G1WH can take firmware from DOD LS388W, Shadow GT300W 1306180 and others

[Module 79L]

388 is best picture...use vlc to enhance it on playback and all the shadows vanish and detail is revealed...

I checked out the footage of the tests I made and realized that I don't have any with that firmware! Probably thought it was similar to the LS300 or just skipped it. They are so many!
I'm gonna take your word for it and test it tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[JohnAx]

What are the advantages & disadvantages of installing another firmware other than the G1WH default firmware's?

 

[Sunny]

What are the advantages & disadvantages of installing another firmware other than the G1WH default firmware's?

Adds more VBR and some other features like upside down mode.
READ THE FIRST POST:

"I flashed them all and tried them briefly. Good old quiet nightshifts, hehe. The highlights are:

12 kbps: Carscam, Tantugo, GW1H
15 kbps: DOD (all 3), Shadow (both)
AWB: DOD LS388W, Shadow GT300W 1306180
Givoe G1W buttons were not responsive, all other firmwares worked.
G1WH: WDR on/off option. All others WDR stays on.
DOD LS300W 20130328: 2 channel audio @ 1024, all others 1 channel at 512. Not really noticeable; probably not true 2 channel anyways
Loop: Only G1WH has 3/5/10, all others have 2/3/5
LS300W 20130328: Highest bitrate of all at 15767 kbps, other 15 kbps bitrates were 15255 ish.
Image rotation on all DOD and Shadow; camera can be used upside down
Carscam has PC camera when connected to PC as well as mass storage
All work with AV out cable, all record when plugged in and stop when unplugged

I'm going to go with the Shadow GT300W 1306180-SC-2. It has all the features of the LS388W but the menus look a little cleaner (IMO). I watched some similar recordings from several of these and there was very little noticeable difference other than the AWB which seemed to handle rapid light changes a little better. Sorry, I can't post the videos , too much personal stuff here. Maybe LS300W 20130328 as 3rd choice after LS388W, highest video bitrat and 2 channel audio recording. No AWB, too bad."

 

[SoCalDude]

I checked out the footage of the tests I made and realized that I don't have any with that firmware! Probably thought it was similar to the LS300 or just skipped it. They are so many!
I'm gonna take your word for it and test it tomorrow. Thanks!

Please let us know your results.

Also, do you have a single location to where we can see the various video samples for our own comparison?

Thanks!

 

[Module 79L]

Please let us know your results.

Also, do you have a single location to where we can see the various video samples for our own comparison?

Thanks!

Well, what better location than here?

 

[SoCalDude]

Thank you, Module 79L! I know that was a lot of tedious work.

The two versions I was interested in comparing were the G1WH_DA380_2015.01.21.01 and the DOD LS388W. I couldn't tell any difference between these two, so I'm sticking with the G1WH_DA380_2015.01.21.01 version on my G1W-B camera.

 

[Module 79L]

I was afraid YT would screw up the videos, as always, and it did. Believe me, there are A LOT of differences between the originals, including the Da380, and the DOD's/Shadows. If you want I can upload the original files to Dropbox or Google Drive. I have some other videos I shot before on another location where those differences are more noticeable.

What I can say is that the levels of contrast are so high on the GT300W firmwares that when the sun is reflecting on the number plates you can't read them and every reflection is captured by the camera. The DOD's are a bit softer but nonetheless very dark too. This wouldn't be a problem if they responded well or fast to light changes, which none of them does. Every shade is pitch black, as is everything in it, and in reality they're not that dark.
I did a driving test with the LS388W and it's a little bit brighter that the LS300W but not enough to be the chosen one.

The 3 originals, on the other hand, "see" things much closer to what they are in reality and are quicker and more responsive to light changes. The downside is that the two "real" originals have lower VBR but then there's the Da380, which has the same characteristics of the originals but with higher VBR.

The one I would like to keep using, if it wasn't for the contrast and darkness issues, is the DOD LS300W 2013.0328. With an overall bit rate of 16.5 Mbps and two audio channels (I know they're just a double mono, not real stereo, but the quality increase is very noticeable), it's all I could ever ask for.
But, and there's always a "but" in all "perfect" things, it reduces a 32Gb card capacity to just 2 hours and 56 minutes, which means that if I was to use this firmware, I'd have to buy a 64Gb card. I know the manufacturer says the camera only supports cards up to 32Gb but there's someone out there who successfully formatted a 64Gb card to work with these cameras.

I'm sorry the videos didn't show the differences as I would expect them to but I hope this report will help people decide which firmware to use, in case they want to give it a try.

 

[SoCalDude]

If you want I can upload the original files to Dropbox or Google Drive. I have some other videos I shot before on another location where those differences are more noticeable.

Thank you. I'm interested in these two for comparison: DA380 and DOD LS388W, so if you want to put them in the cloud somewhere, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Module 79L]

Ok, let's see if it works better this way:

Original 2014.0504

DA380 2015.0121

GT300W 1306180.SC-2

GT680W V2.7G

The LS388W is very similar to the GT680W.

 

[just4sc]

I was afraid YT would screw up the videos, as always, and it did. Believe me, there are A LOT of differences between the originals, including the Da380, and the DOD's/Shadows. If you want I can upload the original files to Dropbox or Google Drive. I have some other videos I shot before on another location where those differences are more noticeable.

