ASUS today introduces the RECO Classic Car Cam which is an in-car video recorder that shoots Full HD videos and photos.
Update: We’ve just been updated that the price is lower at Php5,999.
ASUS RECO Classic Car Cam specs:
Ambarella chipset w/ Omnivision CMOS sensor
Full HD 1080p video recording at 30fps
F2.0 aperture
140-degree wide-angle lens
The RECO Classic Car Cam also has additional features that are designed to help while driving. This includes manual emergency recording, Lane Departure Warning System for displaying on-screen warnings when changing lanes, Forward Collision Warning System if the driver is getting too close to the car ahead, and its 3-axis G-sensors that trigger the emergency record function.
This in-car video recorder is now available in the Philippine for Php6,990 and could be initially found in Dynaquest, PC Worx, and TCA branches.
The Polaroid C201 is the sibling of the C270 dashcam which is priced locally at just Php500 cheaper. It comes with similar specs and features so let’s take a look how these two differ and how does the C201 perform in everyday usage.
Design and Construction
Just like the C270, the C201 carries a rectangular form factor although this one has a more compact body than its relative that we recently reviewed. Both utilize a 2MP camera with F2.0 aperture and interpolates images to 14MP.
While the right side of the device is devoid of anything, the microSD slot and Mini-USB port is located at the bottom and on the left side, respectively.
The physical buttons of the device are lined up next to the 2-inch display of the C201. Here, we see the pinhole for its microphone at the top followed by the power, navigation, and confirm buttons. There’s also the reset trigger if you want to restore the device to its factory settings.
What we experienced while using the dashcam was that it could sometimes be hard to hard from its screen (when tweaking the settings, for example) as some words appear to be cramped up. Since it is smaller than the 2.7-inch display of the C270, reading through the menu could be an issue for people who are near-sighted.
Another difference between the two dashboard cameras is the way they attach to your car — through the use of a plastic suction or using double adhesive. The suction could be used if you want to attach the device against your windshield while the adhesive is for sticking the camera on the dashboard.
Features
The C201 dashcam is equipped with almost the same features as the C270 and each of those are equally important to provide security and peace of mind when driving or leaving your vehicle.
File auto-protect – During an accident, the device automatically saves and protects the recent clip that captured the collision.
Auto ON/OFF – Recording can be automatically started or stopped when your car is turned on or off.
Loop Record – Overwrite oldest unsaved files to maximize memory.
Motion Detection – Activates camera upon detecting external movements.
Compared to the C270, the C201 lacks Parking Mode that makes the camera automatically record when an impact has been made to the vehicle with the engine off.
Video Quality
Once again, Polaroid proved that you don’t specifically need a high-resolution camera sensor to produce decent images. The 2MP shooter generally performed well even in low light situations, although understandably with some digital noise present.
Details are reliable since plate numbers can easily be read by pausing the video even while cars are moving.
Conclusion
There are a lot of similarities between the C270 and the C201. Both have glossy plastic bodies, a 2-megapixel sensor interpolated to 14MP, records 1080p Full HD video, and have overcharging safety features.
However, there are also differences that may or may not be deal-breakers for you. For one, the C270 shoots a bit wider at 130 degrees compared to the 120-degree limit of the C201. It also has a smaller display at 2 inches, but makes up for it by having the option to stick it against the windshield or attach it on the dashboard.
For Php500 less, these are the key differences between the two and if we were to choose one, we’d go for the C270 for the extra features.
The Polaroid C270 is locally available for Php5,999 and can be bought at Ace Hardware and Blade Auto Center and comes with 1 year of warranty.
Polaroid C201 specifications:
2-inch LCD display
2MP CMOS sensor (images interpolated to 14MP)
Shoots Full HD videos
120-degree wide angle lens
Support for 32GB microSD cards
Built-in speaker and microphone
30V overcharge voltage protection
What we liked about it:
Easy to use
Equipped with useful and convenient features
Detailed image quality
What we didn’t like:
Words are sometimes hard to read due to the smaller display size
The Polaroid C201 is the sibling of the C270 dashcam which is priced locally at just Php500 cheaper. It comes with similar specs and features so let’s take a look how these two differ and how does the C201 perform in everyday usage.
