johna's automotive blog

BMD - Blue Mountains Dashcams #2 compilation out now

2020-04-25T12:00:00+10:00

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb0QquNK2Gk&t=8s

Cheap Chinese eBay Dash Cam (DVR) Review #2

2019-09-11T12:00:00+10:00

After my last cheap dashcam failed I decided to buy another cheap one off eBay.

This one is a good size - even smaller than the last one - and fits nicely behind my rearview mirror. It also has the USB port at the top for good cable positioning, and a built-in battery so you don't lose the last recording when you switch the car off.

It came set up for the Chinese language so the menu was impossible for me to understand, but I eventually found the setting for language and changed it to English.

The resolution options in the menu are QVGA (320x240), VGA (640x480), 720P (1280x720) and 1080P (1920x1080).

I changed it to 1080P (of course) and set it up in my car to test. I also set it to record as soon as the car is started (the default setting), and turn off when the car is turned off (surprisingly not the default).

There is no button to press to save recordings but the 16GB memory card I use holds footage for just over one day so that isn't an issue for me.

The first problem I encountered was when I tried to get the footage off. I tried connecting the memory card to a Windows 10 PC but it was not recognised. I then tried to connect the dashcam to the same PC using a USB cable but it only worked as a webcam. The instructions pointed to a setting to change the USB mode from webcam to USB disk but this setting does not exist.

Fortunately, the memory card did work in a Windows 7 PC so I have been able to get the footage off. If connected using a USB cable, the dashcam functions as both a webcam and a USB disk, so it looks like there has been a software upgrade so the USB mode setting is no longer required.

The default setting is to create files every 3 minutes. The webcam creates AVI files. With the file length set to 5-minutes (other options are 1 minute and 10 minutes) the file size is about 600-700KB. There is a small gap when a new file is created of approximately 1 second.

Despite being set to 1080P the actual videos are 1280x960. I also tried the other settings and they record in the chosen resolution (QVGA - 320x240, VGA - 640x480, 720P - 1280x720). The seller I bought from did advertise as 720P so I was not really expecting 1080P, despite the product being labelled as 1080P.

The picture quality is not very good, worse than the last camera which was 1280x720. If you want to read a number plate the car has to be stopped and right in front of you.

The instructions say that the field of view is 120 degrees and it certainly does seem to be quite limited. The seller I bought from claimed 90 degrees, which may be more accurate. Some sellers advertise these as 170 degrees! The limited field of view means that anything not directly in front of the car does not get recorded, so makes it not a very useful dash cam.

It has a microphone and the sound level is high and the recording quality is reasonable. It also has a night vision LED.

It also has a G sensor and setting to turn on and record if it is turned off and there is an accident, such as someone running into tour car when parked. I haven't tested this.

Overall I couldn't recommend this as a serious dashcam and the incompatibility with Windows 10 will be a major problem for many people.

The following are some footage taken in the dark and light recorded in "1080P mode" (1280x960) and uploaded to Youtube:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=haFjKgWmFY0

I've also included a picture of a single frame captured from a recording done in "1080P" mode.

Cheap Chinese eBay Dash Cam (DVR) Review

2017-12-22T12:00:00+10:00

I thought it might be fun to get a cheap car dashcam so I could record some of the interesting things I often see on the road and share them with Dash Cam Owners Australia on Youtube (one of the highlights of my month is when they put up a new video).

I studied eBay and thought that a budget of A$15 should get something that could be used for this purpose.

I wanted something small that would fit behind the mirror and not be blocking my vision or make me stand out as one of those people with devices all over my windscreen.

I chose this one because it looked small, and had a top-mount power socket so I could run a wire unobtrusively under the roof lining and down the inside of the A-pillar trim.

The DVR is unbranded so you will have to go by the pictures if you want to try and find the same unit. The manual mentions NT96220 which is a common processor by Novatek used on cheaper models. One website says of this chipset: "720P 30fps, (1080P 25fps interpolation), M-JPEG (NOT H.264, double file size), NO WDR, NO GPS. ...should be avoided due to their low quality. Many poor quality dashboard cameras come with these 2 Novatek chips due to the low cost of the processor."

It came in a box which is unusual for cheap devices from China on eBay. It also came with a manual in both Chinese and English. As you would expect the manual is pretty bad and there's lots of mistakes and poor English writing.

A car cigarette lighter power adaptor with a long cable was included. The DVR has a built-in rechargable battery too.

It has a 3-inch 16:9 LCD screen that is useful for positioning the unit, playback, and operating the menu.

Straight out of the box, the dash cam starts recording a few seconds after being plugged in or starting the car, and switches off and saves the current file when unplugged or the car is switched off.

If you want to keep a recorded file you can press a button and the current file will be protected from being overwritten. The device also has a G-sensor and will do the same if it detects a certain force, like that in an accident.

I'm not sure how you unprotect a file (delete it I guess), and I'm also not sure what happens if a file is protected just a second or so after a new file is generated. I'm guessing it won't protect the previous file that might have had what you wanted to save.

There is a microphone and it records sound by default, but this can be switched off in the menu.

You can also adjust the recording length (1, 3, 5 and 10 minutes) and turn on motion sensing recording if you like. I am not sure if that is the feature that protects a file in the event of an impact, or whether this is that type of feature where the unit will turn itself on and record if it detects aa significant force while turned off.

Date and time stamp recording is also enabled by default and setting the date and time is fairly quick and easy.

The video resolution is set to the maximum by default which turns out to be 1280 x 720 px rather than the "Full HD 1080" advertised on the box and also displayed on the screen.

It is meant to have night vision but I haven't tested this yet.

I am also yet to test the HDMI output (requires a cable with a mini HDMI plug) but from reviews of cheap Chinese dash cams I won't be expecting it to actually work.

When connected to a computer using a USB cable (requires a cable with a USB Mini B plug, not included) the device acts as a storage device and you can copy files from it. It's not quick. It was copying at a rate of a little over 2 mb/second and the file sizes are around 400 - 500 mb.

Each video file contains approximately 5 minutes of footage by default. There does not appear to be a gap between each file, unlike some similar DVRs.

I was not able to open most of the video files in Windows Media Player as it reported the files were corrupt. I was able to open them using Windows Live Movie Maker though.

The video quality is quite poor. It is impossible to make out registration plates unless on a car right in front of you and when not moving.

See below for some sample recordings, including driving in the rain.

It is claimed to have a 170 degree lens on the box but the manual says 120 degrees. From what I can see, I would guess the manual is correct.

In summary I would say that for A$15 it does the job of a basic car cam and is better than some, but if you want something to record evidence and identify registration plates you should look at a more expensive product.

PROS: works, no recording gap, top-mount power socket
CONS: video quality, slow to copy files off

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOqtBPA2CZU

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHcvyEd0Q7k

Update 11-Jan-2018: I left the dashcam attached to the windscreen all day on one of Sydney's recent 40+ degree days and at first it would not turn on when the car was started. But it started straight away after being turned off and on again by the switch.

Update 29-Mar-2018: Finally got around to adding some night time footage. Video quality is not great in very dark conditions. It does improve under street lights but approaching headlights cause a lot of glare. Perhaps my dirty windscreen contributes to the poor quality though.

Update 10-Sep-2019: I can't use the camera anymore. I took the Micro SD card out to copy some video files but when I put it back in it would not recognise the card. I tried formatting and I tried a new card. Nothing worked so I gave up on it. It also stopped working whenever it got hot so it was not possible to leave the camera on the windscreen when parked. I've got a new dashcam now, and it's even cheaper.