DC-3 User Manual

1080p High-Performance Forward-Facing Dash Cam

JAN18034.V4
 CAUTION:
• Do not drop the product.
- It may cause damage or malfunction and is not covered by warranty.
• Do not place near magnets.
- It may cause the device to malfunction or operate erratically.
• Keep the unit away from other GPS devices.
- It may cause interference of the GPS signal rate.
• GPS function requires lock-on time when first powered on.
- It can take up to a few minutes for the device to lock on to a satellite signal.
• Metallic tinting and heated front windscreens can cause interruption in the GPS signal.
- If your vehicle experiences this then please experiment with mounting the camera in
different positions. The RoadHawk has an optional external GPS antenna input which will
help in cases of poor GPS reception.
• Sudden changes of brightness such as entering or exiting a tunnel may cause a temporary
loss in video quality.
• The front glass camera lens should be kept clean.
- An unclean lens may affect image quality
• Attach the product in the recommended place.
- If it is installed in an obscure place, the image may be skewed.
• Do not disassemble, repair or attempt to modify the camera.
- It may cause malfunction or injury and any damage will not be covered under warranty.

WARNING:
• Do not place near the effective range of an airbag.
- It may cause malfunction of the air bag or an accident.
• Keep the power socket clean of dust.
- A poor connection will result in malfunction.
• Install with the power off (after installation, connect the DC jack).
- It may cause electric shock or malfunction.
• Do not operate the product whilst driving.
- It may cause an accident. Stop in a safe place to operate.
• Do not pull on the power cable, remove by holding the plug and gently pulling.
• Do not use a damaged cable.
- It may cause malfunction, electric shock and fire.
• Do not clean exterior with alcohol, volatile or oily solvents.
- It may cause deformation of the surface and malfunction.
• Attach the product on the front window firmly.
- Clean the front window and fix it firmly, otherwise it may be detached due to
temperature / humidity / dust / shock.

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• Please read the below notice for SD cards. We do not take responsibility for data loss or
damage caused by SD cards malfunctioning.
• Please use only authentic SD cards.
- We recommend TEAM branded SD cards for use in this camera.
• Do not put foreign substances into SD card slot.
- It may cause a malfunction or SD card inserting problem.
• Do not touch the SD card with wet or oily hands.
- It may cause malfunction due to card damage.
• Push the SD card in fully. Do not force the SD card into the slot. Ensure the card is the
correct way up before inserting.
- If the SD card is not fully inserted then the camera cannot record data.
• Before removing the SD card, please check the power off status.
- If you pull SD card out during power on status, it may cause malfunction or data loss. The
RoadHawk will chime after the power is removed to let you know it is safe to remove the
SD card.
• SD cards are consumables.
- For optimal performance, we recommend formatting your SD card fully every 6 weeks
• Use a secure case for storing SD cards.
- The data may be damaged by static while storing or moving.
• Please make sure the lock on the SD card is off.
- If it is set to lock, recording is not possible.
• In case of important data, please make sure you back up your SD card.
- The data may be lost after long-term usage.
• Please check and backup the data stored on SD card and we recommend formatting the SD
card regularly.
• Do not disassemble or modify an SD card.
- As it may cause serious damage.
• Do not drop the SD card.
- As it may cause serious damage.
• This product supports up to 128GB SD XC memory cards. We recommend using TEAM SD
cards only.
• During normal operation of the camera it will get warm, this is normal.
• Do not leave the camera in a hot car during the daytime.
• It is advisable to remove the camera from the vehicle when not in use to deter thieves.
• Please ensure the SD card used in the camera is solely used for that purpose.
• Non-specific or renamed files or folders can interfere with the operation of the camera.
• RoadHawk recommends you do not name your SD Card.

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 Contents
Introduction 4

Contents of the Box 4

Features 4

How the System Works 5

How the Video is Stored 6

Understanding Events 7

Installing your RoadHawk 9

Video Playback 12

Installing the Software 12

Using the Software 12

Camera Settings 17

Camera LEDs 20

Connecting External GPS Antenna 21

Alarm Input / Output 22

File Sizes 23

Important Notice 24

Troubleshooting / FAQs: 25

Warranty Statement 28

Declaration of Conformity 31

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Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the RoadHawk DC-3 vehicle camera system. The RoadHawk DC-3
is designed to be mounted to the windscreen of your vehicle and to record video, GPS and
G-Force data on a constant loop. As soon as the RoadHawk DC-3 camera is powered up, it will
start recording automatically.

This new RoadHawk DC-3 camera has been designed with the very latest technology available.
It provides superior video and audio quality and excels in low-light conditions.