What I can say is that the levels of contrast are so high on the GT300W firmwares that when the sun is reflecting on the number plates you can't read them and every reflection is captured by the camera. The DOD's are a bit softer but nonetheless very dark too. This wouldn't be a problem if they responded well or fast to light changes, which none of them does. Every shade is pitch black, as is everything in it, and in reality they're not that dark.
I did a driving test with the LS388W and it's a little bit brighter that the LS300W but not enough to be the chosen one.

The 3 originals, on the other hand, "see" things much closer to what they are in reality and are quicker and more responsive to light changes. The downside is that the two "real" originals have lower VBR but then there's the Da380, which has the same characteristics of the originals but with higher VBR.

The one I would like to keep using, if it wasn't for the contrast and darkness issues, is the DOD LS300W 2013.0328. With an overall bit rate of 16.5 Mbps and two audio channels (I know they're just a double mono, not real stereo, but the quality increase is very noticeable), it's all I could ever ask for.
But, and there's always a "but" in all "perfect" things, it reduces a 32Gb card capacity to just 2 hours and 56 minutes, which means that if I was to use this firmware, I'd have to buy a 64Gb card. I know the manufacturer says the camera only supports cards up to 32Gb but there's someone out there who successfully formatted a 64Gb card to work with these cameras.

I'm sorry the videos didn't show the differences as I would expect them to but I hope this report will help people decide which firmware to use, in case they want to give it a try.

Thanks for the videos and reviews! What I really like to know since you have used all of them is which did you go with?

 

[Module 79L]

Well, I'm still undecided between the 2014.0504 and the Da380_2015.0121, because there's not much difference in quality between them, but the DA380's higher VBR means you have less recording time available and sometimes that extra hour that the 2014.0504's lower VBR gives you can be enough for the camera to not start overwriting older files.
I still have a couple of tests to run before I decide which one I'm gonna stick with. At least for now.

 

[just4sc]

Well, I'm still undecided between the 2014.0504 and the Da380_2015.0121, because there's not much difference in quality between them, but the DA380's higher VBR means you have less recording time available and sometimes that extra hour that the 2014.0504's lower VBR gives you can be enough for the camera to not start overwriting older files.
I still have a couple of tests to run before I decide which one I'm gonna stick with. At least for now.

Well, I for one would like to know which one you go with so please do update this thread once you decide. Thanks!

 

[SoCalDude]

I've tried most of them this past week and settled on G1WH_DA380_2015.01.21.01 on my G1W-B camera.

 

[Module 79L]

Here are some snapshots taken from the LS388W test:

The sunlight's reflection on the number plate makes it unreadable.

The shades are so dark that you can't almost make out the black car ahead.

Another example of the darkness of the shades.

Direct sunlight.

And this is how the firmware reacts when something blocks the direct sunlight:

When the conditions are right, this is the result:

To be honest, I didn't expect it to be this bad. The first test I did was a static one and it didn't seem too bad, compared with the other firmwares, but this cameras are supposed to be used in motion and this firmware failed, like some of the others, in so many aspects which can compromise the purpose they were intended to.

 

[Module 79L]

Well, I for one would like to know which one you go with so please do update this thread once you decide. Thanks!

Don't worry, I will.

 

[Module 79L]

Now from the DA380:

Sunlight reflection on the number plate:

Shades:

Direct sunlight:

Night with no lights, low beams. You can read the information board perfectly.

Night with no lights, high beams.

Night well lit.

This one, at least, is closer to reality.

 

[Module 79L]

After reviewing the daytime footage recorded yesterday with the DA380 firmware I was still not happy with the glare the camera captures, so today I went all rad and decided to swap lenses!
They're both screwed to the PCB, so no sticky tape or glue dramas there. After the swap I did a test and, lo and behold, the picture looks exactly like the G1W's! Smooth but with enough contrast, and with less glare than the G1W-H's original lens.
Unfortunately, I also found out that the picture's left edge blurriness that plagued the G1W from day one is caused by the lens, so I can't use it.

Well, it was worth the try. At least I'm becoming an expert in opening the camera's casing using only my finger nails.

 

[Sunny]

After reviewing the daytime footage recorded yesterday with the DA380 firmware I was still not happy with the glare the camera captures, so today I went all rad and decided to swap lenses!
They're both screwed to the PCB, so no sticky tape or glue dramas there. After the swap I did a test and, lo and behold, the picture looks exactly like the G1W's! Smooth but with enough contrast, and with less glare than the G1W-H's original lens.
Unfortunately, I also found out that the picture's left edge blurriness that plagued the G1W from day one is caused by the lens, so I can't use it.

Well, it was worth the try. At least I'm becoming an expert on opening the camera's casing using only my finger nails.

Maybe you can just buy a better lens and replace it.

 

[Alphas]

Hi guys, just want to ensure can G1W-C, capacitor can be flashed with those firmwares?

 

[jokiin]

Hi guys, just want to ensure can G1W-C, capacitor can be flashed with those firmwares?

this thread is discussing firmware for the battery version, if you install them on a capacitor version you'll end up getting corrupt files on shutdown among other potential issues