Owl Car Cam Tested - Disappoints

Avatar
John Scanlan
•Published Mar 30, 2018 11:54 AM

**** $** ******* ** ** *******, and *** ** *** ****** ******* lead *** *** **** *** *** VP ** *********** ** *******, ****** Hodge [**** ** ****** *********], ***** are **** ******** **** ******* ******* ** *** car / **** *** ******. 

*** ***** ** ***********. ***** ******* companies **** *** ****, ***** ** no ***** ***** ****-*** ****** (*.*., Ring ** *********). *** **** *** succeed ** ****?

****** *** ***, * ******* ******** ****** **** high-end ******** **** **** *******, *** connectivity, ****-**** ********, *** ****. ** bought *** ****** *** ** *** how ** ********. *** ***** ***** previews **** ** *****:

****** *** ******, ** *******:

  • ******** ****** *******
  • ******** ****** *******
  • ****** *********
  • ***** ********
  • ***** / ************ ****
  • ******** ********
  • ****** *** ********

*******

*** ******* ******** ***** ******* ***** inside *** ******* *** ******* ** our *****, **** ******* ****** *** facial ******** *****, *** ******* ******** in *** *****, ******* ** ******* plates *** ******** ****** *******. *** was **** ******* ** ****** ****** ***** gave ** ********** ** *** ****** of *** ***** (******, *******, *************), making ** *********** ** ****** *** what ****** * ***** *****, ** even ********.

************, ******* ** ***** ***, ****** recordings *** **** ********* **** ******** connected ** *** ****** *** ****, potentially ******** *** *** ** * vehicle ** ****** *** ***** **** to ****** ***** *********** ******* ** ** the *****.

*******, ** *** *******, *** ****** rebooted ****** ******* ***** ***** *******, 4 ***** ** **** *** *****, without *** ***** ***** ** *******.

*******

******* *** ******, *** *** ****** is * ***** *******, **** * combination ** ******** ***** ** ***, if *** ***** **** ****. ************, Owl ** * ***** *******, **** ~18 ****** *** **** ~** ********* ****** on ******** [**** ** ****** *********] (*** ******* ** ********* ******). ***** **** *** ********** ***********, Owl *** ** **** ** ******* these ************.

Key ********

***** **** ******* **** ** *** test ** *** *** ***:

  • ***** ***** *******: ********** ******** ** *** *** ******* common ** *** / **** *******.
  • **** *****: **** **** ** ***** *** ******** worked ******* ****** ** *** *****, with ***** ******* ** *-* ******* and *********.
  • **** ********: ****-**** ******* ******** *** ********** updated ****** *** *****, ****** * few ******* ****.

*******, ***** **** ******* *********, ** well:

  • ********** ***: *** ****** ********* ******* ****** when ***** ** **** ******** ** the *****. 
  • ***** ****** / *************: *********** *** *********** ** ********** VMD *** ***** ******. **** * "motion *****" ** ******** ***** ** no ****** ********** ******* *** **** know ** *** ***** *** ********* from *** ******* ****** *******, *** inward ****** *******, ** *** ***********. One *** ** **** ******* ***** then ***** **** ********.
  • ******** ***** ******** ****:** ****** *** **** ** ***** of ***** (****** ** *** ******), users **** ******* *** *** ** board WiFi, *** ***. *** ****** **** manually ***** ***** ** ** ******.
  • ****** *******: *******, *** ****** ******** ******* warning ******* ***** ****** *******, * times **** *** ****** ** ~** days.

Premium ********/******* *****

** $*** ***, *** *** *** Cam ** ************* **** ********* **** typical **** *** ******, **** ** the** ***** *******(~$** ***). *******, ***** ******* ********* ** not ******* *** ******** **** ** LTE, ***, **** ********, *** *** audio, ***.

*********** ***** ****** ************ **** **** **, *** *** audio, ***, *** ***** ******** ***** in *** ***, *** *** ****** above ***, ******** ** ~$***, ********* on ******** *** *******. 

************

*** ** ********* **** ********* ** the ** *** ** *** ******** to ***** *********. **** ***** **** ** intend ** ***** *** ****** ********, but ** *** ******* ******* ***** for *** ***** *******.

Physical ********

*** ***** ***** ******** * ******** overview ** *** ****** *** ***** supply. *******, *** ***** *** **** facing *******, *** ********* (******** *****), built ** ****, *** ***** ***** illuminators.

************

*** *** ****** *** *** ***** installation ******** ***** ******* ********/******** *** camera ******** ** ***** **** ******* we **** ****/******.

  • ***** *****:*****, *** ******'* ***** ** ****** in ******* *** ********* *** **********, with * ******* *** ******* ** to *** **********. ** *** *****, this *** **** ****** *** *** not ********.
  • *** ** *** *****:*** **** ********' *** ***** *** power, ***** ****** *** ****** **** the *** ** *** *** ******* ignition ******. ** ********, **** **** cams *** *** ** ********* ******* type ***** ******, ***** *** ** may *** ** ******* **** *** car ** ***. **** **** *** switches ** *** ***** **** ** the **** ** *** *** **** than ** ***** ** ******** *******. 

App ********

*** ****** **** ***** **** ***, ****** Owl *** ***** *** ** ******* version "****", **** * **** ******* list [**** ** ****** *********] ********* open ** ***** ****. *** ***** below ******** ** ******** ** *** Owl ****** ***.

