With advancements in technology, we can now take pictures or record videos of any moment, whether the moment was expected or unexpected. Mobile phones have a major contribution to them. But what if there is a special recorder designed just for your vehicle. A dashcam is that special recorder. You just have to install it in your car, and then your dashcam will start recording each and everything that happened to your car. Whether you are worried about parking safety or driving safety, a dashcam is your solution. In the event of any driving accident, having full footage of the event helps you understand the situation better and will save you if you are the guilty one.
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What Is A Dash Cam? – A Quick Intro
A small video camera installed in your car ( most probably on your car’s windshield) that records continuously as you drive is known as a Dash Cam. This concept originated from the camera installed on the dashboard of vehicles like police cars, which is why it is called a “dashcam”.
Best Dash Cams – Quick Comparison
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Types Of Dash Cams
There are different types of dash cams available in the market in India depending upon their model, recording and other such features.
The Traditional Dash Cam
This is the basic dashcam that will do its job without any additional features. It will only record the front view from the vehicle, and it will not have any extra features like GPS, Wi-Fi and so on.
Rear View Mirror Dash Cam
These dashcams are attached to the rearview mirror of your vehicle. On the screen, you will see both the full front view and full rear view, thus, making your driving experience easier. Some of them have options so that you can select any one view also. So, when you select the rearview, the full screen will contain the rearview, and you can back your vehicle easily.
Dual Camera Dash Cam
They are a bit more complex than others. They can record from two camera lenses at a time. Usually, they use one (front) to record the front view from the vehicle on the road ahead and the second (rear) to record the inside view of your vehicle.
Dash Cams For Consumers
A dashcam made for personal use or is going to be used for a non-commercial purpose are very simple with all the basic features and is cheaper than that used for commercial purpose.
Dash Cams For Commercial Fleets
Companies or government agencies use these dash cams for commercial purposes. They have high reliability and are comparatively costlier than other dashcams.
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Top Dash Cam Brands In India
Let’s have a look at some of the top Dashcam brands in India.
DDPAI
Founded in 2013, this brand focuses on enriching the travel experiences of its customers with the help of innovative technology. They have a wide variety of dashcams and all the hardware kits related to them.
Scosche
It is one of the oldest brands that sell dash cams. It was founded in 1980. They aim to explore new ways to make people’s lives safer, richer, simpler, and happier by building the accessories that give power to your phone like listening to great music anywhere, using your phone hands-free while you drive, monitoring your heart rate, jumpstart your truck, film your ATV ride and many more. Thus, it makes you free to focus on following your passion for driving.
Vantrue
Vantrue is a brand that offers top quality and strong performance dash cams that is, nowadays, very necessary for every vehicle’s driver. They develop high-end dashcams that aim to provide top-level services.
Blueskysea
This brand deals with professional dash cams at almost all price ranges. Thus, it can be afforded by any type of driver. Their vision is to make you enjoy your life by giving you a safe driving experience.
70mai
This product is from the Mi ecosystem and focuses on smart car electronics. Mi is a popular dashcam brand that sells its products in 92 countries around the world. It aims to provide a comfortable, safe and networked driving experience by showing the world the maximum potential of vehicle intelligent products.
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Top Dash Cams In India – Review
Here we have a list of some of the top-rated dash cams available in India.
Vantrue Pro Dash Cam
With the powerful novatek nt96660 CPU, this dashcam has an advanced rear cam (Sony Exmor imx323) and front cam (ov4689) image sensors. This makes the simultaneous capturing of both the cabin and the road ahead possible. Its rear-facing cam has an f2.0 6-Glass lens plus 4 IR LED lights. This enhances the night vision inside the car, even in the environment of low light. The front cam has a system that makes the light and the dark areas of the video balanced. You can activate this infrared night vision system by simply toggling to the night vision status using a dedicated button.
You can have a seamless loop recording even if your storage card is filled, as then it will start overwriting the oldest footage. The only disadvantage with this product is its price and the absence of a GPS.
Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2
Two types of the give out are available with these dash cams- adhesive mount and suction cup mount. There is a user manual available with this product if you need any help. In the case of low light, WDR tech enables it to be suitable and makes it able to restore the true colours for the objects to the greatest extent. You can even move the internal camera angle so that it is quite easy to record the road ahead through the front camera, and at the same time, you can record the driver’s door side view. Both can be done simultaneously. It supports a microSD card with a maximum of 512 GB storage space. Also, it has a supercapacitor as a backup power source.
