INTRODUCTION

    Not only do i really enjoy testing dash cameras but i also watch many such videos online (remind me of just how important owning a car dash camera can be) so whenever i visit YouTube i get several such clips recommended to me. For example, right now on my screen i have police pursuits, road rage incidents, crash compilations (not serious ones) and last but not least insurance fraud attempts. Honestly most of these seem as far-fetched to people who happen to watch them with me and where i live indeed we don't see them often but what if? There's always a what if with pretty much everything that can go wrong in life and so i think it's better to be safe than sorry. Pittasoft has been the leading car dash camera manufacturer for as far back as i can remember and today I'm testing their current flagship model, the BlackVue DR900X-2CH.

    Pittasoft has set the standard in the car dashcam industry since it was established in 2007. Taking car dashboard camera technology to the next level with its ground-breaking Full-HD 1-channel and 2-channel cameras, Pittasoft has enabled global customers to maximize usability by connecting car dashcams to smart devices via Wi-Fi and BlackVue Cloud services. Anytime, anywhere, BlackVue Over the Cloud provides instant access to playback, remote Live View and video sharing as well as peace of mind with emergency alarm notifications, location tracking and backup of important footage.

    If you recall the BlackVue DR900S-2CH model i reviewed back in late 2018 (review here) you should know that the DR900X-2CH is an upgraded version which shares many things with it. So once again we're talking about an 4K Ultra high definition dash camera model for which Pittasoft paired the HiSilicon Hi3559-V100 processor with an 8-megapixel Omnivision OS08A10 CMOS image sensor for the front camera which can record in 4K resolution (3840x2160p) at 30fps and/or 1080p (1920x1080p) at 60fps (diagonal viewing angle is set at 162 degrees) and a tiny rear camera based on the Sony STARVIS IMX291 2.1-megapixel CMOS sensor which can record in Full HD resolution (1920x1080p) at 30fps (diagonal viewing angle is set at 139 degrees). The DR900X-2CH also uses H.265 HEVC compression for reduced file sizes and features a 3-axis acceleration sensor (for impact and motion detection), built-in super capacitor (prevents possible recording data corruption if power is suddenly cut off), microphone and speaker (allow you to communicate with the person driving via the smartphone app), WiFi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac - Dual Band 2.4GHz/5GHz), GPS, audio recording proximity sensor, microSD slot compatible with cards up to 256GB in capacity and Cloud functionality. So, what does the new BlackVue DR900X-2CH bring to the table? Quite a few things actually including a USB port for the optional LTE module (CM100LTE) for Cloud access via SIM card, built-in voltage monitoring, bundled 3-wire hardwiring kit, optional tamper-proof case, improved heat resistance (perforated enclosure) and Bluetooth connectivity.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Pittasoft uses a yellow box to ship the new DR900X-2CH model in (and as usual just the product line and resolution are printed at the top).

The model specifications and features can be found on the left and right sides of the box.

Contact information about Pittasoft is available at the base of the box.

Both cameras are placed inside a formed piece of cardboard whereas the rest of the bundle is placed inside a second cardboard box beneath them.

Along with the front and rear cameras (both feature lens covers) inside the box you'll also find a coaxial cable (used to connect both cameras), car lighter power cable, 3-wire hardwiring kit, trim tool (helps you route the cables), quick start guide, microSD USB card reader, 32GB microSD card, 8 cable holders and 2 pieces of extra-strong adhesive tape.

THE BLACKVUE DR900X-2CH

Both the front and rear cameras are cylindrical in shape (require less space compared to other models, especially with rear LCD screens) and feature detachable mounts (front one measures 118.5mm in length and 36mm in diameter while the rear one measures 67.4mm in length and 25mm in diameter).

Obviously, the strongest selling point of the DR900X-2CH is without doubt its CMOS sensor which can record up to 4K resolution (3840x2160p) at 30fps (the lens used feature a diagonal viewing angle of 162 degrees).

The WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity logos along with and the enable/disable audio proximity sensor are placed on the left side of the camera.

