BlackVue Wi-Fi 2-Channel DR550GW-2CH

[Jest]

I asked the seller "dreamseller" from whom I bought DR500GW, but he did not answer me ...

 

[niko]

I asked the seller "dreamseller" from whom I bought DR500GW, but he did not answer me ...

I think eBay sellers are under "attack" of same question as you from all around the world, thousands other people asking them as well, so you have to understand they situation.
Ask as many other sellers as possible. One of them will replay you for sure.

 

[B20RRL]

Remember that if you're buying a camera direct from Korea to import into the UK you WILL have to pay a customs charge. Please bear that in mind if you think you're getting a good deal.

For one unit I expect it will be around £50 - £60 customs charge based on the value on them at present, so remember to add that extra on to what you pay.
Customs people in the UK are quite clever and they will do their research on a product sometimes to check its true value. This happens when sellers put down a really low value of a package to avoid any charges.

When we as a company import "English Units" we have to pay a customs charge on the bulk price of it entering the UK, however this is then broken down and incorporated into the price of a camera but its not as high as it would be as a one off purchase. The base price for a camera in the UK may be a bit more expensive than abroad but then you don't have to worry about the extra costs and having to change firmware, warranty etc etc.

I'm sure this logic works in most countries around the globe.

 

[Jest]

I have bought mine from eBay direct from S. Korea ... with english firmware and 12 months warranty. The customs charge was 0€ ... but i had luck... In case if i must pay customs charge it would be arround 40€ ... It is cheaper than in UK ... The eBay price for the DR500GW with a 16GB microSD was 299 U$D (cca. 225€) with free shipping ... and i received it withinh one week (shipped: 19:05 07-Feb-2013, delivered: 10:23 15-Feb-2013)... The UK price for the same camera was 279 GBP + cca. 10 - 20 GBP shipping to Slovenia ... That was more than 100€ more ...

I prefer to buy from EU sellers, when the price is OK in when the shipping costs are good ... but in my case it was better to buy from S. Korea.

For the model DR550GW-2CH there is no seller at this moment, to have the camera in stock or available for purchase ... I have send my DR500GW for warranty repair because the focus was not OK. Now i'm waiting for it... and this was the reason i wpuld like to buy the new model ... Now i have another dashcam, but i don't like it ... It is simmilar to the GS1000 >> http://dashcamtalk.com/gs1000/ but with another OEM name (AKG-100) ...

 

[wozzzzza]

Now i have another dashcam, but i don't like it ... It is simmilar to the GS1000 >> http://dashcamtalk.com/gs1000/ but with another OEM name (AKG-100) ...

why don't you like it??

 

[vbx]

Yep, got mine from S. Korea. Had to pay $15 usd custom fee.

I bought a $500 bike from China. Paid $0 in custom fee. This is why China's economy is growing. They know how to work the system for US buyers by declaring a low value on the imports.

Go China!

 

[niko]

Remember that if you're buying a camera direct from Korea to import into the UK you WILL have to pay a customs charge. Please bear that in mind if you think you're getting a good deal.

For one unit I expect it will be around £50 - £60 customs charge based on the value on them at present, so remember to add that extra on to what you pay.
Customs people in the UK are quite clever and they will do their research on a product sometimes to check its true value. This happens when sellers put down a really low value of a package to avoid any charges.

When we as a company import "English Units" we have to pay a customs charge on the bulk price of it entering the UK, however this is then broken down and incorporated into the price of a camera but its not as high as it would be as a one off purchase. The base price for a camera in the UK may be a bit more expensive than abroad but then you don't have to worry about the extra costs and having to change firmware, warranty etc etc.

I'm sure this logic works in most countries around the globe.

