Uniden Dash View 30R dash cam review

Dash cam footage used to be reserved for shows like Cops, where you’d watch some poor soul get breath tested through the low def gaze. Not anymore though. Dash cams are increasing in popularity, and anyone who has ever had to prove fault in an insurance situation will understand why.

Like any other security camera, dash cams help to identify and prove exactly what happened in any incident. They can give clarity, but only if they can film with it too. Quality of the footage is one of the most important elements when it comes to choosing a dash cam, and the Uniden Dash View 30R delivers on that - but there are other areas with room for improvement.

You’ll get both cameras in the box, along with sticker mounts for both, a cigarette lighter car charger, and some lengthy wiring for each cam.

Unlike most dash cams on the market, the Uniden View 30R comes with a 32GB microSD card. Just note that you’ll need to format it during setup.

There is also a hardwire kit included in the box, which is a nice touch, as it would usually set you back $49.95.

I have to admit that setting up the Uniden View 30R was easier than I anticipated. For the most part you’ll just need to pick a spot to put your camera, plug it in, download an app, and you’re ready to go.

The dash cam uses WiFi to connect to your phone, so provided that you connect to that network you’ll be able to sync your cam to the app in about two minutes. From there you can scroll through live video, or view SD card footage directly on your smartphone. No need to mess around with SD cards dongles.

Figuring out the wiring situation was by far the most difficult part of this whole process. Unless you’re hardwiring the system, you’ll need to plug your front camera into the cigarette lighter. For most cars, this is in the middle console so it makes sense to pop the camera on the windscreen above it. However, you’ll need to run a cable between the front and rear cameras, so putting the front camera in the middle of the windscreen means that you’ll need to run a cable down the middle of your car. Or you can put your front cam in the corner, which makes running the cord to the rear cam easier - but then you need to run a longer cable to the middle console. Needless to say, I used a lot of zip-ties figuring this out

Ending up with wires strewn across the car isn’t an ideal outcome. I anticipated the dual cameras to connect via bluetooth, and if they did it would make the physical setup cleaner. Regardless, the technical aspect of setting up the Uniden View 30R won’t take much longer than 10 minutes.

In the event that you actually need to review your dashcam footage, the most important feature is going to be the level of detail you can see. If someone rear-ended you and then drove away, but your cam can’t pick up the license plate then what is the use?

Footage quality on the Uniden Dash View 30R is excellent whether you’re filming during the day or at night. Both the front and rear cameras show crisp definition, and you should be able to pause on a frame and pick up a license plate or street name if the occasion calls for it.

While street and headlights do get somewhat blown out at night, there is still an impressive amount of detail within the shots. It does get harder to define smaller details as you travel faster due to the frame rate, but it is more of an issue at night than during the day.

Apart from the camera itself, the device will also provide safety warnings about red light and speed cameras. It does get a little overly enthusiastic about these too, and isn’t always accurate. There is one street in particular that I drive through regularly - it takes about three minutes - and the camera will repeat “red light safety camera ahead” for the entire time. Even when I've passed said camera. It has also sounded off when there were no cameras around.

I didn’t run through any red light cameras or get a speed fine though, so i’ve got to give it some credit. Even if the camera does get excited to help out.

How does the Uniden Dash View 30R stack up against the competition? Below, we compare it to two other dash cams in the same price range in a specs-based showdown.

The Uniden Dash View 30R is a quality dash cam with impressive footage quality. Personally, I would save $100 and not bother with the rear camera but the additional piece of hardware does make the high price point easier to swallow.

While the dashcam could benefit from a higher frame rate, and more accurate red light/speed camera warnings, it is otherwise a great set-and-forget system. But please, i’m begging you for less wires Uniden.

Our review process involved setting up and using the Uniden Dash View 30R over a matter of weeks. During our time with the device, we recorded hours of test footage and tinkered with the settings menus available on the unit itself (plus the connected app).

We also reviewed the footage recorded to determine whether it met expectations and conducted research into how the Uniden Dash View 30R compares against its closest competitors in the market when it comes to specs and value for money.