Contents of the Box

• 1 x RoadHawk DC-3 Camera
• 1 x Power Cable
• 1 x 16GB SD Card
• 1 x USB Card Reader
• 1 x Windscreen Adhesive Mount and Threaded R20064
• 1 x Vertical Windscreen Adhesive Mount and Tilting R20063
• 1 x User Manual
• 1 x Pack of Cable Clips

Features:
• Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60fps
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode for superior night time recording
• NEW OV4689 sensor providing excellent video quality and tuned for low-light sensitivity
• Electronic image stabilisation (EIS)
• SD XC Compatible (8gb to 128GB)
• External GPS antenna connection
• External audio input connection
• 10hz GPS Receiver
• A7s processor for high quality H.264 encoding
• User-controlled video bit rate setting
• User-controlled G-Force, audio input and speaker volume settings
• Audio can be disabled
• New vertical mount designed to have the lens of the camera sitting closer to the screen of
the vehicle minimising reflection
• 1/4” standard camera mount thread for use with numerous camera mounts and grips
• Low-level algorithm for detecting SD card errors and warning the user of any potential problems
• Alarm input for remote triggering events and output for communicating with tracking devices
• Auto format: Automatically formats the memory card every two, four or six weeks within the camera

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 How the System Works
When the camera receives power from your vehicle, it starts operating within a few seconds.
Video and audio starts recording with data from the G-Force Sensors. After a short while
the camera will lock on to a GPS signal which provides the camera with vehicle speed and
positional data.

If the camera has not been used for some time, it can take up to 5 minutes for a GPS signal to
be fully locked on. Vehicles with heated front screens or anti-glare coatings may impede the
camera from receiving a suitably strong GPS signal. In this case, an external GPS antenna may
be connected to the camera (sold separately).

The camera dynamically stores “EVENT” files and can use up to 50% of the SD card for these.
When an “EVENT” happens the camera protects the current file and the 1 minute file before
and after also, giving a total of 3 minutes. When the storage of these events goes beyond 50%
then these will begin to be over written also.

The remaining capacity on the SD card is reserved for “NORMAL” video. Once this is full it will
start to overwrite the earliest files.

An “EVENT” can be triggered either manually by pressing the “E” button or when the camera
detects an impact with its built-in G-Force sensor. The sensitivity of the G-Force sensor can be
adjusted using the settings menu in the supplied software.

The camera will chime and announce “detected event” to let you know an EVENT has been
triggered. Alerts can be silenced in the settings under the speaker volume.

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How the Video is Stored
If you choose to have the G-Force sensor enabled in the settings menu of the supplied
software, the camera will protect EVENT files (up to 50%), the rest will me NORMAL.

An EVENT will be a 3 x 1 minute video clip and is triggered by either the G-Force sensor or if
the user presses the ‘E’ button.

NORMAL video files can be set to last 1, 5, 10, 15 or 30 mins long (See “Camera Settings”).
Changing from 1 minute files will disable the loop, event AND AUTO FORMAT features.

NORMAL video will start recording as soon as the camera is powered on.

SD Card Total Memory Available

EVENT files (dynamic up to 50%) 1 minute NORMAL

60 sec 60 sec 60 sec

EVENTS NORMAL VIDEO

After each segment of video is recorded the RoadHawk saves the file to the SD card and
instantly starts recording a new file. These files can be linked together in any normal video
editing software without any gaps between the files.

An important note about how the RoadHawk camera stores video

As you can see from the images above, the camera is designed to work on a constant loop so
you should not need to erase data from the SD Card. It is recommended though that the SD is
formatted on a regular basis to clear any bad data. The camera will automatically format the
SD card at 2 (recommended), 4 or 6 week periods.

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 Understanding EVENTS:
If you are using the RoadHawk DC-3 camera as an accident black box recorder then you
need to understand some important factors:

• If the camera detects an impact and you have the G-Force sensor enabled, the camera will
create an EVENT file.

• The camera will use up to 50% of the available SD card memory for these EVENT files.

• The amount of EVENT files you can store on your SD card will depend on the size of your SD
card and the video quality you have selected.

• Once this 50% reserved for EVENTS becomes FULL the camera will overwrite the earliest
EVENTS.

• An EVENT file can easily be created by driving over rough road and will depend on your
G­-Force sensitivity settings.

• If you have the G-Force setting too high or if the impact of the accident is very light then
the camera might NOT create an EVENT file. You can use the E button on the camera or the
option remote extension

Therefore it is possible for you to overwrite an accident if you continue to drive with your
camera on after the EVENT has taken place.

When any part of the SD card becomes full, the RoadHawk DC-3 will start to overwrite the
earliest files. The amount of EVENT files and NORMAL video files you can store on the SD card
before they start to overwrite will depend on the video quality settings and the size of the SD
card you are using.

If you choose to disable the G-Force sensor using the settings in the supplied software then
the camera will NOT create EVENT files. In this mode the camera will reserve 100% of the
available space on the SD card for NORMAL recordings. When the camera receives power it
will start recording video until the SD card is full. Once the SD card is full the RoadHawk DC-3
will start to overwrite the earliest files and continue to LOOP record until the power to the
camera is stopped. Only in 1 minute setting.

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 SD Card Total Memory Available

100% Normal Video

Set to 1min File Size

1 Min 1 Min 1 Min 1 Min

In the event of an accident you should remove power from the camera and wait for the tone
to let you know the file has been closed, wait 10 seconds and then and it is safe to remove the
SD card.

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 Installing the RoadHawk:
The RoadHawk camera is fitted with a very wide angled lens. This is to capture as much of
what is happening in front of you as possible.

10 Easy Install Steps

1. Choose an area towards the top of the windscreen behind the rear view mirror for the
camera to sit.

2. Clean the screen with some glass cleaner and allow drying time.

3. Peel the adhesive backing away from the camera mount and place firmly on the screen.

Optional extra: Ideal for severely raked screens Ideal for standard vertical screens

4. Leave the mount to bond for 10 minutes minimum, preferably over-night.

5. Use the supplied adhesive cable clips to route the power cable neatly around the
windscreen. In some vehicles you might be able to push the cable in to the gap between
the rubber and the screen to completely hide the cable.
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6. Run the cable around the side of the dashboard and underneath towards the cigarette
lighter socket. Use cable ties to hide any remaining cable behind the dash.