Actually in most of your points I agree with you. There are many out there who prefer to buy locally and do not mind to pay extra money in order to get product quickly, to have local support, local warranty etc. , instead of buying from abroad, waiting long time, going through customs hassle and risking in future to get frustrations when / if something goes wrong with product.
If Blackvue DR550GW promising to be much better than previous series, then many dont mind paying more to buy it locally. But if it will be as bad as 400 & 500 series, then it does not matter if customer buys locally or from abroad.
Yes, dr550gw uses two very good CMOS sensors, has discreet appearance ( exactly what I would look in the 2ch dash camera), has WiFi, has nice GUI, etc ....... but even without buying it and without testing, - I can tell that it will not be as good as other competitors by looking at only one very important fact: BIT RATE !
Commoon Blackvue ... 6Mbps front and 2Mbps rear ???!!
Even if all other technical aspects maybe great, but having such a low bit-rate is NO-NO for modern dash camera world.
These days to be successful dash camera, you need to be competitive with other manufacturers where good quality video recording has at least 10Mbps bit-rate. Better if its 12Mbps, but best ones using 15-18Mbps !
Probably the biggest mistake from Pittasoft is sticking with TI CPU, which has certain limitations and can not be competitive in modern dash camera world.

 

[Jest]

why don't you like it??

First of all... it looks ugly ... the mount is "huge" ... The camera is to far from the windshield and i see the reflection from the dashboard in the recording... The video quality is not so clear... The screw to fix the camera on the mount is to big and the buttons on the top are hard to operate ...

 

[niko]

why don't you like it??

First of all... it looks ugly ... the mount is "huge" ... The camera is to far from the windshield and i see the reflection from the dashboard in the recording... The video quality is not so clear... The screw to fix the camera on the mount is to big and the buttons on the top are hard to operate ...

My Panorama2 has same dash camera bracket mount part and I have made few DIY brackets so I can mount it discreetly behind the rearview mirror. I will post pictures / videos within few days, probably will open a new topic on DIY mount, so you can follow new topics within upcoming few days and maybe find good ideas for you dash cam.

 

[Hillbilly]

why don't you like it??

First of all... it looks ugly ... the mount is "huge" ... The camera is to far from the windshield and i see the reflection from the dashboard in the recording... The video quality is not so clear... The screw to fix the camera on the mount is to big and the buttons on the top are hard to operate ...

My Panorama2 has same dash camera bracket mount part and I have made few DIY brackets so I can mount it discreetly behind the rearview mirror. I will post pictures / videos within few days, probably will open a new topic on DIY mount, so you can follow new topics within upcoming few days and maybe find good ideas for you dash cam.

One thing with that camera is that unless you can turn the screen off it will be illegal in Australia because you may not have a screen other than navigation or radio/phone visible to the driver

 

[wozzzzza]

sure cops wont mind, its showing you the road in front, surely cops wont do ya for that

 

[jokiin]

sure cops wont mind, its showing you the road in front, surely cops wont do ya for that

entertainment screens are not permitted in the drivers view, information or driving aids are no problem, you'd want it off anyway as it becomes annoying if nothing else

 

[Hillbilly]

sure cops wont mind, its showing you the road in front, surely cops wont do ya for that

You are hopefully already looking out the windscreen so why do you want a screen showing you what you can see far plainer anyway As both of us have said they are illegal in Australia to have on whilst moving.

 

[Street Guardian USA]

If Blackvue DR550GW promising to be much better than previous series, then many dont mind paying more to buy it locally. But if it will be as bad as 400 & 500 series, then it does not matter if customer buys locally or from abroad.
Yes, dr550gw uses two very good CMOS sensors, has discreet appearance ( exactly what I would look in the 2ch dash camera), has WiFi, has nice GUI, etc ....... but even without buying it and without testing, - I can tell that it will not be as good as other competitors by looking at only one very important fact: BIT RATE !
Commoon Blackvue ... 6Mbps front and 2Mbps rear ???!!
Even if all other technical aspects maybe great, but having such a low bit-rate is NO-NO for modern dash camera world.
These days to be successful dash camera, you need to be competitive with other manufacturers where good quality video recording has at least 10Mbps bit-rate. Better if its 12Mbps, but best ones using 15-18Mbps !
Probably the biggest mistake from Pittasoft is sticking with TI CPU, which has certain limitations and can not be competitive in modern dash camera world.

Bingo, I was all ready to blindly rush order the new 550 until I saw the bitrate sucks. What a shame. I've been shopping and waiting for the perfect dashcam. I'm going to hate myself if I get in a car accident or miss an event by not having a camera recording.

