Byakov S6

The Byakov S6 is a Chinese single channel dash camera released in Aug 2020. The Byakov trademark is owned by a Chinese manufacturer that goes by the name “Shen zhen shi li de feng shu ma ke ji you xian gong si”. This is the longest dash cam manufacturer name we have ever seen and Google translates this name into something like Wind Digital Technology.

The camera appears to be a replacement to a previous Byakov camera with the same name, specifications and design that was released in 2018. It is unclear what has been upgraded on this model.

Unfortunately Byakov does not provide the processor and CMOS sensor specs for the S6. At this extremely low price point, we have limited expectations of good hardware.

Video Quality

The S6 records 1080p video at 30fps with an average bitrate of 12 Mbps. Not surprising, video quality during the day is below average and night quality is very poor. Comparing with the 2018 S6 model, there does not appear to be any material improvement in video quality.

Features

The S6 is a basic, no frills camera with a 1.5″ screen and g-sensor. It does does not come with GPS, WiFi or any other advanced features. The S6 provides non-buffered parking mode if you hardwire the dash cam to your vehicle (optional hardwire kit required). The camera does not come with audio error notifications, only screen error notifications which can be easily missed by the driver. Features appear to be identical to the 2018 S6 model.

The S6 is a very small camera with dimensions of 56 x 46 x 18mm. The camera comes with a suction mount which makes this small camera less discreet. The camera can swivel 360° to record interactions at your side windows (i.e. police traffic stop). The camera is lightweight and feels cheaply built. Build quality does not appear to be improved when compared to the 2018 model.

Support

Byakov is somewhat responsive to questions but beyond that, the camera has limited support. The manufacturer does not have a website and we have not seen any firmware updates for this camera since it has launched. Getting support beyond the 30 day Amazon return window may be difficult.

Amazon buyers indicate that if you provide review for this camera, the seller will send a free gift. This unethical practice is likely influencing the Amazon reviews but is a common theme for most of the dash cam best sellers on Amazon.

Known Issues

The 2018 version of this camera had numerous problems including a low quality suction mount, random shutdowns / reboots, power cord falls apart / doesn’t fit in the cigarette lighter. Perhaps some of these issues have been resolved with the 2020 version but this has not been confirmed

Sample Videos

There are numerous sample videos on Youtube which illustrate the poor video quality. We suggest watching them prior to purchasing. Here is an example at night.

Should I Purchase?

The Byakov S6 is a very cheap camera at $30 but video quality and build quality are poor. Support is very limited as well. It is also unclear what has been improved, if anything on the 2020 version of this camera when comparing to the 2018 version. Time will tell if any of the reliability issues of the previous version have been resolved.

We suspect the free gift in exchange for positive reviews has influenced the Amazon rating for this camera. The only positives for this camera are the low $30 price tag and the ability to easily return to Amazon within 30 days if you are not satisfied.

We suggest investing a few more dollars for a better quality dash cam.

Specifications

Published: November 2, 2020