How to Diddle yourself out of a review !

[old4570]

As the tittle suggests ! ( How to diddle yourself out of a review )

Now from time to time , I am contacted about doing a review . ( That's really nice )
But here on DT I have some how talked my way out of doing cam reviews , and the other day it crossed my mind that perhaps I should put something in print in case I can help some one .
The mistake I made I think (?) , is promising a fair and impartial review !
I think by promising a fair and impartial review I diddled myself out of 3 dashcam reviews .
Now I am not lamenting the loss of 3 cams to review , but rather I am a little surprised that maybe (?) the folks offering cams for review , perhaps thought I may not be capable of being fair and impartial ?

So my advice to anyone else out there (?) , perhaps don't make such promises ( fair and impartial ) ..
When I think about it , it's a little on the funny side . I mean , just how seriously should you take this stuff ?

 

[dash riposki]

You can always do the typical 'Amazon' review, and get flooded with cams.

'This dashcam is the best I have ever seen, and I am amazed at the price. Unlike like most dash cams, this dash cam actually records in loops, and comes with a suction cup mount that sticks to your windshield! If I actually owned a car this dash cam would be in the windshield of that car!'

 

[Nigel]

You can always do the typical 'Amazon' review, and get flooded with cams.

'This dashcam is the best I have ever seen, and I am amazed at the price. Unlike like most dash cams, this dash cam actually records in loops, and comes with a suction cup mount that sticks to your windshield! If I actually owned a car this dash cam would be in the windshield of that car!'

Yes, that sort of review is much easier, you don't actually need to install the camera, or even bother picking it up from the post office!

If they don't want to send the camera for an honest review, it is because they know that it is a poor camera and will get a bad review...

If they make a great effort to get you to review it however much you put them off, then it is a great camera and well worth reviewing

 

[jokiin]

Yes, that sort of review is much easier, you don't actually need to install the camera, or even bother picking it up from the post office!

there are plenty of reviews around that are obviously fake, we've had people contacting us asking some odd question about a feature only to find out that the product had been 'reviewed' by some website that just exists to try and get affiliate links or whatever and found reviews that are obvious that whoever wrote them had never seen the product, frustrating but it happens

 

[Nigel]

there are plenty of reviews around that are obviously fake, we've had people contacting us asking some odd question about a feature only to find out that the product had been 'reviewed' by some website that just exists to try and get affiliate links or whatever and found reviews that are obvious that whoever wrote them had never seen the product, frustrating but it happens

A lot of the "Unboxing" reviews are just as bad, obviously written/filmed by people who have never installed the camera in a car and probably don't have a car to install it in. They focus on features that are irrelevant and miss out the important bits!

 

[kamkar]

I dont want to do reviews of things, but i do like to try and break them, and i dont mind telling people my experience and feelings about a given camera.
But thats also far from what people regard as a review, and some times it do put me in a disagreeable place, like the X camera that actually worked okay for me, but other people wasent so lucky.
Okay i did burn thru 2 x cameras pretty fast, but the third production sample actually still work though it are on the down and out now, and thats understandable as i have been very naughty with it running it at 2 X the bitrate its build for.

If people want more than that all they have to do is ask.

 

[old4570]

Yeah , or it worked ok while doing the review and a week later died ( not that that has happened with dash cams )
Usually takes longer than that .. 6 months to a year ..

I still have the last cam I did a review on in my car ( Mirror cam ) I really like it , just wish the camera was mounted on the right side of the mirror for right hand drive cars ..
Been running just fine since the day I got it . Much like the Viofo A119 , I updated the firmware and loader ???? is it about a year ago ?? ( where does the time go ) and it's running just fine .
Though I have been having some USB cable issues , USB port .. Might be getting a little lose ( from vibration ? ) Just need to give the USB plug a bit of a squeeze to tighten it up .
My Ausdom A261 been running like a storm .
And my Mini 0826 is still working without issue .. ( I think - maybe I should check it - it's right out of the way behind the mirror where i can't see it or notice it )
And my A118c is back to work on the back window .. ( Yay - I missed having that cam in the car )

I do flashlight reviews and back about 5 years ago or more , QC was a real issue ..
So it was very possible to review a flashlight and have everything be ok , and then have people buy the light and get problems . Obviously you wrote a bogus review right !
But those are the risks , which is why I hold onto review products for as long as possible ..
I still have my WL toys V959 quad sent to me a very long time ago by banggood . It was a decent quad back in the day , but since then I have bound it to much better transmitters and it flies just great .
Had to check - Feb 2013 , so over 5 years ago .. And it's still going ! So I guess the 959 was a very good product .
And how about the A119 , a bit of a problem child . But mine is running and producing good video ( ?? )

Many people looking for reviews or for some one to do a review ..
I think what they are after is more of a commercial ( like a TV commercial ) or a promotional video for youtube . Rather than a review ..
If that's what they want ? Then they should say so rather than confusing things by using words like review .
There are some great people out there that have the skill of promoting something .

They simply say ... I have this product from - somebody - then proceed to talk about it , and use it and that's it . All neatly packaged .
A nice promotional video for youtube .

Hmmmmmm ... I might try that one day ..
Also I think people seem to respond to these carefully polished promotional videos much better than actual reviews , where testing and probing and measuring takes place ..
Maybe reviews are just too boring for today's fast paced and attention deficit society .

