If I have a Bimmer with a built-in BDR (BMW 5 Series or higher), will I invest in another car dashcam?
BHPian Kelly66 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
BMW Drive Recorder (BDR) Vs Redtiger 77 Dashcam:
Hello friends,
I came across a 1-month trial offer for the BMW Drive Recorder (BDR) in the MyBMW App and wanted to check it out and do a quick comparison with the Redtiger F77.
The Offer:
BMW Drive Recorder Write-up Claims the following, but the reality is slightly different (highlighted sections):
1) The system automatically records accident situations and automatically records data around your BMW, so you can see what actually happened. Alternatively, you can record magical memories of wonderful journeys at the press of a button.
- Visual documentation of accident situations
- Keep the memories of special journeys alive
- Enjoy the great feeling of being in the picture
2) The BMW Drive Recorder uses the exterior cameras of the driver assistance systems. In an accident, it automatically records up to 20 (30) seconds before and after the event. These videos contain all the vital information such as date, time, speed and GPS location.
3) Impressive scenery and lovely sunsets? Start recording manually via your BMW’s controller. You can save up to 40 (60) seconds of video in the car or straight onto another compatible medium.
4) Videos saved in your BMW can be transferred wirelessly to compatible media. So your memories are at hand whenever and wherever you wish.
BMW Drive Recorder Review
What I liked:
- Uses the 360 degree camera – you can choose to record all 4 cameras, 2 cameras or individual cameras
- Since cameras are outside, there is no reflection or glare – closer to the action and bonnet/boot don’t come in the way.
- Colours are well saturated and natural looking and night footage is better than expected
- No wires, no connections – Software-based and well-integrated with iDrive
- Recordings can be viewed on the infotainment display when the vehicle is not moving
- When recording is activated manually, as you get close to an object (or when you reach an activation point), it captures the front/rear camera close-up view as a separate 6-10 sec video (see video clip)
- You can set BDR as a shortcut, and one press after opening the app will start recording
- Around 6 min of free storage is available in iDrive 8.5 (for testing waters), after that it will start overwriting old videos. Just for incident recording, this is more than enough or you can use a USB stick for storage expansion.
What I didn’t:
- SXGA resolution @ 1280 x 960 resolution (1.3 MP, 4:3 aspect ratio) is above average (from a dashcam POV) when viewed standalone but the difference is more evident when compared alongside F77 at 4K (8 MP, 16:9) resolution – it’s an unfair comparison though. (See video showing day and night samples after correcting the mirror image and changing the aspect ratio to 16:9)
- Frame rate is only 15 fps and the number plate is visible only at short distances and relatively darker at night (compared to F77). Dashcam footages need at least 25 fps for good number plate readability
- If you choose a camera view (All 4 or Front & Rear) to record, you can only view the recording in that view. For example, if you want to isolate and see a larger rear-only view in a 4-camera view recording, you can’t.
- All 4 camera recording resolution < Front & Rear camera recording resolution < Single camera recording resolution. Front & Rear combo like a dual dashcam is a decent middle ground.
- Rear camera video footage is a mirror image – so what shows as left in the recording is actually right and number plates are also mirrored. This is a major flaw and I wonder how BMW can charge for this service without fixing this.
- Supports only H.264 encoding, takes 86 MB storage for 40 secs recording i.e. 129 MB per min (HD+/15 fps).
- Video length can only be 40 secs – okay for capturing incidents but not for travelogues
- There is no loop recording feature. Manually starting recording can be distracting. When I tried to start a recording near Garuda Mall, I forgot to turn on the right indicator and had a very close call with a scooterist. He could have scraped my car and even injured himself if he hadn’t moved away in time.
- No Speed/GPS location in the videos
- No option for Wireless transfer of videos
Resolution and frame rate of BMW Drive Recorder
Resolution Chart & Aspect ratio
BDR view on iDrive 8.5 infotainment display
BDR Installed:
BDR Settings:
Manual start of recording:
View Recordings:
Memory full after 6 min of recording:
Video playback in 4:3 aspect ratio on a 16:9 display (real estate wasted)
BMW Drive Recorder Vs Redtiger F77 Dashcam Day & Night Video Comparison
In this videoyou can see the following:
- BDR 4 Camera view – Narrow escape near Garuda mall
- BDR Front & Rear Camera view – Mirror image flaw
- BDR Vs F77 Video comparison (16:9) – Daytime Rear with correct mirror image
- BDR Vs F77 Video comparison (16:9) – Daytime Front
- BDR Vs F77 Video comparison (16:9) – Night Front
- BDR Vs F77 Video comparison (16:9) – Night Rear with correct mirror image
Conclusions:
- I availed the trial to just check how the BDR performs as a Dashcam. Even though the BDR has some Pros but the Cons outweigh them. However, I would encourage those who have this free trial option to give it a try and experience it.
- If I don’t have a dashcam, will I buy the BMW Drive Recorder for my Bimmer? Not at all! I don’t think it is worth spending so much for the functionality offered. There are many good dashcams in the market that can do a lot more for half the cost. In fact, even the high-end Redtiger F77 is cheaper and offers significant value for its price.
- If I have a Bimmer with a built-in BDR (5 Series or higher), will I invest in another dashcam? Perhaps not! I think I will manage with it and hope it saves me in an emergency.
- If you are a Travel enthusiast wanting to capture driving routes, BDR will not serve the purpose.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!
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