7. Attach the camera to the mount and face it forwards. Keep the camera as level as possible
(in a truck or bus, aim the camera slightly down).

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 8. Plug the power cable in to the camera.

9. Plug into the cigarette lighter (12v) plug.

10. Now you have the RoadHawk camera installed, it will start to work when you next start
driving. If you have installed the RoadHawk camera correctly then it should be behind the
rear-view mirror and not obstructing your view of the road ahead in any way.

View from behind with the RoadHawk camera hidden behind the rear view mirror.

NOTE: It is possible for the RoadHawk DC-3 camera to be hardwired to your vehicle.
RoadHawk supply an optional “Hard Wiring Kit” to allow for this. It is recommended to have
an authorised vehicle electrician carry out this work.

We recommend connecting the camera to an ignition LIVE circuit so the camera only operates
when the vehicle is running. Connecting to a permanent LIVE will make the camera run 24/7
and this will reduce the life expectancy of the SD Card.

Some vehicles have “always on” accessory sockets. We recommend unplugging the camera
from these sockets when not in use.

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Video Playback:
The RoadHawk DC-3 makes standard .MP4 video files that can be viewed on most modern
computers without using the RoadHawk software. Simply insert the SD card in to your
computer, locate the file you wish to play and double click to open it.

Windows Media Player, VLC or Quicktime will be able to play the video and audio files for you but
to see the G-Force, Speed, GPS and mapping details, you need to install the RoadHawk software.

The G-Force and GPS data is embedded within the .MP4 video file. To view your position on a
map and to see the speed and G-Force data you will need to install the RoadHawk DC-3.

Installing the Software:

The RoadHawk DC3 playback software is also available to download from the RoadHawk website.
Please visit http://www.roadhawk.co.uk/play to download the software direct to your computer.

You may be required to install Adobe components for the software to operate correctly. Your
computer will need to have an active internet connection for this to happen.

Using the Software:

IMPORTANT NOTE
When you run the RoadHawk software it will look for the SD card from the RoadHawk DC-3
camera. If the SD card is blank, the software will NOT see the SD Card. You MUST use the SD
card in the camera BEFORE using this software.

Once you insert the SD card from the camera in to your computer it will list all the video
files on that card on the right hand side of the screen. A USB card reader is supplied with the
RoadHawk camera.

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 EVENT: Are denoted by a red ‘!’ Will list only the
files that have been created by the camera because
of an EVENT. This could be a collision, a pothole or
a manual event created by pressing the ‘E’ button
on the camera.
CALENDER: This shows the files available in date
order, red ‘!’ and gaps in days or time show event
files, last day shows the normal driving with any
events in.

ALL: This will display all files on the card in the

order they were created. Please note that the
earliest files will normally be EVENT files as these
stay on the card longer than NORMAL video files.

At this point, you might be seeing a video recorded several days or weeks ago at the top of the
list. Towards the bottom of the list you will start to see your normal everyday driving videos.
It is normal to have gaps in these files because of the way the camera overwrites the earliest
files recorded.

User Guide: View the latest version of the RoadHawk user guide on line and
watch video guides to get the most from your camera.

Format SD Card: Clicking this will wipe all of the data on your SD card. It is
recommended to do this at least every 6 weeks to keep the file structure of
your SD card healthy.

Once you click the button, choose the size of your SD card and wait for the software to
complete the format process. WARNING: This process will delete ALL files on your SD card.
Make sure you backup any files you wish to keep BEFORE formatting the SD card. Once files
have been deleted, they are impossible to recover.

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Saving a File: To transfer a video file from the SD card to your computer, click the disk icon
next to the file you wish to save:

This will open a “save file” dialogue box and you can choose where you wish to save the video
file. Once the file has been saved, you can play it in a standard video player by double clicking
it or send it to a recipient by using a service such as www.wetransfer.com

Main Video Window:

This will display the forward-facing video recorded by the camera according to the file that has
been selected. You can scrub through the video by clicking on the position bar at the bottom
of this window.

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 Map:

In the bottom left corner of the video player you will see the map. This will show the location
of the vehicle at the time the video was recorded. If the camera was not receiving a GPS
signal at the time of recording or if your computer does not have an internet connection then
you might not see the map. Within the map screen you can use the buttons in the top left to
navigate around the map and to zoom in or zoom out.

Please Note: Due to varying road positions and the possibility of GPS signals bouncing around
in a built up area, the vehicle may not always be shown directly on top of the road the vehicle
was driving on. This will improve as maps are updated over time.

G-Force Display:

Below the main windows is a G-Force Meter display. The small spot in the centre of this meter
represents the G-Force experienced by the camera at the time the video was recorded. As the
vehicle accelerates you would expect to see the spot move towards the bottom of the meter.
Braking will show up as the spot moving upwards on the meter. Cornering will send the spot
left or right. The more heavy the manoeuvre, the further the spot will travel on the graph.

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Speed:

Just below the main video window is the speed of the vehicle shown by default in MPH.
Clicking here will change the display to KPH and vice versa.

