Retired mechanic here…..everyone please listen. The OBD port was never meant to supply constant power to something. In the 10 years i worked at a toyota dealer i saw this 7 times. 4 due to that insurance monitor progressive and State Farm offer and 3 due to tapping into and or plugging a device into the OBD port long term. People those ports are meant for accessing the computer ONLY. So unless you want to spend $5,000 or more on a computer -labor/programming DO NOT PLUG INTO THAT PORT. Hardwire another way
@@TexDrinkwater Agreed. It does seem like low risk to me as well. The question is….Is choosing the low risk option ,when there are no risk options, optimal?
I recently installed and hardwired the a229 pro in my Silverado. My current solution for the parking mode battery dilemma is a 1.5amp battery maintainer that I plug in whenever I'm home. Long term I'll likely add a second deep cycle battery in the engine bay for extended recording when I'm away from home.
@@NathanielHatley I'm just gonna wire mine to a key on only circuit when I fit one to my 71 C10. Not taking the chance, even if a modern battery starting a 53 year old points fired I6 has an easy enough life.
With an open budget, I've had a Blackview 970X LTE Plus professionally installed in my truck about a month ago and it's been working great and flawlessly; no video or focus issues such as ones you reported. Apparently the very recent manufactured batches of Blackview 960X LTE Plus have no issues. I love the fact I can do live view any time and impact notifications are also very worthy. I have an extended battery pack totalling 14,300mAH for extended parking coverage. Loving it so far 👍
Hopefully, they started doing something differently at Pittasoft. I have 2 Blackvue cameras on my cars. Installed a bit more than 3 years ago. Both having the same issue - constant reboots. By now I hate the phrase "starting normal recording". Tried multiple SD cards. Voltage level is ok. They both are cloud cameras with the price in the $650 range. Highly not recommended. It seems the company needs to be renamed from Pittasoft into PITA soft.
With a newly installed blacvie 970x 2 channel confused on how to have remote cloud that I can retrieve from app have wifi in vehicle Have another two channel earlier model 900 2 channel that works beautifully with app. Not concerned with cloud as never drive vehicle. I’ve been going bavk and forth with blackvue with their customer service but quite frankly I’m not savy enough to answer the questions they need to set up my cloud. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated When I install my detector alps the shop always opts for the blacvue as they install in 95 percent of customers very high end vehicles Thx in advance
@@eugenekozlowski1949 you said you have a 970X 2CH and not the LTE version. To remotely connect to your camera, you need the camera connected to a 2.4gHz wifi hotspot; most in-vehicle wifi hotspots operate only whilst vehicle is running or the ignition switch is in accessory mode. Please confirm your vehicle wifi hotspot is available by searching for that hotspot in your phone. Your hotspot needs to be working on 2.4gHz and not the 5gHz band for it to communicate with your 970x; this is not something the manual tells you. In your vehicle hotspot settings, assuming it is live and on, change settings to 2.4gHz. Let me know how it goes.
I switched from the n4 pro to a229 pro 3ch because the vantrue was nothing but a nightmare. Kept boot looping, restarting randomly and just not turning on. Requested a replacement, same exact thing. A229 worked straight out of the box. No issues and I’m happy with it.
@@VortexRadar I had it hard wired into my battery. Have no idea why it kept messing up. Tried 3 different cars and same outcome. I actually bought the a229 pro based off of your review. It just slightly beat out the blackvue.
There's so much packed into this video I have to watch twice. Some of this stuff I wasn't aware I needed but you're just that through. Definitely cloud capability with realtime image notifications to my home screen.
I will get A229 Pro for my next vehicle. Blackvue drop the ball with the 970x. I have a 900x on my Dad's RAV4 and it work great. Was about to get 970X until I saw this video.
Don't go too cheap. I bought a chinese $50 dashcam and it was totally losing 5seconds of footage between clips. which could be a huge problem in the case of an accident. I had a guy road rage at me, and it missed the crucial moment he drove at my car. I could have reported him to the cops, and his insurance company if I'd had that footage. Spend the money, buy a good brand, and check the footage to make sure it is capturing all footage from clip to clip with no losses.
Bought the Viofo A139Pro because of your review and it contains the new Sony Starvis 2 sensor which makes it clear during low light situations. The only issue is it can't connect to any of our iPhones with the Viofo app. Selling it and picked up a Vantrue N4 for over a year in the car and it works excellent.
Weird. Mine connects to my iPhone just fine. Have you tried posting on the DCT forums so people can help you get it working too? dashcamtalk.com/forum/forums/a139-pro.404/
Best review video ive seen in a long time. Thank you for making it obvious and showing footage. The views showing the same footage accross different cameras was very insightful. Really appreciate the quality video.
Thank you! Glad the video was helpful. This took a LOT of work in testing, researching, collecting and analyzing sample footage, shooting and editing, etc.
Thanks for the thorough review! I just bought my first car and am definitely not interested in getting caught in insurance fraud. Also, what a cute moment with your kids at 7:06. God bless them!
Pretty happy with my a229 plus. The voice commands do have a mind of their own, every day it locks a couple of videos out of nowhere. Also, wifi works great when I start the car, but after I drive for a while, the app doesn't connect and I have to power it off and power it back on. Then wifi works again
Something to consider when using a drive camera that uploads over the Internet is that these companies will usually sell your data to the insurance companies so they can raise your rates for any reasons they find.
@@JelqtronZero I have the Vantrue S1. It’s an older model but takes good video. My biggest gripe with it is the sentry feature will not work for me and it doesnt seem to be displaying the speed and never has. It doesn’t have any wireless features, though. I’ve never connected it to the internet. It might not even be able to. The only reason it might is to update firmware.
@@VortexRadar Thanks for all you do btw. Couple years back your advice is how I got my Uniden 7. Currently I'm trying to take advantage of the cyber Monday deals (Been recommending your vid/article to family members to do the same.), but I'm having issues deciding. Gonna be a long day of watching, reading, re-watching, following links, watching... I like horizontal and stealth type of design and only need 2 channels.
You are possibly the best dash cam expert on the planet. Excellent comparison‼️😅 I like the comparison of the footage quality. Lots of work that you have done for us. Thanks! - I would like to know more about night vision.
Fantastic Video.. Great job going over the details of all the cameras. I have used Viofo A119.. its ANCIENT.. 5 years old I think. Works great still and has great video quality. I also have an Original Vantrue N4. 3 cam setup. Some things I dont like on the Vantrue.. video quality is not as good as the older Viofo, and the mount.. It moves around on the ball swivel too easily no matter how tight you make it. The viofo stays where you aimed it.. even if you bump the camera. Also.. you have the screen door effect. The Vantrue lens sits a lot farther away from the glass.. so any dirt or scratches outside or inside tend to effect the video quality more.. The Viofo is right up next to the glass.. and seems to do better as a result. I guess if something got on the window right in front of it .. would block it. But for the general dust, dirt.. The lens being closer seems to work better. Keep in mind.. I use it for rideshare.. so lots miles... mostly at night.
@@Pasta4life11 This dash cam performs well and connects easily to my phone for quick video downloads-a real convenience. The only drawback is an occasional random beeping, which stops after unplugging and reconnecting. It’s a minor annoyance in an otherwise reliable device.
