How do we determine video quality on different dash cams?

[country_hick]

I went through the dash cam comparison page. After looking for what I thought would be best I ended up with this list.

https://dashcamtalk.com/compare/1/6...-c1-vs-gt680w-vs-hdvr-150-vs-3h2fd-vs-mobius/

Is one or a combination of these usually the determining factor in determining from specifications alone what should have the best quality video?
Max Bitrate (Mbps)
Max Resolution
Video Format
Compression
Diagonal Viewing Angle

I thought that Mbps would be the determining factor for video quality. It does not seem to be which confuses me.

The HDVR150 shows 26MBPS but has Disappointing video quality and Large MJPEG makes huge files. 26MBPS on this dash cam is much higher than any of the others. Why is its video much worse than the rest?

It would seem to me that the higher the mbps the better the video should be. It should also capture license plates better. What am I missing? Are some dash cams using junk lenses against a fantastic cmos or is something fishy going on?

 

[jokiin]

MJPEG is not good, very inefficient

Birate isn't everything

If MOV or MP4 around 12mbit is where results start to taper off, above 15mbit very little difference at all

Good quality lens and good firmware is the difference between good and poor results, just having nice hardware spec won't deliver results

If I were to narrow it down to two things only I would say lens quality and quality firmware are the most important factors

 

[CheckYourLights]

jokiin has summed it up really well.
I would also take the K6000 off of your list.

When the early A7 cameras first came out the video looked really rough because the firmware was not there yet.

Also the Diagonal Viewing Angle can be subjective. Some people like it more narrow and some like a little further. Some cameras have 130-140 and others have 160-170. Some people like to get in a wide of a shot as they can, but you need to be a little bit closer to catch plates, and others like a narrow field of vision so they can catch plates slightly further away.

I've even seen one or two users use two different cameras with one wide and one more narrow up front at the same time before as well.

 

[country_hick]

That list was based solely on having at least 15mbps. I would have removed the K6000 from my buy list based solely on "Below average reliability". Poor video quality just takes it off the list faster.

All things being equal would the MOV or MP4 format alone give better performance or photo quality?

Why would you want to use both a wide and narrow lens in the same location? is that to catch a wide view of the car coming to hit you then a more detailed narrow view showing its license plate?

To me in theory wide side coverage with a wide angle lens would capture everything that could blind side you. Adding a narrower lens up front could capture the finer details like license plates.

I am almost ready to buy at least 2 decent dash cams. All I really want is a reliable (10+ year life expectancy), dependable (no blinking lights saying you are recording when it is not recording), finely detailed picture output that captures green lights, license plates, and can truly be set and forget. I do realize that a rock solid dash cam can be made worthless if the sd card inside malfunctions. It seems like a dash cam should beep or do something to let its owner know of it stops recording or if the sd card malfunctions. The dash cam should also beep when a minimum of 70% of the sd card is filled with locked files. of the sd card needs to be reformatted.

It appears that the mobius (with the super capacitor) is in the top 4 cams to choose based on reliability, video quality, and performance. if Jokiin was not ready to have a new product fairly soon that might be much better choosing a dash cam today would be much easier.

 

[jokiin]

10 years? I think that's a big ask at any price, to be fair though the odds of todays spec level being desirable in 10 years time is very slim, even 2 years from now I'm sure we'll be doing much better things with the hardware than what is possible right now

MOV or MP4 is just the container, that has no influence on the quality of the recordings, nothing at all to do with photos either, all else being equal you would not see any difference between MOV and MP4, I did an Ambarella based camera a few years ago that had menu selectable MOV or MP4 output, it had nothing to do with quality but just file handling, some people prefer MOV (Mac users), some prefer MP4 (Windows users), convenience more than any other reason in being native to the tools included with the respective OS, quality wise there was zero difference in the files

 

[BobDiaz]

Trying to find the "best video quality" from a specification is not possible. It is not one thing or just a few things that determine image quality. Think of it like a chain that is only as good as the weakest link. One very important thing is HOW things are built. Poor software, bad grade or crudy image sensor, or flawed lens can make a terrible image. Most of these things you won't find on a specification sheet. At best we go by what others have found. You may not find the "ideal" camera, but we can identify which cameras are good enough. After all, we're not making a major motion picture here, just trying to record an accident we hope never happens.

 

[country_hick]

A good television should last 10 to 20 years. A good radio should last as long. A car should last 15-20 years (maybe more without rust). A good desktop or laptop computer should last 10 years or more. Yes, a computer is badly outdated in 3 years. As long as the computer does the job it needs to do why replace it? XP did what I needed and win8 is to confusing to use. I was given a nice 5 year old win 7 machine that I currently use.

