Blackvue DR400G-HD II

DashCamMan

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A new version of the Blackvue DR400G-HD has just been released. It is called the Blackvue DR400-HD II. According to this Korean website, there are some improvements to the original DR400-HD.

- Improved video compression (7 hours of video for 16GB vs 4.5 hours on the previous version).
- Improved night video
- Better operating temperature range (-20 to 60 degrees C)

This can be found on eBay for approximately $200.
 
I am considering purchasing the BlackVue DR400G-HD II since I like the size and picture quality. Does anyone know if it is worth it to get the power magic pro?

Thanks
 
wizkid said:
I am considering purchasing the BlackVue DR400G-HD II since I like the size and picture quality. Does anyone know if it is worth it to get the power magic pro?

Thanks

From what I have heard, it is not necessary. If the battery in your car is in good condition, it will take a long time for the Blackvue to consume all the power (i.e. greater than 1 week). In addition, I would suggest avoiding the parking mode, particularly on hot days, since this is believed to be major cause of problems in the original version.

Dash Cam Man
 
I have been doing some more research on this camera and I find the video quality to be worse than the original Blackvue. Anyone know what is going on?
 
Here is one video that has poor video during the day. Very difficult to even read license plates. I expect much better for a $200+ camera.

 
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Wizkid, that video is definitely very poor. Unfortunately as more people are getting the DR400G-HD II, negative reviews are starting to appear. Some things I have heard include out of focus videos like above, poor night recording (much worse than the original version) and overheating. Early signs appear to indicate the problems of the original have not been fixed and video quality is even worse.

Dash Cam Man
 
I just received my BlackVue DR400G-HD II that I ordered from eBay. Everything works fine so far but I had a few questions. My cam takes about 45 seconds to boot up. Is this normal? A lot can happen in 45 seconds! Also the camera gets quite warm when it is running. Are others experiencing this and should I be worried?
 
patterson said:
I just received my BlackVue DR400G-HD II that I ordered from eBay. Everything works fine so far but I had a few questions. My cam takes about 45 seconds to boot up. Is this normal? A lot can happen in 45 seconds! Also the camera gets quite warm when it is running. Are others experiencing this and should I be worried?

Hi patterson,

Unfortunately 45 seconds is the normal amount of time for this camera to boot up. Many cheap Chinese cameras can boot up in 5 seconds so I think it is just the design of this Blackvue. As for the heat issue, this was very common in the original BlackVue and caused a host of problems. Apparently they were supposed to be corrected with the Season 2 version. However, some reports are starting to surface on the new camera heating up as well. In addition the video quality of the new camera appears to be slightly worse than the original, particularly at night. I know many people had high hopes for this camera but early indications are disappointing.

Dash Cam Man
 
While doing more research on the BlackVue DR400G-HD II, I came across these 2 videos. The first one shows the overheating issue. The second one shows another camera not functioning. Perhaps not much has really changed on this new version :eek:


 
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Hi wizkid,

Interesting videos. Preliminary reports on the BlackVue DR400G-HD II are starting to trend negative. I will still give them the benefit of the doubt until some more reports come in.

When comparing the original to this version, very little was changed from a design perspective. The inclusion of an "ecofilter" to minimize heat was supposed to help but that is definitely not a complete redesign. I personally would hold off on buying this camera given some of these early reports but I may be wrong.

Dash Cam Man
 
Will changing the Lens on the Blackvue DR400G-HD II solve the problem? If yes, which lens to get?
 
kbwang said:
Will changing the Lens on the Blackvue DR400G-HD II solve the problem? If yes, which lens to get?

Hi kbwang,

The heat issue in the original Blackvue cameras damaged the sensor, not the lens. If the version II model issues are similar, changing the lens will not solve the problem. As far as I know, the Blackvue lens is very good quality, hence the excellent picture quality.

Dash Cam Man
 
I wonder if there are fake Blackvues for sale? Some videos have poorer video quality. Maybe they are fake.
 
wizkid said:
I wonder if there are fake Blackvues for sale? Some videos have poorer video quality. Maybe they are fake.

Hi wizkid,

I have yet to see a good copy or fake of the Blackvue cameras. I'm afraid that the poorer video quality is coming from the originals. There are some imposters, but they are very easy to spot.

Dash Cam Man
 
One imposter is called the Blackview. Even though the name is similar, the camera looks quite different. I don't think this will fool anyone.

image.made_in_china.com_2f0j00TBFtNKuErdqs_New_Night_Vision_Caf5d2c5f2c57c887a3091900712ebcf72.jpg
 
Another imposter is called the Jado D188 DVR. This is a much better copy of the original DR400G-HD. I haven't seen too many being sold though.

Jado%201.jpg


Jado%202.jpg


Jado%203.jpg


Dash Cam Man
 
More evidence against the Blackvue DR400G-HD II.

Amazing picture quality when new on August 23, 2012.


Horrible picture quality from the same camera on Oct 2, 2012 (less than 1 and a half months later)


I am convinced now that this camera has the same design flaws as the original. I would suggest our readers not to purchase since a $200 camera should last more than a couple of months.

Dash Cam Man
 
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DashCamMan said:
More evidence against the Blackvue DR400G-HD II.

I am convinced now that this camera has the same design flaws as the original. I would suggest our readers not to purchase since a $200 camera should last more than a couple of months.

Dash Cam Man

Thanks for the evidence. Off to find another camera.
 
Apparently the original BlackVue DR400G-HD had a default bit rate is 10,000,000 bits per second. The Blackvue DR400G-HD II now has a default bit rate of 5,000,000 bits per second. This reduces the heat generated by the camera since the processor is working less. However a lower bit rate generally means poorer picture quality. My guess is that Pittasoft reduced the bit rate to minimize the heat issue. It probably helps a little but given early reports of overheating, the changes are likely not enough. It also might explain why night recording appears to be worse than the original camera.

Dash Cam Man
 
I just tried new firmware for my DR400G-HD2. It is DR400G-HD-II_v1.010-155(2012_1110)_RU (Russian speaking). It was big surprise that the software has some new options like Video quality- High compress and normal( right under resolution options in settings) , Magnify lens on video and file with bit rate settings(can change manually ). Also I discover that my camera has lower working temperature then before with original Korean firmware(1028HD). Finally, video quality is better then before. I did low light level test in my garage with two different firmware-original Korean and DR400G-HD-II_v1.010-155(2012_1110)_RU. Last one is about 20% -25% sharper.
 
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