Considering that when something happens, the video of this event first appears in the format of recordings from dashcams, the popularity of such devices seems quite logical. Many people use them, and so, after much thought, I also decided to buy myself a similar gadget. I spent a long time choosing which one to pay attention to, thinking about which company was better and what characteristics I needed. The process was long and I realized that even choosing a smartphone was easier for me. Now, it seems, I have finally decided on the model and got hold of the recorder that interested me the most. I decided to tell you about it and listen to your opinion about this device. Moreover, the previous model performed well on the market and became a hit. The new product has become even better in everything. It can even shoot video in 4K.
Selecting a Dash Cam
To finally decide on my choice of Dash Cam, I borrowed it from our friends at the lamobile store, from whom we often take gadgets for reviews or buy them for ourselves, since they have very reasonable prices. This recorder is also a new product and few people have it now, but you can find it in this store right now. And even with a good set, but first things first.
The dash cam I want to talk about today is 70mai A800S. This is a sub-brand of Xiaomi that specializes in products for cars. This is not even the first time they have released dash cam and they know very well what they are doing.
The dash cam is sold in a beautiful white box, on which “4K” is clearly marked. This is one of the key features of the device. The quality of the video recording is very important so that you can see objects and license plates of other cars.
High Definition
4K resolution will make the picture much clearer. At the same time, we are talking about solid 4K, and not about interpolation (stretching). There is no need to worry that such a video will take up more space on the memory card, since it is written cyclically, and even a small volume will be enough to record the incident.
Memory cards are supported up to 256 GB.
Everything in the box is laid out with the highest possible quality, so that you immediately feel that you are getting a truly premium product from it. Everything is in its place, the ergonomics are thought out and nothing is loose. This speaks volumes about how the manufacturer treats its device and how it positions it.
What's in the box?
- The dash cam itself
- Mount
- Adhesive sticker
- USB cable
- Adapter from USB to cigarette lighter socket
- Two antistatic films on glass
- A wiring crowbar for prying up the upholstery (to hide the wire)
- User guide
The package contains everything you need
Separately, I would like to note the adapter for the cigarette lighter socket, which has two connectors. That is, you can connect the dash cam and, for example, charge your phone or navigator.
If you have a standard USB in your car, then you can connect the dash cam to it. It is always convenient to use the cigarette lighter or USB socket in the feet of the rear passengers. It won’t be difficult to stretch the cable there - it’s long enough - but there won’t be any extra wires in front .
To connect, you can use such an adapter or simply connect to a standard USB.
Hidden connection
Personally, I don’t like any wires in the cabin at all and don’t even use Apple CarPlay because of this. For people like me, it is possible to connect the 70mai A800S directly to the car’s electrical network. To do this, 70mai offers a special cable for the dash cam, which is connected to the dash cam on one side, and to the wiring under the interior trim on the other. It has a special block to make the connection secure. I have not yet had time to try connecting the device this way, but I will definitely do it. So everything will look good, and the automatic turn-on function will work.
Using this wire, you can install the dash cam almost hidden.
What I like most about this type of dash cams is its shape. I am very put off by models that hang on a leg and are always visible. It looks simply terrible, and most importantly, the question always arises “why?” Why do this when you can do it like the 70mai A800S?
The dash cam body literally spreads over the glass, and if you glue it to the top of the windshield behind the rearview mirror, it may not be noticeable at all. It shouldn't be constantly in front of your eyes. Let it hang and film until you need video of it. This will also be appreciated by pedants like me who don’t like anything superfluous in the cabin. This is not a device that should always be in front of your eyes.
The dash cam is almost invisible on the glass.
The maximum picture quality produced by the recorder is 4K at 30 frames per second (viewing angle 140 degrees). This is more than enough to see small details, including the make of cars around and their license plates. This is precisely why people buy a dash cam and such detail will be simply irreplaceable in a difficult situation when you have to prove something. With this device there will be much fewer conflict situations.
You can see the picture quality in the example given. As you can see in the video above, all numbers are readable even from a great distance and even if you enlarge the picture. You can’t find fault with the contrast either. Even at night, bright signs do not interrupt the picture and it turns out very good.
Even in the dark everything is visible.
How to record a video on a dash cam
Video recording, regardless of resolution, is performed cyclically. That is, when the space runs out, the camera starts writing over the oldest files. If you want the cycle to be longer, then it is better to take a larger memory card. MicroSD cards up to 256 GB are supported. On my own behalf, I’ll add that you need to buy a good card and not save on it. Friends, acquaintances and just readers have repeatedly complained to me that cheap memory cards last much less. Especially in dash cams, where the load on them is significantly higher than in a smartphone or video camera.
There is no memory card included, but its presence would greatly affect the cost of the device. At the same time, it is difficult to guess the volume that users need. Moreover, many already have them.
A large three-inch screen faces the interior, which shows everything that is happening on the road, and, if necessary, allows you to view the recording. At the same time, it also displays a link to download the application to your smartphone in order to transfer the captured videos to it. The screen is not touch-sensitive, but this does not affect ease of use, since there are multifunction keys under it, and next to them it is written at what moment they are responsible for what.
70mai A800S Russified. There are even voice prompts in Russian.
70mai dash cam
The previous model of this dash cam was 70mai A500S. This was also a good device, but it had at least three serious differences from the new product. These include a smaller screen size, an older sensor (Sony IMX335 versus Sony IMX415) and lower video resolution (2592 by 1944 versus 3840 by 2160 pixels).
Since troubles can occur not only in front of the car, but also in the rear, it would not be superfluous to connect a second camera. It will film what is happening from behind and give a more complete picture of what is happening around the car. The shooting resolution in this case will be FullHD (1920 by 1080 pixels) at a frequency of 30 frames per second. The video will be saved to the main memory card. This camera can be used not only with the 70mai A800S, but also with the 70mai Rearview Dash Cam Wide D07.
Combined with the 70mai rear camera, the A800S will provide almost 360-degree protection.
I will continue to use this dash cam and, if I have anything to add, I will tell you on our social networks, including the Telegram channel. So far, to summarize, I can say that the dash cam turned out to be very successful. In this review, there is no point in going into detail about the process of setting up the device, since it is very simple and there are even voice prompts in Russian.
The video can be viewed on the built-in screen. All information, including speed and coordinates, will be visible.
One has only to add that in addition to all of the above, it also has a built-in microphone, a built-in speaker and several other useful functions. Among them will be: dynamic noise reduction during night recording, road assistance system, automatic recording of incidents, the ability to work in a parking lot, built-in GPS, notification of oncoming traffic, recording speed and time, as well as some other functions.
The built-in microphone and speaker will allow you not only to record video with sound, but also to view it on the dash cam itself.
I was impressed by this dash cam and this is what I plan to choose. I recommend buying it as a “complete set”. A rear camera is always useful and can be very useful in difficult situations on the road. In the end, 9,490 rubles may seem like a lot to some, but for a good dash cam it is quite inexpensive . And it's really worth the money.
Originate from appleinsider
