Review of Beelink CA1 Car DVR

jaivelu

[size=14.6667px]Beelink has sent me a sample unit of their new Beelink CA1 CAR DVR which is a Car Dashcam DVR (digital video recorder) with Hi3518E chip, Aptina Ar0230 Image Sensor with HD night vision image Sensor.

[size=14.6667px]You can get more information from this link [size=14.6667px]http://www.bee-link.com/Beelink-MiniPC-TV-BOX-58-1.html

Product Description:
Model: CA1
Brand Name: Beelink
Type: CAR DVR
CPU: Hi3518E Chip
Image Sensor: Aptina Ar0230
HD Night Vision Image Sensor

Specifications:
Rotation Angle: 360 Degree manual rotation
Video recording time: 12 hours continuous recording
WIFI: IEEE 802.11b/g/n, 2.4G
Antenna: Built-in antenna for WiFi
Take Photos Button (Remote Control) : 2.4G Wireless Remote Take Photos button
Expandable Memory: Micro SD Card (Maximum Support 32GB) (not included)

In the Box:
1) CA1
2) Power Cable
3) Car Charger
4) Suction Cup Bracket
5) Take Photos Remote Button
6) Wiring crowbar
7) User Guide

Here is the unboxing video:
https://youtu.be/qGaaYST0L-M


P.S: Sorry for not posting test videos here! Still figuring how to convert the .vmhx video format files!

Setup Procedure:

[size=14.6667px]The package contains all the essentials required for a dash-cam.

[size=14.6667px]Before starting to fix the cam, first you have to download and install the "Beelink App" by scanning the QR code given in the user guide or you can directly download the app "Beelink Car DVR" from the Google Play store.

[size=14.6667px]Once the app installed, connecting the dashcam is very simple.

[size=14.6667px]Clamp the Suction cup bracket into the CA1 and affix the suction cup fix in the front windshield of the car. Before that plugin the microusb into the CA1 and then fix the suction cup into the glass, since there is little space between the micro usb port and the suction cup bracket. Also put the micro-usb card into the CA1.

[size=14.6667px]Then plug usb port of the power cable into the car charger and plug the car charger into the charging port of the car.

[size=14.6667px]This unit also comes with a "WiFi remote button" for taking pictures while you drive. You can fix it whereever you feel comfortable!

[size=14.6667px]Once the Beelink CA1 was powered on using the car charger, goto the WiFi setting of your mobile and select the "Beelink_XXXXXXX and connect!

[size=14.6667px]Once connected the Beelink will announce that its been connected with "Red light" on! That's it! From now on, you could control the cam using the app!


Performance:

[size=14.6667px]Due to its round ball shape, its very easy to turn and use with 360 degrees manual rotation! With inbuilt 2.4G WiFi support, when using the app the cam continuously operate without any problem. The snap taking is easy and stored in phone memory! but When using the Remote button to take snapshot, without a Micro-SD card it can't remotely take snapshots! So, better use with Micro-SD Card.

[size=14.6667px]The dashcam comes with a 720p resolution which is a disappointment since most of the current gen cams comes with a 1080p resolution. It shows in the video recording! In the daytime video recording, the details are missing due to low bit-rate and low resolution.
[size=14.6667px]It loop records video with nearly 3 minutes duration which occupy around 100 mbs.

[size=14.6667px]The cam supports 1080p snapshots. Even then, the daytime snapshots are of low detail with sometimes the images looks blurry!

[size=14.6667px]The real surprise of this cam comes with the night time recordings! In low light and nights, the video looks good and with much better details than the daytime videos! The snapshots also looks good in night-time due to the HD Aptina AR0230 night vision image sensor!

[size=14.6667px]As per specs this cam supports upto 12 hours continuous recording, but I haven't checked it till now!

[size=14.6667px]The Beelink App is very good and easy to use with good simple user interface! Through the App the real-time data can be monitored. Also this cam supports parking monitoring too!


[size=14.6667px]Now, one big con of this Beelink CA1 is, it records the video in a ".vmhx" format which most of the video players or editors can't recognize! Even the mediainfo can't get the proper info for this video format! The audio recording support was there, but I couldn't get to play the audio in the video player. Maybe due to its weird file format, I think!