*** **** ******* ********** ** *** Owl ****** *** ** **** ******** video *** *** ** ******** *** LTE. ***** **** ******* ** *** camera's ***** **** ** ***** ** **** recordings. 

Image *******

***'* ***** ****** ****** ******** ***** quality ******** ** ******** ******* ******* such ** ***** *** ****, *** not ******* ******

*** ******* ******* ***** ***** ******* shown ***** ** ** ******** *******.

** *****, *** ******* ****** ****** is ****** ** ******* ******* ******* ****** of ****** ****, ***** *****. *******, this ***** ** ********** ****** **** other **** **** ** **** ******, with  ******* ******* ** *** **** and **** *********** ******* ** ***** vehicles, ***** ****** ***** *** *******.

Interior ****** ***********

****** *** ***, *** ******** ****** provides ***** ***** ** ******** ** the ***, ***** *****. **** **** the **** **** ** ******* ******** 480p, *** *** **** **** ********** of **********.

*******, ** ***** ****** ***** ** decrease, **** ** ****** ** ** overcast *** ***** *****, ****** ******* become *****, **** *********** **** *********.

Motion *** **** ********* *****

****** ********* ***** ** **** ** user ********* ***** *** ***** ** the ** ***** ******* ** * horizontal ******** **** ******* ****** ****** stacked ***** ****** ****** ****** ** shown *****. **** **** *** *** plays **** **** * ****** **** at * ****, ** ** ****** both ****** ****** *** *** **** clip *** **** **** ** ***** two ******** ****** (*** *** **** camera). 

 

LTE / **** / ********* ************

*** ** **** **** ** ******* to *** ****** *** **** ********** including; ******* ***** ******* ** *** user ***/** ****** *********, **** ****, two *** *****, *** *** ******** services.

*** ****** **** ********* ****** ***** as **** ** **** *** ***** to **** *** **** ** ***** of ******** *******. *** *** ******** via ********* *** **** ******* *** user ** **** *** ******** ******* of *** ******.

Last ** ******** **** ****

***'* ******** ******* ******** ***** **** the **** ** ***** ** **** cameras. ** ********* ***** *** ******* needs ** ** ********* ** ***** **** in ***** ** ******** *** *****. Once *********, ** ******** * ******** of *****, ******** ********, *** ****** options ** ***** *****.

On ***** *******

**** **** ***** ** ****** ** the ******, **** ** ********* *** SD **** ** *** ** ****** archives ****** *** ** **** *****. This *** ** * ********** ** some *****, ** ***** ****** ****** the ****** *********** ****-********, *** *******.

Random *******

*******, ****** *** *****, *** ****** rebooted ******** ***** **** ** ******* while *******. **** *** **********, ********* 4 ***** **** *** ****** ** 15 ****, *** ******** **** ** visible *****.

********

*** **** ******* ******** ********* ** the **** ** ******* *** **** in **** ****.

  • ***: ** ******* *.*.* (**)
Comments (6)
Avatar
Jon Dillabaugh
•Mar 30, 2018
Pro Focus LLC

Are they related at all to the Night Owl brand of big box kits? That was the first thing I thought of. If not, that will be confusing to end users. 

JH
John Honovich
•Mar 30, 2018
IPVM
In reply to Jon Dillabaugh

No, not related to Night Owl and being these are Silicon Valley guys, not sure if they even are that aware of Night Owl.

Also, a Night Owl kit of 8 cameras probably is the same price as this car cam :)

(1)
(3)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Mar 31, 2018

Interesting why they choose the form factor of making it look like a sat nav. The size is so large it's difficult to mount up high or out the way so the screen is clear. Also being physically as a sat nat style effectively you will have to remove it. If leave that in a car park and the nearest thief will think thanks for that! One of the advantages I find with dash cams is the ability for it to record while the car is parked, so having something small and obviously not a sat nav ensures it's there in the morning. An important feature though is the ability for the camera to sense battery voltage and shutdown after the voltage gets low ensuring the vehicle battery isn't excessively drained. We use thinkaware dashcams as a standard now, they are excellent, the only shame is you can't remotely via mobile network directly access them. But our guys have the app and can copy off the footage via WiFi. All our engineers have these in our VW vans, the amount of people reversing into the front of them in a hotel is surprising! We also used one recently when a 3rd parties Ford Transit van parked opposite in a hotel car park was broken into, we had the video on our dash cam.

 

 

(2)
U
Undisclosed #2
•Mar 31, 2018
IPVMU Certified

Who pays for the LTE data charge?

Avatar
John Scanlan
•Mar 31, 2018
IPVM • IPVMU Certified
In reply to Undisclosed #2

U2 - 1 year of LTE is included with purchase, and 60 more minutes and/or clips can be purchased for $10. 

(1)
Avatar
Jeff Grunbaum
•Apr 03, 2018

I bought of these when it was announce, so I have had it for a little over a month now.  This is my first dash cam, but I really wanted one with cellular connectivity.  This requirement doesn't make sense for everyone, but I have a Jeep wrangler that sits in a train station parking lot all day. If stolen, its supposed to send a snapshot of the thief (assuming he is within camera view).  Overall I have been happy with the images provided, but agree, the images is not as good during the night. 

I have also had about 3 or 4 random reboots, which I have contacted the support (which are great), but no fix yet.  I am just chalking that up to being on the first release of a new product and hope that they fix it soon. 

 

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