 

[dash riposki]

I got an 'off brand' cam to review recently that the video and components seemed good, but there were a few annoying quirks that meant there was no reason to buy that cam at that price, when cams with the same performance were available at the same price, from 'known' companies.
I looked at the chinese manufacturers website hoping to see some evidence of aftermarket support, software updates.....found nothing.

How can you recommend something a certain percentage of people will have problems with, and have no chance at a solution?
(it's enough of a struggle with the chinese companies who actually try to support the products.)

 

[kamkar]

Well i have gotten a sample from some and then never heard from them again though they launched new products, i also tried to have time pass and then suddenly something new come my way though they made many other things meanwhile.
Not sure why, but i do wish if people was disappointed in what i have done they would say so, cuz while i am a old SOB then i do not rule out doing better, and some times i too need help in seeing my errors or shortcomings.
Also if people sending me stuff arnt creative with the parcel pricing, then i dont get it for free thats for sure,,,, or almost sure. And i cant afford much on my pension.

 

[Nigel]

Also I think people seem to respond to these carefully polished promotional videos much better than actual reviews , where testing and probing and measuring takes place ..

It does seem like the internet with Youtube v Google is getting a bit like TV v Books - most people can't be bothered to read these days so they go to Youtube for their reviews rather than do a Google search and come to the forums or review sites. Although looking at my Youtube analytics, it appears that the Japanese and Spanish still read, their review sites seem popular, or at least the ones with my videos embedded in them are.

 

[kamkar]

I do prefer to read books, but i watch much more TV sadly, but both have made me wiser over the years.

When i was sailing it dident take long before i had read most of the books in the little library most Danish ships have, cuz while the ships also had a TV lounge and get movies send out as well as books and newspapers, then i often prefer to lie in my cabin with a book that sit in a crowded TV lounge with my shipmates thats also drinking.

I do wish Danish libraries had more books in a foreign languages, reading more English / German / Norwegian / Swedish would probably sharpen my language skill.
The other languages i also know a little probably are not enough to enjoy a book written in that language.

 

[jokiin]

I do prefer to read books, but i watch much more TV sadly, but both have made me wiser over the years.
.

only time I see TV these days is if I visit someone else's house and it's on, haven't watched TV for about 10 years outside of that

 

[kamkar]

Sadly mine is a backdrop, and not a good one cuz many programs annoy me, and so do the commercials, so instead of spin around in my office chair to change channel i should turn the damn thing off.
on the other hand i am forced to pay for the small cable bundle, so i should get something for my money i subconscious think.
Really i so want to put that TV in its cardboard box and be done with it, but as there are a few things i do enjoy watching and i am forced to pay for cable TV like i am, then its probably not going to happen.
But when i move to a apartment with fiber and no forced TV package, then i serious doubt i will be putting up a TV

So little good flow TV thats not reruns, and i have a hard time finding worthwhile steaming options.

 

[jokiin]

I listen to music all day but TV I can do without

 

[kamkar]

I put too much emphasis on the few learning occasions on TV, cuz truth be told they are few and far apart.

This year the best things have been that series on Australian history, and the doku / series on the Vietnam war, and then a few weeks ago i surprisingly learned that up until 1981 homosexuality was actually tagged as a decease here.
And i just finished with a local 7 part series on the history of the Danish navy which was interesting and at least a refresher on a few things.

 

[jokiin]

documentaries are probably the only thing I'd be interested in watching, about the only time I see anything like this is when I'm on a flight somewhere

 

[Nigel]

And i just finished with a local 7 part series on the history of the Danish navy which was interesting and at least a refresher on a few things.

I like the ending:

Today you will find a great number of oak trees in the Danish Forests, ready for the building of major warships.
This is the result of a long term planning, appropriated in 1807, when it was decided to plant more than 90,000 oak trees for future shipbuilding.

Unfortunately, oak trees are no longer needed for shipbuilding.

 

[kamkar]

Yes we are screwed, pretty much also shut down all our own ship yards, maybe we can have some men of war build Tyneside.

 

[old4570]

TV - yeah , stopped watching about 5 years ago - Just garbage these days ..
Love doco's - just youtube them when I feel like it ..
I did do Hot Rod Garage / Engine Masters / Road Kill / when they were on youtube ...
Hoonigans stuffed up their channel .. Mighty Car Mods is still good , Turbo Yoda has The Skid Factory .. ( Turbo Yoda is laid back - mellow even )
So there is a lot of good stuff out there if you look for it , TV can go to hell !

 

[jokiin]

TV - yeah , stopped watching about 5 years ago - Just garbage these days ..
Love doco's - just youtube them when I feel like it ..
I did do Hot Rod Garage / Engine Masters / Road Kill / when they were on youtube ...
Hoonigans stuffed up their channel .. Mighty Car Mods is still good , Turbo Yoda has The Skid Factory .. ( Turbo Yoda is laid back - mellow even )
So there is a lot of good stuff out there if you look for it , TV can go to hell !

I can relate, a lot more of what I'm interested in is online rather than on TV, also watch Skid Factory, MCM, I like the Joe Rogan channel for the diverse nature of the stuff he covers