Cobra Electronics CDR 900 Professional Grade Dash Camera Review
Cobra Electronics CDR 900 Professional Grade Dash Camera Review
Dash cameras have been helping people to provide evidence for insurance claims and stay away from corruption in automobile cases throughout the past few years. There is a huge demand for dash cams at the present world and a lot of models have come to the market under different brand names as a result. Cobra holds a prominent place out of those brands. From this article, we will review Cobra Electronics CDR 900, which is the latest addition to their lineup of dash cameras.
What’s included with the package?
The Cobra Electronics CDR 900 comes with a 12V power cord, cigarette lighter usb adapter, A/V TV cable, lanyard, microUSB cable, an 8GB Micro SD card, and a heavy duty window suction cup mount.
Design
The developers at Cobra have given a unique design to this dash camera. This design has contributed a lot towards its popularity as well. The dimensions of this camera measure 2.2 inches in height, 2.2 inches in width and 1.2 inches in depth and will fit perfectly with any type of vehicle out there. It comes with a 2 inch LCD screen that can be used to access all the core features of the product and view of what’s recording.
Ease of use
Cobra Electronics CDR 900 comes charged directly out of the box. Therefore you can mount it right away to your dashboard. You will need to get the assistance of provided suction cups during the mounting process. The package comes with simple to follow installation instructions. It also has a built-in battery, which can provide power for about an hour. This allows you to keep recording when the engine is turned off or use the dash cam with the included lanyard making it a body cam.
The camera records in continuous loop. Once your memory card gets filled with videos, it will delete the old files automatically and clear space for new files. The best thing about Cobra Electronics CDR 900 is that it records footage 30 seconds before and after an event in a separate secure files. For example, if you get into an unexpected accident, brake dramatically or hut a bump on the road, footage will be saved and the dash cam will not overwrite that file. You don’t need a computer and a card readers in order to access the video files in case of an emergency. The “Drive HD” app from the Google Play Store and App Store allows you to view and configure the CDR 900 form your smartphone or tablet.
All customizable features can be accessed using the Drive HD app. But, if you do not have a smartphone options available directly on the dash cam is rather limited. Also, you would not be able to review recorded footage using the 2 inch LCD screen.
Video & Audio Quality
Thanks to the Ambarella A7LA Chipset, videos recorded at dusk, dawn, and night were exceptionally clear. It is compatible with an advanced dynamic range and you can even record good quality videos at night time. The audio quality was good. We were able to listen in on the conversations happening in our test vehicle. Recording in 1296P resolution made pulling the license plates from nearby vehicles easier when reviewing the footage.
Ideally, we prefer dash cams with either a 140 or 160 degree field of view. The CDR 900 has a 160 degree field of view. It captured vehicles approaching the test vehicle from the left or right front corners. In other words, if someone or something rams the front of your vehicle it would capture their approach right before impact.
Features
Cobra Electronics CDR 900 comes along with a wide range of unique and interesting features. It is associated with a powerful 12MP camera. It has the potential to record video files at 1296p Super HD resolution or 1080p Full HD resolution. If you want all your footage videos to be crystal clear, you can go for the Super HD option. However, we would recommend using a 64 GB microSDXC when recording at higher resolutions.
Unlike most other dash cameras, the developers at Cobra have included Wi-Fi in this product. It will assist you to share the videos easily with compatible devices.
It comes along with a micro HDMI output. Therefore, you can play your videos directly on your HD television. Though it came with an 8GB microSD card, a higher capacity card is recommended.
Though it has a retail suggested price of $249.95 but it’s commonly sold for under $200.
Final Words
Cobra Electronics CDR 900 is a serious contender for Super HD dash cams. Having the ability to view and download video recordings to your smartphone sets it apart from it’s competitors.
