Transcend DrivePro 230 Dashcam

Nickchong1314

Dashboard camera or dashcam has been around for ages but it wasn’t made popular until people started sharing road rage or accident footages on social media network. It made us realize the importance of having the crucial video evidence when undesirable commotion took place. For starters, it harnesses the combined might of the Sony Exmor sensor and Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) technologies. This grants the DrivePro 230 the ability to capture sharp, high resolution images and 1080p full HD videos at 30fps with extremely fine tonal gradation, even in adverse low light conditions and at night. What’s more, its intuitive user interface is a breeze to master, not forgetting its novel ability to snap still photos while recording videos simultaneously.

In the box:
Transcend DrivePro 230 dashcam, Transcend 16GB High-Endurance microSD card, Lighter socket charger, Suction mount (also available with adhesive mount, depends on your purchase selection)

A good memory card is key to storing critical evidence. Transcend has generously included a 16GB microSD card with the dashcam. The MLC-based NAND flash memory is designed for consistent long-life durability and endurance. You do not need to spend extra money and effort in seeking a compatible and reliable flash card to make your dashcam work. 16GB will be enough for recording 2 hours of 1080p Full HD footage. When the memory is full, the dashcam will overwrite the oldest video.

At the front, apart from the 130-degree ultra-wide angle lens, there isn’t much going on here except for the printed branding. Basics aside, there’s Wi-Fi connectivity and a GPS receiver. The former provides smartphone connectivity and social media livestreaming using a dedicated app that’s available on both Apple App Store and Google Play. The latter, on the other hand, further supplements the basic video and stills data logs by adding location, speed and time logs.

The 2.4-inch TFT LCD may not has the best viewing angle and colour reproduction, but it works just fine for a car dashboard camera. The 4 buttons under the display work for the navigation across the settings and configuration. The overall build quality is solid with high-quality finishing.

Unlike the average dashcam, the DrivePro 230 features a built-in, high capacity Li-polymer battery, meaning users don’t have to have it plugged in all the time. Crucially, this endows the DrivePro 230 with a Parking Monitoring Mode that utilises both a motion detection system and time-lapse video recording functions, thus enhancing vehicle security when parked. Rounding off its impressive basics is the presence of a decent microphone and speaker, the latter enhancing on-device playback for users.

I am very happy with the overall video quality. Even when the lighting condition changes, such as when moving into a tunnel vice versa, the camera is quick to adjust the exposure value. The recorded footage also shows the date time, GPS location as well as vehicle speed.

Night time video quality is exceptionally well with lots of details and reasonable ISO noise.

I’ve been using the Transcend DrivePro 230 dashboard camera for almost a month now and I am very satisfied with the video quality and the added security features that come with the dashcam. Transcend aims to break the conventional dashboard camera’s design where the dashcam now has more purpose than just recording videos. The added innovative security features would definitely help keep drivers and pedestrians safer on the road. All said, the Transcend DrivePro 230’s feature-rich package makes it an all-in-one device solution users can truly appreciate.

randyclark

Video quality will also depend on what kind of sd card is used. I would like to add that dual camera dash cam use only single card.