[size=14.6667px]Also the file name don't have a date in them, so we have to go by the recording date and time to sort the videos! If they could rectify it, it'll help a lot!


Pros:
[size=14.6667px]1) This Beelink CA1 dashcam looks promising with a very good night time video recording & image quality due to HD Aptina Sensor!
[size=14.6667px]2) The Beelink App
[size=14.6667px]3) Real-time data sharing via app
[size=14.6667px]3) Inbuilt 2.4G WiFi
[size=14.6667px]4) WiFi remote snapshot button
[size=14.6667px]5) Good Snapshot ability (some may differ)

Cons:
[size=14.6667px]1) Only 720p resoultion
[size=14.6667px]2) Average day-time video recording
[size=14.6667px]3) Weird File format
[size=14.6667px]4) Don't have audio (Eventhough its enabled)(maybe due to file format)

Final Thoughts:
[size=14.6667px]Overall, Beelink CA1 car DVR looks promising with good night time recording, good App & inbuilt WiFi! But the 720p resolution & low bit-rate with weird file format let it down!
[size=14.6667px]If Beelink could provide 1080p resolution & a common recording file format in their next upgrade, it will be a very good Car DVR Dashcam!

[size=14.6667px]Once again thanks to Bee-link for providing this sample to test its performance and give my honest opinions!

SumoX

@ Beelink,
Need to able to change the WiFi password, very important...
Would also be nice the change the SSID
Cool changes for the new App update...:D

fanlee

About 12 hours of recording, it's true if the memory card is 32 gigabytes.
But I'm interested in another thing, what kind of video format vmhx?

fanlee

About 12 hours of recording, it's true if the memory card is 32 gigabytes.
But I'm interested in another thing, what kind of video format vmhx?

jaivelu

The video format "vmhx" is a proprietary video format used beelink. Its rarely been used in other devices. They used it for their internal purposes, but they promised to change the video format into a normal customer usable format.

I have checked it with only 16 GB micro SD card and not sure it will record 12 hours of video using the current "vmhx" format.  I highly doubt it will record 12 hours of video in a 32 GB card.

I haven't fully recorded to the full capacity of 16 GB.  I just used the Beelink CA1 just for testing purpose.  

fanlee

To the card 16 gb I wrote about 6 hours and then went the noose. So I think 12 hours on a 32 GB memory card is real.
The format of the video file is really not convenient

jaivelu

fanlee replied at 2017-03-29 13:41
To the card 16 gb I wrote about 6 hours and then went the noose. So I think 12 hours on a 32 GB memo ...

If it can record up to 12 hours on a 32 GB card, then its very good.

Yes the video format is not convenient.

Beelink has promised to provide a new firmware with a new video format (likely x264) when I was reviewing the device, but till date they haven't done that. When they'll provide a new firmware, don't know. I have tried to contact them, but didn't got any replies till now.

fanlee

Did you put this firmware? Http://www.bee-link.com/Beelink-1837-1-1.html

beelink

fanlee replied at 2017-03-29 02:13
About 12 hours of recording, it's true if the memory card is 32 gigabytes.
But I'm interested in ano ...

hello dear , thank you for your using and feedback , about the shortcoming of the Format problem , i have discussed with our R&D, please use the 32G or mass storage micro SD scard beforing the improvement of our CA1, thank you .:loveliness:

beelink

jaivelu replied at 2017-03-29 12:04
The video format "vmhx" is a proprietary video format used beelink. Its rarely been used in other d ...

hello dear , thank you for your testing and feedback , about the shortcoming of the Format problem , i have discussed with our R&D, please use the 32G or mass storage micro SD scard beforing the improvement of our CA1, thank you .:loveliness:

beelink

fanlee replied at 2017-03-29 16:41
To the card 16 gb I wrote about 6 hours and then went the noose. So I think 12 hours on a 32 GB memo ...

hello dear ,would you mind having a try to record the driving vedio by 32 G ? looking forward your testing and feedback , thank you .:loveliness: