First dash cam - V1 - Terrible video

[kantonburg]

We're taking a 15 hour drive in December so I wanted something not too expensive for a dash cam. After reading and searching I decided on the Rexing V1. Prime Day rolled around it was almost half off. I've had it a couple days. After the first day the video quality wasn't close to the videos I watched. Spent some time today reading thorough the forum on where it should be pointing. I "think" I have it pointing the right way. Here is a still image of the video I took this afternoon. I even updated the firmware after work today just to be sure. It is at 1080p/30fps. This is a screenshot of the raw file.

Take a look at this and if there is anything anyone needs please let me know.

 

[SawMaster]

Welcome to DCT @kantonburg
The screenshot doesn't look too good, but there are a couple things which should be done before we judge this. First, for dashcams the windshield needs to be immaculately clean; some of the haziness I see could be caused by that. Second is that the lens should be aimed a bit lower if possible, as having more than about 40% sky in view tends to cause problems for the auto-exposure. I'm also seeing some dashboard reflections here and those can do the same thing. A CPL can help with those.

It's always better to drop raw pics and vids onto a file-sharing site like dropbox, mega.nz, or google drive since those are adversely affected by compression algorithms used on websites and YouTube. That will give us better detail to look at

The latest Rexing model uses the IMX323 sensor which is good for low-light but not so good daytime. I'd rate it as adequate daytime but not much more than that. That sensor is in many of my cams behind lenses going from decent to good, and the better parts of your pic are about as good as it can do. I'm noticing pixellation in places along with what seems to be an edge-focus problems on the right (but that could be affected by motion blur). And overall I think either the lens could be a better grade or could be better focused. But without raw files all my thoughts could be astray. Best to get us some raw vids posted if you can.

Phil

 

[kantonburg]

Thanks SawMaster,

I'll have something for you by the end of the day. Company picnic today so I'll have new footage.

 

[kantonburg]

Welcome to DCT @kantonburg
The screenshot doesn't look too good, but there are a couple things which should be done before we judge this. First, for dashcams the windshield needs to be immaculately clean; some of the haziness I see could be caused by that. Second is that the lens should be aimed a bit lower if possible, as having more than about 40% sky in view tends to cause problems for the auto-exposure. I'm also seeing some dashboard reflections here and those can do the same thing. A CPL can help with those.

It's always better to drop raw pics and vids onto a file-sharing site like dropbox, mega.nz, or google drive since those are adversely affected by compression algorithms used on websites and YouTube. That will give us better detail to look at

The latest Rexing model uses the IMX323 sensor which is good for low-light but not so good daytime. I'd rate it as adequate daytime but not much more than that. That sensor is in many of my cams behind lenses going from decent to good, and the better parts of your pic are about as good as it can do. I'm noticing pixellation in places along with what seems to be an edge-focus problems on the right (but that could be affected by motion blur). And overall I think either the lens could be a better grade or could be better focused. But without raw files all my thoughts could be astray. Best to get us some raw vids posted if you can.

Phil

Ok this was leaving today around 11:00am. Windshield is pretty clean. I wouldn't say immaculate, but that could be my next step. I moved the lens down and clicked the camera once toward the dash. I still don't think it's low enough. It's hard to see on the screen exactly what it's pointing at. I'm using a suction cup mount. No way the wife is letting me put the 3M mount in her car. But I do put the mount in the same place every time.

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It's still in the .mov format. I didn't want to convert it yet.

 

[DT MI]

I noticed the bit rate for the video clip is about 10K. That will make for some blockiness/artifacts in the more detailed areas. If the camera has as option to increase the bit rate take advantage of that (it may be an option for Low/Medium/High or Regular/Fine quality versus an actual number).

Some of the apparent softness can also be attributed to the reflections - a CPL will help that quite a bit.

 

[kantonburg]

I noticed the bit rate for the video clip is about 10K. That will make for some blockiness/artifacts in the more detailed areas. If the camera has as option to increase the bit rate take advantage of that (it may be an option for Low/Medium/High or Regular/Fine quality versus an actual number).

Some of the apparent softness can also be attributed to the reflections - a CPL will help that quite a bit.

Unfortunately the V1 doesn't have a bit rate option.

This guy's video sold me on the dash cam.

His is much more clear than my videos. Then again I'm still trying to dial it in. I thought it would be close to that, but it's far from it. Before I buy a CPL filter. Other than ensuring the window and lens is clean. Is there anything that helps the glare?

 

[jokiin]

don't waste your money on a CPL, the camera is already performing poorly, CPL isn't a magic fix

 

[kantonburg]

don't waste your money on a CPL, the camera is already performing poorly, CPL isn't a magic fix

So is it more so old 2015 technology or more likely a bad unit? The V1 seems to be in everyone's "Top 5 of 2019" list I read before deciding on one.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[jokiin]

Yours looks worse than others, even the good ones aren't great though

They do a lot of paid marketing which is why you see them being recommended

 

[DT MI]

...Before I buy a CPL filter...

As @jokiin already said, that camera is not current leading edge, and given sample to sample variances yours could just be a below average unit. If you want to try a polarizing filter to see if it can get you closer to 'acceptable' browse through the DIY forum to see if you can put together something cheap versus spending money chasing a dead-end solution. A number of forum members did that before the filters became commercially available.

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[SawMaster]

My neighbor's Rexing isn't that clear either but it's better than yours. Perhaps your lens is slightly out of focus or it could be bad. You should contact the seller and see what they will do for you. I'd be going for a refund if possible and getting a better cam but at least you should roll the dice on another unit that is hopefully better. I think there are some firmware mods for this cam to increase the low bitrate but of course they void warranties. If you're up to the task, you might get a little sharper focus from the lens too. You shouldn't have to do any of that though- a new cam should perform well right out of the box.

My neighbor did what you did- she checked out some reviews and bought her Rexing before I could get my recommendations to her. I didn't know she was buying a cam till she showed up wanting help with installing it. She wanted to use it for overnight parking protection powered by her ciggie lighter socket, only to find this cam doesn't have the parking mode she really needed and that all her ciggie lighter sockets turn off with the key. She could have gotten a better cam with a hardwire kit for 1/2 to 2/3 the price she spent, and one of those has the parking mode perfect for her. I gave her a Wyze cam for her porch that does what she needed a whole lot better than a dashcam could do; the Rexing only does driving duty for her.

Rexing isn't the only company actively trying to manipulate reviews- it's a common practice with the cheaper dashcams and even with older designs where the sales have begun to fall off. Had I not found DCT when I was looking for my first dashcam I'd be as disappointed with my choices as you and my neighbor are. Although dashcams all seem similar and somewhat simple on the surface, there's a lot going on inside of them and a huge lot of difference between them which makes choosing the right one tricky until you know about them in depth. I'm not in the same league of expertise as some of the other members are but it's a subject I'm highly interested in which has kind of drawn me in and I want everyone to have the good experiences I have had with them.

Phil

 

[nutsey]

I noticed the bit rate for the video clip is about 10K. That will make for some blockiness/artifacts in the more detailed areas. If the camera has as option to increase the bit rate take advantage of that (it may be an option for Low/Medium/High or Regular/Fine quality versus an actual number).

Some of the apparent softness can also be attributed to the reflections - a CPL will help that quite a bit.

Yes, it's 11 Mbit/s and there are no options to choose from. Does anyone notice any frame drops in the footage posted above?

 

[kantonburg]

My neighbor's Rexing isn't that clear either but it's better than yours. Perhaps your lens is slightly out of focus or it could be bad. You should contact the seller and see what they will do for you. I'd be going for a refund if possible and getting a better cam but at least you should roll the dice on another unit that is hopefully better. I think there are some firmware mods for this cam to increase the low bitrate but of course they void warranties. If you're up to the task, you might get a little sharper focus from the lens too. You shouldn't have to do any of that though- a new cam should perform well right out of the box.

My neighbor did what you did- she checked out some reviews and bought her Rexing before I could get my recommendations to her. I didn't know she was buying a cam till she showed up wanting help with installing it. She wanted to use it for overnight parking protection powered by her ciggie lighter socket, only to find this cam doesn't have the parking mode she really needed and that all her ciggie lighter sockets turn off with the key. She could have gotten a better cam with a hardwire kit for 1/2 to 2/3 the price she spent, and one of those has the parking mode perfect for her. I gave her a Wyze cam for her porch that does what she needed a whole lot better than a dashcam could do; the Rexing only does driving duty for her.

Rexing isn't the only company actively trying to manipulate reviews- it's a common practice with the cheaper dashcams and even with older designs where the sales have begun to fall off. Had I not found DCT when I was looking for my first dashcam I'd be as disappointed with my choices as you and my neighbor are. Although dashcams all seem similar and somewhat simple on the surface, there's a lot going on inside of them and a huge lot of difference between them which makes choosing the right one tricky until you know about them in depth. I'm not in the same league of expertise as some of the other members are but it's a subject I'm highly interested in which has kind of drawn me in and I want everyone to have the good experiences I have had with them.

