Roadhawk DC-1

Price: £199.95
Contact: 01208 269159, www.dogcamsport.co.uk

Keep a close eye on your progress behind the wheel with Roadhawk. The firm has launched its newest in-car camera with data logging, and we’ve been trying it out.

The DC-1 is smaller than the RH-1 it replaces, at only 95mm by 70mm, and 23mm thick. This means it takes up less space on the windscreen. The new Wide Dynamic Range lens has the same 1.3-megapixel capability and 120-degree angle as before, but is moved from the top to the side, so the unit mounts horizontally to the glass, instead of vertically.

As there’s no preview screen to see what you’re filming, it would be useful if you could reposition the mount. But as it’s fixed with 3M tape, you can’t. We wish the firm had kept the old suction cup mount. Still, the footage was good for a standard definition unit.

The highlight, though, is the range of GPS functions in the PC Viewing Software. Connect to a computer, and you can see where you’ve filmed on Google Maps, plus your speed and g-forces. You can export video on its own or the full data file – handy in a crash. So we’re sure the £200 unit would have fared well had it launched in time for our 2011 group test.

Verdict

Rating: ★★★★
What is it?
Black box recorder for your car, captures sound, video and data such as speed and location.
Problems?
Not HD, no preview screen, secures to glass with 3M tape, not suction cup.
Why buy?
Smaller than before, with better low-light video quality, for same price.