Akenori DriveCam trip video recorder reviewed

[MikeB]

[Faythur]

I was very interested to read this review as I have just purchased a Papago! P2 car PVR which is exactly the same hardware as this.

There are various Papago! models - P0, P1, P1W, P2, P2X, and the latest model, the P3 which has additionally Lane Departure Warning System and Forward Collision Warning System over this Akenori.
The P0 is the only model which is 720p only.

I bought mine from here
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Digigomart/Papago-CAR-DVR-/_i.html?_fsub=2737995011 10 days to the UK direct from Taiwan.

Whilst there is a supplied Quick Guide which has an English section, it is fairly sparse with info and could have done with some screenshots as it took me a while to find the language setting so I could see english!

I am very pleased with it, although can't as yet find a setting to change speed to mph instead of kph. The PC software which shows the GPS/Google map tracking is called Papago! Live.

I'd actually come on here to see whether I could add the PocketGPSWorld camera database as it doesn't appear to fully function [as with the Akenori] and my extreme right button shows as 'LCD off' and not 'Mode'.

Video quality is really good for what it is and there are loads of examples [search under Papago] on Youtube. Although compression is used, view them at the highest available resolution setting to get the best idea.
Night recording is also more than acceptable I think, although a bit of graininess will show - as with all digital cameras in such circumstances.

I had come across that Akenori brand name before when researching for my purchase, but thought it to be a Russian copy of the Papago! [Russia is probably the biggest market for these car DVRs as there seems to be a lot of bad driving there].

Just have a look at this '1,000 Russian car crash mega compilation' for example...a lot of which are shot from car PVRs...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iemD6QVx2Mw

In the 'Live' software there is an option to stop the video and save a screenshot. I find that number plates are fairly easily read in this sort of situation, which you might not otherwise think just by watching the video in motion. I'd say around up to 15 metres distance.

I wonder if I could/should approach Exeros technologies to see whether I could get their current camera database?

The only firmware available on the website for mine is dated January this year [#907] but I would appear to already have a later version #1105 installed...
http://www.dmediagroup.hk/p2_update_fw_eng.aspx

I believe the link to the Speed Camera Database there relates only to Taiwan [and probably is what is installed on mine anyway...]

[jerome123]

Hello,

I have been using the Papago P3 in Australia for the last 4 months. It has been great except I also can not utilise the map and speed camera functionality.

It appears that a company in Australia is importing the Papago P2 under a branded name. Features are much the same as the P3 minus LDWS and such. Hope this helps you, there is a much more comprehensive manual on the Australian site albeit for a P2.

http://www.laserco.net/support/downloads/NAVCAM-PRO

In relation to firmware for the P3, you can find it on this site:

http://www.papago.com.tw/Download/DownloadPapago.aspx

In the first dropdown selection it is second from the bottom. After which in the third dropdown select P3. Update of firmware is fairly straight forward if you google translate the chinese into english.

[Faythur]

Thanks for that Jerome. I'm off to have a look now

We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?.
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!