The GT680W is a compact dashboard camera that is sold under the Chinese Shadow Tec / Sheezeus brand. Like many of the cameras based on the popular Novatek NT96650 processor and the Aptina AR0330 CMOS sensor, video quality during the day is very good and night quality is good as well. We would like to thank our member niko who provided the review for this camera on our forum.
It records 1080p at 30f/s with an average bit rate of approximately 15,000kpbs. The camera is quite compact and comes with a 2.7″ screen. There are 2 models available, 1 with GPS and 1 without GPS. This camera is also sold as the HD-190 in Taiwan.
The camera is quite small measuring 80x50x35mm. The original version has some silver colored components (lens, part of the casing) but Sheezeus has released a more discreet, all black version as shown below. We recommend the black version as it is less noticeable.
Size Comparison
The GT680W is currently one of the smallest cameras with the Novatek NT96650 processor and the Aptina AR0330 CMOS sensor. As can be seen from the following photo, it is smaller than a standard credit card and just slightly larger than the Mini-0801.
The following video has a size comparison as well.
Wide Dynamic Range
While the Novatek NT96650 Processor supports Wide Dynamic Range, the CMOS sensor used, the Aptina AR0330, has a dynamic range of 72.4 dB (see datasheet). Hence from a pure technical perspective, this camera is not providing true Wide Dynamic Range.
Known problems
This camera has recently been released and there is limited information on reliability. However some issues have been raised:
GPS Does Not Lock
The early versions of this camera had a GPS module that would not lock. This apparently was an issue for overseas buyers since the GPS module worked in China. Later versions of this camera are using an improved GPS module that has resolved this problem. Note that you must use firmware V2.4G or higher with the GPS enabled camera.
Below are interior pictures of the GPS modules for the GT680W on the left and the GT550WS on the right. Both are high quality modules.
Waving Background Noise
The GT680W has a “waving” high pitch noise on the background, which is typical for most NT96650 based dash cameras. There is no known resolution for this problem.
Low Capacity Battery
The GT680W is equipped with a low capacity 110 mAh internal battery. This might be due to the compact nature of the camera. The low capacity battery has enough power to close of files and save the date. However, as the battery gets older, it may not have enough power to complete these functions.
Disassembling the Camera
The following video tutorial shows how to disassemble the camera.
Sample Videos
Day Video
Night Video
Comparison with LS300W
PC Software
The GT680W comes with PC Software which can be downloaded here.
Should I Purchase?
The GT680W is an excellent compact camera with GPS. Price is reasonable and most owners are very pleased with this camera. If you are looking for a compact camera with GPS, this could be a best buy if reliability is maintained. Our primary concern is the small capacity battery which may not have a long life and will result in user problems (i.e. not recording last video, damaging SD cards).
Firmware
WARNING! MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR FIRMWARE ARE PERFORMED AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR DASH CAM AS A RESULT OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
Firmware Update Instructions
- Download the firmware
- Format the SD card, copy the “YTX000FW.bin” to the root directory
- Make sure the camera have enough battery, insert the SD card into the camera
- Turn on the camera and wait until the camera turns on automatically
- Check the version
This procedure will not work for some of the earlier versions of this camera. You will need to use the following LD96650A.zip Loader then update the firmware as per the 5 steps above.
Latest Firmware
The latest firmware is 2.8G but we do not have a copy of this firmware.
The firmware version with GPS / without GPS is same. The previous version is Seezeus GT680W V2.7G (May be problematic on silver versions of this camera).
For the all black GT680W, the previous firmware is Shadow_GT680W_full_black_v2.7G_FW.zip
Previous Firmware Versions
Specifications
Data Sheet No specs match that search. Hardware Layout ScoresTechnical Specs
Spec Shadow Tec GT680W Brand Shadow Tec Model GT680W Channels 1 Channel Setup Front Form Factor Hanging Release Date Sep 2013 Country China Warranty 12 months Spec Shadow Tec GT680W Processor Novatek NT96650 Video Format MOV Compression H.264 Screen Size 2.7" Touchscreen No Mount Suction and Adhesive Power Supply 5V Battery Type 110mAh Spec Shadow Tec GT680W Parking Mode No Wi-Fi No GPS Optional Apps Windows Cloud Connectivity No Voice Commands No Spec Shadow Tec GT680W SD Card Type MicroSD Max Card Size 64GB Operating Temperature 0°C to 65°C Swivel No Error Notification No Camera Units
CMOS Aptina AR0330 Max Resolution 1920 x 1080p FPS 30 Bitrate 15.0 Mbps Viewing Angle 140° Dimensions 80 x 50 x 35 HDR No Ratings
Published: January 7, 2014
Updated: March 3, 2014