Unboxing and Review: Garmin GDR33 1080p Dashcam with 2.3" Screen

[Sunny]

@GearBest provided this dashcam for review.
Thank you!
It's on sale at gearbest.com for $99 with coupon code: GDR33
You have to login to use the coupon code.

Main Features:
2.3 inch TFT screen display
Supporting micro SD card for external storage, up to 32GB capacity (micro SD card not included in the package)
Supporting G-sensor
110 degree wide angle
Supporting PC TOOL image file management software (Software not installed in the product)
Built-in speaker and microphone
Built-in 930mAh rechargeable battery, car charger with mini USB port
Supporting video recording, taking photos

I read few comments in Amazon that it doesn't have GPS but the Garmin's site describes GPS in this model so that's something I'll check out:
http://www.garmin.com.sg/products/ontheroad/gdr33/#featureTab
http://www.garmin.com.sg/products/ontheroad/gdr33/#funcTab

GDR 33 Specifications:
Dimensions: 8.19 × 6.57 × 4.16 cm (L x W x D)
Weight: 122g
GPS Yes
Screen: 2.3" TFT LCD
Camera: f/2.0
Shooting range: Horizontal viewing angle at 110 degrees
Photosensitive components: 3M, 1/3", CMOS
Frame rate: 30 FPS
Video format: AVI (H.264 compression technology)
Gravity sensor: Yes, with collision sensitivity settings
Built-in battery: Yes
Microphone: Yes
Speaker: Yes
Memory card slot: microSDHC, a 8GB Class6 memory card above is recommended
Recording mode: Non-stop recording; when the card is full, old files overwritten (except those being protected)
■ 1080p (1920 × 1080 pixels) at 30fps, save about 1.86 hours in a 8GB micro SD card (256MB for each video file)
■ 720p (1280 × 720 pixels) at 30fps, save about 4.13 hours in a 8GB micro SD card (256MB for each video file)
■ WVGA (848 × 480 pixels) at 30fps, save about 9 hours in a 8GB micro SD card (256MB for each video file)
Ambient temperature: 0 to 70 degrees Celsius
***************************************************
Overall Conclusion:
Video: Default setting is little underexposed so need to up the EV little bit.
At 9mbps, it has pretty good daytime video quality.
Night doesn't have a lot of sharpness but more areas are visible so it's decent.
Audio is very good.
***************************************************
Detailed review:
Package contents:
It comes in a nicely printed box with the following contents:
1. Garmin GDR33 Dashcam.
2. Sticky ball mount.
3. mini USB Car charger.
4. Extra tape for the mount.
5. Inspection sheets.
6. Product manual (in Chinese).




Physically, it feels very well built.
Front has embossed GARMIN label and GDR33 written right below the lens.

Note: Most of the pictures are sid-by-side with Dome G90 and Hetai Nautilus Nemo's eye cameras.


Most of the buttons are below the 2.3" LCD screen and corresponding icons are displayed in the screen:



Right side looking from the back has mini USB port:


Left side from the back has power button and microSD slot.



Bottom has just the microphone hole.
Top has speaker vents and socket for ball mount.




The mount is pretty good made as well but it's long so overall camera hangs little bit below the rear view mirror.
Startup has Garmin logo splash followed by a nice warning about "Do not operate this device while driving...can result in death, serious injury..." so no pressing emergency button.



LCD screen and resolution is of very high quality, it's like a cell phone screen, very smooth and clear.
Menu/settings are very clean unlike cheap dashcam menu that look like old dot matrix.

Unboxing video:

Test videos and screenshots coming soon...

 

[Sunny]

Reserved for menu settings...

 

[Sunny]

Video quality is pretty good considering it's only 9mbps bit rate but can't compete with higher bit rate dashcam videos.
Videos look dark at EV=0. Looks like it overcompensates for sunlight.
I'll have to bump the exposure to higher values and see how bright the video becomes.

Audio is very good, no distortion, no hiss and volume level is also very good.

Folder and files:
SD card has GARMIN root folder that has Snapshot for photos and Video for videos.
Video files are named with generic names like VDO###, no datetime.



VBR and file size:
Overall bit rate: 9 250 Kbps
Video bit rate: 9060 Kbps
Audio bit rate: 176.4 Kbps
Around 255mb for 3:51 video clip.

