Customers admire the M1 Dash Cam's excellent video quality and ease of use, finding it easy to install and use with other Escort products. However, some customers feel the price is high for the features offered, and the app could be improved. Concerns were also raised regarding the lack of GPS functionality and the mount's limited adjustability.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 161 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Cons mentioned:
App, Price
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Perfect Clutterless design for Escort Radars
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Posted . Owned for 3 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Pros: simple, seamless, and clutterless design. Good quality video/audio. Not allot of extra wires. Simple functionality. Not too many features to complicate/confuse. Integrates perfect with escort radars. Light in Wright so it won’t fall with original suction cup. Perfect compliment for any escort radar !
Cons: App seems like it was built in 2009. Not many extra data features (mph, g meters etc). Video extraction with app over Wi-Fi is slow. A bit overpriced compared to others.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Video quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Love my M1
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Escort M1 dash cam works great and easy to set up. It’s easy to download your videos or just view them on the app. The only draw back is you have to put your phone in airplane mode to get the app to work. But the app connects to the WiFi fast and works great and the video quality is great also. But the nice thing is you don’t really have to do anything just power it up and it starts recording and stores your video on a memory card.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Perfect Price for Precision Performance!!
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Posted . Owned for more than 2 years when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Outstanding picture quality and easy user interface!!
Great product to protect your PROPERTY!!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
M1 DashCam
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Awesome, I really love this camera. The only problem is I have to disable the cellular in order to view on my phone. This is a problem with T-mobile so, that’s a turn off but I’m okay with that since I have another phone. Also I’m using 128GB instead the recommended 32Gb no problem at all. Video is great and it looks good too. It’s a little price but I’ll deal with it.
I would recommend this to a friend
Cons mentioned:
Price
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Basic dash cam
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Posted . Owned for 8 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Pretty good. Overpriced in my opinion for a dash cam. Also the app for it glitches out a lot.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Size, Video quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Clear HD view
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Quality-
Even though it seems durable I would be hesitant to move the Escort every time I get in and out of my car because of possible damage that can be done to the dash cam lens.
Appearance-
This is probably the smallest dash cam I’ve seen. It weighs less than 1/2 lbs. The 1080 HD recording is a true beauty to watch.
Compatibility-
Requires a compatible radar/laser detector such as the Escort iXc.
You will need the an iPhone or Android phone to download the Escort M1 app for sharing and viewing the footage from your Escort M1 dash cam.
Features-
Built in mic for audio recording. That means your conversations with the law officer pulling you over will be recorded.
G-sensor that automatically saves video on impact. So after an accident with all the madness and shock you will have some piece of mind that the footage is saved for later.
HD camera is crystal clear. Every time you use the Escort M1 you can rest assure that you have clear 1080 HD footage. Most likely the license plate or street sign in view of the camera are captured in clear HD no matter what time of the day you are driving.
Loop recording is continuous so you can easily find the footage you are looking for. Don’t worry about the memory being full because it will record over old footages when the sad card is full. If you want to keep a footage remember to transfer it to your computer.
Final thoughts-
Camera is 1080 full HD that leaves you with clear HD footage. Having that can help you prove that you were not in the wrong especially with many careless drivers on the roads. If you decide to get this Escort M1 dash cam be aware that your phone will be your viewing screen or you can connect the dash cam to a computer to transfer your footage. I plan on leaving the mount on my windshield with the camera attach. Knowing that the camera has a extreme temperature protection is another plus if I forget to remove it during extreme heat wave or sub zero weather conditions. My only suggestion would be to have a version of this camera designed with a Escort detector all in one. So to anyone reading my review please remember that this Escort M1 dash cam requires a compatible Escort radar detector. The Escort radar detector is not included with the Escort M1 dash cam purchase.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Good camera
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Great design and surprisingly good suction cup mount .Setup was very easy and all settings could be completed thru mobile app "M1 dashcam". Another great thing is if you connect your phone (or in my case my car stereo) to your dash cam you can view all your videos (recorded and live) by that same mobile application. True, live stream might have few seconds delay (it does for me at least) but it still helps a lot. Sound is great, the best one on dash cam I ever heard. Picture quality on both day and night is very good good with just one complaint - you cannot read license plates unless you are really close to the car in front of you. With that being said this camera is great to every day situation such as argue traffic violations, prove innocence in case of accidents or similar but limitation to read text on plate in front of you might not help if they run. With that in mind I am taking away one star from my review.