Moores law suggests that processors will double in capacity every 2 years while also dropping in price. Although Moores law may be broken by 2020 because of economic reasons or be stopped by 2025 by physics improvements in technology will continue to happen. Sludgeguts on here has over 1,900 hours on a mobius. Driving 1 hour (1/2 hour each way) 5 days a week gives 261 hours a year. That suggests that a mobius should last at least 10 years in normal use for most people. Surely other dash cams can be as well made and last as long.

Yes, when affordable dash cams go from 15mbps to 50mbps many will upgrade their dash cams. However, many will also use the old dash cams for looking in different directions from their car or truck. As some on this site have said they repurposed their old dash cam to look out the rear window others will do the same. Once that happens the remaining older dash cams may find life sitting in the side windows.

I have a late 70's or early 80's double cassette, 8 track, 33/45rpm record player and AM/FM stereo. I added a 5 cd player from the 90's. It does what I want and I am satisfied with what it does. Although a newer more expensive solution may exist I see no reason to get rid of my stereo system that I go used for $10 with everything included. Likewise I would not replace a working dash cam I spent good money on unless the video capability was greatly improved over what I had.

Not being able to determine good quality from specifications makes it a lot harder to find something worth buying and trusting long term.

 

[jokiin]

how many people are happy to use their 20 year old TV even if it does still work, newer technology, better results are available, sure it might last that long but is there still a market for 20 year old tech, not so much

 

[Street Guardian USA]

I can't imagine having a big thick heavy tube tv in my house, no way.

 

[CheckYourLights]

A good desktop or laptop computer should last 10 years or more. Yes, a computer is badly outdated in 3 years. As long as the computer does the job it needs to do why replace it? XP did what I needed and win8 is to confusing to use. I was given a nice 5 year old win 7 machine that I currently use.

While I hate to go off topic if you are using a computer for basic day to day work and want it to run good and last 5+ years without issue give a lightweight Linux distribution a try. Something like Lubuntu.

I have an older laptop that used to run Windows 98 that now runs either Lubuntu or Peppermint OS and while my 17 year old laptop is not lighting fast it can get basic work done well

 

[Hombré]

how many people are happy to use their 20 year old TV even if it does still work, newer technology, better results are available, sure it might last that long but is there still a market for 20 year old tech, not so much[/QUOTE'

I wasn't happy so I replaced my old 68cm CRT TV that was using 230 watts of power for a bigger 80cm LCD/LED TV that uses 70 watts.

Technology is sweet not to mention the power bill savings.

 

[jokiin]

I'm a fan of Linux Mint as a good starter distro

 

[Deleted member 46308]

how many people are happy to use their 20 year old TV even if it does still work, newer technology, better results are available, sure it might last that long but is there still a market for 20 year old tech, not so much

 

[kamkar]

I am happy with my 5 year old LG television, it do 1080 and thats about it, and i hope it last another 5 years.
Then again if i get some easy mony i am well known for using them on stuff i have more or less need for

But if you look where TV are today a lot have gone on with them, but all that is just not stuff that give me a urge to get a new TV.
My 42" is a fine size - dont need 3D - dont need the "smart" stuff - dont need 4K - and i can change channel on the remote, do not need to do that by talking to TV or waving my hands in the air.

Power usage is the only thing that got me wanting to replace my 22" CRT monitor, it use more power than my 42" tv and i assume nobody pay the same KW prize for power as us Danes

I have often been called a technophobe due to me argue against some tech, but i really do love the stuff, its just not all i have a urge to spend my hard earned money on.

 

[country_hick]

I am happy with my 5 year old LG television, it do 1080 and thats about it, and i hope it last another 5 years.
Then again if i get some easy mony i am well known for using them on stuff i have more or less need for

But if you look where TV are today a lot have gone on with them, but all that is just not stuff that give me a urge to get a new TV.
My 42" is a fine size - dont need 3D - dont need the "smart" stuff - dont need 4K - and i can change channel on the remote, do not need to do that by talking to TV or waving my hands in the air.

Power usage is the only thing that got me wanting to replace my 22" CRT monitor, it use more power than my 42" tv and i assume nobody pay the same KW prize for power as us Danes

I have often been called a technophobe due to me argue against some tech, but i really do love the stuff, its just not all i have a urge to spend my hard earned money on.