Apart from all of these features, it has a voice indicator that uses the English language.
70mai Dash Cam
This product is from an MI ecosystem company. It has an award-winning design with outstanding picture quality. You will get every pixel reproduced to the finest without any use of upscaling or software simulation. With the built-in next-generation Sony IMX415 image sensor, it achieves superior low light performance. It has a built-in advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) powered by modern AI technology to boost driving safety.
In case of emergency events, the footage is automatically saved for you with the help of built-in G-Sensor technology. It has an auto-lock system that locks the real-time video segment in case of any collision or crash. This helps in preventing the video segment from being deleted or overwritten. You can view the recorded footage either in streaming and replay or download it at your convenience. This is possible once you connect it with the official 70mai mobile app.
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Transcend DrivePro 620 Dash Cam
With super night vision, this dashcam is quite light-weighted. You can easily install it in your vehicle on the windshield. For 24 hours parking monitoring, it has an FHD video recorder. The front camera has a wide-angle video capturing a range of 120 degrees to 140 degrees. The other features include motion detection, loop recording, and a supercapacitor ( as a power backup).
With the help of a mobile app, you can view a real-time video on your mobile from anywhere and at any time. The size of the whole camera setup is 7.8×12.8×6 cm. That is quite small, and thus it can be used as a hidden camera.
SCOSCHE NEXC10016 Smart Dash Cam
This dash cam is an HD smart camera that works flawlessly. It comes with the free Nexar Drive Safe mobile app. You can instantly report any accident or any such event to your insurance company with detailed visual evidence. This dashcam can record high-quality videos even at night or at places of low light. The system is quite an energy saver type as it auto starts the recording whenever you begin the driving, and it will stop the recording as soon as you stop the vehicle.
You can use the storage from the Nexar cloud that comes with 24/7 support. It is compatible with the iPhone 7 and above, Galaxy S8/Note 8 and above, Pixels and a few selected android mobile phones.
Vantrue N1 Pro Mini Dash Cam
With this dash cam, you can simultaneously record videos with front and rear cameras to clearly capture license plates and road signs. To save the storage space, it gives options to the users to switch to a lower resolution to record longer footage. The front camera captures a 160° wide field of view and has a strong night vision. It has an advanced WDR technology that captures images that are brighter and have higher contrast. Any suspicious activity around your vehicle will be recorded by a well-tuned G-Sensor and advanced algorithms present in it.
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70mai Pro Plus Dash Cam
This dashcam features 6 Lens with WDR 140° wide-angle that enables it to adjust exposure and thus helps in capturing more detail both in darkness or strong light. Super clear and vibrant images are produced by it. To view your recording, it comes with a 2” IPS screen. The most striking feature of this dash cam is that it provides warnings like lane departure warnings, forward collision warnings, and so on to safeguard your daily trips.
To boost driving safety, this dashcam comes with modern AI-powered technology and built-in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. In emergency events, it will automatically save the footage for you with the help of the built-in G-Sensor technology. It will auto-lock the real-time video segments and prevent them from being overwritten or deleted in the event of a collision/ crash. You can connect the dashcam through Wi-Fi to the 70mai official mobile app and watch live streaming.
DDPAI Mola N3 Dash Camera
This dashcam can capture sharp videos at ultra HD resolution with 6 sets of full-glass lenses and a 5 MP CMOS sensor. Ordinary dashcams start producing blurred images during hot summers. In contrast, this dash cam has all glass arrangements that can continue to produce sharp videos no matter how hot the weather is. Thus, you will get better readability of number plates in the front of the vehicle.
You can switch between the inside or outside view of the car easily with the help of a two-fold rotationally symmetrical Type-C connector between the camera and the mounting bracket. Take selfies in any instant. There is no need to format the SD card again and again when it is full, as this dash cam has a loop recording function that will start immediately after ignition. Old data is automatically overwritten by new data when memory is full.
THINKWARE F70 Dash Cam
If you are looking for a mini dashcam, then this is the one made just for you. And it supports an external MicroSD card of a maximum of 64GB. You can rotate the camera body up to 140 degrees of rotation. This makes adjusting the angle of the lens easy, giving you the option to record video inside/ outside of the car.
