BlackVue DR500GW-HD WiFi

New car updated with new dashcam (or windshieldcam :-)

Please welcome BlackVue DR500GW.
Got it for several reasons over competitors:
- view angle
- no screen
- variable quality
- linux on board
- settings and monitoring via smartphone app over wifi
- compact design
- gps
- real full hd
- parking mode (with Magic Pro, keep reading)

Manufacturer's preso

One of tons reviews available on YouTube

I placed it near rear mirror. It hidden from direct sun by that perforated mesh.
Cord goes under plastics and there is one place where you can see it - near arm brake it comes out to go into the 12V socket inside armrest.

Now, as I got Power Magic Pro controller that can power up dashcam depends on your settings for parking mode. Just need to install it.

Power Magic will allow dashcam to work longer time preventing battery discharge, because it will cut voltage if it drops below threshold or specific time settings. Parking mode is cool, because it will allow your cam to record 5 sec before and 1 minute after any hit detected by built-in sensors. Think of you leaved a car on parking and someone hit it and ran away.

Of course it will be visible only if front camera will catch it. But there is set with two cams - BlackVue DR550GW-2CH. Like this one but with rear small camera. We ordered this for my friend.

One minor almost accident filmed on my dashcam

Regarding the cost.

Here is fresh price list from my seller Jae from Korea. I bought DR500GW when it cost $250, now it's $210. If you order it to Israel, you should avoid EMS (DHL, FedEx, etc) carrier for delivery as it will go directly to the customs where you will spend extra fees and should pay VAT. There are ways to bypass it.

For $200 you can probably get 4 cheap dashcams from eBay or aliexpress or whatever and put in all 4 directions. It will work. But compare video and features with this one, they all out of league.
One missing feature is that it doesn't rotates horizontally that can be useful when police officer comes to your car from driver's door and you want to film him in case they do bullshit like recently one guy filmed how he stops near stop sign and just around the corner police write him penalty for not stopping :-) 3 times already! He was on evening news with videos. As far as I know, first penalty was canceled and second not.

When I chose, I thought about these models from this Russian thread (and new one) - this is dashcam vids community:
TrendVision TV-Q5NV
teXet DVR-1GP
Mio MiVue 388 Full HD
Neoline Cubex V31
IconBit DVR FHD

Links
Great Russian forums about this dashcam: on taker (already dead thread) and now moved to car-dvr.

Update (2013-10-28)
To compare DR500GW and DR550GW-2CH we did few videos.
You better download sources, YouTube is not so good to find differences "in pixels".

I got in my car DR500GW-HD with firmware v1.008R. It allows you to set maximum bit rate to 10 Mb/s for 1080p and 8 Mb/s for 720p. With custom firmware it can be increased, usually users use 15 Mb/s.
Morning - 720p, Bitrate 8 Mb: YouTube, Source MP4
Night - 720p, Bitrate 8 Mb: YouTube, Source MP4
Example of bigger bitrates from other users on YouTube: 15 Mb, 12 Mb

My friend got DR550GW-2CH with front and rear camera together. Firmware is 1.010R.
Day (front) - 1080p, Bitrate 6 Mb: YouTube, Source MP4
Day (rear) - 720p, Bitrate 2 Mb: YouTube, Source MP4
Night (front) - 1080p, Bitrate 6 Mb YouTube, Source MP4
Night (rear) - 720p, Bitrate 2 Mb: YouTube, Source MP4

Rubber mats

Why rubber mats?

They are more practical. Winter (rain or snow), children, beach sand, traveling, etc.

It's more easy to get them out, kick it it and put back then wash with water. Original carpets looks better may be... until dirty, all dust stick to it and small clap with your foot rises all that into air after few weeks.

On Fabia I had original carpets, but for Honda I decided to get rubber mats. So I called to Roman and asked for a price, previously checked on Internet.

08P18-TV0-610 - Front Lipped Rubber Mats - Left hand drive is about $90.

08P19-TV0-610 - Rear Lipped Rubber Mats is about $70.

I was happy when he said it will cost me here around 400 ILS.

There is also rubber mat for the trunk but it cost as these two sets.
08U45-TV0-600 - Trunk Tray about $160.

After 2 days from order Roman called me back at morning and said I can come, pay and get my mats - nice and quick.

And lets compare them with carpets. Driver's.

This is passenger's.

And rear mats.

On rear mats there no cut for seat mount :-( You will see later.
But all rubber mats are cover more space (sides) that carpets.

Lets compare interiors.

Original set of carpets that came with car was manufactured in Feb-March 2013 (17th week of 2013). Made in Poland.

And rubber mats are from Sep 2012. Made in Latvia.

Links
Fitting instructions
Honda Accessories
Honda Accessories (Rus)

Update (2015-04-05)
Bonus info...
08U45-TV0-600 - Trunk Tray - $92 (exist.ru)

I was able to find not original replacement
NorPlast NPA00-EP30-130 = $12!!! :-)

1,500 km | 0Y 1M

Leaked paper - fuel filter price

With papers on new cars I got my insurance sent by fax to Honda from my agent.
They printed it on this deal between Honda store and other parts store for Honda Insight fuel filter 17048-TM8-305.

551 NIS with 10% discount (611 NIS full), equals to ~$150. Not too bad, I can get it for $110.
Will see how Civic goes on first service ;-)

What I want to say. Do not print on used papers guys :-)

the Keys

This call I was waiting for more than 10 days!
Roman called me around afternoon and said that car is will be in 1-2 hours in Netanya.

I was at work. It was last working day on a week, we planned to go for my wife's birthday to Tiberias for 2 nights in zimmer... So I handled my work and ran to Eldan to return rented Mazda 3. Had lunch, came back to office, called to insurance agent to send to Honda mandatory policy and waited for end of the day to finish the work.

At about 16 I took taxi from new industrial zone to the old one where Top Car is located. Roman was waiting for me, he say they were there till 17:00.

Car was outside. No customers already. We finished all required papers except one where I should sing that I got the car and has no complains. I said we should check it first and we went to new Civic.

Odometer was saying 10 km, everything was perfect except they put cheap twitter plastics and they wasn't good fitted in place like some clip is missing. Roman said he will check it. Now I signed rest papers, got vehicle license and pair of keys with 2 red breloks (looks chip, bet it's not original Honda's)

And I drove home with front seats covered with cellophane to grab my wife, bags and drive in a new Civic to celebrate double happiness.

And few pictures of new car (^_^)

By the way. Very recommended place to stay - Sunrise in the Kinneret. Perfect for a couple. They have only 2 rooms for visitors (so it's very very quite), small pool, jacuzzi, sauna. And everything is around when you have a car, especially new Honda Civic :-)

10 km | 0Y 1M