Dan, thanks. I've been looking for another dashcam and in the heat of Florida or in any state if the dashcam cannot handle heat then its time for a redo in design. I've been using a Owl with good results, but thinking of getting a cam for the wifes car, maybe a Rove R2-4k. The wife had a PRovision DVR-813 front facing camera but had to give it back when she retired.
Chris.......Looks like the Owl Car Cam is an ingenious dash cam. The Rove R2-4K is also a good dash cam with quite a few premium features for a very reasonable price. For me, though, I prefer a solid mount to the windshield rather than the suction cup style mount with the camera hanging below. From videos I watched of the R2-4K, the camera vibrates on that mount which impacts the clarity of the video. When the vehicle isn't moving the resolution is very clear but when the vehicle is in motion there is a blur to the focus from the camera not being completely stable on its mount. I don't know if there are other mounting options for the R2-4K.
On another note, I have continued researching Blackvue dash cams. Their DR750S-2CH model that records 1080P front and rear doesn't seem to suffer the overheating and shut off issues of the DR900S-2CH. It seems the 4K video recording puts a serious demand on the processor, 4 times that of a 1080P video recording. Under normal operation when a vehicle is in motion the camera is not baking in a hot interior, so the processor maintains a temperature that is below the high temperature cut off point, but when the DR900S-2CH is in Parking Mode in a hot vehicle interior the combination of the interior heat and the processor heat causes the high temperature set point to be reached and the camera turns off to cool down. With the DR750S-2CH camera the processor is not running as hot while performing its calculations so there is a greater margin between its operating temperature when in Parking Mode in a hot vehicle. It appears the DR750S-2CH is considerably more immune to high temperature shut down than the DR900S-2CH camera.
Something else I have discovered is the difference in night vision between the Blackvue DR900S-2CH and the DR750S-2CH cameras. Both cameras feature the newest Sony Stravis image sensor for ultra sharp video but the smaller more densely packed pixels on the 4K image sensor captures considerably less light per pixel at night. Consequently the DR750S-2CH camera captures much better night time video than does the DR900S-2CH. Both camera models use the same 1080P rear facing cameras, and in both cases at night the rear facing cameras capture better video than the 4K camera under the same lighting conditions. Under daylight conditions the DR900S-2CH captures exceedingly sharp video, but night video is better with the DR750S-2CH recording in 1080P with larger pixels that capture more light. The DR750S-2CH video at 1080P is no slouch. Its video is very good, although not as sharp as 4K during daylight, but its night vision is superior to the 4K model.
This information now has me considering the DR750S-2CH as the better fit for my purposes. Blackvue has developed new firmware that now allows both the DR900S-2CH and the DR750S-2CH to record in time lapse mode, taking one picture per second and stitching them together in one minute video files while in Parking Mode. This lowers the demand on the processor which in turn lowers the processor's operating temperature, thus helping to reduce high temperature shut down during Parking Mode operation.
In addition, attention needs to be paid to the type of Micro SD cards used in the top two Blackvue dash cams. The ultra fast Micro SD cards process data faster than the camera's processor, so continuous rapid data packet requests between the Micro SD card and the processor are taxing the processor which exacerbates the heat issue. It is suggested that Micro SD cards that run between 20MB/s -45MB/s are perfect for the Blackvue dash cams and perform the best over the ultra fast Micro SD cards like SanDisk Extreme Plus and Samsung Pro. It is also important for Micro SD card long term write functions to consider the type of memory used (MLC, SLC, TLC) which will limit the number of write cycles before an SD card begins to malfuction and fail. Micro SD cards are considered consumables with a finite end point. MLC (Multi-Level Cell) delivers 2500 rewrites of the SD card versus a typical 500 rewrites on a TLC type Micro SD card. MLC is the most expensive and best for longevity and dependability. It is also wise to format the SD card once a month.
The more research I do on dash cams, their lenses, processors, operating systems, resolutions, night performance, and reliability, the more I have come to realize there is considerably more to dash cams than meets the casual eye. The newest 2-channel dash cams from companies like Blackvue, Thinkware, DOD, and others offer leading edge technology and are loaded with user features that enhance use, but these features come at higher price points. There are quite a few other less expensive dash cams that offer quality recording, albeit with less features, at more reasonable prices. Researching dash cams, their assets and issues has given me much to consider.
