What is a car DVR, what is it and why is it needed at all. Which parameters are important when choosing a registrar, and which are secondary. Which is better to buy a car dvr? What subtleties should you pay attention to, so that later it would not be a shame for your wasted money.
Do I need a car dvr?
The number of vehicles on the road is increasing day by day. Almost every family already has a car. And two cars per family - this is no longer a luxury. The situation on the roads is becoming more dangerous, there is an increased chance of ending up in a traffic accident. To figure out who is to blame for the accident, clarify your innocence to another participant and traffic police officer will help such a simple device as a car recorder. He will show what color the traffic light was before the accident, tell you the number of the car that hooked your car, help in a dispute with traffic police officers who decided to attribute to you an action that you did not perform. The presence of a DVR in the car gives the car owner undeniable advantages and the ability to resolve the dispute, without giving false claims. And therefore, you can often hear a request: tell me, which is better to buy a DVR?
How does this device work?
The DVR is a small recording device. All the filling is placed in a small case: a video camera, a processor for compression, image processing, a storage device. Which is better to buy a DVR?
Camcorder Settings
The resolution of the matrix at the registrar can be in the range from 0.3 to 12 megapixels, and the resolution of the shot - from 640x480 to 1920x1080 pixels. Higher resolution gives a detailed picture that will allow you to consider the smallest details, for example, the number of the car in front. Which DVR is inexpensive
better to buy? It is necessary to proceed from several parameters. For example, the number of frames per second. The larger this indicator, the smoother the video will go when viewing, and there will be no twitching of the image when taking pictures of what is happening at high speed. For modern devices, this indicator lies within 15 fps - 60 fps. A good indicator is 25 fps and higher. So, for Full HD this figure is 30 fps, and for HD - 60 fps. Another question is which company dvr is better to buy? What to look for first?
Viewing angle. This parameter determines how much horizontal information will fit in the frame. So, with a viewing angle of 90 degrees, the DVR will capture the area within the windshield. If the indicator is over 90 degrees, then what is happening on the side of the car will partially fit into the picture. But it is worth remembering that at a large angle distortions may occur at the edges of the screen. Straight lines (poles, buildings) will appear curved. So which is better to buy a DVR?
Night shooting. It is provided by a number of technologies: LEDs, IR illumination, etc. LED lamps will be described below, while we focus on IR illumination. If shooting during the day does not cause any difficulties with the DVR, then at night, in the absence of the sun, the main source of natural light, the sensitivity of the matrix may not be enough to shoot high-quality video. As a result, the image will be darkened with a lot of noise and blurry details. IR illumination will come to the rescue in such cases. It illuminates objects in the infrared spectrum in the dark, which is absolutely harmless to humans, and the registrar’s matrix captures the picture. That is, in the conditions of pitch darkness it will be possible to consider any detail of the image.
Which DVRs are the best in terms of optics? In addition to the above factors, the quality of the image is influenced by the camera optics, the physical size of the matrix, and its sensitivity. In order to better familiarize yourself with a future purchase, it is worth looking at how the device removes under various weather conditions. This is possible when the seller provides the opportunity to exchange and return within a certain period after the purchase. But it’s better, of course, to immediately decide which one is better to buy a DVR.
Also, the device may have a small LCD screen on which a picture is displayed while recording is in progress, and on it you can view previously recorded information. However, the screen may not be available, then all the captured material can be viewed using a computer.
The device is mounted, as a rule, under the windshield. As a means of fastening, there are special suction cups on the recorder case that are powerful enough to hold the device while moving. True, it happens that the suction cups are not of that quality, and for better retention, you have to resort to glue. In some models, the fastening can be carried out mechanically using a special clamp.
Also, a GPS receiver can be located in the case in order to track the coordinates of the vehicle. But such an addition is not necessary at all.
On the issue of the quality of the “picture”
The quality of the recorded video is one of the most difficult moments; finding an unambiguous solution is not easy. Which is better to buy a DVR to get a clear image? Registrar permission is one of the most important parameters in this thread. The size of the captured image can be Full HD or HD. The size of the video with HD resolution is 1280 Ă— 720, and with Full HD - 1920 Ă— 1080. Devices with the first type of resolution are budget ones, and with the second they are more expensive. However, then what is the complexity of the question? Even DVRs with Full HD resolution can have different optics, decompression and compression algorithms, and therefore these devices will also be removed in different ways.
Registrar Quality
To find out about the quality of a particular device, many are guided by user reviews, expert opinions. This tradition does not bypass car DVRs. Of particular popularity are videos on YouTube, shot by a particular model. Of course, you can get some familiarity with the device from these videos. But it’s worth remembering that most commercials are commercials. The quality is overestimated in them, examples of daytime filming in sunny weather are given, without any interference. And if you already set yourself the goal of getting to know auto-recorders, then it is better to pay attention to the recordings made by motorists, which they provide without any processing.
So, according to some reviews, many cheap models have problems with adjusting the brightness. When bright light hits the windshield (headlights, sunny weather in winter), the recorder does not have time to rebuild and as a result the video turns out to be lit or, on the contrary, too dark. This fact is worth paying attention to. And in this regard, you need to think carefully about which DVR company is better to buy,
You also need to say a few words about night shooting. So, often during a demonstration, the seller shows a picture taken in the daytime, and the buyer is happy with everything, but when night falls, when there is no sunlight, the video is darkened, and it becomes very difficult to parse anything in it. What are the best DVRs that do not create quality restrictions due to lighting?
