Nextbase 512GW with Rear Camera - recording quality

[Spuds]

PM sent @NextBase Tiffany

 

[pricecheaper]

The hazy dull rear cam view (r23) from the device needs to be looked into...

 

[Spuds]

Sorry for not posting the comparisons today @pricecheaper. I've had the front camera swopped out at Halfords for a " new ?? " one, thanks to the interventions of @NextBase Tiffany. Not had time to fix it in the car today but will keep you informed of my progress.

 

[pricecheaper]

Spuds did you manage to test?

 

[Spuds]

Spuds did you manage to test?

I’m going to be too busy to run comparison tests for a few days. The replacement camera is mounted in the car now and I will post a few stills to show you how good it now is. (Rear camera still in the junk bin, I may resurrect it for the tests but my issue with the rear camera is it kills the DAB radio when powered up, tried with and without ferrite core fitted). I’m happy so far with the replacement. The quality is on a par with the 412GW and is certainly acceptable for a dashcam.


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[Spuds]

Before



After (replacement camera)

Not a good example, the before example is typical of the difficulty I had in distinguishing a number plate in any kind of light. The after (replacement camera) is totally acceptable. Both are recorded at 1080 30fps with rear camera disconnected. I'm happy now.

 

[Nextbase Support]

That is a marked difference, fantastic @Spuds

 

[Kremmen]

@Spuds

I know someone who had a similar issue with another brand. It killed his radio. He found his issue was the routing of the front to back cable.
I can't remember which one worked but changing the route from driver to passenger side, or vice versa, and radio reception came back.
Might be worth testing the rear cam and have the cable dangling through the car, away from any aerial wiring that presumably runs through the headlining.
= is it the cam or the cable.

 

[Spuds]

And a big thank you @NextBase Tiffany for intervening when Halfords wouldn't acknowledge that there was a problem. It really is appreciated. If ever there was a reason to buy a British product then the support we receive from Nextbase is proof.

 

[Spuds]

@Spuds

I know someone who had a similar issue with another brand. It killed his radio. He found his issue was the routing of the front to back cable.
I can't remember which one worked but changing the route from driver to passenger side, or vice versa, and radio reception came back.
Might be worth testing the rear cam and have the cable dangling through the car, away from any aerial wiring that presumably runs through the headlining.
= is it the cam or the cable.

good point @Kremmen. I paid twice for a professional installation of the rear camera, 35 quid a go. With all the other problems of focus and then the DAB radio issue I've not the time or inclination to pursue it. I'm thinking of sticking a 312 camera on the rear screen. In the first instance I will try with the 412GW on a suction mount and see how that fares.

 

[Drogobroadband]

Interesting spud but my front camera on its own was good at 1440p, reasonable at 1080p and rubbish with the rear cam attached. It was also better in sunlight, like your sample shots, than on overcast or low light situations. Have you tried it with the rear cam attached as a comparison ....and is this using the R23 update?

 

[Spuds]

Interesting spud but my front camera on its own was good at 1440p, reasonable at 1080p and rubbish with the rear cam attached. It was also better in sunlight, like your sample shots, than on overcast or low light situations. Have you tried it with the rear cam attached as a comparison ....and is this using the R23 update?

As I said the example, above, is not the best for comparison. But from looking back at todays recording I am able to make out number plates in any light and speed of travel. This was at 1080P 30fps. Beforehand I couldn't make out, without difficulty, number plates at any resolution, with or without the rear camera attached. With the rear camera attached the complete image would go 'fuzzy'. I've not upgraded the replacement camera to R23 yet, and although I may try connecting the rear camera again to see how it affects the front camera quality I don't have any plans to use it again with my issue of the DAB radio reception.

 

[M8TJT]

I know someone who had a similar issue with another brand. It killed his radio. He found his issue was the routing of the front to back cable.
I can't remember which one worked but changing the route from driver to passenger side, or vice versa, and radio reception came back.
.

