DR970X Plus gets HDR, firmware 2.002

[Vortex Radar]

So the DR970X Plus II has recently been released, and it turns out that the DR970X Plus and DR970X Plus II share the same firmware files.

[Firmware Updates] Series II Updates for DR970X Plus, DR970X LTE Plus, DR770X Models

Dear BlackVue Users,The DR970X Plus, DR970X LTE Plus and DR770X just received updates.These introduce faster booting, 1TB microSD card support*, HDR for the DR970X Plus and DR970X LTE Plus models, and external GPS support for DR970X Plus and DR770X models. Note about Series II: the recently...

media.blackvue.com

In this update, we've got faster booting, 1 TB card support, HDR, and external GPS support with the CM100GLTE. It really surprised me to see HDR now available for the original DR970X Plus, not just for the newer DR970X Plus II. This also means that now I have no idea what the difference is between the original Plus and the Plus II, other than the new USB power cable, lol.

I went out to go update two DR970X Plus' and sure enough, we now have HDR! There's also an HDR stamp at the bottom of the video. Here's a screenshot from this morning, before updating:

and here's another from just now with HDR:

Additionally we now get GPS being utilized if we have a CM100GLTE plugged in. Previously its GPS was only for non-GPS dashcams like the Box models, but I've been wanting to use it, especially on my rear cam, since the Blackvues struggle to get GPS connectivity in my car for whatever reason. That doesn't happen with any other dashcams sitting right next to it, just the Blackvues. So for that reason, I just plugged my rear CM100GLTE back in and hope it finally helps to resolve my outstanding GPS issues on the rear cam.

 

[Super6ix]

Well lookie here. Just in time . Makes me feel like I got a steal now on a DR970X Plus 1Ch, a 2CH Box IR and a CM100G LTE . Lovely.

 

[Super6ix]

So the DR970X Plus II has recently been released, and it turns out that the DR970X Plus and DR970X Plus II share the same firmware files.

View attachment 82610

[Firmware Updates] Series II Updates for DR970X Plus, DR970X LTE Plus, DR770X Models

Dear BlackVue Users,The DR970X Plus, DR970X LTE Plus and DR770X just received updates.These introduce faster booting, 1TB microSD card support*, HDR for the DR970X Plus and DR970X LTE Plus models, and external GPS support for DR970X Plus and DR770X models. Note about Series II: the recently...

media.blackvue.com

In this update, we've got faster booting, 1 TB card support, HDR, and external GPS support with the CM100GLTE. It really surprised me to see HDR now available for the original DR970X Plus, not just for the newer DR970X Plus II. This also means that now I have no idea what the difference is between the original Plus and the Plus II, other than the new USB power cable, lol.

View attachment 82611

I went out to go update two DR970X Plus' and sure enough, we now have HDR! There's also an HDR stamp at the bottom of the video. Here's a screenshot from this morning, before updating:

View attachment 82612

and here's another from just now with HDR:

View attachment 82613

Additionally we now get GPS being utilized if we have a CM100GLTE plugged in. Previously its GPS was only for non-GPS dashcams like the Box models, but I've been wanting to use it, especially on my rear cam, since the Blackvues struggle to get GPS connectivity in my car for whatever reason. That doesn't happen with any other dashcams sitting right next to it, just the Blackvues. So for that reason, I just plugged my rear CM100GLTE back in and hope it finally helps to resolve my outstanding GPS issues on the rear cam.

What 1 TB MicroSD card is recommended now being that I just ordered 2 512gb high endurance cards 20 minutes ago 🥺

 

[Super6ix]

Would be funny if @viofo release an update with Hotspot and cloud support 😁 I would treat UPS like any other solicitor 😂😂

 

[Nigel]

and here's another from just now with HDR:

Looks to me like the HDR image has less dynamic range than the no HDR image 🤔

Does it read number plates at night?

 

[TonyM]

I went out to go update two DR970X Plus' and sure enough, we now have HDR! There's also an HDR stamp at the bottom of the video. Here's a screenshot from this morning, before updating:

View attachment 82612

and here's another from just now with HDR:

View attachment 82613

Looks to me like the HDR image has less dynamic range than the no HDR image 🤔

Does it read number plates at night?

It looks like the 'before' screenshot is without headlights, whereas the 'after' screenshot is with headlights, so it's not a direct comparison with the same lighting.

 

[Nigel]

It looks like the 'before' screenshot is without headlights,

The headlamps are on in both! No HDR has good dynamic range so it is harder to see them.

 

[Vortex Radar]

It looks like the 'before' screenshot is without headlights, whereas the 'after' screenshot is with headlights, so it's not a direct comparison with the same lighting.

Headlights are on in both examples. You’ll see it if you look more closely. I think it was just a different amount of light filtering into the garage.

Blackvue said they changed the ISP and reduced the noise so I plan on grabbing a non-updated version to A/B test the differences while driving.

 

[Vortex Radar]

So I installed a DR970X LTE Plus on the WS today still running older firmware to compare it to the DR970X Plus running newer firmware, but unfortunately I've encountered a lot of issues.

First up, there's some strange artifacting that I see on the drives. Take a look at the power lines up above and all the extra lines there for some reason.

I'm also seeing a fair amount of corruption on the bottom of the frame. I can play them in VLC, but FinalCut just shows a black frame.

At night there's some insanely heavy grain on the front cam. The second channel rear cam (on my side window) looks normal. Expand the image to full size to see what I mean.

Clearly something is wrong here, so I grabbed the card out of the DR970X Plus on my rear window that I'd also updated to the new firmware, and unfortunately I'm seeing all the same issues with corrupted footage and heavy grain at night.

Its rear cam (on my other side window) also looks fine, it's just something going on with the main cams.

I'm SO glad I've got a Viofo running in that car too as a backup dashcam because my Blackvues have become basically unusable now.

Is anyone else seeing this on theirs?

 

[RS5]

@Vortex Radar Yes, I can confirm everything that you’ve written here. I was so happy to see them bringing out the HDR feature after more than a year and now this. It seems that nobody is testing the firmware before they release it. I mean we don’t even have a CPL filter for it.

 

[Super6ix]

Could this be a ploy to entice people to upgrade to the Plus II dashcams? Intentionally downgrading dashcam by providing an "upgrade" ? You know , the things Apple, Samsung and others does, alike ?

 

[TonyM]

I'm SO glad I've got a Viofo running in that car too as a backup dashcam because my Blackvues have become basically unusable now.

Can you go back to the non-HDR firmware?

 

[Dan-UK1415]

Can you go back to the non-HDR firmware?

It is possible to downgrade, but you need to keep the old firmware versions, as BlackVue annoyingly remove them and replace on their servers to only have the latest one.

 

[ahxcjb]

BV have clearly acknowledged the issue. See latest versioning comments in their App they just pushed.

 

[Vortex Radar]

BV have clearly acknowledged the issue. See latest versioning comments in their App they just pushed.

How so? I'm not seeing anything about them acknowleding the issue, other than disabling a bitrate setting, but this is all stuff within the app, not the dashcam, no?

 

[ahxcjb]

‘Will be restored after issue resolution’. They know there’s a clear issue with HDR.

 

[ahxcjb]

…and, NO. This is *all* about the dashcam video settings.

 

[Dan-UK1415]

 

[Xuqi99]

Quality is nowhere near acceptable for any, let alone an expensive dashcam...

 

[Nigel]

Quality is nowhere near acceptable for any, let alone an expensive dashcam...

It can read the big KFC sign! 😀