The China-based tech giant Anker is known for its reliable power banks and charging tech solutions. In the recent years Anker has earned its reputation in the Dash Cam arena. Anker’s innovation sector announced a dash cam line under the brand name Roav. Roav offers its ‘C’ models in two categories, C1 and C2. C1 consists of basic models, whereas C2 offers dash cams with added features. Both categories offer a ‘pro’ version of the base models with additional features.
Price
The Roav C1 dash cam is one of the more affordable dash cams. It is priced at $72.99 in the United States. The pricing may differ slightly depending upon the country of purchase.
Score: B+
Design
The C1 is a compact dash cam at 2.8 x 2.4 x 1.5 inches and weighs 0.2 ounces. Though the product doesn’t come with a microSD card required for the operation, the memory can be extended using an external SD card. It supports up to 128 GB. Anker recommends using class 10 microSD cards by Samsung or SanDisk. The 6-lens help in recording up to 4-lanes of traffic. It also offers a 2-port car charger.
Score: B
Anker Roav Dash Cam C1 Installation
Another important aspect of the Anker Roav Dash Cam C1 review is the ease of installation. The Roav C1 has a stealthy wedge-like design that makes it compact and easy to mount. It can stick directly on to the windshield by using an adhesive pad. This rules out the need of bulky mount. It helps truckers with little to no experience with installing dash cams to install it by themselves with no additional assistance. Regardless of its size, the C1 dash cam features a solid build quality and uses high quality metal throughout.
Score: A
Output
The Advanced Sony Exmor CMOS sensor records the video at 1080p at 30fps. The colors are vivid. The wide dynamic range helps in low light conditions to a certain extent. However, the output during low-light and night time is sometimes not sharp enough to allow deciphering small details like the number plate. Hence, video output in low light conditions and night time could be better.
Score: B-
Memory
The Roav saves the captured video on a microSD card. Anker does not provide a microSD card along with dash cam and it has to be purchased separately. The dash cam supports a microSD card with memory capacity up to 128 GB. A driver is required to transfer the data from the dash cam microSD to a mobile device via Wi-Fi to access the recorded videos.
Score: C
Battery
The Roav C1 dash cam is powered by a lithium-ion 470mAh battery. A lithium-ion battery works well in high-temperature environment. However, prolonged exposure to heat reduces the battery life. A dash cam is mounted on the windshield where it is exposed to heat for long period of time. There are instances where the batteries in the C1 dash cam expanded due to heat and caused the screen on the dash cam to pop out. The acceptable temperature for a lithium-ion battery ranges from −20 °C ~ 60 °C. This unfortunately makes the C1 not an ideal choice for truckers operating in areas that have continued high temperatures.
If your truck has a cigarette lighter or a power supply that continues to work even when the engine is turned off, the dash cam will continue to be in use. The Roav C1 dash cam does not offer a stand-by mode for this instance. This is a major concern for battery usage and its longevity. The continued use will drain the batteries; and in the long run, it may potentially drain the battery completely. This can be avoided by unplugging it from the cigarette lighter or to hard wire it. In case of hard wiring the dash cam, remember this will require switching from a 12 volt battery to a 5 volt USB for conversion.
Score: C
Anker Dash Cam C1 Video
The video feature is an integral part of the Anker Dash Cam C1 review. The C1 offers recording in 3 qualities –1080p 30 FPS, 720p 60FPS, and 720p 30FPS. The default setting records at 1080p 30 FPS. It offers the best video quality from the other available options. However it does take more space in the storage. If the mobile device is running low on storage, choosing lower resolution can help in recording and storing the video with using less space. Videos captured at lower resolution also transfer sooner than the ones shot in higher resolution. This feature comes handy in recording longer trips without transferring recordings. The C1 also offers the option to choose audio recording that is at par with many more expensive dash cams.
The Roav C1 detects the smallest impact and records a 30-second video. However, it takes 7 seconds after an impact for the dash cam to come alive and start recording. This window may seem minute, but sometimes it is enough for a perpetrator to get away.
The C1 also offers loop recording. The default time is set to 3 minutes. However, you can choose from the other available options in the menu. The time & date stamps along with the ‘Roav’ stamp can be enabled/disabled from the menu.
Score: B
Video storage and download
The recorded video footage is stored on the microSD card. In order to view the videos, a driver has to transfer the recorded footage. The video clips can be controlled and downloaded to a smartphone via the Roav app. The app is available on both iOS and android platforms.
