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Customer Review
Steve H
5.0
Good Dual Dash CameraReviewed in the United States on August 17, 2019
Vantrue’s newly released S1 Dual Dash Camera, with its Sony IMX327 sensor, 170˚ wide angle camera, boasting 2880x2160P at 24FPS video and using the new supercapacitor.In the box you get theFront and rear cameras,A 10 ft car charger,3ft mini USB cable,a 20ft rear camera cable,front and rear camera bracketsand two extra adhesive stickersand of course, the instruction manual.Set was relatively easy and installing it in your vehicle is the same. The S1 was designed with the user in mind to make installation and operation easier. While there are many types of vehicles, making your installation a little different than mine, I will be installing the S1 in a Nissan Altima.It was simple to do with the provided cables. I just routed the 20ft rear cable from the windshield up into the headliner, back to the rear window and connected it to the rear camera. The 10ft charging cable was run the same way, except I ran it down the driver’s side A-Pillar, then under my dash and over to my 12v outlet. There is an OBD 2 wiring harness available to aid in the parking mode that we will talk about later, but at the time of this video it wasn’t available on Amazon.The S1 is made to be discreet. It’s small enough to not obstruct your view but is powerful enough to make a great dashcam. It has a Dual full 1080P FHD Discreet Dash Camera on both the front and rear with a 2-inch LCD Display Screen on the front camera.Now like I said I have had the N2 Pro for over a year and loved the video quality of this camera, but the S1 camera does have a few differences from the N2 Pro.The S1 camera DOES NOT have a in cab rear facing camera like the N2 Pro, instead the rear camera is for the back window only as it DOES NOT have any inferred lights around the lens to help aluminate the dark cab at night.That would make mounting this as a Ride Share type camera to capture what is happening inside the cab of your vehicle not as good as the N2 Pro. This is where the N2 Pro shines making it a better choice for Uber, Lyft, Taxi or Families with Teen Drivers that want to see what goes on in the vehicle.Some of the specs on the S1 is aNOVATEK NT96663 ProcessorSony IMX327 Sensor on the Front camera andIMX323 Sensor on the rear camera.2-inch DisplayFront Camera uses a 170° Wide Angle F/1.47 six-layer glass lensWhere theRear camera uses 160° Wide Angle F/1.8 six-layer glass lensIt also can record in Dual 1920x1080 at 30fpsAnd will record using only the single Front Camera at 2880x2160P at 24FPS 1920x1080P at 60FPS 1920x1080P at 30FPSand 1280x720P at 30FPSImages are saved as a JPEGHas Built-in microphone and speakerBut it does not have in internal memory storage. It can however use up to a 256GB max micro SD Card of a speed rating of U3 or higherThe USB port is a USB2.0, mini connector. Here is where I would like to have seen the more upgraded USB-C port as many of the newer devices support this.The battery uses a Supercapacitor. This we will get into more later.And It can be set to four languages which include English, Chinese, Dutch and JapaneseThe S1 dash cam is cool because it has a compact and contoured design that attaches in front of the rear-view mirror seamlessly. This is important because it makes it less obvious to the driver and passerby’s that the camera is recording. It combines the Advanced Novatek NT96663 Chip with a Sony sensor in both the front and rear cameras that simultaneously record front (170°) and rear (160°) video at FHD 1920x1080P 30fps. This is noteworthy because the simultaneous use of these technologies enables the S1 to monitor in all directions without a visual blind zone, and this is what makes the S1 Dual camera superior when compared to other dashcams. So, what does this mean? Well, it means that you are getting high definition recordings from whatever perspective you choose. In the event of an accident, evidence is everything. With the technology in this dashcam, you can rest assured that the S1 has you covered.Another innovative feature of the S1 is that it has Low Light Level Night Vision. I don’t know about you, but if I personally am going to invest in a dashcam, I want to make sure that it is capable of recording EVERY time I’m in my vehicle, not just when the sun is up. So, if that’s something that is important to you, you may want to consider giving this camera a try. When Vantrue developed this latest camera, they made sure it came equipped with an advanced Sony sensor and F1.47 wide aperture which helps the S1 gather more light. So, in essence, this feature eliminates the need for auxiliary light source, even in a low-light environment. The dual lens dash cam can capture important details like license plates and street signs even in the evenings. Anyone who has had security cameras on their house knows that a camera’s ability to perform in the dark can be of critical importance if it ever needs to be used in an investigation. The dashcam is no different. The absence of this technology can make the difference between useable footage, and useless footage. So, is this feature important? You be the judge.The superior HDR technology will automatically adjust the camera’s exposure so you get the clearest picture even in less than perfect lighting conditions.Ok, so now I’m going to switch gears on you a little bit. I want to talk to you about a common concern of mine whenever I’m shopping for a dashcam. Because I live in an area here in the South where temperatures can reach well over the 90’s during the summer, where overheating is always a concern of mine. So, before I buy, I want to know how the dashcam responds to extreme temperatures. Vantrue really proved that they left no stone unturned when creating this camera. Rather than using a lithium battery like their competitors, Vantrue decided to do something different. While designing the S1, they made sure to include a supercapacitor which can withstand extreme temperatures ranging from -4 to 158°F. That’s pretty incredible! AND, not only does this supercapacitor prevent the risk of overheating, it is actually intended to extend the life span and reliability of the camera. For me, that’s a win-win.So, what about when the car is parked? Good question. I was wondering the same thing. Fortunately, the S1 has that covered as well. With the parking mode feature, the dash camera will automatically record when the car camera detects motion in front of the vehicle and it will trigger action to activate recording. A lot of people wonder if the camera can record in both the front and rear of the vehicle, simultaneously when the vehicle is in park. The answer is yes. It’s worth mentioning though, that Vantrue recommends hard wiring it or connecting it with an external battery during the parking mode, otherwise it could drain the battery on your car. See the comments below the video for a link to the wire kit.As an added feature, the dashcam comes with a Built-in GPS module that allows you to check the car's exact route, speed (which can be set to KM/H or MP/H) and location via the GPS Viewer.There is also a Time Lapse function on the S1. When you enable this feature on your dash cam it will keep taking photos at a set time interval and then it will auto edit them together to a video clip. This is smart technology because it reduces the size of the video file. So, if you go on a multi-week road trip, this dashcam has you covered.Seamless Loop Recording overwrites the oldest footage with the newest upon filling a card to capacity. The S1 does support a 256G Max micro SD Card. Vantrue recommends the use of Samsung’s Pro Endurance or Evo cards for optimal performanceOne of my favorite features on the S1 is the G-sensor. Here’s how it works. Once the car has an impact while driving or in parking mode, the G-sensor will automatically lock the footage to an "Event File" to prevent it from being overwritten. Let’s face it, protecting ourselves this is one of the main reasons we install these cameras in our vehicles. Knowing that your video footage is safe when you need it the most is one of the reasons you should consider Vantrue’s latest technology when deciding which dashcam is best for you.AND For added piece of mind, Vantrue is providing a full 18 month Warranty on the S1.