Load File Button:

The button that looks like a folder in the top right of the screen is used for loading individual
files. For instance, you might have a file on your computer’s hard disk stored locally or on
other media storage. Pressing this button will bring up a standard open file dialogue box.
Navigate to where the file is stored and double click it to play.

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 Camera Settings:
When the camera is first powered on it looks at the SD card for a file called “configuration.txt.”
This file contains parameters that tell the camera how to perform. The software supplied with
the RoadHawk camera can be used to create the “configuration.txt” file. If the
“configuration.txt” file is not found on the SD card when you first turn the camera on it will
default to the last known settings.

Click the settings icon within the software to change the settings on your camera. When you
make a change to the settings, the software will save a small config file to your SD card. The
next time the camera is powered on with this card inserted it will read the config file and set
itself accordingly.

In this menu you can change:

Resolution: 720p, 1080p Changing the resolution affects the size of the image. We
recommend using 1080p mode for the best video quality and setting the frame rate to 60fps.
Type of Image Being Recorded: 720p or 1080p .
HDR: Enable or disable camera’s HDR mode.
Frame Rate: Set the amount of frames being recorded per second.
Time Zone: Set your local time zone.
File Length: Set the length of time before a new file is started.
LOOP: Choose if the camera should loop record or simply stop recording when the SD card is full.
Mic Sensitivity: Set the volume of the internal mic (Lower = quieter: 0 = off).
Speaker Volume: Set the volume of the internal speaker in the camera.
EVENT Sensitivity: Set how sensitive the G-Force sensor is (Lower = less sensitive).
2 Pre Sets: Car and Truck or 3 axis custom.
Contrast: Sets the contrast settings for the image produced by the camera.
Brightness: Sets the brightness of the image produced by the camera.
Saturation: Sets the saturation (colour) of the image produced by the camera.
Bit-Rate: Set the overall Bit rate/Video quality (Higher = better quality).
Record Mode: Choose if you want the camera to record EVENTS or just NORMAL video.
Spot Metering: Enables/Disables spot metering mode on the image produced by the camera.
Timestamp: Enables or disables the timestamp recorded on the image by the camera.

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Timezone:
Set this to your current time zone. Make sure this is accurate as it will affect how quickly the camera
can lock on to GPS satellites. It also affects the time that is embedded on to the video. Once the camera
locks on to a GPS, signal the time is set using data from the satellites and adjusted to the set time zone.
You will need to manually adjust for daylight-saving hours using the software.

HDR:
When HDR is enabled, the camera will take two exposures for each frame of video and intelligently use
the best parts of both exposures to give the best image quality. We recommend enabling this mode if
most of your driving is in low light or during evening hours. Please note: HDR enabled will limit the frame
rate to 30fps and disable the Contrast, saturation and Brightness settings.

File Length:
Can be set to 1, 5, 10, 15 or 30 mins. Once the chosen file length has been reached by the
camera, it will automatically start to record the next file. The default file length is 1 min and loop is
disabled on 5 minutes and above.

Bitrate:
The bitrate controls how much compression is used when recording the video. This directly affects the
video quality and the amount of storage required for the video. At the highest quality setting the camera
will consume from 6 to 8GB of data per hour. The lower the quality setting used, the more video you
can store on your SD card. For car black box mode you can lower the quality setting to fit more video on
to the SD card. Find a level of video quality that is acceptable to you. Keep in mind if you use the highest
quality settings, an 16GB card might hold less than 1 hour of video.

Mic Sensitivity:
You can change the sensitivity of the built-in microphone. Setting the slider to the least sensitive will
make it quieter which is useful if the ambient audio in your vehicle is loud. You can set this to ZERO if you
do not want to record any audio.

G-Sensor:
Pre set Car (X=5, Y=6, Z=4)
Truck (X=5, Y=7, Z=2)
Manual
X (9 high, 0 off)
Y (9 high, 0 off)
Z (9 high, 0 off)

Set the slider bar to set the sensitivity of the G-Force sensor. If you find the camera makes a lot of
“EVENTS” during normal driving conditions then you can lower this setting. Keep in mind if you set this
too low in a very large vehicle then the camera might not detect a small impact and an “EVENT” may
not be created. You can also set this to “ZERO”. Keep in mind if you set this to “OFF” then the camera will
NEVER make an “EVENT”. This means if you are in an accident and you do not power down the camera
and remove the memory card then it will eventually record over the accident.

Setting the G-Sensor to “OFF” is only really recommended if you are using the camera system for 18
recreational purposes rather than as a black box camera system.
 Spot Metering:
When this is selected to ON, the camera will measure the exposure settings from the centre
of the image instead of the whole image. Set this to ON and the camera is to be mounted on
a roll bar. This will stop the camera from over exposing the image through the windscreen and
underexposing the inside of the vehicle.

Timestamp:
The RoadHawk dash camera gets its time and date from GPS. When this setting is on, the time
and date are embedded in to the right lower corner of the image. Disabling this will remove
the time and date from the video. If you are using the RoadHawk DC-3 as a dash camera then
it is recommended to leave this setting enabled for evidential purposes. NOTE: Even when the
timestamp is disabled, the file names of the videos produced by the dash camera will still be
created using the time and date found whilst the camera is recording.

