Cheap Portable HD DVR Dashcam (Unbranded): Introduction
Here we review a generic, unbranded, cheap portable HD DVR dashcam. The target price of these units is around £14.99 (UK).
Its handy to have a dashcam in your car for a few reasons. Firstly, your driving standard is good, right? So, with a dash cam, you can use the evidence in an insurance claim. Obviously, you are not going to be the one to blame.
Secondly, you can record your trips and commentate as you are driving. Indeed, a dashcam is a wonderful tool that all cars should have installed at factory level. So, let’s review the Portable HD DVR Dashcam and see what its all about.
This particular dash cam appears to be unbranded and generic. But we have seen it advertised with names such as AZ Link. Indeed, it is the same as the Pama Plug N Go Drive 1 Automated Driving Recorder. However, being generic, if you see dash cams that look like the images here, then it will be the same unit. Be that as it may, how does it perform?
In The Box
An SD card does not come with this unit so you will need to buy one. But it will not accept cards over 32 GB.
- Package Includes one each of the following:
- HD DVR
- A Li-ion battery (200 mAh, approx. 30 minutes)
- Windscreen sucker mount
- USB Cable
- Car Charger
- Instruction manual
The box is approximately 5.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 inches and looks very decent indeed. In fact, the price is reasonable and the whole deal would be great to give someone as a gift.
More Details
- HD Portable DVR Security Camera with 2.5-inch TFT LCD Screen
- Mode: Video Recorder / Camera
- Supports real time and date display on video
- Image Sensor: 1/4 Colour CMOS HD Sensor
- Recording resolution: 1280×960 / 720×480 / 640×480
- Support SD/MMC Cards: up to 32GB
- Power input: DC5V
- Power supplied by car charger or AC100~240v (optional)
Operating The Cheap Portable HD DVR Dashcam
The menu can be difficult to use until you get familiar with it. For example, if you accidentally switch to a different language, its difficult to get back to English. However, after a bit fiddling with the small amount of functions, you learn another lesson!
The Portable HD DVR Dashcam will record in a loop, so there’s no need to wipe the SD card. In other words, once you set the unit up, just leave it to record. Then, when the SD card is full, it will record over previous footage.
Obviously, if you have some valuable footage, stop the unit and replace the SD card. This is because on a long journey it may record over the valuable stuff you just recorded. This is especially important should you use a small-capacity SD card. Once you have your recordings back home, transfer them to your PC or other storage devices.
There is the ability to record in increments so set this to your needs. For example, you can set it to record in chunks of 2 minutes or 15 minutes, etc. Also remember to mind your language because it does record sound. However, you can turn off the sound via the menu.
The battery we got with our sample was useless from the beginning. In fact, it never charged and there are many complaints from others who say the same. So, it looks like you will need to keep this plugged in to your power outlet in the car. However, despite the niggles, this portable dash cam recorder has proved to be reliable for years.
Night Vision
In essence, we found that the video from the Portable HD DVR Dashcam was acceptable in daylight hours. However, despite the unit boasting LED Infrared Night Vision, we found recording in the dark unacceptable. You will get something decent where there are bright street lamps, but otherwise it is pretty useless in the dark.
Cheap Portable HD DVR Dashcam: In Summary
The Portable HD DVR Dashcam, sometimes called Portable HD DVR Dashcam Pro, is cheap and cheerful. Indeed, it is the most basic entry-level dash cam. However, in dark conditions, you will not capture much detail. But its a perfect choice for a first dash cam. Indeed, it makes an ideal gift and its serious business, not just a gimmick!
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Official Review By Julie: Portable HD DVR Dashcam.
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