DDPAI Mini Car Dash Camera
This dashcam has high reliability. The two temperature-sensitive components- LCD screen and lithium battery are removed. Thus, it has a wide working temperature range from -25°C to 85°C. The supercapacitor replaces the battery, giving it a longer lifespan and making it suitable for 24 hours parking monitoring. This user-friendly dash cam has an operating interface that is controlled by a mobile application. Thus, you don’t even need a user manual to understand its functioning, and in a few minutes, you will understand everything about this dashcam.
It has super night vision due to WDR technology. The dual USB charger is included in its packaging. It has a 2 MP CMOS Image sensor with an infra-red filter. This helps it in capturing more light and gives an improved low light video. In case the storage capacity gets full, it will overwrite the oldest footage by loop recording feature.
REDTIGER F5 WiFi Dash Cam
It captures videos with 1080p, these dash cams bring you a better visual experience. When playing back, you can see every detail. It has a 360 degrees wide-angle lens that will help you in recording a larger viewing angle. For instance, you will then be able to see 4 lanes of traffic. You will be safer when you can see more. It has a built-in light sensor that automatically detects the environment light, whether weak or strong and changes the display’s brightness accordingly.
With WDR technology and a big aperture camera, you will have clearer footage and image even at night. You can see the car license plates even in a low light environment. It has a supercapacitor that makes its lifespan longer and makes it suitable for 24 hours parking monitoring. A crystal clear video is recorded with this dashcam.
Procus Car Dash Camera
Want to feel safe? Or want to have complete peace of mind while driving on the Indian roads? If yes, this dashcam is just for you and will work as a CCTV for your car. After a simple one time setup, it records everything automatically. It has stable software and functions that are supported by its reliable solid hardware. The body of this dashcam is a metal frame with ultra-wide-angle lenses and exquisite quality.
The seamless loop recording function provides almost unlimited storage from the SD card as it will automatically overwrite the oldest footage with the new one if the storage capacity gets full. It has a built-in G-sensor, motion detection, and parking monitoring that automatically detects ignition or motion or crash or vibration. Its other features are superior night vision, smooth image processing, and a unique wide dynamic range (WDR) video system.
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How To Install A Dash Cam?
This is quite simple. You first need to insert a memory card into it and then mount the device to your car’s windshield. Mounting is also very easy, whether it is an adhesive type or suction mount. The next step is to give it power. This you will do by joining the dash cam’s power cord into the cigarette lighter outlet of your car. By doing this, you have done the physical installation.
Now for the operating system, start the device and do as instructed in it. Usually, their setup is simple. In case of any doubt, you can always refer to the user manual available with your device. Please make sure that you get familiar with your dashcam’s functioning before starting to use it.
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How Does Dash Cams Work?
A dashcam is very simple. Usually, a dashcam is powered through the cigarette lighter outlet of your car. It starts recording the front view as soon as you start your vehicle. In some of the dashcams, you have a lens for recording the rearview also. You can consider it as a CCTV camera that protects your vehicle.
The recorded video is stored in a memory card with its maximum capacity according to the device’s capability. Some of the dashcams have seamless loop recording features. If your memory card gets full, it will start overwriting the old content with the new one. This makes the dashcam look like having unlimited storage space.
Usually, dashcams come with a wide-angle lens to capture the full front area of the road and surroundings. Whether you are travelling in the middle lane, side lane, or any other lane, everything will be recorded by your dashcam.
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Does Dash Cam Have Night Vision?
Most dashcams have night visions. They will operate even in a low light environment. This night vision feature is very important when you will use a rear lens of the dashcam and that too at night.
Are Dash Cams Legal In India?
There are no rules as such about dashcams in India. It can be used as a CCTV camera that is used to secure your property. However, it can be illegal in protected zones like defence areas. Also, you may have to pay a fine to traffic police if your dashcam is obstructing the front view for you.
Advantages Of A Dash Cam
Dash Cams Are Legal Evidence
- In case of an accident or anything unpredictable, you will always be backed up by evidence with the help of your dashcam. A dashcam can give you the most appropriate evidence to save yourself in India, where the roads are somewhat unpredictable.
