Review of the video recorder with GPS informant AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS
Until 2016, Russian AdvoCam DVRs in the most brazen manner cost much more expensive than competitors with similar capabilities. In addition, the brand fundamentally did not produce super-budget models of the lowest price segment. They say it is impossible to ensure the reliability and high quality of shooting at a modest budget. In early 2014, the company released the AdvoCam-FD Black-GPS, its most accessible device at the time. Well, that is, as affordable - at the rate then the model cost almost $ 130. By today's standards it is practically 8,000 rubles. That's what the manufacturer wrote about the novelty then: “a budget model from a premium brand of DVRs, in which the level of video quality and workmanship, typical of the more expensive AdvoCam black boxes, is fully preserved.
Hello, constant readers of Geektimes and those who glanced here for the first time! With you again Alexander Shub, the tireless Belarusian journalist and the leading Russian expert in the field of car DVRs. I will not delve into the stories about myself, right away - to the point.
For two years now, AdvoCam has not been a “premium” at all, or rather, not only a premium. Because the devices of the brand "live" including in the price range of "up to 5,000 rubles." And what about AdvoCam-FD Black-GPS? For the third year already, it is in great demand and categorically does not want to “retire”. In general, get acquainted - the version of AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS updated at the end of 2017 for 5,600 rubles. Guess from three times what it is remarkable?
That's right, support for GLONASS was added, and with it they also “screwed” support for warnings about stationary speed control complexes along the base of coordinates. Everything else remains the same - both the design and the components. Therefore, if you are already familiar with the AdvoCam-FD Black-GPS model, feel free to skip this material. If not, add a decent medium budget recorder to the bank of your outlook (absolutely budget - for example, AdvoCam FD-4 for 3,500 rubles ).
By the way, in July of this year, my material “How I traveled to Suzdal, or almost a review of a three-year hit - the AdvoCam-FD Black DVR” was published . Therefore, for those who want to look at the beauty of Suzdal and read a review tour with the participation of the predecessor of the hero of this review - I recommend following the link.
What model has won national recognition? Frankly, the answer is not obvious. In fact, functionally these are unremarkable model. For the money on the market is full of Full HD-cameras, so even with the through-power through the bracket. I can only assume that the users liked the high (for this price segment, of course) the quality of the shooting (which, by the way, is still not a shame for the end of 2017), coupled with high reliability. As I was told by AdvoCam engineers, the device after the release went through several hardware revisions to eliminate all potentially problematic places. Throughout 2017, AdvoCam-FD Black-GPS and its non-GPS version consistently collected about 6,000 search queries per month. For comparison: I asked the Wordstarsash where my favorite search frequency is TOP-12 of the most popular recorders according to the Yandex version. And only three of them have overcome the mark of 4,000 search queries. And then the two devices are hybrids.
Regarding the design of the box, AdvoCam is distinguished by an enviablemonotony of constancy. I did not see anything fundamentally new here - the same table of correspondence between the recording time and the size of the memory card at different resolutions and the description of each of the control buttons. If you have at least a little experience of “communicating” with DVRs, such a mini-instruction will be quite enough for further use of the device without studying the full manual.
After unpacking the box, I found:
• the DVR itself;
• user's manual;
• bracket on the vacuum suction cup;
• charging from the cigarette lighter with USB-connector;
• miniUSB cable;
• CD with software (codecs, player, as well as instructions in PDF)
• A brief brochure with a legal explanation of what to do with a video in an accident. The author is an unknown body and radio host, Chairman of the Board of Legal Protection of Car Owners Viktor Travin.
A complete memory card in the set is missing - saved. The manufacturer supplied the cigarette lighter power adapter with a USB connector, so that you can connect a smartphone, navigator or tablet to one charger at the same time as the recorder. However, the total current strength here is only 1 A - for a smartphone will come down, but to quickly charge any iPad will not work.
AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS is implemented in a slightly elongated case made of soft-touch plastic. The model is distinguished by miniature parameters and low weight - 87 x 45 x 17mm and 62 g, respectively. But, despite the overall compactness, the device has an impressive 2.7-inch display. The key here is the 16: 9 aspect ratio, when watching a video there are no hefty black bars at the bottom and top of the video. This is in contrast to typical models with 4: 3 2.4-inch screens.
Since 2014, the design of the model has gained wide popularity, and almost every second Chinese factory still offers devices with such appearance. I will not go into the details of the story, but the development of the “exterior” AdvoCam-FD Black is the merit of the Russian specialists AdvoCam. And later, the Chinese began to use the domestic product for free.
The screen takes up almost all the space on the back of the device. The control keys appeared on the front side of the recorder is not accidental. So the developers freed up the area for a widescreen display, while maintaining the small dimensions of the recorder. On the top panel of the device are located in a row of four buttons. Two keys on the left side of the slot are responsible for changing modes and manually starting / stopping video recording. The buttons on the right have other functions - a menu call, a quick photo and power on / off.
On the bottom of the case are ports HDMI, miniUSB and microphone hole.
The microSD card slot found a place on the right side of the recorder. Navigation buttons ("Up" and "Down") are located on the left side (as viewed from the display). They are responsible for moving through the menu items, locking and unlocking the screen, turning the microphone on and off.
On the back of the device we see a lens framed in a glossy plastic insert. The speaker grille is located to the right of the “eye”, below is the reset button. In general, the design of the registrar is neutral and low-key. Definitely - designed not to attract the attention of outsiders and not to distract the driver during the trip. Although this clearly goes against the brand’s policy on most other models, with bright colored overlays.
The standard for AdvoCam models with a vacuum suction mount is also present in the AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS configuration. The bracket consists of two parts connected by a hinge. Despite the seeming mobility, the design quite firmly holds the recorder in place and does not allow it to dangle to the side. At the same time, if necessary, you can quickly change the position of the camera, turning in the right direction. For example, to photograph an inadequate motorist with subject to Article 20.1. Administrative Code obscene lexicon.
Power is supplied to the recorder through the bracket, which is equipped with the appropriate connector for connecting the cable with the network unit. This solution makes the auto gadget mobile — you can easily get it out of the holder at any time, and you don't have to bother with disconnecting the wire. But the fact that the cable comes out of the highest point of the bracket and the bracket cannot be installed against the top edge of the windshield is somewhat frustrating.
Now the main thing - the quality of the record. With this, the “newbie” (in fact, it’s about the 2014 model) has a full order (again, if you take into account the price - 5,600 rubles). Recording is carried out at a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels with a frequency of 30 fps. "Iron" has not changed - the American matrix Aptina AR0330, Taiwan Novatek 96650 processor and, excuse me, do not know where the lens with five glass lenses and a viewing angle of 170 degrees diagonal come from. Honestly, I don’t see any reason to talk in detail about the stuffing - it’s hard to find a brand of registrars who never released a model with a bunch of Novatek 96650 + Aptina AR0330. Although the end result, both in terms of the reliability of the device, and "squeeze the maximum quality of shooting" still depends on the directness of the hands of engineers, and even more on the programmers of the software.
In my opinion, for its 5 600 rubles, the model shoots decently. The image is quite clear, moderately bright and sharp. No "pixel porridge", a state number in cloudy weather in a straight line can be viewed from 10-12 meters. I suspect that on a clear day it will turn out to be thrown a couple more meters.
At night, the only thing that can confuse you is not a perfect white balance, almost always there is a characteristic yellow tint. That does not affect the clarity of state numbers. The difference in numbers, in turn, depends largely on the ability of the camera to suppress flare. I can not say that the AdvoCam device is obtained in 100% of cases. However, the fact that the model to work out this moment is much better than many, many competitors for the same price, not to mention extra budgetary employees with a price tag of less than 5,000, I personally clearly caught my eye. Shooting on all the examples of the video was carried out in 1080p HDR mode - if the recorder has a maximum resolution of Full HD in principle, I see no reason to think about whether or not to include an extended dynamic range.
