Comparison Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 vs Garmin Dash Cam Mini

Among the photo and video functions used in the dashcam, we can distinguish G-sensor, rotating lens, live, HDR< /a>, WDR, polarizing filter, DEWARP and Time Lapse. More about them:

— G-sensor (video saving). A sensor that monitors shocks and vibrations acting on the DVR. The main function of this sensor is to ensure the safety of video materials in the event of an accident: in the event of a strong impact, characteristic of a collision or fall, the recorder with a G-sensor automatically saves the previously recorded video to a non-volatile memory protected from overwriting. Thus, materials about an emergency are not only guaranteed to be saved, but with a high probability remain intact even if the recorder itself is damaged. In addition, the G-sensor is used in parking mode — see "Functions" for details.

— Swivel lens. The ability to rotate the lens of the registrar horizontally or vertically, and in some cases — on both planes. This feature allows you to adjust the camera's field of view.

— Sound recording. Ability to record sound with a video recorder. First of all, we are talking about recording conversations in the cabin, which can become an add...itional argument in disputable situations — for example, they will allow you to determine whether the driver was talking on a mobile phone at the time of an accident, whether he noticed the situation on the road, how he assessed it, etc.

— Live broadcast. Allows you to remotely connect to the DVR and monitor what is happening from the camera in real time. It is very important if there is an additional camera in the cabin, when you can track the situation, for example, in taxi services, courier delivery, etc. This function will also become important and useful when a car is stolen, when you can not only see the hijacker from the video from the camera, but also track the route of his movement.

— HDR (high dynamic range). A function that increases the dynamic range of the recorder. Dynamic range is the maximum difference between the brightest and darkest area achievable within a single frame. Initially, this range for digital matrices is small, so an image with large brightness differences (for example, a road against a sunset sky) turns out to be either strongly overexposed in bright areas or very dim in dark areas. HDR addresses this shortcoming and also improves the overall colour quality. This is implemented as follows: the camera takes several frames with different settings and from them forms the finished image. At the same time, this technology is simpler and cheaper to implement than WDR, which is similar in purpose (see below). The main disadvantage of HDR is that this type of shooting increases the blurring of fast moving objects in the frame somewhat.

— WDR (Wide Dynamic Range). A function similar in purpose to HDR described above: it is used to improve the quality of a “picture” that has strong differences in brightness. The key difference between these technologies is that WDR works at the hardware level — due to high-end matrices. This allows you to achieve the required dynamic range within a single frame and do without gluing several frames — as a result, WDR, unlike HDR, does not give a blurring effect and does not worsen the detail of moving objects in the frame. The downside of this quality is the high price.

— Polarizing filter. The presence of a polarizing filter in the main camera of the DVR. Such a filter reduces the brightness of glare arising from strong light on glass, water and other similar surfaces. This greatly improves image quality, especially when shooting in sunny weather.

— DEWARP. A technology used to correct the "picture" obtained using a wide-angle lens. Such lenses are often used in DVRs; one of their drawbacks is their propensity for the fish-eye effect, the characteristic distortion when straight lines in the frame turn into rounded ones. The DEWARP function eliminates this shortcoming — it "bends back" curved lines, correcting the geometry of objects in the frame. Note that such a correction does not always work 100% accurately, however, the picture processed by DEWARP is anyway more reliable than without this technology.

— Time Lapse. A special mode of operation in which video recording is carried out at a slow frequency, which in practice is mainly used for shooting slow processes. Thus, for example, a long journey or a long sunset can fit into a 3-minute video.

— Radar detector. A sensor that reacts to the emission of a police radar and warns the driver that the speed may be recorded by the device. Dash cams with this function are classified into a separate category — combo devices (see "Type"). Let's recall that radar detectors are also available as separate devices, however, a combo device takes up less space when installed. On the other hand, the "anti-radar" functionality in combined dash cams is generally somewhat less extensive than in standalone radar detectors. And combo devices are quite expensive (although often cheaper than a pair of a separate dash cam and a radar detector with similar capabilities). It should be emphasized that having this function does not relieve the obligation to adhere to the speed limits prescribed by traffic rules.

— Signature detection. A function of the radar detector described above that improves recognition accuracy and reduces the likelihood of false alarms. To achieve this, samples (signatures) of the emissions of the most popular radar models are stored in the device's memory, and when a signal is detected, the device compares it with the data in memory. In this way, you can quite accurately determine whether the received signal is radar emission (and which one) or merely an outside interference. The drawbacks of detectors with signature recognition include relatively high cost, slightly increased triggering time,...and inability to "recognize" radars not stored in memory (however, some models allow signature database updates).

— Parking mode. A special mode that allows recording extraordinary events on video while the vehicle is parked; it uses a G-sensor for operation (see "Shooting functions"). In parking mode, the dash cam is in "sleep" mode, and if the G-sensor detects an impact, full recording is activated. Videos from the buffer are "attached" to the start of the recording, allowing not only the moment of the incident to be recorded but also a few seconds before it.

— Motion sensor. A dash cam function based on detecting movement in the camera lens. Thus, if the dash cam "understands" that there is movement in the frame, automatic recording takes place. This allows the dash cam to be set to automatically turn on when movement starts, as well as to record possible incidents, thefts, car hijackings in parking areas that come into the device's field of view.

— Voice control. The ability to control the dash cam through voice commands. The specific list of such commands (and supported languages) can vary depending on the model. However, in any case, this function contributes to driving safety: it allows you to keep your hands on the wheel and not get distracted from the road while controlling the dash cam.

