VC-250 Dash Cam with GPS

I just posted a couple of pics of the video you can expect but you almost get a 360 view instead of the narrow view forward only view you get from most cameras. Short of pro 4 camera rig you probably will not get better coverage. So far this was worked flawlessly which can not be said for the phone app I used to use and other camera / DVR setups I tried.. So far the only "con" I've found is the save on shock setting is a bit too sensitive be default. So every time you close a car door or trunk it will save a file. So you need make sure you delete these files or they will fill up your card. The storage rate seems to be around 65 MB / minute so a 32 GB card will hold around 7.5 hours. One other minor note if you hook up a monitor (I use a PLCM7200 backup cam with dual inputs) you will notice the speed in the display does not update but it will show fine during playback on the display.

Most of the other reviewers have covered this camera well. I'll just add a couple more points:This camera is much smaller than the pictures make it seem. This is a good thing.The live playback is outputted via a yellow composite cable. If you have a decent aftermarket head unit with a color screen there is a good chance that you have composite input. Typically head units with reverse camera inputs will have this, for example. This makes for a very easy and clean option for viewing a live stream.

This is a well-built, well-designed video recording unit. Starts recording as soon as it gets power and starts up (it's running Linux, and needs about 20-30 second to boot). Solid construction. I only with they'd put a wider front lens on the unit...and unfortunately the lens is cemented in place so there is no chance of swapping it out easily).It took a long time to figure out where to mount it to get GPS reception. Seems to work best down on the dash. Under the visor seems to block the signal (in fact holding your hand over the unit will sheild the GPS signal too). Sometimes it won't lock onto a signal, but once it gets a signal it's pretty solid.Software is very well designed too, though I wish they had keyboard shortcuts for the features (I use an Asus in my truck, and the screen resolution is too short for the lower row of buttons...so I can't turn on the map on that laptop.) The mapping, direction, and speed functions are generally very accurate (at least while the GPS signal is locked).I also wish there was a 3 connector mini-jack to allow for an external GPS antenna. The reciever is soldered to the PC board making a post-consumer mod not terribly easy.But all in all, very good product!

I do a lot of highway and city driving, and there are millions of stupidly bad drivers out there. In the past 30 years, I have been in 15 automobile accidents, and in *ALL* of them, the police charged the other driver and in *EVERY CASE* the police cleared me of any wrong doing. In two other cases, I was hit and run with no one found to be charged.So I decided to get an in-car camera. I ordered a different model and returned it (see my separate review on that product: CarProCam(TM) HD 1080p Car Dashboard Camera Car Accident DVR with LCD, LED LIGHTS, HDMI OUTPUT, CYCLE RECORDING. Model z06). I got serious, and purchased the VC-250 Dash Cam with GPS. It is expensive ($300+), but it is a completely different product compared to the under $100 market, and therefore a direct comparison between the two product types is not applicable. My review for the VC-250 Dash Cam with GPS follows.PROs:====- Easy installation- Clear high resolution daytime pictures- 3 suction cup feet holds tight to the windshield very well with no noticeable camera vibration- Two color cameras record both the exterior view out the front windshield as well as the interior cabin- Infrared lighting permits clear B&W cabin interior recording at night without distracting lights- GPS enabled position and speed encoded in recording- Separate G-force sensor records acceleration and jerk- Continuous recording - no gaps between segmented files, and no delays when the SD Card is full and the camera starts recording over old files- Intuitive and informative PC software, but see CONs- Bundled with Micro-SD to regular SD adapter, and SD-USB adapterCONs:====- Unclear instruction manual leads to misunderstood PC software function- External night images only adequateISSUES (Neither Pro nor Con):======- Proprietary video recording format not recognized by Windows- Must use the included PC App to view recorded video and to create .AVI filesRATING:======- 3.75/5 stars (rounded up to 4)- 1 star penalty for barely adequate night recording - a product this expensive should have better night imaging- 0.25 star penalty for unclear PC playback app instructionsREVIEW======The device comes with an 8' power cord, allowing you to place the camera virtually anywhere in the vehicle. It is plug-n-play both in the car and in the PC. In fact, the PC utility does not actually need any installation in Windows - it runs as-is without installation.The daytime playback on the PC is crisp and clear, and adjusts well for lighting changes. So far, I have not noticed any failure modes or hiccups - it just records.The PC playback is both interesting and information rich. Not only do you see the out-the-windshield view, but you also see the synchronized interior cabin view, with a soundtrack. A separate window shows a live-update Google map of exactly where you traveled as it plays back your trip. Another window shows your exact location (longitude, latitude, elevation), your speed, heading, and G-force.The camera records all this data to the micro SD card in proprietary format that is not recognized by your PC. This proprietary format has both advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, it allows the playback application to synchronize the front camera video, in-cabin video, audio, and data track feeds so they all show the correct data and imagery at the same time. On the negative side, Windows does not recognize the file system, and therefore cannot copy, move, or even erase the files. In fact, when you insert the SD card into the computer, Windows reports the card to be empty, even though it is full of recorded video.The playback app allows you to back-up files in the camera's native format (in an '.sd' extension file) that is recognized by Windows, but its data can only be processed by the playback app. The app also lets you create '.AVI' video files, and gives you the option of including or omitting the front view, interior view, position, speed, and G-force embedded information as a caption across the bottom of the video.There is a tricky menu in the app that lets you either format the SD card, or 'Restore' it. Formatting the SD card prepares it for use in the in-car camera, and you must perform this formatting before placing any newly purchased SD Card in the camera. 'Restoring' the card allows the card to be used by a normal PC Windows system, thus restoring it for normal PC use. These actions are very poorly explained in the manual, and it took me hours of trial and error to figure out their true purpose.I understand the need to record to a proprietary format in order to accomplish the synchronized playback the app does. However I would like to have seen a user option that allows the camera to record directly to a Windows recognized .AVI file instead of the proprietary format.As far as I can tell, the camera records without gaps. The video quality is good, as mentioned. In my playbacks, the audio quality is poor, but that might be due to the placement of the camera - I need to play around with that to render a more authoritative judgement.The PC playback application is well thought out, and for the most part, easy to use. I really like the live Google map as it plays back, as well as the speed, heading, etc. I also especially LOVE the ability to selectively turn on and off speed, heading, location, etc. in the AVI video file creation.I like the fact that the system comes bundled with both a micro-SD to standard-SD adapter, AND a SD (micro or standard) to USB adapter. It also comes with 3 extra suction cup feet in case you loose some or they start losing their grip. The manufacturer has put a lot of thought and effort into this product, and it shows in the quality, performance, and yes, in the price.Overall, I recommend this product for serious users who want more than the $100 market of in-car recorders.

This is a winner!! Being old and driving makes us a target for fraud. Yes, people stop and accuse and lie about anything to collect insurance money. Now I just point to the camera and say "it's all recorded on camera, what is it you said I did?" They quickly get in their car and drive away. It is awesome! It is also fun recording and sharing the stupid things other drivers are doing, not to mention the near-misses it records. I am a much better driver because of it too. When something pops up out of nowhere while i am driving, I look back at the recording of it later to see where it came from and why I didn't see it. I call it "my witness!" 'Cause it is!

This camera will stay attached to your windshield! I had doubts about that with the 3 small suction cups, but it has outlasted my GPS for staying power.It takes decent video front and back, and the audio is good.I love the way it matches the video with the GPS as you watch it!Great for those who wish to know wheere they were at all times! going to get one for all my vehicles!I do recommend this product.