Having a dashcam works for a lot more than just recording what crazy drives do on the streets. Originally, dashcams were created so that drivers who had been in an accident had proof of what really happened. But, obviously, having a camera recording everything that happens while you drive would let you share a lot more than that. That’s where all those crazy videos come from.
There’s a bunch of dashcams and DVRs out there today within a wide range of prices and features available on them. Our friends over at Pittasoft were kind enough to send us their best dashcam, and one of the best on the market. We want to tell you our experience with the Blackvue DR650GW-2CH.
Installation
This version of the Blackvue comes with two cameras, front (main) and back. Inside the box you will find everything you will need to install this camera. Two cables, both pretty long, where one will be used to power up the device with the car charging plug, and the other will be used to connect the back and front camera.
Installing this camera is extremely easy, but will also depend on your vehicle. In some cases, you might have to use some extra tools to hide the cables. Others, like my case, you won’t need anything other than applying a little force and the clips that come inside the box. Both cameras come with a very strong adhesive that you can use to stick the camera on the car and it will hold it nice and strong. Either way, in case it is needed, you get extra adhesives for each camera.
Features and video
The main, or front, camera does almost all the job. It’s got a micro SD port, a button to turn the Wifi on or off, and a motion sensor that works for activating manual recording, which we will explain later what it’s about. It also provides power for the secondary, or back, camera and with the same cable transfers the videos recorded with the second camera to the micro SD card.
This camra supports micro SD cards of up to 128GB, which is more than enough to store a couple of days of videos. With a 64GB card, you can store up to 16 hours of video in normal quality, while with the 128GB card you can store up to 32 hours.The front camera has 2MP with CMOS sensor, while the back camera is 1MP, 129 degree angle of vision, which allows recording videos in good quality and capture the whole angle of the front and back with both cameras, making sure nothing is left out. This will also depend on how the camera is installed and if it’s aligned correctly, so make sure you check if it’s capturing what you want it to capture.
For a dashcam, these videos are very good and pretty clear. Colors are bright and details are sharp, even when zooming in the video. It’s obviously got it’s limits, you might not be able to see clearly some things that are far away, but it does the job and everything can be identified without trouble.
Footage from the front camera:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMT-S67H8CE
Footage from the back camera:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRJO6KgI54E
The videos at night time are also very good, though obviously quality isn’t as great and it is a more difficult to identify things or people, but it’s good and clear.
Footage from the front camera at night:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uExuVNQZ_U
It also has an integrated microphone in the camera, with which you’ll be recording the audio at all times. The camera has a parking mode, which means when the car has been stationary for a while, it’ll stop recording. With the sensor you can activate manual recording to make sure the camera is recording at all times.
The audio on the microphone is pretty good. You can speak at a normal volume, like you would when speaking to anyone inside the car, and the camera will record it clearly.
The Blackvue has integrated GPS, with which you can see where your vehicle is at the moment, or at a given time. This is with support of the app or desktop software, which are both great. The app is quite useful, easy to use and configure. You’ll be able to connect to both cameras and watch video live on your phone or PC. You can algo configure a WiFi network on your Blackvue so that it’ll connect automatically when in range and you can watch videos stored on the micro SD, save it to you smartphone or PC, watch the camera or location live and more.
Extra: PowerMagic Pro
Another handy accessory included in the pack was the PowerMagic Pro. With it, you’ll be able to do some extra, very useful things with the Blackvue. This device connects to your vehicle’s battery, this time you might need some extra help or experience to install this. Once switched on, the PowerMagic Pro allows the camera to be activated with the sensor or by shock. In case there’s an accident, or motion is detected with the sensor, the cameras will immediately start recording everything that happens.
The PowerMagic Pro has several different settings for video recording based on time or voltaje. It’s up to you as the user to set the setting you prefer the most.
Price
Here’s where it gets a little tough. It’s been more than clear the the Blackvue DR650GW is not your regular dashcam. It goes a long way ahead of the others and does much more than the competition, at a price. You can get the Blackvue, both cameras, with a 64GB card and the PowerMagic Pro for around $397. You can also get the cameras and PowerMagic Pro seperately.
It’s a lot of money, but if you really want a quality dashcam and keep your vehicle safe, it’s worth every cent.
Buy Blackvue DR650GW-2CH (16GB)
Buy Blackvue DR650GW-2CH (64GB) + PowerMagic Pro