Who is the most beautiful of all? My one-month review of the massive Miofive Mirror dash cam

TechRadar Verdict

The Miofive Mirror 1 dash cam is a big gadget that replaces a standard rearview mirror and, be warned, it may be too big for some vehicles. Its front and rear cameras capture excellent video, and being able to change views on the large electronic rearview mirror screen is a godsend. Despite numerous cables, assembly is relatively simple. This type of dash camera makes sense if you drive an older vehicle that would benefit from some modern driver aids, many of which come standard on later models. This also means that owners of newer cars might find that some features and functionality here are surplus to requirements.

Benefits

• +

  Sony Starvis 2 dual sensor technology

• +

  Radar and GPS alerts

• +

  Intelligent AI driving assistance

• +

  Three different mounting options

Disadvantages

• –

  A tangle of wiring to untangle

• –

  Too big for smaller screen vehicles

• –

  Mounting the rear camera can be tricky

• –

  Installation may take some time

Although I’ve tried many of the best dash cams on the market, I’ve spent less time using one of the alternatives: a mirror dash cam, such as the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam. This is a large piece of kit, designed to fit a standard rear view mirror, using one of three different mounting options. It can be attached, glued or screwed, but whichever option you use, the result is the same: it’s a big gadget.

The Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam differs from the design department’s traditional offerings, but it’s actually a refreshing variation on the theme. This gadget offers the same functionality as a traditional dash cam, but everything is presented slightly differently.

As a high-end device, the Miofive Mirror 1 also has excellent connectivity features, including 5GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2, meaning moving those high-resolution files is quick and easy – Miofive says up to 7MB per second, while the data itself can be managed by a no-frills Miofive app.

The Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam also incorporates sophisticated and trendy AI-based driver assistance features and functions, all of which are easily accessible via the touchscreen. These include warnings for sudden acceleration or braking, lane departure and “Stop and Go” traffic movement.

Besides these state-of-the-art features, the Miofive Mirror 1 comes with everything needed to make it work. There is a super capacitor based power supply and the unit can be powered from a 12V outlet or, if you prefer, hardwired to exploit its features more fully. Hardwired features include the 24-hour parking monitor aspect.

While the vast screen real estate offered by the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam, which has overall dimensions of 2.2 x 2.76 x 0.79 inches / 31 x 7 x 2 cm, is impressive, its size should be kept in mind by anyone with a smaller windshield. In a compact or small sports car, the 11.26-inch IPS touchscreen can seem a little too obtrusive. Even in a larger vehicle, like an SUV, the construction of the mirrors is bulky. However, it seems well designed and reasonably durable.

The same can be said for all the different accessories and ancillary components required to install and operate the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam. Miofive offers three different ways to mount the mirror unit, which is essentially glued onto an existing mirror. I chose the rubberized strap method which worked well, didn’t vibrate or move when moving, and was temporary enough to allow the unit to be removed from my test vehicle.

A more permanent option is to use the included screws to secure it in place, while gluing is another long-term method. I suggest using the rubberized strap method at first, just in case the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam isn’t quite right for your needs. The box contains all the other cables and connectors needed to connect to the power supply, including a 12V jack for this port and a color-coded harness for connecting peripherals.

The peripherals include a small rearview camera, which can be stuck in place using an adhesive pad on the camera base and then tilted for optimal capture. The other accessory that requires connection to the wiring harness is the GPS unit. Everything is basically finished in gray or black plastic, while most of the wiring is also black. This can be fed behind the trim using the usual method, just like any other dash cam. There’s just a little more to hide.

Once all the wiring was installed, the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam was actually very simple and straightforward to install. The media card was already in the slot and I followed best practices and formatted the card after initial power up. From there, the mirrored screen area showed a set of small icons, as well as a split view. On the left is a view of the front and on the right is a view of the rear of the car. I left it in this default mode for testing purposes, although views can be changed based on individual preferences.

Image quality looks worse in my photos but, in reality, the quality of the lenses was easy to see with clear, sharp images from every angle, even in decidedly dark conditions. Miofive has done a decent job of including a solid level of control options, via on-screen icons when the cameras are on. This meant it was easy to tap and change anything, like brightness, before heading out.

Diving into the other features and functions – which include Connect Your Phone, Recording Settings, Parking Guard, AI, System Settings, About and Speed ​​Camera Alert – required more thought, but the large colored icons worked well. The AI ​​menu option displays five different functions that can be activated and adjusted in intensity, like Reverse Assist Line, for example, which is set to Medium by default. Everything is fine, although I haven’t felt a desperate urge to use them. In fact, driver assistance, as an option, is better off turned off as far as I’m concerned.

Overall, the images recorded by the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam are largely excellent. It’s crisp and clear, capturing details quite well, and didn’t leave me wanting more. The details shown at the bottom of the clip, including date, time, and speed, are also perfectly acceptable. Used as a pure front and rear dash camera setup, this is a very good product. And, if you need it, there are plenty of great tools to improve functionality.