We follow the laser in both eyes! iBOX Alta LaserScan Signature Dual combo device overview

Last updated Apr 12, 2022

When buying a radar detector or a combined device, we rarely pay attention to the characteristics of a laser receiver, since there are quite a lot of such radars on the roads. However, in recent years, their number has increased, and new detectors should become more sensitive to laser radiation iBOX Alta – just one of them, the performance of which is significantly higher than that of laser speed control devices.

The first signature radar detectors appeared on the current market in 2015-2016 and were presented as a real revolution in the fight against interference and false positives. Because due to the problem of endless chirps and chirps of detectors with or without it, there have always been a considerable number of people who, in principle, did not use these devices: the almost continuous electronic beeping prevented them from listening to music or talking to passengers

In fact, despite the really important technological progress, the first signature detectors and combined devices turned out to be quite “noisy", not much inferior to their predecessors, which did not have a cutoff of false signature signals. The imperfection of young technology is, in general, commonplace.

However, since then a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, and signature detection has seriously evolved! In fact, the number of false alarms has been reduced to a minimum, and the amount of interference in general has increased significantly due to the proliferation of blind spot monitoring systems and active cruise control in cars. And one of the quietest radar detectors we tested is the iBOX Alta LaserScan Signature Dual combo device, in which the interference recognition software package is built in with maximum complexity and functionality.

IBOX Alta LaserScan Signature Dual Combo Device:

Processor – MStar 8336.
Matrix – CMOS GalaxyCore GC2053, FullHD 1920 × 1080 (30 fps), viewing angle 170 ° + the ability to connect a rear HD camera.
Screen 3.0-inch IPS.
Memory: microSD card up to 64 GB.
Radar module – ranges X, K, Ka, STRELKA ST / M, laser 800-1100 nm.
GPS/GLONASS informer + updated radar base.
Power supply – 12 / 24V + supercapacitor.
Dimensions – 97x57x36mm, 108g.

The design of the device is traditional for modern "amplifiers" with flat patch antennas. The design of the iBOX Alta LaserScan Signature Dual is similar to a compact camera dish. Although it should be noted that due to the developed patch antenna, dual laser receiver and three-inch screen, the dimensions of the device are larger than those of similar models, including other iBOX models. And this is even taking into account the fact that the GPS module is located here in the mount case!

IBOX Alta LaserScan Signature Dual mount – no suction cup. It is attached to the glass with a strong 3M double-sided adhesive tape, and the horizontal position is not adjustable, but is determined once by the accuracy of pasting. The verticality can also be adjusted using the hinge. Fixing the device to the support is magnetic. In case you need to peel the mount from the glass (badly glued or sold the car), the kit comes with an additional piece of 3M adhesive tape, shaped like the sole of the mount.

The power connector of the combo device is located on the cradle and is made in the microUSB standard. Therefore, a 4-meter cable to the cigarette lighter too. A rare solution, I must say: Until now, manufacturers of car accessories en masse prefer to use the miniUSB connector, which has not been found in any electronic device for ten years.

Let’s be honest: microUSB is also outdated, USB type C was ubiquitous, but still microUSB in our case is much better than mini. Because micro is still used in a large fleet of phones and tablets, and devices with it continue to be produced – many people intentionally buy a smartphone with such a plug in 2022, since they have a lot of good chargers for it, and change them all at once do not want. Such car owners receive a small additional bonus with the iBOX Alta LaserScan Signature Dual: in an emergency (if the car charger is suddenly broken or lost), the power adapter of the combined device can help by charging the phone.

Also, speaking of nutrition, it is worth noting the absence of a lithium-ion battery in the combo, which quickly dies from heat and frost. The Alta LaserScan Signature Dual operates from -35 to +55°C and the supercapacitor completes registration when the ignition is turned off.

Like all iBOX devices, the Alta LaserScan Signature Dual is well equipped. In addition to the device itself, the holder and the power adapter from the cigarette lighter, the box contains:

CPL filter for lens.
Adapter-card reader for reading microSD cards on computers and TVs with USB input, as well as for updating the base of cameras and radars for GPS informer.
Plastic spatula to bend the roof sheathing and run the cable.
5 self-adhesive hooks for neatly placing the power cord.
Spare adhesive tape for fixing the bracket.

The CPL filter is extremely useful, as evidenced by the growing number of new recorder models and combinations that come standard. In many cars, the angle of the glass is such that it reflects the upper surface of the dashboard very strongly – the CPL filter almost completely eliminates this reflection and gives the image additional contrast without losing detail.

The iBOX Alta LaserScan Signature Dual control interface is a standard four-key interface (Menu, OK, Up, Down). All buttons are shown on the front panel, two to the right and two to the left of the screen. The buttons are pressed with a characteristic, but very light click – this is done so that you can control the device without knocking the hinge off the stand. The only point that may require reading the instructions is the primary access to the menu, which opens only after the first press of the "OK" button, which in normal mode serves to stop video recording. Until recording is stopped, the menu will remain locked.

