Are dash cams the future of driving?

Just recently there seems to have been an influx in the number of videos popping up on social media which show footage captured by a car’s dash camera, or ‘cam’ for short.  Although dash cams are certainly not cutting edge technology, they do seem to be increasing in popularity and there are many useful reasons why having one installed would be a wise decision.  We take a look at some of them below.

In case of an accident
Having a dash camera could prove to be an invaluable resource if you were to ever find yourself in a road accident.  Not only would it accurately record what had taken place, should you find yourself wrongly accused, but it would also capture driving conditions, road surfaces and what was happening in terms of traffic at the time of the incident as well.  Your dash cam could back you up in a situation where it was your word against the word of the other drivers involved and could also prove to be useful in terms of insurance claims as well; there is very little another insurance company could dispute when the evidence is right there in front of them.

Making a video
If you want to record yourself or your journey as you drive then a dash cam is the perfect way to do this safely.  Not only will you be able to capture the whole journey and not miss out on any beautiful scenery because you couldn’t turn your phone or camera on in time but the footage should also be steadier than it would be if you were holding a camera by hand whilst someone was driving.  It’s also ideal if you are travelling alone and want to be able to record your view on your drive as well.

When someone uses your car
If you have teenagers who want to borrow your car then having a dash cam installed, and insisting it remains on for the duration of the car’s use, is a great way of ensuring that everyone behaves themselves and drives sensibly whilst using your car.

Types of dash camera available
If we have tempted you to invest in a dash cam for your own vehicle then there are a number of different types you can choose from.  You could have just a single camera at the front or opt for a rear view camera kit to give you a dual aspect as well.  Lots of cameras have different features such as being able to track routes taken, for example.

Whilst we aren’t certain whether dash cams will become part of the standard spec for new cars, we are fairly sure that they are going to become an increasingly common feature for drivers.  They are a great protection tool for when you are out and about as well as giving you the opportunity to share any exciting journeys you may take with others.  And you never know just what you might catch on film the next time you take a drive.

Gift Ideas for Car Lovers

If you need to buy a present for someone who loves their car but are a bit stuck on where to begin then look no further. We have created a snappy little guide to talk you through some of the coolest gadgets and technology on the market which will be sure to bring a smile to the face of the recipient; and earn you some great brownie points in the meantime: -

Dashboard Camera
Whether the person you are buying for has a love of taking long and scenic drives or would simply be entertained by the idea of filming every day occurrences whilst out and about, a dashboard camera is one of the must-have car accessories of the moment. Prices start at around £50 for a semi decent camera and we are sure that great fun will be had by all watching footage back at a later date. Not to mention all the great safety benefits of buying and installing a dashboard camera as well.

DAB Digital Radio
A good quality stereo system is something which every car lover should have and a DAB radio is the ideal choice. There are numerous local companies who can help to install a radio once it has been purchased; a simple internet search such as ‘car audio London’ should throw up possible options and if you look for a radio which has additional features such as a USB point then even as technology moves on and advances, your chosen radio should continue to be a useful and high tech addition to your car lover’s vehicle.

Build Your Own Engine Kit
What car lover wouldn’t relish the opportunity to have a go at building their own car engine? Whether they have previously shown an interest in tinkering around under the bonnet of a car or you think it’s something they will enjoy experiencing for the first time; buying a kit is a great way to kick start what could turn out to be a lifelong interest and hobby. There are a number of different kits on the market; whilst the engines wouldn’t actually be suitable for use in a real car, it is certainly a unique gift to give someone who has a great interest in cars.

Off-road driving experience
For something a little more active; you could purchase an off-road driving experience to really let your recipient let their hair down. Most car lovers would adore the idea of being able to escape the restraints of day to day driving and really put a car through it’s paces and an off-road experience is designed to allow people to do just that. If speed is more their thing then there are plenty of racing driving experiences too; in some of the best cars in the world to boot.

USB Charger
In today’s technology driven world we are always draining the battery on some kind of smart device so why not purchase a decent in-car USB charger? One with a high output and multiple sockets would be the perfect choice.

Improve Your Car Speakers with a Few Simple Changes

If you’re having problems with the sound quality in your car, it might be relatively straightforward to fix. If you still have factory-installed speakers, or if the speakers are blowing, then it’s highly likely that you need to buy new speakers. However, if you have done this, or you know that your speakers are good quality, and you’re still having issues, try our simple remedies outlined below.

1.Cars experience a lot of reverberation. What this means is that sound waves bounce around the car, hitting into each other, and causing mild distortion. While it is mild, it can make a lot of difference to the sound – especially if you're someone with a discerning ear.

To deal with this, you need to install sound dampening materials. Place it on the floor, in foot wells under the carpet, in the door panels, and behind the columns. This can make a huge amount of difference, and it’s relatively cheap.

2.Buy a bass blocker. If you have in car speakers that feature a subwoofer, it could be that low frequency sounds – which should be going to the subwoofer – aren't being fed correctly, and instead are also going to the woofer.

The woofer can’t produce the very low frequency sounds, and it interprets these signals in a distorted manner; it’s sort of the same as screaming as hard as you can, but in an Incredible Hulk way, your voice can’t handle it and cracks. With speakers, the woofers can’t handle it and they crack, which means they break.

A bass blocker prevents the low frequency sounds from reaching the woofer, and therefore stops the damage. Instead, the bass is diverted to the sub woofer, where it belongs, and where the speaker can handle it.

3.Buy a crossover unit and play around with the settings. The cross over is similar in function to a bass blocker, but rather than blocking frequencies, it simply orders them and then feeds them to the correct speakers. For instance, it sorts your music in to low, medium, and high frequencies, and channels them respectively to the sub woofer, woofer, and tweeters. This ensures that each speaker is producing the correct sounds, which then improves sound quality and prevents damaging the speakers.

