Motorcycle DVR Dash Camera (DV688).
This unit costs around £130 for the basic unit and around £150 with the added GPS module, and it’s the best money one can spend on my bike. I am not sure if you have read my past review on its little brother the DV188 but its the same unit but full waterproof including the main unit this time, which is what sets it apart from the DV188.
Like any DVR camera system it basic job is to record video why you riding around, with dual 1080p cameras you get front and back video footage at a great 1080p rate which is plenty for number plate reading. Thou I would say after owning this for a while and using the footage it’s not as good as a standard GoPro or SJcam at 1080p, so I guessing it’s more of a 720p but don’t get me wrong it’s still worth every penny, just make sure you clean the lens, as I think that’s what makes the image quality less as its trying to focus on dirt on its lens maybe……
The unit is easy (most cases lol) to fit, it main unit you mount wherever you like, then its a case of you plug in the cameras to the wiring harness and use the sticky pads to mount the cameras were you like and then tidy the wires up and hide them. Then you just run the power wires to a 12 volt source, direct to battery or to an ignition point so it powers up when key turned (this also need to be activated in the settings on the unit too).
Once powered it automatically starts recording onto a micro SD card (not supplied and a max 64GB). You then have a control cable with a button which lets you select the view on the main 2.7 inch screen. You can have pic in pic or just pic, so totally 4 views. Front with back in corner on screen, Back with front in corner on screen, or just front or just back. I love having this set showing rear view only as it then becomes a great 120 degree rear view mirror for blind spots. After checking mirrors I then check the screen for blind spots and then the lifesaver, it really works well and give great peace of mind when riding, also for a general check who is up ya arse this is perfect for.
I would recommend this type of unit to every biker, just for the peace of mind knowing its recording what happens in a case of a crash, not only that but the rear view screen side is so handy to see if you been tailed closely. If you wire it to your ignition then you can set it to power up automatically, so as soon as you turn your key and start your bike the camera system is booting up and recording without needed to touch the device, and with its (very small) built in battery it gives it enough time when you switch it off (it knows this too if wire to ignition) to save the last file, and shut itself down on the battery, so you know it’s safely. The remote cable allows you to switch camera modes easy, so this is wired and mount close by, it also uses this cable as a microphone so it get the sounds from this. So best location out of direct wind. You also can lock a file with the remote, so if something happens you can lock that file so it won’t record over it (has a loop recording) as well as many other setting in its menu system.
As for the additional GPS module, this basically you mount and wire in like the cameras or remote unit and its add a speed your traveling to the video footage, great to prove you were being a good boy 🙂 . Really can only say BUY IT NOW, well worth it, great update from the DV188 version.
Motorcycle Dash Cam update :- This was still the best value camera system for recording 1080p for insurance or accident proof around I believe. Though technology has moved us past 1080p video recording there is little in the range of 4k around, and what I have seen as a DVR with front and back cameras being in 4K it’s even more worse, in fact I can only think of one branded one, and the footage I have seen from a demo it’s nothing to write home about, compare that 4k footage to say a gopro at 4k and it’s laughable in my view, it resembles more 1080 than 4k.
So with the current systems being so pants (in my opinion), this system still makes total sense and for its pricing still it beats all others on the market, close system don’t have a screen and costs more and like there 4k version it’s really not the greatest video quality for the price, spending my own money I would buy 2 Drift XL cameras and link them together so they record when one system starts, but as 1080 still is not the greatest that why I moved to a GoPro for my video side, being 4k and real decent quality thou costs more, you are getting value for videos, the down side it’s only one camera for the price. So again it falls back to your use of a camera, and this system wins for near on everything apart from wanting to show case videos more, as for a 1080 system it rocks.