Taotronics Car Dash Cam DVR Review: A Decent Dash Cam

Introduction:

Welcome to my Taotronics Car Dash Cam DVR review. Dash cam DVRs have become very popular quite recently and that’s no surprise given the amount of accidents on the road and the price of insurance. Drivers are constantly needing to protect their own back in order to prove who may have caused an accident.

Design and quality:

I have used a few dashcams during my time as a reviewer, but none have ever had a small form factor like this one. This is a small square-shaped camera that sits nicely in the palm of my hand. It is quite chunky though and does have a bit of weight to it.

The layout is quite nice with all the buttons and ports marked appropriately. The screen is a full-color 2.0-inch screen that provides a smooth image of whatever is in front of the camera. Below the screen are four buttons that are used for menu access, activating the camera, selecting and changing settings and viewing any footage. Down the left-hand side of the camera are a power button and a MicroSD slot. Talking of the MicroSD slot, you get a nice 32GB MicroSD card included, which is something I have had to provide for all of my other dash cameras. Down the right-hand side are a MicroUSB port, a reset button and lastly an HDMI out port.

Around the front is the large lens surrounded by a chrome trim. On the bottom edge are the microphone and the loudspeaker. I must admit I am amazed at just how much has been squeezed into such a small body.

The device also has a built-in battery so it can still be used if your car breaks down somewhere and you need it should anything happen. You do get a car cigarette plug adapter to plug the USB cable into to keep it charged. there’s also an extra port so you can even charge a mobile device at the same time. The provided charging cable is quite long and even comes with sticky backed hooks that stick to the area around the top and sides of the windscreen so the cable can be run in a neat and consistent way from the camera to the charging port.

The camera comes with two different mounts. There’s a mount with a sticky backing that is permanently sat on the windscreen and there is also a suction cup mount that you can use if you need to have the camera in a different car. The camera itself simply slips in and out of the mounts. It locks in securely and requires a slight pull to unlock it to remove it.

Build quality is fantastic. The camera feels nice and solid and a quick shake reveals no loose sounding components. Each button feels just right without any stiffness or looseness to be concerned about. The included components are also well made. The sticky backing works well and the suction cup keeps a strong suction, meaning even going over speed bumps has no consequences such as the camera falling down.

In use:

Working my way around the camera was actually quite easy, I had no issues at all, but I do have a lot of experience with technology. Even if you don’t, it’s still a doddle and the included manual is very informative.

Navigating around the camera’s interface is quick and painless, although the small screen does create a slight strain on my eyes, that said, for the most part, everything on the screen such as text is clear enough to read.

The camera can be turned on and off using the power button, but can also power up automatically as soon as you turn the car’s ignition and turn off as soon as you turn the ignition off in the car. Settings are also saved so there’s no need for messing about setting the camera up before you set off.

The image quality is actually quite good. The sensor seems to do a fantastic job of picking things up clearly. This is great as it means car registration plates are clear and very easy to read, which as you know is an important part of any accident investigation. Surprisingly the camera also does a good job of picking up video during dark times despite not having a true night vision mode.

The audio is also fantastic as it clear and distortion free. People’s voices are clear and easy to distinguish as well as other noises such as bangs or other serious noises.

Overall:

This is a brilliant camera that has a brilliant design and is well made. It’s easy to use and picks up video with fantastic quality and audio.

DISCLOSURE:

I received this product for free in return for my honest and unbiased review. This has had no effect on my overall opinion of the product.