Introduction

Of the few things that are indispensable in a car, dash cams have certainly made their way onto that list. In the chaos we call the Indian road system, the probability of meeting with unfortunate incidents is higher than ever. Think of jaywalkers, cyclists taking illogical turns, or that pesky rickshaw driver whose sole purpose seems to be testing your luck and reaction times!

Dash cams are the only means by which drivers can prove - both to the courts and to their insurance companies - whether or not they had a part to play in an incident. And with every tech company worth its salt stepping into this burgeoning market, Pioneer is here with a rather compact yet feature-rich dash cam.

First Impressions

The little device comes in a pretty compact box, with a long wire to connect it to your car’s USB power source. There’s an adhesive tape to attach the dash cam to your car’s windshield, a detailed user start guide, and that’s pretty much all that’s there.

The camera unit itself is small - almost the height of one’s thumb. That should make it a discreet addition to your car, rather than sticking out like a sore thumb, as is the case with some dash cams at this price point. The quality of the plastics used is also good, and not the cheap, shiny stuff often seen on unbranded Chinese dash cams.

On the whole, the Pioneer H120SC looks well finished, and despite its size, the specifications and features are impressive.

Specs

The H120SC has a 2MP image sensor and is capable of shooting in 1.5K resolution. Considering the size, the field of view, at 120-degree, is wide enough to capture the road ahead as well as its edges. The dynamic range of the camera is also pretty wide, allowing it to record clear footage in low-light settings. Storage capacity goes up to 128GB using a micro SD card.

Lastly, an in-built G-sensor makes the camera capable of recording accidents. Moreover, an accessory kit allows you to hardwire the dash cam to your car, enabling it to run even when the engine is off and the car is parked. In this case, the G-sensor will start recording the moment someone accidentally hits your parked car – say, while reversing - helping you gather evidence for an insurance claim.

What’s Next?

The plan is to install the dash cam and record every trip I take in my car, big or small. I will test the quality of the video, functionality of the app, ease of viewing footage, and whether there are any glitches that crop up.

At Rs. 5,399, the Pioneer H120SC is a well-priced dash cam from a reputed and established brand. However, it is available for cheaper on e-commerce sites.