Pros:
Design
Mount
Sound quality
Picture overall quality
Cons:
Hard to read license plates unless you are really close to them and they are not moving
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Quality Camera Perfect add on for the Escort!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The M1 Hi Definition Dash Camera was designed around the Escort line of Radar Detectors. I used it with the Escort iXc. Check to see if its compatible with your Escort. The things you need to know! You will need to download Escort M1 Dash Cam APP. Its easy and links your cell phone quickly to the dash cam.
The M1 Hi Definition Dash came with a longer mounting screw for the hinge point of the Suction cup mount to allow the camera to mount along side the Radar Detector. The Camera mounts to the Suction cup mount and plugs into the radar detector. The Power plug then plugs into the camera so its daisy chained to power both the camera and the detector. So you will need to download the Escort M1 Dash Cam App. The App is very straightforward and easy to use making the use of the Camera easy and quick. It links your cell to the M1 Camera via Wifi so you can see what the camera see’s to assure proper camera alignment, quick video download and more. It lets you adjust the cameras resolution and other features/settings such as, it lets you download the cameras stored video to your cell phone so you can quickly send the video out via on line or YouTube. Now you can also do so via Micro USB cord or just pulling the Micro SD card. The Camera came with a Sandisk 16 GB MicroSD Card. It’s set to video loop every 30 seconds but I changed it to 3 minutes thru the app. Now this is important. It doesn't over write the 30 second video loop right away. It continues to make these 30 second, or in my case 3 minute video loops UNTIL the 16 GB Micro SD card is full and only then it starts to rewrites the OLDEST files and wont rewrite locked files. The Camera has a built in G sensor, on impact, such as an accident, the last video taken when the G Sensor was triggered and stored is LOCKED so it won't be over written and available for review later. Now, what if someone is driving unsafe or road rage, and you need to record it? There is an emergency record button that you can press to record and lock that video for safe keeping. The video is Hi Def, wide and clear. Night use is excellent as well. This camera has some weight, feels sturdy and well made and Escort boasts its designed to deal with the high heat. I've included pictures on a rainy day and at night showing the clarity of this camera.
Its a well built QUALITY camera, it looks super cool as well, no doubt.
What I wasn't in love with, 2 things,
1) The Camera is bolted down to the suction mount. The same mount the Escort Radar detector is mounted to. The Escort iXc is held tightly via a square magnetic base which is very impressive! Quick on and off but you'll have to unclip that phone jack cord from the camera to the detector. Now I'm not a fan of the phone type plug Escort uses. Us older individuals remember house phone cords and the little plastic tang breaking off and the cord keeps popping out! So if you don't have a garage, and have a need to remove it at the end of day or possibly several times a day, I fear sooner or later, that little plastic tang that secures the plug into the Radar detector will eventually break. It would be fantastic if Escort would use the USB C or design a better plug such as a twist and lock.
2) Quick disconnecting the Radar detector still leaves this nice pricy camera for would be thieves to be possibly be tempted to steal. So on to the next option, take the whole unit off, suction cup, detector and camera. So much for the detectors cool magnetic base. Now all this is irrelevant if you have a garage, park in a secured safe area and so forth. It would be perfect if this camera had a better designed plug to the detector and into the camera as well as a quick release mechanism as the detector has. That's my only grip. Right now, its always completely removed. I plan to order a new power cord so I can hide the cord up the side and thru the rear view mirror and mount under the rear view mirror as close to the rear view mirror as possible so its harder to see.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Nifty, Well-Integrated Dashcam for Escort Detector
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
==== Summary ====
The Escort M1 Dashcam is a small, lightweight, & smartly-designed dashcam with good performance & some nice features. The 1080P videos it captures are of good quality - especially at daytime.
Its strong suites are its direct integration with an Escort radar detector's mounting & power system, easy-to-use Escort M1 smartphone app, and its simple "set it & forget it" automatic operation. The M1 dashcam will serve you well.
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Pro's:
-Quick & easy to mount (followed instructions from the BILT app).
