Review: Dome D201 Ambarella A12 2560x1440p HDR GPS Dashcam (Gearbest.com)

[Sunny]

Thank you @GearBest for providing Dome D201 for review.
It is available at Gearbest here: Currently D201 is available for $105.99 with coupon code for D201

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Quick links to review sections:
Daytime Screenshots
Daytime Videos
Night Screenshots (Non HDR)
Night Videos (Non HDR)
Night Screenshots (HDR)
Night Videos (HDR)
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Conclusion:
Pros: Great resolution! Excellent daytime videos. Sound is good quality as well.
Night video is pretty good.
Cons: No mph speed option.
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Description:
This is the 1st dashcam I am testing that has Ambarella A12 chip and 5.0mp OV4689 sensor.
That means it record videos at 2560 x 1440P (30fps) as well as HDR in that resolution.
Should be nice! Oh goodie goodie.
It also has driver assistance features like lane departure, front collision etc... but I hardly use them so I won't mention them in review unless proven to work as expected.
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Dome D201 Unboxing Video:

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Package contents:
The product box is specifically printed for this model with its image and specifications on the box.
1. Dome D201 dashcam.
2. Suction cup car mount that rotates all around.
3. External GPS module with 2.5mm plug.
4. 5v 1.5A car mini USB charger. mini USB tip is right angled, probably for left hand side driving.
5. Product manual.
6. mini USB to USB PC cable.

Camera looks like it's built good.
The front has some vents that are not black but everything else is black.
Lens housing is huge (as with most Dome dashcams) so is the lens.



Side-by-side with Dome G90 7S: It's slightly wider and thicker body but overall height is less than G90. G90 is taller due to the lens housing.
Front:


Back: 2.7" LCD with labels for buttons but actual buttons are on the sides.

Top: 2.5mm GPS port, mini HDMI, mount, mini USB and Power buttons.
Mount just slides in and out, no locking mechanism.


Bottom: MicroSD card slot.


Left side from back: Mode, Menu and Event buttons.


Right side from back: Up, Down and OK buttons.


Dome D201 Side-by-side with SJ7000, Gitup Git1, Firefly 6s, Firefly 5s and Dome G90:


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The right angled tip looks weird if mounting on the right side of RV mirror but left of RV will be better looking.
Should be fine for taking it around the headliner though.



More coming soon...

 

[Sunny]

Folders and Files:
This has weird folders unlike other Dome dashcams.
Root folder has DCIM and EVENT folders.
DCIM has a folder that's named very weird like some generic Novatek based dashcams.
Files are also named generic without date and time.
Definitely some backward move there.

VBR and file size:
3 minute file is around 420 mb in size.
Duration : 3mn 0s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 19.6 Mbps
Video Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 19.0 Mbps
Maximum bit rate : 16.0 Mbps
Width : 2 560 pixels
Height : 1 440 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Audio Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 48.0 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Channel positions : Front: C
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 2.75 MiB (1%)




@CheckYourLights , can you get into system settings on D201?
Manual mentions 1st press of menu is mode settings and 2nd press is for system settings but when I press menu twice, it exits.
What the hell?

Edit: To get to system settings, press Menu followed by Mode button.
Mode button cycles through year, month, day etc... in time setup menu and same with other options.

 

[Sunny]

Daytime Screenshots (part1):
My i5 laptop can't play the video smoothly.
It plays but I see it like slow mo.

Video is excellent quality.
The resolution is really good. Everything looks smoother and cleaner.
Colors are good and exposure is very good.



continued...

 

[Sunny]

Daytime screenshots continued including underground parking garage:











@Dashcam Man
I uploaded 2560x1440p screenshots but looks like the images are limited to 2304x1296p.
I thought you mentioned forum allows 2560p.
Thanks for checking.

 

[Sunny]

Daytime Videos: Video is excellent. Looking at 2nd video below, video appears as if it's slightly filtered.
Audio has some hiss/low frequency rumble at times but still clear and good volume.
Residential Area: Fall colors starting at 1:00, 1:50, 2:10 marks.

Highway: This small silver car has a dashcam but hard to see what model. Who can guess?

Video appears as if it's slightly filtered.
Mountains and surroundings are little brighter and less yellow tone in real than what footage has.
Looks like what I see through one of my sunglasses.

Underground Parking: Very good quality for lighted underground garage video.

The Jeep making very dangerous move:

 

[Sunny]

Reserved ...

 

[CheckYourLights]

@CheckYourLights , can you get into system settings on D201?
Manual mentions 1st press of menu is mode settings and 2nd press is for system settings but when I press menu twice, it exits.

Made a quick video i'll have it up in a moment

EDIT
Up but still processing.
Hope this helps

 

[Sunny]

Made a quick video i'll have it up in a moment

EDIT
Up but still processing.
Hope this helps

Thank you.
Yes, I did figure out that. Site was/is still messed up.
The mode button was the key.
Manual doesn't mention the mode button needs to be pressed to cycle through menu.
Also, mode button cycles from date year month etc... If you just rely on menu and ok buttons, you can never set the date.

Looks like you having cold?

 

[CheckYourLights]

Looks like you having cold?

I have had a cough for a long time.
Sometimes it's not too bad other times it's a bit of a battle.
That's one of the reasons I am not as active as I used to be. I try to eat healthy and take care of myself and I just can't shake it. I don't know what it is. I have never smoked in my life.

 

[Sunny]

I get it once every few years but nothing few doses of thera flu can't fix.
Just drink lots of fluids and take steam through nostrils.
Winter is coming so it'll be even worse.

 

[rogaworld]

nice

 

[dimon]

Hello. You can put the original video, not youtube? It was possible to compare the original video.

 

[Sunny]

Hello. You can put the original video, not youtube? It was possible to compare the original video.

Will do tonight.
Can't access file sharing sites at work.

 

[Sunny]

Daytime video with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) on :

FCWS: Front collision warning is really loud and scared me the first time. It warns from pretty far and too often.
Looks like it not only warns front collision but also side collision as it triggered when I passed the truck at 2:33.
Probably needs calibration.

LDWS: Lane departure warning is two chimes and works pretty good. @ 1:30, @ 2:40 and @ 2:45.

 

[dimon]

Will do tonight.
Can't access file sharing sites at work.

Well thank you I will wait.

 

[Sunny]

Well thank you I will wait.

Here are two videos, one in morning and one in early evening/low light:
This is already uploaded to youtube above.

RAW File:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5wcwthkz25lsqvw/000324AA.MP4?dl=0


I'll upload the one below in youtube as well:

RAW File:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/283a41ullnin120/180115AA.MP4?dl=0

 

[GearBest]

That works well. Any problems?

 

[Sunny]

That works well. Any problems?

So far so good.
I'd like to see mph instead of kph.
I thought I changed it to display mph but need to double check if I did that with this or another camera.

 

[Sunny]

Just checked and there is no option to change km to mile.

 

[CheckYourLights]

Just checked and there is no option to change km to mile.

No unfortunately not. I am hoping a firmware update will allow for MPH/KMH/OFF. When I leave mine unplugged it still shows zeroed out on the video.