I used the Viofo A119 V3 for years. It's a great dashcam for the price. Highly recommended if you're looking for a single channel dashcam that's less than $100.
Would you recommend buying Vantrue N4 Pro or Viofo a229 Plus? Both seems to be around the same price at the moment. My priorities are video quality and license plate rec. Thanks
Thanks so much for all the great testing and honest reviews. I was thinking about buying 2 A229 Pros so I can have full 4K HD for front and rear view. Do you think this is a waste?
@@VortexRadarI'd say that's the reasonably best 4ch setup quality wise, especially for rear plate readability and for getting the face from people who scratches car for fun (time lapse mode while parked). I wish Viofo was officially here in Brazil. A229 Plus seems like a good 2ch combo for hot weather but importing it is just too much. Xiaomi's sub brand, 70mai A800S-1 costs 1/3 the price and isn't 1/3 worse for sure. By the way, do you have any comparison with A810 vs A229 Pro? Didn't see any on your channel.
Couple questions about the thinkware 3000 cam; 1. Can I add an external power cell to supplement and prevent draing the car battery? 2. Can it be hardwired into a vehicles fuse box? 3. Does it offer any cloud data trf capabilities? For example if I'm driving, it connects to my phone to save the recordings in the cloud? 4. If it cannot handle cloud, what's the max size sd card you can store? Thank you for the awesome reviews. This helped me identify the cam I need, mostly for recording when car is parked.
1. Yep. I recently did a video about it here: ruclips.net/user/shortsrWksn8HaT8Y You can use either this battery like I did: amzn.to/46x2igX or this smaller one: amzn.to/46nTsC6 2: Yep. It comes with the cable to do this. 3. Yes, if your phone serves as a WiFi hotspot for your dashcam to connect to. 4. Not sure off the top of my head. Maybe 512 GB? You can reference some Thinkware documentation.
Really good video! Just like all your others. Do you have any advice on a Dash Cam with live view that can be used when parking? Kind of like a reverse cam. The resolution is not very important. App function is to prefer. LTE is not required, but is desirable. Have looked at Garmin because they have good support here in Sweden. So they are desirable. But there should be other options as well, I think. Money is not a problem.
Usually the dash cams that use an app over WiFi to do that lead to a poor experience. If that’s important, you may want to consider a dashcam with a dedicated display like a RVM style dashcam. There’s a lot of junky ones and fake 4K ones, but the Nexigo D90 looks pretty good. amzn.to/4aMmFI6
I bought a Garmin Dashcam 57 because I've been happy with the reliability & Customer Service of their other products which I have; Nuvi 2597 GPS for my car & 61ST GPS hand held GPS when hiking/geocaching. Everything works out of the box & if I want some tech support I can call & talk to a real live person. I connected my Dashcam with Garmin's OBD power plug, no problem.
Just making an observation about the video comparison at 15:37 to 15:52, the CPL is ON on the Thinkware U3000 while the other two the Viofo A229 and Blackvue DR970X the CPL is OFF. As I understand Circular Polarizer Lens (CPL) is best used during bright sunny days and not during dark nights. I am just curios if it makes a difference if the CPL is OFF on the Thinkware U3000.
Right. I discussed this in the video since the TW CPL isn’t removable once installed and BV didn’t offer a CPL. That said, CPLs do impact light gathering capabilities (like wearing sunglasses), but they do not impact dynamic range which is what I was specifically testing in the comparison.
Thanks for the great reviews. I’ve been following your reviews on dashcams for at least a year and just today, ordered the Viofo A229 Pro using your link. Thanks again!
You are awesome for doing this video. You really put a lot of time and effort into making a nice comprehensive video and I appreciate it. Keep up the great work. No AI is gonna replace you !
this video was a crazy watch because one of the Entry Level demo clips is actually a road in a neighboring city to where i live. absolutely insane that i recognized it too.
Thank you for the Dashcam Presentation. The radar detector camera is really important for me, because I'm always on the road. Just someone parked behind me on highway while I was viewing the front camera on my phone. They have been sitting there for about 40 minutes. If there was a camera that went from one screen to the next automatically, I won't need a radar camera. But radar with a cloud feature does save time than looking for a video feed that you want to upload on Facebook or RUclips. Making more for evidence gathering than for potential accidents or security. I have a 4 channel camera that shows the sides, front and back. I drive a cargo van, which a cab camera, although good, does not show the full extend of the intended focus. Like a police showing up. Or a vehicle that hits me from the side. I have no windows in the back and the cab and cargo are to separate areas by a mental wall. Because the cargo area is separate, I have a camera for it. I brought a camera from temu and it was the worse mistake. I thought if I spent more, I would match the features of my 4 channel camera.. An absolute waste of money. Than I saw a cheap camera in Ollie's for $10. Yes! $10 . It's a single camera, but it does the job. It has a battery battery unlike the $79 piece of garbage from Temu. A three channel that really shows two or three depending on the power source. The menu is pretty confusing. But not so much with the $10 camera. The only real problem is because you can't connect your phone to it, obtaining the footage is more difficult. And the sound isn't great! Although the menu is more confusing on the 4 channel camera, the phone (or tablet) viewing option makes it more simpler. Non of the cameras have cloud viewing. But because I'm always in my vehicle, it is not a pressing issue. Some people have used a ring type camera for their traveling, cargo/Sprinter vans or RVs. They probably offer more superior functionality for a better price. Maybe someone can give me there experience as this might be the direction I want to go.
I've been interested in Nextbase iQ 4k since your video with Nextbase personnel. How do you feel about that dash cam now they're there has been a little bit of time while out on the market? Keep up the great work!
@@VortexRadarI would like to add one other observation...there should be legal definition for the marketing term, "Coming soon". I bought a Nexbase iQ2 over a year ago, in part because of their promised software feature currently called "Roadwatch". Before I bought it last October, I called the company and asked them when that software would be available as I was hoping it would be part of the free trial for their paid subscription service. I was told likely in the first quarter of 2024. Here we are closing out 2024 and they are STILL listing it as "coming soon". Very deceptive in my opinion.
@@VortexRadar Trust me. Less drama is better. I have a Blackvue system. I recorded some guys that came by me speeding then the cops showed up and pulled one of them over. I could have offered up my info but i kept driving and said NOT MY DRAMA. Thanks for your videos.
That's why people like the one with the rear-facing camera attached to the front facing one because if something happens that's your fault you just take it down real quick@@VortexRadar
This is like the 1st or 2nd video of yours I see. And I know immediately I must subscribe here. You are simply amazing and knowledgeable in what you discuss. You are simply amazing 💯 👍
@@VortexRadar I ordered the viofo A229 Pro yesterday after watching few of your indept and brilliant reviews. I am a stack fan of OEM mirror dash cam. But I found the A229 Pro fulfilling almost all I desired from a dashcam, but it's not a mirror 😀. After so much research over weeks now, I come to realise no single dashcam fulfills all I desire in it except I go by using 2 seperate units 🤷🏼♂️ So decided to get this Viofo and another mirror dash cam with no much bells and whistles. MY questions are: 1) Is it okay to adwire 2 different dashcams in a single vehicle (2024 Toyota Rav 4)? 2) Could there be any side effect? 3) I have seen many dashcam reviewers saying that the cut-off voltage should be minimum of 12V to avoid waking up to a dead car in the next day. But what's the minimum voltage required by a 12V car to start up? Thanks
@@VortexRadar Help Please. My car is being vandalized in the parking lot on drivers door so far. What camera do you recommend since at times I can't park close to my apartment.
