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 be paid attention to so that later it would not be a shame for wasted funds.
Do I need a car DVR?
The number of vehicles on the roads is increasing day by day. Almost every family has a car. And two cars per family is no longer a luxury. The situation on the roads becomes more dangerous, the chance of being in a traffic accident increases. To figure out who is to blame for an accident, to explain one's innocence to another participant and a traffic police officer will help such a simple device as a car registrar. It will show what color the traffic light was before the accident, tell you the number of the car that hooked yourcar, will help in a dispute with traffic police officers who decide to attribute to you an action that you did not commit. The presence of a DVR in the car gives the car owner undeniable advantages and the opportunity to resolve the dispute, preventing false claims from being made. And therefore, you can often hear a request: tell me, which is better to buy a DVR?
How this device works
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?
Camera settings
The resolution of the matrix of the registrar can range from 0.3 to 12 MP, and the resolution of the filmed - from 640x480 to 1920x1080 pixels. Higher resolution gives a detailed picture, which allows you to see the smallest details, such as the license plate in front. Which DVR is inexpensive
better buy? Several parameters need to be taken into account. For example, the number of frames per second. The higher this indicator, the smoother the video will go when viewing, and there will be no jerkiness of the picture when shooting what is happening at high speed. For modern devices, this figure lies in the range of 15 fps - 60 fps. A good indicator is 25 fps and above. So, for Full HD, this figure is 30 fps, and for HD - 60 fps. Another question - which company is the best DVR to buy? What to look for first?
Viewing angle. FromThis 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 also 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 (pillars, buildings) will appear curved. So which is the best DVR to buy?
Night shooting. It is provided by a number of technologies: LEDs, IR illumination, etc. LED lamps will be discussed a little lower, while we dwell on IR illumination. If shooting during the day does not cause any difficulties for 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 turn out to be darkened with a lot of noise and blurry details. In such cases, IR illumination will come to the rescue. It illuminates objects in the dark in the infrared spectrum, which is absolutely harmless to humans, and the recorder matrix captures the picture. That is, in pitch darkness, you can see 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. To better familiarize yourself with a future purchase, you should see how it shootsdevice 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 is better to buy a DVR.
Also, the device may have a small LCD screen, which shows the picture while recording is in progress, and on it you can also view the information recorded earlier. However, the screen may not be displayed, in which case all footage can be viewed using a computer.
The device is mounted, usually under the windshield. As a means of fastening, there are special suction cups on the body of the recorder, powerful enough to hold the device while moving. True, it happens that the suction cups are not of the right quality, and for better retention you have to resort to glue. In some models, fastening can be done mechanically using a special clamp.
Also, a GPS receiver can be located in the case in order to track the coordinates of the car. But such an addition is not necessary at all.
About the quality of the "picture"
The quality of the recorded video is one of the most difficult moments, finding a unique solution is not easy. Which is better to buy a DVR to get a clean image? Registrar resolution is one of the most important parameters in this topic. The size of the captured image can be Full HD or HD. The video size at HD resolution is 1280x720, and at Full HD it is 1920x1080. Devices with the first type of resolution are budget devices, and those with the second type are moreexpensive. But what then is the difficulty of the question? Even Full HD DVRs may have different optics, decompression and compression algorithms, and therefore these devices will also shoot differently.
Recorder 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 YouTube videos shot by one or another model. Of course, you can get some familiarity with the device from these videos. But it is worth remembering that most of the videos are promotional. They overestimate the quality, examples of daytime shooting in sunny weather are given, without any interference. And if you already set yourself the goal of getting to know car registrars, then it is better to pay attention to the records made by car enthusiasts, 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 (oncoming headlights, sunny weather in winter), the recorder does not have time to rebuild and as a result the video is overexposed or, conversely, too dark. This fact is worth paying attention to. And in this regard, you need to think carefully about which company the DVR is better to buy, We also need to say a few words about night shooting. So, often during a demonstration, the seller shows a picture taken during daylight hours, and the buyer is satisfied with everything, but withat nightfall, when there is no sunlight, the video turns out to be darkened, and it becomes very difficult to make out anything in it. What are the best DVRs that don't limit quality due to lighting?
If there is no time to watch videos, then you should at least take into account the fact that you should not buy models with non-standard resolutions. In addition, you should choose a device with Full HD, it is better to overpay for the quality than to suffer later with low-quality video. Before buying, you should also check that there are no delays, no interference, no braking in the picture.
