I wrote to support @ blueskysea-inc . com with my reasons for returning the DV988 Pro, and asked a few questions about the XB-701. Here is the response from Vicky at BSS:
Thanks for your asking. The following are the answers about these questions.
1) The DV988 wastes 30% of the disk space by blocking it out, and overwriting saved video even though the displays shows hours of recording time available.
Does the XB-701 do the same thing (blocking out card space), rather than just locking individual crash/SOS/impact files?
-Yes, they do the same thing.
2) The GPS in the XB-701 appears to be integrated. Can the GPS be turned off in the menu settings?
-You can set the GPS for on or turn off in the menu settings.
3) The DV988 menu does not allow the date/time stamp function to be turned off. Can the timestamp be turned off on the XB-701?
-Yes, XB-701 allow the date/time stamp function to be turned off.
4) The DB988's display was too dim to be used in daylight conditions. The XB-701 appears to have at least 2 brightness settings. Is the brightness adjustable, or just switchable between day and night?
Is the day setting bright enough to be actually usable during daylight/bright sunlight? My motorcycle's mirrors are a bit buzzy, so this is very important to me.
-The brightness is adjustable for XB-701.
5) What app/software is recommended/provided with the XB-701? The RoadCam app recommended with the DV988 had a number of unnecessary, invasive permission requests, and provided no useful functions. The YingZhen app recommended on the forums was better with permissions, but was not fully translated to English, and offered only limited functionality.
-The RoadCam app is recommended with the XB-701.
6) Is the user manual available as a pdf? I'd like to take a look at the manual before purchasing.
-Attached is the manual of pdf.
The details can be found in the manual,please have a check.
As you can see, some of the information was encouraging, but for now I don't think I'll be getting an XB-701.
#1 - Wasting 30% on the card space while showing a false amount of recording time available pretty much makes this a no-go proposition for me. Until/unless this is fixed, I can't see purchasing the unit.
#2 & 3 - Good news.
#4 - The "answer" did not address my questions. There was no indication as to whether it was bright enough to use in sunlight, not did it indicate whether the "adjustment" was multiple levels of brightness or just day/night.
# 5 - Another fail. The fact that the company continues to recommend a poorly implemented app with invasive permissions is a big negative.
# 6 - I've attached the pdf of the user manual. It's in both Chinese and English, but doesn't address a number of the things I'd like to know as a user. There is no coverage of the sub-menus, and it doesn't clarify the storage blockage addressed in #1 above. Like the Japanese when they first started importing into the U.S.A., the Chinese seem to be too proud to hire native English-speakers to work in their translation teams. The result is often, as it is here, poorly translated, and sometimes barely comprehensible instructions and manuals.
Overall, it looks like the XB-701 is a big leap forward technically from the DV988 Pro, but it still doesn't seem to be ready for prime time. Since the XB-701 claims to have EIS, I didn't ask about it.
Note to Moderators: I couldn't figure out how to start an XB-701 section, so just posted this in the DV988 section.
Thanks for your asking. The following are the answers about these questions.
1) The DV988 wastes 30% of the disk space by blocking it out, and overwriting saved video even though the displays shows hours of recording time available.
Does the XB-701 do the same thing (blocking out card space), rather than just locking individual crash/SOS/impact files?
-Yes, they do the same thing.
2) The GPS in the XB-701 appears to be integrated. Can the GPS be turned off in the menu settings?
-You can set the GPS for on or turn off in the menu settings.
3) The DV988 menu does not allow the date/time stamp function to be turned off. Can the timestamp be turned off on the XB-701?
-Yes, XB-701 allow the date/time stamp function to be turned off.
4) The DB988's display was too dim to be used in daylight conditions. The XB-701 appears to have at least 2 brightness settings. Is the brightness adjustable, or just switchable between day and night?
Is the day setting bright enough to be actually usable during daylight/bright sunlight? My motorcycle's mirrors are a bit buzzy, so this is very important to me.
-The brightness is adjustable for XB-701.
5) What app/software is recommended/provided with the XB-701? The RoadCam app recommended with the DV988 had a number of unnecessary, invasive permission requests, and provided no useful functions. The YingZhen app recommended on the forums was better with permissions, but was not fully translated to English, and offered only limited functionality.
-The RoadCam app is recommended with the XB-701.
6) Is the user manual available as a pdf? I'd like to take a look at the manual before purchasing.
-Attached is the manual of pdf.
The details can be found in the manual,please have a check.
As you can see, some of the information was encouraging, but for now I don't think I'll be getting an XB-701.
#1 - Wasting 30% on the card space while showing a false amount of recording time available pretty much makes this a no-go proposition for me. Until/unless this is fixed, I can't see purchasing the unit.
#2 & 3 - Good news.
#4 - The "answer" did not address my questions. There was no indication as to whether it was bright enough to use in sunlight, not did it indicate whether the "adjustment" was multiple levels of brightness or just day/night.
# 5 - Another fail. The fact that the company continues to recommend a poorly implemented app with invasive permissions is a big negative.
# 6 - I've attached the pdf of the user manual. It's in both Chinese and English, but doesn't address a number of the things I'd like to know as a user. There is no coverage of the sub-menus, and it doesn't clarify the storage blockage addressed in #1 above. Like the Japanese when they first started importing into the U.S.A., the Chinese seem to be too proud to hire native English-speakers to work in their translation teams. The result is often, as it is here, poorly translated, and sometimes barely comprehensible instructions and manuals.
Overall, it looks like the XB-701 is a big leap forward technically from the DV988 Pro, but it still doesn't seem to be ready for prime time. Since the XB-701 claims to have EIS, I didn't ask about it.
Note to Moderators: I couldn't figure out how to start an XB-701 section, so just posted this in the DV988 section.