1) Camera must be discreet
2) Bitrate must be high > or = 12Mbps, clear 1080P video ("decent" Audio is fine)
3) Auto Exposure responds smoothly when driving through shadows and turning into and away from direct sun.
3) Night recording must be acceptable.
4) GPS/Time
5) Supports 64GB card minimum (stable, auto loop records set it and forget it reliability)

Only after the above features are met will I entertain extra bells and whistles.
-Dual Camera
-WiFi
-DVR Playback App (PC/Mac)
-If a screen isn't built in, mini hdmi out for use with car stereo video hdmi input. (new Clarion NX603 etc)
-Battery backup (or at last the capacitor to finish writing to card works)

I'm not going through the trouble of ripping apart my car to hide wires and install a camera unless I know I'm going to be satisfied/happy.

 

[Hillbilly]

If Blackvue DR550GW promising to be much better than previous series, then many dont mind paying more to buy it locally. But if it will be as bad as 400 & 500 series, then it does not matter if customer buys locally or from abroad.
Yes, dr550gw uses two very good CMOS sensors, has discreet appearance ( exactly what I would look in the 2ch dash camera), has WiFi, has nice GUI, etc ....... but even without buying it and without testing, - I can tell that it will not be as good as other competitors by looking at only one very important fact: BIT RATE !
Commoon Blackvue ... 6Mbps front and 2Mbps rear ???!!
Even if all other technical aspects maybe great, but having such a low bit-rate is NO-NO for modern dash camera world.
These days to be successful dash camera, you need to be competitive with other manufacturers where good quality video recording has at least 10Mbps bit-rate. Better if its 12Mbps, but best ones using 15-18Mbps !
Probably the biggest mistake from Pittasoft is sticking with TI CPU, which has certain limitations and can not be competitive in modern dash camera world.

Bingo, I was all ready to blindly rush order the new 550 until I saw the bitrate sucks. What a shame. I've been shopping and waiting for the perfect dashcam. I'm going to hate myself if I get in a car accident or miss an event by not having a camera recording.

1) Camera must be discreet
2) Bitrate must be high > or = 12Mbps, clear 1080P video ("decent" Audio is fine)
3) Auto Exposure responds smoothly when driving through shadows and turning into and away from direct sun.
3) Night recording must be acceptable.
4) GPS/Time
5) Supports 64GB card minimum (stable, auto loop records set it and forget it reliability)

Only after the above features are met will I entertain extra bells and whistles.
-Dual Camera
-WiFi
-DVR Playback App (PC/Mac)
-If a screen isn't built in, mini hdmi out for use with car stereo video hdmi input. (new Clarion NX603 etc)
-Battery backup (or at last the capacitor to finish writing to card works)

I'm not going through the trouble of ripping apart my car to hide wires and install a camera unless I know I'm going to be satisfied/happy.

Perhaps you should have read this thread I actually thought it was the same one. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2187

In one short sentence there is nothing which does everything perfectly for a reasonable price.

They are after all cameras to perhaps record an event which may or may not happen.

I never worry about reading mine unless the occasion warrants it. If something is going to hit you, it will be close enough to read the plate if you pause the image.

Seems people want movie quality for a cheap price and whilst some are expensive for what they are they still do the job they were designed for, more or less.

Im quite happy with mine now that the bitrate is higher and I can read plates OK and thats all that is required. I dont want to produce mini epics to show to the world, I prefer to keep my business to myself.

 

[Street Guardian USA]

The recent first new wave of WDR camera's (DOD branded and unbranded) have excellent video and amazing night vision but no GPS.
That's all about to change with an upgraded model. (NOW WITH GPS!) The generic cheap model is 3 weeks away I read.

I'm getting very interested after reading this and waiting for reviews.
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=1913

It's not quite as discrete as the BlackVue but it's close enough when you have an added screen. (and KILLER night vision super clear high bit rates)
I'd hookup the HDMI output to my future Stereo HDMI input. (waiting for the Clarion NX603)

So yeah I might ditch WiFi and second camera for something that meets my quality needs. Yes I want movie quality!
(I like to give visitors/friends tours around San Francisco)

My camera will be half accident/events documentation, and half pulling clips here and there from day trips type of thing.

 

[Hillbilly]

The recent first new wave of WDR camera's (DOD branded and unbranded) have excellent video and amazing night vision but no GPS.
That's all about to change with an upgraded model. (NOW WITH GPS!) The generic cheap model is 3 weeks away I read.

