How Do Dash Cams Work

A dash cam is a small camera that is attached on dashboard or windshield of your car. It records video when you are driving and captures both the road head ahead and the interior of the vehicle in some cases. They are powered by the battery of your car or a separate power source. They are beneficial in case of accidents as they serve as a reliable witness.

Accident Documentation

Dash cams can be used for important evidence in case of any accident. They capture events when they occur and can be useful for insurance claims or legal proceedings.

Insurance Claims

Having a dash cam can make the claims process much easier. If you face any collision, the video can be used to verify the details of the incident.

Preventing Fraud

Dash cams can also be used to avoid fraudulent claims such as staged accidents. They record live footage of the scene that makes it harder for scammers to make false claims.

Recording Road Rage or Reckless Driving

You can capture aggressive drivers, road rage incidents or reckless drivers with dash cams. This footage can be used to report dangerous drivers to authorities with proof.

Providing Evidence for Legal Protection

Dash cam videos can be used as evidence if you are involved in an incident or a police investigation. It can help in case of confusions about the events that took place

Protecting Your Vehicle While Parked

Many dash cameras also have parking modes that record the car when it’s parked. This feature can help to record incidents like theft, damage or hit-and-run accidents.

Capturing Scenic Drives or Memorable Trips

These cams can also be used to record beautiful routes or memorable road trips. They can be used as travel vlogs.

When you install a dash cam on your car and turn the engine on, the camera will start recording by itself. You will need to configure the settings for the first time. After that every time you turn the car on, the recording will start and when the engine is turned off, the recording will stop.

You will also need a storage device like SD Cards for them to store the videos. Without any memory card or poor storage, you will not be able to see the video when needed. This defies the purpose of the dash cams.

In the normal / default mode, the recording stops when you turn off the engine of the vehicle. But when the car is in parking mode, the camera still records. You can choose between different recording modes like incident mode, time-lapse mode, etc. to find out what suits your needs the best.

For this mode, the camera is attached directly to the electrical system of your car. This makes sure that the camera gets the power needed for it to work and record properly.

The dash cam’s price can change depending on what features or functionality it has. Basic cameras with essential functions like 1080p resolution and loop recording cost between $50 to $150. These cameras can be used by those who want simple devices for recording driving videos without any extra features.

Dash cams with advanced features usually cost more than basic ones. One with features like GPS tracking, Wi-Fi connectivity or high-resolution video (1440p or 4K) cost between $150 to $300. These models are best for those who want to record detailed videos or extra convenience like the ability to watch videos remotely.

Some dash cams also come with premium features like night vision, parking mode or dual cameras for both front and rear recording. Premium dash cams can cost between $300 and $500. These models are made for people that want to get maximum protection and have clearer recordings in low-light conditions. Such cams can also be used for 24/7 supervision.

G900 dash cam has advanced features like 4k resolution, night vision and parking mode at a cost of just $249.99 USD. You can use it for high-quality video and extra protection at a reasonable price:

Dash cams rely on memory cards to store their footage in the form of microSD cards. The memory card can be inserted in dash cams where it stores the videos being recorded. Most dash cams support microSD cards depending on the model that can vary from 16GB to 256GB.

When the card reaches the maximum capacity, it deletes the older footage to make space for newer one. This is known as loop recording. It makes sures that new video is being saved even when there is limited storage. In some dash cams, you can manually lock videos to prevent them from being removed.

Some dash cams also have cloud connectivity that upload the video to cloud storage. This makes it possible to remotely access videos from anywhere. You can customize it to store any important incident or details in the cloud storage. You can also use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to download and see videos directly on your smartphone.

How Long Can a 128GB SD Card Record in Dash Cams?

A 128GB SD card can store videos starting from 12 to 18 hours of 1080p resolution. If you are using 4k resolution, the storage time will be limited to 4 to 6 hours. You can find the 128GB SD Card by Wolfbox here :

How Long Can a 512GB SD Card Record in Dash Cams?

A 512GB SD Card can store videos for up to 48 to 72 hours of 1080p video. It can keep 4k video for about 16 to 24 hours. These cards can be used to store videos for longer time for long-distance traveling without fear of overwriting. You can find the SD Card best for Wolfbox G900 or G900Pro from here: Wolfbox 512GB SD Card.

Not all dash cams work when the is off. Basic dash cams only record when the car is running because they are powered through the 12V power outlet of the car. Some advanced dash cams like Wolfbox G900 and G900Pro come with a feature called parking mode. This feature makes it possible to record even when the engine is turned off. These dash cams are connected directly to the car battery or use an external power source.

You May Also Ask: Do Dash Cams Record Audio When Car Is Off?

Dash cams are legal to use in most countries but there are some important regulations and restrictions you must follow. These rules focus on privacy concerns and how they are used. You can find the legality of the dash cams in your countries below:

• United States: Allowed (Source: Dash Cam Laws by State )

• Europe: Allowed in most countries (Can I Use My Dash Cam in Europe?)

• Canada: Allowed (Source: Guidelines for Overt Video Surveillance in the Private Sector )

• Australia: Allowed (Source: National Road Safety Strategy)

• Japan: Allowed