-Small, light (0.17 lbs/53 grams), & unobtrusive when mounted to windshield.
-Runs off the same power source & mounting hardware as the Escort radar detector --> less wires & clutter.
-Can use the M1 by itself as a dashcam even without an Escort detector attached.
-Records up to 1080P at 30FPS --> smooth footage.
-Has Continuous Loop recording.
-Video quality is pretty good at daytime & dusk.
-Dynamic range and color spectrum are good.
-Can record in 1-, 2-, or 3-minute clip sizes.
-Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) lens with 160-degree viewing angle covers the entire front windshield + lanes around the car.
-Escort M1 smartphone app is easy to use (view, move, edit files & change M1's settings).
-3 flexible ways to extract video files from the M1 - via Wifi Direct connection to phone, microSD card to computer, or M1 to computer via micro-USB cable.
-Records audio with good clarity & volume.
-Has a G-Sensor inside that detects an impact & automatically saves & locks down the footage so it can't be deleted or overwritten.
-Worked well with my Samsung 128GB microSD card (despite Escort saying maximum size is 32GB).
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Neutral:
-Dark nighttime videos aren't as clear & sharp as daytime videos with some graininess and slight pixelation. This was expected. Quality is still acceptable.
-Compared to other ~$200 dashcams, it is missing a couple of nice-to-have features such as built-in battery for Parking Mode & GPS geo-tagging.
-Videos don't contain extra telemetry data such as GPS, G-Force, and speed. Just shows Escort watermark, date, and time.
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Cons:
-None.
==== Design & Build Quality ====
I really like the design & build quality of the M1 dashcam. It is small, compact, light, and all the buttons and ports are placed in logical and easy-to-use locations. The build is mostly plastic but it is of good quality & results in low weight. Important buttons such as the Wifi button on the top and the Power button on the rear of the M1 are easy to locate by feel and button presses are tactile and responsive.
Popping in and out the microSD card was easy to do as well. As long as the M1 is firmly mounted, the force required to pop out the microSD card will not move the camera position around.
I LOVE that if I want to, I can use the M1 by itself as a dashcam without connecting it first to my Escort radar detector (I have the Escort iXc). Even without the detector connected, the M1 recorded all of my driving sessions just fine (see my YouTube video upload here & look for blinking green light):
https://youtu.be/jaqgZE7y5Q8
Another pleasant surprise was that I could use a microSD card bigger than 32GB. Escort's manual specifies maximum size of 32GB but my 128GB Samsung Evo Select worked perfectly (Class 10, U3).
My preferred method of exporting videos from the M1 to my PC was via a USB Type C adapter (see my pictures). I just plug in the microSD card to the adapter and then stick the adapter into either my PC or my phone. Easy peasy.
==== Ease of Setup & Usage ====
Setting up the M1 dashcam for the first time was a breeze thanks to the very clear visual & audio instructions provided inside the BILT app.
Using the M1 was another uncomplicated & simple affair. Upon staring the car, the M1 automatically turns on the Wifi and begins recording video (a green light blinks on and off to indicate that it is recording). Turn off the car and it stops.
Using the Escort M1 app, I connected to the M1 dashcam from my Galaxy S10+ smartphone & began to change some settings to my preference. I set video recording quality to 1080P at 30FPS, changed Loop Recording duration to 3 minutes, and set G-Sensor Sensitivity to Level 2 to minimize false accident alerts.
Using the M1 dashcam is pretty much a set-and-forget affair. That is, once everything is properly set up, there is nothing more maintenance-wise you need to do.
Although I really like Escort's first attempt at a dashcam and I love the tight integration of the M1 to an Escort detector's mounting & power delivery system, I do wish there were a few more features. At its current $200 price range, I expected a couple of nice-to-have features such as a built-in battery that allows for motion & collision detection during "Park Mode" and the availability of optional telemetry data in the videos such as GPS and speed.
With that said, Escort still did a wonderful job with the M1 dashcam and I'm very happy and delighted with it. I have the M1 dashcam and Escort iXc detector inside my Hyundai Sonata and the video & audio recording quality have been highly satisfactory and good.
