INTRODUCTION

   Driver error is a phrase I’ve heard many times from people who tried with very little luck to convince police officers and insurance companies that they weren't responsible for car accidents. Unfortunately although technology has made it possible for everyone to have a tiny camcorder on the dashboard of their cars to avoid such issues not many decide to do so where i live but judging by the sheer number of people who are currently using such devices in large countries like the USA, Taiwan and Russia i suspect that it will not be long before this changes. Not too long ago the very first next generation 1296p (2304x1296/30fps) SuperHD/XHD Dashcam models were revealed and we had the chance to test the Marcus 3 by Vicovation which was quite good although we did feel that there was room for improvement. Today we will be taking a look at the SuperHD proposal by Rollei the CarDVR-120 GPS Car Camera.

   Rollei’s history goes back to the year 1920 and a workshop in Braunschweig. With the launch of the twin-lens Rolleiflex, a landmark film camera, Rollei quickly established a global reputation for precision engineering. A cult brand, it gave rise to its very own photo style in the 1950s and ’60s. In 2007 Hamburg-based RCP-Technik GmbH acquired the European rights to Rollei and since then has marketed Rollei consumer products with growing success. Rollei products are currently sold in more than 20 European countries. The Rollei product range features digital cameras, camcorders, action camcorders, digital picture frames, slide scanners, professional tripods as well as camera and iPhone accessories. Excellent service is assured for all Rollei products with the all-inclusive package for 24 months. If a defect is found within this time, the product can be returned and a new one received within eight days.

   Much like the Marcus 3 by VicoVation the CarDVR-120 GPS by Rollei wears the A7LA (A7LA50D) SoC by Ambarella which can record up to Super HD (2304x1296p) resolution at 30fps, Full HD (1920x1080p) resolution at up to 60 fps and dual channel Full HD (1920x1080p) at 30fps (ideal for dual camera models). The A7LA SoC includes a high speed 700MHz ARM CPU which is responsible for advanced analytics algorithms such as the lane departure warning, forward collision warning, forward car movement detection and the low light warning systems. It also supports WiFi connectivity, motion sensor, super wide angle recording, high dynamic range (HDR), 3D noise filtering, automotive smart auto exposure, full-resolution over-sampling, dynamic tone mapping and advanced night vision for low light conditions. A 2.7 inch 16m color LCD screen is also present at the rear so you can see exactly what it is you're shooting. Of course once again since video samples will be stored in our server we will only test the CarDVR-120 GPS Car Camera in Super HD mode (not that anyone would get a Super HD model just to use the Full HD mode).