How to turn your smartphone into a DVR

Should I do it

Of course, a dedicated device is always better than a good universal and DVR will give odds to any smartphone. But if the quality of the recording is not high demands, or you want to save, then use your smartphone as a DVR can be fully justified.

That's what you encounter, having decided on a similar idea.

disadvantages

1. shooting quality. smartphone optics although it has more megapixels, but ill-suited to shooting in dark and under bright sunlight (glare will be inevitable due to the wind under the location of the smartphone glass). In addition, the mobile camera viewing angle is much smaller, so the frame can not be placed adjacent lane and shoulder.
2. Possible overheating. Active work with the camera and makes the load on the processor bask smartphone. In addition, the temperature increases constantly connected and charging the summer sun. Therefore, it will find a smartphone is ideal, where it will be blown by air flows from the ventilation system or remove his cover.
3. Inconvenience.
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   During the day, the smartphone will need to often be removed from the holder and set back, and connect the charging cable, and run the application to record. In addition, you are depriving yourself of the majority of smartphone features, if you are using as a recorder main unit. More music can be heard, but in a traffic jam is no longer read the news and social media will not sit.

However, in addition to cons-use smartphone recorder provides some advantages. Thanks to the productive stuffing it can outperform traditional DVR on several counts.

Benefits

1. Detailing shooting. With good lighting smartphone camera with greater clarity the details engraved in the frame and allow to consider the license plate or a road sign. Also, the high resolution of the sensor will help to make better photos.
2. Image stabilization. Virtually all modern smartphones available if no optical, the software stabilization frame, which is very useful to smooth shaking when shooting on the move.
3. Multitasking. The majority of DVR applications use smartphone capabilities to the maximum, which means that the bonus recording of road conditions you get a radar detector function and navigator.

How to fix the smartphone car

Video recorders are equipped regular fittings to center the frame and remove the device easily. The smartphone also have to somehow fix, preferably rigidly, and also with the possibility of adjustment. For this purpose, does not fit all holders. Here are some guidelines for selecting and installing:

1. The holder should be compact, with a minimum number of joints and swivel mount. Too bulky construction threatens to fall off at the most inopportune moment and aggravate unwanted shaking.
2. If you use a basic smartphone should take care to mount with quick release. For example, suitable clamps, clips or magnets.
3. Establish best smartphone on the windshield high up in an area of ​​the rear-view mirror. When mounting to the dashboard very likely chamber sun glare.

Well suited compact holders on suckers or based adhesiveAs well as options to mount directly the mirror rear view. All of them are on AliExpress is about 250-350 rubles. However, if you already have a holder, you are using in the car, you can try to accommodate him as well.

How to install the lens

A small viewing angle, suitable for normal shooting, will be insufficient to record the traffic situation. Detachable wide angle lens will provide pictures, not inferior cameras DVRs.

Choose the best lenses clothespins (Rubles 100-200) or coversTo which the lenses are screwed by threads (500-600 rubles). So the lens does not fall off at the next bump.

Lenses better to take a glass, not plastic.

When installing be sure to center the lens and check security of attachment to the smartphone. With glass lids and metal lenses can slide. In this case, a simple case of silicone or soft plastic.

How to connect the power

Smartphone in record mode very quickly discharged, and the work only from the built-in battery can not be considered. So you have to take care of the connection charge. It needs a power adapter, powered by the cigarette lighter, and cable.

Since continuous operation is expected, both the accessory must be of good quality. Not stingy on the Mighty Adapter 2 AWhich will not fail and will not burn at the most inopportune moment, spoiling smartphone.

The cable must also be good. If you will not be confused by hanging wires, you can use the complete, but it is better to buy a cable two or three metersThat can be neatly run along the windshield, and then pass under a glove box and draw the cigarette lighter.

with cable magnetic connector It makes it much easier to connect and disconnect the power that is especially true in cases where recording is carried out on the main smartphone.

How to choose an application

There are lots of mobile applications, but almost all of them have similar features. Layfhaker chose the three most popular DVR for iOS and Android.

Video recorder

Despite the corny name, this app has many different settings. In addition to recording the traffic situation, it performs the functions of the navigator and radar detector, reporting on stationary cameras. "DVR" supports cyclic recording, automatically starts and stops, as well as able to save the video both locally and in the cloud. On Android, you can record videos in the background, and even with a locked screen.

RoadAR

Another great universal app that combines a recorder and radar detector. In addition, RoadAR able to recognize traffic signs and to warn of speeding, ban on parking and other situations. The app automatically adjusts the exposure to prevent light up as well as on Android can be run independently when motion is detected or when turning in a horizontal position.

SmartDriver

SmartDriver more focused on radar detectors function, but also allows you to record the traffic situation and assists in laying the route, displaying navigation tips. The application has a subscription that provides access to daily updates bases cameras and traffic police checkpoint. In the free version are updated once a week.

AutoBoy

A good recorder with low system requirements and no extra features. It boasts a variety of settings, work in a vertical orientation, as well as support for accelerometer, which allows you to record impact and protect against abrasion from the accident record. It allows you to shoot not only video, but also a series of photos with predetermined intervals, and is able to load the recording on YouTube.

How to set up a record

Each application has its own set of options, and capabilities of smartphones are different, but the basic options are about the same.

Do not chase for high resolution. Even if your smartphone supports shooting in 4K, better to stay on Full HD, and even normal HD-video. So you will save disk space and will be able to put a great frame rate that will be useful. Also, do not forget to switch on the cyclic overwriting files and set its parameters depending on the amount of space available.

Some applications allow you to upload videos directly to cloud. If you do not have unlimited tariff, be sure to disconnect the load on the mobile file. But the best option to stabilize the turn to raise the quality of the picture and the frame to reduce vibration.

If the application supports automatic recording setting, choose the most convenient option for you: this is usually a power connection or turn your smartphone into a horizontal orientation.

And, of course, desirable to experiment with the other available options in order to choose the most successful shooting parameters. Do it better in advance, somewhere in the parking lot or on an unloaded part of the road.

see also

• How to choose a DVR, which can not fail →
• How to start the car, if the battery is mounted →
• How to open a frozen car →