Auto Format:
Formatting your SD card at regular intervals helps to keep it in the best possible condition, but
it wipes any footage stored on the card. Your RoadHawk DC-3 will alert you when formatting
is required, repeating three times “Formatting required, replace SD card or continue to
format”. On receiving this alert you will have 24 hours to back up any footage stored on the SD
card. After this period, the DC-3 camera will repeat the warning twice, before automatically
formatting the SD card.

Choose from the following interval settings for these alerts:

2 Weeks - Format every 14 Days (recommended)

4 Weeks - Format every 28 Days
6 Weeks - Format every 42 Days

Settings Notes:
1. Setting the speaker volume to ZERO will disable the camera from making any sounds
except if the camera experiences an error.
2. Setting the correct time zone will ensure the time stamp on the video is correct.
3. Setting a high bit-rate will fill up your SD card very quickly. Setting a lower bitrate will
decrease the video quality but you will get much more recording time on the SD Card.
Please try and find a setting suitable to your requirements.
4. Setting the G-Force Sensor to OFF will mean the camera will not make EVENTS. In this mode,
you will only see normal recorded video files. If you are in an accident the camera will not
create an EVENT and will eventually overwrite this video if the camera remains recording.

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Camera LEDs:

Record LED GPS LED Event Button SD Card Slot

Record LED: Will light red when the camera is recording normal video. It will flash red when the
camera is recording an EVENT.

GPS LED: Will light green when the camera has a GPS lock. If this does not light up, the camera is
not receiving a GPS signal. If both lights flashing then the camera is doing a firmware update.

“E” Button: When pressed will manually create an “ EVENT”. When you press this button the
camera will chime and store a 30 second clip in the EVENTS folder of the SD card.

SD Slot: Insert your SD card in to this slot. Push until it clicks in to position and then close the
flap. Do not force the SD card in to this slot. Ensure the SD card is the right way around before
inserting it.

Alarm I/ O: The RoadHawk DC-3 camera has an alarm input and output port. You can connect
a remote control for manually triggering an EVENT (same as pressing the E button) or you can
connect an output cable to a tracking device. When the camera detects an EVENT it will send a
signal to the tracker to alert the user an EVENT has been created by the camera.

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 Connecting External GPS Antenna to the RoadHawk:

Microphone GPS Input

Input
Power Input

In some vehicles with heated front windscreens and some that may have a special anti-glare
coating, the camera may not be able to lock on to a satellite GPS signal. This will be indicated by
the GPS light not illuminating or the camera constantly repeating GPS signal detected.

An optional magnetic GPS antenna is available for the RoadHawk Camera. Use of this antenna
is optional but will help the camera to get a faster, more accurate signal from the Global
Positioning Satellites.

The cable on the Antenna is 5m long and so should allow you to position it in various places. The
best location for the GPS antenna would be away from the camera and not near the cars antennas.

Connecting an audio input:

The RoadHawk is fitted with a 3.5mm external audio input jack. You can plug various microphones
to this input to improve audio quality. As this is a LINE level input you can also connect other
devices that output LINE level audio such as an intercom. If you find the audio levels are too high or
too low, you can adjust these in the settings menu of the supplied software.

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Alarm Input/ Output:
The RoadHawk DC-3 has an alarm input/output socket on the rear of the camera. Using alarm
cables (sold separately) you can trigger an EVENT by pressing a remote button. This is useful
when the camera is out of reach and provides a safer method for the driver to manually
trigger an EVENT.

Also available is an alarm output cable. When the camera detects an EVENT it will close a
circuit for 2 seconds. When connected to an alarm input on a tracking device, this can be
programmed to send an alert to the tracking software supplied by the tracking device’s
manufacturers.

Please contact us for more information on which tracking devices support this feature.

When using the output cable, the positive and negative circuit is closed for 2 seconds when
the camera detects an event. Only use of RoadHawk supplied cables should be used with this
port or warranty will be voided.

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 File Sizes:
The RoadHawk camera creates files of different sizes depending on the settings used with the
camera. You can use the software supplied to change the settings.

The lower the resolution and the lower the bit-rate, the more video you can store on a single
SD card before it either becomes full or starts to overwrite the earliest files. The higher the
video quality setting, the less video you can store on the SD card.

1080 @ 60 FPS 1080 @ 30 FPS 720 @ 60 FPS 720 @ 30 FPS

HDR off HDR on HDR off HDR on HDR off HDR on HDR off HDR on
0 - V.High
16 GB 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3
32 GB 2 3 3 3 3 5 5 6
64 GB 4 6 5 6 7 10 10 12
128 GB 8 12 11 12 14 20 20 25
1 - High
16 GB 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3
32 GB 2 4 3 4 3 6 12 12
64 GB 5 8 7 8 7 12 12 12
128 GB 10 17 14 17 14 25 25 25
2 - Standard
16 GB 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3
32 GB 3 4 4 4 4 6 6 6
64 GB 6 8 8 8 8 12 12 12
128 GB 12 17 17 17 17 25 25 25
3 - Low
16 GB 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 4
32 GB 4 5 5 5 5 8 8 8
64 GB 8 10 10 10 10 16 16 16
128 GB 17 20 20 20 20 33 33 33
4 – Very Low
16 GB 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4
32 GB 6 6 6 6 6 8 8 8
64 GB 12 12 12 12 12 16 16 16
128 GB 25 25 25 25 25 33 33 33
5 – Ultra Low
16 GB 3 4 4 3 4 4 4 4
32 GB 6 8 8 6 8 8 8 8
64 GB 12 16 16 12 16 16 16 16
128 GB 25 33 33 25 33 33 33 33

