Gearbest Dome G90 Dashcam with Ambarella A7LA30 Review

[niko]

Well in DSLR, metering is the way how light exposure is calculated.
It's different for portraits vs landscape pictures.
For dashcam video, I'm not sure what's best. This option was not there in other cameras so just asking what's the best.
Doreen should have the answer.

Overall bit rate increased from 15.8mbps to 19.5mbps even though video and audio bit rate is unchanged???
How's that possible?
May be I need to take longer video for proper data.

This properties is from Mediainfo.

As for files, here is before with initial firmware.
General
Complete name : F:\NORMAL\2014-07-23-17-34-30.MOV
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : QuickTime
Codec ID : qt
File size : 340 MiB
Duration : 3mn 0s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 15.8 Mbps
Encoded date : UTC 2014-07-23 17:34:30
Tagged date : UTC 2014-07-23 17:34:30
AMBA :

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=15
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 3mn 0s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 15.0 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.241
Stream size : 322 MiB (95%)
Title : Ambarella AVC / Ambarella AVC
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2014-07-23 17:34:30
Tagged date : UTC 2014-07-23 17:34:30
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

Audio
ID : 2
Format : ADPCM
Codec ID : 11
Codec ID/Hint : Intel
Duration : 3mn 0s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 408 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 8.76 MiB (3%)
Title : Ambarella AAC / Ambarella AAC
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2014-07-23 17:34:30
Tagged date : UTC 2014-07-23 17:34:30
***********************************************************

With new r328 firmware: It's a short clip I did inside the room but that should give the idea.
General
Complete name : F:\NORMAL\2014-07-26-08-36-32.MOV
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : QuickTime
Codec ID : qt
File size : 40.0 MiB
Duration : 17s 217ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 19.5 Mbps
Encoded date : UTC 2014-07-26 08:36:32
Tagged date : UTC 2014-07-26 08:36:32
AMBA :

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=15
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 17s 217ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 15.0 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.241
Stream size : 31.0 MiB (77%)
Title : Ambarella AVC / Ambarella AVC
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2014-07-26 08:36:32
Tagged date : UTC 2014-07-26 08:36:32
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

Audio
ID : 2
Format : ADPCM
Codec ID : 11
Codec ID/Hint : Intel
Duration : 17s 178ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 408 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 856 KiB (2%)
Title : Ambarella AAC / Ambarella AAC
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2014-07-26 08:36:32
Tagged date : UTC 2014-07-26 08:36:32

@
Overall bit rate increased from 15.8mbps to 19.5mbps even though video and audio bit rate is unchanged???
How's that possible?

Variable bit-rate changes it value automatically depending on scene. The more action, light- and colours changing around at some scene, - the more more data need to be processed, - the higher bit-rate is used.
At night ( pitch dark ) bit-rate is lower than at day.
There is some logical explanation to variable bit-rate ( to save flash memory ), but it puts more pressure on CPU to work harder and in real life those "savings" of memory card space are not significant vs how much more work CPU must do.

 

[soddo]

язык is the language setting

does version SVN r125MP have no sound? I am not getting any sound what so ever on mine and this is the version supplied

 

[Sunny]

Variable bit-rate changes it value automatically depending on scene. The more action, light- and colours changing around at some scene, - the more more data need to be processed, - the higher bit-rate is used...

Yes but I think my reply was incorrect due to properties from windows instead of other dedicated tools.
I checked mediainfo and it's still at around 15.## mbps.

Anyways, I am using G90 as rear window dashcam and it's really good for that.
It has great wide angle FOV that covers all the rear angles and quality is excellent even with the heater strips and not so clean window.
Nice!

Here is a video of G90 as rear dashcam:
Cloudy day so not that good footage...

 

[Sabe]

I might be wrong but i'm almost sure that i saw one car at two minute mark

 

[Sunny]

I might be wrong but i'm almost sure that i saw one car at two minute mark

Haha...

Okay you want more cars? Here it is on the same road today.
It was nice and sunny this morning so video is much crispier and mountains look amazing at 2 minute in the video.
Busy morning on the highway though.
Video is really good...

And this one right after: Video is really good... the only bad thing is Sun is in the front so front dashcam video is not as good as the rear one.
Front range mountains look really nice after 15 seconds in the video.
AT 33 seconds, the Jeep driver wants to go to left lane thinking it's faster there but she realizes it's even worse so comes back.
I just noticed that there was a hot air balloon at 41 seconds in the left corner... need to check that place out.