Thanks for the great video, lots of info to consider, exactly what I was hoping to get. Also, thanks for making me homesick lol, I moved to Dallas from Mill Creek 7 years ago, it was fun seeing all the streets you were driving around on that had me thinking 'I know that place'!
Having to buy a new car and figured it’s time for a cam. Pleasantly surprised to see you’re still making videos (never bought a radar detector but remember watching hour stuff yearsss back)
I love your channel. I upgraded my REDTIGER F7N 4K to a VIOFO A229 PRO. When I went to install the A229, I was disappointed that I could not see the screen as I could with the F7N. The A229 was installed that the screen was facing down at such angle that I couldn’t see the screen unless I leaned to the side and looked up (obviously not safe) and I also couldn’t use the touch buttons. I like to be able to see what my camera main camera and my rear camera sees as I’m driving. I emailed VIOFO’s Customer Service and they told me to use Voice Commands. If their voice command system is anything like the one on my Garmin GPS, I’d be spending time repeating my commands. If I can review dash cam footage in my iPhone, why is there even a screen in the A229? It just feels weird to have the camera and button facing the floor.
Great video, with a ton of choices, but I think I am looking at the Viofo A229 Pro and what I would like to know if I want the interior camera not to record conversations can I turn it off and for a longer then normal parking time can I add a battery pak or can I pick an option to slow down the recording time to save the car battery, Sometimes I leave my car at my second home for two or three weeks and I don't want to have to jump the car to get it started again. Again Appreciate your video and your opinion. Happy holidays to you too.
Hi, thank you for your great video. I and my husband travel a lot, and we have decided to record the roads on our trips. So I was wondering if there is any dash cam that can be installed and uninstalled multiple times in different cars.
Awesome info! I am seeking advise on my now DOA Blackview650 - yes - it passed yesterday after muttering its last, "check SD card" reminder yesterday. They don't support it any longer and it was using a co-ax cable so I will need de-install and reinstall a new cam. But the 970X pro box comments are bumming me out and why did they not charge another $50 and bump up the rear cam to 2K? I know you like the BV but what are your thoughts of going out with the Viofo A299Pro instead?
For the most part it’s a better dashcam. You’ll need to rerun a new power cable either way. I kinda feel like Blackvue has been falling behind and is holding onto the cloud features to keep people locked in.
Thanks for the information! I appreciated this video! I'm a delivery driver of 9 years, and feel that I should have something to capture video in case I get involved in a wreck of some kind, especially with my other fellow drivers being in wrecks lately this year. I'v gone for the "Viofo A229 Pro", with the 3 channel set up. Seems to be the best option, and well received from what i'v read in the comments and reviews. Even got $80 off through Amazon + free shipping with my prime account, so even better. Can't wait to give it a go! (Probably should get some SD cards for them too, while i'm at it. Might need those)
@VortexRadar Just wanted to post a disclaimer for the maxcam 360c. I had multiple sd cards fail on me with sd card error and could not be formatted again after the sd card was full. I have used Samsung pro endurance and sandisk high endurance 256gb sd cards. After speaking with escort and sending them photos of the cards used. They identified the issue as all of mine were U3 cards, and the maxcam 360c was designed to use U1 cards. I had the latest firmware update when I had 3 sd cards give me an error. I bought a U1 sd card, and I am currently using it. So far, it's about half full for the 256gb card I'm using. Will come back and post an update if the sd card error comes back with the U1 card.
Update. Still had the same sd card error with a 256gb U1 sd card. As soon as it was full, the error showed up again. Bought a 128gb u1 sd card, and for now, it seems to be working and overwriting old videos instead of giving the sd card error. I'm still going to contact customer service again to find the root cause of the issues I've experienced.
I’ve been playing with the idea of dash cams for half a decade. I even bought two, but I never installed them because I never had the mental bandwidth to devote to figuring out how to use them now they’re out of date so I’ll take your suggestion and determine what’s best for me and I’ll get back to you.🎉
5 месяцев назад
This was a great tutorial on what to look for! Thank you for sharing. I’m looking for a front/back dash-cam with the Sony lens and am not interested in paying subscription fees for the cloud and such. Just put it on the memory card. In addition, I like the parking protection these cameras offer. What would you recommend given these three important features.
Is there a solution for mounting the A229 Pro 3ch to the rearview mirror? I have an older Blackview DR900 2ch dashcam mounted with a Blendmount and am ready to upgrade. At the same time I want to avoid mounting directly to the windshield. If there's no good solution for that with the A229 Pro, which camera would you recommend if night video quaility is the primary concern?
Do the Blackvue models require cellular data subscription to work on the cloud and/or would we use the wifi in our car? If we get wifi in our car, can we connect the Vioffo A229 Pro to the wifi for cloud storage or is Blackvue the only option for cloud storage?
Yeah you can use your in-car WiFi, though chances are that only works while the car is on. You’ll need a different solution if you also want the cloud features while your car is parked.
Very informative. I have an old classic car, seldom used. Battery is disconnected when not using the car. I need "No hussle" when connecting battery back on. Need proper front facing camera,... and monitor so that all functions are at hand without any apps. Cost is not an issue. Your recommendation please. Thanks JB
15:04 Ye that's how it is in my 71 C10. Back window straight up and down. It would be triggering incessantly off my soft cover blowing in the wind lol.
Excellent tutorial. Based on Your reviews and cam functions and features, I purchased the VIOFO A229 Plus 3 Cam kit with the parking power wire kit. I do have a question; regarding the the frame rate (I think). Before I went thru the whole installation bid, I first connected the dash cams and tried them out. Everything is working fine BUT, that frame rate., I'm not sure if I am describing it correctly. On Cameras screen, as I moved the cameras a bit, the frame movement did not correspond with my movements. Play back of videos when I removed MicroSd card and played files on my Pc, they seemed fine. Perhaps this has some to do or the fix in camera Settings? Could you elaborate some, I'd appreciate it. Thx.
Yep! You can run a Viofo or a newer VanTrue off that, but usually it’s not for driving recording (not parking) and you don’t have a hidden clean install like a hardwired install.
You can either do a cig lighter install for quick installation and driving only recording, or you can spend the time to hardwire for a cleaner install and add parking recording. Your choice.
@ thank you. I will do the hard instal.. what was confusing me was in the titles for the different cameras they say “Wi-Fi “ or have a box that says remote… thank again.
Ah you're right! Yeah it looks like they just updated their website and so all my Viofo links broke, lol. Sorry about that, but thanks for the heads up! I fixed the links now. Here ya go: geni.us/ViofoA229Pro3CH and here's the direct link straight to Viofo's page: shrsl.com/4nyv4
Your videos have been a 1 stop resource for me (on radar detectors and laser jammers, etc.) and I am always grateful for the accuracy and detail of your information. I am looking for dashcam options that have a dedicated/remote display (using a separate, NOT built-in forward facing camera). I have searched quite a bit but have only come up with "street guardian" products that have this functionality (perhaps I am using the wrong search terms?). I wonder if in your research, you have come across other brands that have this configuration (or could suggest better search terms for me to use). I don't need anything super fancy or lots of options (I don't need interior cam or rear view capability). I would be grateful for any suggestions you may have. Thanks again for all of the GREAT/informative videos that you create.