Of course, the first thing you notice about the novelty is the underscore in the name of the GPS and GLONASS combination. Let me remind you, the previous model was equipped with only a GPS module. The updated device, in theory, catches signals faster, and then keeps the connection more stable in difficult situations, such as tunnels, racks, passages or dense quarterly development. I write “in theory,” because in the predecessor registrar I somehow did not notice “thoughtfulness” when searching for satellites or periodic loss of contact. But if someone had a claim to these items, now they (the claims) will most likely disappear.
In addition to supporting GLONASS, the second notable innovation was the speed skates - AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS will warn the driver about approaching video recording cameras and traffic police stationary radars.
The screen shows the current and allowed vehicle speed, as well as the distance to the specified objects. In addition, the device will emit a sound signal about the need to reduce the speed in this area. For correct operation of the SPEEDCAM-informer function, it is recommended not to forget to update the database. "New" will be released about once a month.
AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS, like almost all modern DVRs (even the most inexpensive), has a shock sensor (G-sensor) in its functionality. The task of the G-sensor is to protect the emergency rollers from being overwritten or deleted. The shock sensor registers for sharp turns, rotations, impacts, braking and other emergency situations. In this case, the current file is automatically excluded from the loop recording and moved to a specific folder on the memory card.
I ’ll repeat: The AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS is a modified and improved version of an extremely popular model released in 2014. Of the obvious improvements - added support for GLONASS. The hybrid module of receiving signals (GPS + GLONASS) has increased the accuracy of determining the coordinates in difficult conditions. And also allowed to ensure the smooth operation of the speedcam based on the downloaded coordinate base of cameras and radars. In the previous model, AdvoCam-FD, there was no Black Speedcam.
But something still remained. Like the "old man", the new generation of FD Black provides a clear picture even in low light. And yet, at its low cost (5,600 rubles) in terms of the quality of the shooting, it may well strike off with its more expensive “peers”.
PS I remind readers - on the choice of registrars or other points on the subject of automotive “black boxes” feel free to contact me personally, Alexander Shuba. To my personal email schub.alexandr@yandex.ru . I answer everyone who writes to me.
Once again, thank you all for your attention to my articles! And, of course, I welcome constructive criticism in the comments! ;)
Hello, constant readers of Geektimes and those who glanced here for the first time! With you again Alexander Shub, the tireless Belarusian journalist and the leading Russian expert in the field of car DVRs. I will not delve into the stories about myself, right away - to the point.
For two years now, AdvoCam has not been a “premium” at all, or rather, not only a premium. Because the devices of the brand "live" including in the price range of "up to 5,000 rubles." And what about AdvoCam-FD Black-GPS? For the third year already, it is in great demand and categorically does not want to “retire”. In general, get acquainted - the version of AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS updated at the end of 2017 for 5,600 rubles. Guess from three times what it is remarkable?
That's right, support for GLONASS was added, and with it they also “screwed” support for warnings about stationary speed control complexes along the base of coordinates. Everything else remains the same - both the design and the components. Therefore, if you are already familiar with the AdvoCam-FD Black-GPS model, feel free to skip this material. If not, add a decent medium budget recorder to the bank of your outlook (absolutely budget - for example, AdvoCam FD-4 for 3,500 rubles ).
By the way, in July of this year, my material “How I traveled to Suzdal, or almost a review of a three-year hit - the AdvoCam-FD Black DVR” was published . Therefore, for those who want to look at the beauty of Suzdal and read a review tour with the participation of the predecessor of the hero of this review - I recommend following the link.