The menu logic is somewhat different from many combo devices, where the settings are usually divided into two sections (usually a blue background for a radar detector and a yellow-orange background for video recording). Here, all the menus are of the same color, blue, but it is divided into five sections, which change one after another after successively pressing the "M" button:

Setting up a radar detector.
DVR configuration.
Photo settings.
Reproduction.
General configuration.

In principle, everything is very logical and convenient, although the “photo settings” section, in our opinion, is superfluous here: taking pictures with a DVR camera is a deeply secondary and little-used function, and these settings could well be placed in the video settings section.

The tandem of the GalaxyCore GC2053 CMOS matrix under a six-element glass lens and the MStar 8336 processor, which is also found in other iBOX models, such as Magnetic, copes with video recording. Together they provide a standard video resolution of 1920×1080 at 30fps and a 170° viewing angle.

The image quality is comparable to most models of the same class on the market: the camera adapts well to frontal lighting, quickly equalizes the exposure level during sudden changes in lighting, and has good light sensitivity. The software compensates for image imperfections by sharpening and optimizing contrast through WDR processing. Recording is continuous: there are no pauses between clips.

Video examples of the day:

Examples of night videos:

In turn, the word "Dual" in the name of the model means the ability to connect a rear camera. This camera is called the iBOX RearCam HD9 and is available as a separate option or already bundled with the Alta LaserScan Signature Dual as an advanced package. This is convenient – there is an opportunity to save money by buying or purchasing a camera later, when necessary.

The RearCam HD9 has HD resolution and a waterproof design that allows you to mount it to your license plate frame or taillights with double-sided tape or self-tapping screws. In addition to recording the traffic situation, the RearCam HD9 also acts as a parking assistant, as it has a separate cable for connecting to the reverse light and is activated in full screen every time you put it in reverse gear.

Actually, it’s time to move on to the apparatus’s talents in the field of photo and radar reconnaissance. First of all, of course, the special attention to laser radars mentioned at the beginning should be noted: Alta LaserScan Signature Dual has a more sensitive dual laser module. In fact, optical reconnaissance of stationary radars using laser speed fixing is practically not relevant – any device with a GPS informer reports them without problems, even without an air / optical module. However, laser radars are also beginning to be found in portable versions, such as the Poliscan tripod mobile system. Such an ambush appears suddenly and has no fixed coordinates.

Alta LaserScan Signature Dual recognizes other radars and cameras using a GPS informer in tandem with an updated database (weekly from the site) and an airborne radar module. Actually, it makes no sense to list equipment that detects a combined device – the detector detects EVERYTHING that works on the roads of our country (as well as in neighboring CIS countries) at distances at least twice the required distance for safe braking.

At low speeds (up to 30 km/h), the onboard detection module is completely disabled to minimize the number of false alarms, but this is only a small part of the software solutions focused on the noiselessness of the device! The iBOX Alta LaserScan Signature Dual software contains many technologies: X-Signature, FSP+, Intellect Radar, LaserScan x2, ANTI-CAS, etc. decoding them does not make much sense; the result of their integrated work is important: cameras and radars are accurately recognized almost one hundred percent, and false positives can be counted on the fingers. The device implements double signature filtering: its memory stores samples (signatures) of radiation from all radars existing in our country, as well as samples of the most typical interference, and first of all, regular high-frequency systems of passing cars: blind spot radars and active cruise control. In other words, each signal is checked twice before alerting the driver!

All cameras and radars are marked with the characteristics of their work. If the camera, for example, "shoots" on the back, then after it passes, the device will display a countdown of removal from its coverage area. Traditional for high-end devices, advanced intelligent mode very flexibly controls the types and intensity of warnings depending on the current speed. You can’t hear audible warnings at all if the speed is less than the legal limit, minimally annoying warnings if the speed limit occurs within 20 km/h of an unauthorized game, and loud and alarming signals if the speed exceeds 20 km. /h is higher than allowed.

iBOX Alta LaserScan Signature Dual does not use red in notifications when the driver slows down in advance: the screen turns bright red (it is impossible not to notice even with peripheral vision!) Only when the danger of a fine is really high and you need to slow down a lot.

iBOX Alta LaserScan Signature Dual works effectively with average speed monitoring systems: it displays on the screen the allowable limit, the current speed and a constantly dynamically calculated average value. All this, of course, with intelligent audible and visual warnings that are minimized if there is no risk of violation. Also, of course, all intermediate traps and cameras are marked in the average speed check zones.

To summarize!

Device advantages:

The smartest signature recognition.
Large screen with wide viewing angles.
Quality video.
Magnetic mount.
CPL filter included.

Minuses:

Lack of WiFi and the need to update radar databases manually.
Connecting the rear camera to the connector on the body of the device, and not to the mount, which in a sense negates the convenience of a magnetic mount.

Post source: wekauto.ru