The new 808 #18 DR32 Car Camera

Just from the photos I am not sure what to recommend, but I like the first, even the second can be more easy to handle.
But because your car have that green area so you can't mount the camera very high you can also think to their suction cup offer because your camera will still be in the top most position because the suction cup will be in the green area. In your car I like most the dots area and there I would fix my suction cup.

For example if that was my car I can mount the camera here:


enjoy,
Mtz
 

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Mtz said:
Just from the photos I am not sure what to recommend, but I like the first, even the second can be more easy to handle.
But because your car have that green area so you can't mount the camera very high you can also think to their suction cup offer because your camera will still be in the top most position because the suction cup will be in the green area. In your car I like most the dots area and there I would fix my suction cup.

For example if that was my car I can mount the camera here:


enjoy,
Mtz
Click to expand...
Suction cup offer is off the table because it will lose its grip on the dotted area very quickly.
I had to even remount it today because it had fell off just 30 minutes after I set it up (car was just parked during that).
I guess I'll have a try with the plastic one and see if it's stable enough.

As for the sample videos, I have a compare between a F500LHD (from yesterday) and this DR32 (from today).
Weather is almost identical between the days (only the temperature is different), so lighting conditions are the same.
I wouldn't take the sound as a good example yet, because my right passanger door is bent from yesterdays accident (visible on the F500LHD's video) so the road and wind noise is quite strong, although there might be something to be fixed, as the volume of the sound was quite high, which propably made it much worse. Will have to see if it's possible to get it better somehow.

DR32 sample: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/54281287/DR32/DR32.AVI
F500LHD sample: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/54281287/DR32/F500LHD.MOV

Youtube:
DR32 sample: http://youtu.be/wjuyfkrkdCg
F500LHD sample: http://youtu.be/f-PKBXkFKhc
 
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In the DR32 video sample the audio is bad. Try another SD Card.
I hope blackvue and other korean camera users will see that on your dashboard are no macroblocks.

Will be nice if you can mount both cameras on the same car and make some recording. Even you are not good in video editing, offering the original files is enough. Some video comparison you can see on my YouTube channel.

I like the green tint from your windshield which is recorded on the video. I hope it will not affect the white balance.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
Can't mount side-by-side, already sent my old camera away to a buddy in the other end of the country :D

Andother (faster) SD card might fix the audio? Ok, will have to test it then, although it was fine indoors.
Could it also be from not using the original power adaptor and having a standard 2x USB 5V 1A per slot adaptor instead?

Also, the green tint isn't visible for the camera at the moment, you can see it from this: http://youtu.be/T94jHPwnfTo
It's only visible in the corner when I move the camera around a bit, checking if it's centered correctly.
 
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Is not only about the audio, but also about the video. I have the feeling when more bitrate is needed, the image is choppy. At the end when the car was stopped the audio sounds better.
1A charger should be enough. But try to use the original one, at least for the tests.
The green tint is not in your youtube link but was in the DR32.avi You can keep a little part of green on the upper position of the image. Will protect the image (and camera) from the too much bright sky.
Overall, I like the image.

After few days you will use this camera I am waiting your comparison.
Until then, can you say why you gave your old dashcam?

enjoy,
Mtz

PS: because your old camera is in another part of the country, you should change your dashcam in the profile. ;)
 
Gave away, because I didn't feel like needing it any more and the topic of getting a dashcam came up in a chatroom, so I offered mine.

The DR32.avi does not have the green tint visible, I just checked over. Look at the walls of buildings, when they cover the whole left side of the camera viewing area. The colors stay the same from bottom to top. I did the camera position adjustment (last Youtube link) before filming the sample.
 
You are right. The green sky confused me.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
Hawk600 said:
I've found this night video as well, impressive!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlutuczljcI

There are downsides though this camera does not have a battery so if for some reason you lose power it stops and that would not be nice on an accident when you most need the camera on!
Click to expand...

Thats a good thing for Australians, no one wants a dashcam battery exploding/catching fire inside a locked up vehicle; when the temp outside is 40+ degrees centigrade.
 
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Yeah, seems to be a sound amplifier input.
Try to set the volume to 1 value.

