Manufacturer: KYE Systems Corporation Product Name: Full HD Vehicle Recorder Model Number: DVR-FHD590 Part Number: 32300018100 UPC: 091163243441 EAN: 4710268243441 Price As Tested: $131.59 (Amazon | Newegg)
Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Genius.
The streets are a dangerous place for motorists, and heavy traffic congestion adds as much risk to long trips as it does to short commutes. Defensive driving will help prevent some accidents, but the daily drive to and from work is wrought with random chance and uncertainty. It's not a question of if you'll be involved in an accident, it's a question of when. You can never know when someone might run a red light as you enter the intersection, or suffer a tire failure that sends them out of control. Insurance companies tend to penalize their drivers with blame, simply because they lack solid evidence to prove otherwise. Now you can capture that proof on video, for only $131 online (Amazon | Newegg). The Genius DVR-FHD590 high-definition 1080p vehicle recorder automatically powers on whenever someone is behind the wheel, and acts as a witness if the worst should happen.
There are several obvious uses for the Genius DVR-FHD590, such as recording traffic events that might defend you in an accident, but there are many others that serve equally-important purposes. For example, the DVR-FHD590 could be used as an autonomous co-pilot for monitoring the behavior of inexperienced drivers or as a co-witness for driving instructors. Commercial drivers, such as those who operate limousines, shuttles, taxi cabs, moving vans, and buses, could benefit from the footage DVR-FHD590 records... especially in an emergency. While less obvious, the Genius DVR-FHD590 could also aid drivers who use a company vehicle, or high-risk operators who transport precious valuables or dangerous prisoners.
The Genius DVR-FHD590 Full HD Vehicle Recorder captures crisp and clear Full HD (1920x1080) video that helps drivers protect themselves with reliable evidence in the case of an unforeseen accident. A wide-angle lens, high power LED auxiliary lamp for night capture, and automatic emergency recording for collision detection ensures excellent video quality when you need it most.
Full HD Vehicle Recorder Features
Full HD 1080p camera (1920x1080 @ 30fps)
2.4" LCD color screen display
128° Wide angle lens
High power LED for low light environments
Motion detection IR receiver
Automatic emergency recording for collision detection
Storage media support: Micro SDHC, up to 32GB class 4 or faster
G-Sensor: 3-Axis G-Force sensor
Genius DVR-FHD590 Features
The Genius DVR-FHD590 is a full-HD video recorder kit that contains the following items: full HD vehicle recorder, window suction mount, visor clip mount, 12V DC "cigarette lighter" adapter to mini-USB cable, DVR Player software CD-ROM, and multi-language quick start guide. Genius DVR-FHD590 (part number 32300018100) is available online for $131.59 (Amazon | Newegg).
The core concept behind the Genius DVR-FHD590 is that it acts intuitively on your behalf, without requiring user interaction. To execute this, the device automatically turns as soon as power is provided from the vehicle (at startup). If the Automatic Record function is enabled, the camera will automatically begin recording (in selectable 3- or 5-minute intervals). An integrated 3-Axis G-Force sensor in DVR-FHD590 automatically triggers the device to record the event whenever it crosses the selected sensitivity threshold, creating an audio/video file that cannot be overwritten unless you specifically delete it. Once the vehicle engine shuts down, the device automatically saves the recording and turns off the device within 10 seconds.
Powered by an internal WANSGLORY CO., LTD. model SP5 Li-Polymer 3.7V 470mAh 1.7Wh battery, the Genius DVR-FHD590 maintains a full charge with the supplied 12V DC "cigarette lighter" adapter to mini-USB cable that plugs into the side of the camera. This same mini-USB port allows a computer to connect to the DVR, enabling file transfers. Alternatively, a mini-C HDMI output is available to play back audio/video footage or still photos directly on an HDMI display.
The DVR-FHD590 camera unit measures 2.6" square. At the heart of the kit is a 5.0 Megapixel camera with 128° wide-angle fixed focus lens (F2.4, f=3.0mm), which uses a large 1/3.2" CMOS sensor. The video recorder is capable of 1080p full high-definition 1920x1080 resolution at 30 fps or 720p HD 1280x720 resolution at 30 fps, both using the H.264 CODEC.
A distortion-free wide angle lens captures a large horizontal field of view, and not just the front of your hood. DVR-FHD590 works well in both bright daylight, and dark nights. Featuring High Dynamic Range (HDR) capture, video remains crisp and clear even in situations with high contrast.