Phil

Thanks Phil,

I agree. I believe the first option is return this one and get another to see if it's just a bad model. I call Rexing the day after I got it to ask about why I only get 1, 2, or 3 minute recording options when all the specs and the manual say it's 3, 5, or 10 minute. They said it will be updated in a future firmware. I'm not sure why they shortened the clip length. What is the typical length length?

 

[kantonburg]

My neighbor's Rexing isn't that clear either but it's better than yours. Perhaps your lens is slightly out of focus or it could be bad. You should contact the seller and see what they will do for you. I'd be going for a refund if possible and getting a better cam but at least you should roll the dice on another unit that is hopefully better. I think there are some firmware mods for this cam to increase the low bitrate but of course they void warranties. If you're up to the task, you might get a little sharper focus from the lens too. You shouldn't have to do any of that though- a new cam should perform well right out of the box.

My neighbor did what you did- she checked out some reviews and bought her Rexing before I could get my recommendations to her. I didn't know she was buying a cam till she showed up wanting help with installing it. She wanted to use it for overnight parking protection powered by her ciggie lighter socket, only to find this cam doesn't have the parking mode she really needed and that all her ciggie lighter sockets turn off with the key. She could have gotten a better cam with a hardwire kit for 1/2 to 2/3 the price she spent, and one of those has the parking mode perfect for her. I gave her a Wyze cam for her porch that does what she needed a whole lot better than a dashcam could do; the Rexing only does driving duty for her.

Rexing isn't the only company actively trying to manipulate reviews- it's a common practice with the cheaper dashcams and even with older designs where the sales have begun to fall off. Had I not found DCT when I was looking for my first dashcam I'd be as disappointed with my choices as you and my neighbor are. Although dashcams all seem similar and somewhat simple on the surface, there's a lot going on inside of them and a huge lot of difference between them which makes choosing the right one tricky until you know about them in depth. I'm not in the same league of expertise as some of the other members are but it's a subject I'm highly interested in which has kind of drawn me in and I want everyone to have the good experiences I have had with them.

Phil

I've uploaded another video today. It doesn't seem to be as pixelated. What do you guys think of this footage. I used my DSLRs carbon pen to clean the lens, but have not cleaned the windshield since doing it the other day.

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[kamkar]

Your new drive are in a place with less detail for the camera to resolve and so you will see less blocking going on.
Still this blocking in high detail areas, most dashcams do that as all still use a fairly low bitrate.
I would really like closer to 30 mbit instead of the closer to 20 mbit we see now.

 

[nutsey]

20 mbit we see now.

It's 11 now.

 

[kamkar]

Yes, that are on the low end of the current scale for sure.

 

[kantonburg]

Your new drive are in a place with less detail for the camera to resolve and so you will see less blocking going on.
Still this blocking in high detail areas, most dashcams do that as all still use a fairly low bitrate.
I would really like closer to 30 mbit instead of the closer to 20 mbit we see now.

If there is no option to change bit rate on this current model. What can you do to up the stream to 20 or 30? Or is that even possible with this cam?

Thanks for all the advice

 

[kamkar]

Yeah you can only go op in image quality / bitrate of the camera have a setting for that, and some still have a low / mid / high setting to choose from, where i personally just think it should always be high.
I have never used anything less than the best IQ option

So if a camera dont have that the only way to get to there are to hack the firmware,,,,, and some do that, just way past my geek level.
That of course mean that you know what hardware it is build on, there are people working on both Ambrealla and novatek hardware, in bot dash and action cameras, there are also some tools but they too necessitate some know how that i personally dont have.

Upping the bitrate of course also mean more heat generated and larger file size, this i think are the main reason to the modest levels used today, but modders have also proven some cameras can operate at much higher levels,,, though that will probably take away from the overall lifetime of the product.
The Viofo A xxx cameras have a pretty vibrant modding scene, not only upping bitrate but also trying to extract every bit of performance from the different models.

But i am not aware of anyone modding on the Rexing cameras, and you cant just load a firmware from any camera, even if the often have much the same on the inside.

 

[kantonburg]

The Viofo A xxx cameras have a pretty vibrant modding scene, not only upping bitrate but also trying to extract every bit of performance from the different models.

Funny you mention the Viofo. I was reading through the A119 V3 thread. It's 4 years newer than the V1 and is around the same price point. I don't want to give up on the V1 yet, but the sample footage posted in the A119 V3 thread is nice. I with I would have found this forum before I got the V1. Not that I would have got anything different I think more information is available here than the reviews I found and/or YouTube vids. That and Viofo seems to have a steady presence here.