The Crosstour CR900 is an entry-level front and rear dash cam combo with good video quality. For $100, this is arguably one of the best dash cams in this price range. Front video quality is above average and night vision is decent but again, very good for a $100 dash cam. In terms of features, it is fairly basic and lacks some of the options you would see on a higher priced dash cam like WiFi and 60 FPS recording. Aside from that, it does have most of the basic options a dash cam should have like loop recording, a G-Sensor, and a 170 degree wide angle field of view for both cameras.
If you are on a budget or just want a basic dash cam with decent video quality for a second car, the Crosstour Cr900 is one of the best values out there.
- Dual Dash Cam 1080p at 30 FPS
- F/1.8 aperture for low light
- Sleek form factor for minimal footprint
Pros
- A good budget dash cam
- Decent video quality for the price
- Is GPS capable (module sold separately)
- 1080p HDR front and rear video recording
- Features a Novatek 96663 processor and Sony Exmor IMX 323 CMOS sensor for the front and rear cameras with an F1.8 aperture
Cons
- Questionable durability
- Poor customer service
- Can only record at 30 FPS
What’s in The Box?
- One front and rear camera
- Car charger
- USB cable
- Cable for the rear camera
- One adhesive
- User manual
Setup/Installation
The setup and installation for the Crosstour CR900 is similar to most two channel dash cameras. You will have to run two cables from the front camera, one for the power and a second for the rear camera. Running the cable for the rear can be time consuming depending on the vehicle. For example, you may have to remove several interior panels and possibly lower the headliner. Depending on how comfortable you are working on your own car, you may have to factor in the extra cost of having it professionally installed.
The CR900 includes a standard power cable that plugs into the vehicle’s accessory port. It does not include a direct hardwire kit. More mechanically inclined individuals may opt to cut the plug end off and hardwire it directly to the fuse box.
The CR900 does not include an SD card and that will need to be purchased separately. Currently, 128gb is the maximum size the dash camera will support. That is lower than other dash cams and considering there is a front and rear camera a 64gb card would be the minimum recommended. A 128gb SD card is ideal if you drive for extended period of time. For reference, a 128gb SD card will hold approximately eight hours of video and a 64gb card about half that.
One thing to note are the two ports on the main camera. The one marked power is actually for the rear camera although the micro USB is actually for the power. There are several complaints on Amazon where people have damaged the camera by connecting the cables incorrectly.
Form Factor
The CR900 is an average sized “wedge” dashboard camera weighing 75 grams. The size is mostly due to the built-in screen. This feature makes it easier to navigate through the menus and review video without having to remove the SD card. The menus can be accessed via buttons on the side and you can change things like the resolution, sound, turn features on or off like the GPS or the G-Sensor. The front camera can swivel 45 degrees in all directions for fine tuning the recording angle with a 240 degree range for the rear camera.
Image Quality
For a budget dash camera, the video quality on the CR900 is surprisingly good. Daytime videos are crisp although license plates will generally not be legible unless the vehicle is directly in front or behind you. Low light recording is about average but for the price range is still decent. Also, it should be noted that even though the rear camera is 1080p, the video quality is somewhat lower than the front.
One of the negative aspects of the video quality is the 30 FPS recording. This is on the lower end for a dash cam but that is to be expected in this price range. Overall, the video recording on the Crosstour CR900 is quite good when compared to similar priced models.
In terms of night vision, the Crosstour prides itself on its F/1.8 aperture which allows a lot of light to hit its Sony sensor and be able to see more clearly in low light situations.
Things to note
As this is an entry-level, budget dash cam it lacks some of the features that are included in higher priced models. It is GPS capable although the sensor is sold separately. However, there are some complaints regarding the GPS module so it is usually advised to skip it. The Crosstour CR900 does have most of options a dash cam should have like a built in g sensor, loop recording, auto power off, and a screensaver.
Another issue worth mentioning is some users have reported a green bar on the screen which seems to be a firmware related issue. However, to our knowledge there have not been any updates since the camera was released.
And finally, it is disappointing that the CR900 dashboard camera doesn’t come with an easy to use parking mode. It involves manually turning on and off the manual record button and switching the motion detection setting to on. This even happens if you happen to hardwire this device.
- Dual Dash Cam 1080p at 30 FPS
- F/1.8 aperture for low light
- Sleek form factor for minimal footprint
Who is the Crosstour CR900 for?
The Crosstour CR900 is a good dashboard camera for anyone on budget. For $100, it is one of the cheapest dual camera setup with above average video quality. It is perfect for a second vehicle where you may not need all of the extra features in a high priced dash cam. It does not have WiFi, app or cloud support. The 30 FPS recording is on the lower end for dash cams but the overall resolution is good. The front camera relies on its sensor and chip to do the heavily lifting for this camera.
If you want decent resolution on budget, the Crosstour CR900 is difficult to beat in this price range. It has all of the basic features you need with a built in LCD screen and 1080p front and rear recording. Don’t expect any miracles but for $100 the Crosstour CR900 will get the job done.