Article by: Darren Griffin
Date: 9 Nov 2009

A few months back we received a Roadhawk RH-1 Black Box In-Car Camera for testing.

This device contains a wide angle camera which records to SD card, a GPS and a G-Force sensor. Attached to your windscreen it records the drivers eye view of all your journeys and the resulting video can be viewed using the supplied software complete with a Google Map showing your location, speed and other data.

The unit can operate in two modes, continuous recording or when triggered by a shock. When the card is full it overwrites the earliest data files in the same way as a black box in an aircraft thus ensuring you always have data for the last 30 mins or so of your journey.

Such devices provide the very best evidential data should an accident occur. The data is captured in a format that cannot be tampered with and a recent YouTUBE video shows another incident that it could help you with.

In this video, a customer discovered that his high powered Monaro sports car which he had left in the custody of his garage had been driven at speeds in excess of 125mph!

As you would expect, the vehicle's owner was less than impressed when he reviewed the video.

We've been running this system since June and found it works superbly. Once installed it is automatic in operation, switching on with the vehicle ignition and recording to SD card so there is no interaction required.

Thanks to cases such as this the Roadhawk RH-1 has proved a huge success. To read the full review click here.

Comments Posted by worried on Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:10 pm any clue how much it costs, their web site tells you nothing, not even a valid retailer   Posted by peak1 on Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:15 pm worried Wrote: any clue how much it costs, their web site tells you nothing, not even a valid retailer Following the link on RoadHawk's website to DogCamSport shows a price of £279.95 (Inc VAT)   Posted by RoadHawk on Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:27 pm Hi, I've updated the roadhawk website to make it a bit clearer. At the moment, we have no shop attached to the roadhawk website but you can purchase it from our other online store. Kind Regards Mark   Posted by bedbug on Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:20 pm Oooh I want one... On account of the fact I can't afford one, this looks like a great prize for a PGPSW competition, ideally one that only I can enter! iPhone 4/4S (iOS 5.1.1); TomTom Western Europe (1.10)/USA & Canada (1.10); CoPilot for iPhone (8), UK mapping, Mac OS 10.8/XP Pro/Win7; Tongue firmly in cheek!   Posted by gem on Tue Jun 09, 2009 11:06 pm bedbug Wrote: ...... this looks like a great prize for a PGPSW competition, ideally one that only I can enter! Are you paying attention Darren?   Posted by gem on Tue Jun 09, 2009 11:27 pm gem Wrote: bedbug Wrote: ...... this looks like a great prize for a PGPSW competition! Are you paying attention Darren? Oops, I meant to have deleted the line about having just one entrant. Make that two!   Posted by mostdom on Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:33 am I would like to see an example of the three video formats (320x240@30fps, 640x480@30fps, 1280x960@5fps) when you do your review. I would like to know it could pick up that all important number plate without compromising the video flow. Nice kit! Dom HERE LIES PND May it rest in peace. Navigon 7310/iPhone Navigon&Copilot   Posted by Darren on Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:36 am mostdom Wrote: I would like to see an example of the three video formats (320x240@30fps, 640x480@30fps, 1280x960@5fps) when you do your review. I would like to know it could pick up that all important number plate without compromising the video flow. Nice kit! I've only had a brief test with it at 640x480 and the quality is much better than I'd expected. I will of course have some sample footage in the review (now that I know how to export it!). Darren Griffin   Posted by mostdom on Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:47 am Darren Wrote: I've only had a brief test with it at 640x480 and the quality is much better than I'd expected. I will of course have some sample footage in the review (now that I know how to export it!). Thanks Darren! I'm eager to read your review. Dom HERE LIES PND May it rest in peace. Navigon 7310/iPhone Navigon&Copilot   Posted by Darren on Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:52 am If you visit Roadhawk's site you can download the app and two sample videos. One is of an accident and makes your blood curdle to watch it, especially when you step through the final moments frame by frame. The examples fully match the quality I'm getting. HTH Darren Griffin   Posted by mostdom on Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:57 pm Bang to rights and spread all over the road! That'll learn em! Clearly see the benefits of the device but I am interested as to how far away a british number plate becomes unreadable. Either way I'm still interested. Dom HERE LIES PND May it rest in peace. Navigon 7310/iPhone Navigon&Copilot   Click here to view more comments...