Comparison Aspiring Maxi 4 vs Aspiring Maxi 3

Model of the processor used in the dashcam

The term "video chip" is used mainly for devices with classic capabilities, "processor" — for advanced models with an abundance of non-standard functions. However, anyway, we are talking about the same component — the main computing unit, the characteristics of which directly affect the capabilities of the recorder as a whole. Knowing the model of the processor, you can find detailed data on it and evaluate how satisfied you are with a device based on such electronics. Of the most advanced modern chips, one can name, in particular, Ambarella A7L, Ambarella A12, Novatek NTK96655, Novatek NTK96660 and HiSilicon Hi3516.

The maximum resolution and frame rate of video taken by the recorder in the Super HD standard.

Super HD is a rather specific standard that exceeds Full HD in resolution, but falls short of Quad HD. The traditional frame size for this format is 2304x1296, but there are models with a lower horizontal resolution — 1728x1296. Anyway, Super HD is quite popular among DVRs: it provides good detail and does not require particularly powerful hardware.

As for the frame rate, the higher it is, the smoother and less blurry the video will be, the better the details on moving objects will be visible, and also the more space the footage will take up. However, in Super HD models this figure usually ranges from 25 to 30 fps, and this difference is hardly fundamental.

The maximum resolution and frame rate of video recorded by the recorder in the Ultra HD 4K standard.

The UHD 4K standard mainly includes video formats with a frame size of about 4K pixels horizontally — in particular, 3840x2160. However, in DVRs, this category includes some other resolutions with a frame size of 2160 vertical pixels — in particular, 2888x2160 (4:3 aspect ratio). For DVRs, this is a very advanced standard that provides the highest detail, but requires large matrices and powerful computing. As a result, its support is typical only for some top-level models.

As for the frame rate, the higher it is, the smoother and less blurry the video will be, the better the details on moving objects will be visible, and also the more space the footage will take up. However, when shooting in UHD, this figure rarely exceeds 24 fps due to the mentioned demands on the hardware “hardware”.

— LDWS (lane control). A system that monitors the car's position within the lane: it monitors the car's position on the road and, if it deviates from the current lane, gives a warning signal, attracting the driver's attention. This signal can literally save the lives of road users if the driver is distracted or falls asleep at the wheel. DVRs with LDWS will be especially useful for those who have to spend a lot of time driving without a break. However, if road markings are of poor quality or absent, this function becomes useless.

— FCWS(distance control). A system that monitors the distance to the car in front and gives a signal if this distance is critically reduced and a collision is possible. Typically, FCWS is activated at a certain speed (for example, 40 km/h and above), and its sensitivity can be adjusted to suit traffic density. A collision warning is usually displayed and accompanied by an audible signal.

— LLWS(headlights reminder). A sensor that monitors the level of ambient light; When the light level decreases, LLWS reminds the driver to turn on the headlights. Such a reminder may be useful not only in the dark, but also during the day - for example, in cloudy weather or when entering a tunnel.

— Sign recognition. Intelligent system for automatic recognition and analysis of road signs. Typically..., this function aims to recognize speed limit signs and provide advance warning to the driver to adhere to the prescribed speed limits. However, many recorders with a similar function perfectly “see” other road signs, duplicating them to the driver on the screen of the head unit as a kind of safety net.

- Antison. A feature that reduces the risk of falling asleep while driving. When the Antisleep mode is turned on, the recorder, as a rule, periodically plays a special sound signal; in some models this sound stops itself, in others the driver must manually turn off the signal, confirming that he is not sleeping. However, it is worth keeping in mind that even the most advanced Antison system does not provide a complete guarantee against falling asleep while driving. Therefore, the most correct behavior when you are very tired is to stop and rest; This function should be used only in extreme cases.

— Radar detector. A sensor that reacts to the radiation of a police radar and warns the driver that the speed of movement can be recorded by the device. DVRs with this function are classified into a separate category - combo devices (see “Type”). Let us remind you that radar detectors are also available as separate devices, but the combo device takes up less space when installed. On the other hand, the “anti-radar” functionality in combined video recorders is generally somewhat more modest than in separately made radar detectors. And combo devices are quite expensive (although, most often, they are cheaper than a pair of a separate recorder and a radar detector with similar capabilities). We would like to emphasize that the presence of this function does not relieve you of the obligation to adhere to the speed prescribed by the traffic rules.