This pretty much sums up what I was trying to say. If the old stuff works why replace it? However, if newer stuff comes along that gives me reasons to upgrade (especially energy savings) I could do that.

I wasn't happy so I replaced my old 68cm CRT TV that was using 230 watts of power for a bigger 80cm LCD/LED TV that uses 70 watts.

Technology is sweet not to mention the power bill savings.

Last year my old tube tv died. I replaced it with a plain Jane 24" LED LCD tv. I figured in 4-6 years the tv would be free based on power savings. Newer technology can have some real advantages that make it worth buying. To me a smart tv means it knows how to live a long life. I know several people who have the old tube tv's. Until the tv dies they will keep using it. Just because something is old does not mean it should be thrown away.

Sludgeguts has over 1,900 hours on a mobius and it still works. That means quality parts were used and it can be trusted long term. Yes, some electronics will always die young. But if this type of dash cam does not have a premature infant cycle death it should live a long time.

Should I mention that I do not want to buy any electronic device that is almost guaranteed to die before a new pair of underwear would wear out?

 

[kamkar]

Indeed there is still lots of 720p and lower res on the TV channels i have, and i think movies on DVD are still 1080 MAX so i see no reason to go for a 4K TV within the next 3-4-5 years.
All the new and "smart" features on the new TV sets are just to make ppl buy new stuff, and it seem to work pretty good as many ppl get a new cellphone just about every year, and other consumer electronics have a simmilar high turnover rate.

My CRT monitor died 2 months before the 2 year warrenty expiered, so i got it fixed for free, and it now +10 years old.

There have been some cases or what you wish to call it with planned faliure, i think it was samsung or sony TVs who used some poor capasitors and so they allways died, the TV repair shops here was all over the issue and had plenty of those capasitors at hand.

If you go for a high end good brand dashcam i think you will have no problems, the lower cost dashcams are that low in prize for a reason, witch is mostly use of cheap components.
My own Lukas LK-7500 have been working flawless for a couple of years now, but it have been surpassed by some dashcams by now, and that both in performance and prize.
The mobius is a nice little camera, i use it myself to cover my ass when i am driving, and if i one day got somthing better to replace it i can put the battery back in it and use it as a action cam on some of my RC stuff.

 

[country_hick]

There have been some cases or what you wish to call it with planned faliure, i think it was samsung or sony TVs who used some poor capasitors and so they allways died, the TV repair shops here was all over the issue and had plenty of those capasitors at hand.

My own Lukas LK-7500 have been working flawless for a couple of years now, but it have been surpassed by some dashcams by now, and that both in performance and price.

The mobius is a nice little camera, i use it myself to cover my ass when i am driving, and if i one day got somthing better to replace it i can put the battery back in it and use it as a action cam on some of my RC stuff.

I have read about capacitors being a problem is some of the older car stereo equipment. People think they are such good quality equipment that they replace the capacitors often as soon as they get the antique equipment.

Are the "super capacitors" (especially mobius) expected to have a long life or are they a cheaper version that will have a much shorter life?

 

[kamkar]

The capasitors are just there to make it work in higher temperatures and to provide power to finalize the last recording without file getting corrupted.
Lipo batteries start to go bad in much lower temperatures than what a car will get inside during summer time, in worst case scenario it can burn down your car.

I have never heard about any one having bad luck with the optional capasitors for the mobius cameras, all my cameras are capasitor models as my gear is in the car all year round.

 

[jokiin]

I have read about capacitors being a problem is some of the older car stereo equipment.

this site is computer centric but same issue http://badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=4

 

[Nigel]

The capasitors are just there to make it work in higher temperatures and to provide power to finalize the last recording without file getting corrupted.

Lipo batteries start to go bad in much lower temperatures than what a car will get inside during summer time, in worst case scenario it can burn down your car.

I have never heard about any one having bad luck with the optional capasitors for the mobius cameras, all my cameras are capasitor models as my gear is in the car all year round.

That's not really true, supercapacitors have about the same temperature range as lipo batteries, in fact some high temperature lipo batteries can cope with significantly higher temperatures than any supercapacitors. The real difference is that if the lifespan of a battery is reduced to 1/10th the original then you will notice while a supercapacitor will still have a reasonable life left.

Operating a supercapacitor at over 70 degrees C will seriously shorten it's life but you will still get 1000 hours out of it, the data sheet for the lipo battery in my mini 0803 says maximum operating temperature 71 degrees C and as long as you treat it gently at that temperature it should be fine.

Supercapacitor lifetime v temperature (assume 2.7 Vdc for a dashcam supercapacitor):