Thanks for pointing this video out. Nice to see a new sensor, and it's a welcome improvement. I'll be very interested to see the reviews of these new dash cams when they come out. Might be time to finally get one.
I would love to see a A119/129 form factor with the starvis 2. I just need 1CH at front, and currently the single channel A139 Pro is too expensive. I'm sure Viofo is probably working on that.
Thanks for the very informative videos. I just purchased through your link. You did a great job of breaking down the most important elements and the new Starvis 2 sensor looks like a winner in the current crop of upper end dash cams. I was initially leaning toward the Vantrue N4 for it's feature set and price but watching your video swayed me to spend more for the enhanced video in this unit. Thanks Again.
If you’re ever bored it would be cool to have a video deep dive on shutter speed in the context of video recording (as opposed to photography) and how shutter speed relates to frame rate. Even as a photographer i struggle a bit with separating those two and understanding the relationship between them & their impacts on footage.
@@VortexRadar yea In the photography realm it’s easy for me but we are taught to typically stick to recording w/your frame rate at 1/2 your shutter speed and also to keep in mind The frame rate per second can never be higher than the number of exposures per second. If you have a 1/4s shutter, the shutter / exposure only opens and closes 4 times per second so you can never have more than 4fps (without interpolation). So we are always taught to “work backwards” from your delivery format. So if you may want 30 or 60 fps then shoot at 60fps w/a 120 shutter speed because you can always “work backwards” to slow things down without any issues or degradation but if you shoot at 4 or even 24fps & want to speed it up or get faster detail etc it’s too late. TLDR: even I struggle with how 30fps w/a faster shutter speed for example would be beneficial…I get why you’d go to lower frame rates at night for example but not would expect a faster shutter to cancel out any benefit from doing so
@@Fee.1Yeah it's not so much about shutter angle in this instance. People may see that switching from 30fps to 60fps forces a minimum shutter speed of 1/60th and thus they see less motion blur and so there is some truth to it. However, you also may find that it doesn't always force a faster shutter speed, especially in the daytime, not to mention dashcams don't always double the bitrate when you double the framerate and so wind up having less quality per frame, despite any potentially faster shutter speeds.
@@VortexRadar so what are a couple examples where you’ve found yourself adjusting shutter speed independently of framerate with higher quality dashcams where you benefitted from doing so, and did you adjust it up or down ? I can see from the info you just have maybe turning it back down when it’s on 60fps if higher speeds cause some issues. It makes more sense now though so thanks, I hadn’t really considered manipulating shutter speed more due to flaws in the way the camera works than for any technical reason that applies in general hadnt considered that.
I want to add some more things: 2:00 - the Starvis 2 Sony IMX678 is bigger size than IMX335 and than IMX317 and I consider this was the biggest advantage over the other two image sensors from this review. For sure Starvis 2 is better than Starvis but right now, only the Sony specs. are saying that. For a real comparison between Starvis2 and Starvis should be used same sizes sensors. I think you have the Thinkware U1000 dashcam which have the IMX334 Starvis CMOS which is the same size as IMX678 from Viofo A139 Pro. Not many people in the world have both U1000 and A139 Pro so you can make a real 4K Starvis2 vs. Starvis comparison. OK, I know that IMX334 was not so great CMOS but it is the only you can compare with IMX678. Another dashcam with the same size CMOS is the Nextbase 622GW but unfortunately it is using an Omnivision OS08A10 sensor. Because of the bigger CMOS size of IMX678 some of the features described in the video are influenced by the size of it and not necessary by the new HDR or the new Starvis2 and I will mention in the next. 3:18 - even the IMX317 is not a Starvis CMOS, we can see the ceiling of the parking lot and cars from the back are better illuminated than the Starvis IMX335 and Starvis2 IMX678. This is because the Viofo did a fantastic job to add more brightness to a 4K sensor even people said everywhere that a 4K image from a 4K sensor is always darker than a FHD or a 2K image from a FHD sensor or 2K sensor. You know, the story with bigger pixels which receive more light. Of course, the WDR helped a little, but doesnt matter the technology or the trick, but the final result: a non-Starvis image is more brighter than a Starvis or Starvis2 image from a real test with 3 dashcams side by side. But as you said, the IMX317 image have not so much details and I consider this is because of the too much brightness added by firmware. This means that not always a brighter image is better than a darker image. More than that, for a dashcam where the dark outside the road is not important for accident evidence is better to have clear details on the road than a better illuminated buildings or forests from the sides. Few years ago I was amazed by the brightness. Now I am amazed by the details. 