Customer Ratings & Reviews

A lot cheaper than I expected from a brand like Pioneer. Makes me wonder if this is really from their team. The size is nice I guess.

I have tested and used many dash cams. But this is my first Pioneer to test. Let's start with setup. Setup was easy. Find a spot on your windshield clean it with alcohol.. stick the double sided sticky in the camera. Place the clear plastic on the windshield remove the protector off other part of double sticky tape from the base of the camera that you just stuck on and you have you have a mounted camera. So here is where I boo booed. I placed the clear sticky film in the wrong spot on my windshield and subsequently the camera too. So when I tried to peel the sticky clear film off it dropped on to the carpet and picked up a bunch of dust and stuff...... So lesson learned from me to you so you don't make the same mistake. All right so after that I ran the wire through the headliner and plugged it in. I downloaded the software via Google play. Followed the instructions on the screen and I was in. Camera came with SD card. Which is good. Operation is descent. Using software you can view the gallery and download what you want. Downloading from camera to phone is pretty fast. Files are huge. 1 min clips puts the files at 40ish MB each at 2K quality. Focal point is close. Meaning if you want to pickup license plates you need to be pretty close to tell the plate number. So be aware of this limitation. Also another limitation is there is no on board screen to see what is being recorded in real time. Appearance is great. Super compact. When it powers on there is a voice that indicates it is recording. That spooked my family at first but they got over it pretty fast. Anyway. Small compact camera that is easy to use is always a win. Just be aware of the limitations.

Love this little dash cam! When I say little, it is little, less than two inches long or wide. So much to love about this dash cam; size, fantastic picture, ease of snapping a photo in the app and the very best...no subscription required. No subscription means no on-going monthly charge! I have had other dash cams previously which I stopped using because I really don't want an on-going subscription charge. The Pioneer dash cam uses a micro SD card to record video and photos. Both can easily be reviewed in the app. The dash cam comes with an 11'3" cord that plugs into a USB Type A connection. If your car doesn't have a USB Type A, no worries Pioneer has included a power adapter that plugs into what used to be called a cigarette lighter. The most difficult part of setup was reading the exceptionally small print in the quick start guide. Tried to scan the QR code to go to the correct app in the App Store (I have an Iphone) but I wasn't able to focus my phone's camera on the little QR code. Searched for Pioneer Dash Cam and found the only Pioneer dash cam app in the App Store. It downloaded and connected to the dash cam easily. A few setup questions like language and then insert the MicroSD card. The app will format the card and the process was exceptionally quick. Overall, easy setup and an app that is easy to use. Love the small size and great picture that covers the entire front of the car. And of course no monthly subscription required.

BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT: For this price, I think this camera is hard to beat. Sure, features and resolution and video are higher on much more expensive cams. However, it will do the job for sure for most people (especially with the optional parking mode - which I could not test). Plus this cam is extremely compact. It fits easily onto my windshield and isn't very noticeable. However, poor documentation and lack of description of the features of the unit, along with an onerous EULA and mandatory acceptance of allowing personal data require me to knock off a star. UNBOXING/ STEUP: The device is nicely packaged with a 12V Cigarette Lighter adapter that supplies a 5V/1.5A output to charge the unit via a long 3.5m (~11.5 feet) cable. I first "played" around with the unit in my home office with it simply powered by a USB adapter. Double sided adhesive tape is included to mount the unit. It also comes with a "windscreen protector" but I have no idea what that does. There is nothing in the included Quick Start Guide (QSG) that talks about it (see below for more on that). The unit also comes with a 64GB UHS Class 3 industrial micro SD card (and will accept a 128 card per the product feature page). The included QSG has pretty small font. Not a big deal - especially since I downloaded a PDF version from the Pioneer web site. But page 2 states the QSG "is intended to guide you through the basic functions of this unit. For more detailed information please refer to the Owner's Manual, which you can find by visiting (the Pioneer Website)." You can type in the model number on the Pioneer web site to find the product support page. There you can find the QSG. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO OWNER'S MANUAL. For this dashcam newbie, not having a full-fledged owner's manual is a serious deficiency. This engineer had to really play with it to get it set up. For instance, there is a "function button" listed in the QSG, but it takes playing to realize that this is also the power button. So you have to figure out on your own how to format the SD card. The QSG does not explain well the features of the unit and how it operates. It DOES go into a detailed explanation of "Parking Mode". Great, but then I did some digging and I found out that this mode is only available with an optional hardware kit. Nowhere in that section does it mention that! Next I downloaded the app for Android. That was easy enough, but there is a terribly lengthy End User License. It makes you opt in to collecting personal data. Two negatives IMHO. Getting set up required a decent amount of experimentation for this dashcam "newbie." Again, this could have been avoidable with good documentation. After the aforementioned experimentation and trial and error in my house, I was able to easily install this in my vehicle. The size of this unit is great. It is extremely compact and not highly visible. For now, I just have the power cable dangling and routed to my cigarette lighter adapter. I may route behind the A-Frame/dash later. PERFORMANCE: After road testing it, I can definitely say that this unit functions really well and I am pleased with it. Is it as bright and has the resolution of much more expensive dashcams? No. But does it do the job? ABSOLUTELY! I am very impressed about what this unit does for the price. It captures video well both in daylight and at night. It continuously captures video and stores these MP4 files in the "Normal" folder on the SD card (which I removed and viewed on my PC). The files are continuously written in one minute increments. I assume these files are overwritten after a certain time period (again, the QSG does not say!). However, the dashcam uses a built-in vibration sensor to capture video in separate "event" folder in case of an accident. Or you can manually trigger this feature too. There is also a feature where you take a still photo (stored in the "Photo" folder). There is also a "Parking" folder for, I assume, the optional "Parking Mode" feature. There is also a "Lapse" folder which again is not explained. You can also download and view the files onto your phone by pressing the "download" button (again, not explained in the QSG). One other note - this records audio too which is great. And when I viewed the files, that reminded me I probably need to turn down the volume of my car stereo to protect my hearing!

