The DrivePro 520 now has me anticipating the industry’s first three-channel, front/interior/rear, or 360-degree dash cam system. Just make sure you know which type of mount you want. Still, the DrivePro 520 stands out for ease of use and storage, good video quality, and interior monitoring setup. Truth be known, you can use other dual-channel cameras and mount the second camera anywhere you want to mimic the DrivePro 520’s primary feature. This old guy snuck into my car when I was testing the Transcend DrivePro 520’s interior night vision. The 520’s color is very rich, and it shows more than enough detail in night videos. There’s a bit of flare from approaching headlights, but that’s the norm. Outside nighttime video shows good detail and color, and reacts well to changing ambient light conditions. The interior night video has that “night vision” monochrome look, but shows what’s going on just fine. Therefore, we’re showing you two night shots instead of the usual one. The interior camera is surrounded by four LED sensors, which help adjust the camera to capture interior images at night. Catch the kids or the passengers red-handed! Though the color is a little over-saturated, the 520 will keep track of what’s happening inside your vehicle. There’s nothing wrong with the 520’s daytime video, though we did notice some slight moire in detailed areas. There was no hard-wire kit available online, but that’s an easy DIY fix for most users. The DrivePro 520’s SDHC slot is on the right side of the unit, as is the Mini USB port used to power the unit. To be fair, most of the cameras I’ve reviewed so far suffer the same problem, and in most cases the still capture button is harder to find and press than it is on the DrivePro 520. The DrivePro 520 has one on the bottom that’s relatively easy to reach and press, but it’s not quite as handy or quick as the Vava Dash Cam’s.
#Transcend drive pro Bluetooth#
One thing that Vava’s Dash Cam spoiled me with was its large, separate Bluetooth still-capture button. There are four buttons on the back of the camera that allow you to navigate the interface via the unit’s 2.4-inch color display. As you’ll see in the performance section, window glare kills your chance of monitoring anything in back of the vehicle. While the DrivePro 520’s interior camera swivels only horizontally, it will capture just about anything in the cabin that’s not hidden behind the seats or another obstruction. If that’s what you want, check out these dual-channel models we’ve reviewed: Blackvue DR750S-2CH and Cobra CDR895D.
#Transcend drive pro driver#
It’s wonderful for tracking the driver and rear seats, and it swivels 180 degrees for additional front coverage.īecause the rear-facing camera is so distant from your rear windshield, however, all you’ll see of the back view is glare-in other words, you won’t be able to use this camera to monitor rear traffic. However, the place where the film would go is actually the horizontally rotating interior camera. The DrivePro 520’s physical appearance reminds one of nothing more than a small XLR film camera. Only one type is included in the package. The DrivePro 520 is also easy to use and takes good video, but you need to commit to the type of mount (semi-permanent or suction) you want ahead of time. (If you need only a front-facing camera or if you’d rather the second camera looked behind the car rather than into the car’s backseat, check out the other reviews in our big dash cam roundup.) The feature could be a boon for cab, Lyft, Uber, and even family drivers. Transcend’s DrivePro 520 is our first look at a dual-channel camera with a secondary mission that isn’t tracking the traffic behind you, but monitoring your car’s interior.