Two main solutions: Novatek and Huawei Hisilicon
Novatek nt96675, LNovatek nt96580, Hisilicon hi3556v200, etc

The main function of the main control chip for dashcam is to compress and store the video data information,

The higher the definition, the larger the video data, and the higher the calculation requirements of the main control chip. The operation speed and data processing ability of the main control chip can effectively reduce heat generation, crash and video leakage;

In case of crash, video leakage, restart due to heat and other problems, you can first lower the resolution or replace a high-speed memory card before testing.

Comparison of major sensors in the market for a dash cam




”Note:
WDR (wide dynamic range): ray processing of video through hardware
HDR (high dynamic range): ray processing of video through software algorithm

Sony imx291 is a sensor that supports infrared night vision (few consumer grade sensors) to meet the security needs. It can support 1080p / 60 frames and 1440p / 30 frames at the same time. Although it has been launched for many years, it is not backward at all. It has to be convinced of Sony’s powerful image CMOS;

Sony imx291 is a sensor that pays more attention to night vision effect, so it is very suitable for users who travel more at night;

Sony imx307 in order to meet the demand of the consumer market, Sony reduced some parameter indexes on the basis of 291 and launched a simplified version of imx291, namely Sony imx307;
Imx307 can also achieve 1080p resolution and 2 million pixels. It also has starlight night vision, but only supports 1080p / 30 frames and does not support infrared night vision, while 291 is 1080p / 60 frames,

The larger the number of frames with the same resolution, the clearer the picture;
The resolution of Sony imx335 can reach 1600p / 60 frames, and it has a starlight night vision effect. Because the pixel size is smaller than 291, the night vision effect will be a little worse than 291. However, the resolution is first-class due to the advantages of resolution and pixels;
This kind of sensor can balance the day and night and the price, and is suitable for users who are “good at everything”;

The Sony imx415 has a resolution of 4K 2160p / 90 frames, and has a starlight night vision effect. It is a 4K class sensor launched by Sony in 19 years, with a pixel of 846w. It is the first choice of flagship models of many china dash camera manufacturers;

OV is a sensor manufacturer in the United States (now acquired by China Weill Corporation). According to the parameters of OV os05a10 and Sony imx335, the performance of Sony imx335 is slightly better from the measured results;

STV sc3235, Geke gc2053 and Geke gc2023 are all new CMOS manufacturers in China. In the 1080p segment, the strength of China dash cam manufacturers is not bad;

Comprehensive performance competition

Sony imx415 > Sony 335 > ov os05a10 > Sony 291 > Sony 307 > Stevie sc3235 > Geke gc4653 > Geke gc2053

As the absolute king, Sony occupies 50% of the whole market;

The answer is yes, but not necessarily for everyone;
How to meet your own needs in terms of performance, function and price is the best;
Higher resolution has higher requirements on the main control chip, photosensitive sensor, memory card, dynamic video tuning, service life, etc;
The higher the resolution, the greater the amount of video data generated, and the heavier the load of the main control chip in dashboard camera;
At the same time, the doubling of the data volume requires that the TF card has a faster write speed (or it is likely to leak data) and a larger memory capacity in dashcam;

When we choose the dash cam or dash camera, we often only pay attention to the performance parameters of dashcam, and pay less attention to the memory card TF. We even think that as long as it is a TF card, which is what I thought before;

I started to pay attention to the dashcam or dash camera after I encountered frequent crashes and restarts;

There are two kinds of memory cards

One is an external TF card, which can be matched with the original factory or purchased by yourself;
If you buy a TF Card yourself, you should choose it according to the configuration of your recorder. Class 10 or above is the basic requirement. If it is a 2K or 4K recorder, it is better to choose a U3 high-speed memory card with 64g or above;

The other is the built-in EMMC high-speed memory card

This type is fixed in the device and cannot be taken out. It is much more stable than the TF Card in terms of stability and storage speed. The only disadvantage is that it cannot expand the memory in dashcam;

The smaller the aperture value f, the more the low beam quantity, the better the lighting effect, and the better the night vision effect. However, the sufficient light in the day may cause serious exposure;

The larger the aperture value f, the less the amount of incoming light, and the worse the light compensation effect, which can effectively avoid overexposure of the video under strong light or sufficient daylight;

