Without gadgets better not to drive on Russian roads on your own car? Of course, without a DVR and radar detector: the first will record everything that happens around, and the second will allow time to slow down and not to enrich the state at the expense of the driver.
But the acquisition of such devices always carries with it certain difficulties: we have to define suitable models, then choose a suitable place to house them, to not interfere with the review and at the same time perform its functions. In addition, you need to consider how to lay the power wire, not dangling in the cabin. From all of this head can get sick, and because you want to keep it simple: I bought one device, put it on the windshield and forgot about the fines and the lack of witnesses in a road environment. But such a device that eliminates all problems already have – Karki Combo 2.
Karki Combo 2 is the second generation of the Combo model, which is a hybrid radar detector, DVR and GPS informer. In other words, in one case, the developers of fit three useful device, while not forgetting to make it compact. But is it good like the versatility? Let’s get together.
Packaging
The packaging that the Karki Combo 2, have left us with a mixed impression. It is made from durable cardboard and beautifully decorated, and its inner space is well organized, which helped to reduce its size.
Regarding informativeness, it is, frankly, zero: it is not possible to assess either the appearance is stored inside the device or his performance, so when buying Karki Combo 2 in an offline store for a list of specifications you will have to contact the Manager or visit the official website of the manufacturer.
The kit
On opening the packaging, we found the device itself Karki Combo 2, manual, combined with warranty card, memo driver data cable for PC connection, power cable for connection to a car outlet and two brackets – one on the suction Cup, the second double-sided adhesive tape. But the swivel, which is attached to the Registrar, was present only on one of them, confirmed by technical support Karki.
And speaking of the instruction manual: it is written in detail and includes everything except the SIM slot, the aspects of the work of Karki Combo 2, but we noticed some discrepancies written that appears in the DVR menu. By studying the owners comments, it was determined that the problem lies in the firmware: we have installed the most recent available, and the manual was written based on an earlier version. However, the differences are minimal and not worth considering.
Memo driver is a short version of the instructions executed in the form of a collapsed four times of A4 paper, which describes the main features of the device and basic menu items. Need this sheet in order to carry all of the instructions in case you need to change certain settings.
Vehicle power cable
On the cable for connection to the electrical machine, which, we note, with impressive length, we found a SIM card slot. The manual and the website doesn’t provide information about its purpose, but in the memo there is mention: at the time of writing it is completely useless as a cloud service to access and install SIM spacecraft will be launched in the first quarter of 2016.
But when the service starts, all owners Karki Combo 2 will receive such Goodies as weather informer, the mode “Jam” GPS informer online, and the archives of the movement, GPS-tracking in real time and, most importantly, the online database update POIs.
In addition to the SIM slot on the connector there are two LEDs, red and blue, and glows dimly if the first, the second, apparently, fancies himself a floodlight, but still occasionally flickers, fairly than divert us from the road during the test. The solution to this problem will do a great job of the usual black marker.
Specifications
Information about the characteristics, as mentioned above, there is no on the package, but is available on the website and in the instructions, although you can find interesting gem: a screen resolution of Ultra HD with a diagonal of 2.4 inch. Actually, the technology to a level not yet Mature enough, so it’s a joke or the developers, or an attempt to introduce misleading. The information on the display resolution not at all. All the other specifications did not cause issues.
– device type: DVR, radar detector, GPS informer;
– screen: 2.4 inch;
– processor: AIT8427D;
– video-sensor: 1/2. 7-inch CMOS OmniVision OV2710, 2MP;
lens: glass lens 6, viewing angle 160 degrees;
– video resolution: up to Full HD, 1920×1080, 30fps;
– photo resolution: 14 MP;
– video file format: H. 264 MPEG-4 AVC/.AVI;
– loop recording 1/3/5 minutes;
navigation: GPS/GLONASS, GPS database update;
– modes of operation RD: Highway/City/Smart (Automatic transition Track/Город1 depending on the current GPS speed);
– receiving range: X (10475-10575) MHz, K (24050-24250) MHz, Ku (33400-36000) GHz, Laser(360);
– detection radar: Barrier, Vizir, arena, Sokol, BINAR, Rudy, Cordon, Avtodoriya, Robot, Chris, Arrow, Flow, Golden eagle, Arrow video blocks;
– memory card support: microSD up to 128 GB;
interfaces: AV-OUT, mini-USB;
– battery: 180 mAh;
– working temperature: -20 +60 degree Celsius;
– dimensions: 85х61х55 mm;
– weight: 100 grams.
