While the unit is bulky, it looks acceptable on your windshield without the extra cameras connected.
Dashcams have come a long way from grainy 480-pixel resolutions.
Weve passed full HD (1080p) and are now in the age of 4K dashcams.
Viofo has released a new dashcam kit with 4K@30FPS and up to three channels.
The A139 Pro delivers striking ultra-high-definition video footage, at an affordable price.
Why Do You Need a 4K Dashcam?
The more detail you have on your dashcam footage, the easier it is to establish blame.
1080p dashcams have been around for a few years.
4K, meanwhile, has only recently been an option for dashcams.
4K is considered to be either 4096x2160 pixels or 38402160, more accurately referred to as UHD.
Thats why this equipment is referred to as having 4K UHD.
With clearer footage, sharper lines, and less blurring, an ultra-high-definition dashcam can prove very useful.
Its Another Dashcam With Wires.
Many, Many Wires.
Dashcams have an inherent weakness that has been frustrating me for some time now.
There are too many wires.
A USB power cable or hardwiring for the main unit is acceptable.
Providing enough length for out-of-the-way placement is also helpful.
But secondary and tertiary rear and internal monitoring cameras should surely be wireless at this stage.
This might be a magnetic mount for all cameras, with the cabling built-into the vehicleperhaps USB-C.
Sadly, neither option looks particularly likely at this moment in time.
And the Viofo A139 Pro changes nothing in this regard.
If that doesnt make sense, Ill explain further below.
Youll also get a microSD to USB card reader adapter.
Some optional accessories are available, such as a Bluetooth remote, hardwire kit, and external mic.
Meanwhile, the rear camera is on a pivoting mounting bracket and has power/data coaxial port.
The internal camera has the same, along with infrared LEDs for nighttime recording.
This was a straightforward installation, which I placed close to the rearview mirror.
It required some cable routing around the top of the windshield and under the glove compartment.
That was the easy part.
A few days later, I installed the interior camera.
Things were starting to look untidy.
After a week, I installed the rear-facing camera.
On the plus side, the coaxial cable was long enough to route through the car.
Ive previously used three-channel dashcams that use a Y-adapter to hook the internal and rear data cables together.
This reduces the number of ports that are required and consequently the amount of cabling on the windshield.
The lack of a display is certainly an advantage.
Sure, fast and easy usability goes out of the window, but safety is increased.
There is less urge to look at the display if it isnt there.
A dashcam with no display becomes largely anonymous to you.
Of course, you might argue that accepting its presence fosters better driving, and thats a fair argument.
The camera records based on the options you have selected in the mobile app.
you could also use the Bluetooth remote to save what has just been recorded.
The front and interior cameras can be used together in the same way.
Of course, you’re free to use all three cameras together, too.
The maximum quality for this option is 4K front, 1080p interior and back, all at 24FPS.
Or you could just use time-lapse to keep things simple and save on storage.
Everything you need is here, from basic system configs to specifying camera resolutions and recording modes.
If necessary, you might flip the view, toggle date stamps, and adjust camera exposure.
How Easy Is It to View Recordings?
From here, you tap My Media, browse for the previously downloaded file, and watch.
The files are saved as MP4, so any media player should work.
Various dashcam footage viewing tools are available.
If you wish to view the GPS data on your machine, our guide toviewing dashcam footageexplains more.