3:40 - size matters first 3:50 - too dark for a dashcam. No sun, no headlights. Sunrise and sunset will be always killers for dashcams. Unlucky snapshot time of the day even a bigger CMOS or Starvis2 could not help. Surprising, the DOL HDR from IMX335 did a better job than Clear HDR (if was Clear HDR and not DOL HDR too) of IMX678 on the right side of the image at the CANYON PARK placard. But I can be wrong if the IMX335 was more on the right of the windshield compared to IMX678. 6:40 - if IMX317 could not have a forced brightness by firmware could have a better result but I don't expect to be better than Starvis sensors with HDR enabled. 7:09 - another unlucky snapshot, usually on that environment I expect the license plate to be read like it was on 9:25 and I consider this to be the normal situation 7:47 congratulations for the explanation of DOL HDR, this part of video should be on Wikipedia ;)
Yeah I thought about doing the comparison with a U1000 for that reason, but I wanted to stay within one brand to avoid software processing differences, HDR vs Super Night Vision, etc. plus I’m actively testing the differences specifically when stepping up to the Pro model. You’re right that sensor sizes are different too. Ultimately every comparison has its trade-offs. :)
Awesome video! I have it and it's really huge improvement in night time recording for the best price compared to the BlackVue! If only the rear camera has the view sensor but regardless it's better than nothing.
Sensors are great but just as seen in phones, the software and firmware & image processing algorithms are making as much or more of an impact on quality these days so we really need some bigger players to get involved or for some outside funding to invest in some of these dashcam “manufacturers” so that they can hire image processing experts. Also I think it’s time we start being offered vehicle surroundings/environment recording solutions…all encompassing…more akin to the best of Tesla & Cadillacs etc + the best of dashcams. I’m happy to pay but I want a 360° video with Birds Eye view functionality and redundant hw where beneficial such as the plate reading topic we discussed…with IR when appropriate that’s capable of turning off when it’s not. This is beyond feasible in 2023 Having said all that I’m excited for new improved sensors to push the base level performance and quality forward
I don't think the Clear HDR noise issue could be remedied without more aggressive noise reduction. This uses a single shutter speed exposure taken with two gains (a low ISO and high ISO) and combined into a final image. Now since the high exposure frame is taken at the same short shutter speed as the low exposure frame, its signal-to-noise ratio will be lower than if it's taken at longer shutter speed like in traditional HDR. Less light = less signal = worse SNR, you just can't cheat physics. At the end of the day, in the world of image capture, bigger sensors rule. There's only so much you can do to improve the performance of a small physical package. Let's hope someone put the IMX585 Starvis 2 in a dashcam. That's a 1/1.2" sensor with twice the pixel size of IMX678 and thus a 1-stop better low ISO performance and dynamic range. But it's still not free lunch since with bigger sensors you get less depth-of-field. And you will find out only the center of the frame is in focus and edges of the frame will be out of focus. IMO the next evolution of dashcams would be the use of side-by-side color+mono camera combinations. Use the mono to capture luma data and color for chroma data. Mono sensors have an inherent resolution and SNR advantage.
Great video, as always. Thanks for the detailed information and the side by side comparisons. I am looking for a 3 channel set up, and I was wondering if the new chipset would be worth the few extra dollars, or if I should just buy the older models and save a few dollars. It looks like this is definitely worth the few extra dollars.
Since the A139 Pro is a 3 channel, I'm going to try to find a zoom lens that I can attach to their rear camera and use that as a second front camera to maybe get a better view at the license plates.
These manufacturers also need to start at the very least offering an additional configuration like the remote models of radar detectors. Those of us who spend a ton of money on our vehicles or just love our old lumps want to be able to have a very discrete setup without cameras being visible. Zero need to have the brain box tethered to the otherwise tiny camera lens
I've been putting off getting one but this seems like a good time to buy as the tech seems quite improved based on the footage here although you are paying a premium for it being new tech.
Have you done any comparisons of the A139 between 4k/30fps and 2K/60fps? I am finding that the reading of vehicle plates in motion much better at the higher frame rate. Obviously this is only available to a 1 or 2 Channel user.