If you would like to know more visit Incarmusic.

Car Stereos: How to Change the Head Unit

This article will teach you how to change a head unit. It is a simple DIY guide. However, if you buy a head unit that requires modifications to your dash, this article is not for you – you need a more advanced guide, and probably need to use a professional installation service. Here, we’re just looking at a simple swap.

1.Choose the correct head unit.

You need to ensure that you buy a compatible head unit. This involves two considerations:

a.If you live in the UK and drive a UK-based car, then you need to ensure that you buy a UK-compatible head unit. The best way to do this is to buy from a car audio UK retailer.

b.You need to buy a head unit that is the same size as the existing unit or the slot in the dashboard if it has a pop out section. In the UK, we measure stereos height in DIN. Ensure that you know which DIN you need. If you want a larger DIN than your car currently allows, then you will need to have the stereo installed by a specialist.

2.Remove the old head unit.

This is relatively easy. You need to disconnect the unit from the battery (under the bonnet), and then use specialist prongs to pull out the head unit (from the centre console). Finally, disconnect all the wires.

3.Connect the new head unit. 

Take the head unit, and connect the wires. You can find online keys that show you which wires go where. It’s straightforward and often colour coded.

4.Connect the unit to the battery.

When you disconnected the batteries in step 2, you now have to reverse the process and reconnect the wires. Remember that you haven’t replaced these wires because they link from the mountings to the battery, and not directly from the stereo – you had to plug them back in when you connected the head unit in step 3.

5.Test the unit. 

You see, car audio UK is very simple and straightforward if all you're doing is changing the head unit. You can easily carry out the work yourself, even if you have zero experience with electronics and gadgets.

If you would like to know more visit Incarmusic.

Buyer’s Guide: Car Stereos in the UK

If you’re new to the car stereo market, then we wouldn’t be too surprised to learn that you’re somewhat confused. It can appear very daunting. There are so many different components to consider, that it can feel overwhelming. Here, we’re going to look at the key features of an integrated car stereo system. We will tell you which parts are essential, and which are added extras.

•    Car stereos: people use this term to mean one of two things:
 
1.    The head unit: this is the part of the stereo system that controls everything. It’s where you adjust volumes, choose tracks, insert CDs (sometimes), etc. It’s the colourful thing that sits on the dashboard.
2.    The car stereo system: this covers every part of your in-car audio system. With car audio UK, this includes the speakers, the wires, any cameras/screens, etc.
The first thing that you need to do when buying an in car system, is to consider the head unit.

•    Car speakers: in general, there are three types of speakers:

o    The tweeters: deal with high frequency sounds, the treble.
o    The woofers: deal with medium frequency sounds.
o    The subwoofers: deal with low frequency sounds, the base.

You have a choice between separates and coaxial speakers. Separates use threedifferent units to house each of the above speakers. Coaxial speakers combine the tweeter and woofer in a single unit. Coaxial speakers are popular in cars because they take up less room, but they also produce lower sound quality. Many people choose not to install a sub-woofer in their car, because they tend to be very big and take up boot space.

You need a tweeter and woofer on both sides of the car, but the sub sits in the middle, usually the boot. Be careful that both separates and coaxial go by different names, and this can be confusing. For instance, separates are sometimes called component speakers.

•    Added extras: as well as having to choose the above, you also need to choose other options too. 
 
o    For example, do you want to use Bluetooth? This will allow you to wirelessly connect to your phone or tablet, and play files directly through your stereo. This is the android version; there are Apple and Windows versions too.
o    Do you want a satnav? Nowadays, you can choose to have the sat nav as part of your car stereo.
o    Do you want to install a DVD system? For those of you with the cash to spare, you can install a DVD system. This allows your passengers to watch DVDs as your driving them around. Luxury!

If you would like further help and advice, please visit http://www.incarmusic.co.uk

How to Improve Your In Car Stereo on a Budget

OK, so your sound system is rubbish and you want to do something about it, but you don’t have very much money. What can you do? You might be thinking “not a lot”, but actually, depending on the problem, there may be a few things you can try.

Make The Journey A Better Trip

Long car journeys pass much quicker when you can listen to good quality sounds from the best possible car stereo system.

When you listen to music at home there’s always something to distract you even if it’s the need to go to the kitchen to pick up another cold beer. But in the car on a two or three hour drive you are a completely captivated audience.

To make the most of this opportunity to listen and enjoy your favorite music you need a stereo system that does it justice.

All but the most expensive cars are fitted with a system that at best can be called adequate and yet for a surprisingly little amount of money you can transform this into a sound like a live concert.

Car stereo UK systems are increasingly better all the time and pro-rata have never been this cheap compared with years gone by. When the first car CD was introduced it cost anything between one and two thousand pounds and that was only thirty years ago.

The CD was revolutionary but today we no longer need to carry around handfuls of them in the glove compartment as most people just connect their smartphones containing unlimited numbers of recordings to listen in the car.

Look through all the audio options at In Car Music to help you get the best out of your mobile device. Beginning with the correct interface if your car hasn’t already got one, through the different amps and speakers that will sound as well as look best in your car.

You may get away with keeping the existing speakers but a couple of additional rear parcel-shelf bass or sub-woofers will add extra depth.

Amps don’t have to be monsters filling the boot but small and discreetly hidden away under a seat keeps them out of view.

Don’t forget that if you do a lot of new stuff to the car you are obliged to tell your insurance company. If the value of the car is increased so too might your premium.

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