Dashcam 101

Dashcam 101 Presented by: TheDashcamStore.com Screen O Lens Memory Card O Power Cord What is a dashcam? Simply put, a dashcam is a small video camera that attaches to your car's windshield and continuously records video as you drive. Dashcams were popularized in Russia; more than likely you have seen footage from a Russian dashboard camera. Sometimes a dashcam is called a Car DVR (Digi- tal Video Recorder), a car black box or an in-car camera system. Why is it called a "dashcam"? Dashcams, or dashboard cameras, got their name due to originally being mounted on the dashboard of vehicles (mostly police cars). Now most dashcams mount to a car's windshield with a secure and easy to use suction cup mount, but the dashcam name is here to stay! Are there different kinds? Yes, there are several types of dashcams, and while they come in all shapes and sizes, they may be classified into three distinct categories: - Single-lens dashcams- Multiple-lens dashcams -Rear-view mirror style- Single-lens Multiple-lens Rear-view mirror style Multiple-lens dashcams are a bit more complex. These dashcams can record from more than one camera lens at a Single-lens dashcams are the most basic type of dashcam. These record from a single camera lens like a normal camcorder. Typically people use these dashcams to record what is happening in front of the car. Or two are used per time. Typically they utilize one forward-facing lens to record what is happening outside the vehicle, and one inside-facing lens to record what is happening inside the vehicle. These are particularly useful for fleet or commercial vehicles where the driver of the vehicle is Rear-view mirror style dashcams are a special type of dashcam. These mount on top of your exist- ing rear-view mirror, and provide video from a small forward-facing lens. This style of dashcam is great for those wanting a less-conspicu- ous solution. The display screen is built in to the mirror, and is invisi- vehicle: one in the front windsheid and one in the rear windshield for near-360° coverage. ble when the dashcam is off! not the person who owns the vehicle. How do I use one? Once you have purchased and unboxed your dashcam, in most cases this is all you need to do to be up and running: & Insert a memory card. * Attach the suction-cup mount to your windshield. * Plug the power cord into the power source (cigarette lighter or other). - Done! Since recording is automatic, just drive your vehicle like you normally would, and enjoy the fact that you are now "protected by dashcam". What are dashcams good for? Dashcams have many applications, but most importantly, they act as an impartial witness in case of an accident. Sadly, there are dishonest people in the world, and a dashcam provides irrefutable evidence of what happened before, during, and after an incident. No more "your word against theirs" - rest assured you will always have the truth on your side. What else are they good for? You have undoubtedly watched footage recorded on a dashcam at some point on the news or on the internet. Remember the Russian meteorite event? Since dashcams are always recording, they capture amazing, interesting, or even just plain funny events that occur every day around the world. Anything else? You are here Yes! Many dashcam models provide GPS data logging as well. These dashcam units, along with the video, will provide a record of your position and speed at all times. This infor- mation, again, proves the facts such as your whereabouts at a particular time and can also be used to prove your speed. This GPS data is displayed "live" on a Google map during video playback on your home computer. Who uses dashcams? The majority of all police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, city buses, etc., already use dashcams. Increasingly, individuals concerned with false liability claims and protecting themselves in the case of an accident are also utilizing the protection offered by on-board video recorders. This includes every day drivers like you, parents, truckers and 18-wheeler drivers, etc. Fleet owners and contract drivers as well can benefit greatly from having a video (and position) data from their fleet vehicles when they are out in service for the day. Every driver should be using a dashcam! More and more drivers agree with this statement every day and join the group of those who are "protected by dashcam". It's not just emergency vehicles or police, you can buy and use a dashcam today! How do they work? You can't explain that! Just kidding. Dashcams record video to a removable memory card inside the camera itself. Any time your car is on and the dashcam is plugged in, it is acting as your backup witness. Dashcams automatically start recording when they are powered on and stop recording once you turn your car off. Note: Some dashcam models have the ability to keep recording even while the vehicle is parked! This is known as "parking mode". Where do dashcams get their power? All dashcams come with a power cord that plugs into the 12v cigarette lighter outlet in your car. Plug this cord in and you are up and running! This cord is usually quite long, in most cases long enough to tuck behind and route around the interior panels of your vehicle (on the way to the power outlet) so it will not be visible to the driver or passengers. Optionally, you or your local car audio shop can easily install or "hard-wire" the dashcam by tapping into your vehicle's 12v power circuit. This provides a complete professional installation and frees up your power outlet for your cell phone charger or other electronic device. The Dashcam StoreM now offers easy plug-and-play installation kits for quickly adding a dashcam to your car via the car's fuse box. Typically, dashcams include a small built-in battery or capacitor. This battery isn't meant to power the camera for long periods of time, but is there in case power from the car is severed during an accident. The internal battery ensures the camera will keep recording and preserve the video files even after a major accident where vehicle power is lost. Tell me more about the videos I record with my dashcam A dashcam starts creating video files at the beginning of an empty memory card. These video files are typically segmented into 1, 3, or 5 minute chunks, since it is easier to view and work with small video files on your computer rather than one long continuous file. When the memory card is full, the dashcam simply starts over at the beginning of the memory card and in this way, never needs any atten- tion from you until you have captured an incident on video that you would like to save. This is known as "loop recording" and is one of the most important abilities of a dashcam. For more information please visit us on the web at TheDashcamStore.com Obitcoin The Dashcom STORE (888) 855-5470 - Based in Austin, Texas - FREE SHIPPING on all dashcams 으 의