Therefore, the aperture must take a reasonable value to achieve the best scene in the daytime;
At present, most manufacturers use f1.8. I have seen f1.33 and f2.2 of the others;
The setting of aperture is more to test the adjustment ability of various dash camera manufacturers;

The larger the wide angle, the wider the visual range, but it is not the better. Too large will easily cause distortion of the picture, and too small the shooting range is too small. Generally, the FOV wide angle can be controlled at 130-150 to meet the demand,
The wide-angle lenses are convex mirrors, and the edges of the captured effects are arc-shaped (deformed),

In order to present a better effect, dash cam manufacturers generally cut the edges of the video, but this will cause the loss of video information. Therefore, the imaging effect of the edges is an important reference for us to judge the wide-angle performance. Generally, the more orderly the edges are cut, the narrower the viewing angle. It is possible that the wide-angle is not as large as the dash cam manufacturer advertises;

The battery mainly plays two roles:
① After the vehicle is turned off, the video is saved by the self-contained battery.

Because the dash cams record video first and then save it, some vehicles are powered off at the same time when the cigarette lighter is powered off, so the battery is required to save the video;

Of course, most of the vehicles are powered off within 15 minutes after the ignition is turned off, so there is no need to consider this;

② It plays a role in stabilizing voltage. In particular, some vehicles restart the dash cam due to the low voltage during ignition, which is very rare now;

If you think the battery can keep recording after power failure, you may think too much.

After long-term exposure to the sun and repeated charging and discharging, the battery is basically a decoration in a short time, and it also increases the risk of bulging and explosion;

If you want to keep recording, the best way is to connect the fuse box to supply power;

The hardware mentioned above is visible and touchable, and can be purchased in the market,


However, the real strength of each manufacturer is still reflected in software optimization processing;


The apple 5S I bought in 14 years can still be used smoothly (the 7th year). If Android is estimated to be only used to smash walnuts, why can 5S still be used? Besides the advantages of hardware, a large part of the reason is that the system optimization is very perfect,


Similarly, in addition to the performance parameters, the algorithm optimization of the manufacturer can definitely make the finishing point for the imaging quality of the dash cameras,


As consumers, we can compare some the dash cams. The best way is to select several good products and then choose the one that suits us.

At present, there are front suspension models (with and without screens), rear-view mirror models, special car hidden models, etc

1. Front suspension (with and without screen) is the mainstream choice;


The advantage of this dashcam style is that it is small and will not block the line of sight;

Whether there is a screen is not very important. Nowadays, all recorders support mobile phone connection. If you really want to watch playback, the display will be clearer and the video will be more convenient;

My own dash cam with screen, usually chooses to turn off the screen, especially at night, which seriously affects the line of sight;

2. Rearview mirror


In terms of personal experience, the rearview mirror is not very friendly, which is reflected in:
① Affect the use of the sun visor,
The width of many dash cams is wider than the original rearview mirror, which makes the sun visor of the driver unable to turn down;
② Since the adjustment height of each person’s seat is different, it is difficult to adjust the angle of the rear-view mirror and the camera to be consistent, although the manufacturer allows the camera to adjust a certain angle;
Especially when my family drove the same car, I had to adjust it every time I got on the car, so later I simply didn’t need the rearview mirror;
③ The anti glare effect of the rear-view mirror version dash cam I currently use is much worse than that of the original vehicle, and the reflection is serious;
④ It is slightly more expensive than the front suspension model. The 10 inch large screen and the rear camera account for a certain cost;

Of course, it is better to use it as a streaming media rearview mirror, which depends on personal needs;

3.Special hidden models for different vehicle models



This kind of offline sales will be better, especially in 4S stores and some beauty shops. On the contrary, the online sales volume is average;
This type of dash cam can be integrated with the original rear-view mirror. The power supply line can also be directly connected to the reading lamp. No exposed wires can be seen, and the beauty is first-class;
The price is slightly higher than that of ordinary front suspension models (the production of special vehicles is small, and the cost is definitely high). Another reason is that the installation is complicated, and the original vehicle line needs to be moved. This is estimated to be the main reason for offline sales (even many people who buy online will go offline to install);