SPYKIT-1 Mini Portable DVR with Security Covert Sunglass Camera Review

As a kid, you probably remember those comic books with the advertisements in the back for X-ray Specs, silent dog whistles and spy cameras. Well, budding James Bonds have come a long way since finding equipment in the slot right next to Sea Monkeys.

While many of those items weren’t always guaranteed to work, the concepts were certainly very cool. Thankfully, technology has gotten better, because our need to become budding secret agents still remains the same.

Instead of spy technology being a novelty for kids, it’s a very real option for your security needs or the occasional desire to play FBI informant. How covert can you go? The SPYKIT-1 is the perfect pint-sized surveillance package. Want to catch exactly what someone is saying to your face or to others? This is the type of setup that can do just that. Already popular with the police community, this kit is designed to capture video without your subject knowing, via a portable handheld digital video recorder and a set of stylish sunglasses.

Set up is extremely easy. Just strap on the glasses, which include a 3.7mm pinhole lens. Approach your subject, hit record on the DVR and the device then captures covert video in the MPEG-4 format. There are no added cables or other equipment clutter. While your subjects are admiring how good you look in the new specs, you’ll be capturing all of their words and mannerisms on video. Once your mission is complete, you can play back what you’ve just witnessed; the DVR includes its very own 2-inch TFT color LCD screen.

The SPYKIT-1 also has motion detection to trigger the system, which makes for the ultimate secret mission. Put the camera in a smoke alarm, teddy bear, picture frame, bookcase, or any other unassuming object. It’s perfect for watching your baby-sitter, your kids, your spouse, or your business contacts. You can tell your subjects to smile, but they will never know that they’re on this candid camera!

After recording, all of the video and audio is then stored on the included 1GB SD flash memory card. No additional recording equipment is needed. Once you capture video, you can plug the SD card into any reader or use the included RCA cable to hook the DVR unit up to a TV or monitor. All of the video plays back via Windows Media Player. You don’t even need to download or clog your computer with additional software.

Promising up to 5 hours of recording time on a charge, the unit records both MPEG-4 video and JPG images with a 320 x 240 resolution. The system also comes with a remote control, a belt clip and a leather carrying case.

Unlike those impulse buys from your old comic books, this set will keep delivering. It’s built to last, affordable and pretty cool to boot. Use the SPYKIT-1 for all of your security needs, both in the house and on the go.