I enjoyed your video always lots of valuable information. Would you buy the 139 pro over the Thinkware U1000? I have a few U1000 and I'm growing tired of their poor connection for downloading videos. It's bizarre that Thinkware hasn't resolved this issue trying to download video over wifi is very frustrating as it drops the connection all the time. What are your thoughts? Thanks Duke
I wanna buy this Dashcam. But I am still missing Side-Cameras. Do you have an idea how to add to the A139 pro sidecameras? Does Viofo offer any side cameras?
Any word on a Starvis 2 unit that is powered by USB-C? My EV uses USB-C and has one 12vdc port in the hatchback area. I might have to end up running a long cable. On the Ring, UPS delivered mine today but after seeing sample videos for it vs your Viofo here I just sent it back without opening the box. A139 Pro is so much clearer.
The A139 Pro is powered by USB C. Usually you’ll want to hardwire regardless though. I just got my Ring cam in too, but I’m not expecting it to be comparable to this quality-wise.
You can do 1440p60 if you like, but that doesn't necessarily lead to better video quality. It's a common question though and something I want to address in more detail at some point.
@vortex radar, please recommend a dashcam if money is not an object. I have blackvue 750 dual with 4g and it's absolutely rubbish. Image quality is rubbish in dark so as the number plate recognition. Please help!
Yeah quality is definitely lackluster. The Blackvues are really focused on the cloud as the priority. The A139 Pro in this video has some of the best quality I’ve seen yet. Again not perfect, but better than Blackvues and others.
you mentioned that viofo is still working on this technology. so does that mean they will provide future firmware updates for the current model? or should we wait for an upcoming newer model or firmware already with this a139 pro model? thanks for breaking down this info. low light with motion has always been a concern at night.
It just came out recently and they’re still working on it, but with tech stuff it is a good practice to buy based on what it does now, not based on what it may (or may not) do one day.
Lots of players should let you play, pause, do slowmo, or zoom into a specific frame. The custom framed zoom-in stuff that you saw in this video is something that I did manually in my video editor.
About that shutter-speed exposure time, most (dash)cams in Europe have that problem with artificial light sources, where traffic lights for example seem to flicker much. This is due to our electrical grid running at 50 Hz, whereas North-America runs at 60 Hz. Next time you speak to Viafo engineers, maybe ask them to integrate a shutter-speed configuration setting, to better adapt to 50 and 60 Hz mode continents?
You forgot to mention something important: if you use the 3CH Version there will be 24fps on each camera. if you use only 2 CH version then there are 30fps on each camera.
if we are going to continue using such small sensor, AI is going to be needed to in order to resolve more details and keep the dashcam the same size. This is what smartphone have been doing for years now and this hasn't trickle down to dashcam yet. Ai denoising and upresing could help resolve more detail, reduce noise while keep the same form factor
I feel like HDR is something that is either a bit of a fools errand in dashcams or just something I’d rather manufacturers save until they get the footage perfect when only needing to resolve one image at a time…if that makes any sense. Until then I just don’t know…we’ll see.
Hopefully something comes out that replaces the rear view mirror with starlink 2. Viofo is too bulky and seems like something a thief would love to resell
@@VortexRadar yes. Ideally when your review is dashcams, give a running top 3: when radar detectors, a running top 3 of those, etc. It keeps your picks current that way for those of us who want to buy your top recommendation. Just a thought...
Yes, I do dedicated videos like that periodically. It doesn't make sense to cover that in every single video. I also have a list on my website, but that list needs to be updated.
@@VortexRadar Agreed. I wasn't suggesting the top 3 be covered in every video, just an updated list posted of them. I think your audience would love an ongoing current reference of what you think is best since nobody does it better than you.
Hello, I’m currently looking for a custom installed radar detector (+ laser jammer). What would you recommend considering I’m from France ? Thank you for your answer
Check your local laws to make sure you wouldn't be breaking them first. And then just buy whatever is popular in the US. Companies ship all over the world, your location is pretty irrelevant.