— Signature recognition. A function of the radar detector described above that improves recognition accuracy and reduces the likelihood of false alarms. To do this, samples (signatures) of emissions from the most popular radar models are entered into the device’s memory, and when a signal is detected, the device compares it with the data in memory. In this way, you can quite accurately determine whether the received signal is the radiation of a radar (and which one), or whether it is just extraneous interference. The disadvantages of detectors with signature r...ecognition are quite high cost, slightly increased response time and the inability to “recognize” radars that are not stored in memory (however, some models allow updating the signature database).

— Parking mode. A special mode that allows you to record emergency incidents on video while the car is parked; The G-sensor is used for operation (see “Shooting functions”). In parking mode, the recorder is in “sleep” mode, and if the G-sensor detects an impact, full recording starts. In this case, the video from the buffer is “glued” to the beginning of the recording, which allows you to record not only the moment of the incident itself, but also a few seconds before it.

— Motion sensor. Recorder function based on motion detection in the camera lens. Thus, if the recorder “understands” that there is movement in the frame, automatic shooting is carried out. This allows you to configure the DVR to automatically turn on when you start driving, as well as record possible accidents, thefts, and car thefts from parking lots that come into the field of view of your device.

— Voice control. Ability to control the DVR using voice commands. The specific list of such commands (and supported languages) may vary depending on the model. However, in any case, this function contributes to traffic safety: it allows you to keep your hands off the steering wheel and not be distracted from the road when operating the recorder.

— Gesture control. Ability to control the device using gestures. Note that the capabilities of such control in DVRs are very limited: as a rule, a sensor is used for this, which responds to the movement of the user’s hand in front of the device and is capable of performing only one specific action. However, even this feature provides additional convenience and safety (compared to pressing buttons and especially working with menus): moving your hand takes a split second, while the driver is practically not distracted from the road. As for specific functions implemented through gesture control, they may include protecting the recorded video from being overwritten, saving a photo, turning off the sound signal from the radar detector (see above), etc. In some models, such a function is hard-coded in the settings and cannot be reconfigured; in others it is possible to choose one of several options.

— Wi-Fi module. Wi-Fi technology is mainly known as a way to access the Internet wirelessly, but it can also be used to communicate directly with another device. The methods of using this technology in recorders may be different, depending on the functionality. For example, some models are capable of updating map marks for a GPS navigator and a GPS informer database via such a communication (see above); others allow you to upload the captured video directly to the Internet (for example, YouTube); and the most advanced devices with this function have touch screens and, when removed from the mount, can even be used as full-fledged tablets, with the ability to view web pages and install various applications. There are also quite specific possibilities - for example, broadcasting filmed or filmed video to a smartphone or tablet, distributing mobile Internet to other devices (if there is a 3G/4G module), etc. Note that the number of public Wi-Fi access points is constantly increasing, they are available at most large gas stations and are often provided in certain areas of large cities (parks, historical and business districts, etc.). So, accessing the World Wide Web from the recorder without removing it from the car may turn out to be much easier than it looks at first glance.

— 3G/4G modem. 3G or 4G mobile communication module. Designed mainly for data transfer - in other words, for using the mobile Internet; Voice calls for DVRs are considered overkill and are generally not supported. The communication speed in modern mobile networks is often comparable to a communication via Wi-Fi; so the options for using 3G/4G connectivity can be quite varied, depending on the specific model. However, three functions are most often encountered: downloading information about traffic jams and other relevant data (updates for the GPS informer, weather forecast, etc.); work as a GPS tracker (if this function is available - see above); as well as Wi-Fi access point mode, with mobile Internet distribution to other devices (if you have your own Wi-Fi module, of course). If we compare 3G/4G and Wi-Fi, then mobile communications are available almost everywhere, but you have to pay for using it.

— Bluetooth. The recorder has a built-in Bluetooth module. This technology is used for direct wireless communication with other devices; its application may vary depending on the functionality of a particular registrar. One of the most popular options is to broadcast sound to a Bluetooth-enabled radio or to the driver’s headset: these can be various notifications from a navigator, radar detector, etc., signals from the Antison system (see above), and in some models - even music from the built-in player. Another popular application format is exchanging files with a smartphone, laptop or other similar device (primarily copying footage). In addition, other, more specific ways of using Bluetooth may be envisaged. And here it is worth noting that most recorders with this function work on Android (see the corresponding paragraph), so the range of options in them is very extensive - in fact, it is limited to the range of compatible applications.

