A driving recorder is a type of video recorder that is used as an accident prevention device and to monitor driver behavior. This kind of gadget can be attached to the windshield behind the rearview mirror or fitted inside the car. It works by recording videos and audio feeds from front and back cameras, as well as front and rear microphones along with other sensors such as G-force, acceleration, and speed detectors. The data collected by these recorders is then stored on a memory card for future usage. The recorded information may prove helpful in case of accidents or disputes during insurance claims.

What Features To Look For While Buying Driving Recorders?

The driving recorders are an important and suitable device to be mounted in cars. They are best to record the long distances, accident claims, insurance issues, to keep an eye on children, analyze driver’s honesty, measure speeds, and much more. Initially, driving security cameras were common in the use of police but now these days this device is becoming handy for everyone in several models and features in the market. 

There are several most frequently asked questions while buying the driving recorders which are as follows:

1. What Features to Look for in a Dash Cam?

Size

If you tend to drive an exotic car or simply have limited space in the interior of your vehicle, consider getting a small-sized recording device. Some models are big enough to almost resemble an actual camera while others are extremely compact with about the size of a Kindle tablet or even smaller than that! You might be surprised at how small some of these devices actually are.

Resolution

Just like traditional digital cameras, the higher the resolution on a driving recorder, the better the quality of the video and pictures will be. Most devices have a resolution of 1280x720 or 1920x1080 but if you're looking to get that really high-resolution footage then make sure to double-check before making your purchase.

Memory Capacity

This is especially important if you plan on using your driving recorder as a means of evidence in case of an accident. Make sure to get a model that has a large enough storage capacity to hold all the footage you'll need. Some models can only store a few minutes' worths of footage while others can store hours upon hours!

Battery Life

Although most devices come with rechargeable batteries, there are some models that still require traditional AA or AAA batteries. Make sure to check the battery life of the device before making your purchase. You wouldn't want to be stranded on the side of the road because your recorder's battery died!

Video Resolution:

Video resolution means the number of horizontal lines that depict a single image in a video. In the case of driving recorders, an important consideration is to look for devices with high-definition recording or ones that can capture 1080p videos or higher resolutions. Some cameras even have 4k video resolution which ensures better picture clarity and quality during playback.

GPS:

This kind of recorder comes with GPS support and records vehicle location and speed. It also displays time and date data along with other details such as street name, city labels, etc on the recorded footage for easy identification by authorized personnel.

The angle of View:

While most driving recorders come with wide-angle lenses, some offer a narrower field of view. It is important to check the specs carefully and choose one with a good viewing angle so that you capture as much footage as possible while driving.

Other Features:

There are other features such as motion sensors, G-force detectors, etc that some recorders come with. If these features are of interest to you, then do check the specs carefully to see if the device has them.

Before buying the driving recorders it’s necessary to focus on the features to have a quality product. Among several other features, a few important ones are to know about the video quality, such cameras should have 720P resolution power and some with a resolution of 1,080p or even 4K. It’s not a must that having high resolution will guarantee an improved quality of the image so having just 720P can also give a clear detailed picture. The audio recorder needs to be checked before buying and should have an option of mute in it.

It’s your choice either to buy a single-lens camera or multiple lenses that will favor recording both the forward and rearview. The front cam is mostly very common in every model whereas dual face cameras are best to record the forward-facing as well as the view from the windscreen simultaneously. The feature of parking mode should also be checked which will be beneficial for you to detect any accident claims while parking that who bumped your car and scratched it in the parking. Check the SD memory card as well as G-force sensors too otherwise you may need to buy the SD-card separately.

These dash cams are best to work as hidden cameras to keep an eye on the company’s vehicles, to have the journey footage to make memories both inside and outside, bumps detection, or even on the children’s activities based on over-speeding or much more. 

2. What do I Need to Know Before Buying a Dash Cam? 

At the time of buying driving recorders there are many features which need to be considered before purchasing like:

Loop Footage and Auto Twitch

The driving recorders should have loop recordings, which means that the camera starts recordings on the later videos when the storage is full. The recordings should be initiated as it is connected with the power otherwise you might forget to switch on the camera and the recordings couldn’t take place.        

Speed Detector and GPS

It’s always good to have the video for a claim which can also identify on a map where the action has taken place to make the footage more worth full. So, it’s quite important to have GPS in cameras as well as it will be beneficial to detect the speed. In some of the cameras, the GPS is built-in whereas in some of them a separate GPS unit is required.

Detector

If any of the driving recorders have a sensor, accelerometer, bumps detector installed, it helps in the sudden acceleration and deceleration. It can also be helpful to analyze and find videos later easily. The BlackVue driving recorder has a G-sensor installed in it which creates the buffered event videos. Several other camera models are able to prevent the events overwriting’s. 

3. Do Dash Cameras Always Record?

The dash cams are designed to start recordings whenever they are connected with the powers. Few are also designed to have such security options that can record only when they can sense the motion detections.

4. Do Dashcams record when the car is off?

Some dash cams come with GPS and motion sensors which allow them to record the front view even when the car is off. These devices keep on running in parking mode. Some can be switched to standby mode using an app while others have internal batteries that need to be plugged into a power source before turning the device on. This feature allows drivers to monitor their cars at all times even when they are not around or sleeping inside.

How long do video recordings stored in dashcams last?

There is no set time for this kind of gadget as it varies from model to model depending upon whether it has internal storage capacity or memory card slots, how large the memory cards are, etc. Still, image resolution also plays a role here so choose one with high resolution to capture clear snapshots.

How long do dashcams last?

This is another important feature that you should look out for before buying a dashcam. There are devices that can record videos for hours to weeks depending upon the internal memory capacity and data storage options they offer. It is advisable to check the specs well before choosing one.

Final Words

The driving recorders are the best tiny hidden cameras to keep you safe and to record your journeys. It’s always best to have sufficient knowledge about the features of a product you are keeping. It helps a person to be confident enough about the buying decisions as well as the information about the product that how to use it or what are the hidden characteristics of that product which could facilitate in enormous manners. No doubt, these dash cameras are best for safety concerns and are quite beneficial regarding many safety purposes.