I couldn't connect with my phone, and I try to reset and there is no way to reset.

I have used only one other camera in my auto, and I will not say the name, but it has not gone well. The card is constantly say it's in error, simply because it fills up, bad engineering to do it that way. I also find that it fails to connect when trying to connect to my phone, in case I need any footage. I hope I never have to use it in an accident as I trust it about as far as I could throw it and that ain't far. However, it does have a beautiful small LCD screen. This product is sort of the inverse of what I own, and so I think it's a very nice compliment, and a better overall value, so far, but I can't escape the fact that it has no screen, so I guess maybe it's something I can get used to. This was so easy to setup, got my windshield cleaned, used the 3M mount, connected quickly, unlike my other camera in my other car, and was very sharp, clean video, which was something that you view through your phone. It's just weird to me but I guess maybe it's a better way so as not to avoid you looking at the road. Well I can't help it though, still think I want a screen. I've decided I like this because I trust it more. So I'm going to run both, then if anyone ever hits my beat up old Saturn, I'll be protected. And isn't that the main thing you buy these for? A solid 4 out of 5, set it and forget it, no screen docks it a star. Release a premium version next year at $149 and add a tiny screen and we are golden. Great job Pioneer, another winner.

Some dash cameras are large and create a blind spot where they are mounted. This model is very small, yet loaded with features. There are multiple resolution options depending upon your desired visual preferences. I have used the camera during the daytime and during complete darkness at night. While the resolution is naturally good in good light, I was extremely impressed with the image quality in the dark. With just the light from my headlights, the video was almost as good as the daytime video. Due to its compact size, I am able to mount it right on the bottom of my rear view mirror with very little obstruction. The mobile phone application is sufficient for setting up the device and viewing the video. A snapshot can be taken with the phone and the image is saved to the included SD card. The recording function can be initialized by the mobile application or by a button on the camera. I would really like if the video could be displayed using Apple CarPlay, but it is not currently supported. I have encountered issues with the device staying connected to the phone and I have lost video while in motion. I am hoping that a software update will improve this issue.