Here are a couple of my footages taken with the Escort M1 - one during cloudy daytime & one during nighttime:
https://youtu.be/PrZ_JxKXFZ8
https://youtu.be/2GsNkCXh6CM
==== Verdict ====
Escort has created a really good dashcam that is small, compact, and light with great integration with a line of Escort detectors & their mounting & power delivery systems. As a result of such a harmonious integration, there is less clutter and wiring to bother you. By designing the M1 to be so simple to operate (Auto Wifi, Auto Record), this is a great dashcam to use personally and to recommend to friends & family. The video & audio recordings are great and its no-fuss, virtually no maintenance makes the M1 highly competent, especially for current Escort detector owners.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Excellent quality video and sound
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Escort - M1 Dash Cam is good dash cam to get if you have one of the compatible Escort Radar detectors (ESCORT iX, MAX 360, MAX 360c, Passport Max, Passport Max 2, Redline EX, ESCORT iXc, MAX II Platinum). It fits nicely with your existing window mount and saves you from having to use up another DC outlet or requiring a DC outlet adapter if your vehicle only has one.
The video and sound quality from the dash cam is pretty amazing. The video captures are wide enough to capture beyond the width of the hood on my Nissan Frontier. It records in 1080p and the mobile app allows you to customize the length of the recording loops. This camera doesn’t have a LCD screen, like some other cameras have. I’ll be honest though, I have another dash camera with a screen and I have never used the functionality. At the end of the day, you only need to retrieve your recordings when there is something worthwhile reviewing, and do you need to review that from the camera itself? I guess that’s a personal preference.
The mobile app does sync up to the dash cam via Wi-Fi, so you can review your videos on your mobile device. In all honesty, this is only good for narrowing down the video you want to download. Viewing the videos on the mobile app is really choppy though the Wi-Fi connection. But within the mobile app, you can scroll through the list of video loops and down load the ones you want to your phone and then viewing is way better than any LCD screen that comes with some of those other dash cams. Albeit depending on which mobile device you own. The other alternative is to connect the camera to your PC/Laptop via USB or MicroSD adapter.
A downside to this camera is that there is no upgrade capabilities. You are stuck with just a front dash, and maybe that is all you need, however some dash cams record both the front and rear at the same time giving you better coverage for incidents.
This camera is made specifically work with the Escort products. It does not come with any additional mounts or adapters, it is assumed you are using exiting accessories. So if you have an compatible radar detector and only care about the front dash recordings, you won’t be disappointed with the quality of the recordings. However, look at other available options if you don’t have a compatible detector as this dash cam was made specifically for an add-on to a compatible product.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Cons mentioned:
Price
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Price is the only bad thing
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I like this camera, and it works very well. Records sounds get good, and quality is great. But for the price, it doesn't work and better than my other camera that cost a fraction of what this one is priced at.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Size, Video quality
Cons mentioned:
Price
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
If you own an Escort Radar Detector
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is not the best dash camera nor the best priced dash cam. However, if you own an Escort radar Detector (must be compatible) then this should be on your short list. The app is great (I'm on IOS) and the pictures are very good. The small size and easy piggy back for power makes this Dash Cam make your short list.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Cons mentioned:
Battery life
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Settled on 4 stars - could've been 5!
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The camera is pretty high quality. Its very nice that it passes power through to my Escort Max 360c (which is required). Setup was pretty easy. The only annoyance I find is that you connect to the camera wirelessly (not bluetooth). Most of the time, if I try to view the live video, it shows its recording on the app but gets a streaming error. After about an hour of research - I found someone mentioned dropping your phone into airplane mode before opening the app. The video loaded right up. You can then take your phone out of airplane mode. Not sure if this is a bug or what. If you catch it on sale (as i did) - I would say its worth it. I probably would have not kept it for $200.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Connectivity, Size, Video quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Good 1st Effort for Escort's New Mini-Dashcam
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Out of the Box: The Escort M1 Dash Cam (DC) is a small, compact, lightweight, & unobtrusive minicam which is app-controlled & compatible w/most of Cedar Electronics’ newer Escort & Beltronics radar detectors (RD). The M1 is housed in an attractive rectangular matte black plastic case. Dimensions are: ~1¼ H x 1¼ W x 2¾ D, & it weighs <3oz. Setup was straightforward as I followed both the incl. quick-start guide & the BILT app tutorial install video. Although the M1 can be purchased/operated independently of a companion RD, I acquired the M1 for use in tandem w/my new Escort iXc RD. Thus, my review of the M1’s initial setup & performance will be from the perspective of a joint M1/iXc user.