One of the most important feature of dash cam is to provide evidence in an event of accident. If a vehicle is involved in an accident that damages the dash cam and potentially the microSD card, the driver will have no way to access the videos. This means the driver will potentially lose their claim of innocence or risk insurance claims.
Score: C
Motion Sensor
The Roav C1 offers sensitivity G-Sensor, which is a motion detector. One can choose the sensitivity levels from the app. The options offer a 4 ranges of motion sensitivity to choose from – off, low, medium, and high. It however only applies when it is plugged in and running.
Score: B-
Parking Monitor
The parking surveillance feature is very important as it allows recording even when the vehicle is parked/not in motion. The parking monitor feature applies when the dash camera is turned off. The footage acquired from this feature is helpful in case of a hit and run or vandalism event when the vehicle is parked, and the driver is away. For parking surveillance, the design of the dash cam is as important as the feature itself. While choosing a dash cam for parking surveillance, one has to be sure that the dash cam is not very bulky and not too visible from outside of the truck. A large and bulky camera attracts attention easily, thereby defeating the purpose of the dash cam. The C1 is one of the sleekest dash cams available in the market in its price range that features parking surveillance. However, it has to be manually activated from the camera’s menu. One can select the sensitivity ranging from – off, low, medium, and high from the parking monitor sensitivity menu.
Most dash cams need to be hard-wired to enable impact-triggered parking. The Roav dash cam shines in this area. For the price, it is probably the only dash cam that does not require any hard wiring for the impact-triggered parking mode. It’s internal 470mAh battery powers this mode.
Score: C
Customer Support
Anker is well known for excellent customer support. It offers email support globally. Anker is also probably the first dash cam provider that provide customer support over phone. Phone support is extended to selected countries like U.S., U.K., Australia, Japan, and Germany. So if a driver needs assistance off-road or on the trips, they can always rely on Anker’s customer support for assistance.
Score: A
Roav Dashcam C1 Manual
User Review
Though there are many good reviews for this product, there are some that are negative as well. One standing out is regarding the privacy policy. Users have discussed how the app grabs a lot of information that is otherwise not required and mentions it in the privacy policy. For example, the app will not run without location access.
Score: C+
Pros
1. Pricing.
2. Non-bulky and discreet design.
3. Sturdy built quality.
4. Features provided in the C1 exceeds the other dash cams in the similar price range.
5. Easy to navigate and use application.
6. Records videos in 3 qualities – 1080p 30 FPS, 720p 60FPS, and 720p 30FPS.
7. Provides 4 levels of motion sensitivity to choose from.
8. Wi-Fi connectivity.
9. Impact-triggered parking mode that is powered by its battery and does not require any hardwiring.
10. Built-in microphone with great audio quality.
11. Video quality – for videos captured in well-lit conditions.
12. Customer support.
13. Easy installation.
14. Available on iOS and Android platforms.
Cons
- Unreliable battery for in extremely hot weather conditions.
- Battery susceptible to drain faster if the dash cam is plugged in the cigarette lighter or a power supply that continues to run when the engine is turned off.
- The 7-second period taken by the dash cam to come alive gives the perpetrator time to slip away.
- Requires parking surveillance to be activated manually.
- Video output could’ve been sharper in low-light conditions when compared to other dash cams in this price range.
- Video recorded during day time has a tiny bit of glare from the windshield.
- The license plates are hard to decipher in low-light conditions, especially during the night.
Comparison with its counterparts
Overall Roav by Anker Dash Cam C1 Review
The Anker C1 dash cam is a good dash cam in its price range, however not the best, and certainly not reliable. The footage can only be accessed by transferring it on the device. This makes it a liability in case the microSD card is damaged in any event. The battery cannot sustain for long in warmer temperature. It may be a good option for small non-commercial vehicles – like cars. The Roav is not a dependable and reliable dash cam for truckers given the 7-second recording window, battery, and video storage and download options it provides.
Choosing a correct and reliable dash cam is essential for a trucker. A dash cam is essential towards providing evidence in an event of accident, avoiding insurance frauds, and driver security amongst other uses. Before making a decision, do take a look at the video samples captured on the Roav C1 dash cam.
Find the video shot during day time with 1080p 30 FPS and 3D image stabilization here .
Find the video shot during night time with 1080p 30 FPS here .
Image source: Roav website.
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