Since I started reviewing products for OxGadgets, there has been one item which has stood out as having the most benefit and that is the dashcam. Not only have I saved money on my car insurance premiums as a result of simply having a dashcam in my car, but it has also given me peace of mind while driving that if I should ever be unlucky enough to be in an accident, the dashcam would back up my claims that I was not at fault. That’s why I think a reliable dashcam is an essential item for every driver.
The MiVue 792 Wifi Pro is the latest model I’ve been asked to review and I was given a sample so I could write this. Having now tested quite a few different cameras, I have a good idea of what to look for in a dashcam.
Firstly, the camera comes with an in-vehicle charger, a mounting bracket and a quick-start guide. Aesthetically speaking, this is a nice model that has that old school camera appearance, unlike some others which are just a little black box with a screen on the back. It’s like a miniature version of the cameras we used to use back before smartphones met all our photography needs. I liked the rectangular shape and I found it was quite compact.
I encountered my first problem when trying to set it up in my car. The initial set up with impossible since the in-vehicle charger only connects to a cigarette lighter. I don’t have one in my car so I had to use my husband’s car. I do have another dashcam that has the same issue, but fortunately that one also came with a USB cable provided so I could use it with a power bank. That’s not possible with this model. It’s disappointing to say the least. However, if your car is not a box on wheels with only the basics like my Fiat Panda, you won’t have this problem. I know it’s an extra expense to include a USB cable with the camera and would affect profits, and it’s likely that Mio don’t see any need since it’s intended use will be in a vehicle and most vehicles come with a power point, even thirty-year old cars, but it would be helpful.
You will need to keep it connected to a power source since I didn’t find there was much of a battery life at all. You’ll also need to use it with a memory card since there is very little storage space in the dashcam. All the dashcams I’ve tried are the same, so this was not unexpected.
What I liked about the MiVue 792 is that it is operated by a touchscreen and has no keypad, so once you’ve spent a little bit of time learning how to navigate it, it’s really simple to use. You can register it and get safety camera updates at the Mio website, which is advisable since this data will be changing all the time and you’ll need to keep it accurate to get the most benefit.
The MiVue 792 features a high quality Starvis CMOS sensor, full HD1080p at 60 fps with a 140 degree wide angle view and F1.8 aperture. This is marketed as a camera that gives superb contrast, clear and rich colours and is good in low-light conditions. Does it make it any better than any other dashcam I’ve tried? Sadly no, it doesn’t. But it is still a good purchase. The image quality was decent. On the side of the box there’s a crystal clear image on the back of the camera, but don’t expect that. You’ll be able to see what’s happening but there will be a little blurring at times. It was as good as I expected.
One thing I always like is when a gadget is linked in some way to my smartphone because it makes me feel like I have control of everything in my life in one device. What’s really appealing to me about the MiVue 792 is that it has integrated wifi so you can back up videos to your smartphone via the MiVue app. It’s probably my favourite thing about this camera, the only drawback being that I never have enough space on my phone to store the videos! But if I did have space on my phone, I could have shared videos with other local users.
You can also purchase a rear cam, the MiVue A20, which is available separately. For most of us, a forward facing camera like this is going to be adequate.
Overall, I would say this is a good camera and when I used it in a car that could actually power it, I liked it. It does seem to be more expensive than some others on the market and I’m not sure the higher price can be justified. You can read more about this camera on the Mio website. It’s currently priced at £189.99 on Amazon.
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