Regarding the mounts, one ebay seller offer both systems for $11.

0


enjoy,
Mtz
 
I just got mine and it has the same sound issue :(
Is this a bad batch or is it something that can be resolved with a firmware update?
Tried with sound volume on 1 through 3, same result.
When the engine is at idle, the sound quality is good but once I start driving it's just horrible

The video quality on the other hand is excellent.

Cheers
 
UPDATE 4/19/2013: Updated firmware alleviated the audio issue.

I also just received my DR32 camera.

Some experiences so far:
- I also have the audio over gain issue. Once I opened the video file in an editor, the audio is way too loud and clipping badly. The YouTube videos I've posted are with -24dB audio attenuation. There needs to be a fix. As it stands, the audio is nearly unusable.

- The picture quality, for what it is, is excellent. At night I do see some white balance shifting (green traffic lights are blue) and some bloom.

- The default video files are not directly editable in Adobe Premiere Elements 10. I've had to render them out to a .m4v via Handbrake to align the dropped frames and then edit. This is not necessarily a black mark to the recorder, but something to be aware of. This isn't the first time that I've had files that play just fine that I can't get Adobe to import.

- I ordered with the large mount (small mount was not yet available). The best I can mount it, the screen is just below the rearview mirror. I will definitely need a smaller mount. Until then, I've relocated the camera to the right, nearly inline with the passenger seat. The reasoning is that while I am driving, this is an area that is normally obscured by the A-pillar anyway.

- Looking at the day samples, the sensor looks to be either a CCD or at least a fully gated CMOS shutter. I see no rolling shutter effects. This means that each frame looks just like a still picture. For the role of this device, that's GREAT.

- Lastly, whoever designed the mechanical user interface should be commended. I see nice little touches all around. The on/off switch locking in the SDCard. The SDCard being recessed. The recording LED lighting up the red "save" button at night. For the size limitations, it is very thought out.

I did take some samples and upload them to share. Note that YouTube did compress these some more so there is more macroblocking than on the original recordings.

My night sample. Note the bloom on the lit signs and the blue traffic signals. Direct, bright lights also show a couple of red lens flares. While there is some "smearing" at night, it is to be expected and the quality is still very good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJIHte67IuU

My day sample. Everything is very clear. Note that this one had the EV at +1. There is some hunting with the overall exposure, but this could be due to how it was mounted. Most of the picture is bright sky, and not the road.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Y_XssUnDs
 
I have the feeling your focus is not correct for a dashcam and on night recording I can't read anything.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
My DR32 is on its way and this audio problem is a concern.

I've emailed the manufacturer and my eBay seller describing the audio problem and including a link to this thread. I've asked them if they are aware of the issue and whether or not a firmware update will be issued.

I'll let you know what they say if they reply.

Any quick and dirty fixes? e.g. tape over the mic hole?

Regards.
 
UPDATE 4/19/2013: Updated firmware alleviated the audio issue.

Here's a clip that is a direct upload.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQtQClsTKt8

WARNING, you'll want to turn your speakers down. If you want to skip the part with the music, go to 2:35 to hear just road noise.
 
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@Mtz

Do you think more / less dash in shot or closer to the windshield would change what the camera is focusing on or is it a camera fault?

Edit: Just looked at the full day video. I think pointing it down would help. Looks like it is focusing best in the middle of the image (sky, high up signs). Having said that it isn't bad at all to my eyes...
 
About audio, nobody wrote what audio value have in their settings. The 808 #18 camera have a very good and clear audio so I expected the same good audio also for #26.
Regarding video, is always better to have at the bottom up to 1/5 image containing the front of the car and/or the dashboard.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
Mtz said:
About audio, nobody wrote what audio value have in their settings. The 808 #18 camera have a very good and clear audio so I expected the same good audio also for #26.
Regarding video, is always better to have at the bottom up to 1/5 image containing the front of the car and/or the dashboard.

enjoy,
Mtz
Click to expand...
The audio value in settings menu is for beep output (on button presses).
Also, we know that the unit has produced good sound, for example the one Techmoan reviewed was just fine.
 
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