The Wolfbox Mirror dash cam is different from most other dash cams on the market.
It hooks on to your existing rear view mirror and acts a both a mirror, a camera and a touch screen display.
This innovative new design is both discrete and incredibly user friendly. In this review we’ll cover all its features in detail, to help you decide if this smart rear view mirror dash cam is for you.
- Massive 12 inch 1296P screen
- Rear Camera included
- Includes free 32 GB SD Card
What’s in the Box
- 1 x Wolfbox Rearview Mirror Camera
- 1 x Rear Dash Cam (Backup Camera)
- 1 x GPS Antenna
- 1 x 32GB TF Card
- 1 x 12v Power Cable
- 1 x Video Signal Cable (For Rearview Dash Cam)
- 1 x User Manual
Pros
- Intelligent Design
- 12″ IPS Full Touch Screen
- Fantastic Usability
- Great Customer Service from WolfBox
Cons
- No Wireless File Transfer or Stream Media Option
- Lane departure warning system (LDWS) Needs Update
- Only 1080p If Using Both Cameras
Installation
Installation is simple with the included 12v power supply. If you’re using the front camera only, you can use the straps to hook the unit onto your rearview mirror. All you need to is plug the dash camera in and you’re set to go. You can adjust settings such as optimizing night vision, LDWS and brightness.
However, if you want to use dual dash cam mode, you’ll need to find a good mounting point for the rear view camera and run the video signal cable from the rear of the car to the front unit. However, using the rear view camera means the Wolfbox FHD 1296p dual lens camera will only work in full HD. However working in dual dash cam mode at 1080p still means high-quality recording.
Hard-Wiring
This car camera supports 24 hour parking mode but to use it, you will need to install the hardwire kit. This kit is available separately. You will need to install it by plugging one end into your camera and the other end into your vehicle’s fuse box. The wiring is as follows:
- Yellow Wire – Constant Power
- Red Wire – Switched Power
- Black – Ground (chassis or exposed metal)
To find these outlets on your fuse board you can use a circuit tester or check the manual for details for your car specifically.
You can seek professional help to install your dash cam or you can find one of the many guides online. Users have reported that the wiring kit does not come with its own instructions.
Reversing-Aid
The reversing-aid system can give you a better driving experience. It will show the wide-angle rear camera feed on the full touch screen (1296p HD) display. It will then overlay the rear image from behind your car with guidelines to help you park. The guidelines and clear quality of the camera will help you navigate any obstacles behind the car.
To do this you will need to have the red wire from the rear camera connected to the positive terminal of the reverse light. This will signal to the main unit that the vehicle is reversing and it will switch to dual dash cam display mode. This dual dash cam mode shows the front and rear feed side-by-side. Without wiring like this, you won’t have any guidelines.
- Massive 12 inch 1296P screen
- Rear Camera included
- Includes free 32 GB SD Card
Form Factor
The design and build quality of the Wolfbox mirror dash cam is very good. The IPS full touch screen display is both a rearview mirror and an interface for the camera.
On the back of the IPS touch screen is the full HD camera. On top of the front unit are the inputs for the rear camera and the GPS antenna. Underneath is the display’s on/off switch.
The rear camera is a sturdy all-metal construction full HD camera. You can view the rear camera feed on the front camera 12″ IPS full HD display. This is useful if your regular rear view mirror suffers with blind spots. If the rear image is still obscured, you can mount it outside the vehicle as it has an IP68 rating. This means it is both waterproof and dust-proof.
Screen
The full touch screen (1296p HD display) is the camera’s display and interface. It’s a slightly curved screen, the body of the unit is flat so it sits over your existing mirror. It uses a 6 layer glass lens to reduce glare and give a better night vision experience.
The mirror dash cam backup camera feed can be shown on the front LCD screen. It will also display the time, date, and menu buttons. The IPS touch screen is completely configurable and will keep recording regardless of what is being displayed.
You can also use the touch screen to improve and change settings (e.g. the built-in G sensor sensitivity, dual-dash cam modes, the loop recording length). You can also adjust the screen’s brightness for light and dark conditions or for a better night vision experience.
Image Quality
The Wolfbox FHD 1296p dual-lens camera uses a Sony IMX335 Sensor. This provides high-quality footage. The clear quality of the front camera and rear view camera are clear enough to see license plates in light and dark conditions.
The Wolfbox 1296p dual lens camera will only capture 1296p footage when using the front camera by itself. If using the front and rear camera, both the front view and rear view will be captured in full HD only. Even in full HD everything is visible as the Sony IMX335 sensor is good enough to capture everything in light or dark settings.
The front camera has a 170° wide angle lens whereas the backup camera 140° only. Both the front and rear cameras use Wide-Dynamic Range (WDR) technology. This WDR technology minimizes light and dark spots on your footage.
Other Features
As well as being a camera and mirror for cars, trucks and other vehicles, this Wolfbox dash camera has a lot of additional features. To name a few, these are:
Supercapacitor
Not using a battery means the cam is able to operate at more extreme temperatures. Batteries generate heat that can build up inside the unit, especially when positioned behind glass.
Loop Recording
When the capacity is full on the free 32GB TF card that’s included with this package, the oldest video files will be overwritten. Although, there is a lot of room on the included 32GB TF card, upgrading to a larger card could mean the capacity is full less often and there’s less chance of lost footage due to loop recording function.
G Sensor
The G sensor is used to detect collisions. It is also used in parking mode to trigger recording in the event of an incident. You can use the touch screen to improve the G sensor sensitivity settings.
Parking Mode
This car camera supports 24-hour parking surveillance. However, this requires the proper installation of the hardwire kit (as described earlier).
Once the built-in G sensor detects a collision, the video will begin recording in full HD.
GPS
The included GPS antenna means you will be able to view your footage alongside a Google Map overlay of your vehicle’s location at the time of filming. This will help you record all details you need in the event of an incident.
- Massive 12 inch 1296P screen
- Rear Camera included
- Includes free 32 GB SD Card
Can the mirror dash cam backup camera be used as a reversing camera?
The dash cam’s backup cam can be used normally as a rearview mirror or an LCD screen to show the rear camera feed in real-time. If your rear view is normally obstructed or you have a blind spot in your vehicle, you can use this camera as an artificial rear view.
However, if you’d like to use your rear camera as an enhanced rear view with guidelines to assist parking, you’ll need to follow the reverse light installation advice earlier on.
Summary
This is a great, well-designed dash cam that has a unique rear-view mirror design. It is definitely worth the money even though it’s in the mid-range price bracket. Combined with the great customer service that Wolfbox offer, this is an exceptionally good deal.