Capturing your drive

With the chaos that characterises the roads of most major Indian cities getting worse by the day, the need for surveillance equipment that can record and store potentially hazardous situations has become greater than ever. Transcend is attempting to address this market with the launch of its DrivePro 520 Car Video Recorder. The device features a dual lens camera with a large front lens and an LED-supported rear lens.

It also comes equipped with a built-in GPS receiver, Wi-Fi connectivity, a built-in battery and a G-sensor emergency recording function. The device plugs into the lighter socket and starts recording automatically as soon as the vehicle's engine is turned on. The dual lens camera enables users to capture footage of the road and the inside of their vehicle simultaneously. The front lens integrates a large F/1.8 aperture, a 130° viewing angle and a Full HD imaging sensor for clear and smooth 1080p recordings at 30fps. The infrared LEDs on the rear lens turn on automatically in poorly-lit environments, ensuring clear recording even at night. The device also has a snapshot feature that allows users to click photos.

The DrivePro 520's built-in GPS receiver logs location coordinates, date and time into the recorded video footage. During an incident, the coordinates can be used by drivers to guide emergency services or police to their location.

The built-in WiFi capabilities of the DrivePro enable it to connect to Android and iOS devices via a special app. This app allows users to playback or download footage and adjust settings on the go.

The device also comes with a companion software that allows users to track their driving paths, speeds and other details of their journey by plugging into a computer.

The DrivePro 520 is bundled with a 32GB microSD MLC-based memory card that can support up to 4 hour continuous Full HD recording.

The Transcend DrivePro 520 Car Video Recorder retails for around ₹16,000 and comes with a two-year warranty.