Para Dox
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2017
- Messages
- 12
- Reaction score
- 2
- Location
- Sydney
- Country
- Australia
- Dash Cam
- DOD LS470W+ front-facing and Mini 807 rear-facing
NanoCam+ NCP-MIRDVRHD2 dash cam review:
I have not been able to find a single post, review, or comment on any NanoCam+ branded dash cams anywhere on the internet, so I thought I would share my experience with the NCP-MIRDVRHD2 for the benefit of others interested in this model of dash cam. (NanoCam+ is A.K.A. NanoCam Plus, and is not to be confused with the totally different company NanoCamPro)
I am new to dash cams, so please view this review in that context. This is a detailed, clinical, ‘warts and all’ review. If anything I have said is proved to be mistaken, incorrect, or product defects are later fixed, I will update this review.
I will not bother discussing the specifications and information you can find in the user manual and product data sheet that can be download from the NanoCam+ website at: http://www.nanocamplus.com.au .
I do not have the depth and breadth of dash cam knowledge to accurately benchmark the NCP-MIRDVRHD2 specifications against other dash cams, so I will assess the dash cam in terms of meeting my requirements and its video quality in terms of number plate readability. I have compared it in our two different cars – the Daewoo Matiz and Ford Falcon XR6.
My dash cam requirements:
1. Discreet Appearance:
Requirement Met: Yes
The NanoCam+ NCP-MIRDVRHD2 front-facing camera is a discreet rear view mirror with an embedded heads-up display. The rear-facing camera is tiny, installed high on my rear windscreen behind the dealer sticker, and barely noticeable. However please refer to my comments on its Park Mode indiscreet behaviour in the ‘Park Mode’ section below.
I require discreet appearance and behaviour because there are periodic car break-ins at our apartment complex. The car parking area is open to the public and not secured or monitored. Last time I spoke to them, the North Sydney police said they get 40 to 50 car break-ins in their jurisdiction each Friday and Saturday night.
2. Affordable
Requirement Met: Yes - Acceptable
This dash cam is for our old Daewoo Matiz (year 2000) second car, which is parked in an open, insecure, break-in prone area, so I did not want to install a high-end expensive dash cam.
The dual-camera NanoCam Plus NCP-MIRDVRHD2 cost AU$230, which averages out to AU$115 per camera.
It should be noted, however, that there are a few dash cams advertising similar technical specifications that can be purchased online directly from Asia or Australian ‘grey market’ importers for between 1/3rd and 2/3rds of this dash cam’s price.
3. Front and rear facing cameras
Requirement Met: Yes
The NanoCam Plus NCP-MIRDVRHD2 is a dual-channel, two camera dash cam system. With most dual-channel dash cams, both the 720p rear camera and the 1080p front camera video is fed into the one image processing chipset, and from what I have read, this is how ‘affordable’ 2-channel dash cam systems generally work. I have asked NanoCam+ to confirm if this is the case for the NCP-MIRDVRHD2.
The advantage of image processor chipset sharing is that it lowers cost, maintenance, and installation effort.
The disadvantage is that video quality suffers due to the sharing of image processing power, and the bitrate is often reduced to avoid overloading the memory card.
I notice a significant difference between the quality of the video from the two NCP-MIRDVRHD2 cameras compared to the video quality from the more expensive, higher-end, and independent Mini 807 and DOD LS470W+ dash cams in my XR6.
4. Readable number plates day and night.
Requirement Met: Yes – Acceptable for our Daewoo Matiz
Depending on lighting conditions, number plate quality, and lane positioning, the:
Please refer to the attached frame grabs from the Daewoo Matiz and XR6 video recordings. I have mostly grabbed the frames at the maximum distance at which the same-lane number plates are readable to show visibility range, with side-lane vehicle plates for comparison. All the shots are taken during city driving at speeds under 60Km/hour, (our usage profile), and so they do not take into account high speed motion blur and distance travelled between video frames during a high speed accident. The night shots are mostly stationary or very low speed, so do not account for additional motion blur when the shutter is open for longer at night to allow more light to hit the image sensor.
The NanoCam Plus NCP-MIRDVRHD2 just meets my minimum plate readability requirement for the Matiz, however I would prefer higher plate readability in the XR6. The Matiz is a hatchback with no boot, and almost no engine compartment, so the dash cam can record a number plate right up to the point of impact. The XR6 has a large, high boot compartment with a spoiler on the back, and a large engine compartment, so visibility of a number plate is lost at about one car length from the rear lens and ½ car length from the front lens. Dash cams in the XR6 need to be able to read number plates at around an extra car length distance to achieve the same number plate capture-length window as in the Matiz. We use the XR6 for our long distance high speed trips, for which we require higher quality video recordings than this dash cam offers plus GPS functionality.
Neither front nor rear camera has an optional CPL filter available to reduce glare and window reflections.