Thgat was me. It was a BlackVue 550 2CH and VHF radio (car had no DAB). Had the cable running down the driver's headlining and it interfered with the radio. Changed it to the passenger side headlining (after Christmas treeing it as Kremmen suggested). Fixed.

If you are putting cables in the headlining, make sure that they don't interfere with any airbags that might be lurking there or in the A pillar.

 

[Kremmen]

Didn't want to name names

If it was me, I'd get the front mounted, then plug in the rear camera. Not mounted but just at the front, possibly on the passenger seat. Then turn on the radio and camera. See what gives.

Then with the radio and cam still on, move the rear cam to the rear window, cable just resting on the seat tops and see if the radio has an issue once the cam gets near and whether moving the cam from left to right across the rear screen makes any difference.

But I've got the time to fiddle, Spuds may not.

If not, then mount the rear cam and play with the cable in the same manner to see where it' causing the issue.

 

[M8TJT]

Unless I mentioned the camera make, the post would be pointless. (Pretty pointless anyway as it's not about the 512) It just highlights the fact that relocating the cable can make a difference, but not having the specific cam in question, I would not even like to hazard a guess as to whether it will or not. Just my experience with a different make of cam.

 

[Antoeknee]

I have rear cam installed in a mondeo with DAB and haven't noticed a particular problem with radio reception so far.

 

[Pecon]

I have a 512GW with rear camera fitted to my car and I was so impressed with them that I decided to fit both to my wife's car as well. Unfortunately it was not until I reviewed her footage that I realised how poor the quality was at night. As most of my driving is done in daylight I had not really noticed the difference between 1440p and 1080p but as about 50% of her driving is after dark there is a huge difference, in fact it's so poor that I am thinking of removing the rear camera.

Another minor annoyance is the fact that the rear camera cable has to be disconnected every time the front camera is removed from its mount, are there any plans to introduce a GPS mount which will take both connections?.

When I first fitted the camera to my wife's Toyota Yaris it took ages for the GPS to connect. A replacement GPS mount was sent but it turned out that it was the location of the camera which was causing the problem. I had it too close to the mirror near the head cloth in an area surrounded by black dots on the screen which even Toyota have no idea if they are connected to the electronics.

 

[pricecheaper]

I have a 512GW with rear camera fitted to my car and I was so impressed with them that I decided to fit both to my wife's car as well. Unfortunately it was not until I reviewed her footage that I realised how poor the quality was at night. As most of my driving is done in daylight I had not really noticed the difference between 1440p and 1080p but as about 50% of her driving is after dark there is a huge difference, in fact it's so poor that I am thinking of removing the rear camera.

Another minor annoyance is the fact that the rear camera cable has to be disconnected every time the front camera is removed from its mount, are there any plans to introduce a GPS mount which will take both connections?.

When I first fitted the camera to my wife's Toyota Yaris it took ages for the GPS to connect. A replacement GPS mount was sent but it turned out that it was the location of the camera which was causing the problem. I had it too close to the mirror near the head cloth in an area surrounded by black dots on the screen which even Toyota have no idea if they are connected to the electronics.

That is sooooo annoying.. after some time the connections will wear out.. I would be interested in a mount that accepts both wires.

 

[pricecheaper]

View attachment 41667
Before


View attachment 41668
After (replacement camera)

Not a good example, the before example is typical of the difficulty I had in distinguishing a number plate in any kind of light. The after (replacement camera) is totally acceptable. Both are recorded at 1080 30fps with rear camera disconnected. I'm happy now.

Are you happy with the replacement? Any issues with quality now?

 

[Spuds]

The replacement camera is absolutely spot on and meets my expectations. Saying that I have not resurrected the rear camera to try it alongside. That can stay in the junk/project bin for another day, life’s too short to spend hours messing when all I want to produce is footage that may help me in the event of an accident or near miss.


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