Why is image in cheap dashcam better than expensive IP cams?

[Alan2000 0]

Recently I purchased a $70 dashcam for my car. It shoots video at 1080P in full 30 FPS. I think the FOV is about 120 degrees. The video is crystal clear. Even when I pause the video I can often read plates on the far edge of the video. The camera is about the size of a keychain.

 

I also have a couple different IP cams on my home security system, and while the image is good, it is not as good as the keychain camera. Specially when I fully zoom out my IP cam, it is definitely not as sharp as the keychain camera, even though the little camera is using a very wide angle lens.

 

How is it that such a cheap keychain camera can shoot 30FPS super clear 1080P video and you can't get IP cameras for home security with the same performance for slightly more? I realize for home security you need to add a case, LEDs, and networking gear in the camera. Still, those items should not cost but maybe $30 more. So now you are at maybe $100.

 

There is an extension cable for the tiny camera to remotely mount the lens. I wish there was a way to plug the camera into some adapter to make it an IP camera. Then I'd use a couple of them for hidden security cameras!

[JoeyJoey 0]

Can that camera run for 24 hours a day, in all weather conditions, below freezing, hot sun.

 

A lot of what you pay for in electronics is not the cost of the hardware itself, its the cost of the software, the firmware. That takes the most time.

[Alan2000 0]

As a dashcam, the temperature extremes it is subjected to would be greater than that for typical home security cameras. I hope it lasts a long time but really don't know. I have only had mine 1 month.

 

The purpose of my post is more in the area of is there some technology limitation on home security cameras that doesn't allow for high quality images unless you pay a lot of money? Obviously for a small about of cash ($70) you can get high quality 1080P video. So I'm guessing it is not a lens or imaging sensor thing that raises the cost of the home security cameras.

[luckyfella 0]

I'm sorry, but I watched the video and that was not better than an IP megapixel camera. It was hazy and not crisp. Also, it is not

weather resistant and it does not have IR's if it is dark out. And lastly, it does not have network ability to assign it an IP to connect to a network. That is why it is less money than an IP megapixel camera in case you were wondering.

[JoeyJoey 0]

Looks like a nice small camera. Must be what all those cars in Russia use.

 

He said it wasn't waterproof too.

[Alan2000 0]

Luckyfella, did you watch a downloaded sample clip such as the bike ride clip or the highly compressed and pixelated YouTube video? There is a very significant deterioration in the quality of the YouTube samples. The downloaded sample clips are quite a bit sharper than the videos from my IP cams despite the very wide angle lens on the dash cam. I can read license plates and small signs on the side of the road such as the no parking signs with the dash cam video. I can't see nearly that level of detail with recorded video from my IP cameras on my NVR. I guess to be fair I would need to record video with one of my IP cameras directly to my PC and then compare it to that video file. There may be a loss in video quality from the compression used with the NVR. Actually, now I think that may very well be the case rather than the IP camera having a lower quality image. In any case, I would like to use one or two of these small cams indoors as part of a security system if I could figure a way to make them an IP camera. I've seen devices to turn analog cameras into IP cameras so I guess it can be done, but not sure if it would be practical. The camera has video output through the USB port. Might tinker with that one of these days if I have some spare time.

[luckyfella 0]

When you see license plates and signs, the camera is on your dashboard 4 feet off the ground and 20 feet from a license plate. Even the worst analog camera would see a plate clearly at those specs. Your original post is claiming that for less money this

camera is better than a megapixel IP camera. I'm simply stating that it is not if you compare dollar value. Like I said in my last post, your camera does not have IR's, is not waterproof, does not obtain an IP, and does not have video out unless you

use a USB convertor. I clicked on 1080P on the youtube video and again, like I said, I was not that all impressed. But, if your

happy with it, than go ahead and use it any way you choose, but just don't say that it is less money and better than a megapixel IP camera since it is not.

[luckyfella 0]

Are you saying this image from your camera:

 

 

 

Is better than a 2mp IP camera?

 

[survtech 0]

It's a case of market dynamics or "supply and demand", in conjunction with cost to produce. Dashcams and other cheap consumer-grade cameras are designed for large-volume sales at low margins but security cameras cost more to produce and sell in far lower quantities.

[MaxIcon 0]

Well, here's the test. Set one of these up to record a week's worth of video of your front yard, and see how much it costs.

 

IP cams have POE power adapters and network boards, more complicated firmware, IR LEDs, moveable IR filters, and weatherproof enclosures. You can add all that to your car cam (might have to remove a fixed IR filter if it's got one), and by the time you're done, see what it all costs. Then, you have to come up with a way to get the video off of it automatically, or stream it via USB and record to an external device. If you need it very far away from the recording device, you'll need USB extenders, or to locate the device close to the camera.