5. Park Mode:
Requirement Met: Yes and No – Functions as designed, but for my real-world usage requirements it is not ‘fit for purpose’. I have chosen to disable Park Mode and not use it.
The value of enabling the motion sensor is limited, because:
I have not been able to find a single post, review, or comment on any NanoCam+ branded dash cams anywhere on the internet, so I thought I would share my experience with the NCP-MIRDVRHD2 for the benefit of others interested in this model of dash cam. (NanoCam+ is A.K.A. NanoCam Plus, and is not to be confused with the totally different company NanoCamPro)
I am new to dash cams, so please view this review in that context. This is a detailed, clinical, ‘warts and all’ review. If anything I have said is proved to be mistaken, incorrect, or product defects are later fixed, I will update this review.
I will not bother discussing the specifications and information you can find in the user manual and product data sheet that can be download from the NanoCam+ website at: http://www.nanocamplus.com.au .
I do not have the depth and breadth of dash cam knowledge to accurately benchmark the NCP-MIRDVRHD2 specifications against other dash cams, so I will assess the dash cam in terms of meeting my requirements and its video quality in terms of number plate readability. I have compared it in our two different cars – the Daewoo Matiz and Ford Falcon XR6.
My dash cam requirements:
# .... Requirement ......................... Requirement Met
Must have:1. Discreet appearance .................................. Yes
2. ‘Affordable’ (low-medium price range) ..... Yes
3. Front and rear facing cameras .................. Yes
4. Readable number plates day and night. .... Yes
Nice to have:2. ‘Affordable’ (low-medium price range) ..... Yes
3. Front and rear facing cameras .................. Yes
4. Readable number plates day and night. .... Yes
5. Parking mode ............................................ Yes and No
6. GPS ............................................................ No
7. Australian retailer ...................................... Yes
6. GPS ............................................................ No
7. Australian retailer ...................................... Yes
1. Discreet Appearance:
Requirement Met: Yes
The NanoCam+ NCP-MIRDVRHD2 front-facing camera is a discreet rear view mirror with an embedded heads-up display. The rear-facing camera is tiny, installed high on my rear windscreen behind the dealer sticker, and barely noticeable. However please refer to my comments on its Park Mode indiscreet behaviour in the ‘Park Mode’ section below.
I require discreet appearance and behaviour because there are periodic car break-ins at our apartment complex. The car parking area is open to the public and not secured or monitored. Last time I spoke to them, the North Sydney police said they get 40 to 50 car break-ins in their jurisdiction each Friday and Saturday night.
2. Affordable
Requirement Met: Yes - Acceptable
This dash cam is for our old Daewoo Matiz (year 2000) second car, which is parked in an open, insecure, break-in prone area, so I did not want to install a high-end expensive dash cam.
The dual-camera NanoCam Plus NCP-MIRDVRHD2 cost AU$230, which averages out to AU$115 per camera.
It should be noted, however, that there are a few dash cams advertising similar technical specifications that can be purchased online directly from Asia or Australian ‘grey market’ importers for between 1/3rd and 2/3rds of this dash cam’s price.
3. Front and rear facing cameras
Requirement Met: Yes
The NanoCam Plus NCP-MIRDVRHD2 is a dual-channel, two camera dash cam system. With most dual-channel dash cams, both the 720p rear camera and the 1080p front camera video is fed into the one image processing chipset, and from what I have read, this is how ‘affordable’ 2-channel dash cam systems generally work. I have asked NanoCam+ to confirm if this is the case for the NCP-MIRDVRHD2.
The advantage of image processor chipset sharing is that it lowers cost, maintenance, and installation effort.
The disadvantage is that video quality suffers due to the sharing of image processing power, and the bitrate is often reduced to avoid overloading the memory card.
I notice a significant difference between the quality of the video from the two NCP-MIRDVRHD2 cameras compared to the video quality from the more expensive, higher-end, and independent Mini 807 and DOD LS470W+ dash cams in my XR6.
4. Readable number plates day and night.
Requirement Met: Yes – Acceptable for our Daewoo Matiz
Depending on lighting conditions, number plate quality, and lane positioning, the:
- 1080p front camera loses number plate readability at about 1.5 to 2 car lengths from the lens.
- 720p rear camera loses number plate readability at about 1 to 1.5 car lengths from the lens.
- Side lane plate readability on both cameras is hit and miss, sometimes clear and sometimes unreadable.
Please refer to the attached frame grabs from the Daewoo Matiz and XR6 video recordings. I have mostly grabbed the frames at the maximum distance at which the same-lane number plates are readable to show visibility range, with side-lane vehicle plates for comparison. All the shots are taken during city driving at speeds under 60Km/hour, (our usage profile), and so they do not take into account high speed motion blur and distance travelled between video frames during a high speed accident. The night shots are mostly stationary or very low speed, so do not account for additional motion blur when the shutter is open for longer at night to allow more light to hit the image sensor.