Great review - thank you! I only come to you for car video and radar detector reviews - no need to go anywhere else. A question I have is if you have any opinions or recommendations of dash cams that would function well for both its primary purpose but also for recording car club drives. Those often use GoPro but I'd love to find a set up that can handle both of them well.
Which of these are "hands-off"? I'm looking to buy one for myself, but I'm not looking at camera specs as much as I am 2 main features: 1. Do I have to turn it on every time I start my car?, and 2. Does it automatically overwrite memory, or do I have to manage it myself?
@@VortexRadar well I will definitely be buying one from your affiliate links then, I honestly can’t believe that the creator of such an informative and huge video responded to my obscure inquiry within 20 minutes. I’ve never seen that before. Thank you very much - subscribed, liked, (obviously) commented, and will share with my family!
@@VortexRadar when I looked at dashcams a few years ago at Best Buy, the employee explained how most of their models don’t have both, which is why I asked. Thanks again!
Oh wow, no wonder it would be confusing! When it comes to action cameras like GoPros, that’s true, but all dash cameras work that way. Maybe that was the source of the confusion?
im quite interested in the blackview. However, I drive a small convertible and want a small front dashcam so it wont look too bad & not be super easy to steal. (cause of the softtop...) What would you recommend for a tiny dashcam?
Check out their box series dashcams. They do a front/rear version and a front/interior version. That could be a way to have a smaller dashcam than a traditional one.
Hi, thanks for educating me on this! I’m in the market primarily for parking mode motion detection system due to vehicle vandalism and am hesitant to pull the trigger on the BlackVue DR770X 3-Channel system. The 3-channel system is appealing to me due to the “360 view” and my car has built in Wi-Fi so the cloud feature is viable. However, you sold me on the Viofo 229 Pro 3-Channel with the better picture quality. Though, you recommend the Thinkware U3000 for 24/7 parking recording. Curious if it can be rigged to become a 3-Channel system or if there is something else you have in mind that checks all the boxes for me? I plan to have it hard wired and an external battery pack. Also, would one external battery be enough or should I do two? I drive 20 miles round trip to work and home, 5 days a week. Thoughts? Appreciate your time.
Sorry to hear about the vandalism! Thinkware’s low power stuff is best for tracking vehicles, not people, so I’d rule that out. Viofo’s motion/impact detection can also be a bit hit or miss so people tend to run low bitrate continuous parking recording with it. Blackvue’s motion and impact detection works well so a 3CH version of theirs might be best, especially given your cloud support. Usually in/car WiFi only works when your car is on though so you’d need a separate connection method for cloud while parked. I don’t know how long your 20 mile drive takes, but if it’s at city speeds so you can charge longer, it’s reasonable that you could have it record all day at work and then all night at home.
Retired mechanic here…..everyone please listen. The OBD port was never meant to supply constant power to something. In the 10 years i worked at a toyota dealer i saw this 7 times. 4 due to that insurance monitor progressive and State Farm offer and 3 due to tapping into and or plugging a device into the OBD port long term. People those ports are meant for accessing the computer ONLY. So unless you want to spend $5,000 or more on a computer -labor/programming DO NOT PLUG INTO THAT PORT. Hardwire another way
Thanks for that info!
Seven times in ten years at a dealership seems like an acceptable risk level to me.
@@TexDrinkwaterwow you’re smart
@TexDrinkwater if it was the only option, it is a very, very low risk. But it's not.
@@TexDrinkwater
Agreed. It does seem like low risk to me as well. The question is….Is choosing the low risk option ,when there are no risk options, optimal?
Hi, I'm in the uk and been using the Viofo A119 Mini 2 for about 6 months now and it's Brilliant.
I've been running the a229 Pro 2CH for a couple months now; works very well.
T
I recently installed and hardwired the a229 pro in my Silverado. My current solution for the parking mode battery dilemma is a 1.5amp battery maintainer that I plug in whenever I'm home. Long term I'll likely add a second deep cycle battery in the engine bay for extended recording when I'm away from home.
@@NathanielHatley I'm just gonna wire mine to a key on only circuit when I fit one to my 71 C10. Not taking the chance, even if a modern battery starting a 53 year old points fired I6 has an easy enough life.
Nice beard
Can I ask what you hardwired it to?
@@vinnie8221 Thanks. It's gotten a lot longer since I took that photo.
@@NathanielHatley you keep doing you bro it looks good on you👍
With an open budget, I've had a Blackview 970X LTE Plus professionally installed in my truck about a month ago and it's been working great and flawlessly; no video or focus issues such as ones you reported. Apparently the very recent manufactured batches of Blackview 960X LTE Plus have no issues. I love the fact I can do live view any time and impact notifications are also very worthy. I have an extended battery pack totalling 14,300mAH for extended parking coverage. Loving it so far 👍
Great news! Thanks for the report. Hopefully this trend continues.
Hopefully, they started doing something differently at Pittasoft. I have 2 Blackvue cameras on my cars. Installed a bit more than 3 years ago. Both having the same issue - constant reboots. By now I hate the phrase "starting normal recording". Tried multiple SD cards. Voltage level is ok. They both are cloud cameras with the price in the $650 range. Highly not recommended. It seems the company needs to be renamed from Pittasoft into PITA soft.
@@calmdown1774 No such issues; only concern is almost 1/2amp current draw in parking mode. Backup batteries last a little over a day or more.
With a newly installed blacvie 970x 2 channel confused on how to have remote cloud that I can retrieve from app have wifi in vehicle Have another two channel earlier model 900 2 channel that works beautifully with app. Not concerned with cloud as never drive vehicle. I’ve been going bavk and forth with blackvue with their customer service but quite frankly I’m not savy enough to answer the questions they need to set up my cloud. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
When I install my detector alps the shop always opts for the blacvue as they install in 95 percent of customers very high end vehicles
Thx in advance
@@eugenekozlowski1949 you said you have a 970X 2CH and not the LTE version. To remotely connect to your camera, you need the camera connected to a 2.4gHz wifi hotspot; most in-vehicle wifi hotspots operate only whilst vehicle is running or the ignition switch is in accessory mode. Please confirm your vehicle wifi hotspot is available by searching for that hotspot in your phone. Your hotspot needs to be working on 2.4gHz and not the 5gHz band for it to communicate with your 970x; this is not something the manual tells you. In your vehicle hotspot settings, assuming it is live and on, change settings to 2.4gHz. Let me know how it goes.
I switched from the n4 pro to a229 pro 3ch because the vantrue was nothing but a nightmare. Kept boot looping, restarting randomly and just not turning on. Requested a replacement, same exact thing. A229 worked straight out of the box. No issues and I’m happy with it.
Weird! I wonder if there was some power or wiring issue? That sounds very frustrating and unusual. Glad to hear the A229 Pro is treating you well.