The M1 & iXc both attach to the same mounting arm on the Escort EZ Mag Mount w/Sticky Cup. The mounting pkg. incl. a mounting bracket, extended screw, & special grippy washer & rubber washer to ensure the thumb screws provide a snug, vibration-absorbing fit to prevent jittery video capture. If this twin-mount apparatus is properly installed, there’s surprisingly little quiver in video playback. In summary, the Escort’s mounting hardware is clean & compact, stable & tight, & impressively designed & engineered, esp. for such an easily removable windshield mount. To power the unit, the M1 is connected to the iXc via a pigtail power cord w/an RJ-11 modular phone plug. Next, the iXc’s SmartCord is connected to the M1, also via an RJ-11 plug, & plugged into the vehicle’s 12V DC (direct current) power outlet below. This connection powers both units w/the M1 acting as a pass-thru for the iXc. Conveniently, the 2A (amp) USB port on the back of the SmartCord’s cigarette lighter plug can be used to charge your smartphone or other devices. On the back of the SmartCord is also a mute button, a green power-on indicator light, & a red alert warning light. The SmartCord provides the look of a clean straight cord above-dash w/an extendable (if needed) coiled cord below.
Mounting/Wiring Tips: For optimal video capture, mount the M1 in the center of the windshield directly below the rearview mirror mount. The iXc hangs on the same mounting arm to the left of the M1, but the M1 doesn't obstruct/interfere w/the iXc’s sensors. If you prefer a cleaner look, then you might buy/install Escort’s Direct Wire SmartCord accessory. This affordable little hardwire kit eliminates the unsightly/distracting power cord running from your rearview mirror to your center console. Why advertise your RD to law enforcement?
Why Buy It?: The M1 may serve as an additional ins. policy in the event you’re involved in an incident/accident. It may help prove your innocence & protect you from false witnesses/accusations. It may provide critical video documentation as to how an incident occurred & help to establish who was at fault. When you capture decisive video evidence to support your version of events, then it’s no longer just your word against theirs. It may also remind you to drive ‘smart’ & defensively, because everything you say & do behind the wheel is being recorded. (The integrated microphone feature of the M1 can be toggled off/on via the M1 mobile app.)
Recording/Saving Videos: When you start your vehicle, the camera turns on automatically & begins recording. The M1’s LED status indicator illuminates as a steady red light for 3sec, & then changes to a slowly blinking green light during recording. A short single beep tone is also emitted from the speaker atop the M1.
The camera records in 1080p full HD (1920 x 1080 resolution) to capture hi-def footage at a frame rate of 30fps (frames per second). Hopefully, Escort’s next DC incl. a 4k option (24 or 30fps) or at least 1080p at 60fps to ensure sharper video images. While the M1 still gives good clear video w/an acceptable level of compression, you’ll typically find that vehicle license plates directly ahead of you & even nearby cross street signs aren’t clearly readable unless you’re exceptionally close to them. But if you download the video to your smartphone, you can always pause it & zoom in for a closer look, although that doesn’t guarantee the characters will be readable. (You can drop down to 720p at 60fps if you’re willing to sacrifice resolution for smoother video playback. Higher resolutions give sharper images but take up more card memory.) The M1 includes WDR (wide dynamic range) technology; so, its sensor auto-corrects for luminance (bright/dark areas) to help eliminate over/under exposure. The M1 also incl. enhanced night vision; so, the quality of nighttime images is decent, although at time, they can be a little grainy, pixelated, & not as sharp as daytime vids. Escort says the M1 is compatible w/microSD (Secure Digital) cards up to only 32GB; so, I upgraded from the incl. 16GB card to a 32GB card. (But my brother-in-law has used both a 128GB card & a 256GB card w/o issue in his unit.) Escort recommends that you format the new memory card & reformat the card periodically for optimal performance. (Open the M1 app & select “Format SD Memory Card” under Camera Settings.) The card stores video/audio in loop-cycle recordings of 1-, 2-, or 3-min. file loops. Escort recommends a 1min file loop setting, because a smaller file size is generally more manageable when transferring video clips to another device. ‘Loop’ recording simply means ‘continuous’; i.e., the M1 overwrites previous recordings, deleting the oldest files once the data storage capacity of the memory card is full. There are 2 ways to prevent overwriting recorded videos. The M1 has a built-in collision detection system (CDS) w/a 3-axis accelerometer, or G-sensor, that measures sudden accelerations, stops, & impacts. When the measured jolt meets the required threshold, the video footage around that incident is auto-protected. To ensure this video isn’t lost, adjacent video clips are also locked if the impact happens w/in 30sec of the beginning/end of a file. There are 3 settings for the G-sensor: ‘1’ is the most sensitive & ‘3’ is the least sensitive. If you drive where there are potholes or rough roads, you might set the sensor at ‘3’. Otherwise, the sensor can be too easily triggered to fill the memory card w/protected files that are little more than bumps in the road. You can also manually preserve video footage by pressing the combo power/emergency record button on the back of the M1. This puts the M1 into ‘emergency’ record mode & prevents the video clip from being overwritten.