An integrated microphone picks-up sounds nearby to the camera, such as driver/passenger voices or those coming to aid victims of an accident. Audio is recorded alongside video, giving a complete account of details - including conversations or distractions.
Beside the lens is a high-power LED auxiliary lamp, which is disabled by default in the settings. When enabled from the menu, this LED lamp illuminates the field of view whenever the lighting is insufficient and the automatically-controlled ISO setting of the camera requests it. This high power LED assists in providing auxiliary lighting that permits a clear and detailed video recording.
Along the right side of the camera you'll find a Micro SDHC memory card slot and power button. DVR-FHD590 requires a Micro SDHC card to save video or photo files, which is not included with the kit. For best results, it is recommended that a Class-10/UHS1 speed Micro SDHC memory card be used for capturing high definition video files.
Genius includes two options for mounting the DVR-FHD590 Full HD Vehicle Recorder in your vehicle: a suction-activated glass mount (above) or a visor clip mount (below). The suction mount is extremely strong, even before activating the lever, so there's no fear of the unit fall off your windshield. The visor clip is an alternative mount, which positions the unit high above the field of view. Some experimentation will be necessary to determine which method best fits the vehicle and suits your needs.
Since the Genius DVR-FHD590 camera has mounting points on the top or bottom, the unit can be positioned at a lower level using the bottom mounting point (underside of camera) or hang from above the windshield using the top mounting point (on top of camera). On most cars, the suction unit fits neatly behind the rear-view mirror, positioning the camera below and beside the mirror.
When you start your vehicle with the USB cable plugged into DVR-FHD590, the camera immediately begins to record audio/video. The DVR-FHD590 will also begin recording as soon as motion is detected by the Infrared receiver behind the camera unit: driver, passengers, etc. The Motion Detection features is configured from the settings menu.
If you want to prematurely stop the recording, simply press the down arrow key. With four button options, the menu interface is quite simple and straight forward.
The LCD screen features a 270° viewing angle, so the driver can easily observe playback from any position. Recordings can be viewed in real-time, or in playback mode on the 2.4" color LCD screen. By default the LCD screen is set to always-on, which can become a serious drain on battery life. The device offers other LCD options that could extend battery life: off after 30 seconds after start, 3 minutes, or always off.
In the next section, I discuss my test results with the Genius DVR-FHD590 Full HD Vehicle Recorder.
Testing & Results
All testing was conducted using the Genius DVR-FHD590 Full HD Vehicle Recorder suction-mounted beside the rearview mirror inside a sports sedan, with a 32GB UHS1 (Class-10) speed Micro SDHC memory card installed. The Genius DVR-FHD59 was operated with the USB charging cord connected, and disconnected on battery mode. Recordings were made while driving during the day, and at night - with and without the auxiliary LED lamp.
Upon consideration of purchasing this vehicle recorder, the very first thing you'll want to ensure is that you've got a class-6 (or faster) Micro SDHC memory card available for storage of multimedia recordings. Neither the packaging, nor product website suggested this item, so I had to order one after I had already received the DVR-FHD590. Since 32GB is the specified maximum capacity supported, I recommend a fast (UHS1/C10 speed) Micro SDHC memory card like the $23 Transend TS32GUSDU1E or $26 SanDisk SDSDQU-032G-AFFP-A - both come with adapters.
Before you install the vehicle recorder in your vehicle, there are several settings you'll want to customize. This first option is enabling the auxiliary lighting LED, or leaving it disabled (default). You'll definitely want to set the date and time, so that in the event you ever need to use footage as evidence it's correct. I choose to extend my battery life, and turn the LCD screen off after 30 seconds of starting. Motion Detection is disabled by default, so make sure to turn this feature on to ensure auto-start recordings. Finally, if you live in North America you'll want to select NTSC as your TV format option.
As mentioned earlier, the core concept behind DVR-FHD590 is that it acts intuitively on your behalf, without requiring user interaction. To my surprise, Genius pulled this off nicely. If you operate DVR-FHD590 with the USB cable plugged in, then it begins recording when you turn the ignition key or accessory power is started. If you're running off of battery and the unit has been powered on and left in standby, then the infrared IR receiver is designed to detect your presence behind the wheel and start recording. DVR-FHD590 also allows you to manually begin recording activity, which might be useful for unattended parking lots or when stranded at roadside.