At first blush, the diminutive Pioneer VREC-H120SC seems like a good inexpensive solution for anyone who wants to add a dashcam to their car accessory list. It is very compact, is fairly easy to install and does not cost a lot of money. But here is the problem: If you have a wireless Android Auto setup in your vehicle, this may not be the best dashcam for you. That's because both of those devices need a wi-fi connection to your phone to be fully functional. And they both cannot connect via wi-fi at the same time. I may be going out on a limb here but if a drivers has to choose between the full-time navigation and traffic information provided by Android Auto or a dashcam, I expect most of them are going to choose Android Auto. Now technically speaking, you do not absolutely need to have this dashcam connected your phone via wi-fi all the time for it to work while driving. It will record video regardless, once and you have completed the initial setup and powered it up inside your car. You just won't be able to use the Pioneer Dashcam app, which is the only way to review any recorded or live video (unless you disconnect Android Auto first). Pioneer acknowledges this problem up front during setup and has a simple (albeit not ideal) solution -- turn off Android Auto. Well, OK. maybe. You don't need to access the dashcam app while driving so that might work....Stop. Disconnect Android Auto, connect the dashcam app, review video. At least until Android Auto asserts control and grabs the wi-fi connection back. Both apps constantly fight to control the connection. If you are one of those folks who don't mind this bothersome workaround, you are in luck. This turns out to be the inexpensive dashcam solution you thought it was. Despite being an entry level device, with lower resolution (1.5K, 1080p or 720p) than more expensive dashcams, it still gets the job done, for the most part. Image quality from the 120-degree view camera is just OK, fine for the big picture but somewhat lacking when it comes to the discerning the finer details, especially at night. Still, it does pretty much what you expect a dashcam to do: Record full time when the car is running, dumping video to an included 64GB microSD card. Recording is on a constant rotation, with new recordings overwriting the oldest ones, once the card fills up. You can opt to record video and audio continuously or turn audio off and download clips to your phone. A single red button on one side allows you to turn the dashcam on or off, turn wi-fi on or off or do a system reset -- assuming you read the instructions and know how many times to push the button or how long to hold it down, for each of those functions. One surprising feature is voice prompts, which tell you when recordings begin or end, when an emergency event happens, etc. -- if you can understand it. The sound quality from the tiny onboard speaker is not great. It is hard to decipher sometimes even in quiet conditions so proves largely useless when competing with ambient road noise. Still, those prompts can be helpful during setup. That process proved to be a bit more challenging than I would have liked, again because of the wi-fi conflict issue. Most phones use wi-fi for internet at home but that's not allowed when setting up this device since it requires the sole wi-fi connection to your phone during that process. So you have to turn off home wi-fi, and lose internet. But oddly, the Pioneer app also requires an Internet connection for some parts of the setup process (for firmware, software updates, etc.) So you have to get your phone to use cell-based internet for that, which can be problematic with some phones. I finally got it to work but it required some effort. With the app setup complete, install is pretty easy. Stick the dashcam to your windshield with the included two sided tape and connect the power cable. Power comes from an included USB A cigarette lighter adapter and cable, which is long enough to snake around behind the windshield, A-pillar gasket and underneath dash, for a clean installation. This dashcam also support a "parking mode" so you can record video of what is going on when your vehicle is parked but that requires a special hard wire kit (not included) to provide power all the time. And someone to install that if you don't know how. In the end, this is and adequate, but unremarkable dashcam for those who don't want to spend a lot of money. And either do not have wireless Android Auto or don't mind working around that conflict.

The Pioneer compact dash camera with 1.5K resolution and 120° wide angle view is a great dash camera that is easy to install, easy to set up, and a has discreet profile on your dashboard. Out of the box, the unit is tiny, measuring only about one inch tall and less than two inches wide. The installation is pretty straightforward, with the unit using a stick mount to adhere to the chosen surface. The cable management is probably the most time consuming part if you really want to hide the USB to USB-C power cable. The device is managed through Pioneer’s app. Once installed, unless you do not hide the power cable, the unit is barely noticeable at all. The cool part is the camera’s 120° wide angle view that allows you to see the whole span of the front of the vehicle. The WDR provides for crisp playback in all weather and lighting conditions. The unit comes with an expandable and removable 63GB microSD card. It also features automatic event recording, which saves notable events. Overall, this dash camera is an excellent resource that provides high-resolution playback from a sleek and compact little camera.

When the Pioneer VREC-H120SC Dash Camera in black arrived, I was very excited to open it up and begin playing with it. As I have had a few cams previously, I was interested in seeing what Pioneer came up with that would make it a good one to have. The Pioneer VREC-H120SC cam boxed with an Owners Manual, the compact dash camera, a long USB-C power cord, a Class 10 64GB micro SD card, a two-sided mounting pad to install the camera on a windshield and a cigaretter lighter adapter into which the power cord can be inserted should your vehicle not already have a USB-C input built into the dash. The Pioneer Dash Camera is quite small/compact/unobtrusive and easy to install and set up using a smarphone. After installing the Pioneer Dash Camera and the micro SD card and power cord, it is time to download Pioneer's ai-sense smartphone application and install it connecting the phone to the Pioneer dash camera network. Additional settings as you desire can now be set up using the application. Once installed and set up, you will be able to connect to the dash camera, turn on or off the sound recording capability, set up on or off parking mode which detects vibration and movement when on, Once I had the smartphone application installed, I found it quite easy to connect to my smartphone and once connected as able to view through the dash camera and set up all its features. The Pioneer ai sense software application was one of the easiest I have ever used - it just works! The Pioneer VREC-H120SC Dash Camera is a keeper in my book!

So this is my first dash cam. I was watching dash cam videos on repeat for a while. Now I get to add my own. The difference between my videos and the others will be the quality of the videos. Wide dynamic range and the 1.5K resolution produces excellent videos and creates stills with a lot of detail if needed. 120° wide angle comes in clutch. Catches more than your standard dash cam. Love that it came with a 64gb micro SD card and power adapter which saved me some money and allowed me to start using it right out of the box. It's so small it disappears behind the mirror. Download the app and create your account and proceed to setup the camera. Pretty straight forward stuff and your good to go to start using the camera. Voice prompts are clear and not too annoying when they are active. Recording collisions automatically is a nice touch. Making all the adjustments for the camera via the app is great. It's easy to install and use. Make sure you read the manual and you can make the slight adjustments as you go.