Garmin’s Dash Cam
UPDATED with product links.
UPDATE 2: Here’s our hands on review of the Dash Cam 20.
Garmin has announced the Dash Cam 10 and Dash Cam 20, high-definition cameras that mount to your windshield giving you a continuously recorded, wide-angle, high-definition video of all your road warrior exploits.
A gravity sensor (dubbed the G-Sensor) “automatically detects incidents, such as braking or a collision, and saves the relevant video files.”
If connected to a switched power outlet, the Dash Cam starts recording as soon as you start the car.
The Dash Cam 20 adds GPS and geotags all footage. Both models have a 2.3″ color s display and come with a suction cup mount and power cable. If connected to a switched power outlet, the Dash Cam starts recording as soon as you start the car. After a crash you can even remove the Dash Cam to take photos of any damage. Here’s a bit more detail from the news release…
Dash Cam records 1080p, 720p or WVGA video files in a continuous loop, using the included 4 GB microSDTM card. To add more memory, users can add a larger microSD card (up to 32 GB). When an incident – like hard braking or a collision – is detected by the built-in G-Sensor, Dash Cam knows to save the current, last and next recordings, preserving a complete record of the event. All footage is stamped with time and location (Dash Cam 20 only), so drivers know exactly when and where events occurred, including latitude, longitude, date, time, speed and direction of travel. The integrated microphone provides the option of recording audio inside the vehicle.
Both cameras are expected to be available next month at list prices of $219.99 and $249.99. I’ll update this post as product links, etc. become available.
Okay readers, chime in. Does this interest you? Or is it only of use if you drive in Russia?
About Rich Owings
Interested, but in my neighborhood it would be stolen pretty soon. I’d have to leave it up because I can’t imagine putting it up and taking it down each time I drive (unlike my GPS, which I just use once in a while when I drive).
Do you need to have two power outlets for this to work with a Nüvi for guidance?
Probably so, but there are splitters available.
Very interesting. Want to read other comments regarding the value of this.
Yep. I want one. I’d hardwire it into the vehicle so I didn’t have to play with the power plugs, etc. Have been looking at some others but love Garmin’s stuff and will wait for theirs to come out.
Would be interested in the DC 20, after I see some operational reviews. For that money, it better be really good, considering all the competition. I would prefer to see them bring to the US the Asian nuvi 3592 with the optional integrated drive recorder, or dash cam. It has a really neat mount also integrated with the 3592 windshield suction mount. Better yet, an IDR retrofittable to late model nuvis like 2797.