@@VortexRadar I had it hard wired into my battery. Have no idea why it kept messing up. Tried 3 different cars and same outcome. I actually bought the a229 pro based off of your review. It just slightly beat out the blackvue.
thanks, i was about to buy the van true but going with the Viofa
@@wevonox7941 hows the a229 plus?
There's so much packed into this video I have to watch twice. Some of this stuff I wasn't aware I needed but you're just that through. Definitely cloud capability with realtime image notifications to my home screen.
I will get A229 Pro for my next vehicle. Blackvue drop the ball with the 970x. I have a 900x on my Dad's RAV4 and it work great. Was about to get 970X until I saw this video.
Thanks for the shout out Ariel, great video and very informative for the buyers! 😊 Haha that chicken at 15:48! 😅
😄👍👍
@@VortexRadar Thanks for this. I have been waiting for this as I am about to upgrade my A119 V3. Do we know why the chicken crossed the road?
I brought the A229 Pro on your recommendation and love it
I got it and I don't like it. Can't see plates very well during the day or at night. Night time rear camera is practically useless.
@@misternaem2103 Dashcams NOT reading license plates in daylight, at night, or in low light situations is a "REVELATION" for most.
@@misternaem2103 crap, which one will you buy now
@@misternaem2103 which camera did you go for then?
@@misternaem2103 Was it 229 Plus or the Pro?
Don't go too cheap. I bought a chinese $50 dashcam and it was totally losing 5seconds of footage between clips. which could be a huge problem in the case of an accident. I had a guy road rage at me, and it missed the crucial moment he drove at my car. I could have reported him to the cops, and his insurance company if I'd had that footage.
Spend the money, buy a good brand, and check the footage to make sure it is capturing all footage from clip to clip with no losses.
Just installed my A229 Plus today
Ah sweet
Bought the Viofo A139Pro because of your review and it contains the new Sony Starvis 2 sensor which makes it clear during low light situations. The only issue is it can't connect to any of our iPhones with the Viofo app. Selling it and picked up a Vantrue N4 for over a year in the car and it works excellent.
Weird. Mine connects to my iPhone just fine. Have you tried posting on the DCT forums so people can help you get it working too? dashcamtalk.com/forum/forums/a139-pro.404/
@@VortexRadar I just posted the above comment. Thanks
@@dc5723you’re welcome
@@dc5723could you fix it?
Best review video ive seen in a long time. Thank you for making it obvious and showing footage. The views showing the same footage accross different cameras was very insightful. Really appreciate the quality video.
Really appreciate this information and the amount of details !
Thank you! It was so much work, lol.
Wow. Talk about highly informative video. I'll defo be picking one using your link that's for sure..Great job
Thank you! Glad the video was helpful. This took a LOT of work in testing, researching, collecting and analyzing sample footage, shooting and editing, etc.
Thanks for the thorough review! I just bought my first car and am definitely not interested in getting caught in insurance fraud.
Also, what a cute moment with your kids at 7:06. God bless them!
Pretty happy with my a229 plus. The voice commands do have a mind of their own, every day it locks a couple of videos out of nowhere. Also, wifi works great when I start the car, but after I drive for a while, the app doesn't connect and I have to power it off and power it back on. Then wifi works again
Yeah I wish they had a trigger word you had to say first like “Alexa” or “OK Google” or something. I think that’d help avoid the false activations.
Something to consider when using a drive camera that uploads over the Internet is that these companies will usually sell your data to the insurance companies so they can raise your rates for any reasons they find.
That's diabolical 😭😭😭
But what is I have no insurance😎😭
Dude You're paranoid or just a bad driver considered that's the reason for them raising your insurance?
i was trying to find a good one without wifi or hook up to the phone you know one?
@@JelqtronZero I have the Vantrue S1. It’s an older model but takes good video. My biggest gripe with it is the sentry feature will not work for me and it doesnt seem to be displaying the speed and never has. It doesn’t have any wireless features, though. I’ve never connected it to the internet. It might not even be able to. The only reason it might is to update firmware.
man really needed it! it helps alot thanks
I absolutely love your videos man straight to the point no BS You're my go-to for this stuff
Thank you! Lots of info and test data to pack into these and so I’m glad to hear the videos are helpful. 🙏
I've watched several dash cam review videos, this one was definitely the best. Subscribed!
Thank you! Welcome aboard :)
Long time fan, I've recently fallen in love with playing your videos at 0.75 speed instead. :)
Smart, lol
@@VortexRadar Thanks for all you do btw. Couple years back your advice is how I got my Uniden 7.
Currently I'm trying to take advantage of the cyber Monday deals (Been recommending your vid/article to family members to do the same.), but I'm having issues deciding. Gonna be a long day of watching, reading, re-watching, following links, watching... I like horizontal and stealth type of design and only need 2 channels.
You are possibly the best dash cam expert on the planet. Excellent comparison‼️😅 I like the comparison of the footage quality. Lots of work that you have done for us. Thanks! - I would like to know more about night vision.
Thanks!
Thank you! Happy to help. 🙏
2:01 Thanks for disclosure of sponsors or lack thereof. A youtuber with moral.
Fantastic Video.. Great job going over the details of all the cameras.
I have used Viofo A119.. its ANCIENT.. 5 years old I think. Works great still and has great video quality. I also have an Original Vantrue N4. 3 cam setup.
Some things I dont like on the Vantrue.. video quality is not as good as the older Viofo, and the mount.. It moves around on the ball swivel too easily no matter how tight you make it. The viofo stays where you aimed it.. even if you bump the camera.
Also.. you have the screen door effect. The Vantrue lens sits a lot farther away from the glass.. so any dirt or scratches outside or inside tend to effect the video quality more.. The Viofo is right up next to the glass.. and seems to do better as a result. I guess if something got on the window right in front of it .. would block it. But for the general dust, dirt.. The lens being closer seems to work better. Keep in mind.. I use it for rideshare.. so lots miles... mostly at night.
Thanks for the video! I’m going with an A119 Mini 2 🙌🏻
Congrats! 👍
How has it held up?
@@Pasta4life11 This dash cam performs well and connects easily to my phone for quick video downloads-a real convenience. The only drawback is an occasional random beeping, which stops after unplugging and reconnecting. It’s a minor annoyance in an otherwise reliable device.
I used the Viofo A119 V3 for years. It's a great dashcam for the price. Highly recommended if you're looking for a single channel dashcam that's less than $100.
Great video with good useful info 🎥👍🏼
Just got a new Camry, thanks for the dash cam recommendations and reviews. Beautiful family by the way!
Thank you! Which one are you going for?
You're very thorough. Thank you!
Thanks
Thank you! 🙏
@@VortexRadaranytime sir.
Would you recommend buying Vantrue N4 Pro or Viofo a229 Plus? Both seems to be around the same price at the moment. My priorities are video quality and license plate rec. Thanks
what verdict did you come to? Im deliberating with the same issue
I will always return to this channel bc of the transparency on tech. Great Stuff vortex
Thanks so much for all the great testing and honest reviews.
I was thinking about buying 2 A229 Pros so I can have full 4K HD for front and rear view.
Do you think this is a waste?
I’ve seen several people do that and set up the rear cams as side cams or something.