Appearance and ergonomics
Karki hybrid Combo 2 was quite compact and easy to carry, and certainly he is in the cabin much less space than separate radar detector and DVR. Rear panel on which the display has a small visor, which is designed to protect the screen from sunlight and to preserve the possibility of reading from it. Saves the visor almost always, unless the sun is not shining in nataliavanne glass of the fifth door.
Directly under the screen with a touch surface, there are four buttons – menu, move up and down the points of the interface and OK. To the right is a small blue led, illuminated during operation of the device, but not interfere with the driver, unlike the diode inserted in the cigarette lighter connector.
On the left side of the body is placed power button and shutdown the device, which also allows you to quickly adjust the sensitivity of the radar principal or even turn it off. Near it there is a small Reset button and a slot for microSD cards.
The right side includes interfaces miniUSB for charging and syncing with a PC and a standard AV-out. Placed on top a groove for mounting on the windshield, which allow one motion to remove the Registrar. Meanwhile, the groove reliable, and while driving accidental fall Karki Combo 2 excluded.
Below are some very interesting holes, like Karki Combo 2 equipped with an active cooling system. Mention of it is not in any description of the device, but during operation, these holes can hear a sound similar to the sound of the rotating blades of a small fan.
At the front of the device, the manufacturer placed the lens geterogennogo receiver that actually picks up radar signals, and below it is a peephole camera DVR, the angle of which, we recall, is 160 degrees. The GPS module is hidden in the bowels of the building.
And speaking of housing: Assembly Karki Combo 2 deserves high marks – nothing crunches, creaks and breaks off. It is evident that the case is made of durable plastic, sometimes smooth, sometimes textured for beauty and comfort grip. The body is practically not soiled, but touching your fingers to the lens optics and the screen is better to avoid fingerprints remain instantly and are removed with difficulty.
Both mounts are made of the same plastic, but its thickness is significantly more than what is needed to improve the reliability. The Twister, which is attached to the device itself, here one, so to lose it we do not advise.
On the windshield Karki Combo 2 takes up little space, but the rear-view mirror, he still will not fit, although not necessary, because it will not be visible on the display warning of a radar detector.
Karki Combo 2 really can be rotated 360 degrees so that it can be directed, for example, approached from the driver’s door of the police and record the whole conversation with him in case of exceeding of authority and other misconduct on his part.
Suction Cup mount that was used during the test, boasts a very large airtight this suction Cup to the glass: as Karki Combo 2 weighs so little, such a solution provides a secure attachment – device will not fall even when driving on very poor roads or where cars usually don’t drive.
Software
To understand menu Karki Combo 2, you don’t need to be Einstein: unlike most analogues, the interface here is very simple, intuitive and convenient, and don’t even need to remember how to get into it. Everything is simple: the menu button does the job, and then we have six tabs – radar, video, photography, playback, content and storage device and system settings. The system allows to set all basic parameters and also to see how many hours of recording is enough installed memory card, in terms of its volume and the selected resolution. For example, a 3 minute Full HD video here takes about 300 megabytes, it got to 9 minutes of recording at highest quality will take about 1 Gigabyte.
But what is missing in the menu, so that fine adjustment of the stamp information, which is imprinted in the video. This can be either the manufacturer’s logo or a logo and the current date and time. With active GPS module also prints the current coordinates, but enter the plate number here, alas, is impossible.