 

[reverend]

It does make a good rear cam - I'm split between running the G90 or the Mobius up back - I really like the wide angle so wondering whether to run the LS460 with the Mobius literally stuck to the bottom for front footage or whether to send the LS460W back and get the dual channel Panorama when that lands.

You've got some really nice scenery where you are!

 

[Sabe]

Very good video and camera Sunny, i could almost see what that woman was eating.
If you must have somebody to follow you, why not beautiful woman then.

 

[Sunny]

Very good video and camera Sunny, i could almost see what that woman was eating.
If you must have somebody to follow you, why not beautiful woman then.

Thanks.
Yes, I've captured pretty ladies, nose picking drivers, kissing couples and many more on the rear dashcam.

It does make a good rear cam - I'm split between running the G90 or the Mobius up back - I really like the wide angle so wondering whether to run the LS460 with the Mobius literally stuck to the bottom for front footage or whether to send the LS460W back and get the dual channel Panorama when that lands.

You've got some really nice scenery where you are!

That's just where the rocky mountains start from.
It's beautiful but nothing compared to when you actually go into the mountains.
I'll post a video when I drive over there. Hopefully, soon.

 

[Sunny]

After format, it's working fine for now so hopefully will not have that issue.

 

[Sunny]

I upgraded to R441MP today and so far it's working great.
Audio quality is really better now.
Bass heavy sounds/songs still distort but vocals are way better and much easier to understand.
Constant zitter/vibration in audio is pretty much gone.
All who have G90 1st batch need to try the R441MP firmware even though it's released for 2nd batch of G90.
Hopefully, it'll work without any hiccups.
Will have to test how night time video comes out but should be fine.

Here is link to the firmware from Doreen's post:
https://www.sendspace.com/file/qkb536

 

[Sunny]

One weird thing happened.
I have the G90 behind rearview mirror so the display is not visible unless I lift the mirror.
I was driving and thought to check if it's recording.
To my surprise, there was a prompt on the screen with Yes (check) and No (x):

Recover Movies?
_/ X

It was asking to recover a corrupted last video from last time it was on or something.
Maybe it didn't save last file due to low battery and asking to recover it.
It should do that automatically rather than asking for confirmation and not recording current session.
So make sure you check what's going on at least when you start the car.

Can it be set to automatically recover file instead of asking the user with the firmware tweaking tool?

 

[jokiin]

Don't know that this could be automated, suspect it's part of a file system check

 

[Sabe]

And since this happens usually after some problem with dvr battery, maybe it's good idea to let you know that there has been an incident of some kind.

 

[Sunny]

And since this happens usually after some problem with dvr battery, maybe it's good idea to let you know that there has been an incident of some kind.

Could be but there was nothing unusual in the previous drive.
I think it's the crappy battery that doesn't last long enough even after driving an hour.

 

[Sunny]

Here is a video from this morning.
1st snow of Fall 2014. Not much on the ground though.

I love fog over the mountains, starting at 00:15.
It just looks so refreshing and fresh.
Need to go closer sometimes...

 

[Jeremy Wong]

Can I ask what file format the BL950 is recording in? .mov or .mp4? I just received my BL950 from Gearbest yesterday and installed it. Saw that the files is .mp4 on the BL950.

 

[Sunny]

Can I ask what file format the BL950 is recording in? .mov or .mp4? I just received my BL950 from Gearbest yesterday and installed it. Saw that the files is .mp4 on the BL950.

I don't have BL950 but the G90 file extension is .MOV and format is MPEG-4.

 

[thancam]

When the Sun is on the right, G90 has more dashboard reflection on that side than the C600.
May be due to wider FOV.
Polarizing filter should clean it.

After test so many cam, Do you know why G90 has more dashboard reflection ? Is this because of wider FOV or some reasons else ?
Thanks for reading

 

[Sunny]

After test so many cam, Do you know why G90 has more dashboard reflection ? Is this because of wider FOV or some reasons else ?
Thanks for reading

It's because of the Sun.

 

[thancam]

It's because of the Sun.

I like your anser but that's not what i can explain to my customers
I mean: when you test others dashcam which has wide FOV like G90. Do you see the same dashboard reflection ?