STACK #234 April 2024

TECH FEATURE

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5 TOP

TIPS

DASH CAM

1. Clean your windscreen! 2. Make sure your dash cam doesn’t impede your vision. 3. Align the camera properly so as to capture what’s ahead, not your bonnet! 4. Get the best quality and highest capacity storage card suited to your dash cam that fits your budget. 5. Regularly test that your dash cam is recording footage.

It’s a sad fact of driving life that accidents happen, so if you’re unfortunate enough to be involved in one, you want to be as best prepared as possible. Having it all recorded can be the difference between an easy insurance settlement or a drawn-out dispute. Words Bec Summer F ront - and even better, rear in tandem - dash cams can prove the difference in determining who’s at fault when an accident occurs. They can contain vital information such as time, speed, and top and bottom of the window, depending upon car models – some may have rear wipers in the way, for example. Some dash cams utilise the 12V socket for power, while others are connected to the car battery, in which case a qualified installer should be recruited. Get going! WHY A DASH CAM IS YOUR BEST CO-DRIVER

Connecting Dash cams can connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to a smartphone via an app. A Bluetooth connection can send alerts to smartphones and allow settings to be managed. Pairing with a smartphone via Wi-Fi allows footage to be stored in a cloud, or to be easily accessed and viewed directly in the case of an accident. Recording Many dash cams feature loop recording. The footage is continually recorded until the capacity of the storage card is maxed out. The footage is then erased, and the process begins again. So, it’s important to copy out any footage that you might need, or save it to the cloud, as soon as possible after any incident.

GPS-stamped video to further counter any possible contention around an incident. Setting up As with extras such as window tinting, a dash cam is a more affordable option if you don’t get the dealer to sort it. Installing one yourself is surprisingly easy, usually directly beneath or beside the rearview mirror. Rear camera placement varies between

12V-powered dash cams begin recording as soon as you start the car. If the unit is hardwired, some models offer what’s known as “parking mode”, which starts recording if movement or vibration is detected, and can be handy for catching hit-and-runs or vandalism.

Get started with these top dash cam picks

Navman MiVue 870 Safety Dash Cam

Feel safe in the knowledge that you’re covered front and rear with this twin cam setup, delivering Full HD recording. A STARVIS low light sensor delivers excellent vision both at night and during the day, and the MiVue 920 springs into recording action when impacts or sudden motions are detected. Its compact two-inch screen size belies its capabilities, which include geotagging, a sensor that records the direction from which a collision emanates, instant Wi-Fi sharing to a smartphone, and premium safety alerts that are updated monthly. Meanwhile, an inbuilt super capacitor means reliable performance in the hottest of your typical Aussie conditions. Navman MiVue 920DC Dash Cam

A great budget option that doesn’t skimp on features, the MiVue 870 is a single, forward facing dash cam with impressive 1440P 2.5K Quad HD resolution – the better the resolution, the better the detail, such as number plates. On the outside, its 2.7” screen includes simple menu navigation, while internally ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) bring safety features such as forward collision, driver fatigue, and lane departure warnings. GPS-tagged footage is automatically shared to your smartphone via Wi-Fi, and monthly downloadable updates keep you on top of red light, speed, and safety cameras, as well as school zones.

28 APRIL 2024

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