Shadow GT680W

[Produkttester]

If the GT680W would be completly black I would have already ordered it.

 

[niko]

I got few more videos of GT680W.
Select 1080p from video settings for better video quality playback.

First video ( above ) matches video FoxOffer posted earlier, but I got them from other sources with RAW video files download link ( check below )

Original RAW files can be downloaded from here:

https://mega.co.nz/#!LUAjCKIY!G3tDClAyl ... -5L-XnFYkg

https://mega.co.nz/#!DcRR1AhT!LwuThHhMd ... bge8bL9p2k

https://mega.co.nz/#!bFIRARKJ!bI-DoHEny ... rKYNa3iRL0

https://mega.co.nz/#!mMwDkRCI!N2Fo-3Xah ... 1JYYs3RRZ0

3 min video file average size is 280Mb.
Analysed RAW video files and I can see that GT650W records at average 12Mbps ( 11.8-12.5Mbps )



Would expect 15Mbps like other new DOD / TioTech series dash cams, but if looking at RAW video files, - overall picture quality is good, but of course could be slightly better with 15Mbps or best like Mobius 18Mbps.
Maybe developer will release a new firmware to rise BitRate, or we can try GT300W ( LS388W ) - based firmwares, - don't know if it's compatible 1:1, but more likely it will be with few tweaks ?

Maybe "SpoKuHin" might take a task to test new firmware upgrades.
He have done a lot of tweaks on different dash cam firmwares:

Carscam WDR650
DOD LS300W
DOD LS388W
Givoe G1W
Shadow GT300W
TantuGo T200
Vosonic V777W-V6-V8

 

[niko]

If the GT680W would be completly black I would have already ordered it.

You can buy black paint spray ( cheapest is 3-5 eur ), or proper one " matt black plasti-dip" around 12-15 eur and do some DIY, - you will get the best result with NO logoes.
Even If I consider Itronics ITB-100 having best surface coating with nice matt paint, - it still has some factory writings on dash camera body which need to be covered with black electrical tape or over-painted for perfect full body black effect.
So the best personal result is DIY with plasti-dip, - you will get whole body nice black-matt. You are going to use max 10-15% of the spray can, - rest you can keep for your future projects or any other use. So it is bargain investment into plasti-dip.

 

[goku]

expected more of this beauty. not bad image but 12.5 kbps .. at least 15.8kbps ahead of his sister gt550w. quite the opposite.

 

[goku]

will be "mbps" really important factor? Well, no more, I guess maybe glasses or transistors or processor, whatever. the quality of the materials. I am a novice in these matters.

 

[billknow]

Also I am interested to know from manufacturer what exact CMOS they are using, because 1/2.5" ( as advertised ) is not AR0330 ( 1/3" )

Got info from Shadow, the cmos is AR0330.

 

[jokiin]

Got info from Shadow, the cmos is AR0330.

makes more sense that it's just a typo and not some different sensor, AR0330 is very popular right now

 

[niko]

expected more of this beauty. not bad image but 12.5 kbps .. at least 15.8kbps ahead of his sister gt550w. quite the opposite.

With 12.5 or 15.8Mbps reading of vital data like numberplates is still almost the same, you can read car numberplates on both ones, the difference is in the noise.

 

[niko]

will be "mbps" really important factor? Well, no more, I guess maybe glasses or transistors or processor, whatever. the quality of the materials. I am a novice in these matters.

Although Mbps is also important factor, but only if difference is dramatic ( like comparing 5Mbps vs 15Mbps ). On 12Mbps vs 15Mbsp , vital data reading is not that big difference. You are right, CPU , CMOS, quality glass lens and I want to add a fine tuned firmware, - those things all together what doing final video quality good or bad.

 

[niko]

Got info from Shadow, the cmos is AR0330.

It make sense. I can't think of any CMOS 1/2.5" that would fit into the whole package of 99usd.
AR0330 looks to be more reasonable. So info from Chinese web-site abotu gt680w using 1/2.5" cmos - is false advertising.

 

[jokiin]

So info from Chinese web-site abotu gt680w using 1/2.5" cmos - is false advertising.

false but I doubt it was intentional

 

[niko]

Found few more videos from "Chinese YouTube" SoKu:

Day City:
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjA4MDQwNjc2.html

Night City:
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjA3NzcwMDgw.html
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjA4NDM2ODE2.html

You have to wait 15sec until advertisement stops ( count down you see in right top corner of video clip )
Also, those videos set by default to 720p and they can be changed to 1080p viewing only if registered on that site, which can be done only if you have Chinese mobile phone nubmer. But even in 720p you can see a good quality video result.

 

[JazzTalk]

got information from Shadow. GT680W is not made by TioTech, but they are not willing to tell the manufactory's name..

 

[Quintas]

Since GT680W is not made by Tiotech, it shouldn't be post under the DOD/Tiotech page. Otherwise, people will be confused.

 

[niko]

got information from Shadow. GT680W is not made by TioTech, but they are not willing to tell the manufactory's name..

I think manufacturer is not that important. For end user most important is to have a good quality product.

 

[niko]

Since GT680W is not made by Tiotech, it shouldn't be post under the DOD/Tiotech page. Otherwise, people will be confused.

I agree with you. There are a lot of confusion, especially if some websites advertises gt680w using A10 cpu which is nearly identical to TioTech A8 ( NT96650 ). Till now some technical / hardware info regarding sources they coming from is speculative.
As soon, as this issue will be clarified, then can move gt680w thread to other sub-forum.

 

[jokiin]

I think manufacturer is not that important. For end user most important is to have a good quality product.

Agree, need to keep in mind what's being compared here

 

[Sabe]

Found few more videos from "Chinese YouTube" SoKu:

Day City:
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjA4MDQwNjc2.html

Night City:
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjA3NzcwMDgw.html
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjA4NDM2ODE2.html

You have to wait 15sec until advertisement stops ( count down you see in right top corner of video clip )
Also, those videos set by default to 720p and they can be changed to 1080p viewing only if registered on that site, which can be done only if you have Chinese mobile phone nubmer. But even in 720p you can see a good quality video result.

Quality in these videos is so good that it makes me wonder are they really made with standard stock camera.
Resolution is 720p and still you can read smallest text in signs and everywhere.

 

[niko]

I have analysed raw video files and wide view angle is impressive. You can see total 8 car lanes standing on the stop-sign.



Next footage shows can see and read numberplates from second left lane moving car.

 

[Gabolinche]

So, if one were to decide between a GT550W ($99.88) or a GT680W ($99.99) what would your suggestion be? In both cases I would be painting logos and anything that's not black with plastidip... I was pretty convinced with the GT550W over the VF960/G900 ($99.90) but now the GT680W came into play and I'm undecided yet...