I'm getting very interested after reading this and waiting for reviews.
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=1913

It's not quite as discrete as the BlackVue but it's close enough when you have an added screen. (and KILLER night vision super clear high bit rates)
I'd hookup the HDMI output to my future Stereo HDMI input. (waiting for the Clarion NX603)

So yeah I might ditch WiFi and second camera for something that meets my quality needs. Yes I want movie quality!
(I like to give visitors/friends tours around San Francisco)

My camera will be half accident/events documentation, and half pulling clips here and there from day trips type of thing.

Buy a camcorder and a suction mount and fix that to the screen and you will get far better movies.

I had a 400 when i was in the USA and frankly endless movies of roads are pretty boring even in the city because you are usually travelling too fast to get a decent view of anything.
We have quite a bit in LA on the dashcam and watched it once and said Hmmph thats enough. We didnt use the car in San Fran as couldnt get a park and at 50c a ride the public transport was just so good.

 

[Street Guardian USA]

Buy a camcorder and a suction mount and fix that to the screen and you will get far better movies.

I had a 400 when i was in the USA and frankly endless movies of roads are pretty boring even in the city because you are usually travelling too fast to get a decent view of anything.
We have quite a bit in LA on the dashcam and watched it once and said Hmmph thats enough. We didnt use the car in San Fran as couldnt get a park and at 50c a ride the public transport was just so good.

I want the recording to be stealthy, out of the way, set it and forget it. I want to focus on the tour and not setting up the camera. I'm in and out of the car and don't want anything overly visible such as a large camera screaming steal me. Discrete is my #1 dashcam requiement. I realiaze that limits quality, but the technical limitation is weeks/months away from being fixed.

I know how to edit an interesting video. (it's ALL about the editing) The video would be sped up, picture in picture, or super imposed over fun trip photos. (with the perfect music track of course) The key is very short doses. I would never just post endless hours of winding roads and call it a day. I'm talking about Lombard, Castro street, golden gate bridge crossing, Marine headlands coastal clif hanging roads, etc. (very short clips) I have the Panasonic Lumix ZS30 camera. (which is the most amazing "pocket" ' "super zoom" camera avaiable) Video quality is outstanding. http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/model/DMC-ZS30K
I would video record with that when I'm not driving. If I wanted to go all out I could use a clip on mount and record my passenger as we drive around but doubt that's worth the effort.

If a rare event unfolds in front of my dashcam I'd like the quality to be excellent. (the next Meteor strike!)

Perhaps you should have read this thread viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2187

Some of those look interesting....... I guess I need to keep researching.

 

[niko]

The recent first new wave of WDR camera's (DOD branded and unbranded) have excellent video and amazing night vision but no GPS.
That's all about to change with an upgraded model. (NOW WITH GPS!) The generic cheap model is 3 weeks away I read.

I'm getting very interested after reading this and waiting for reviews.
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=1913

It's not quite as discrete as the BlackVue but it's close enough when you have an added screen. (and KILLER night vision super clear high bit rates)
I'd hookup the HDMI output to my future Stereo HDMI input. (waiting for the Clarion NX603)

So yeah I might ditch WiFi and second camera for something that meets my quality needs. Yes I want movie quality!
(I like to give visitors/friends tours around San Francisco)

My camera will be half accident/events documentation, and half pulling clips here and there from day trips type of thing.

You can not compare ( I mean it's not fair to compare ) two dash cams from totally different price-ranges and one is 2ch, other is 1ch. But I am sure that GT550W video quality is better than BlackVue DR550W ( front camera ) only because of fact it records at 15Mbps and BlackVue is only 7-8Mbps, despite having good Exmor CMOS ( video will be noisy ).
If you are in hurry to have a good combination of 2ch ( 1 + 1 separate dash cams ) with discrete install and good options / quality, then may find interesting front dash cam Panorama2 and rear Mobius.
Read my post here:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2178

But if you can wait a little bit, then follow new post on jokiin new range of 1 and 2ch dash cams coming out soon.

 

[duction]

the bit rate would of been reduced as the 1 card must fit 2 lots of captures on it