Design and Construction
Just like the C270, the C201 carries a rectangular form factor although this one has a more compact body than its relative that we recently reviewed. Both utilize a 2MP camera with F2.0 aperture and interpolates images to 14MP.
While the right side of the device is devoid of anything, the microSD slot and Mini-USB port is located at the bottom and on the left side, respectively.
The physical buttons of the device are lined up next to the 2-inch display of the C201. Here, we see the pinhole for its microphone at the top followed by the power, navigation, and confirm buttons. There’s also the reset trigger if you want to restore the device to its factory settings.
What we experienced while using the dashcam was that it could sometimes be hard to hard from its screen (when tweaking the settings, for example) as some words appear to be cramped up. Since it is smaller than the 2.7-inch display of the C270, reading through the menu could be an issue for people who are near-sighted.
Another difference between the two dashboard cameras is the way they attach to your car — through the use of a plastic suction or using double adhesive. The suction could be used if you want to attach the device against your windshield while the adhesive is for sticking the camera on the dashboard.
Features
The C201 dashcam is equipped with almost the same features as the C270 and each of those are equally important to provide security and peace of mind when driving or leaving your vehicle.
File auto-protect – During an accident, the device automatically saves and protects the recent clip that captured the collision.
Auto ON/OFF – Recording can be automatically started or stopped when your car is turned on or off.
Loop Record – Overwrite oldest unsaved files to maximize memory.
Motion Detection – Activates camera upon detecting external movements.
Compared to the C270, the C201 lacks Parking Mode that makes the camera automatically record when an impact has been made to the vehicle with the engine off.
Video Quality
Once again, Polaroid proved that you don’t specifically need a high-resolution camera sensor to produce decent images. The 2MP shooter generally performed well even in low light situations, although understandably with some digital noise present.
Details are reliable since plate numbers can easily be read by pausing the video even while cars are moving.
Conclusion
There are a lot of similarities between the C270 and the C201. Both have glossy plastic bodies, a 2-megapixel sensor interpolated to 14MP, records 1080p Full HD video, and have overcharging safety features.
However, there are also differences that may or may not be deal-breakers for you. For one, the C270 shoots a bit wider at 130 degrees compared to the 120-degree limit of the C201. It also has a smaller display at 2 inches, but makes up for it by having the option to stick it against the windshield or attach it on the dashboard.
For Php500 less, these are the key differences between the two and if we were to choose one, we’d go for the C270 for the extra features.
The Polaroid C270 is locally available for Php5,999 and can be bought at Ace Hardware and Blade Auto Center and comes with 1 year of warranty.
Polaroid C201 specifications:
2-inch LCD display
2MP CMOS sensor (images interpolated to 14MP)
Shoots Full HD videos
120-degree wide angle lens
Support for 32GB microSD cards
Built-in speaker and microphone
30V overcharge voltage protection
What we liked about it:
Easy to use
Equipped with useful and convenient features
Detailed image quality
What we didn’t like:
Words are sometimes hard to read due to the smaller display size
We once again have a dashboard camera on our hands shortly after testing out the HP f310. This time around, it’s from Zumi so join us as we take a look at how this Php3.3K device performs on the road.
Design and Construction
If the HP f310 carries a square form factor, the Zumi dash cam has more of a rectangular shape with the main shooter situated at the middle. It is also very much protruding, unlike the f310 which has a more subtle sensor placement. Although in reality, it won’t actually matter since it’s going to be unnoticed once mounted in the car.
The dash cam comes built-in with 6 pieces of LED lights that supposedly act as fill light to improve video quality at low light places. We’ll know later on if it indeed helped video recording during night time.
In addition, the Zumi dash cam boasts a 140-degree wide-angle lens with A+ grade resolution that could record Full HD videos.
Connectivity ports are found up top, with HDMI, mini USB, and AV jack flanking the mounting system in the middle.
On the left we have the slot for a microSD card which can handle up to 32GB to store files in. It’s nice for the company to include an 8GB card (class 4) to go along with the bundle. It isn’t much but will surely suffice for the Zumi dash cam.
The 2.7-inch LCD display is at the back where you can view and playback images and video files. It also has an SOS button that manually saves and protects the files with just a press of a button.
Navigation buttons are found under the device.
Setting up the device is fairly easy. Simply attach the dash cam to its suction mount, connect the power cable that goes straight to the lighter outlet of the car, and you’re good to start recording your drives.