Yeah I've been looking over the A139 Pro for a few days now as I'm in the market for new dashcams for a car as I haven't had a car for nearly 3 years now and my last one was written off by a rear end. Only had a Viofo A119 v2 on the front which was great, but wish I had the rear coverage also. Thinking of going with the A139 Pro main units x2 both running 4k, if my car is able to provide enough power at least while it is running. Not sure if that needs a hardwire or can be done from the cigarette lighter socket. It is possible my previous car was damaged also a few months before write off by someone maliciously putting dents on the bonnet, or could be hail damage. parking mode could be useful but I sometimes didn't drive for weeks so
Yeah you can run a pair of them off either the cig lighter or hardwire. I typically recommend hardwiring for a permanent install to get a cleaner install plus parking recording. It does take more power than the original A139 (especially for the 3CH setup) so there’s an updated hardwire cable now, but either way running them with a hardwire would be the way to go for max protection.
@@VortexRadar I've only bought the 2 front units + a bluetooth remote to save the rear easier, doh. might get a hardwire kit if it's difficult to wire to cigarette lighter. last time had a clean install with a119 v2 without hardwire. As I said on the A229 Duo video just seen now, maybe I should've got a139 pro front + a229 duo rather than a second a139 pro main unit so then I get two fronts and still a 2k rear or maybe that's silly. Price wise it would've been pretty much near the same cost I think
I have Thinkware F 800 Pro. It’s a nightmare retrieving video clips. Can you suggest a dash cam that can easily retrieve the videos? Neighbor has Blackview & that one doesn’t look very simple either
Most of them have a WiFi setting you enable, then connect directly to the camera, and view and transfer the files from the phone app. Or just remove the SD card and put it in a reader in a computer. This camera even comes with a USB adapter for the SD card. The only other option is something like the cloud service ones with LTE where you pay for a data contract to upload the files as they're created, but you still need to use an app and download them after so it feels really pointless to spend all that additional money (they're about 4 times as expensive as the most expensive 4k cameras) just for that one feature.
1.) HDR on the A139pro smears details/textures. Even with the camera stationary/no motion in the videomaterial. Non-HDR produces visibly sharper images. Implementing a log-profile might be a better idea. It doesn't need two exposures. 2.) For motion-freezing (plate-reading) you need all the light(energy) you can get. Plates are black and white so correct colors in the video(s) isn't nescessary. Thatfore you should take off the IR-cut from the rear side of the lens, so much more light energy reaches the sensor (which already is very sensitive in the IR-range). You can hang a second unmodified 1ch A139pro on the windshield to simultaniously record the scenery in correct colors. To help the modified A139pro even more (especially when your car is an LED-one which are nearly silent in the IR-band) you might use active IR but in some countries this is not allowed because it might mess with certain traffic sensor and camera-tech although traditional incandescent headlights throw out tons of light in the IR-range, they are basically screaming in IR, but that's inherent to that tech so big brother has to live with that. 3.) Viofo should offer a higher bitrate. Helps much with sharpness/details. But might cook the camera ... :(
Thanks for pointing this video out. Nice to see a new sensor, and it's a welcome improvement. I'll be very interested to see the reviews of these new dash cams when they come out. Might be time to finally get one.
I'm definitely getting this. No doubt about it
I would love to see a A119/129 form factor with the starvis 2. I just need 1CH at front, and currently the single channel A139 Pro is too expensive. I'm sure Viofo is probably working on that.
Thanks for the very informative videos. I just purchased through your link. You did a great job of breaking down the most important elements and the new Starvis 2 sensor looks like a winner in the current crop of upper end dash cams. I was initially leaning toward the Vantrue N4 for it's feature set and price but watching your video swayed me to spend more for the enhanced video in this unit. Thanks Again.
Congrats! Good decision. I have an N4 as well and the A139 Pro is unquestionably a better dashcam.
If you’re ever bored it would be cool to have a video deep dive on shutter speed in the context of video recording (as opposed to photography) and how shutter speed relates to frame rate. Even as a photographer i struggle a bit with separating those two and understanding the relationship between them & their impacts on footage.
Yeah I've been wanting to tackle that topic for some time, specifically because people keep saying you need 60 fps to better capture license plates...
@@VortexRadar yea In the photography realm it’s easy for me but we are taught to typically stick to recording w/your frame rate at 1/2 your shutter speed and also to keep in mind The frame rate per second can never be higher than the number of exposures per second. If you have a 1/4s shutter, the shutter / exposure only opens and closes 4 times per second so you can never have more than 4fps (without interpolation).
So we are always taught to “work backwards” from your delivery format. So if you may want 30 or 60 fps then shoot at 60fps w/a 120 shutter speed because you can always “work backwards” to slow things down without any issues or degradation but if you shoot at 4 or even 24fps & want to speed it up or get faster detail etc it’s too late.