 

It doesn't say what the f-stop is for the lens, or what the sensor size is, but this will affect the night images and sensitivity. Likewise, if you need to replace the lens because you need a different field of view, it doesn't specify anything about it.

 

It appears to be a nice piece of gear for the price, but by the time you turned it into a surveillance camera, you'd have spent many hours and dollars on it, and you'd still have a cobbled together solution.

 

Another question to ask - if it were straightforward, wouldn't someone be tapping into that market already? Maybe they are and we'll see low-cost surveillance cams based on these units any day now.

[buellwinkle 0]

It's hard to compare images, yes during the day it's great, so are most 1080P IP cameras. Where it's hard to tell is at night. Sure, downtown Manchester, everything is lit up, it's not typical U.S. suburbia or rural areas. At night, on a poorly lit street, the street is still well lit by headlights and can't really see beyond as it's too dark. Price wise, is it really cheap, its day only, indoor only, has no illuminators, doesn't even come with the power cord or mount for that price. I figure that by the time you get the mount, the SD card, the power cord, the clip that holds it, the Velcro, you're well over $100.

 

The problem with this as a dashcam, it doesn't have the some of the features people in that space want, and maybe I missed it but GPS encoding and impact sensor would be nice. I do like the size, and the wife had an incident where she was hit from the rear and the person was so out of it, they didn't even realize they hit something. What I would like in a dash cam for our truck is something license plate mounted that can act as a rearview camera and then also record say the last half hour of driving in case of an accident. This fad started in Russia, but I think it's making it's way here.

[Alan2000 0]

Yeah, once you put all the extra parts and time in it probably isn't practical to make your own mini IP cam, unless doing it for a fun hobby project.

 

Bueilwinkle - You really don't want a camera mounted to your license plate or bumper. In the event of an accident, there is a good chance it would get destroyed in the accident.

 

Before this 1080p dash cam I used another one. Is was also "1080p" but it drooped frames like crazy and overall had a fairly mediocre image. I would have kept using it but for about 10% of the time it didn't automatically start recording. For that reason, reliability, I replaced it.

 

When you really distill what you need in a dash cam it isn't much. At first I started looking at cams about 5 times the price with GPS and G sensors. However, the two key things that matter for a dash cam are reliability and image quality. The rest is just fluff.

 

I've analyzed thousands of accidents and it all usually boils down to simply being able to prove who ran the red light or who made the improper lane change. In the event the other vehicle flees, which is fairly rare, capturing the license plate is an extra bonus. However, if you are properly insured, even that often is not critical. You'd be amazed at how often people lie when they are in an accident. Then we are left trying to sort out the physical evidence for clues of who was telling the truth. (I work defending civil lawsuits primarily involving auto accidents.)

 

I typically wipe down my windshield daily so both me and the cam always have a nice clear view ahead. I highly recommend EVERYONE use a dash-cam. Drive long enough and you will be in an accident. The $50-100 investment may make the difference between you recovering hundreds of thousands or nothing if you are in a serious accident where the other party denies liability for the accident.

Edited August 26, 2013 by Guest

[MaxIcon 0]

Yeah, I'd agree with this. One of the main complaints I hear about dash cams is failure due to heat. The recordings get corrupted and unreliable, at which point you've wasted your money. You want them to work without having to think about them, and when you do need them, they need to be good to go.

 

I bought one recently on a whim, and will mount it up as soon as I get time. For the price, it's hard to go wrong if you stick to cams with a good history of reviews.

 

I see a future camera option for cars that'll start as front, maybe front/back (since backup cams are already popular, if a bit low res), and eventually all 4 sides, for 360 degree coverage. A module sitting on the roof with a single network cable would be awesome; you'd just have to remember to keep the lens covers clean (though the luxe versions would have wipers and washers!). This would go to the car's internal network, complete with POE to run the cams, that you could connect to with your wifi from your house or laptop.

 

I keep waiting for the future to show up. No jetpacks, no food pill, no teleporters - somebody's slacking off!

[mark-vyoma 0]

Instead of arguing, why don't you go and buy 8 dash cams and install them on the side of your house.

Come back a year later and tell us how you saved a ton of money installing the dash cams and that they provided everything you needed from a professional surveillance system.

 

Prove us wrong...

[luckyfella 0]

Instead of arguing, why don't you go and buy 8 dash cams and install them on the side of your house.

Come back a year later and tell us how you saved a ton of money installing the dash cams and that they provided everything you needed from a professional surveillance system.

 

Prove us wrong...

 

 

Nicely said Mark! And I'd still like to know why he linked a youtube video to the company selling these things!