These reasons and more are exactly why car dash and backup cameras are becoming increasingly popular. They don’t just add an extra set (or two) of eyes to your car, but also help to keep it protected when you’re not around. Many new cars now come with at least a rear-facing camera, but if you have an older car and want this type of functionality, you can get it with a device like this one by ZeroEdge. The ZeroEdge Rear-View Mirror With Dual-Lens Car Camera adds not one, but two cameras to your vehicle. This super-sized mirror replaces your original rear-view mirror by attaching to the front. It has an impressive crystal clear mirror finish and features a 5″ display screen in its center which gives you a nice view of either camera or both at the same time (via fullscreen view or picture-in-picture). After spending just a few minutes with the device, you’ll find it’s really easy to use. There are five buttons at the bottom: M/Mode, Up, OK, Down, and Power. With just the single press of the M/Mode button, you can record audio, take pictures (8-megapixel resolution), record video, and toggle the display of the two camera views. You can also manually adjust the brightness, contrast, and white balance as needed in settings. All media is automatically saved to the included 16GB micro-SD card. It can hold approximately 3 hours of 1080p video footage. When the card is full, older clips will be recorded over, so it’s a good idea to regularly go through your clips and back up the ones you want to keep on your computer or another storage device. Since the device is charged via a USB cable in your cigarette lighter, a dual-port USB car charger is also included so that you can still charge something else if needed. The front-facing camera, which is attached to the back of the rear-view mirror, can record and display in 720p/30fps and 1080p/25fps and has a view angle of 120 degrees. The waterproof rear-facing camera, which goes on the outside of your car, can only record and display at 480p/30fps. The rear-facing camera connects to your backup lights to provide automatic backup monitoring which will show on the display screen at the same time of backing up the vehicle. I realize the below picture is a little hard to see, but it gives you a good idea of how the rear-facing camera looks right above the license plate. The cameras only records clips as opposed to one continuous video. However, you can customize them so that they can record 2, 3, or 5-minute clips. They’ll keep recording (creating new clips) until stopped. You’ll end up with a bunch of 2-minute, 3-minute, or 5-minute clips that you can watch later using the display on the mirror or via your computer.
What’s Included in the Box?
The ZeroHero Rear-View Mirror With Dual-Lens Car Camera comes with everything you need (besides tools) to install it.
ZeroEdge Car DVR Z2 (Rear-View Mirror)Waterproof Rear-View License Plate Backup Camera16GB TF CardConnecting Cables of Backup CameraMirror Wipe ClothMini USB CableUSB Car ChargerUser Manual
Installing the Mirror and Rear-Facing Camera
Installing the rear-facing camera in your car does require some wiring skills and a few basic tools, which every handy person will more than likely already have. How long it takes will depend on your car; some will just be easier to wire. Since I know nothing about cars, my husband completed the installation process on his own using the included manual. It took him about an hour since it did take some extra time and effort to fish the wire through the car. If you need help outside of the manual, ZeroEdge also has a detailed, easy-to-follow installation guide on their YouTube channel.
Specifications
Video format/video encoding/audio encoding: mp4/H.264/AACStill picture/photo resolution: 1280720 (1M), 19201080 (3M), 25601920 (5M), 32642448 (8M)Still picture/photo format: JPEGExternal Storage support: up to 32GB TF cardBattery: 650mAH internal Li-ion batteryMax power: 1210mA*5VDimensions: 12.8″ x 3.3″ x 0.5″
Pros
Display automatically turns off when not in use to help save energy.Display automatically turns on and starts recording when engine starts and automatically turns off when engine stops.Motion detection mode starts recording when motion is detected and stops when motion is no longer detected.Crash detection mode uses the highly-sensitive G-sensor to detect a crash or collision and automatically starts video recording; video file is also locked for safe keeping.
Cons
Rear-view display screen is harder to see in extremely sunny conditions.Camera quality declines at nighttime, especially in extremely dark areas (rear-facing being the worst of the two).Automatic backup monitoring doesn’t provide a visual or audio alert when too close to an object.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, this is an advanced gadget for your car with a lot of great features. The work it takes to install it is well worth it in the end. If you need a device for your car that can take pictures, record audio, and record videos, give ZeroEdge a try. ZeroEdge Dual-Lens Car Camera