- Speaker. Own speaker installed in the DVR body. Through such a speaker, for example, audio can be played when watching a captured video, voice prompts from a GPS navigator/informant, signals from a radar detector (see above), etc. However, it is worth considering that the sound power can be quite low, and in a noisy environment it may be difficult to listen to the speaker.

The maximum video resolution supported by the optional DVR camera. Depending on the design and configuration, we can talk about both a remote camera and a camera for filming the interior (see above for both); this nuance should be clarified separately.

The higher the resolution, the more detailed the image from the camera will be, the more small details will be normally visible on it. On the other hand, high detailing affects the volume of materials to be filmed and the requirements for the “hardware” of the registrar (and, accordingly, affects the cost).

In general, additional cameras of modern recorders can be divided into the following categories:

— SD. "Standard" resolution (as opposed to HD — "high resolution"). A rather modest frame size, which at the same time allows you to significantly save memory for video recording and is suitable even for low-cost recorders. Specific resolution options include, but are not limited to, 628x582, 640x480, and 720x480.

— HD 720p. The traditional, most popular resolution for this video recording standard is 1280x720. In addition to it, registrars also found 960x720 (aspect ratio 4:3) and reduced in height 1280x480. HD is the most modest of today's high-definition standards, but still provides pretty decent detail.

— Full HD 1080p. The "classic of the genre" for this standard is the resolution of 1920x1080, however, there are other values in registrars, including very speci...fic ones — such as 1440x1080 (4:3 aspect ratio) and 1920x540 (halved vertical resolution). This is a fairly solid indicator even for the main camera of the registrar, and there is no need to talk about additional ones.

— Super HD. Not a particularly popular standard in video technology, which, nevertheless, has found application in video recorders. Most often provides a resolution of 2304x1296, which provides even more

The angle of view of the additional camera of the DVR. Depending on the design and configuration, we can talk about both a remote camera and a camera for filming the interior (see above for both); this nuance should be clarified separately. And the viewing angle can be indicated both horizontally and diagonally, which is why models with the same numbers in the characteristics may differ somewhat in the actual field of view. However, in this case, this difference is not critical.

In theory, a wider field of view allows you to cover more space, but individual details in the frame are smaller. In addition, wide-angle lenses give geometric distortion at the edges of the picture; and the DEWARP technology (see "Features") used to eliminate them is not usually used in additional cameras.

This technology provides high-quality colour reproduction, high brightness and wide viewing angles, and thanks to the improvement and reduction in price, the price of IPS screens is constantly decreasing. At the same time, the meaning of the IPS screen may arise in the case of using a Dashcam at the scene of an accident in order to clarify the situation and review the footage. And the availability of an IPS screen indicates a device of a higher class.

Availability of a backup power source in the device design. Such a source comes into operation when the main power supply from the on-board vehicle network is unavailable, to finalize the recording when the ignition is turned off, during an accident and in other situations (for example, if you need to view the captured videos on the DVR).

— Battery. The battery “under the hood” of recorders most often has a low capacity, sufficient for several minutes of autonomous operation. As a rule, this is a lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery, which is an additional guarantee in case of emergency situations. First of all, the battery can be useful in case of an accident: if the voltage in the cigarette lighter socket disappears due to damage, the recorder will still remain operational and will be able to record at least a few more minutes after the accident.

— Supercapacitor (ionister). A special energy drive is an ultra-high-capacity capacitor. Such a drive has a number of advantages over a battery. In particular, supercapacitors are immune to low and high temperatures, sunlight, they do not lose capacity as they wear out, and do not catch fire or explode even in extreme situations. And even in the event of a strong impact (for example, in the event of an accident), such a power source is more likely to remain operational than a battery. Ionisters are rightfully considered a much more advanced...and reliable backup power option. True, the capacity of such a capacitor is only enough to save the last recorded video and turn it off correctly - it does not allow the device to function autonomously even for several minutes. However, in the traditional use of DVRs, in general, no more is required, so in such cases, the practical advantages of this type of backup power significantly outweigh the disadvantages.