Turning the camera around we find the built-in mono microphone and speaker along with the record, GPS/BT and LTE/WiFi activity LEDs.

The WiFi on/off button, microSD card slot, rear camera coaxial port, LTE microUSB port and the DC in are all located on the right side.

The rear camera may record at Full HD (just like the cameras of the previous models) but it's better than many others in the market.

Once again, we find an activity LED on one side and the coaxial port on the other.

BLACKVUE ANDROID / IOS APP

As with previous models to setup and control the BlackVue DR900X-2CH you will need to use the BlackVue Android/iOS app.

The app allows you to either connect to the camera directly via WiFi or to the Cloud (and then the camera itself).

Of course, the app also gives you direct access to the videos stored onto the microSD card.

Via this app you can also change every single setting for the DR900X-2CH from resolution, video codec used, HDR and WiFi to volume, road alerts and the Cloud service.

Needless to say, the app is translated in numerous languages.

AUDIO & VIDEO QUALITY

Typically, i didn't use YouTube to host recordings since i always want all of you to get exactly what you will when using the same dash camera (unfortunately since these clips are stored in the website's server, they are short in duration) so to download the above clips you just need to left click with your mouse or right click and use the save as command (the camera writes files as MP4 but since I was unable to cut them I had to remux them to MKV with the same exact bitrate and then cut them). As usual for this test i used the Highest available quality setting (Extreme) which produces a bit rate between 23Mbps and 27Mbps (26797kbps maximum recorded) for the front and between 9Mbps and 12.5Mbps (12166kbps maximum recorded) for the rear camera (the perforated enclosure of the DR900X-2CH did reduce temperatures, although i can't say i ever had a problem with the DR900S-2CH).

CONCLUSION

   Just like with the BlackVue DR900S-2CH model the front camera of the new DR900X-2CH clearly produces the clearest and most vivid recording I’ve seen with any dash camera, at least during the day. Now I can’t say I had an issue during night recording since as you can tell by the recordings it’s better than what anyone would expect by a dash camera but I still think that Pittasoft did a slightly better job with the previous non-4k models (DR650 line) in that specific regard. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown the rear camera just doesn’t record the same crisp video as the one of the DR900S-2CH (I did check them side to side). I don’t know if this is a firmware issue (since the specs are identical for both models) but I did use the latest one for this review so not much else I could had done. Of course, I will elevate this matter to Pittasoft and hopefully with the next firmware update this is something that can get fixed. The LTE addon was not send to me with the DR900X-2CH but I did get the new DR750-2CH LTE model which has it built-in so I will be testing that feature soon. One thing I did find annoying during testing was the fact that I couldn’t use the car lighter cable of the DR900S-2CH which I permanently have in my car with the DR900X-2CH. Perhaps this is due to the built-in voltage regulator? I really haven’t looked into it that much but it would make things quite a bit easier for BlackVue dash camera owners if all models could be used with the same cable (routing cables is not the easiest thing after all).

   The BlackVue DR900X-2CH is the current flagship model in the Pittasoft dash camera lineup so just like its predecessor it doesn’t come cheap. To be more specific it currently retails for USD459.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 489.95Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) so yes, it’s far from affordable. Still Pittasoft has been behind some of the best dash cameras to date and the DR900X-2CH although not perfect is nothing less than one of the top models in the market today and for that it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Design/Size
- 4K UHD Resolution (Front Camera) / Full HD Resolution (Rear Camera)
- Image Quality (Sharpness / Color Reproduction)
- Audio Quality
- Dual Camera Solution
- Built In Dual Band WiFi/GPS/G-Sensor
- Range Of Motion (Tilt)
- Motion Sensor On/Off Audio Recording
- BlackVue Viewer Software (PC/MAC/Android/iOS)
- Cloud Access
- Up To 256GB MicroSD Cards
- Bundled Hardwiring Cable
- Optional Extras (LTE / Power Magic Batteries / Tamper Proof Cover)

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Not Convertible Friendly (All 2CH Models)
- Slight Night Vision Quality Issues
- Rear Camera Quality (Firmware Issue?)