What model has won national recognition? Frankly, the answer is not obvious. In fact, functionally these are unremarkable model. For the money on the market is full of Full HD-cameras, so even with the through-power through the bracket. I can only assume that the users liked the high (for this price segment, of course) the quality of the shooting (which, by the way, is still not a shame for the end of 2017), coupled with high reliability. As I was told by AdvoCam engineers, the device after the release went through several hardware revisions to eliminate all potentially problematic places. Throughout 2017, AdvoCam-FD Black-GPS and its non-GPS version consistently collected about 6,000 search queries per month. For comparison: I asked the Wordstars
Packing and packaging
Regarding the design of the box, AdvoCam is distinguished by an enviable
After unpacking the box, I found:
• the DVR itself;
• user's manual;
• bracket on the vacuum suction cup;
• charging from the cigarette lighter with USB-connector;
• miniUSB cable;
• CD with software (codecs, player, as well as instructions in PDF)
• A brief brochure with a legal explanation of what to do with a video in an accident. The author is an unknown body and radio host, Chairman of the Board of Legal Protection of Car Owners Viktor Travin.
A complete memory card in the set is missing - saved. The manufacturer supplied the cigarette lighter power adapter with a USB connector, so that you can connect a smartphone, navigator or tablet to one charger at the same time as the recorder. However, the total current strength here is only 1 A - for a smartphone will come down, but to quickly charge any iPad will not work.
Appearance and control buttons
AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS is implemented in a slightly elongated case made of soft-touch plastic. The model is distinguished by miniature parameters and low weight - 87 x 45 x 17mm and 62 g, respectively. But, despite the overall compactness, the device has an impressive 2.7-inch display. The key here is the 16: 9 aspect ratio, when watching a video there are no hefty black bars at the bottom and top of the video. This is in contrast to typical models with 4: 3 2.4-inch screens.
Since 2014, the design of the model has gained wide popularity, and almost every second Chinese factory still offers devices with such appearance. I will not go into the details of the story, but the development of the “exterior” AdvoCam-FD Black is the merit of the Russian specialists AdvoCam. And later, the Chinese began to use the domestic product for free.
The screen takes up almost all the space on the back of the device. The control keys appeared on the front side of the recorder is not accidental. So the developers freed up the area for a widescreen display, while maintaining the small dimensions of the recorder. On the top panel of the device are located in a row of four buttons. Two keys on the left side of the slot are responsible for changing modes and manually starting / stopping video recording. The buttons on the right have other functions - a menu call, a quick photo and power on / off.
On the bottom of the case are ports HDMI, miniUSB and microphone hole.
The microSD card slot found a place on the right side of the recorder. Navigation buttons ("Up" and "Down") are located on the left side (as viewed from the display). They are responsible for moving through the menu items, locking and unlocking the screen, turning the microphone on and off.
On the back of the device we see a lens framed in a glossy plastic insert. The speaker grille is located to the right of the “eye”, below is the reset button. In general, the design of the registrar is neutral and low-key. Definitely - designed not to attract the attention of outsiders and not to distract the driver during the trip. Although this clearly goes against the brand’s policy on most other models, with bright colored overlays.
Installing the DVR
The standard for AdvoCam models with a vacuum suction mount is also present in the AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS configuration. The bracket consists of two parts connected by a hinge. Despite the seeming mobility, the design quite firmly holds the recorder in place and does not allow it to dangle to the side. At the same time, if necessary, you can quickly change the position of the camera, turning in the right direction. For example, to photograph an inadequate motorist with subject to Article 20.1. Administrative Code obscene lexicon.
Power is supplied to the recorder through the bracket, which is equipped with the appropriate connector for connecting the cable with the network unit. This solution makes the auto gadget mobile — you can easily get it out of the holder at any time, and you don't have to bother with disconnecting the wire. But the fact that the cable comes out of the highest point of the bracket and the bracket cannot be installed against the top edge of the windshield is somewhat frustrating.
