What should I look for when buying a trucker dash cam?

1. What should I look for when buying a trucker dashcam? At DashCamTalk we get a question asked all the time by readers and viewers, "What dashcam should I buy?" This is an interesting question because everyone has their own needs and expectations in terms of features, quality, reliability, and value for money. The answer to that question changes daily as new dash cams are released onto the market while older models drop in price or become end-of-life (EOL). With over 150+ dash cams currently on the market today, it can be difficult knowing which model to pick! It's like asking someone what smartphone to buy; there are so many makes and models available with different operating systems, screen sizes, etc. So, let's try and make it easier for you. Below is a list of things to consider when buying a dashcam, as well as some recommendations on what models might best suit your needs. Recording Quality & Bitrate: The recording quality or resolution of the video recorded by the best trucker GPS with dashcam is measured in pixels. Pixels don't mean much here really because pretty much all cameras will have more than enough pixels to record every detail! Therefore, the more important figure is how many pixels are used per frame. For example, a 1080p camera uses a 1920x1080 pixel image which is then dissected into either H or F frames depending on if

2. it’s an interlaced or progressive system respectively (don't worry we will cover this in more detail later on). This gives a final resolution of 960x540 pixels per frame which is then re-framed back to 1920x1080 pixels before its output as an H.264 file (we will discuss the various codecs and compression rates later on as well as comparison videos). A 1440p camera uses 2560x1440 pixel image which is dissected into either H or F frames. This gives a final resolution of 1280x720 pixels per frame which is then re-framed back to 2560x1440 pixels before its output as an H.264 file. Check out our YouTube Video for an overview of the differences. The important thing here is not so much about how many pixels are used but how it’s used. A 1080p camera will always be better than a 720p camera because the video is spread over more pixels, reducing pixelation and other artifacts. But, there are two major types of videos Progressive and Interlaced: Progressive: The image is progressively scanned line by line rather than being split into odd/even fields as an interlaced system does. This results in less flickering but requires more processing power to produce since it has twice the number of frames per second (fps). Therefore producing a "true" or "full" HD recording at 30fps would require 60mbps to maintain detail whereas if the camera was using an interlaced system it could do so with much less processor power since each frame only has half the data. This means less heat and more battery life for your dashcam! Interlaced: The image is divided into odd (upper lines) and even (lower lines) fields that are then shown at alternating frames. This system produces a flicker-free image but requires more processing power to produce since it has half the number of fps. Therefore producing "true" or "full" HD recording at 30fps would require over 100mbps which causes significant heating and would drain your car battery in hours rather than days. We always recommend using a progressive mode when possible, especially for cameras with small processors like mini-drones and smartphones; we will go into this further down below.

3. Resolution / Recording Modes: All dash cams record in at least 1080p (1920x1080 pixels) but there are a few with unique recording modes such as 1440p (2560x1440), 2.7k (2704x1520) and 4k (3840x2160). These enhanced resolutions help with various "bokeh" effects that require more processing power for example when recording cars in front of you and behind you simultaneously or to remove the fish-eye distortion around the car edges. We will go into these more below. Dash Cams With Unique Recording Modes: Both models from Thinkware use Sony Starvis sensors - great night vision! Night Time Clarity One major factor that defines video quality is how well it records at night. There are multiple factors that contribute here; low light video recording capabilities, reflective windshields which cast glare onto the dashcam lens (see example below), and general visibility on the road at night.

4. Dash Cam Night Time Video Samples: The Transcend DrivePro 100 has an absolutely dismal picture! The G1W does better but it is still very dark... Check out this article for more information about how to improve nighttime performance with some DIY solutions. Most of our readers own a smartphone so we included several pictures taken with popular handsets for comparison purposes - click on each thumbnail below to view the full-size images which were all taken in auto mode. Click HERE if you prefer direct links. We recommend using WiFi to transfer your videos and pictures to your computer since it will drastically reduce the time needed. Our Resources Section provides further information about how to back up videos from your sd cards onto your computers using free software such as Card Reader if you don’t have a smartphone. So what does this all mean for Dash Cam manufacturers? Well, there is a potential market out there for HD Car DVRs but their selling point must be unique before shelling out hundreds of dollars on a new model. A few months ago we reviewed the Transcend DrivePro 200 which has 1440p recording capability while most dash cams max out at 1080p resolution. The extra resolution might not seem like a big deal now but when you factor in the number of people who will eventually buy 4K TVs for their home, it becomes a selling point. Furthermore, there are already apps such as iMotion HD that allow owners to stream video from their iPhones or iPads to Apple TV. For Further Information Click Here.