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 1080 @ 60 FPS 1080 @ 30 FPS 720 @ 60 FPS 720 @ 30 FPS

HDR off HDR on HDR off HDR on HDR off HDR on HDR off HDR on

0 - V.High 120 80 90 80 70 50 50 40

1 - High 100 60 70 60 70 40 40 40

2 - Standard 80 60 60 60 60 40 40 40

3 - Low 60 50 50 50 50 30 30 30

4 – Very Low 40 40 40 40 40 30 30 30

5 – Ultra Low 40 30 30 40 30 30 30 30

SD card size Maximum possible record times

16 GB 1.9 2.9 2.6 2.9 3.3 4.7 4.7 5.8

32 GB 4.8 8.1 6.9 8.1 6.9 12.1 12.1 12.1

64 GB 12.3 16.4 16.4 16.4 16.4 24.6 24.6 24.6

128 GB 33.1 39.7 39.7 39.7 39.7 66.1 66.1 66.1

*File size above shown per 1 minute of video.

PLEASE NOTE: The numbers shown above are approximate calculations and file sizes may
differ depending on filming conditions.

Important Notice:
The RoadHawk can use up to 50% of the available memory on the SD card for EVENTS.
The remaining 50% is kept for normal loop recording.

If for any reason you are involved in an accident that does NOT trigger the camera to make an
EVENT and you keep driving with the camera running then you can potentially record OVER
the video file you need to use.

If the camera does create an EVENT file at the time of the accident and you continue to drive
and the camera makes too many EVENTS then the camera could overwrite the EVENT you
need to use.

If you are involved in an accident it is best to unplug the camera, wait for it to shut down and
remove the SD card. Insert a new SD card in to the camera until you have transferred the files
you need to keep to a computer.

RoadHawk and Trakm8 Ltd. cannot be held responsible for video files being overwritten or for
data loss from the SD card.
24
 Troubleshooting/FAQs:
If you encounter ANY problems with your camera, please first format your SD card as this
resolves 90% of all issues. See page 13.

Hardware
Camera will not turn on and start recording.
Ensure the power cable is connected correctly. Test to make sure you have power coming from
your car’s accessory socket. The power cables have a built-in fuse. Check the fuse has not blown.

Camera makes a constant bleeping sound.

This is the camera’s fail safe alarm which is there to warn you that there is a problem with either
the camera or most probably the SD card. Formatting your SD card could solve this issue.

Camera makes lots of EVENT files.

If the camera sensitivity is set high then the camera will make an EVENT when driving on an
uneven road surface. The camera will overwrite these EVENT files once the SD card is full. You
can lower the sensitivity setting of the camera but by setting it too low you run the risk of the
camera not creating an EVENT if an impact occurs. For camera settings (G-Sensor), see page 15.

No GPS Signal is being received.

Check the position of the camera, make sure it is not located too close to other electronics.
Cars with heated front screens or Anti-Glare coatings will reduce the ability of the camera to
lock on to GPS. If this is the case, you can use an external GPS antenna (sold separately). If the
camera has not been used for a while, it may take a little longer to receive a GPS signal.

Software
I inserted the SD card and nothing is happening.
The software looks for files made by the camera. If the card has not been used in a RoadHawk
camera, if the files have been deleted by the user or if the SD card has recently been
formatted, the software will not do anything. Insert the SD card in to the RoadHawk camera,
power the camera on and leave for at least 20 seconds before unplugging the camera. Now
you can use the SD card and the software will be able to work.

The map is not displaying.

Make sure you have an internet connection. This is required for the map to display correctly.
Ensure the camera has a GPS signal. The GPS LED on the camera will light up green when it has
a GPS lock.

The audio is distorted (noisy).

Decrease the MIC SENSITIVITY setting in the software’s settings menu. This will not affect
recordings made prior to making the change.
25
The time on the video is not correct.
Firstly, ensure the time zone setting is correct using the settings menu in the software.
Secondly, make sure the camera has been able to get a GPS lock. The internal clock in the
camera is set using GPS.

There are gaps in the video or portions of your journey are missing.
This is very unlikely to happen. The misconception of portions of your journey missing from
the SD card can be summarised in two ways.

1. If the camera detects an EVENT it will save three 1 minute files and write protect
these. They are displayed as ‘RED !’ in the software. Clicking on NORMAL in the software
will only display your normal driving minus these EVENTS. All files are stored in the DCIM
folder>10xMEDIA.

2. The SD card can only hold a limited amount of video before it starts to overwrite itself.
EVENTS stay on the SD card longer than NORMAL driving video files. If you click ALL in the
software you will see a list of EVENTS that may have taken place several days or weeks ago
There will be gaps between these EVENTS. Clicking on NORMAL will display the most
recent normal driving videos. Depending on the size of your SD card and the quality
settings used by the camera you might only see the last 30 mins of normal driving.
The camera did not create an EVENT even though I was involved in an accident.
There can only be two reasons for this to happen:
1. The accident did not create enough G-Force to trigger the camera (the G-Force sensitivity is
too low or off/the accident did not transmit enough force for the camera to trigger).