File properties by mediainfo:

General
Complete name               : F:\GARMIN\Video\VDO_0006.avi
Format                      : AVI
Format/Info                 : Audio Video Interleave
File size                   : 255 MiB
Duration                    : 3mn 51s
Overall bit rate            : 9 250 Kbps

Video
ID                          : 0
Format                      : AVC
Format/Info                 : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile              : Main@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC      : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames   : 2 frames
Format settings, GOP        : M=3, N=8
Codec ID                    : H264
Duration                    : 3mn 51s
Bit rate                    : 9 060 Kbps
Width                       : 1 920 pixels
Height                      : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio        : 16:9
Frame rate                  : 30.000 fps
Color space                 : YUV
Chroma subsampling          : 4:2:0
Bit depth                   : 8 bits
Scan type                   : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)          : 0.146
Stream size                 : 249 MiB (98%)

Audio
ID                          : 1
Format                      : ADPCM
Codec ID                    : 2
Duration                    : 3mn 51s
Bit rate mode               : Constant
Bit rate                    : 176.4 Kbps
Channel(s)                  : 1 channel
Sampling rate               : 44.1 KHz
Bit depth                   : 4 bits
Stream size                 : 4.89 MiB (2%)
Interleave, duration        : 46 ms (1.38 video frame)

Daytime Screenshots:

 

[Sunny]

Daytime screenshots continued...

 

[CheckYourLights]

Sunny
Have you found a good program to edit your videos from this camera?
I have tried
Kate's Video Tool Kit: Crashes
avidemux: Crashes
Freemake: Reduces file bit rate to about 5mb
VideoPad: Reduces file bit rate to about 5mb
VSDC: Can't figure out
Garmin stock program: Drops audio and video from preview and won't trim files

All I want to do is strip audio to upload clips and keep correct bitrate, but I don't want to mute the camera while I am driving.
Thanks.

 

[Sunny]

Sunny
Have you found a good program to edit your videos from this camera?
I have tried
Kate's Video Tool Kit: Crashes
avidemux: Crashes
Freemake: Reduces file bit rate to about 5mb
VideoPad: Reduces file bit rate to about 5mb
VSDC: Can't figure out
Garmin stock program: Drops audio and video from preview and won't trim files

All I want to do is strip audio to upload clips and keep correct bitrate, but I don't want to mute the camera while I am driving.
Thanks.

Define edit.
If you are just looking to cut and join, this program works great and doesn't need to re-encode.
I've been using it and works fine without any issue.
http://download.cnet.com/Free-Video-Cutter-Joiner/3000-13631_4-75587035.html

I also use Gilisoft if the free one doesn't work depending upon video format.

For muting, you can change music in youtube easily.

 

[CheckYourLights]

I'm looking to mute the audio
As well as cut the almost 4 min clips down to 1 min

 

[Sunny]

I'm looking to mute the audio
As well as cut the almost 4 min clips down to 1 min

Cutting will work with that free program, not sure about muting.
I'll check and update if I find one soon.

Here are some daytime videos.
Videos are a bit underexposed so I'll test and update with higher exposure values later.
For now, it's at default EV=0.
Watch in 1080p resolution...
1. From my usual street to highway against the Sun.
Audio replaced...

2. Another familiar highway.
At 2:50, notice exposure change under a building's shadow.

3. Testing exposure changes going through tree shadows:
The exposure changes very quick but shows the effect in the video during that transition.

4. Afternoon on the same street that I test other videos on:
I'm following a Sheriff's car over 10mph than the speed limit.

5. Afternoon on the same street that I test other videos on:

It's pretty good for 9mbps VBR video.
I'll test with increased EV and the videos will be much brighter.

I'm testing evening and night videos and I'll have to say, they are much better than I expected looking at the day videos.
Those coming soon...

 

[Sunny]

Evening videos: Watch in 1080p resolution...
Pretty good quality.

Exposure changed to +1 at 00:24 and video becomes much brighter.
Sky becomes overexposed but we don't get meteor like in Russia so that's fine.

 

[Sunny]

Night screenshots:
Night video is very decent.
It's not very sharp but I can see a lot more things in dark than other generic dash cameras.












continued...

 

[Sunny]

Night screenshots continued...

High beam:


Low beam:




Bunny running for its life:

 

[Sunny]

Night videos: Watch in 1080p resolution...
From no light to street lights to traffic lights:

Strip mall:

High/low beam @ 1:25, Bunny running for its life @ 1:51.

Overall Conclusion:
Video: Default setting is little underexposed so need to up the EV little bit.
At 9mbps, it has pretty good daytime video quality.
Night doesn't have a lot of sharpness but more areas are visible so it's decent.
Audio is very good.

Few things:
Power button just needs a tap to turn it off unlike other dashcams that need to hold little bit so need to be careful.
Screen doesn't completely go off. It only dims.
Will add more depending upon findings...

 

[Paul17]

hey guys.. I bought the GDR 33 for it's GPS and used the PC Tool software.. but it doesn't show my location and speed like others in Youtube.. any suggestion??

 

[Sunny]

hey guys.. I bought the GDR 33 for it's GPS and used the PC Tool software.. but it doesn't show my location and speed like others in Youtube.. any suggestion??

Are you sure it has gps?
The one I got was non gps model.

If yours is gps model, check menu for turning gps on.
Also check for text file with gps log and try registrator viewer.

 

[Paul17]

Are you sure it has gps?
The one I got was non gps model.

If yours is gps model, check menu for turning gps on.
Also check for text file with gps log and try registrator viewer.

Just fount out that it doesn't have any GPS.. bummer..