ROVE R2-4K Dash Cam With GPS

i’m writing this review on my literal day 1 of owning the camera and only just now finished installing it in my car. (the pic attached is from when i had JUST turned it on while i was in the passenger seat and was still fiddling with the angle. I also blocked out the location coordinates, but thats something you can toggle off in the settings as well)

the setup is simple. there are tons of quick short videos to help guide you on how you might want to tuck away the wiring. you just plug it into the car charging socket (you can also hard wire it into your car if you’re knowledgeable and comfortable doing so)

i read the booklet that came with it. a lot of useful info in it. Tons of features and settings you can use to customize it to what suits you best.

i like that it has ‘parking mode’ which means the camera will automatically turn on and record for a bit if it detects a sudden impact/movement while the car is parked (and while you are presumably away). i experienced ended up testing this while i was carrying the dashcam with my hands full. i accidentally dropped the camera, and even though it was off, it suddenly turned on and stating something along the lines of “parking mode has been activated”. It started recording, but since i didn’t fully charge it at the time, it only stayed on for a few seconds (which is normal for these type of dash cams. The manual states that the camera typically should be able to sustain a recording of 3-5 minutes on a fully charged battery).

I also tried the app. it lets you view/download your footage in real-time by connecting to the dashcam’s built-in wifi. i HIGHLY recommend downloading the newer beta app (which currently has an all orange UI. the old app hasn’t been updated since 2019 and had tons of negative feedback, so i didn’t even bother with that).
I think the app is a nice benefit. It’s nice if you need to quickly share a photo or footage of what just happened on the road, but you don’t have the time or ability to connect the dashcam to a computer or other device. and you do this by connecting to the dashcam’s BUILT-IN wifi. you don’t have to do anything special or complicated to set it up. it’s pretty self explanatory. BTW If you have any trouble connecting to the app, you might have to disable mobile data on your phone to properly connect).

I’ll be sure to update this review if anything comes up that greatly impacts my impression on the product, but so far i’m satisfied. I’ll be sure to take care of this one (my last dashcam stopped functioning properly because i would leave it in the car 24/7, even during extreme summer heat or extreme winter cold).

===EDIT 4-10-22===
i’ve owned this for a few weeks now. I recently decided to hook it up to my pc to check on the videos, just to make sure video/audio were being captured properly and that there were no issues. i was pretty horrified at first to see that the videos seemed really glitchy/choppy. it was practically unwatchable!

i did some quick googling and saw some people suggest it could be the framerate/resolution that it’s recording in. and then i remembered that the instruction manual mentioned using a decent video player- specifically something like VLC.
so that’s what i did. I already use VLC for other things on my pc, so i opened some videos in it. no more choppy/jittery video! everything was smooth and amazing!

So, in short, if you’re noticing that your videos appear choppy and strange i’d suggest either playing back your videos in something like VLC and NOT your basic windows media player. It’d also be worth it to maybe try lowering the camera’s FPS/resolution settings if that still doesn’t work for you (Although I would say lowering the quality should probably be a last resort… since, you know, the whole point of a dashcam is so that you can capture everything on the road in perfect quality)

the only gripe i have now is that the dashcam itself seems to slightly shake/jitter when driving at certain speeds/roads. I think this is a result of the cars vibrations. I’ll try to see if this’ll be fixed by tightening the mount or repositioning it a little. it’s possible that we just didn’t have it locked in properly (I haven’t been the one personally driving with the webcam lately. So maybe my family members flubbed on that)
It’s nothing too crazy, though.

Still happy with this device! very worth it!

==final edit 7-21-22===
it’s been 4 months since i owned it and its STILL incredible
i’ve even connected to it to share a clip of a dicey moment i had on the highway! (i did this by connecting to my pc. the app is still an amazing option to connect remotely/on the spot, but i was already at my pc anyways)

i wanted to take a moment to commend their support team as well. i recently contacted support because i somehow managed to push the power button in so far that it got stuck. i was surprised that this happened! this made it difficult to turn the camera on/off at will. i contacted their support team directly after finding their email on their website. i described the issue, provided picture evidence & proof of purchase, then they were able to process a replacement as it was still under warranty! the entire process was smooth and hasslefree. it didnt take very long at all for the replacement to come in. i customized the settings and took some video footage + photos as a test. Everything was perfect.

I didn’t have to wait long at all for their replies/solution (something i was extremely wary of after dealing with support teams from other products/services)

Anyways, I support this brand/small team VERY much! I think its VERY important to have a dashcam. Even if u don’t feel comfortable hot-wiring or whatever, i feel that even a USB/car charger-type of cam is better than nothing– like i said, i’ve already reviewed & shared footage to friends & family at least once after having a spooky moment on the highway. It’s not only good for urself, but others as well. U never kno wat could happen. Video doesnt lie. ur footage/photos could do a lot to help u or even a stranger if u ever come across a sticky situation.

