store more data too, so memory card capacity needs to be considered also.

View all HD quality cameras

4. Dual-lens front and rear cameras

For maximum protection, dual-lens dashcams offer cameras at the front and rear to record activity on the road in both directions. In these setups, the front camera usually acts as the main unit, managing all of the image processing, power and memory, which means that the rear unit can be much smaller, having less impact on rear visibility. The two cameras are often connected by a long cable which can easily be routed through your vehicle. Dual-lens setups usually include software that makes it easy to view your video and quickly flick between the front and rear view to give a clear picture of events happening around you.

View all dual lens front and rear cameras

5. GPS maps and speed

GPS allows your dashcam to monitor your location, and uses this information to plot your route on a map when you view your footage using the software provided with your camera. It also enables your camera to calculate your speed, which can offer vital information in the case of an incident. Some customers feel that this information can could count against them if they happen to be over the speed limit, so you may choose to disable any options that may stamp details of your speed onto the video if you’re slightly heavy-footed!

View all cameras with GPS

6. Memory Capacity

Almost all dashcams record their footage onto a Micro SD memory card which slides into a small slot on the outside of your camera. While these cards are all the same size physically, some offer a greater capacity and can hold more video. While some will argument that in the case of an incident you only ever need the last few minutes of footage, memory cards can accumulate files that are protected from being overwritten as the camera has determined that something of note happened while recording that video. These can reduce the amount of available space on your memory card unless you empty it regularly. Therefore, a larger capacity memory card can make this easier to manage. You can read much more in our guide to memory cards.

View memory cards

7. Parking Protection

If you’ve even returned to your car to find it damaged, and the culprit long gone, then parking protection will be of interest to you. In this mode, your dashcam will use motion detection technology to monitor activity around your vehicle and record a short clip if it detects any significant movement. It will also start to record if it feels a bump or knock using it’s internal g-sensor and start to record. In both cases, your car camera could well capture footage of the guilty party which can help you to track them down. For more information, read our guide to parking protection.

View all cameras with parking protection

8. Low-Light performance

Dashcams rely on there being a source of light in order for them to record useable video and some perform better in low-light situations than others. All cameras will capture useful footage if you’re driving in areas with good street-lighting , but if you spend a lot of your time driving at night then you should consider a camera with a wide dynamic range (WDR). This is sometimes referred to as a high dynamic range (HDR) but both terms refer to the cameras ability to process data effectively in low-light conditions and digitally enhance the footage to deliver improved results.

9. Event recording and G-Sensors

Almost all car cameras include an internal g-sensor which measures movement across three axis; up and down, left and right, forwards and backwards. Using this information, the camera can identify sudden or severe movement, such as braking heavily, swerving erratically or a significant collision, and can protect the video being recorded at that time from being overwritten. However, you may like to be able to protect video files manually too. If you witness an incident on the road around you that you would like to retain a record of, some dashcams feature an event record button which can be pressed and the footage being recorded at that time will be kept safe until you need it.

View all cameras with a g-sensor

10. Suction or adhesive mount

Dashcams are ideally affixed to your windscreen, behind the rear-view mirror, and this is done by the means of either a semi-permanent adhesive mount or a suction mount. While adhesive mounts are usually smaller and more compact, which can help your camera to remain discreet, a suction mount will offer a degree of flexibility, as it can be repositioned and removed from the vehicle as required. Most dashcams can easily be removed from their mounts, which is an important consideration for the security conscious.

Read our guide on mounts

11. LCD Screen

LCD screens have several benefits, making it easy to watch your recorded footage, change menu settings and align your dashcam so that it is pointing in precisely the right direction. Some cameras even offer touch screens which make navigation simple and intuitive. For cameras that don’t feature screens, these can often be connected to tablets and smart phones via wifi, so that a screen is not required and the camera itself can be kept as small and discreet as possible.

View all cameras with an LCD screen

12. WiFi

As mentioned above, some dashcams offer a wifi connection so that you can use your tablet or smartphone to review footage, adjust settings or watch a live feed to help when aligning your camera. When activated, your dashcam will produce it’s own wifi hotspot that you can connect to with your device. You will need to download a specific mobile app for your smartphone which will then allow you to connect to your camera. We often get asked if wifi means that you are able to connect to your dashcam from anywhere in the world via the internet, but this isn’t the case; your wifi hotspot has a range of 5-10 metres.