- Time is money, and people are always in a hurry to save time, especially on the roads. This makes road rage quite a common phenomenon. In no time, this road rage can turn ugly. To take action against the offender or to confront him, video proof is quite important. Thus, a dashcam will save you from unnecessary road rages.
- Whether you are a perfect driver or not, there will always be someone who will be very reckless and drive rashly. They can not only harm you but can also harm other people on the road. If a dashcam is installed in your vehicle, you can record their driving with the number on their license plate, and, if necessary, you can report this to the police.
- A cop is a human too. Due to any misunderstanding, he may throw a false allegation on you, like driving at a red light. A dashcam will save you from unnecessary harassment and will ultimately save your time. It will also save the time, energy and the mind of that cop too.
Dash Cams Help You Travel Safe And Capture Memories
- A road trip is unpredictable. You never know what will come suddenly, and you don’t want to miss capturing good things. This is only possible when you have a dashcam installed in your vehicle.
- If you are a frequent traveller, then you can make high-quality Youtube videos and earn millions of views without much effort. This effortless income is only possible if a dashcam backs you up.
- If you are not sure about the driving skill of young drivers in your house, then a dash cam will help you monitor their driving skills. Some of the dashcam models can be connected to a mobile application. With such an app, you can monitor the driver by just sitting at your home.
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How To Choose Dash Cam Brands In India– Buying Guide
There is no need to get overwhelmed with the additional features available with the dashcam if they are not useful to you. So, consider various important factors like those mentioned below before buying a dashcam.
Type of Dash Cam
When you just need to record the front view, i.e. the road ahead, then you can go for the traditional dashcam. But, if you want to record that and the event inside your vehicle, then buying the traditional dash cam will not fulfil your needs. In such cases, you will need a dual dashcam. Similarly, you can see the different types of dash cams available in the market and select the one that fulfils your requirement.
Video Resolution
If you are a travel blogger or want to open a channel on Youtube showing all about road trips, you will need a dashcam with high video resolution. Suppose you need security for your vehicle while driving or parking, a dashcam with low video resolution will work. But be careful! Don’t go for so low video quality that you can’t even identify what’s happening in the video.
Recording Options
Certain dashcams are installed in the vehicles and start when the engine starts and stop when the engine stops. Then some of the dashcams operate when you drive or when there is any movement near your vehicle while it is standing stationary. So, depending upon the type of recording option, you select the one suitable for you.
Controls
Some of the dashcams have a variety of controls like voice control, control when to record and when to not, control of viewing angle, remote control and so on. These are like added features that increase the cost of the dashcams. So select the one with your required control under your budget.
Mounting System
Most dash cams come with an adhesive mount that you can easily install at the windshield of your vehicle. There are other dash cams with a suction cup type mount or a separate bracket for installation. The rearview mirror dash cams are installed on the rearview mirror. Depending on the space inside and vehicle, you can select the appropriate mounting system and then the required dashcam.
Display Screen
A display screen is not available with the traditional or basic dashcam. If you need to monitor the road ahead and the road on back, then a display screen is needed. It will be easy for you to move back your vehicle using the view from the camera placed on the back of your vehicle. For such requirements, the quality and size of the display screen are also very important things to consider.
Size
It is advised to select the dashcam with a comparatively smaller size because you don’t want to obstruct your view of the road ahead, and also, you don’t want to have such distractions. Also, if you select the dashcam with a very small size, you can’t even see the view of the road back, then it will be of no use when you want to move your vehicle back.
Sound Recorder
A dashcam is used to record the video of the event happening either inside the vehicle or outside or both. But recording sound is optional. If you need sound also, then you will need a dashcam with a sound recorder. But again, this will increase the price of the dashcam.
Field Of View(FOV)
This is the most important technical specification of a dashcam that you need to check before buying it. It would be better if you select the one with a large field of view. This will help you capture the full width of the road despite your position that can be in the middle lane, side lane, or any other lane.
Storage Capacity
A dashcam that records high-quality videos will need a large storage capacity. Usually, an external micro SD card is used in it. Having a seamless loop recording option makes the storage unlimited. But it would be better if your dashcam supports a micro SD card of large capacity.
