The Dome D201 is a Chinese manufactured dash cam from Shenzhen Dome Technology. The D201 is one of the first dash cams based on the Ambarella A12A55 processor and OV4689 CMOS sensor. The Ambarella A12A55 is one of the newest Ambarella processors and records at a resolution of 1440p.
The video quality during the day is very good and at night it is good. The camera records with an overall bit rate of 19Mbps which supports the good video quality. The D201 has external GPS, G sensor and 2.7″ screen. The camera also comes with Front Collision Warning System and Lane Departure Warning System however like other cameras with these systems, they are more of an annoyance which most users will just turn off.
One of the main drawbacks of this camera is size and form factor. The D201 is a relatively large rectangular camera at 99mm x 50mm x 18.4mm. It also has lots of chrome accents on the front and uses a suction cup mount. Definitely not the most discreet camera.
One other drawback of this camera is that the filenames do not include the date and time which is common on most cameras. One nice feature of the camera is that it supports up to 512GB MicroSD cards. One of the few cameras to support these large cards. We would like to thank our forum member Sunny for providing a detailed review of the Dome D201 on our forum.
Size Comparison
Size comparison from Sunny. SJ7000 top left, Dome D201 top middle , Firefly 6S top right, Gitup Git1 bottom left, Dome G90 bottom middle, Firefly 5S bottom right.
Known problems
Poor Suction Mount
There have been numerous complaints that the suction cup mount is not strong enough to support the Dome D201. Ensure you are attaching the camera to a clean portion of the windshield below any dotted / tinted area.
Mounting the Camera
From our member Olgu.
Sample Videos
Day Video
Night Video
Should I Purchase?
The Dome D201 has excellent video quality given its Ambarella A12A55 processor. Build quality is quite good and the camera includes GPS. The price is reasonable given the video quality and initial reliability has been positive. Unfortunately the camera is quite large and the rectangular form factor is not discreet. Also the suction cup mount is not the greatest. If size and discreetness are not concerns, the D201 is an all around good camera especially the video quality. See what other owners have to say about the Dome D201 on our forum.
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.
Firmware Update Instructions
- Ensure the battery is fully charged or the camera is connected to the power supply before attempting to update firmware
- Copy the file with extension .bin onto the root directory of the MicroSD card
- Turn on the DVR
- Follow the instructions on the screen to update
- When the firmware update is complete, DELETE the firmware file from the card
Note that some firmware files come with a “bst_bld_sys_dsp_rom.elf” file. To update the firmware with this file instead of the .bin file, you will need to use the DirectUSB software.
Latest Firmware
Previous Firmware
- 20160402a_DAB201_A12a55_gps_zhongxing_v2382.rar
- 20160302a_DAB201_A12a55_gps_sergey_v2287.rar
- 20160126a_DAB201_A12A55_gps_edog_magiceye_v2228.rar
- 20151210a_A12a55_G_DAB201_ZhongXing_v2135.zip
Custom Firmware
Some users have created custom firmware with higher bit rates.
PC Software
The Dome D261 comes with the following PC Software: BlackView_Player_installer_v1.109.rar
Alternatively, many owners have indicated the Daum Potplayer works well with the video files from this camera.
Specifications
Detailed Specifications
| Read Review |
 |
| Camera Type | Single Channel |
| Form Factor | Hanging - Rectangular |
| Country | China |
| Processor | Ambarella A12A55 |
| CMOS Front | Omnivision OV4689 |
| CMOS Rear | N/A |
| Channels | 1 |
| Screen | 2.7" |
| GPS | Yes |
| G-Sensor | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Parking Mode | No |
| Lock Files | Auto or Button |
| Max Resolution Front | 2560×1440p (Quad HD) |
| Front Frames Per Second | 30 |
| Max Bitrate Front (Mbps) | 19 |
| Max Resolution Rear | N/A |
| Rear Frames Per Second | N/A |
| Max Bitrate Rear (Mbps) | N/A |
| Video Format | MP4 |
| Compression | H.264 |
| Diagonal Viewing Angle Front | 170° |
| Diagonal Viewing Angle Rear | N/A |
| SD Card Type | MicroSD |
| Max Size (Spec) | 512GB |
| Max Size (User) | 512GB |
| Size Front (mm) | 99 x 50 x 18.4 |
| Size Rear (mm) | N/A |
| Mount | Suction |
| Power Supply | 5V |
| Operating Temp | Unknown |
| Battery | 190mAh |
| Error Notification | None |
| Swivel (To Record Side Windows) | Yes |
| Apps | PC |
| Cloud Connectivity | No |
| Release Date | Oct 2015 |
| Unique Features |
Lane Departure Warning System Front Collision Warning System |
| Advantages |
Good video quality Upto 512GB MicroSD |
| Disadvantages |
Poor suction mount Not discreet |
| Final Word | Excellent video quality for the price but camera is not discreet. |
Published: April 13, 2016
Dome D201 - DashCamTalk
The Dome D201 has excellent video quality for the price but camera is not discreet.
Product SKU: Dome D201
Product Brand: Dome
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 110
Price Valid Until: 2023-01-01
Product In-Stock: SoldOut
5.8
Dome D201 - DashCamTalk
The Dome D201 has excellent video quality for the price but camera is not discreet.
Product SKU: Dome D201
Product Brand: Dome
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 110
Price Valid Until: 2023-01-01
Product In-Stock: SoldOut
5.8