The NanoCam Plus NCP-MIRDVRHD2 just meets my minimum plate readability requirement for the Matiz, however I would prefer higher plate readability in the XR6. The Matiz is a hatchback with no boot, and almost no engine compartment, so the dash cam can record a number plate right up to the point of impact. The XR6 has a large, high boot compartment with a spoiler on the back, and a large engine compartment, so visibility of a number plate is lost at about one car length from the rear lens and ½ car length from the front lens. Dash cams in the XR6 need to be able to read number plates at around an extra car length distance to achieve the same number plate capture-length window as in the Matiz. We use the XR6 for our long distance high speed trips, for which we require higher quality video recordings than this dash cam offers plus GPS functionality.
Neither front nor rear camera has an optional CPL filter available to reduce glare and window reflections.
5. Park Mode:
Requirement Met: Yes and No – Functions as designed, but for my real-world usage requirements it is not ‘fit for purpose’. I have chosen to disable Park Mode and not use it.
The value of enabling the motion sensor is limited, because:
I/ When parked in busy locations, the motion/movement sensor triggers frequent (sometimes continuous) recordings. Enabling just the G-Sensor to trigger on physical impact is the only practical busy location Park Mode setting to avoid filling up the microSD card with junk recordings and unnecessarily flattening the dash cam battery.
II/ If Park Mode activates when parked in our relatively quiet apartment block parking lot, the screen turns on and there is a loud tingle sound on startup and shutdown. This attracts unwanted attention to the dash cam, especially at night when all else is very quiet and the screen shines like a beacon in the dark. If Park Mode is activated, by either G-Sensor or Motion Sensor, I want a criminal to be recorded and not know that the dash cam exists. There are no menu settings to turn off the screen and startup/shutdown notification sound when in Park Mode. The dash cam is designed to be physically discreet by masquerading as a rear view mirror, but when it is meant to be stealthy in Park Mode it behaves in-discreetly by alerting everybody visually and audibly to its presence.
III/ There is no hard-wire kit available to provide permanent power for the NCP-MIRDVRHD2, and so Park Mode with Motion Sensor switched on takes its toll on dash cam battery charge. I tested battery life by fully charging the battery with a battery charger, and then timing it while on continuous record with just the main camera and a static scene. Under these conditions the battery lasted 48 minutes before the dash cam turned itself off.
II/ If Park Mode activates when parked in our relatively quiet apartment block parking lot, the screen turns on and there is a loud tingle sound on startup and shutdown. This attracts unwanted attention to the dash cam, especially at night when all else is very quiet and the screen shines like a beacon in the dark. If Park Mode is activated, by either G-Sensor or Motion Sensor, I want a criminal to be recorded and not know that the dash cam exists. There are no menu settings to turn off the screen and startup/shutdown notification sound when in Park Mode. The dash cam is designed to be physically discreet by masquerading as a rear view mirror, but when it is meant to be stealthy in Park Mode it behaves in-discreetly by alerting everybody visually and audibly to its presence.
III/ There is no hard-wire kit available to provide permanent power for the NCP-MIRDVRHD2, and so Park Mode with Motion Sensor switched on takes its toll on dash cam battery charge. I tested battery life by fully charging the battery with a battery charger, and then timing it while on continuous record with just the main camera and a static scene. Under these conditions the battery lasted 48 minutes before the dash cam turned itself off.
However, when installed in a car with the supplied cigarette lighter charger and the dash cam running in normal driving mode, and attempting to charge as it is recording at the same time, the battery does not seem to charge properly, robustly, and fully. When powered up, the screen shows a yellow lightning bolt charging symbol inside a full green battery charge symbol that does not change size to indicate the actual charge level. The charge symbol only indicates the actual charge level briefly on dash cam shutdown. Because we only do a lot a short trips in this car, the battery never seemed to fully charge, it seemed to go flat quickly, and it was difficult to recognise these causes of the low battery problem.
Attachments
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NanoCam NCP-MIRDVRHD2 test data.pdf338.3 KB · Views: 9
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Matiz front 3 cars 1080p.jpg768.1 KB · Views: 26
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Matiz front headlights off 1080p.jpg288.8 KB · Views: 25
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Matiz front headlights off carpark motion blur 1080p.jpg264.6 KB · Views: 21
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Matiz front headlights off twilight 1080p.jpg415.4 KB · Views: 16
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Matiz front rainy 1080p.jpg747.2 KB · Views: 20
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Matiz rear 3 cars 720p.jpg182.9 KB · Views: 21
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Matiz rear no reversing lights carpark motion blur 720p.jpg211.6 KB · Views: 20
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Matiz rear rainy 720p.jpg213.3 KB · Views: 20
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Matiz rear reversing lights on 720p.jpg251.5 KB · Views: 19
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