You might wonder about what loop recording is on a dash cam. It is a very important feature you can use to make sure that your dash cam is always recording. In this article, we will talk about what loop recording is, how it works and why you need it in your dash cam.
Loop recording is a feature that you can use to make your dash cam record all the time. Dashcam does this by recording video in short clips that are a few minutes long(1, 3, 5 minutes). When your memory card is almost full, the dash cam will start to record new videos over the oldest clips. It will overwrite the oldest unsaved video to make space for the newest one. This way, you don’t have to worry about manually deleting old footage.
How does Loop Recording Work
With loop recording, your dash cam is always recording everything that is happening near your car when you are driving. When your memory card gets full, the dash cam will not stop recording. Instead, it automatically overwrites the oldest footage in the SD card with the new footage. This will let you always have the most recent recordings.
Why Loop Recording is a Must-Have for Your Dash Cam
Loop recording is very important and a must have feature for your dash cam. With it, you can make sure you always have a recording of what is happening around your car. If you are ever in an accident, dashcam will also record it to let you know what exactly happened. You can then use those recordings for insurance claims or legal disputes. You will not have to worry about running out of storage space with this mode.
How Does Loop Recording Work?
A Step-by-Step Look at the Loop Recording Process
1. Your dash cam starts recording video in short clips (of 1,3, 5 minutes).
2. These clips are saved on your SD card.
3. When your SD card gets full, the dash cam overwrites the newest video over the oldest clip.
4. This process continues which makes a continuous loop of recordings.
5. In case of any incident, the Dash Cam will save that video permanently so it doesn’t get overwritten.
The Essential Role of the SD Card in Loop Recording
Your SD card also plays a very important role for loop recording. It is a storage device that is used by your dash cam to store all its videos. The size of your SD card will decide how much video can be saved in your dash cam. The lower the size of your SD card is, the less will be the recording saved before the dash cam starts overwriting it.
Common Video Formats Used in Loop Recording
Dash cams usually save the video in MP4 or MOV video formats for loop recording. These formats are widely used and also save video without affecting their quality. You can open videos of these formats in any device, be it your computer or mobile phone.
Why is Loop Recording Important for Dash Cams?
Continuous Footage for Insurance Claims
If you are ever plotted in any incident and your dash cam was recording video in loop recording mode, you will have that video to know what happened. In case of any impact or incident, your dash cam will save that video separately so it doesn’t get overwritten. You can then use the saved video recording to file insurance claims.
Accident Documentation
If the loop recording was enabled on your dash cam and you are involved in an accident, the camera will save this video. You can later also use it to see what exactly happened. This video can also be used to prove your innocence if it wasn’t your fault.
Capturing Unexpected Road Events
If you are ever seeing someone driving roughly or any incident that has happened in front of your car, you can capture those incidents. You can use these videos to report them to authorities or just view them later.
Ensuring Continuous Recording on Long Trips
Loop recording also makes sure that your dash cam is always recording even on long trips. You don’t have to worry about running out of storage space. If you are a vlogger, you can use these videos to make a time lapse video to record your journey.
Benefits of Loop Recording in Dash Cams
-
No More Running Out of Storage
With loop recording, you can make sure that your SD card never runs out of space.
-
Always Having Video Evidence
With loop recording, you will always have video evidence of what happened around your car. This is very helpful for insurance claims.
-
Peace of Mind While Driving
When you know that your dash cam is always recording, it can give you peace of mind when driving.
-
Capturing Accidents and Incidents
You also capture any unexpected accidents, parking incidents or traffic incidents with loop recording mode.
-
Easy and Automatic Operation
Loop recording automatically delete the oldest videos and make space for the newer ones. With this you will not have to do anything manually.
-
Never Missing a Moment
When you are using loop recording, you will never miss a moment on the road.
How Does Loop Recording Impact Storage in Dash Cams?
The size of the memory card you are using on your dashcam determines how much footage your dash cam can store before it starts overwriting the old clips. A larger memory card will let you store more footage. Higher video resolution (like 4K) can use a lot more storage space than lower resolution (like 1080p).
| Memory Card Size | 720p | 1080p | 2.5K | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32GB | 4 hours | 2 hours | 1 hour | 30 minutes |
| 64GB | 8 hours | 4 hours | 2 hours | 1 hour |
| 128GB | 16 hours | 8 hours | 4 hours | 2 hours |
| 256GB | 32 hours | 16 hours | 8 hours | 4 hours |
| 512GB | 64 hours | 32 hours | 16 hours | 8 hours |
If you are recording at 1080p and have a 64GB memory card, you can record for approximately 4 hours before your dash cam starts overwriting old footage. If you want to record for longer without overwriting, you can use a larger memory card like a 128GB or 256GB card.
Choosing the Right Memory Card for Loop Recording
High Endurance
You can’t use all types of memory cards in dash cams. Some memory cards don’t have the ability to overwrite files continuously. You should choose a high-endurance Micro SD card for your dash cam. These cards are designed for continuous recording and can work longer than normal ones.
Class or Rating
You should also look for a card that have a Class 10 or UHS-I rating. These cards have faster writing speeds which is important to save recorded videos in high-quality.
Brands
You must always buy memory cards from reputable brands like Samsung, SanDisk and Wolfbox. These all make good memory cards that can work well with dash cams. If you are buying a Wolfbox dash cam, you can also buy an SD Card with it that is compatible with them.
Choosing the Right Loop Recording Dash Cam
Key Features
-
Reliable Loop Recording Functionality:
You must make sure that the dash cam has reliable loop recording that can work as expected.
-
Good Video Quality:
Your dash cam should always be able to record videos in good quality (1080p or above).
-
Wide Viewing Angle:
If your dash cam has a wide viewing angle, it can capture more of the road.
-
G-Sensor:
A G-sensor will save the video permanently in case of an impact.
-
Large Storage Capacity Support:
You should also make sure that the dash cam can support large memory cards. With this, you will be able to save videos for longer
Wolfbox dash cams like the G900Pro have all these features.
Common Myths About Loop Recording in Dash Cams
Debunking Common Misconceptions
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| Loop recording will erase important footage. | Loop recording only overwrites old footage after the memory card is full. Important videos are locked/saved permanently so they don’t get overwritten. |
| Loop recording only works with certain brands. | Loop recording is a standard feature on almost all the dash cams. |
| Loop recording requires excessive storage space. | Loop recording can manage storage space by overwriting old footage. |
Should You Choose a Dash Cam with Loop Recording?
The dash cam that has a Loop recording mode in them is a must. It will make sure you always have a recording of what is happening on the road. If you’re buying a dash cam, you should always see if it has loop recording. Wolfbox dash cams come with this important feature. Check out their options on the website to learn more.