The Garmin Dash Cam 20 is one of the few name brand dashboard cameras currently available. It has a squarish design similar to many of the Taiwanese dash cams available like the HP F210 and Transcend DrivePro 200.
The Garmin Dash Cam 20 records 1080p at 30fps. Video quality is very good during the day and average at night. Bit rate is approximately 11Mbps. Some owners have indicated the video quality is worse than the affordable G1W. This is disappointing for a $200+ camera. Another negative is the form factor of the camera. While the camera is all black, the squarish design and large suction cup mount make it too noticeable. Also many owners complain the suction cup mount is of poor quality. On the plus side it has a 2.3″ LCD screen which makes it easy to configure the camera.
Another negative is that the power cable provided is too short if you want to install around the windshield and it is a proprietary Mini USB cable. Garmin will gladly sell you a 5M extension for $25 which really should have been included with the camera.
The Garmin Dash Cam 20 comes with GPS (the Garmin Dash Cam 10 is nearly identical but without GPS) and G-sensor. Another positive is that this camera can be found at many “bricks and mortar” retailers like Best Buy and Costco for people who are not comfortable buying online.
You can read more about Garmin cameras on our forum here.
Known problems
Freezing
A few owners have indicated that this camera freezes / stops working randomly. There is no known resolution for this problem.
AVI Files and Mac
Many Mac owners have indicated that this camera does not work with there computers. The solution is to install and use VLC Media Player to watch the AVI files. If you want to edit videos with iMovie, you will have to convert the AVI files to MP4 or another compatible format.
Mounting the Camera
Sample Videos
Day
Night
Should I Purchase?
The average video quality, large form factor, short power cable and high price tag make this a difficult camera to recommend. While it is a brand name camera, build quality is good and can be found at large retailers, there are many other cameras that are better for much less money. The Transcend DrivePro 200 is a better buy with a similar form factor (includes WiFi but not GPS). Alternatively, look for a smaller, more discreet camera.
Firmware
WARNING! MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR FIRMWARE ARE PERFORMED AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR DASH CAM AS A RESULT OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
Latest Firmware
The latest firmware can be found on the Garmin site.
Owners Manual
You can download the owners manual here.
Specifications
Data Sheet No specs match that search. Hardware Layout ScoresTechnical Specs
Spec Garmin Dash Cam 20 Brand Garmin Model Dash Cam 20 Channels 1 Channel Setup Front Form Factor Cylindrical Release Date Apr 2014 Country China Warranty 12 months Spec Garmin Dash Cam 20 Processor Unknown Video Format AVI Compression H.264 Screen Size 2.3" Touchscreen No Mount Suction Power Supply 5V Battery Type Battery – Unknown mAh Spec Garmin Dash Cam 20 Parking Mode No Wi-Fi No GPS Yes Apps Windows Cloud Connectivity No Voice Commands No Spec Garmin Dash Cam 20 SD Card Type MicroSD Max Card Size 32GB Operating Temperature -20°C to 55°C Swivel No Error Notification No Camera Units
CMOS Unknown Max Resolution 1920 x 1080p FPS 30 Bitrate 11.0 Mbps Dimensions 82 x 66 x 37 HDR No Ratings
Published: January 10, 2015