We’ve seen a lot of accidents on the road, some are fatal and some are not. And there are some incidents that sometimes send anger to our guts and makes us raise a brow. At times, there are some that really needs to be recorded for us to be able to relive the moment, and most specially to learn from it. Speaking of recording, the ever evolving technology has now enabled car-owners to record their daily travel with the help of a Dashcam.
Sample still shot (Legal Day-light robbery)Dashcams have become a part of the necessities of owning a car. With all the “kotong-enforcers” out in our roads, it is really good to have a Dashcam inside your car recording everything that could happen in your daily travel. Let’s not forget about the Road-bullies who think that they own the roads. Abusing their horns, flashing their uber-bright LED lights, and over-taking as if they are always in a life-and-death situation. These are just some of the reasons why it is important to have a Dashcam in your car.
Well-known brands have already released different kinds of Dashcams. We were fortunate enough to get our hands on one, the Transcend DrivePro 520.
The DrivePro 520 not only records your drive but also keeps an eye inside the car, thanks to its rotatable camera. At first, we didn’t get the point of having a camera that records everything that could happen inside the car. Then it hit us, the infamous SUA (Sudden Unintended Acceleration) of the Mitsubishi Montero Sport came rushing in our minds. There have been a lot of speculations regarding the SUA issue, some say it’s the driver’s fault, but others believe that the cause of these accidents are defective Mitsubishi Montero Sports. If there was a recording of the innards of the vehicle in question, there would be a high chance to determine whether if it’s a mishandling or just a defective unit.
Another cool feature of the DrivePro 520’s rotating camera is the night-mode. The rotating camera has Infrared sensors that automatically turns the night-mode On once it’s dark inside the car. Just like the rotating camera itself, we didn’t get the point of having this kind of feature. But we remembered, there have been numerous break-in, carjacking, and car-napping issues in our country. We believe that if there was something that could be used to identify the culprits, the investigation would be swift and justice would be served quicker. Also, let’s not forget about our hard-working taxi drivers who brave the darkness of the night just to earn money for their family. Sometime, sad as it may seem, some of them gets robbed by their own passengers. A Dashcam that records the events inside the vehicle is really a good thing to have, especially in this crime-filled times of ours. These are some of the reasons that made us like the DrivePro 520 even more.
Looking deeper into its recording capability, the Transcend’s DrivePro 520 is capable of recording 1080p videos at 30fps, it’s pretty smooth quality for a Dashcam. Its sound quality is above average. Exterior noises, which are noticeable in other Dashcams, are almost at a zero level  with the DrivePro 520. Here is a little clip from our day drive with Transcend’s DrivePro 520:
The video is a little shaky because of the road. The clicking sounds heard on this video was from the rosary that keeps bumping on the back of the Dashcam. Going back to its quality, you can see that the recording is reasonably clear. The plate numbers of the cars that are 5 – 7 meters away from our car are clearly seen.
All in all, the Transcend DrivePro 520 offers a good feature set for conscious car owners who want to feel secure and prepared for any potential occurrence on the road. The included 32GB is a nice inclusion but we recommend the newer 64GB to 128GB capacities for long drives especially those going out of town but note that the included 32GB is already plenty enough for a half-day commute. Overall its an excellent product that offers clear videos and images and the option of having dual cameras is an excellent tool for covering both inside and outside the card.
We give the Transcend DrivePro 520 DashCam our B2G Recommended Award!