TLDR: even I struggle with how 30fps w/a faster shutter speed for example would be beneficial…I get why you’d go to lower frame rates at night for example but not would expect a faster shutter to cancel out any benefit from doing so
@@Fee.1Yeah it's not so much about shutter angle in this instance. People may see that switching from 30fps to 60fps forces a minimum shutter speed of 1/60th and thus they see less motion blur and so there is some truth to it.
However, you also may find that it doesn't always force a faster shutter speed, especially in the daytime, not to mention dashcams don't always double the bitrate when you double the framerate and so wind up having less quality per frame, despite any potentially faster shutter speeds.
@@VortexRadar so what are a couple examples where you’ve found yourself adjusting shutter speed independently of framerate with higher quality dashcams where you benefitted from doing so, and did you adjust it up or down ? I can see from the info you just have maybe turning it back down when it’s on 60fps if higher speeds cause some issues. It makes more sense now though so thanks, I hadn’t really considered manipulating shutter speed more due to flaws in the way the camera works than for any technical reason that applies in general hadnt considered that.
I want to add some more things:
2:00 - the Starvis 2 Sony IMX678 is bigger size than IMX335 and than IMX317 and I consider this was the biggest advantage over the other two image sensors from this review. For sure Starvis 2 is better than Starvis but right now, only the Sony specs. are saying that.
For a real comparison between Starvis2 and Starvis should be used same sizes sensors. I think you have the Thinkware U1000 dashcam which have the IMX334 Starvis CMOS which is the same size as IMX678 from Viofo A139 Pro. Not many people in the world have both U1000 and A139 Pro so you can make a real 4K Starvis2 vs. Starvis comparison. OK, I know that IMX334 was not so great CMOS but it is the only you can compare with IMX678. Another dashcam with the same size CMOS is the Nextbase 622GW but unfortunately it is using an Omnivision OS08A10 sensor.
Because of the bigger CMOS size of IMX678 some of the features described in the video are influenced by the size of it and not necessary by the new HDR or the new Starvis2 and I will mention in the next.
3:18 - even the IMX317 is not a Starvis CMOS, we can see the ceiling of the parking lot and cars from the back are better illuminated than the Starvis IMX335 and Starvis2 IMX678. This is because the Viofo did a fantastic job to add more brightness to a 4K sensor even people said everywhere that a 4K image from a 4K sensor is always darker than a FHD or a 2K image from a FHD sensor or 2K sensor. You know, the story with bigger pixels which receive more light.
Of course, the WDR helped a little, but doesnt matter the technology or the trick, but the final result: a non-Starvis image is more brighter than a Starvis or Starvis2 image from a real test with 3 dashcams side by side.
But as you said, the IMX317 image have not so much details and I consider this is because of the too much brightness added by firmware. This means that not always a brighter image is better than a darker image. More than that, for a dashcam where the dark outside the road is not important for accident evidence is better to have clear details on the road than a better illuminated buildings or forests from the sides. Few years ago I was amazed by the brightness. Now I am amazed by the details.
3:40 - size matters first
3:50 - too dark for a dashcam. No sun, no headlights. Sunrise and sunset will be always killers for dashcams. Unlucky snapshot time of the day even a bigger CMOS or Starvis2 could not help. Surprising, the DOL HDR from IMX335 did a better job than Clear HDR (if was Clear HDR and not DOL HDR too) of IMX678 on the right side of the image at the CANYON PARK placard. But I can be wrong if the IMX335 was more on the right of the windshield compared to IMX678.
6:40 - if IMX317 could not have a forced brightness by firmware could have a better result but I don't expect to be better than Starvis sensors with HDR enabled.
7:09 - another unlucky snapshot, usually on that environment I expect the license plate to be read like it was on 9:25 and I consider this to be the normal situation
7:47 congratulations for the explanation of DOL HDR, this part of video should be on Wikipedia ;)
Yeah I thought about doing the comparison with a U1000 for that reason, but I wanted to stay within one brand to avoid software processing differences, HDR vs Super Night Vision, etc. plus I’m actively testing the differences specifically when stepping up to the Pro model. You’re right that sensor sizes are different too. Ultimately every comparison has its trade-offs. :)
Awesome video. Cheers Vortex 👏
The little improvement is so small it’s that not worth the extra money me personally. Great video !