If you don’t have time to watch videos, you should at least take into account the fact that you should not purchase models with non-standard resolutions. In addition, you should choose a device with Full HD, it’s better to overpay for quality than torment yourself with low-quality video. Before buying, it is also worth checking that the picture does not have any delays, or interference, or braking.
About the recording loop and fragment length
Since the memory in the recorder is limited, and the recording should not stop, the rewriting of old information is the solution. That is, while the memory was free, the video was recorded in the normal mode, but as soon as it was full, the new recording begins to overlap with the old one from the very beginning.
Recording is not a continuous stream. It is divided into files of a certain duration. Most of the models break the recording into fragments for 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 minutes. There are devices that write everything in one large file, but this is not the best idea. In some registrars, you can independently change the duration of the saved video fragments. But there are instances where this parameter is strictly prescribed in the device code. It will be useful to study the reviews on the purchased DVR: which is better?
What is the length of the fragment to choose? Depends on the circumstances. Mode 1 and 2 minutes can immediately be thrown back. Digging into a heap of one-minute files is a pleasure below average. If trips take place within the city limits, then a mode of 3 or 5 minutes is quite suitable. If the trip promises to be long, for example, an excursion to interesting places, you can choose the 15-minute mode. Then there will be something to see and remember.
What else to keep in mind when choosing a DVR
There are a number of additional features that you should pay attention to.
GPS sensor. It can serve well if you know about the pitfalls. The sensor captures all contacts along the route of movement, and they can later be viewed using specialized software (Google Earth). Warns of approach to speed cameras. Notifies of speed. About the latter in more detail. Some DVRs do not have a function to disable the speed sensor, and the numbers are constantly superimposed on the video. When traveling in a general city stream at a speed of 70 km / h, it will not be possible to reduce the speed, and the sensor will warn of an excess and, worst of all, this excess will be recorded on the record. Therefore, when buying, you should pay attention to the ability to disable the speed sensor.
Further on which is better to buy Chinese
DVR? You should also carefully study all the features.
G-sensor
The purpose of this function is to catch emergency situations and shoot in special fragments (10 seconds before the accident and 20 seconds after). The signal for the operation of this sensor is a sharp jolt, as in a collision in the event of an accident. However, it is worth adjusting the sensitivity of the G-sensor by setting it to a minimum, otherwise your video recorder will be triggered by each speed bump.
Reviews: which is better?
Reviews on the network are quite controversial. A lot of complaints about poor-quality night shooting. Consumers note that Chinese products are often inferior to European originals.
LED lights
It is usually framed in the form of many LEDs near the camera. Their task is to help the camera to shoot at night. But in practice, this highlight is of little use. Not the best marketing move.
Radar detector
In the new models of DVRs there is such an addition as a “radar detector”, a radar detector. Which DVR is better - with or without a radar? Many talk about the benefits of such a device. This radio signals that a traffic police inspector with a police radar is on the way.
DVR mount
Made in the form of a bracket with a suction cup. If necessary, the suction cup can be unfastened and glued in another machine. There is no need to stick on the dead. But the brackets with suction cups are also different. The main thing that is expected from the suction cup is a reliable grip, then the registrar will not fall off when it falls into the first oncoming fossa. The bracket should be easily rotated to change the viewing angle. For example, when the inspector stops the traffic police, the camera will need to be turned towards the door in order to film the conversation. This is worth remembering when buying.
Which DVR is better to buy. Reviews
DOD GSE550. This recorder consists of one camera and screen, as an addition there is a g-sensor and a GPS navigator. Recording is in HD format and the resolution is 1920 Ă— 1080. The built-in speaker allows you to play sound. Convenient function of auto start recording at the beginning of movement. The recorder is attached with suction cups to the windshield next to the rearview mirror.
ParkCity DVR HD 530. Video recording is in Full HD. 3MP camera This DVR is characterized by an unusual design, style and manufacturability. The viewing angle is 110 degrees, which allows you to shoot everything that happens on the road. The recorder is powered by the built-in battery or from the car network. An SD / SDHC memory card up to 32 GB is used as the information storage.
DOD F900LHD. 5 megapixel sensor. Record format Full HD. Frame rate - 30 fps. As an addition - a motion sensor that is triggered by movement in the field of view of the camera. This allows you to use the recorder as a security device. The 2.7-inch LCD monitor rotates 360 degrees. There is a 4x zoom and a built-in microphone that allows you to record not only video, but also sound.
CARCAM Q2. What brand of DVR is better to buy? This compact, miniature car recorder has good reviews. Record format Full HD. Information is recorded on the built-in flash card. It is powered by the on-board network of the car or by a replaceable battery. Distinctive features: high-quality video, 2-inch LCD monitor, the possibility of battery life.
DOD F880LHD. It is equipped with a high-quality camera and records at a frequency of 30 fps at 1920x1080 and 60 fps at 848x480. Two-inch screen, convenient, well-arranged menu. Viewing angle of 120 degrees. There is HDMI output to PC and TV. Built-in memory allows you to record up to 32 MB of video. The capacious battery provides two hours of battery life.
ParkCity DVR HD 520. An excellent car recorder that writes in Full HD at a speed of 30 fps. 5 megapixel sensor, 2.5-inch screen. High detail video is obtained thanks to a widescreen 4-lens lens and built-in zoom.
KARKAM QX2. In addition to Full HD, it boasts an automatic on / off function when power is applied. There is a 2.7-inch screen, a replaceable battery that allows you to use the device outside the car. The PTZ camera allows you to shoot in any direction without moving the recorder itself. A convenient bracket makes it easy to mount the QX2 on the windshield.