FoxOffer Dome G90 Dashcam Review - A7LA30, OV4689 CMOS

[Sunny]

I've just confirmed it's better with HDR on now with this new firmware via a comparison to a video from last week:

From firmware r93MP:

From firmware r4396:

A lot of the strange HDR artefacts are now gone - just look at oncoming car headlights and traffic lights to confirm this.

Settings wise they're identical between the two clips - just different firmware.

Pitch black is great too:

Yes, halo around the lights are gone.
Very nice. Too bad, I missed the sale.

So blackview firmware works on G90, hmm...

 

[reverend]

I've just gone through that near head on footage and the HDR has actually pulled a readable plate (I have strong xenon's which usually wash this out):

That's actually really impressive IMHO.

 

[reverend]

Yes, halo around the lights are gone.
Very nice. Too bad, I missed the sale.

So blackview firmware works on G90, hmm...

Definitely an improvement for the better isn't it - amazing how much difference the firmware can make in this early stage. There were only a few days in between these two versions - fingers crossed there will be more updates as it will just get better and for the price is potentially a real bargain!

 

[jokiin]

I'd still say the Ambarella A7 based dashcams I've tested seem to look better in motion than in stills though - maybe it's an ISO thing.

there's a problem in the SDK that is over sharpening the picture, something Ambarella need to resolve

 

[pinfi]

I've just confirmed it's better with HDR on now with this new firmware via a comparison to a video from last week:

From firmware r93MP:

From firmware r4396:

A lot of the strange HDR artefacts are now gone - just look at oncoming car headlights and traffic lights to confirm this.

Settings wise they're identical between the two clips - just different firmware.

Pitch black is great too:

reverend, I compared these two videos with city drive. I think the r93MP is more blurry than r4396 but there is more details in bright areas, also the colors look more natural. Are you sure HDR is on? Can you check the difference between videos with HDR on and off?

r93MP


r4396

 

[reverend]

Hi it does seem like they've toned down the HDR effect with the newer firmware so it is much less pronounced - HDR is definitely turned on with both of those clips - you can see in the screenshot of the Peugeot a bit higher up that it's on from the effect in the headlight.

I'm not sure but if they're doing HDR in software on this camera maybe they've just tweaked the algorithm?

I heard back from SZDome today - it's dated the 24th June and comes with an ELF for DirectUSB and a firmware.bin file

https://mega.co.nz/#!0V1SSRSL!1PaL_u2-vdX7Wih7GUBbBci_h9kLcWJCxsMqLsBCrFA
https://mega.co.nz/#!cY1hUJJB!8bs70D-jsZA8MvPq1b-jEQiMCwwuYv8xuqtShD5qjZI

Just had a quick look and it appears to be another version again!

 

[CheckYourLights]

There are no numbers after. It's just trunk: SVN r

I just wanted to mention that I got mine in the mail today from GeekBuying and it has the same firmware as what you posted trunk: SVN r So if you happen to have found a newer firmware I would love to get a hold of it as well.

 

[reverend]

How is the video footage on yours?

Is there any chance you could create a text file called autoexec.ash in the top level folder of your memory card with the following line please:

firmfl gen 6 bst bld hal pri rfs dsp backup.bin

This should generate a file called backup.bin - if you could please post that back up on here we can check it to see what dates that firmware is from - there are a couple of new firmwares in this thread but not sure if yours is older or newer!

Once it's done you can delete the autoexec.ash and backup.bin files from the memory card.

 

[CheckYourLights]

How is the video footage on yours?

To be honest. I just got it a few hours ago. I was so excited to get it in the mail that I took a ride around the block and forgot to take the plastic cover off so I need to take it off and go for lap two.

Is there any chance you could create a text file called autoexec.ash in the top level folder of your memory card with the following line please:

firmfl gen 6 bst bld hal pri rfs dsp backup.bin

This should generate a file called backup.bin - if you could please post that back up on here we can check it to see what dates that firmware is from - there are a couple of new firmwares in this thread but not sure if yours is older or newer!

I have never done that before. I just make a blank file and name it

firmfl gen 6 bst bld hal pri rfs dsp backup.bin

save it and run the camera a bit then pull the file off?

Also just for anyone curious my boot screen has the red I think it is Benz. Same as my G1W if I remember correctly.

 

[reverend]

I have never done that before. I just make a blank file and name it

firmfl gen 6 bst bld hal pri rfs dsp backup.bin

save it and run the camera a bit then pull the file off?

Here's one I made earlier with the required UNIX line breaks:

https://mega.co.nz/#!EA0nBZKa!f0CvK3xE6Ma4BzTwwTqugDwnVxRF7-ADq7BbKsgkK-o

If you download that, just copy it to the memory card of the camera, turn it on, press the OK button to stop automatic recording if it's set for that and hten just give it 30 seconds, remove power and let the camera power off, and then when you connect to the PC you should see a new file called backup.bin

I'm intrigued to see if your footage is sharper than this one in the day with this different firmware

 

[spytec]

I just wanted to mention that I got mine in the mail today from GeekBuying and it has the same firmware as what you posted trunk: SVN r So if you happen to have found a newer firmware I would love to get a hold of it as well.