Parking Surveillance
The traditional dashcam starts recording when the engine starts and stops recording when the engine goes off. If you need to monitor the vehicle while parked, then a traditional dash cam will not be suitable. You will need that model, which has either battery or supercapacitor, to record even when the engine is off.
Driver Assistance and Safety Alerts
Some of the high-end dashcams have voice-controlled driver assistance, and they can even give you safety alerts. The language which they use is mostly English. It is not an important feature. You can manage without it. But if you go for it, it will surely elevate your driving experience with such technological advancements.
GPS Receiver
A GPS receiver will help you in tracking your position. It is not compulsory to have a dashcam. Many dash cams don’t have this feature, or you have to purchase an extra module to add this feature. If you need it, then instead of buying those dash cams, you can go for the one with a built-in GPS receiver.
Wi-Fi and Smartphone app Integration
For monitoring the driver while sitting remotely, you will need a dashcam with Wi-Fi and mobile app integration. But if you are the only one who will drive your vehicle, then there is no need for this feature. However, a dashcam connected to some mobile applications will make it easy for you to see all the past or present videos instantly without any hassle.
Price
From the abovementioned list, you can see the wide price range at which a dashcam is available in the market, from a few thousand bucks to more than twenty thousand bucks. Some are from premium brands, and then some are quite budget-friendly. So, make sure to select the one that satisfies your requirement and is under budget.
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Dash Cams – Frequently Asked Questions
Now let’s take a look at the frequently asked questions about dash cams.
Where do dash cams get their power?
Usually, all the dashcams have a power cord with them that plugs into the cigarette lighter outlet in your car. You just have to plug this cord in, and you are good to go.
What are WDR and HDR?
WDR stands for wide dynamic range, and HDR stands for high dynamic range. WDR is usually part of the package in 312GW dash cams and above. It helps in combining images of different brightness levels into one optimized image, and HDR is usually included in 512GW and above dashcams. It allows the dashcam to process extreme lightning or darkness and produce a vibrant image.
What does the sensor in a dashcam do?
The light coming into the lens of the dashcam is converted into data with the help of sensors, and that data, then becomes the video.
Do GPS is present in the Dash Cams?
In some of the latest and costly models of dashcams, GPS is present. Some dash cams don’t have built-in GPS, but you can attach a separate module for GPS function.
Is Wi-FI present in a dashcam?
For basic functioning, Wi-Fi is not needed. So, in basic models, it is not present. It is just like an add on that is present in higher-end models of the dash cams.
Is video recorded with sound or without sound in a dashcam?
Most of the dash cams have an inbuilt microphone that records video with audio. But there are many models of the dash cams that only record videos without sound.
Is it possible for a dashcam to fully drain out the car’s battery?
Either the cigarette lighter socket cable/USB cable or a hardwire kit directly into the vehicle’s fuse box is used to power the dashcam. Thus, the power required is so small that it is almost impossible for a dashcam to fully drain the car’s battery.
What is the seamless loop recording function in a dashcam?
This is a very common function in a dashcam. Whenever the storage capacity gets full, then it doesn’t stop recording. It starts overwriting the oldest footage with the new video. This makes the storage to be almost unlimited.
Are dashcams legal in India?
Well, there are no such rules about dashcams in India. A dashcam is just like a CCTV camera that you install to protect your property. But if it obstructs your view of the road ahead, traffic police may charge you fine about this.
Does dashcam record when you’re parked?
Some of the dashcams have a continuous recording feature even while you are parked. It is mainly those types of dash cams that have a supercapacitor in them that have this ability.
Where can I buy a dashcam?
Dashcams are easily available online in India. If you want to buy it offline, you can check it in the market near to the service centre of your vehicle or ask the people from the service centre. They will give you a better idea.
Can a dashcam record the speed of the car?
No, it cannot. But in some of the dashcam models, you can change the viewing angle to record the view of the speedometer present in your vehicle. Thus, you will get a record of the speed of your vehicle.
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Conclusion
With the sharp increase of vehicles on the road every year, there is a growing threat to travel safety. Hence, it is very important to have a dashcam installed in your vehicle. In my opinion, if you have a low budget then, you can go for 70mai Pro Plus Dash Cam . Else you can go for Vantrue N2 Pro Dual Dash Cam . Both of them have excellent ratings and sell in large numbers.
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