Dashcam
Dash Cam Installation
Adding a dash cam to your vehicle benefits your daily drive. When it comes to accidents or other road incidents, a dash cam installation is an indispensable tool in proving who was at fault, saving you the trouble of increased insurance premiums. Additionally, dash cams can work even when off the road, monitoring your vehicle while parked.
What Makes The Best Dash Cam
Dash cams for cars have become quite advanced over the years and are no longer just a simple camera stuck to your windshield. The best dash cams have various features and suitable camera sensors that allow them to be versatile in all situations. Before moving forward with a dash cam installation, make sure that you choose a dash cam with the features that you find necessary.
Multi-Cam Capabilities
One of the best ways to increase the versatility of a dash cam is to increase the number of cameras in the system. While many may think a forward-facing dash cam is enough, the best dash cam systems have three lenses. In addition to a forward-looking camera, one looks into the cabin, and the other looks out the car’s rear.
With so many rear-ending accidents, a rear-facing dash cam is an easy way to prove that you weren’t at fault. Additionally, the cabin-facing camera can provide extra peace of mind if you are a ride-share driver or want extra security in your car. While the rear-facing camera will have custom wiring run through the vehicle, the cabin-facing camera will share the same housing as the forward-facing camera.
Additionally, look for units with swivel and rotating features on their lenses so that you can adjust your viewpoint as needed.
Viofo T130
This may be self-explanatory just from a glance, but there are two different sizes in that one can purchase car receivers. The size will be denoted with a “DIN.” Receivers will come in either a single DIN or double DIN size. A single DIN will require a roughly 7″ by 2″ space, while a double DIN needs a 7″ by 4″ opening.
It’s important to note that even if you want a large infotainment screen, you aren’t limited to double DIN receivers. Many single DIN options have the screen come out from the receiver and hover over your center console. These screens can reach 10 inches or more.
If you have any questions about fitment, please don’t hesitate to reach out, and we’ll help.
4k Dash Cams
This may be self-explanatory just from a glance, but there are two different.
A 4k dash cam is a great way to ensure your video is as clear as possible. Different camera sensors will record footage at various resolutions. Typically, the higher the camera’s resolution, the clearer the image will be.
If you see that the dash cam can record high definition, it will most likely capture a 1920×1080 pixel video. However, some dash cams can capture even higher definitions, such as 2k (2560×1440) or 4k (3840×2160). With your dash cam responsible for capturing important footage, you’ll want to have as much detail as possible. As such, it’s a good idea to install a dash cam with as high of a resolution as possible.
Note that a higher-resolution video will take up more storage space, so if you opt for a high-resolution dash cam, ensure it has adequate storage.
Viofo T130 and Momento M7 - The Best 4k Dash Cams
The Viofo T130 and Momento M7 offer crisp and clear 2k recording capabilities on their front-facing camera. With the front of the vehicle typically having the most important events, most dashcams prioritize the front-facing camera with the highest resolution.
That said, the rear cameras on both systems feature a full HD 1080p resolution. With this, you’ll still have a more than meaningful picture quality when needed to make out any minute details that happened behind your car.
Wi-fi & GPS Capabilities
Connectivity is essential when looking for the best dash cam. As such, premium units will come with both WiFi and GPS capabilities.
Built-in WiFi allows you to seamlessly connect your phone to your dash cam to view or transfer video files. This saves you the time to take the SD card from your dash cam to transfer files to your computer.
Thanks to the built-in GPS module, you’ll be met with additional information about the incident. Dash cams with GPS will allow you to view the location and speed of your vehicle side-by-side with your footage. This is perfect for parents who want to check how well their kids drive.
Viofo T130 and Momento M7 - The Best WiFi Dash Cams
The Viofo T130 and Momento M7 both come with GPS connectivity. This allows your video footage to be synced with its real-time GPS location to understand any incidents and events better. Both dash cam installs handle displayed footage with intuitive desktop software, displaying all video angles, speeds, orientations, and locations side-by-side for a comprehensive view.
The Viofo has the added benefit of having wi-fi capabilities to allow you to send footage from your dashcam straight to your phone or other wi-fi devices for quicker viewing.
Parking Mode
A dash cam with parking mode continues to work even when your car is off. A great addition to any car security system, these dash cams can monitor your vehicle and record any incidents while away.
Dash cams will typically have different methods by which they accomplish the task. One way will rely on the dash cam constantly monitoring its g-force sensor and then recording and storing the footage whenever it feels that the car has been moved or bumped into. Other methods will continuously record at a lower resolution to save storage. Regardless of the chosen method, a dash cam with parking mode is invaluable for keeping your car safe.
Since your car will be off, you need an external battery powering your dash cam. When discussing with your local dash cam installer, ask about the best way to deliver power to your camera while the car is off.
Viofo T130 and Momento M7 - The Best Dash Cams with Parking Mode
A functional parking mode is one of the best features to look for in a dashcam. Thankfully, both the Viofo and Momento have this feature. Whether it’s motion or an impact detected, both dashcams will begin recording any potential disturbances, automatically saving them to the SD card.
Night Vision
In addition to the clarity allowed by a high resolution, you want to make sure your dash cam can see in dark conditions. A dash cam with night vision will work with clarity throughout the night.
Good nighttime visibility is typically accomplished with the use of high-aperture lenses. These lenses can allow more light to hit the sensor. Night vision is achieved with infrared lights to help light up the space in front of the camera.
Viofo T130 and Momento M7 - The Best Dash Cams with Night Vision
High-quality Sony and SmartSens sensors are found in the Viofo and Momento, respectively. Both of these wide-aperture lenses capture a great amount of light, allowing them to produce excellent video details, even in dark conditions.
Screens
A dash cam with a large screen can make positioning your view a much easier task. A large screen also makes it easier to navigate any menus that you may need upon configuration.
Not all dash cams come standard with screens. Fortunately, even if the dash cam doesn’t have a screen, its wi-fi capabilities often allow for live previews through your phone, allowing you to position the viewpoint and make any modifications to the settings.
Momento M7 - The Best Dash Cam with a Large Screen
The Momento M7 features a crisp 2-inch touchscreen display, essentially taking up the entire rear of the unit. This screen is great for placing the dashcam in the best spot, initiating recordings, and reviewing footage. While bright, the display will go into sleep mode while you drive to prevent distractions.
Get A Professional Dash Cam Installation
If you are looking for a dash cam installation in the Boston area, you can trust ProCarSound&Security to get the job done right. Our team can help set up your multi-camera dash cam system and even install an external power unit to keep your cameras going while your car is off.
If you have any questions or want to schedule a dash cam installation, please contact our incredible team.
