So, you have taken the responsible step of getting a Dash Cam for your vehicle and self-protection! Great news! However, how do you know you are actually protected? And that your dashcam is working in full order? It can often be difficult to tell with certain models/brands – I know from my own experience the NEXTBASE was hands down the worst for this! After having an accident in 2014 with a next base dashcam 402G WHICH – was fitted ‘professionally’ by Halfords – the camera did not record my accident. This meant for an argument over whose fault it was and an absolute headache of an insurance claim which almost took a whole year to settle! I took the plunged and binned the Next base 402G Dash Cam and invested in Road Angel Halo – I’ve never turned back since!
Moving swiftly on, you’ve just got a dashcam? A Next Base? Road Angel Halo? Think ware? Black Vue? To name a few – there are a few ways to check if they are actually working and recording! This can be dependent on spec! if you have purchased a cheap Chinese type dash camera from the likes of eBay or Amazon – the then first step is to return it and purchase something reputable and you can be confident with. At the end of the day, this is something you are going to rely on in the event of an accident – the real-life scenario above was really not fun an makes you understand just how important a good quality product is! Also, the cheap Chinese ones don’t have great playback facilities or footage quality – end of the day it is a camera its no good if its 4MP with a minimal Lese aperture! You won’t see anything when you need or want to.
Indication LED lights and noises can often be the best indication the Dash Camera is working and recording – some have a start-up sequence to remind you of the camera’s presence and protection once it states – “Halo Recording” for example. So, some dash Cameras use an audible tone or phrase and most will show a red or blue indicator light when recording in certain recording modes (parking mode) or Intelligent parking mode if you use a Road Angel Halo! The other way you can check if the SD actually works in your Dash Camera is by playback, of course, something you should do often check the playback of your dash camera footage – make sure it works and records well or needs any adjustment. With the likes of the Road Angel Dash Camera range, you can review the playback footage direct on your Apple or Android smartphone with ease. You can thus easily share or upload it to the internet – no brainer really!
A summary of my experience and advice is to buy right, buy once! Buy quality you can trust and rely on and learn how to use the Dash camera in good practice so you keep things in order – who knows it might not always help yourself but could help all other road users and motorist around you! Even neighbours using its intelligent parking mode! – Get the Road Angel Halo Go/Drive or Pro Dash Camera.