@@VortexRadarI'd say that's the reasonably best 4ch setup quality wise, especially for rear plate readability and for getting the face from people who scratches car for fun (time lapse mode while parked).
I wish Viofo was officially here in Brazil. A229 Plus seems like a good 2ch combo for hot weather but importing it is just too much. Xiaomi's sub brand, 70mai A800S-1 costs 1/3 the price and isn't 1/3 worse for sure.
By the way, do you have any comparison with A810 vs A229 Pro? Didn't see any on your channel.
I’m not a fan of Li-Ion batteries in dashcams for safety reasons or some of the compromises made in the A810.
Couple questions about the thinkware 3000 cam;
1. Can I add an external power cell to supplement and prevent draing the car battery?
2. Can it be hardwired into a vehicles fuse box?
3. Does it offer any cloud data trf capabilities? For example if I'm driving, it connects to my phone to save the recordings in the cloud?
4. If it cannot handle cloud, what's the max size sd card you can store?
Thank you for the awesome reviews. This helped me identify the cam I need, mostly for recording when car is parked.
1. Yep. I recently did a video about it here: ruclips.net/user/shortsrWksn8HaT8Y You can use either this battery like I did: amzn.to/46x2igX or this smaller one: amzn.to/46nTsC6
2: Yep. It comes with the cable to do this.
3. Yes, if your phone serves as a WiFi hotspot for your dashcam to connect to.
4. Not sure off the top of my head. Maybe 512 GB? You can reference some Thinkware documentation.
@@VortexRadar this is so helpful thank you. Sounds like thinkware is the right camera for me
Very thoughtful review (especially for someone not used to having a dashcam looking for hands off use)! Thank you!
Thank you so much for your time! This was just an all-around excelent video.
The video starts at 02:30
Thank you so much for these helpful videos, thanks to you I went for the Thinkware U1000 2CH. I wish you the best from Oslo, Norway 🙏🏼
Really good video! Just like all your others. Do you have any advice on a Dash Cam with live view that can be used when parking? Kind of like a reverse cam. The resolution is not very important. App function is to prefer. LTE is not required, but is desirable. Have looked at Garmin because they have good support here in Sweden. So they are desirable. But there should be other options as well, I think. Money is not a problem.
Usually the dash cams that use an app over WiFi to do that lead to a poor experience. If that’s important, you may want to consider a dashcam with a dedicated display like a RVM style dashcam. There’s a lot of junky ones and fake 4K ones, but the Nexigo D90 looks pretty good. amzn.to/4aMmFI6
I bought a Garmin Dashcam 57 because I've been happy with the reliability & Customer Service of their other products which I have; Nuvi 2597 GPS for my car & 61ST GPS hand held GPS when hiking/geocaching. Everything works out of the box & if I want some tech support I can call & talk to a real live person.
I connected my Dashcam with Garmin's OBD power plug, no problem.
Just making an observation about the video comparison at 15:37 to 15:52, the CPL is ON on the Thinkware U3000 while the other two the Viofo A229 and Blackvue DR970X the CPL is OFF. As I understand Circular Polarizer Lens (CPL) is best used during bright sunny days and not during dark nights. I am just curios if it makes a difference if the CPL is OFF on the Thinkware U3000.
Right. I discussed this in the video since the TW CPL isn’t removable once installed and BV didn’t offer a CPL. That said, CPLs do impact light gathering capabilities (like wearing sunglasses), but they do not impact dynamic range which is what I was specifically testing in the comparison.
Thanks for the great reviews. I’ve been following your reviews on dashcams for at least a year and just today, ordered the Viofo A229 Pro using your link. Thanks again!
How do you like it?
Officer: How much of a proof do you have?
OP: Yes 20:30
This video deserves more views!!
This video helped me out a lot, thanks.
So glad to hear that! 🙏
You are awesome for doing this video. You really put a lot of time and effort into making a nice comprehensive video and I appreciate it. Keep up the great work. No AI is gonna replace you !
lol thank you!
How about reviewing the iPhone software for these devices? I see your favorite has very poor reviews in the App Store.
Most every dashcam app has poor reviews. lol 🤷♂️
😂. Good that means I should get his favorite
this video was a crazy watch because one of the Entry Level demo clips is actually a road in a neighboring city to where i live. absolutely insane that i recognized it too.
actually i think we just live in the same state, and probably a similar area, ain't that neat!
Which ones are better suited to take down and put up for theft reasons? Vs ones that permanently stick to the window
Theft reasons? I'm confused. How would they steal it from inside the car?
@@clonkex people break into cars
BlackVue DR970X-2CH Box Plus
Thank you for the Dashcam Presentation.
The radar detector camera is really important for me, because I'm always on the road. Just someone parked behind me on highway while I was viewing the front camera on my phone. They have been sitting there for about 40 minutes. If there was a camera that went from one screen to the next automatically, I won't need a radar camera. But radar with a cloud feature does save time than looking for a video feed that you want to upload on Facebook or RUclips. Making more for evidence gathering than for potential accidents or security.
I have a 4 channel camera that shows the sides, front and back. I drive a cargo van, which a cab camera, although good, does not show the full extend of the intended focus. Like a police showing up. Or a vehicle that hits me from the side. I have no windows in the back and the cab and cargo are to separate areas by a mental wall.
Because the cargo area is separate, I have a camera for it. I brought a camera from temu and it was the worse mistake. I thought if I spent more, I would match the features of my 4 channel camera.. An absolute waste of money.
Than I saw a cheap camera in Ollie's for $10. Yes! $10 . It's a single camera, but it does the job. It has a battery battery unlike the $79 piece of garbage from Temu. A three channel that really shows two or three depending on the power source. The menu is pretty confusing. But not so much with the $10 camera.
The only real problem is because you can't connect your phone to it, obtaining the footage is more difficult. And the sound isn't great!
Although the menu is more confusing on the 4 channel camera, the phone (or tablet) viewing option makes it more simpler.
Non of the cameras have cloud viewing. But because I'm always in my vehicle, it is not a pressing issue.
Some people have used a ring type camera for their traveling, cargo/Sprinter vans or RVs. They probably offer more superior functionality for a better price.
Maybe someone can give me there experience as this might be the direction I want to go.
Your awesome dude, just got a Acura MDX, getting the 3-pack A229 Pro.
Sweet congrats!
So the a119 is the best front only dash-camera? Thanks for the detailed video.
I've been interested in Nextbase iQ 4k since your video with Nextbase personnel. How do you feel about that dash cam now they're there has been a little bit of time while out on the market? Keep up the great work!
That one gets a lot of complaints in practice and the video quality doesn’t seem very good.
@@VortexRadar Thank you very much.
@@VortexRadarI would like to add one other observation...there should be legal definition for the marketing term, "Coming soon". I bought a Nexbase iQ2 over a year ago, in part because of their promised software feature currently called "Roadwatch". Before I bought it last October, I called the company and asked them when that software would be available as I was hoping it would be part of the free trial for their paid subscription service. I was told likely in the first quarter of 2024. Here we are closing out 2024 and they are STILL listing it as "coming soon". Very deceptive in my opinion.
Great reviews! Thank you. How is Atomi Smart 4K dual lens dash cam?