Each 3-minute video clip segment is saved to the memory card in .MOV format, and weigh approximately 200-210MB apiece. If you elect to save in 5-minute intervals, the file size ranges from 340-350MB each. On the 32GB memory card used for testing, a total of 7.3 hours could be saved before the DVR-FHD590 would automatically overwrite older files. Out of 150+ recordings, at least two were unreadable for unknown reasons.
An integrated 3-Axis G-Force sensor in DVR-FHD590 automatically triggers the device to record whenever an event forces it past the menu-selected sensitivity threshold. This creates an audio/video file that cannot be overwritten, unless you specifically delete it from the menu. At the 'normal' sensitivity, at least one recording was preserved as an Emergency file due to suddenly stopping...
Genius DVR-FHD590 Full HD Vehicle Recorder Example (Benchmark Reviews)
I learned early on that camera placement is key if you're planning to run from battery (operate without USB cable attached). At the beginning of my tests the Genius DVR-FHD590 was positioned to the right and slightly behind the rear-view mirror, pointing slightly left toward the road's center divide. However, when I wanted to use the vehicle recorder without the cable (on battery), the infrared receiver could not detect me because it was obscured by the mirror and faced the passenger seat. To alleviate this, I moved the camera to the left side of the rear-view mirror so it could point strait ahead.
After nearly eight hours of recording from battery, the Genius DVR-FHD590 had filled the 32GB memory card but still indicated remaining battery life. The amount of battery life will depend on many factors: LCD screen usage, auxiliary lamp usage, recording time, and age of battery. I found it most practical to drive without the LCD screen remaining on, and without the aid of an auxiliary LED lamp in low-light driving. Your mileage may vary.
UPDATE: After several additional weeks of testing, I have discovered that driving quickly across circular freeway on/off-ramps will trigger the camera to save that video segment as an emergency clip. Upon review of over fifty segments, there were numerous times with the camera would continue recording after the vehicle was shut down. Often times this would continue for over fifteen minutes, which may make it worthwhile to confirm your camera is shut off if you have a low-capacity memory card.
Vehicle Recorder Final Thoughts
Dash cameras are nothing new, but the lens/sensor technology and convenience features help elevate the Genius DVR-FHD590 to a level above previous offerings. There's no doubt that vehicle recorders will ease fears when dealing with insurance claims or law enforcement, and based on my short time testing DVR-FHD590, I'm confident vehicle recorders will contribute to numerous online videos that capture road-rage and other driving un-pleasantries. With just under eight hours of footage recorded, there were two close calls and at least five times where other drivers were captured behaving dangerously to the point of nearly causing an accident.
The only perceivable downside to having a vehicle recorder is the obstructed view caused by the camera. I was able to alleviate the distraction by hiding it behind the far side of my rear-view mirror, but ultimately I would have preferred to keep it at the bottom of my dash out of my peripheral view. Ideally, the camera's profile would be smaller (shorter) and the mounting hardware would be much more compact so that it does not interfere with my vision. The mounting hardware that came with DVR-FHD590 did not permit this, since it must attach to the top or bottom of the camera and either hang from above or below.
Genius DVR-FHD590 Conclusion
IMPORTANT: Although the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, please be advised that every author perceives these factors differently at various points in time. While we each do our best to ensure that all aspects of the product are considered, there are often times unforeseen market conditions and manufacturer changes which occur after publication that could render our rating obsolete. Please do not base any purchase solely on our conclusion, as it represents our product rating specifically for the product tested which may differ from future versions. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas that we rate.
When it comes to cameras, performance is paramount. The 5-MP 1/3.2" CMOS image sensor enables full-HD 1080p resolution on Genius DVR-FHD590, which is output in H.264 at 30 FPS. Although my example footage is considerably clear despite processing done by the host, actual .MOV footage is noticeably better during playback and when paused. Although I would have appreciated a slightly wider field of view from the wide-angle lens, I understand that this would reduce overall detail quality as a result of increasing the aspect ratio. That being said, it seems like a 32GB memory card should have been the starting point for storage capacities, not the limit.
Appearance is a much more subjective matter, especially since this particular rating doesn't have any quantitative benchmark scores to fall back on. The Genius DVR-FHD590 offers a black on blue finish that is imperceivable to contrasting dark cabin interiors. This color combination helps hide the camera from conspicuous view, so to avoid drawing attention to itself. The camera unit measures 2.6" square, so it's easy to find a spot that fits somewhere on the windshield.
