The Roadhawk HD is a Chinese manufactured 1080p dashboard camera with very good picture quality during the day and good picture quality at night. It records 1080p at 30f/s with an average bit rate of approximately 12,000Kbps.
This camera comes with a G-sensor, internal GPS and external GPS. Unfortunately the camera has a medium sized rectangular design with dimensions of 94mm x 63.5mm x 25mm which is not the most discreet for a dash cam. On the positive side, the camera uses an Ambarella A5S processor and Aptina CMOS sensor which are decent components. It is also one of the few cameras with viewing software for the Mac.
Other Models
This camera is also sold under the Astak DashPro name at Costco.
Known problems
SD Card Errors
Many users have indicated that they receive SD Card Errors with this camera. The camera is advertised to work with 64GB SD cards but this has been very problematic. Smaller sized cards from a variety of manufacturers have been problematic as well including the 8GB Roadhawk card that comes with the camera. This problem is likely resolved with v1.9 firmware which also supports 128GB cards.
GPS signal is found
Some owners complain of “GPS signal not found” errors. This is apparently due to a defective GPS unit and replacement is required.
Difficult to Eject Card
Overall build quality of this dash cam is good but some owners complain it is difficult to eject the SD cards. Pushing on the corner of the card helps eject it.
GPS Interference
Some owners indicate the Roadhawk HD interferes with other GPS navigation devices. This is likely due to poor shielding. The solution is to mount the external GPS far from the navigation device.
Soliciting Reviews
There are a large number of positive reviews for this camera on the Internet. Be aware that the company actively solicits reviews by placing a card in the package which offers a gift if a review is left. The card has the following contents:
“To show our deepest appreciation, we would like to invite you to participate in our Product Review and Reward program”
It then states how to find the product online to write the review and to send an e-mail to them with the link of the review. They then say:
“Claim one of the free gifts below:
- $10 rebate off your original purchase price.
- USB universal rapid wall charger – black or white.
- 2-port USP universal rapid car charger – black or white.
We really care about our customers so please let us know if you have any questions regarding your purchased product”
They are not asking for 5 star reviews but be aware that some people may leave a good review to ensure getting their free gift.
Sample Videos
Day Video
Night Video
Comparison of Roadhawk HD vs BlackVue DR500GW
Should I Purchase?
This camera has decent video quality but there are a number of drawbacks. The camera is also not the smallest or most discrete. And the over $300 price tag is too steep. The Costco version for under $200 is a more reasonable price.
User Manual
The English User Manual can be downloaded here.
Specifications
Detailed Specifications
| Read Review |  |
| Camera Type | Single Channel |
| Form Factor | Hanging - Rectangular |
| Country | China |
| Processor | Ambarella A5S |
| CMOS Front | Aptina |
| CMOS Rear | N/A |
| Channels | 1 |
| Screen | No |
| GPS | Yes |
| G-Sensor | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Parking Mode | No |
| Lock Files | Auto |
| Max Resolution Front | 1920×1080p |
| Front Frames Per Second | 30 |
| Max Bitrate Front (Mbps) | 12 |
| Max Resolution Rear | N/A |
| Rear Frames Per Second | N/A |
| Max Bitrate Rear (Mbps) | N/A |
| Video Format | MP4 |
| Compression | H.264 |
| Diagonal Viewing Angle Front | 127Ëš |
| Diagonal Viewing Angle Rear | N/A |
| SD Card Type | SD |
| Max Size (Spec) | 64GB |
| Max Size (User) | 64GB |
| Size Front (mm) | 94 x 64 x 25 |
| Size Rear (mm) | N/A |
| Mount | Adhesive |
| Power Supply | 12V |
| Operating Temp | Unknown |
| Battery | Battery - Unknown mAh |
| Error Notification | No |
| Apps | PC, OSX |
| Cloud Connectivity | No |
| Release Date | Jan 2013 |
| Unique Features | Comes with internal and external GPS |
| Advantages | Video quality Good GPS |
| Disadvantages | SD Card errors Could be more discreet Expensive |
| Final Word | Too big, too pricey and watch out for SD card errors. |
Published: Jan 22, 2014
Roadhawk HD - DashCamTalk
The Roadhawk HD is too big, too pricey and there are many complaints of SD card errors.
Product SKU: Roadhawk HD
Product Brand: Roadhawk
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 300
Price Valid Until: 2023-01-01
Product In-Stock: SoldOut
4.8