You can quickly evaluate the differences between the models in the summary table. If you want to learn about alternatives to the options presented, you can get acquainted with the full catalog of DVRs.

 
Removable battery, low price.
 
 
Poor-quality night shooting.
 

Digital DCR-122

The DCR-122 is a model from the American brand Digital from the lowest price range. At the same time, it has a reliable mount (suction cup holder) and a 2.5" rotary display for viewing the filmed videos. The removable battery holds a charge for up to 45 minutes and can be recharged from a cigarette lighter and when connected to a computer.

Plastic optics are equipped with a 1/4" CMOS sensor that is not the most photosensitive and has a limited viewing angle of 100 degrees. The result is a rather dark "picture" when shooting at night. Therefore, the DCR-122 was equipped with six infrared (IR) diodes, which (as stated in the specifications) should improve the quality of the shooting. But in reality, the changes are not so significant, since a good night shooting is limited to a distance of 1 metre.

The resolution of the video affects the clarity of the image and the readability of the license plates. The resolution of 1920x1080 pixels indicated in the characteristics and in the Digital DCR-122 menu misinforms buyers. After all, this model uses interpolation, which makes Full HD from an HD frame without noticeable quality improvements. As a result, on the video taken by Digital DCR-122, road signs will be less distinguishable than those of more expensive solutions with a Full HD sensor.
 
Stealthy installation, Full HD, low price.
 
 
IR illumination is not effective, the average quality of the footage.
 

Stealth DVR-ST220

Stealth DVR-ST220 is a non-standard DVR for covert placement. The universal mount allows you to attach it to any standard mirror. At the same time, there will be no need to remove and put on the recorder every time, since it is difficult to recognize its presence externally. However, the cable will have to be hidden in the skin, otherwise it will hang from the rear-view mirror and interfere with the driver.

The LCD display has a diagonal of 2.4". You can turn it off or set the off time by timer so that it does not distract you from driving. Stealth DVR-ST220 has a wide-angle object with a viewing angle of 120 degrees. The built-in small capacity battery is designed to save video recordings when the power is turned off. This is especially true at the time of the accident, when the video may be cut off and not be saved.

Stealth DVR-ST220 records video with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Therefore, the license plates of the cars will be visible approximately at a distance of up to 7 metres in daylight. Quite a light-sensitive 1/3" CMOS matrix can shoot video at night relatively well, which is beyond the control of many low-cost models. The presence of a motion sensor can be useful in the parking lot. Connected to a constant power supply, the recorder will automatically start shooting when movement occurs in the "field of view" of the sensor.
 
Compact housing, G-sensor, built-in memory (512 MB) and support for microSDXC cards up to 128 GB, optional connection of a GPS antenna, the "180 degree screen flip" function.
 
 
Fragile attachment.
 

Gazer F121

The Gazer F121 is one of the smallest cameras with a display among commercially available models. It has a very compact suction cup holder on the glass, in which the camera rotates 360 degrees.

The F121 is equipped with a 1/3" sensitive CMOS matrix and a high-speed Ambrella A7 processor. Gazer F121 shoots high-quality both day and night, with a Full HD resolution (1920×1080). The glass object has a record viewing angle of 160 degrees. On the one hand, this is good, because any details of the trip will get into the frame. And on the other hand, it's bad, because the distance to the objects in the shooting will be distorted.

During the shooting of the F121, you can turn off the sound recording and block the recording fragment from cyclic erasure. Three-axis accelerometer (G-sensor) for instantaneous speed changes (mainly accidents) also blocks a fragment of a record from being erased. It even works on a sharp acceleration (the gas pedal "to the floor"), so there may be unnecessary entries in the device's memory that are protected from erasure. The built-in 512 MB memory will allow you to copy the key points of the shooting, if in case of an accident a memory card with the original recording will need to be attached to the protocol. The package includes an 8 GB microSD card with an adapter and a USB cable.

With an optional GPS antenna, Gazer can "talk" to the driver and notify about approaching police posts, radars, tracking cameras, dangerous road sections, etc. And also the gadget will display the speed of your car.
 
Good recording quality (day and night), built-in memory (128 MB).
 
 
Bulky body, plastic object.
 

Sho-Me Combo 1

The Korean company Sho-Me has 15 years of experience in the production of high-quality radar detectors. Recently, the company's experts decided to equip their time-tested radar detector with a DVR, symbolically calling it Combo 1. This is a rare case when a combined model replaces two different devices well.

The object of the recorder has a viewing angle of 120 degrees and is equipped with a large CMOS sensor 1/2.7" OmniVision OV2710. Recording is done with Full HD resolution on an external microSD memory card up to 32 GB (internal memory 128 MB). The recorder has a switchable G-motion and impact sensor. The built-in GPS module allows you to display the date, time, speed of your car, as well as warns you by voice about approaching cameras, radars, police posts (subject to a fresh update). Combo 1 works with mobile ambushes, so to speak, in online mode.

Combo 1 is equipped with a radar detector with a basic set of functions. In particular, it warns about the signals of various laser metres and stationary complexes.
 
Hidden installation, high-quality shooting day and night, GPS module, support for microSD memory cards up to 64 GB, software for route processing, saving and viewing the filmed material on the phone.
 
 
There is no built-in battery and display.
 

BlackVue DR650GW-1CH

The model from the well-established Korean company BlackVue is perfect for concealed installation. A very compact holder on 3M tape and the absence of a display makes the DR650GW-1CH a miniature device. Therefore, its presence on the windscreen will be minimally distracting, and it can be installed anywhere.

The BlackVue DR650GW-1CH is equipped with an Exmor photosensitive matrix developed by Sony specifically for DVRs. The video recording resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels, as befits a model of its price category. The manufacturer used high-power optics with illuminated glass, which improves night shooting. The viewing angle of the object is 129 degrees — quite an acceptable value.

The built-in GPS module with a location accuracy of up to 5 metres displays the current speed, binds it to the record, and records all the coordinates of the car's movements, which can be seen through the software (included) with display on Google Maps. In addition, the video from the recorder can be viewed via Wi-Fi on a smartphone. Also, with the help of a special mobile application, you can manage the settings of the recorder and save the captured BlackVue video files on your smartphone.

The built-in G-sensor will be relevant in emergency cases. When it is triggered, the file will be instantly protected from automatic deletion during cyclic recording. And the sensitivity of the G-sensor can be adjusted along three axes.

The BlackVue DR650GW-1CH does not have a built-in battery, however, there is enough power from the capacitor to shut down correctly when the power is turned off. Also note that the operating range of the recorder is one of the widest — from -20 to + 60 °C.
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