Viewing/Downloading Videos: Escort’s M1 mobile app allows you to control the M1’s functionality, incl. resolution & settings. The app syncs to the dashcam via Wi-Fi & allows you to review, edit, & download all video files stored on your memory card via your phone. You can then download whichever vids you want & even share them w/others, incl. your ins. co.! (Viewing vids via Wi-Fi is typically choppier than viewing them after downloading them to your device.) You can also transfer M1 vids to other devices via USB or microSD adapter.
Wide-Angle Viewing: The M1 lens has a 160º viewing angle w/minimal edge-to-edge distortion, allowing it to capture not just your traffic lane but multiple lanes & the left & right shoulders of the road. This broad view of traffic flow can prove beneficial on multi-lane freeways in major metro areas, especially at major interchanges where lane cutting & accidents commonly occur. This can better capture how chain-reaction accidents start & help ID who’s at fault.
Reliability/Durability: The M1 includes super-capacitor technology to ensure recording in extreme temps, even when your vehicle sits in a pkg. lot for hrs. in the hot summer sun & the cabin temp hits 140º F.
Room for Improvements:
-Connectivity: I downloaded the Escort Live app that controls the iXc to my Galaxy S9+ & created an acct. w/username & PW. Then, I downloaded the Escort M1 app. (Both Escort apps are available for Android/iOS.) Although I’d never previously had any trouble pairing my phone w/other devices via Bluetooth, I had repeated problems pairing/maintaining a stable pairing w/the iXc. I also had trouble getting the M1 to even turn on. In addition to receiving incessant, double beep tones, the M1’s LED failed to display the pulsing green light that confirms the M1 has been turned on & is recording video. Instead, the LED displayed a solid red light, indicating an error. (A flashing red light indicates the M1 is recording w/Wi-Fi off, & a flashing red/green light indicates an ‘emergency’ recording has been activated. And there’s a manual Wi-Fi on/off button located atop the M1 for recording w/o Wi-Fi, which conserves your phone’s battery.) Escort’s web support page indicated that the inability to activate the M1 is a known problem for certain vehicles. So, as advised, I uninstalled the M1, connected it to my laptop via the unit’s USB port & incl. Micro-USB-to-USB-Type-A-cable, & downloaded Escort’s M1 firmware update. After reinstalling the M1, the firmware update resolved the issue. After the update, my phone recognized & securely paired w/both the M1’s Wi-Fi SSID (Solid Set IDentifier) broadcast signal & the iXc’s Bluetooth signal. The M1 also began recording at vehicle startup.