2. The camera triggered an EVENT but later recorded over the EVENT. This can happen if the
driver continues to drive after an accident and many more EVENTS are created on
the journey. A small SD card can only hold a limited number of EVENTS before they are
overwritten. Potholes and rough terrain can easily cause the camera to create many events,
especially if the G-Force sensitivity is set too high.

It is advisable to take precautions after an EVENT takes place in order for the camera to not
ERASE this important data. The best way to do this is to UNPLUG the camera, wait for the
camera to chime and remove the SD card. A spare/backup SD card can be used if you need
to continue to drive.

The map display has changed/does not look the same.

RoadHawk and Trakm8 Ltd. reserve the right to change the way the mapping data is displayed.

The speed of the vehicle is not being displayed correctly.

Ensure you have the MPH/KPH setting correctly selected. Clicking on the speed display will
change the unit from MPH to KPH.

26
 The speed display is dependent on having a strong GPS signal. With no GPS signal, the speed
cannot be displayed. The stronger the GPS signal, the more accurate the speed display will be.
Driving in built-up areas, under tunnels or areas that have weaker GPS coverage can all affect
the accuracy of the display.

The vehicle is not positioned directly on the road on the map.

Disturbed or reflected GPS signals in built-up areas may mean the exact location of the vehicle
on the map is not accurately displayed. In some cases, the map database may not be 100%
accurate although these are improving all the time.

The SD card is only holding a few EVENTS and not much of my journey.
Using the highest quality settings available the RoadHawk can use up to 10GB of data per hour
of recording. Using an SD card with a small capacity coupled with a high quality setting will
seriously limit how much video you can store on your SD card.

You can either lower the video quality settings using the software settings menu or it is
advised to use an SD card with a greater capacity. The RoadHawk can use SDHC and SDXC high
capacity SD cards.

My SD card has failed/no longer works in the camera.

SD cards may only have a limited number of READ/WRITE cycles. Eventually, even high quality
SD cards can “wear out”. You should only use high quality SD cards in this camera. We only
recommend TEAM branded SD cards rated Class 10 or better. If you wire the camera to
operate 24/7 then the SD card’s life will be reduced.

The life of the SD card will depend on the quality of the card, the Class of the card and how
much driving you do.

I can’t read number plates on other vehicles.

Although the RoadHawk uses some of the most advanced image processing available at the
time of being designed, it also uses a WIDE angled camera lens. This is to capture as much of
the road ahead as possible. A side effect of using such a wide angled lens is the appearance
of vehicles seeming further away than they actually are. This makes reading of number plates
harder for the camera to capture. The camera’s ability to read number plates will depend on
the weather conditions, the amount of available light, the distance of the vehicle from the
camera and the clean condition of your windscreen. Using the camera in 1080p mode will
enhance the ability of the camera to capture number plates.

If you have the microphone enabled and if you need to, you can read the number plate of the
vehicle in question; the camera will capture your voice.

27
LIMITED WARRANTY STATEMENT
This Limited Warranty shall apply to the RoadHawk product including all accessories as
contained within the original RoadHawk box “the Product.” RoadHawk warrants the product
from its authorized distributor will meet the applicable product specifications and be free
from all defects in material and workmanship for an applicable period herein “Limited
Warranty.” This Limited Warranty is subjected to the following terms and conditions:

1. This Limited Warranty is given only to the original purchaser of the Product “Customer”
it shall neither exclude nor limit a) any statutory rights of the Customer or b) any of the
Customer’s rights against the sellers of the Product.

2. The Limited Warranty shall be restricted to the country/region of Product purchase this is
to avoid excessive import or exportation of the Product throughout the supported countries.

3. This Limited Warranty is only valid and enforceable in countries where the Product is sold.
Outside of the country of purchase, any repairs performed by RoadHawk’s Authorized
Service Centre are subject to charge to the purchaser at normal repair rates.

4. The Limited Warranty entitles the Customer to a Product replacement or a full refund
of the purchase price for any defects relating to the performance and/or functioning of
the Product which result from normal use of the Product, provided that such a defect
arises within fourteen (14) days of the original date of purchase of the Product and cannot
be otherwise repaired and is returned within fourteen days of the fault being reported.
RoadHawk will provide a replacement or repair of the Product at RoadHawk’s own expense
for any such defect arising after fourteen (14) days but within two (2) years for hardware,
one (1) year for SD cards and accessories, of the original date of purchase. This Limited
Warranty may not be sold on, assigned, transferred or given to any subsequent purchaser
or acquirer of the Product.

5. This Limited Warranty shall last for two (2) years from the date of original purchase
“Warranty Period.” A valid original invoice “Proof of Purchase” is required.

6. This Limited Warranty covers expenses for inspecting and repairing the product during the term
of the Limited Warranty. Customer shall deliver the defective Product to the RoadHawk
designated premises together with the proof of purchase, and proof of identity of the
Customer. Products shipped by the Customer missing any one of these documents may render
this Limited Warranty invalid. If the defect was the result of the Customer’s own mishandling
of the Product, force majeure, or the result of a repair by an unauthorized service provider, the
Customer shall bear all expenses relating to shipping such a defective product.

7. RoadHawk will return the repaired Product or another Product to the Customer in good
working condition. All replaced faulty Products or components thereof will become the
property of RoadHawk. 28
 8. This Limited Warranty applies only to the original hardware components of the Product
and does not apply to any software or other accessories.