View all cameras with a mobile app

13. Hardwiring your camera

As standard, dash cams connect to your car via a cable to the cigarette lighter socket (just like a sat nav). However, some of our customers prefer to hardwire their camera into the car electrics. This means that there are no cables on show and you have a free cigarette lighter socket available for other car devices. When you hardwire the camera you can choose to wire it to a circuit which is powered all the time, meaning you can take advantage of the parking protection mode so the camera is always on and recording. Almost all dash cams can be wired to the car via an optional compatible hardwire kit. We always recommend using the services of a fully qualified, insured, and experienced auto electrician to do the installation for you. We now offer a nationwide mobile dash cam installation service from only £99..

By considering each of these features, we hope it has helped you to narrow down your choices and identify the perfect camera for you. Our website’s filtering and comparison tools will also help you to choose the dashcam that meets all of your needs. However, if you’re still not sure, please feel free to contact us.

Protect your no-claims bonus and insurance premiums

Many insurance claims prove nigh-on impossible to resolve fairly, as each party denies responsibility and police forensics only tell a part of the story. This can result in either both parties having to assume equal responsibility or, even worse, the innocent party being wholly blamed. By having clear video evidence, which in the case of many car cameras also contains date, time, speed and location data, insurers are able to completely understand the circumstances leading up to an incident. This evidence enables you to protect your no-claims bonus, ensuring your insurance premiums don’t increase.

Faster insurance claims processing

When an insurance claim is being processed there’s the inevitable back and forth as each party explains their case, making statements, providing diagrams and more often than not, embellishing the details in their favour as they do so. However, with high-quality video and supportive details regarding the location, time and speed of any incident, the facts speak for themselves and remove any doubt or indecision that may otherwise have delayed your claim from being processed and paid.

Protect against Crash for Cash scams

According to the Insurance Fraud Bureau, organised Crash for Cash scams are on the increase and cost the UK insurance industry £392 million a year, with 1 in 7 personal injury claims likely to be linked to one. Highly-organised gangs orchestrate crashes which usually result in an unwitting and innocent party rear-ending a gang member, who can then claim for anything from vehicle damage and loss of earnings to personal injury for themselves and often for passengers who weren’t even in the car! Protect yourself with irrefutable video evidence that will clearly show the circumstances leading up to any incident and put paid to any concerns about these scams impacting your insurance premiums.

Report dangerous and unsociable drivers

It’s an unfortunate truth that not all drivers value safety as much as we would hope. Drivers speeding, tailgating, under-taking and using mobile phones, among many other issues, mean that the roads are more dangerous than ever before. One method of combating this worrying behaviour is to report wreckless and dangerous drivers to the authorities by capturing them on video. In many cases these drivers are prosecuted purely on car camera evidence. As in-car cameras become more and more common, and the threat of being caught becomes more and more likely, we can help make our highways safer.

Capture and report road rage incidents

According to a recent survey by insurance company Admiral, road rage is becoming more common in the UK with over half the people interviewed admitting to getting angry at other motorists. The vast majority of incidents culminate in nothing more than some choice words and an offensive hand gesture but, more worryingly, nearly 10% of people interviewed said that they had been threatened with physical violence. Car cameras can be used to keep a detailed record of any such events and can also be used to diffuse situations as many attackers will back-down once they realise they’re being filmed.

Keep a record of your fleet and drivers activity

The level of detail captured by car cameras, particularly dual-lens cameras that record in-car activity at the same time as on-the-road action, mean that they can offer fleet owners the ability to monitor their vehicles and drivers activity easily and effectively. At the same time as protecting insurance premiums, particularly in the light of Crash for Cash scams, owners can rest assured that they have a complete understanding of their drivers activity and behaviour as well as a highly-detailed record of their vehicle’s usage.

Record and keep treasured memories

Fortunately, car cameras aren’t solely dedicated to capturing accidents, scams and negative behaviour. They also enable us to capture videos of more enjoyable activities such as scenic road trip holidays and exciting track-day races! Whatever treasured memories you want to keep, an in-car camera will deliver a high-definition record of events that you can watch time and time again. You never know, you might also be lucky enough to capture more unusual events such as meteors falling to the Earth, as recorded on many car cameras in Russia in 2013!