Tech

Mio MiVue 766 WIFI dash cam: The perfect driving companion

A dash cam is normally something that you forget you have until something bad happens, but the Mio MiVue 766 WIFI changes that, and quickly becomes a handy co-pilot.

Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Senior Contributing Editor Dec. 7, 2018 at 1:37 a.m. PT

I'm big on how the smartphone has become a convergence device that has allowed us to use one gadget for many different things. But one role that the smartphone hasn't yet taken over is that of dash cam. Problem is, most dash cams are like your airbag - you're only thankful for it when something goes bad.

But the Mio MiVue 766 WIFI changes all that.

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The MiVue 766 WIFI dash cam is built around two key components. The first is the Sony IMX323 (Exmor) 2-megapixel sensor that is capable of full HD 1920 x 1080p recording at 30fps, and featuring an f1.8 aperture, which gives it good low-light capability. This is paired with a 140◦ wide-angle lens, giving the dash cam an outstanding field of view.

The other component is the 2.7-inch touchscreen display that's used for both setup and for user feedback when the dash cam is in use.

I found the MiVue 766 WIFI to be easy to set up and good in day-to-day use. Capture quality, both day and night, is very good, with the sensor doing a good job of picking up important stuff such as road signs and vehicle license plates.

Mio MiVue 766 WIFI dash cam

But what I really like about the MiVue 766 WIFI is that it's much more than a dash cam. It's like having a co-pilot in the car with you at all times. Along with basic dash cam features such as GPS tracking, and 3-axis shock and motion G-sensor, it also has some handy advanced features such as lane departure and forward collision warnings, fatigue alert, an eco-driving mode that provides feedback on how smooth and sedate your driving is, and a stop-and-go warning system that helps keep you alert when in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Don't worry thought about information overload, because you can turn all this stuff off (in fact, most of these additional features are off by default, which is a nice touch).

As the name would suggest, the MiVue 766 WIFI has built-in Wi-Fi, which allows it to connect to your smartphone so you can do things like share your journey on Facebook Live with your friends.

Another cool feature is the MiVue Manager software that allows you to easily browse your captured video. Available for both Windows and Mac systems, MiVue Manager also allows you to overlay your route on Google Maps, and even gives you access to driving direction and displays 3-axis G-force data in synchronization with video.

If you're like me, you can spend a good deal of time in this software going through your journeys!

Overall, the Mio MiVue 766 WIFI is a solid dash cam, and comes highly recommended. If you do a lot of night driving, or want the best picture quality you can get, then it might be worth upgrading to the MiVue 792 WIFI Pro, which features the Sony IMX 291 STARVIS sensor, which not only has better low-light capability, but also record full HD 1080p at 60 fps.

Some pointers and setup tips (that apply to both the Mio MiVue 766 WIFI and other dash cams):

Pick a spot for your dash cam on your windshield carefully (bear in mind that there may very well be legal considerations there). I found it best to mount it in a position where the lens was as close to the glass as possible to keep down glare and reflections.

Don't rush through the dash cam's setup and calibration process; this will dramatically influence the image quality you will capture!

Keep the windshield clean around the area of the dash cam (both inside and out), and this will have a major impact on video quality, especially at night.

I found it useful to use a bit of tape along the edge of the dash cam to keep interior lighting off the dash from causing glare and reflections on the dash cam's captures.

After fitting the dash cam, use it for a few days and them review the footage to se how good it is. If you're not happy with it, reposition the dash cam.