In-car cams

Mio, the Taiwanese cheapo Satnav maker has just released a new range of in car digital cameras -Autocar magazine rates this one very highly in their gear test section this week http://www.mivue.co.uk/Mivue_538_deluxe.php

Found this yesterday and the 568 touch-screen version. Was interested in the Parking Mode but unlike Blackvue and Roadhawk there does not appear to be a smart power adaptor available.

There are also some new Blackvue models available although more expensive.

(30-07-2014 06:11pm)Tony Wrote:  Found this yesterday and the 568 touch-screen version. Was interested in the Parking Mode but unlike Blackvue and Roadhawk there does not appear to be a smart power adaptor available.

There are also some new Blackvue models available although more expensive.

Blackvue are rubbish... well packaged and rolled in glitter, but the quality is shit - well, I'm primarily talking about the 2ch versions, but the single channel versions typically have heating issues too.

The 'smart adaptor' can be used on any dash cam. it's certainly not blackvue specific.

I have a 2ch BlackVue system (DR550GW-2CH) installed and I like it. I particularly like the ability to download video from it wirelessly to my iPhone and to be able to change settings etc remotely using my iPhone. I read a lot about the picture quality and pixelation but have not experienced poor quality or pixelation myself. The units are neat and the rear camera does not require a separate power supply which are all plusses to me the major negative is the cost of the units.

(30-07-2014 09:36pm)RacingSnake Wrote:  Blackvue are rubbish... well packaged and rolled in glitter, but the quality is shit - well, I'm primarily talking about the 2ch versions, but the single channel versions typically have heating issues too.

The 'smart adaptor' can be used on any dash cam. it's certainly not blackvue specific.

I was not promoting Blackvue, there are positive and negative reviews as with all brands, just Google 'Evoque Rattles' and see how many hits you get.

Heating is not an issue where I live, we have just finished summer, two days at 26 deg C., we are now on a downward spiral to winter.

I would consider a smart adaptor essential given later Evoques need to be hard wired (no live power socket after locking) and its ability to discharge its battery after 3 minutes. I would consider any manufacturer of similar aftermarket accessories should offer this feature, I doubt the Evoque is alone in its ability to run out of battery power.

(30-07-2014 10:31pm)JimWooly Wrote:  but have not experienced poor quality or pixelation myself. The units are neat and the rear camera does not require a separate power supply which are all plusses to me the major negative is the cost of the units.

I've had the 550 since its release, and have kept the firmware updated each time it's released.
but the quality is a hardware constraint, so chances are you haven't noticed it, but come the day when you need to read a number plate when you're moving, you will then see the pixilation!

Of course, having a small unit nice and discrete, as well as having the rear cam is great, but for a premium dash-cam it fails on the picture quality front.

Plus, the rear cam cable degrades the DAB signal - it was me who introduced this failing to the manufacturers, who then changed the package to release a shielded rear cable, which helped, but the range is not as good as it used to be.


As you can see, I'm quite vocal about this, I will forgive anything it's foibles... but something which fails at it's sole purpose is a bit inexcusable.
If you're happy with the quality (and it seems you are), thats fine, but I want smooth, sharp and true 1080 quality, not something that pixelates when the car starts moving.



And Tony, if you want the 'offline' parking mode, it's not just the later evoques which lose live after locking - they all do.