Awesome video! I have it and it's really huge improvement in night time recording for the best price compared to the BlackVue! If only the rear camera has the view sensor but regardless it's better than nothing.
This is why they need to offer plug and play modular kits that allow users to build the system they want
Sensors are great but just as seen in phones, the software and firmware & image processing algorithms are making as much or more of an impact on quality these days so we really need some bigger players to get involved or for some outside funding to invest in some of these dashcam “manufacturers” so that they can hire image processing experts.
Also I think it’s time we start being offered vehicle surroundings/environment recording solutions…all encompassing…more akin to the best of Tesla & Cadillacs etc + the best of dashcams. I’m happy to pay but I want a 360° video with Birds Eye view functionality and redundant hw where beneficial such as the plate reading topic we discussed…with IR when appropriate that’s capable of turning off when it’s not. This is beyond feasible in 2023
Having said all that I’m excited for new improved sensors to push the base level performance and quality forward
I have this camera. My only gripe is the charge cable is so thick that it's a pain to work with it. But the video quality is superb.
Excellent video, thanks
Game changer. Might be the right time to upgrade.
I’m considering getting one installed as a permanent second front facing dashcam.
I don't think the Clear HDR noise issue could be remedied without more aggressive noise reduction. This uses a single shutter speed exposure taken with two gains (a low ISO and high ISO) and combined into a final image. Now since the high exposure frame is taken at the same short shutter speed as the low exposure frame, its signal-to-noise ratio will be lower than if it's taken at longer shutter speed like in traditional HDR. Less light = less signal = worse SNR, you just can't cheat physics.
At the end of the day, in the world of image capture, bigger sensors rule. There's only so much you can do to improve the performance of a small physical package. Let's hope someone put the IMX585 Starvis 2 in a dashcam. That's a 1/1.2" sensor with twice the pixel size of IMX678 and thus a 1-stop better low ISO performance and dynamic range. But it's still not free lunch since with bigger sensors you get less depth-of-field. And you will find out only the center of the frame is in focus and edges of the frame will be out of focus.
IMO the next evolution of dashcams would be the use of side-by-side color+mono camera combinations. Use the mono to capture luma data and color for chroma data. Mono sensors have an inherent resolution and SNR advantage.
I have first A139 and with you, I see true Difference between A139 and a139 pro, thanks for this movie
Great video, as always. Thanks for the detailed information and the side by side comparisons. I am looking for a 3 channel set up, and I was wondering if the new chipset would be worth the few extra dollars, or if I should just buy the older models and save a few dollars. It looks like this is definitely worth the few extra dollars.
I am curious about the A119 V3 vs A139 pro comparison analysis screen.
I can't wait till thinkware comes out with the U3000 with the starvis 2. Should be out by spring.
😁
Great video 👍 👍
Since the A139 Pro is a 3 channel, I'm going to try to find a zoom lens that I can attach to their rear camera and use that as a second front camera to maybe get a better view at the license plates.
VIOFO will develop a rear cam using a zoom lens for A139.
Any idea how to record brake light and blinkers on my own car?
These manufacturers also need to start at the very least offering an additional configuration like the remote models of radar detectors. Those of us who spend a ton of money on our vehicles or just love our old lumps want to be able to have a very discrete setup without cameras being visible. Zero need to have the brain box tethered to the otherwise tiny camera lens
Can you use the rear facing camera from the T130 with the A139 Pro front facing camera?
Is it possible to use the IF 3rd camera and point it out the windshield for even better night clips?
I've been putting off getting one but this seems like a good time to buy as the tech seems quite improved based on the footage here although you are paying a premium for it being new tech.
Have you done any comparisons of the A139 between 4k/30fps and 2K/60fps? I am finding that the reading of vehicle plates in motion much better at the higher frame rate. Obviously this is only available to a 1 or 2 Channel user.
I enjoyed your video always lots of valuable information. Would you buy the 139 pro over the Thinkware U1000? I have a few U1000 and I'm growing tired of their poor connection for downloading videos. It's bizarre that Thinkware hasn't resolved this issue trying to download video over wifi is very frustrating as it drops the connection all the time. What are your thoughts? Thanks Duke
What do think about the ring dash cam they got coming out?
I’ve got one on preorder so we’ll see. It seems somewhat limited, but it could be popular because of the brand name.
What radar should I buy. I live in VA. Unlimited budget.