Test the radar detector
The operation of the radar detector from the composition Karki Combo 2 was tested on the streets of the hero city of Volgograd and on the Federal highway M6. In the “city” for all time of testing there were only two false positives – the first time was the reaction to the sensors in front of the machine, and the second time the radar detector has reacted to the door hypermarket with photocells, but only when at a distance of 10 meters from it.
Switch to “route” while in the city has led to catching the signals of the photocells from each batch, i.e. the number of false positives has increased significantly. But no camera in Volgograd left for Karki Combo 2 undetected wall radars, “tripod” and “hair dryers” – was discovered in the “city” at a distance of about one kilometer, so the time to reduce the speed of the driver is exactly. Separately, we note the possibility of radar and cameras on their GPS coordinates, the base of which is part of the firmware, that is where not cope RD, the GPS receiver will save from a penalty.
Radar detector alerts you to approaching the camera icons on the screen and voice, so in the settings it is supposed to take off function of the display. There you can set the minimum speed at which the warnings are activated: if, for example, you are driving slower than 60 km/h, you will not be able to run into a penalty, and because the Combo 2 will not once again draw attention to themselves. You can also set the maximum speed, above which the RD will ask you to slow down. This is a very useful feature that allows not to break the speed limit in towns and on the track and to inspire hope for the enrichment of representatives of law enforcement.
Testing the DVR
Video recorder, built-in Combo Karki 2, also showed a good side, but to call it perfect, we will not, because the flaws he has. Shooting in the daytime he is doing fine: the picture is clear (we shot in Full HD, the highest resolution possible), and the car numbers are visible, and even if you want you can see the faces of passers-by. With night shooting, all is not so rosy due to the weak ISO – no more than 400 units, which by modern standards is very little. If you do not touch the settings, the video turns dark, and even cars become barely noticeable. This situation, however, has a simple solution: we need to improve the exposure parameters, as we did, in accordance with the quality and brightness of road lighting in your city. The result was not long in coming: night turned into twilight, and all necessary information was easy to read.
Total, right out of the box Karki Combo 2 suitable for daily shooting, no matter sunshine or rain, and for night photography you will need to spend a few moments later for a small adjustment of parameters.
Now about the card: the instruction prescribes the installation of microSD 10 class and 128 GB. Kingston 128 UHS-I C10 the device is recognized immediately, but unless it is interesting to follow instructions? Us, definitely not, because the microSD slot went 8-Gigabyte card 4 class. Problems also arose, so that the need to use expensive drives C10 in this case.
But there is a need to use only the included power cord: attempt to gently tap the cable from the previous Registrar may cause strong interference on the video, what we have seen.
During operation it was observed a small heating unit, but within limits: the preconditions for a possible no overheating, even after hours of staying in the cabin with the included full stove, the device can be kept unprotected fingers and not had a single failure. Consequently, even the summer heat Karki combo of 2 is not terrible.
Testing the battery
The battery in Karki Combos 2 we were dissatisfied. Even after several hours of continuous recharging from the onboard network of the car battery power is only enough for a couple of minutes of recording. In most cases this is enough to capture the right moments, but if, say, a conversation with the inspector DPS is expected for long, the motor jamming it.
Conclusion.
As a rule, hybrid devices, combining the capabilities of various gadgets, receive only the basic functions of each “parent”. In the case of Karki Combo 2 is, as shown by the test, done wrong: you cannot say that this is one device: we have two separate and, most importantly, full of device, placed in a single housing. Such proximity not only went to their detriment, but even had the benefit of the owner: there is a saving not only money when purchasing, but at the same time and space in the cabin and on the windshield.
The General impression from Karki Combo 2 were extremely positive, even despite some of its shortcomings. Editorial opinion MobileDevice: your device deserves attention and is worth to acquire him.
Pros Karki Combo 2
– versatility (DDD, DVR, GPS)
– compact design
– reliable mounting with 360 degree
– wide camera angle
– the minimum number of false positives RD
– convenient menu
Cons Karki Combo 2
– weak battery
– small ISO range
– inability to insert a plate to stamp on video