Features
The Zumi dash cam has also been equipped with an array of features that should help in properly documenting your travels.
Parking Mode – Automatically records when an impact has been made to your vehicle while parked.
Auto ON/OFF – Recording can be automatically started or stopped when your car is turned on or off.
G-Sensor – Gravity sensors save and protect files automatically in case of collisions.
Motion Detector – Activates camera upon detecting external movements.
SOS Button – Manually save and lock files with one press of a button.
Loop Record – Overwrite oldest unsaved files to maximize memory.
Date and Time Stamp – See the date and time embedded on your camera display and video footage.
Built-in Microphone – Record all audio and sounds within range.
We liked its auto ON/OFF function particularly since it didn’t come as an automatically-applied feature with HP’s f310. Every time we started the car’s engine, we needed to press record right before we leave; this wasn’t the case for Zumi’s dash cam.
Its loop recording capability is also an essential when it comes to dashboard cameras in order to save storage space. What it does is take videos continuously and once it reaches its limit, it records over the old footage. When something special happens and you want to save that specific clip, just press the SOS button for the device to separate that video and not record over it.
Additionally, it also takes 5MP photos for shooting an aftermath of an accident, for example.
Performance
Sporting a 5-megapixel camera with CMOS sensor built-in, the Zumi dash cam performed decently throughout our entire time with it. Image quality is passable, but don’t expect super clear resolution on this thing. It’s important to keep in mind that you’ll be using this for documentation or proof when involved in an accident, and not really for shooting spectacular scenery.
At night, not much detail is seen except for the tail lights of vehicles in front of you. It could still serve its purpose, but once there are no tail lights are around, you’ll most likely be seeing pitch black footage as seen on the sample video. Needless to say, the 6-piece LED light didn’t help a lot.
One more thing we noticed was that some of the footage we recorded had problems with playback. The image seemed to be cut up top and continued down at the bottom. It was randomly experienced and could be due to a bug within its software. It’s not much of a big deal and it could even be an isolated case, but it’s something that we think our dear readers should know before buying the device.
Zumi’s dash cam is capable of recording in a variety of resolutions:
Full HD: 1920 × 1080 @25fps
1080p: 1440 × 1080 @30fps
720p: 1280 × 720 @30fps
WVGA: 848 × 480 @30fps
VGA: 640 × 480 @30fps
QVGA: 320 × 240 @30fps
Overall, we still prefer the HP f310 in terms of picture quality. Check out the sample video below showing the quality in the morning, at night, and a side-by-side comparison between the samples of HP f310 and Zumi dash cam.
Conclusion
During our time with the Zumi dashcam, we would say that it gets the job done of recording your travels decently. It’s also pretty straightforward to use and comes packed with handy features normally seen on more expensive models.
It has some drawback, though, at night where it proved hard to see and what could be a bug when it crops the video awkwardly. But other than that, we had no major gripes with this device and is actually more affordable than the Php8K HP f310. It also comes with its own microSD card so that’s one thing less to worry about.
The Zumi dash cam can be bought for Php3,300 and is now available at Lazada (Php3,500), Kimstore, and their website at www.zumi.ph.
Zumi dashboard camera specs:
2.7-inch LCD display
5MP camera with 140-degree wide angle lens
Full HD video recording
4x zoom
6-piece LED lights
HDMI
200mAh battery Price: Php3,300
What we liked about it:
Affordable price
Auto recording preset
Variety of video resolutions
What we didn’t like:
6-piece LED light is gimmicky
Experienced problems with some of the sample videos
We once again have a dashboard camera on our hands shortly after testing out the HP f310. This time around, it’s from Zumi so join us as we take a look at how this Php3.3K device performs on the road.
Design and Construction
If the HP f310 carries a square form factor, the Zumi dash cam has more of a rectangular shape with the main shooter situated at the middle. It is also very much protruding, unlike the f310 which has a more subtle sensor placement. Although in reality, it won’t actually matter since it’s going to be unnoticed once mounted in the car.
The dash cam comes built-in with 6 pieces of LED lights that supposedly act as fill light to improve video quality at low light places. We’ll know later on if it indeed helped video recording during night time.
