DrivePro 550

I've been looking at the various types of these cameras for quite a while, trying to decide on the best buy. The general consensus is the quality of the display on a lot of the makes is not very good and if they are not, then there is not much point in having one if you are trying to prove you are the innocent party in a Road Traffic Accident.However the quality of the display on the DrivePro 200 is very good indeed. Played back on a 27" HD television the picture quality is incredible.The only feature I didn't like about it was the supplied stick-on bracket for mounting the camera on the windscreen. I therefore purchased their suction mount for an extra £6.99, which works perfectly. I've mounted the whole assembly behind the Rear View Mirror. This position has two advantages, it's not obvious to the opportunist thief and it does not obstruct my view out of the windscreen.Since I installed it, I realise that I am consciously driving more carefully as it's recording just how well (or badly) I'm driving. The camera also records sound so you can hear in the recording when you signal your intentions.If you are involved in an accident the very best feature is the previous 10 seconds and the next 50 seconds are stored in a separate protected folder on the card, so you don't have to hunt though 140 or so files to find the evidence you want. These emergency recordings are started either by the internal G-sensor detecting an impact or if you see an accident ahead, by pressing the red emergency button on the side.Taking it out of the box and plugging it in to the car was all the set-up that was necessary. However there are a number of settings you can alter if you want, but it works perfectly well with its default settings.The file length can be 1, 3 or 5 minutes. The default setting is set at one minute and that seems fine. Once the disk is full it starts overwriting the oldest files, and with a 16Gb card that's about 2hrs 20minutes recording time in HD.Once you have downloaded the app, it can be WiFi connected to a tablet to download the camera files. This is convenient but slow. One point here to watch is, if you are using an iPad you must allow the app access to the camera roll otherwise the download does not work.(see the edit dated 11th February 2015 at the end of the review). You can of course just take out the micro sd card and plug it into a computer or even just plug the camera into the computer.In a nutshell this is a device that can be installed in your car and forgotten about. It turns itself on when the car is started and off when the ignition is turned off. But if you are involved in an incident all the evidence you need is there in exceptional quality and it's easy to find and give to the police and insurance company. I don't like spending money, but this was a very worthwhile investment.Edited 16th January 2015Well I have to say I've been rather flattered by the number of comments to this review So to help, these are the settings I use and have done since I first set it up. Very occasionally I will push the button to get an emergency recording; download it to the iPad and play it back and it always is a clear smooth picture.I hope it helpsVideo SettingsResolution - 1080p@30fpsExposure Value - 0Video Length - 1 minTime Stamp - OnVoice Recording - OnLoop Recording - OnDevice SettingVolume - 5G-Sensor - LowWi-Fi SSID - DriveProWi-Fi Password - 12345678LCD Auto Turn off - After 3 minsTime Format - YYYY/MM/DD 12HTime - Sync with Device OnInformation - This just shows your settingsFormat Card - Obvious!Upgrade Firmware - Done onceApp Version - 1.9Edited 11th February 1015If you are downloading files to an iPad and it appears to virtually complete the process but then you get a message that says 'unable to complete', this is what you do.On the iPad, tap the Settings App, then Privacy, then Photos (on the right).Now look down the list and you will see DrivePro.You will see that the slider on the extreme right hand side is off (not green).Slide it to the right turn it on and all should be well as DrivePro can now access your photos, and the process can completeEdited 11th May 2015The camera is working just as well as ever, but here is something to think about. I installed the camera last November and have never moved it since. A couple of days ago for the very first time the suction clamp fell off the window. Not a problem of course, just startled me. But it made me realise that it's worthwhile just unlocking the mount occasionally to keep the suction

The media could not be loaded.  I'm not a person who normally leaves reviews, but this camera definitely warrants praise.- - - -Background: I'm a first time driver, I want a camera to use as evidence in a non-fault incident should one ever arise; I felt a camera would provide security in a 'his word against my word' scenario.- - - -I knew I didn't want to spend a lot of money, no more than £100, but I didn't want to go for a cheap £40 option. I did a bit of research on Google and read reviews on an array of different options on Amazon. I ended up opting for this camera and I'm glad I did!I had my reservations, but when I received it the other day I set it up in my car, plugged it in and it was ready to start recording. I spent a bit of time hiding the wire in the trim (approx. 4m long) and then took it for a spin. I literally did nothing further to sticking it on my windscreen, so I expected it to perhaps be out of focus or for something to not be right, but when I got home I was incredibly impressed with the results. I have uploaded a short video of the first run. It is only short because of Amazon's restrictions and because I uploaded in 720p, although it does record in 1080p, which is crystal clear when played back on my iPad (via the iOS app, which is also very good!) and computer. I chose to upload this segment of the film mainly because of how impressed I was with the sensor's adaptability when going from low-light conditions in a tunnel to the bright outdoors which ensures that no detail is left out.Since this video was recorded I have driven in clear skies facing the sun and it again shows a fantastic adaptive capability. The camera is also amazing at night on lit roads and also on country lanes with full-beam lights. I think the best description of this camera is that it records exactly what you can see; in my car it records pillar to pillar.Overall, this camera is excellent. It looks neat and tidy in the car, it is small, easy to use and it is top-quality.