While Dash Cams can be used to prove you were NOT at fault in accident it can also be used to PROVE you were at fault. Double edged blade.
That’s true. If that happens, maybe don’t jump out and be like “Hey officer, check out my dashcam footage!” 😄
@@VortexRadar😂
@@VortexRadar Trust me. Less drama is better. I have a Blackvue system. I recorded some guys that came by me speeding then the cops showed up and pulled one of them over. I could have offered up my info but i kept driving and said NOT MY DRAMA. Thanks for your videos.
That's why people like the one with the rear-facing camera attached to the front facing one because if something happens that's your fault you just take it down real quick@@VortexRadar
Then don’t be a bad driver? And if its your fault, be a grown up and take responsibility if you mess up, the other car could also have a dashcam
Thank you for this summary. Good quality!
I promise I was waiting for this video. Thanks
This is like the 1st or 2nd video of yours I see. And I know immediately I must subscribe here. You are simply amazing and knowledgeable in what you discuss.
You are simply amazing 💯 👍
Thank you and welcome aboard!
@@VortexRadar
I ordered the viofo A229 Pro yesterday after watching few of your indept and brilliant reviews. I am a stack fan of OEM mirror dash cam. But I found the A229 Pro fulfilling almost all I desired from a dashcam, but it's not a mirror 😀.
After so much research over weeks now, I come to realise no single dashcam fulfills all I desire in it except I go by using 2 seperate units 🤷🏼♂️
So decided to get this Viofo and another mirror dash cam with no much bells and whistles.
MY questions are:
1) Is it okay to adwire 2 different dashcams in a single vehicle (2024 Toyota Rav 4)?
2) Could there be any side effect?
3) I have seen many dashcam reviewers saying that the cut-off voltage should be minimum of 12V to avoid waking up to a dead car in the next day. But what's the minimum voltage required by a 12V car to start up?
Thanks
@@VortexRadar Help Please. My car is being vandalized in the parking lot on drivers door so far. What camera do you recommend since at times I can't park close to my apartment.
Good job Ariel!
Thank you! I spent so much time going back and forth in the Blackvues after our conversation, heh. Still feels kinda borderline.
Thanks for the great video, lots of info to consider, exactly what I was hoping to get. Also, thanks for making me homesick lol, I moved to Dallas from Mill Creek 7 years ago, it was fun seeing all the streets you were driving around on that had me thinking 'I know that place'!
I don’t want to record myself while driving because i discovered, after accidentally taking a photo of myself while driving, that I have a RBF.
You are beautiful!
Good girl
I just look like a moron. My mouth hangs open. If you've ever seen Idiocracy think of a chubby bald Zach Sheppard
😂
Having to buy a new car and figured it’s time for a cam. Pleasantly surprised to see you’re still making videos (never bought a radar detector but remember watching hour stuff yearsss back)
haha welcome back!
@ 15:51 Please tell me you found out "Why the chicken crossed the road?"
I can't wait for 15:51 and I'm only at 11-something ... 😅
I love your channel. I upgraded my REDTIGER F7N 4K to a VIOFO A229 PRO. When I went to install the A229, I was disappointed that I could not see the screen as I could with the F7N. The A229 was installed that the screen was facing down at such angle that I couldn’t see the screen unless I leaned to the side and looked up (obviously not safe) and I also couldn’t use the touch buttons. I like to be able to see what my camera main camera and my rear camera sees as I’m driving. I emailed VIOFO’s Customer Service and they told me to use Voice Commands. If their voice command system is anything like the one on my Garmin GPS, I’d be spending time repeating my commands. If I can review dash cam footage in my iPhone, why is there even a screen in the A229? It just feels weird to have the camera and button facing the floor.
Great video, with a ton of choices, but I think I am looking at the Viofo A229 Pro and what I would like to know if I want the interior camera not to record conversations can I turn it off and for a longer then normal parking time can I add a battery pak or can I pick an option to slow down the recording time to save the car battery, Sometimes I leave my car at my second home for two or three weeks and I don't want to have to jump the car to get it started again. Again Appreciate your video and your opinion. Happy holidays to you too.
Just the info I was looking for!!! thx
Thank you for this! You were really thorough and informative. This was really helpful.
Hi, thank you for your great video. I and my husband travel a lot, and we have decided to record the roads on our trips. So I was wondering if there is any dash cam that can be installed and uninstalled multiple times in different cars.
Awesome info! I am seeking advise on my now DOA Blackview650 - yes - it passed yesterday after muttering its last, "check SD card" reminder yesterday. They don't support it any longer and it was using a co-ax cable so I will need de-install and reinstall a new cam. But the 970X pro box comments are bumming me out and why did they not charge another $50 and bump up the rear cam to 2K? I know you like the BV but what are your thoughts of going out with the Viofo A299Pro instead?
For the most part it’s a better dashcam. You’ll need to rerun a new power cable either way. I kinda feel like Blackvue has been falling behind and is holding onto the cloud features to keep people locked in.
Thanks for the information! I appreciated this video! I'm a delivery driver of 9 years, and feel that I should have something to capture video in case I get involved in a wreck of some kind, especially with my other fellow drivers being in wrecks lately this year. I'v gone for the "Viofo A229 Pro", with the 3 channel set up. Seems to be the best option, and well received from what i'v read in the comments and reviews. Even got $80 off through Amazon + free shipping with my prime account, so even better. Can't wait to give it a go! (Probably should get some SD cards for them too, while i'm at it. Might need those)
Congrats! Hopefully you won’t need it *knock on wood* but it’ll be good to have it. :)
@VortexRadar Just wanted to post a disclaimer for the maxcam 360c. I had multiple sd cards fail on me with sd card error and could not be formatted again after the sd card was full. I have used Samsung pro endurance and sandisk high endurance 256gb sd cards. After speaking with escort and sending them photos of the cards used.
They identified the issue as all of mine were U3 cards, and the maxcam 360c was designed to use U1 cards. I had the latest firmware update when I had 3 sd cards give me an error. I bought a U1 sd card, and I am currently using it. So far, it's about half full for the 256gb card I'm using. Will come back and post an update if the sd card error comes back with the U1 card.
Update. Still had the same sd card error with a 256gb U1 sd card. As soon as it was full, the error showed up again. Bought a 128gb u1 sd card, and for now, it seems to be working and overwriting old videos instead of giving the sd card error.
I'm still going to contact customer service again to find the root cause of the issues I've experienced.
I’ve been playing with the idea of dash cams for half a decade. I even bought two, but I never installed them because I never had the mental bandwidth to devote to figuring out how to use them now they’re out of date so I’ll take your suggestion and determine what’s best for me and I’ll get back to you.🎉
This was a great tutorial on what to look for! Thank you for sharing. I’m looking for a front/back dash-cam with the Sony lens and am not interested in paying subscription fees for the cloud and such. Just put it on the memory card. In addition, I like the parking protection these cameras offer. What would you recommend given these three important features.
Is there a solution for mounting the A229 Pro 3ch to the rearview mirror?
I have an older Blackview DR900 2ch dashcam mounted with a Blendmount and am ready to upgrade. At the same time I want to avoid mounting directly to the windshield.
If there's no good solution for that with the A229 Pro, which camera would you recommend if night video quaility is the primary concern?