— Gesture control. The ability to control the device using gestures. Note that the capabilities of such control in dash cams are significantly limited: typically, a sensor is used that responds to hand movement in front of the device and is capable of performing only one specific action. Nevertheless, even this possibility provides additional convenience and safety (compared to pressing buttons and especially navigating menus): a hand movement takes fractions of a second, and the driver is hardly distracted from the road. As for specific functions implemented through gesture control, they may include protecting the recorded clip from being overwritten, saving a snapshot, turning off the radar detector sound (see above), etc. In some models, such a function is rigidly set in the settings and cannot be reconfigured, while in others, you can choose from several options.

— Wi-Fi module. The Wi-Fi technology is mainly known as a method of wireless Internet access, but it can also be used for direct connection with another device. The ways of using this technology in dash cams can vary, depending on the functionality. For instance, some models can update map markers for a GPS navigator and GPS informer database through such a connection (see above); others allow uploading recorded videos directly to the Internet (for example, to YouTube); and the most advanced devices with this feature have touch screens and can even be used as full-fledged tablets when removed from the mount, with the ability to browse web pages and install various applications. There are also quite specific features — for example, streaming recorded or captured video to a smartphone or tablet, sharing mobile Internet with other devices (if a 3G/4G module is available), and so on. It is worth noting that the number of public Wi-Fi access points is constantly increasing, they are available at most major gas stations, and are often provided in certain areas of large cities (parks, historical and business districts, etc.). Therefore, accessing the World Wide Web from a dash cam without removing it from the car can be much easier than it seems at first glance.

— 3G/4G modem. A 3G or 4G mobile communication module. Primarily intended for data transmission — in simpler terms, for mobile Internet use; voice calls for dash cams are considered redundant and, as a rule, are not supported. The speed of connection in modern mobile networks is often comparable to that through Wi-Fi; thus, the applications of 3G/4G connectivity can be quite diverse, depending on the specific model. However, three functions are most frequently encountered: downloading information about traffic jams and other relevant data (updates for GPS informers, weather forecasts, etc.); functioning as a GPS tracker (if this feature is available — see above); and as a Wi-Fi hotspot, sharing mobile Internet with other devices (with a built-in Wi-Fi module, of course). Comparing 3G/4G and Wi-Fi, mobile communication is available almost everywhere; however, it comes with costs.

— Bluetooth. Having a built-in Bluetooth module in the dash cam. This technology is used for direct wireless connections with other devices; its application can vary, depending on the functionality of a particular dash cam. One of the most popular applications is streaming audio to a Bluetooth-compatible car stereo or the driver's headset: this can include various notifications from the navigator, radar detector, etc., signals from the "Anti-Sleep" system (see above), and in some models — even music from the built-in player. Another popular use form is file exchange with a smartphone, laptop, or other similar device (primarily for copying recorded materials). Besides this, other more specific usage modes for Bluetooth might be envisioned. It is worth noting that most dash cams with this function operate on Android (see the corresponding point), so the range of options is quite extensive — essentially limited by the range of compatible apps.

— Speaker. A built-in speaker installed in the dash cam housing. This speaker can be used to play, for example, audio during recorded video playback, voice prompts from the GPS navigator/informer, radar detector signals (see above), etc. However, keep in mind that the speaker’s volume might be relatively low, and listening via the speaker in a noisy environment might be challenging.

HDMI port is an output that allows you to use the recorder as an external player — namely, to broadcast video and audio from it to a TV, monitor or other video equipment that has the appropriate input. The HDMI standard is specially designed for high-definition content, it allows you to transfer even the highest quality video (up to and including UltraHD 4K); and inputs of this type are available in almost all video devices that support HD standards — in particular, in the vast majority of modern TVs. Note that a smaller version of the HDMI connector is usually installed in the recorder, and the appropriate cable is supplied in the kit, but the presence of the latter needs to be specified separately.

The largest size of the memory card allowed for the device. This limitation is primarily due to the fact that more powerful hardware is required to work with larger volumes. In addition, there are nuances associated with individual subspecies of cards. Anyway, this value cannot be exceeded: with a high probability, the registrar will either work incorrectly, or will not be able to work at all, or even completely fail.

Most modern registrars support cards up to 32 GB or 64 GB, but there are models that are compatible with more capacious cards — 128 GB or even 256 GB.

Availability of a backup power source in the device's design. Such a source is activated when the main power from the vehicle's onboard network is unavailable, for finalizing recording when the ignition is turned off, in the event of an accident, and in other situations (e.g., if you need to view recorded videos on the dashcam).

— Battery. The battery "under the hood" of most dashcams usually has low capacity, sufficient for a few minutes of autonomous operation. Typically, this is a lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery, which acts as an additional guarantee in case of emergencies. Primarily, the battery can be useful in the event of an accident: if damage causes power loss at the cigarette lighter socket, the dashcam will still remain operational and can continue recording for at least a few more minutes after the incident.

— Supercapacitor (ionistor). A special energy storage device - an ultra-high capacity capacitor. This type of storage has several advantages over a battery. Specifically, supercapacitors are immune to low and high temperatures, sunlight, they do not lose capacity as they wear out, and do not catch fire or explode even in extreme situations. Moreover, if a strong impact occurs (such as in an accident), this kind of power source is more likely to remain functional compared to a battery. Ionistors are rightly considered a much more advanced and reliable option...for backup power. However, the capacity of such a capacitor is only enough to save the last recorded video and power down correctly — it does not allow the device to operate autonomously even for a few minutes. Nonetheless, for typical dashcam use, nothing more is generally required, so in such cases, the practical advantages of this type of backup power noticeably outweigh its disadvantages.