Video recording
Now the main thing - the quality of the record. With this, the “newbie” (in fact, it’s about the 2014 model) has a full order (again, if you take into account the price - 5,600 rubles). Recording is carried out at a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels with a frequency of 30 fps. "Iron" has not changed - the American matrix Aptina AR0330, Taiwan Novatek 96650 processor and, excuse me, do not know where the lens with five glass lenses and a viewing angle of 170 degrees diagonal come from. Honestly, I don’t see any reason to talk in detail about the stuffing - it’s hard to find a brand of registrars who never released a model with a bunch of Novatek 96650 + Aptina AR0330. Although the end result, both in terms of the reliability of the device, and "squeeze the maximum quality of shooting" still depends on the directness of the hands of engineers, and even more on the programmers of the software.
In my opinion, for its 5 600 rubles, the model shoots decently. The image is quite clear, moderately bright and sharp. No "pixel porridge", a state number in cloudy weather in a straight line can be viewed from 10-12 meters. I suspect that on a clear day it will turn out to be thrown a couple more meters.
At night, the only thing that can confuse you is not a perfect white balance, almost always there is a characteristic yellow tint. That does not affect the clarity of state numbers. The difference in numbers, in turn, depends largely on the ability of the camera to suppress flare. I can not say that the AdvoCam device is obtained in 100% of cases. However, the fact that the model to work out this moment is much better than many, many competitors for the same price, not to mention extra budgetary employees with a price tag of less than 5,000, I personally clearly caught my eye. Shooting on all the examples of the video was carried out in 1080p HDR mode - if the recorder has a maximum resolution of Full HD in principle, I see no reason to think about whether or not to include an extended dynamic range.
Additional options
Of course, the first thing you notice about the novelty is the underscore in the name of the GPS and GLONASS combination. Let me remind you, the previous model was equipped with only a GPS module. The updated device, in theory, catches signals faster, and then keeps the connection more stable in difficult situations, such as tunnels, racks, passages or dense quarterly development. I write “in theory,” because in the predecessor registrar I somehow did not notice “thoughtfulness” when searching for satellites or periodic loss of contact. But if someone had a claim to these items, now they (the claims) will most likely disappear.
In addition to supporting GLONASS, the second notable innovation was the speed skates - AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS will warn the driver about approaching video recording cameras and traffic police stationary radars.
The screen shows the current and allowed vehicle speed, as well as the distance to the specified objects. In addition, the device will emit a sound signal about the need to reduce the speed in this area. For correct operation of the SPEEDCAM-informer function, it is recommended not to forget to update the database. "New" will be released about once a month.
AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS, like almost all modern DVRs (even the most inexpensive), has a shock sensor (G-sensor) in its functionality. The task of the G-sensor is to protect the emergency rollers from being overwritten or deleted. The shock sensor registers for sharp turns, rotations, impacts, braking and other emergency situations. In this case, the current file is automatically excluded from the loop recording and moved to a specific folder on the memory card.
findings
I ’ll repeat: The AdvoCam-FD Black-II GPS + GLONASS is a modified and improved version of an extremely popular model released in 2014. Of the obvious improvements - added support for GLONASS. The hybrid module of receiving signals (GPS + GLONASS) has increased the accuracy of determining the coordinates in difficult conditions. And also allowed to ensure the smooth operation of the speedcam based on the downloaded coordinate base of cameras and radars. In the previous model, AdvoCam-FD, there was no Black Speedcam.
But something still remained. Like the "old man", the new generation of FD Black provides a clear picture even in low light. And yet, at its low cost (5,600 rubles) in terms of the quality of the shooting, it may well strike off with its more expensive “peers”.
PS I remind readers - on the choice of registrars or other points on the subject of automotive “black boxes” feel free to contact me personally, Alexander Shuba. To my personal email schub.alexandr@yandex.ru . I answer everyone who writes to me.
Once again, thank you all for your attention to my articles! And, of course, I welcome constructive criticism in the comments! ;)
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