Dash cams have recently become increasingly popular for recording footage while driving. But while they are good at capturing what is happening on the road, one common question is whether or not dash cams can also record sound.
The answer depends on your type of dash cam, but it’s essential to understand the limitations before purchasing a dash cam. This article will explore the different types of dash cams and their sound recording capabilities.
Do Dash Cams Record Sound?
Dash cams come in two basic types:
- built-in microphones
- Without microphone
Dash cams with built-in microphones can record sound, but their recordings may only sometimes be of the highest quality due to environmental noise like wind or traffic. On the other hand, dash cams without a microphone cannot record sound at all.
Dash cams with built-in microphones typically have better sound quality than those without because they filter out background noise like wind or traffic. The microphone is usually located near the lens, allowing it to pick up audio more clearly. These dash cams will still be subject to environmental noise, but their recordings should be acceptable.
Dash cams without microphones are much more limited in their audio capabilities; they can only record sound if the microphone is connected to an external device, such as a smartphone or tablet.
Even then, the recordings will be subject to background noise, making them less than ideal for recording conversations or other important audio.
How To Set The Dashcam For Recording The Sound?
If your dash cam has a built-in microphone, it should be easy to set up for sound recording.
You should first activate the microphone by pressing a button or toggle switch on the camera’s lens. This usually has an indicator that indicates it’s a microphone.
The microphone settings can be adjusted in the camera’s menu once engaged.
Afterward, you can adjust the sound level and noise reduction/echo cancellation settings.
How To Disable The Recording Of Dash Cam?
Dash cams can be set to turn off sound recording easily.
Step 1: You can disable audio recording by pressing the microphone button or toggle switch near your camera’s lens.
Step 2:The audio recording option may be disabled in the settings menu of your dash cam if it has one.
The final step is to save your adjustments before shutting down your camera so your sound recordings are still deactivated when you restart it.
Do Dash Cameras Record All The Time?
Motion-detection dash cameras can be programmed to record continuously or only when motion is detected. Whenever the dash cam is configured to record continuously, it will regularly record all of the footage in front of its lens.
As soon as a movement within your camera’s range is detected, your camera will begin recording. A dash cam’s sound recording capabilities are limited, so even if it’s set to record continuously, it may not capture all sounds in its range. Environmental noise, such as wind or traffic, may also affect sound quality.
How Many Hours Can You Record On A Dashcam?
Cameras with internal storage often limit the length of time you can record. In contrast, cameras with external memory cards can often record for many days.
Additionally, the resolution and frame rate choices affect how long you can record; higher-quality settings require more storage space, which reduces recording time.
Finally, if your dash cam can record sound, this will consume more capacity, reducing the amount of footage you can save.
If you use an external memory card and lower resolution/frame rate settings on your dashcam, you should be able to capture many days of footage. It should store a few hours of recordings before needing to be erased or rewritten with higher resolution/frame rate settings and internal storage.
Conclusion:
For capturing sound in cars, dash cameras with built-in microphones are the best option since they capture high-quality audio without requiring an additional device. Before investing in a dash camera, it’s important to understand its limitations. Dash cameras without microphones have weak sound recording capabilities and should be used only when an external microphone cannot be connected.