The Genius DVR-FHD590 is built solid, and offers a very durable construction. A reinforced plastic camera housing protects the lends and LCD screen, so the most likely causes for failure would be liquid submersion or electrical damage. This device is designed to endure crashes and provide video evidence, so it's not surprising that no damage occurs if the unit falls from the windshield or is accidentally dropped.
As I explained in the test results section of this review, there is tremendous potential from the Genius DVR-FHD590. It functions exactly as advertised, with many automatic features intuitively starting or stopping when needed (without being prompted). The auxiliary LED lamp is a huge help, but can also reflect back into the cabin on some windshields. Alternatively, the automatic emergency recording feature that uses the units 3-axis G-Force sensor for collision detection offers peace of mind that you'll capture the most critical events. If an accident does occur, the unit also doubles as a 2592 x 1944 pixel digital camera.
As of May 2013, the Genius DVR-FHD590 Full HD Vehicle Recorder (model 32300018100) is sold online for $131.59 (Amazon | Newegg). Compared to similar dash cameras, the Genius DVR-FHD590 certainly offers a value-priced edge over the competition. This camera does not include a (required) Micro SDHC memory card, so I recommend a fast (UHS1/C10 speed) product like the $23 Transend TS32GUSDU1E or $26 SanDisk SDSDQU-032G-AFFP-A - which both include adapters.
The Genius DVR-FHD590 Full HD Vehicle Recorder belongs to a popular genre of consumer electronics, and based on my experience with the camera I expect it to do well in the marketplace. This is truly one of the few win-win products I've tested in my time, where there's absolutely no downside to having it installed in your vehicle. I plan to continue using the Genius DVR-FHD590 in every vehicle I drive, since it's been proven useful with every close call and near hit. This is an outstanding product with many great features, and I highly recommend it to all drivers.
Pros:
+ Outputs H.264 full-HD 1080p quality video
+ Automatic emergency recording for collision detection
+ Motion-detecting IR receiver
+ 5-MP 1/3.2" CMOS Digital Image Sensor
+ Built-in high-power LED assist lamp
+ Integrated microphone and speaker
+ Features 3-Axis G-Force sensor
+ Doubles as a 2592x1944 pixel digital camera
+ Long-lasting 470mAH Li-polymer rechargeable battery
Cons:
- Does not work out of the box: requires Micro SDHC
- Mounting brackets may obscure view
- Auxiliary LED lamp may reflect on windshield
Ratings:
Performance: 9.25
Appearance: 9.50
Construction: 9.75
Functionality: 8.75
Value: 7.75
Final Score: 9.0 out of 10.
Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.
COMMENT QUESTION:How would you use a product like Genius DVR-FHD590?
Just wanted to point out for all the other literal people out there, It doesn't power on just because there is someone behind the wheel. The ignition has to be turned to accessories or the vehicle running.
I just purchased this from Amazon.com and received it yesterday.
Problems....1.- I can not find a way to set the time and date stamp into a USA format and the Co. Rep. did not know how to do it either. SUGGESTIONS Greatly appreciated. 2.- No instructions as to playing back the SANDISK CHIP on my laptop computer. I am a senior citizen without much computer knowledge. please help! 3.- I can not make the CD that comes with the package work at all. It acts as if the CD screen is frozen. SUGGESTIONS?
#RE: helicopter pilot —
Olin Coles2013-11-16 14:55
1) With the unit on, press the back-arrow button and navigate to settings for time/date. 2) There are no instructions for playback on PC, because everybody's system is different. You should be able to find the SANDISK memory card as a drive on your computer, and browse it like a folder. 3) You don't need the CD for anything, so I wouldn't waste time this problem.
Comments
The ignition has to be turned to accessories or the vehicle running.
Problems....1.- I can not find a way to set the time and date stamp into a USA format and the Co. Rep. did not know how to do it either. SUGGESTIONS Greatly appreciated.
2.- No instructions as to playing back the SANDISK CHIP on my laptop computer. I am a senior citizen without much computer knowledge. please help!
3.- I can not make the CD that comes with the package work at all. It acts as if the CD screen is frozen. SUGGESTIONS?
2) There are no instructions for playback on PC, because everybody's system is different. You should be able to find the SANDISK memory card as a drive on your computer, and browse it like a folder.
3) You don't need the CD for anything, so I wouldn't waste time this problem.