Die erste bestellt Cam kam nicht an. Kein Problem bei Amazon. Geld wurde zurückgebucht. Beim zweiten Versuch hat es dann geklappt.
Die Cam läßt sich intuitiv bedienen, man stellt die Sprache auf Deutsch um und schon klickt man sich durch das Menue durch und ruckzuck ist alles eingestellt. Die Betriebsanleitung in englisch ist jetzt keine besondere technische Herausforderung und versteht auch der technisch Unversierte. Der Saugnapf hält bombenfest auf seinem Platz. Die Aufnahmen sind gut, daran habe ich nichts auszusetzen. Allerdings darf man sich nicht der falschen Vorstellung hingeben, man könne auch bei Hochauflösung ein Nummernschild wirklich lesen. Bei Autos die einem entgegen kommen und bei Abenddämmrung so gut wie nicht, es sei denn beide fahren nur Schrittgeschwindigkeit. Das Nummernschild des Vorausfahrenden kann auch nur gelesen werden wenn man nah genug aufgefahren ist. Aber letztlich geht es im Zweifelsfall um die Darstellung eines evtuellen Unfallgeschehens und dafür ist sie von der Aufzeichnungsqualität absolut in Ordnung. Bei sonnigem Wetter ist die Lesbarkeit von Nummernschildern und Ortstafeln besser. Das GPS Signal kommt, je nach Verfügbarkeit, nach 200 m Fahrzeit und zeichnet korrekt auf. Das Anbringen der Cam an der Windschutzscheibe ist simpel und dank der geringen Größe der Cam stört sie auch die Sicht nicht. Ich hab sie bei mir direkt neben dem Innenspiegel leicht versetzt angebracht. Das Stromkabel habe ich nicht extra verlegt. Mich stört ein kurzes Kabel das offen liegt nicht. Es ist ja ohnehin nur eins, da das GPs Modul im Gerät selbst enthalten ist. Bei einer anderen Cam die ich habe, benötigt man eine gesonderte GPS Antenne und schon hat man 2 Kabel. Insofern ist die Lösung mit GPS im Gerät deutlich besser und es entsteht kein Kabelsalat. Die Aufnahmen selbst können über den PC problemlos angeschaut werden. Zeit und gefahrene Geschwindigkeit werden korrekt wiedergegeben, über google maps kann auch der Fahrtverlauf dargestellt werden. Nachtfahrten hab ich mit der Cam noch nicht durchgeführt, insofern kann ich zur Bildqualität hierzu keine Aussage treffen. Bislang erfüllt die Cam die Erwartungen und insofern eine klare Kaufempfehlung.

Works well, actually it is a HD cam, only it does not turn off when I switch of my car, it’s okay, their helpline is too good, I had raised the complaint, the seller sent me an email immediately and explained, if you drive a ?Ford car then do not by as you will face the same issue which I am facing now, every now and then need to take out and put back the cigarette power plug.
All over the Camera is very good even during the night.

Ok, first I have to admit that I returned my first copy of this unit after a few days, I was just a little too impatient and made some hasty decsions about usability and functionality. I then went through three other dash cams (including a Hero 9 which isn’t really good as a dash cam) and a couple of other “highly rated” brands, and was still dissatisfied with the offerings. So I reconsidered, re-evaluated my habits and needs, and decided to re-order the Rove unit.

The specs for this unit match up well with pretty much anything in the $100 – $200 +/- price range. I just can’t justify spending the money on a NextBase 522GW or 622GW unit, the VIOFO A129, or even the Nexar Beam units. The video quality of the files seems to be excellent, even when displayed on non-ideal viewing platforms. All the GPS data is there, timestamps are accurate, and even your speed and Lat/Long are there.

(That’s one thing I think so many Amazon or YouTube reviews and samples seem to forget to mention – no matter how good the original video file is, if you’re viewing someone else’s files on your crappy old PC monitor or a TV that doesn’t support UHD or 4K video, what you see is not accurate in terms of the original quality. If you’re looking at “4K” video on an old smartphone screen or a PC with barely-above VGA quality, you’re not getting a true picture. Keep that in mind.)

My requirements were simple – I wanted 4K and, perhaps more importanly, outstanding UHD resolution, which I’ll use most often. I wanted built in GPS without the need to buy a separate logger. I wanted a WiFi connection ability to control and monitor the unit via smartphone. I wanted a cam that was simple to get set up, started recording as soon as it got power (without having to reach over and press a power button), and made my life easier, not harder. The startup process is easy, the menuing system is adequate ( most consumer device menus are really crappy, honestly, but the Rove is at least easy enough to navigate through), and the included mounting devices work fine – I use the suction cup mount, and it attached well, and was very secure. (Hint: clean your windshield with an alcohol wipe first to remove the crud left there by dashboard plastic outgassing or smoke.)

I sent a few questions into Rove customer service and got quick, intelligent, and clear answers. They seem to be genuinely helpful and don’t talk (or write..) down to their customers. Their English was first rate, which these days can be an issue. I believe Rove is US-based, and I don’t mind “foreign” support staff, if they can speak the language. And yes, I know that not everyone is from the US, and there are foreign customers, but it’s nice to communicate with someone who can speak and write accurately in my case. If you are from Thailand or Chile or Tanzania, I’m sure you’d appreciate working with someone who speaks your language too.

The packaging is first rate, the build quality and documentation are very good, and the unit does what it says it will do. This is a dash cam worth every penny, it provides excellent value and is highly recommended.