About the recording cycle and the length of the fragment
Since the memory is limited in the recorder, and the recording must not stop, the solution is to overwrite the old information. 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 starts to overlay the old one from the very beginning.
Recording is not continuous. It is divided into files of a certain duration. Most of the models break the recording into fragments of 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 minutes. There are devices that write everything to one big 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 specified in the device code. It would be useful to study the reviews on the purchased DVR: which one is better?
What is the length of the fragmentchoose? Depends on the circumstances. Mode 1 and 2 minutes can be immediately folded back. Digging through a bunch of one-minute files is below average fun. If trips take place within city limits, then the 3 or 5 minute mode is quite suitable. If the trip promises to be long, for example, an excursion to interesting places, you can select the 15-minute mode. Then there will be something to see and remember.
Things 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 be viewed later using specialized software (Google Earth). Warns about approaching speed cameras. Notifies about the speed of movement. More about the latter. Some DVRs do not have a function to disable the speed sensor, and the video constantly overlays numbers. When moving in the general city traffic at a speed of 70 km / h, it will not be possible to reduce the speed, and the sensor will warn of the excess and, worst of all, this excess will be recorded on the record. Therefore, when buying, you should pay attention to the possibility of disabling the speed sensor.
Next about which one is better to buy Chinese
video recorder? Here you should also carefully study all the functions.
G-sensor
The purpose of this function is to detect emergency situations and shoot in special situations.fragments (10 seconds before the crash and 20 seconds after). The signal for the operation of this sensor is a sharp push, 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 DVR will be triggered by every speed bump.
Reviews: which one is better?
Reviews on the net are quite contradictory. A lot of complaints about poor-quality shooting at night. Consumers note that Chinese products are often in no way inferior to European originals.
LED backlight
Usually designed as a set of LEDs near the camera. Their task is to help the camera shoot at night. But in practice, this illumination is of little use. Not the best marketing move.
Radar Detector
In the new models of DVRs there is such an addition as an "anti-radar", a radar detector. Which DVR is better - with or without 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.
Recorder mount
Made in the form of a bracket with a suction cup. If necessary, the suction cup can be detached and glued in another machine. There is no need to glue it tightly. 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 hits the first oncoming hole. The arm should be easily rotated to change the viewing angle. For example, when stoppingtraffic police inspector, the camera will need to be turned towards the door in order to film the conversation on video. This is worth remembering when buying.
Which DVR is better to buy. Reviews
DOD GSE550. This recorder consists of one camera and a screen, as an addition there is a g-sensor and a GPS navigator. The recording is in HD format and the resolution is 1920x1080. The built-in speaker allows you to play sound. A convenient function of auto-start recording at the moment you start moving. The recorder is attached with suction cups to the windshield next to the rear-view mirror.
ParkCity DVR HD 530. Video recording is in Full HD. Camera 3 MP. 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 a built-in battery or from the car network. An SD / SDHC memory card up to 32 GB acts as an information storage.
DOD F900LHD. Matrix 5 megapixels. Full HD recording format. Frame rate - 30 fps. As an addition - a motion sensor, which is triggered by movement in the camera's field of view. This allows you to use the recorder as a security device. 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.
KARKAM Q2. What brand of DVR should I buy? This compact, miniature recorder has good reviewsfor auto. Full HD recording format. Information is recorded on the built-in flash card. It is powered by the car's on-board network or by a replaceable battery. Special Features: High quality video, 2 LCD monitor, battery life.
DOD F880LHD. It is equipped with a high-quality camera and records at 30 fps at 1920x1080 and 60 fps at 848x480. Two-inch screen, convenient, well-arranged menu. Viewing angle 120 degrees. There is HDMI output for PC and TV. Built-in memory allows you to record up to 32 MB of video. A capacious battery provides two hours of battery life.
ParkCity DVR HD 520. Excellent car recorder that records in Full HD at 30 fps. Matrix 5 megapixels, 2.5-inch screen. High-detail video is captured with a wide-format 4-element lens and built-in zoom.
KARKAM QX2. In addition to the Full HD format, 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 rotary camera allows you to shoot in any direction without moving the recorder itself. A handy bracket makes it easy to mount the QX2 on your windshield.