The one that reverend posted is the newest firmware.

 

[CheckYourLights]

Here's one I made earlier with the required UNIX line breaks:

https://mega.co.nz/#!EA0nBZKa!f0CvK3xE6Ma4BzTwwTqugDwnVxRF7-ADq7BbKsgkK-o

Alright thanks. I dropped that in my top level next to normal and event. I'll take the cover off this time pop it in my car do what you mention and then go for a ride around the block.

The one that reverend posted is the newest firmware.

I can try what he posted? I thought maybe it would not work since the firmwares had different names.

I'll do what you asked first reverend and then I'll play with the firmware.

Also I happen to be using a SanDisk 32GB Ultra card because that's all I had not in a camera at the moment and it seems okay.

 

[reverend]

Noticed a strange one - the image seemed a bit blurry after a 90 minute drive, and then after 20 mins with the car sat and restarted the image seems to sharpen up again.

And found this one quite fitting of the HDR effect in the daytime:

You can see the two images overlaid on the lorry!

 

[reverend]

I had a brain fart earlier - that firmware I linked to from SZDome is the 24th June - not April! So it's a week old and absolutely brand spanking new! I've loaded it on so will get some footage tomorrow and report back

 

[CheckYourLights]

I had a brain fart earlier - that firmware I linked to from SZDome is the 24th June - not April! So it's a week old and absolutely brand spanking new! I've loaded it on so will get some footage tomorrow and report back

Check your PMs and i'll see if I can get the log to you. I'll hold off on updating until then.

 

[Sabe]

One thing I did forget to mention was that Windows Media player doesn't handle the sound from this camera by default and Registrator Viewer also complains about a missing codec. VLC plays the raw videos fine however.

Well that was useful info, for a day i was sure that my camera is faulty

So far liking it, not sure of that event/sos button though, because you should be so fast to press it if you see something worth to save, was it maybe 5 seconds behind...

And as usual i mod camera mount to to fit gs style base.

And reverse reply... while recording left arrow button toggles sound on/off

 

[reverend]

Well that last firmware was definitely newer - r125MP vs r93MP when the camera was delivered.

There's a new menu item added to turn on and off the microphone - potentially after one of the comments here where I reset the camera settings and the mic turned off with no way to turn on. Now fixed.

HDR mode is definitely more use at night than it is in the daytime on these - that may differ on the A7LA70d versions.

Here are a couple of clips:
HDR On:
https://mega.co.nz/#!0Ms2WBrJ!dCWcQM-p_BGJObEzLH8uupsKI6Jzy_GE2n9uGtRgKyw

HDR Off:
https://mega.co.nz/#!JMUxGZJC!wkh6q5qeNe8BGndb6polBqR2ANaxpgapZSCk3qvuzWo

 

[Hilts]

One thing I did forget to mention was that Windows Media player doesn't handle the sound from this camera by default and Registrator Viewer also complains about a missing codec. VLC plays the raw videos fine however.

Is that the reason why the sound seems somewhat erratic on some of the footage? Sometimes it sounds muffled and in other times it sounds clear.

BTW - On the back of the video footage you've posted I've just placed an order with SZDome, for a G90-7S model c/w GPS module. This is the Ambarella A7LA70 chipset version of their G90 series DashCam. It'll interesting to see how it performs vs. the Mini 0803 (with A7LA50D chipset). Can't wait to get my hands on it and get some footage recorded!

 

[billknow]

Is that the reason why the sound seems somewhat erratic on some of the footage? Sometimes it sounds muffled and in other times it sounds clear.

BTW - On the back of the video footage you've posted I've just placed an order with SZDome, for a G90-7S model c/w GPS module. This is the Ambarella A7LA70D chipset version of their G90 series DashCam. It'll interesting to see how it performs vs. the Mini 0803 (with A7LA50D chipset). Can't wait to get my hands on it and get some footage recorded!

Where did you buy it, contact Dome to get it directly?

 

[Hilts]

Where did you buy it, contact Dome to get it directly?

Yep, sorry @billknow - you know I'd buy from FoxOffer if I could!!
I'd spotted this post:-

G90 ID is our private design.
This ID we can produce with different chipset:
A7LA30 1920*1080p/30fps
A7LA50 2560*1080p/30fps, 2304*1296p/30fps
A7LA70 1920*1080p/60fps, 2560*1080p/30fps, 2304*1296p/30fps

So I contacted SZDome for details about where I could buy a G90 with the A7LA70 chipset. They couldn't direct me to a reseller so I've purchased an early 'sample' from them.