If you want a Blendmount option, then yeah Blackvues I think are your only real choice.
Do the Blackvue models require cellular data subscription to work on the cloud and/or would we use the wifi in our car? If we get wifi in our car, can we connect the Vioffo A229 Pro to the wifi for cloud storage or is Blackvue the only option for cloud storage?
Yeah you can use your in-car WiFi, though chances are that only works while the car is on. You’ll need a different solution if you also want the cloud features while your car is parked.
Very informative. I have an old classic car, seldom used. Battery is disconnected when not using the car. I need "No hussle" when connecting battery back on. Need proper front facing camera,... and monitor so that all functions are at hand without any apps. Cost is not an issue. Your recommendation please. Thanks JB
A220 9 pro, thinkware u3000, blackvue DR970x, escort max cam 360c
15:04 Ye that's how it is in my 71 C10. Back window straight up and down. It would be triggering incessantly off my soft cover blowing in the wind lol.
Excellent tutorial. Based on Your reviews and cam functions and features, I purchased the VIOFO A229 Plus 3 Cam kit with the parking power wire kit. I do have a question; regarding the the frame rate (I think). Before I went thru the whole installation bid, I first connected the dash cams and tried them out. Everything is working fine BUT, that frame rate., I'm not sure if I am describing it correctly. On Cameras screen, as I moved the cameras a bit, the frame movement did not correspond with my movements. Play back of videos when I removed MicroSd card and played files on my Pc, they seemed fine. Perhaps this has some to do or the fix in camera Settings? Could you elaborate some, I'd appreciate it. Thx.
Purchased the pro with your link due to the quality of your content. Thank you.
Congrats and thank you!
Hi there, just purchased a 2024 VW Atlas that comes with usb type c power supply only, are there any cameras that have this type of connection? Thanks
Yep! You can run a Viofo or a newer VanTrue off that, but usually it’s not for driving recording (not parking) and you don’t have a hidden clean install like a hardwired install.
Awesome video! I've been wanting a DC for a while, drivers get worse and worse 😡. Haven't been hit 🙏🏻.
Do the Viofo require wiring to install? Is there a dashcam that is wireless install, and not cigarette lighter?
You can either do a cig lighter install for quick installation and driving only recording, or you can spend the time to hardwire for a cleaner install and add parking recording. Your choice.
@ thank you. I will do the hard instal.. what was confusing me was in the titles for the different cameras they say “Wi-Fi “ or have a box that says remote… thank again.
is the Viofo A229 Pro front/rear/interior still available to purchase from
their website? i can’t find it on there!
Ah you're right! Yeah it looks like they just updated their website and so all my Viofo links broke, lol. Sorry about that, but thanks for the heads up! I fixed the links now.
Here ya go: geni.us/ViofoA229Pro3CH
and here's the direct link straight to Viofo's page: shrsl.com/4nyv4
@@VortexRadar thank you so much!!!
Your videos have been a 1 stop resource for me (on radar detectors and laser jammers, etc.) and I am always grateful for the accuracy and detail of your information. I am looking for dashcam options that have a dedicated/remote display (using a separate, NOT built-in forward facing camera). I have searched quite a bit but have only come up with "street guardian" products that have this functionality (perhaps I am using the wrong search terms?). I wonder if in your research, you have come across other brands that have this configuration (or could suggest better search terms for me to use). I don't need anything super fancy or lots of options (I don't need interior cam or rear view capability). I would be grateful for any suggestions you may have. Thanks again for all of the GREAT/informative videos that you create.
Great Video! How long does it take for a Viofo 3-channel setup to fill 512GB memory card?
FANTASTIC review!, After watching I chose the 2 ch A229 Pro.
Great review - thank you! I only come to you for car video and radar detector reviews - no need to go anywhere else. A question I have is if you have any opinions or recommendations of dash cams that would function well for both its primary purpose but also for recording car club drives. Those often use GoPro but I'd love to find a set up that can handle both of them well.
Very thorough reviews, thank you for the treasure trove of information!
You passed watt and Stewart based out of Claresholm Alberta Canada specialize in flat deck and oversized they haul tyres back upto Canada from Texas
Which of these are "hands-off"? I'm looking to buy one for myself, but I'm not looking at camera specs as much as I am 2 main features: 1. Do I have to turn it on every time I start my car?, and 2. Does it automatically overwrite memory, or do I have to manage it myself?
That describes basically 100% of the dashcams on the market. :)
@@VortexRadar well I will definitely be buying one from your affiliate links then, I honestly can’t believe that the creator of such an informative and huge video responded to my obscure inquiry within 20 minutes. I’ve never seen that before. Thank you very much - subscribed, liked, (obviously) commented, and will share with my family!
@@VortexRadar when I looked at dashcams a few years ago at Best Buy, the employee explained how most of their models don’t have both, which is why I asked. Thanks again!
lol thank you and wellcome aboard!
Oh wow, no wonder it would be confusing! When it comes to action cameras like GoPros, that’s true, but all dash cameras work that way. Maybe that was the source of the confusion?
Wow this is so helpful, specifically mentioning the hot climate in saudi arabia 🇸🇦🤣, thank you so much now i know what to choose.
Can you please make a setup guide on the MaxCam 360c?
Thanks so much for this,I was hoping to see something from Kenwood but thats not the case and I already have this for a few years now!!
Oh yeah I’ve never seen anything impressive from them.
Which would be the most fit product for very hot climates (where the car's interior space goes up to 40 celsius degrees and above)?
im quite interested in the blackview. However, I drive a small convertible and want a small front dashcam so it wont look too bad & not be super easy to steal. (cause of the softtop...) What would you recommend for a tiny dashcam?
Something to add. I like the bv because of the easy cloudfeatures
Check out their box series dashcams. They do a front/rear version and a front/interior version. That could be a way to have a smaller dashcam than a traditional one.
Hi, thanks for educating me on this! I’m in the market primarily for parking mode motion detection system due to vehicle vandalism and am hesitant to pull the trigger on the BlackVue DR770X 3-Channel system. The 3-channel system is appealing to me due to the “360 view” and my car has built in Wi-Fi so the cloud feature is viable. However, you sold me on the Viofo 229 Pro 3-Channel with the better picture quality. Though, you recommend the Thinkware U3000 for 24/7 parking recording. Curious if it can be rigged to become a 3-Channel system or if there is something else you have in mind that checks all the boxes for me? I plan to have it hard wired and an external battery pack. Also, would one external battery be enough or should I do two? I drive 20 miles round trip to work and home, 5 days a week. Thoughts? Appreciate your time.
Sorry to hear about the vandalism!
Thinkware’s low power stuff is best for tracking vehicles, not people, so I’d rule that out. Viofo’s motion/impact detection can also be a bit hit or miss so people tend to run low bitrate continuous parking recording with it. Blackvue’s motion and impact detection works well so a 3CH version of theirs might be best, especially given your cloud support.
Usually in/car WiFi only works when your car is on though so you’d need a separate connection method for cloud while parked.
I don’t know how long your 20 mile drive takes, but if it’s at city speeds so you can charge longer, it’s reasonable that you could have it record all day at work and then all night at home.
Nicely done. Great breakdown of equipment