drivesense ranger duo set
It is in a way surprising that not many new cars come with built-in dashcams. We may have progressed from reversing cameras to “surround” cams but the aftermarket for dashcams is still wide open.

Today we’re publishing our findings on the DriveSense Ranger Duo Dash Cam, courtesy of Andatech.

It’s a nifty little front and rear cam with a built-in screen.

Best feature? The price.

Here at DigitalReviews.net we have tested many dashcams, mainly those at the top of the market like Blackvue.

The Ranger Duo is priced at just AUD299 which is a great price for a Sony lens that gives you full HD (1080p) looking forward and 720p out your tailgate.
With the built-in screen (only 2”) you don’t need an app to set it up and you can see what the cameras see when you’re driving.
Those are both plus points and at the same time it may also be somewhat distracting.

I’ve got my current dashcam hidden behind the rear-view mirror in my Territory Ghia. Out of sight so that I don’t have to be distracted by the constantly blinking LEDs. The Ranger Duo because of its screen needs to be within your sight. Not a problem during the day but at night both the screen and blinking LED could be somewhat distracting. Just a thought.

Having a tiny screen with 2 buttons to do all the settings is a bit fiddly, working with combinations of short and long presses with frequent references to the installation sheet.

Ranger

Talking about installation: the main camera consists actually of three elements – a detachable camera body (handy if you think it might be a target for thieves), a detachable GPS unit and the holder to stick to the windscreen. All bits attach securely with strong magnets, a great solution.

The rear camera is one unit. You might have a problem with a steeply raked tailgate as there’s not a lot of freedom of movement to get the right angle.

After hiding all the ample cabling behind panels, we’re ready to plug it in. This DriveSense unit has a smart-looking plug for your 12V/24V outlet with a second USB port for charging your phone.
Very handy and necessary.

Gravity Sensor (G-Sensor)
All good dashcams have gravity sensors that will protect a file recorded in the event of a collision. It will sense sudden deceleration or heavy manoeuvring, detects any collision and locks the recorded file to protect it from being deleted or overwritten as is the case with normal footage. The sensitivity of the G-Sensor on the Ranger dashcams can be set to low, medium, high or switched off completely.

Testing
We took several trips, both in daylight and at night. What counts is the result below:

 

 

 

Yes, the footage is excellent with the 150-degree wide angle view in hi-res. License plates are clearly readable and you can zoom in for greater detail. Any PC viewer that can handle the common .mov format will be suitable. No special app needed.

And If You Ask Why You Need a Dashcam
Of course it would be great if you catch an exploding meteor in the sky or a UFO. People see these things occasionally. But we all see the stupidity of fellow road users all the time and when there is an accident your insurance company will be quick to open their wallets if you have footage that proves you were not at fault.
I’ve caught several near misses and also wildlife impacting my vehicle over the years!

Here’s another side benefit: having a camera that records your driving might influence you to stick to the speed limit and drive with safety in mind. Not a bad thing…

All in all: get a dashcam and seriously consider the Ranger Duo for its price and high quality video.

Check out the Ranger Duo site for more detail and other options.

Specifications of the Ranger Duo

Model No.                      DVS-RANGERDUO
Sensor Front Dash Cam: SONY imx307Rear Dash Cam: RG321
Lens Front Dash Cam:     ⌀17.5 F1.6 150° wide angle 6G+IRRear Dash Cam: ⌀14 F1.6 135° wide angle 5G+IR
LCD                               2.0″ IPS 240 x 320 dots (tempered glass)
GPS                               External GPS module (magnetic connection)
Resolution / FPS              Front Dash Cam: 1080p 30fps / 720p 30fpsRear Dash Cam: 720p 30fps
Battery                           Super Capacitor, 2.5F, 5.5V
Power In                         5V 1A 3P POGOPIN
Speaker                          8Ω 0.5W
Storage Capacity             up to 64GB microSD card
Image Technology            H.264 / MOV / WDR
Video Protection               G-Sensor / Motion Detection
Video Length                    off / 1 / 2 / 3 / 5 / 10 minutes loop recording
Working Temperature        -20 – 70°C
Weight Front Dash Cam:    63gRear Dash Cam: 25g
Dimensions                       Front Dash Cam: 70 x 44 x 34.55mmRear Dash Cam: 50 x 24 x 25.35mm