In addition, the Zumi dash cam boasts a 140-degree wide-angle lens with A+ grade resolution that could record Full HD videos.
Connectivity ports are found up top, with HDMI, mini USB, and AV jack flanking the mounting system in the middle.
On the left we have the slot for a microSD card which can handle up to 32GB to store files in. It’s nice for the company to include an 8GB card (class 4) to go along with the bundle. It isn’t much but will surely suffice for the Zumi dash cam.
The 2.7-inch LCD display is at the back where you can view and playback images and video files. It also has an SOS button that manually saves and protects the files with just a press of a button.
Navigation buttons are found under the device.
Setting up the device is fairly easy. Simply attach the dash cam to its suction mount, connect the power cable that goes straight to the lighter outlet of the car, and you’re good to start recording your drives.
Features
The Zumi dash cam has also been equipped with an array of features that should help in properly documenting your travels.
Parking Mode – Automatically records when an impact has been made to your vehicle while parked.
Auto ON/OFF – Recording can be automatically started or stopped when your car is turned on or off.
G-Sensor – Gravity sensors save and protect files automatically in case of collisions.
Motion Detector – Activates camera upon detecting external movements.
SOS Button – Manually save and lock files with one press of a button.
Loop Record – Overwrite oldest unsaved files to maximize memory.
Date and Time Stamp – See the date and time embedded on your camera display and video footage.
Built-in Microphone – Record all audio and sounds within range.
We liked its auto ON/OFF function particularly since it didn’t come as an automatically-applied feature with HP’s f310. Every time we started the car’s engine, we needed to press record right before we leave; this wasn’t the case for Zumi’s dash cam.
Its loop recording capability is also an essential when it comes to dashboard cameras in order to save storage space. What it does is take videos continuously and once it reaches its limit, it records over the old footage. When something special happens and you want to save that specific clip, just press the SOS button for the device to separate that video and not record over it.
Additionally, it also takes 5MP photos for shooting an aftermath of an accident, for example.
Performance
Sporting a 5-megapixel camera with CMOS sensor built-in, the Zumi dash cam performed decently throughout our entire time with it. Image quality is passable, but don’t expect super clear resolution on this thing. It’s important to keep in mind that you’ll be using this for documentation or proof when involved in an accident, and not really for shooting spectacular scenery.
At night, not much detail is seen except for the tail lights of vehicles in front of you. It could still serve its purpose, but once there are no tail lights are around, you’ll most likely be seeing pitch black footage as seen on the sample video. Needless to say, the 6-piece LED light didn’t help a lot.
One more thing we noticed was that some of the footage we recorded had problems with playback. The image seemed to be cut up top and continued down at the bottom. It was randomly experienced and could be due to a bug within its software. It’s not much of a big deal and it could even be an isolated case, but it’s something that we think our dear readers should know before buying the device.
Zumi’s dash cam is capable of recording in a variety of resolutions:
Full HD: 1920 × 1080 @25fps
1080p: 1440 × 1080 @30fps
720p: 1280 × 720 @30fps
WVGA: 848 × 480 @30fps
VGA: 640 × 480 @30fps
QVGA: 320 × 240 @30fps
Overall, we still prefer the HP f310 in terms of picture quality. Check out the sample video below showing the quality in the morning, at night, and a side-by-side comparison between the samples of HP f310 and Zumi dash cam.
Conclusion
During our time with the Zumi dashcam, we would say that it gets the job done of recording your travels decently. It’s also pretty straightforward to use and comes packed with handy features normally seen on more expensive models.
It has some drawback, though, at night where it proved hard to see and what could be a bug when it crops the video awkwardly. But other than that, we had no major gripes with this device and is actually more affordable than the Php8K HP f310. It also comes with its own microSD card so that’s one thing less to worry about.
The Zumi dash cam can be bought for Php3,300 and is now available at Lazada (Php3,500), Kimstore, and their website at www.zumi.ph.
Zumi dashboard camera specs:
2.7-inch LCD display
5MP camera with 140-degree wide angle lens
Full HD video recording
4x zoom
6-piece LED lights
HDMI
200mAh battery Price: Php3,300
What we liked about it:
Affordable price
Auto recording preset
Variety of video resolutions
What we didn’t like:
6-piece LED light is gimmicky
Experienced problems with some of the sample videos