-Integration: Cedar Electronics (CE) should integrate the M1 app into its more comprehensive Escort Live app so that users can control both RDs & the DC from just 1 app. The iXc & M1 should also ‘talk’ to each other, share telemetry such as GPS, G-force, & speed data, & display this data on M1 video vs. the current barebones display of phone-synced date/time stamps & Escort watermark. CE must level up & further develop their devices/apps to fully integrate w/Android Auto/Apple Car Play so that users can view/control their apps/devices from their vehicle displays w/o the distraction of shifting back to their phones, the use of which while driving is becoming increasingly restricted throughout the US.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Cons mentioned:
Gps
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
M1 dash Cam
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Bought this to add to my Max3, it mounts very easily to the radar detector. The quality of the video is outstanding. The camera has frozen a couple times but it’s easy to fix and tell when there is a issue. For the money it’s a great add on. I do wish there was a cloud based storage and that the speed/ gps data would transpose to the camera. Again for the price it’s a great addition to the detector.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Cons mentioned:
App, Gps
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
Lacking features for the price compared to others
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The camera recorded excellent video although it was a pain and sometimes impossible to get to the video footage on my iPhone due to the app being glitchy and not always wanting to play back recorded video. Removing the SD card and putting it into a computer would allow flawless access to the video files.
In the end I was displeased because I had connected this to my 360c radar detector which has GPS built into it, but the camera did not show GPS location or speed data even though it could/should have had access to it from the detector. I ended up returning this and getting a Vantrue N2 Pro for $150 with a GPS mount. The video quality on the N2 Pro is better, the N2 Pro supports up to a 256 GB SD card (instead of 32gb on this one), and the N2 Pro shows GPS info on the recorded video.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Video quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Nice overall dash cam.
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is my third dash cam. I was very close to buying the 4K Blackvue dash cam but wanted to give this one a shot. The ability to mount it with, and hook to the power of, my existing radar detector was a huge selling point for me. For 1080P the video quality is good. When in night mode the video is slightly grainy but is clear enough to catch license plates if you have proper lighting. The headlights on my car also do a good job of lighting up license plates at night so that might make a difference. All the settings and setup can be done through the M1 app. In the app you can adjust: resolution, G-Sensor sensitivity, audio record, exposure value among other basic settings. The app also gives you a live video feed if you have a device within WiFi range which is cool to see. If they offered this device with a 4K sensor I would have no complaints. If I had to guess I'd say that is coming.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Video quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great Cam.
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Posted . Owned for 9 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Got this cam to use with my radar detector to record while I'm driving in case I ever get into an accident or was able to record an accident to help the police in the investigation. Video quality is great and like that you can push the button to store and make it ease to find the footage of accident a lot quicker than having to watch the whole video recordings.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Very convenient install with Escort radar detector
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Posted . Owned for 1 year when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I mainly purchased for the ease of installation with my Escort Radar detector. It connects with the same power cord and even the same bracket with its own attachment. The recording quality is decent and by having it, I saved nearly $1,000 because a car pulled into my lane and I swerved off the road over a curb to avoid a collision causing $3,600 damage to my vehicle. The camera recorded the incident and I was able get the tag and vehicle info for the insurance company and they found the driver and were able refund my deductible and rental car costs.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Video quality
Cons mentioned:
App, Gps, Price
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great if you already have the detector
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This dashcam is made as an accessory for Escort radar detectors and attaches directly to the detector's mount which makes it easy to remove both when you leave the car and need to hide it in the console. I already had a dash cam professionally installed in my truck but I’m going to remove it and use this one from now on as I compared the video between the two and the M1’s looks sharper, with less compression.
You can control the camera with the M1 Dash Camera app for iOS or Android, however the app could use some work. The UI is unappealing and sometimes videos simply do not load or take 10s of seconds to play. I am still using the 16gb card that comes with the camera.
One thing I find amiss is that there is no way to get GPS or speed information added to the video, even though the radar detector may have this information. If you need the video to defend yourself data proving your exact location or speed could be invaluable.
Pros:
1080p/30 – clear footage even at night
Plug and Play – just attach to a compatible Escort radar detector
Turns on/off automatically (depending on your power source)
Can watch videos – using the M1 Dash Cam app
Impact Detection – will automatically save clips (and prevent you from deleting)
Includes 16gb microSD card.
Cons:
Only Direct Wifi – Cannot connect to in vehicle wifi
App sometimes struggles to play videos (on iOS)
No GPS or Speed Information?
Expensive
Overall, I recommend if you have one of the compatible detectors as the convenience of having just one suction cup and one power cable plus the excellent video quality makes up for the poor app or lack of integration with the radar detector's GPS. However, if those features are important to you than you can probably get them in a standalone dashcam in the same price range.