I wanna buy this Dashcam. But I am still missing Side-Cameras. Do you have an idea how to add to the A139 pro sidecameras? Does Viofo offer any side cameras?
You could buy two and use the rear cams as side cams if you like. I run a setup like this.
@@VortexRadar yea nice idea. But an expensive one. Greetings from Germany
Any word on a Starvis 2 unit that is powered by USB-C? My EV uses USB-C and has one 12vdc port in the hatchback area. I might have to end up running a long cable.
On the Ring, UPS delivered mine today but after seeing sample videos for it vs your Viofo here I just sent it back without opening the box. A139 Pro is so much clearer.
The A139 Pro is powered by USB C. Usually you’ll want to hardwire regardless though.
I just got my Ring cam in too, but I’m not expecting it to be comparable to this quality-wise.
Dahua security cameras are using these sensors as well.
Can you set the 139 Pro’s front camera to 1440p/60Hz, to get better capture on moving subjects?
You can do 1440p60 if you like, but that doesn't necessarily lead to better video quality. It's a common question though and something I want to address in more detail at some point.
Thoughts on the ring dash cam coming? You think it might shake up the dash cam world?
Nah not really, but I’m glad they’re making something too.
Could you please CK out the Rydeen Tombo 360X
ruclips.net/video/aY8aSKWP16o/видео.html at 2:30
Well besides A139 Pro , Which other Dash Cam comes with the Starvis 2?
There aren't any others available yet.
@vortex radar, please recommend a dashcam if money is not an object. I have blackvue 750 dual with 4g and it's absolutely rubbish. Image quality is rubbish in dark so as the number plate recognition. Please help!
Yeah quality is definitely lackluster. The Blackvues are really focused on the cloud as the priority. The A139 Pro in this video has some of the best quality I’ve seen yet. Again not perfect, but better than Blackvues and others.
@Vortex Radar thank you!
you mentioned that viofo is still working on this technology. so does that mean they will provide future firmware updates for the current model? or should we wait for an upcoming newer model or firmware already with this a139 pro model?
thanks for breaking down this info. low light with motion has always been a concern at night.
It just came out recently and they’re still working on it, but with tech stuff it is a good practice to buy based on what it does now, not based on what it may (or may not) do one day.
Do you have any software recommendations on viewing/editing 4k dash cam video clips (like focusing in on a license plate, for example)? Thanks!
Lots of players should let you play, pause, do slowmo, or zoom into a specific frame. The custom framed zoom-in stuff that you saw in this video is something that I did manually in my video editor.
Thanks!
About that shutter-speed exposure time, most (dash)cams in Europe have that problem with artificial light sources, where traffic lights for example seem to flicker much. This is due to our electrical grid running at 50 Hz, whereas North-America runs at 60 Hz.
Next time you speak to Viafo engineers, maybe ask them to integrate a shutter-speed configuration setting, to better adapt to 50 and 60 Hz mode continents?
They offer menu options for both frequencies depending on where you drive. It defaults to 50 so you need to change it to 60 here.
@@VortexRadar oh nice, it's already there!
You forgot to mention something important: if you use the 3CH Version there will be 24fps on each camera. if you use only 2 CH version then there are 30fps on each camera.
This is not an A139 Pro review where I’d discuss that. This is a Starvis 2 video. ;)
@@VortexRadar okaaay you win 😂
if we are going to continue using such small sensor, AI is going to be needed to in order to resolve more details and keep the dashcam the same size. This is what smartphone have been doing for years now and this hasn't trickle down to dashcam yet. Ai denoising and upresing could help resolve more detail, reduce noise while keep the same form factor
I feel like HDR is something that is either a bit of a fools errand in dashcams or just something I’d rather manufacturers save until they get the footage perfect when only needing to resolve one image at a time…if that makes any sense. Until then I just don’t know…we’ll see.
Hopefully something comes out that replaces the rear view mirror with starlink 2. Viofo is too bulky and seems like something a thief would love to resell
Where to buy this from Europe?
The only place you can buy right now is direct from Viofo, but they ship worldwide. Check the links in the video description.
I recognize the costco side road, where lynnwood high school used to be. 🤣
Would love to see a running list of YOUR top 3 posted with each update...
Top three what? Dashcams? That’s for a different video.
@@VortexRadar yes. Ideally when your review is dashcams, give a running top 3: when radar detectors, a running top 3 of those, etc. It keeps your picks current that way for those of us who want to buy your top recommendation. Just a thought...