9. If Roadhawk repairs or replaces the Product, the repaired or replaced Product shall
continue to be warranted for the remaining term of the Limited Warranty period or for
three (3) months from the date of repair or replacement, whichever is longer.

10. Before returning any units for service, the Customer is solely responsible for backing
up data and removing any confidential, proprietary, or personal information from the
Product. RoadHawk is not responsible for damage to or loss of any programs, data, or
removal storage media.

11. This Warranty does NOT cover recovery from any software updates, installation and
removal of the application software, or any loss of data storage.

12. RoadHawk reserves the right to add, delete or amend the terms and conditions of this
Limited Liability and any such change will be made available to the purchasers of the
Product either RoadHawk’s Web site (http://www.roadhawk.co.uk) or by other means.

13. THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL NOT APPLY IF THE DEFECT WAS CAUSED THROUGH ANY
OF THE FOLLOWING:

(a) The Product serial number, the accessory date code has been removed, erased,
defaced, altered or is illegible; or
(b) The defect is resulting from the use of the product in a manner other than the
normal and customary manner, e.g. in excess of the minimum specification of
operating instructions, or malfunction or failure resulting from use of
uncalibrated voltages; or
(c) Deterioration of the Product due to normal wear and tear. All plastic surfaces and
other natural wear of externally exposed parts of the product are scratched or
damaged under normal usage; or
(d) The defect is arising from improper installation, unauthorized repair, alteration or
modification to the Product by third parties; or
(e) The defect is arising from operating with components or accessories (ancillary
or peripheral equipment) not officially authorized or provided by RoadHawk or
used in other than its intended use; or
(f) The defect or damage are arising from unauthorized modification: or
(g) The defect or damage is arising from misuse, mishandling, accidental lost, abuse,
accident, negligence and damage caused directly or indirectly by Customer,
including but not limited to improper testing, installation, alteration or
modification or any kind, or spillage of food or liquid, or build up of dirt or dust,
or mains supply problem, thunderstorm activities, or infestation by insects or
vermin, or exposure to abnormally corrosive conditions, or operation with
extreme heat or humidity.
29
15. This Limited Warranty does not affect the Customer’s statutory rights in law specific
to the country of purchase, and such rights remain protected. Some countries do not
allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential loss or damage, or
limitation of the implied warranties, in which case the preceding limitation of exclusions
may not apply to such Customers. Please note warranty service availability and response
times may vary from country to country and may also be subject to registration
requirement in the country of purchase. If you require assistance regarding warranty
conditions, or have any other inquiries, please contact the RoadHawk Customer Care
Centre or via the official website.

16. RoadHawk reserves the right to make changes to the software including but not limited to
the way mapping data is displayed and the service used to provide this data.

17. RoadHawk cannot access your personal data from the camera although the GPS data
from the camera will be transmitted over the internet to the mapping data servers in
order to provide the map display within the software. Video, audio and G-Force data is
NOT transmitted over the internet during video playback.

18. NO data from the camera is transmitted whilst the camera is functioning as a recorder in
your vehicle.

19. Video, audio, G-Force data and GPS data stored on the camera’s SD card can be used in
evidence against you in some countries. In some countries, police authorities reserve the
right to seize such data from the SD card in the camera and use it as evidence against you.

20. RoadHawk, Trakm8 Ltd. and any other associated companies will not be responsible
for expenses incurred for the fit or removal of any equipment for any purpose.

Product Warranty Period

RoadHawk DC-3 2 years from purchase date for hardware
1 year from purchase date for SD cards and accessories

30
 Approval Information
All of our products have met the requirements for approval by the FCC or CE, and have been
given the FCC or CE certification. They are hereby authorized to bear FCC or CE mark.

FCC Information
Noted on complying with the FCC’s “Statement of Conformity Information.” This product
meets requirements specified in Part 15 of the Regulations. This product’s performance
satisfies the following two conditions:

(1) The equipment must not cause any detrimental interference;

(2) The equipment must receive and process any interference, including any possible
interference caused by operation mistakes. After testing the product, we confirm it
complies with the provision of Class C digital equipment in Part 15 of the FCC Regulations;
and the receiver complies with the limitations for Class B digital equipment in Part 15
of the FCC Regulations. The product generates, utilizes and emits radio waves. It may
cause detrimental interference to wireless communication if not installed and used
according to the instructions in the manual. The product may cause interference in
residential areas, and consumers should take necessary steps to eliminate the
interference on their own. If the product causes any detrimental interference to wireless
equipment or disturbs TV signals reception (which can be verified by turning on and off
the product), you can try to troubleshoot by doing the following:
(a) Readjust the product or set it up in another place;
(b) Extend the distance between the equipment interfered and the
product, and
(c) Consult a dealer or an experienced radio technician for help.

EU Authentication Statement
This product complies with all appropriate EU standards including Low Voltage Device
Directive 73/23/EEC; EMC Directive 89/336/EEF and R& TTE Directive 1999/5/EC. It passed the
required product tests administered by the appropriate authorities and is authorized to bear
CE Mark.

31
 RoadHawk c/o Trakm8
4 Roman Park, Roman Way, Coleshill,
Birmingham, West Midlands, B46 1HG

Tel. +44 (0) 330 333 4120

Email. info@roadhawk.co.uk
Web. www.RoadHawk.co.uk

JAN18034.V4