Aerobatics: five DVRs with top processors

The demand for Xiaomi DVRs is only growing from generation to generation. The secret of their success lies in the winning combination of affordable cost and functional qualities. Take, for example, the compact “baby” YI Compact Car from the 2018 model range and sort through its ins and outs.

The first weighty argument in favor of the car recorder is the high quality of video recording, regardless of street lighting factors. The device writes a detailed video sequence in FullHD resolution, as they say, both day and night. At the same time, e-HDR technology (a new round of development of the WDR function) has been put on guard for the readability of scenes with huge differences in brightness.

In addition, the DVR got hold of a smart ADAS traffic monitoring system. It collects information about markings, vehicle movements from the lane, the distance between road users and warns the driver about the possible risk of unsafe situations. In case of an accident, the model has a G-sensor with three levels of sensitivity (weak, medium, high), which will help save the video until the moment of impact.

The ace up the sleeve of the model is support for remote control from a smartphone through the Mi Home application. From the screen of a mobile gadget, key parameters of the DVR operation are configured and it is easier to search for the desired videos. But the Xiaomi YI Compact Car menu itself sins not with the full localization of the interface. In fact, this is the only shortcoming of the model, which can be safely neglected against the backdrop of a whole armada of positive qualities of the DVR.

The Ukrainian brand Aspiring has been present on the consumer electronics market for 10 years. The company began its journey on it with the production of tablet computers. Today, the backbone of the brand's products are video recorders. In the middle strata of society, the Expert 2 model is a success.

In the "engine compartment" of the device there is a Novatek NTK96660 processor and a high-quality 7G OV4689 sensor at 5 MP. Working side by side, they capture what is happening on the road in a maximum resolution of 3840x2160 pixels at a frame rate of 24 fps. In daylight, the clips shine with high detail, but as the light deteriorates, the quality of the transmission of details drops, which is due to the design of the optics used. In contrast to the above, it is necessary to note the ultra-wide viewing angle of the lens (about 170 °), due to which the maximum of the surrounding space in front of the car's hood is placed in the frame.

The video fixation device is mounted on a bracket with a built-in power connector, which eliminates the need to manipulate wires when installing / dismantling the recorder during parking. The Aspiring Expert 2 control panel is represented by a 2.7-inch diagonal screen combined with mechanical buttons on the right side of the case. It is offered to view the captured videos, as well as share them “over the air” without unnecessary “dancing with a tambourine” - just connect a smartphone to the DVR via a Wi-Fi network.

A mandatory attribute of any more or less advanced car recorder is a G-sensor. It works when there is a sharp change in the speed or trajectory of the car, protecting the videos captured at these moments from being overwritten. The model will take root in any car and will come to the rescue in resolving difficult situations on the road when participating in traffic accidents.

The Stealth MFU-650 car recorder combines the functions of a video recording of the traffic situation, a signature radar detector and a GPS informer in one person. Moreover, in all roles, the combo device manifests itself exclusively in a positive way.

In terms of video shooting, the brainchild of Stealth records videos in a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 pixels with a frame rate of 30 fps. The lens of the DVR "looks" at the surrounding world with a viewing angle of about 142°, which ensures that the current lane, neighboring lanes and the sidewalk are captured in the frame. The data storage for the material captured on the device will be a microSD flash drive with a capacity of up to 128 GB. It is advisable to pair the device with a drive of the 10th speed class.

The flagship HiSilicon Hi3516C chip is installed “under the hood” of the DVR, which is responsible for the fast responsiveness of the entire system. Also , in the bowels of the Stealth MFU-650 case, there was a place for a radar detector operating on the Anti-CAS signature technology for the benefit of minimizing false passages. The model determines radiation in the X, K, Ka, Laser and Strelka bands, suggests compliance with the speed limit and the distance to the radar complex. The user is given 4 operating modes of the detector to choose from: "Route", "City-1", "City-2" and "Auto".

The recorder is attached to the windscreen with a suction cup. In addition, a contact group is placed on the fastener for docking with the "body" of the combo device without extra wires, and a GPS module is also included in the fastening design. Their other interesting things on board the model of special mention are the Wi-Fi block, which serves to deploy a wireless network between the car recorder and a smartphone with a pre-installed PlusCam application. In case of emergencies and power failures, the combo device is armed with its own 200 mAh rechargeable battery for short-term battery life.

Automotive electronics brand PlayMe has made a name for itself by manufacturing advanced dash cams and radar detectors. However, some of the devices under the sign of this brand combine the functions of an auto-registrar and a "catcher" of police radars in one bottle. A good example of this is the P550 Tetra.

The device in the form factor of a miniature "soap box" is assembled in a soft-touch plastic case and is subject to "registration" on the windscreen of a car using a vacuum suction cup with a clip. All important connectors in Tetra are placed on the right side. From the rear, the "carcass" of the model is decorated with a 2.4-inch color display, and on the front panel of the combo device you can see a protruding lens of 6 glass lenses, providing a viewing angle of 140 ° diagonally.

The registrar's camera records video in the maximum resolution of 2304x1296 pixels at 30 fps. Numbers of passing and oncoming cars on the video remain well readable both in the daytime and at night. In addition, WDR technology comes to the rescue in compensating for excessive light from the headlights of oncoming traffic. Another useful "chip" in the model's assets is the function of controlling the presence of a car within the LDWS band.

An important advantage of "Tetra" over "common people" car recorders is the built-in radar detector, which tells about approaching police "traps" ("Strelka", "Krechet", "Robot"), stationary speed measurement systems in the manner of "Avtodoria" and low power laser radars. Alerts on the radar-part are duplicated by a female voice. If it is unbearable to listen to him, it is enough to hold your hand in front of the video recorder screen from a distance of up to 10 cm. A simple gesture turns off the voice dubbing of the GPS informer. There are no special nitpicks about the model on the Internet, therefore, in terms of the “price / functional charge” ratio, it is destined for a very significant role in the arena of combo devices.

The BlackVue DR900S-1CH is probably the best car DVR ever made. The model is stuffed to capacity with progressive features and shoots video of uncompromising quality.

Without changing traditions, the Taiwanese brand sculpted the device in a discreet cylindrical form factor. There is no display on board. In return, the user is invited to manipulate the auto-registrar using a smartphone. Communication BlackVue DR900S-1CH with mobile gadgets is kept on a Wi-Fi network in the 2.4 or 5 GHz bands. A proprietary application provides access to video recording settings, a media library of files, allows you to launch the device remotely and send videos to the "cloud". Interaction of the DVR with cloud services requires an additional Over the Cloud kit, which is not included in the standard package of the model.

An advanced 8 MP matrix from Omnivision is installed in the main module of the device, in close proximity to which there is a top HiSilicon HI3559 processor. This spark produces an "honest" 4K resolution picture (3840x2160 pixels) with a frame rate of 30 fps. The numbers of passing, oncoming and parked cars in the frame remain well readable from a distance. Moreover, the registrar was “brought up” with support for the H.265 codec, which implies an increase and improvement of the image without compromising the volume of the recording.

Among other "goodies", the DVR acquired a GPS module for recording the current speed of movement and coordinates, as well as a supercapacitor as an autonomous power source. The device lacks only a swivel mount (the “head” of the model itself can turn into the salon), and the price tag, many are eager to see a more democratic one. In parallel with the single-channel version of the auto-registrar, a variant of the BlackVue DR900S-2CH , additionally armed with a FullHD reversing camera.