Yes, I do dedicated videos like that periodically. It doesn't make sense to cover that in every single video. I also have a list on my website, but that list needs to be updated.
@@VortexRadar Agreed. I wasn't suggesting the top 3 be covered in every video, just an updated list posted of them. I think your audience would love an ongoing current reference of what you think is best since nobody does it better than you.
320.00 Canadian... Not a bad option at all.
Might sound a bit off topic but I am liking the slightly longer hair!
lol, nice in the winter!
Hello, I’m currently looking for a custom installed radar detector (+ laser jammer). What would you recommend considering I’m from France ? Thank you for your answer
Check your local laws to make sure you wouldn't be breaking them first. And then just buy whatever is popular in the US. Companies ship all over the world, your location is pretty irrelevant.
Sadly the A139Pro comes with the regular rear camera w/ IMX 291 and not the IMX 335 :(. They trying to scam everyone!!
Yeah I've been looking over the A139 Pro for a few days now as I'm in the market for new dashcams for a car as I haven't had a car for nearly 3 years now and my last one was written off by a rear end. Only had a Viofo A119 v2 on the front which was great, but wish I had the rear coverage also. Thinking of going with the A139 Pro main units x2 both running 4k, if my car is able to provide enough power at least while it is running. Not sure if that needs a hardwire or can be done from the cigarette lighter socket. It is possible my previous car was damaged also a few months before write off by someone maliciously putting dents on the bonnet, or could be hail damage. parking mode could be useful but I sometimes didn't drive for weeks so
Yeah you can run a pair of them off either the cig lighter or hardwire. I typically recommend hardwiring for a permanent install to get a cleaner install plus parking recording. It does take more power than the original A139 (especially for the 3CH setup) so there’s an updated hardwire cable now, but either way running them with a hardwire would be the way to go for max protection.
@@VortexRadar I've only bought the 2 front units + a bluetooth remote to save the rear easier, doh. might get a hardwire kit if it's difficult to wire to cigarette lighter. last time had a clean install with a119 v2 without hardwire. As I said on the A229 Duo video just seen now, maybe I should've got a139 pro front + a229 duo rather than a second a139 pro main unit so then I get two fronts and still a 2k rear or maybe that's silly. Price wise it would've been pretty much near the same cost I think
I have Thinkware F 800 Pro. It’s a nightmare retrieving video clips. Can you suggest a dash cam that can easily retrieve the videos? Neighbor has Blackview & that one doesn’t look very simple either
Most of them have a WiFi setting you enable, then connect directly to the camera, and view and transfer the files from the phone app. Or just remove the SD card and put it in a reader in a computer. This camera even comes with a USB adapter for the SD card. The only other option is something like the cloud service ones with LTE where you pay for a data contract to upload the files as they're created, but you still need to use an app and download them after so it feels really pointless to spend all that additional money (they're about 4 times as expensive as the most expensive 4k cameras) just for that one feature.
VIOFO A139 PRO 2CH = $299
VIOFO A229 DUO 2CH = $229
Is the A139 worth the extra $70? That is the question!
IMO yes
@@VortexRadar Thank you!!!
1.) HDR on the A139pro smears details/textures. Even with the camera stationary/no motion in the videomaterial. Non-HDR produces visibly sharper images. Implementing a log-profile might be a better idea. It doesn't need two exposures.
2.) For motion-freezing (plate-reading) you need all the light(energy) you can get. Plates are black and white so correct colors in the video(s) isn't nescessary. Thatfore you should take off the IR-cut from the rear side of the lens, so much more light energy reaches the sensor (which already is very sensitive in the IR-range). You can hang a second unmodified 1ch A139pro on the windshield to simultaniously record the scenery in correct colors. To help the modified A139pro even more (especially when your car is an LED-one which are nearly silent in the IR-band) you might use active IR but in some countries this is not allowed because it might mess with certain traffic sensor and camera-tech although traditional incandescent headlights throw out tons of light in the IR-range, they are basically screaming in IR, but that's inherent to that tech so big brother has to live with that.
3.) Viofo should offer a higher bitrate. Helps much with sharpness/details. But might cook the camera ... :(
Hello from lake stevens 🫡
Looks like they doubled their pricing
People really spend 3-400 dollars on a dashcam?
Sony starvis sensors are overated
What do you recommend instead?