DR650GW Gave Out

[Gary Edstrom]

My DR650GW-2CH just gave out after 6.5 years and I am looking for a replacement. One question I have: Do the newer cameras in the BlackVue line have a clock battery that is easier to replace? That was one of my few gripes about my DR650GW. The battery went dead after about 3 years use and I never had it replaced because of it having to be soldered into place. So I have been without it for the past 3.5 years and putting up with the incorrect time on the videos. But now the camera is completely dead.

 

[kamkar]

+6 years are not that bad.
I think most systems have a pretty permanent setup for the RTC battery, meaning unlike button cell batteries in remotes ASO it will probably not drop right in.
At least that is what my grey memory goo between the ears kick out, from having seen things like that play out in here for other users.

So did you not use GPS in your system ? i was of the understanding that if you do, the system will sync to the satellit time once it see them, but maybe the time zone info also go out the window with the little battery dead.

I have never experienced a dead RTC battery myself as i have never run a system for as long as it take one of those to bust.

 

[Gary Edstrom]

+6 years are not that bad.
I think most systems have a pretty permanent setup for the RTC battery, meaning unlike button cell batteries in remotes ASO it will probably not drop right in.
At least that is what my grey memory goo between the ears kick out, from having seen things like that play out in here for other users.

So did you not use GPS in your system ? i was of the understanding that if you do, the system will sync to the satellit time once it see them, but maybe the time zone info also go out the window with the little battery dead.

I have never experienced a dead RTC battery myself as i have never run a system for as long as it take one of those to bust.

If I gave the camera a hard reset by holding in the button, SOMETIMES it would sync to the sattelite time and sometimes it wouldn't. When it failed to sync, I just let it keep running at its starting date back in 1999.

 

[kamkar]

Yeah.
A constantly resetting date/ time are a mess, its like throwing a lawn chair and a bucket of spanners in a gearbox.
On the good side, current cameras are better than your old camera, not monumental better, but things have moved on nice and easy since then.
I am not able to advise on the Blackvue brand as i have never tried one of their cameras, lately i have been testing a lot of cameras from Viofo and they have all performed fine so far.

Currently 1440p resolution sensors are popular, most often in the form of the Sony IMX 335, most current 4K cameras use the IMX 415 sensor, but viofo have just released the A139 pro which use a new starvis 2 sensor called IMX 678.
Even if that new camera are not humming along it is the new black at least in regard to 4K cameras, but there are still some tweaaking to do on it, but it is my understanding the basic features are fine, but things like HDR in it are not quite working as good as we all hoped for.