The CHORTAU B-T12 is a Chinese single channel dash camera released in Sep 2020. The CHORTAU brand is trademarked by a company called Shenzhen BaiYou interconnected Technology. The camera is very low priced and has become quite popular on Amazon recently.
Unfortunately CHORTAU does not provide the processor and CMOS sensor specs of the B-T12. That being said given the $30 price point, we expect a budget processor and CMOS sensor for this dash cam.
Video Quality
The B-T12 records 1080p video at 30fps with an average bitrate of 12 Mbps. Video quality during the day is average and night quality is below average. Also note that the video has a choppy quality to it as well. While the price is low, the video quality is disappointing in 2021.
Features
The camera has a 3″ screen and g-sensor but beyond that, does not have many features. The B-T12 does not have GPS, WiFi or supporting smartphone apps. The B-T12 provides non-buffered parking mode if you hardwire the dash cam to your vehicle (optional hardwire kit required).
The CHORTAU B-T12 comes with a suction cup mount which allows it to be swiveled 360° to record interactions at your side windows (i.e. police traffic stop). That being said, the suction cup and hanging form factor makes it less discreet than many wedge or cylindrical cameras. Error notifications are displayed on the screen and there are no audio notifications.
One of the biggest disappointments with this dash cam is the build quality. The camera is lightweight it feels cheaply built. There have been many reports of the dash cam screen falling off, cables getting damaged and the suction cup mount breaking.
Support
CHORTAU provides very little support for this camera and we have not seen any firmware updates since it has been launched. CHORTAU provides a 12 month warranty, which is standard for most dash cams.
Note that while the camera has a large number of very good reviews on Amazon, CHORTAU provides a free gift in exchange for 5-star reviews. This may influence the ratings there.
Known Problems
SD Card Full
Many CHORTAU B-T12 users have indicated they get an SD Card Full error even though loop recording is turned on. This could be due to locked video files. CHORTAU suggests formatting the SD Card in the camera, turning off the G-sensor, turning off motion detection and turning off parking mode.
Screen Falls Off
The CHORTAU B-T12 build quality is below average and there have been numerous complaints of the screen falling off. This can be seen in the photos below.
Damaged Power Cords
CHORTAU seems to have used low quality power cables with this dash cam as well. Numerous owners have complained of damaged cords as seen in these following photos.
Sample Videos
There are numerous videos on Youtube for this camera. During the day time quality would be acceptable to some users but night time is disappointing. Note the choppy video quality when viewing recordings from the CHORTAU B-T12.
Should I Purchase
While the CHORTAU B-T12 is a cheap and popular camera on Amazon, we are not impressed with the choppy video quality and poor performance at night. Build quality is very suspect with screen, cable and mount issues being frequently raised.
We suspect the free gift in exchange for positive reviews has influenced the Amazon rating for this camera. The only real positive for this camera is the low price tag however we suggest investing more in a more reliable dash cam.
Specifications
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T12 |
|---|---|
| Price | $32 |
| Overall Rating | 4.2/10 |
| Price Rating | 10 |
| Brand | CHORTAU |
| Channels | 1 |
| Channel Setup | Front |
| Form Factor | Hanging |
| Front Resolution | 1080p |
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T12 |
|---|---|
| Parking Mode | Non-Buffered |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| GPS | No |
| Cloud Connectivity | No |
| Voice Commands | No |
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T12 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Unknown |
| Video Format | AVI |
| Compression | H.264 |
| Screen Size | 3" |
| Touchscreen | No |
| Mount | Suction |
| Power Supply | 5V |
| Battery Type | 150mAh |
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T12 |
|---|---|
| SD Card Type | MicroSD |
| Max Card Size | 32GB |
| Operating Temperature | -20°C to 70°C |
| Swivel | Yes |
| Country | China |
| Warranty | 12 months |
| Release Date | Sep 2020 |
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T12 |
|---|---|
| Day Video | 4 |
| Night Video | 2 |
| Reliability | 3 |
| Discreetness | 2 |
| Support | 4 |
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T12 |
|---|---|
| CMOS | Unknown |
| Max Resolution | 1920 x 1080p |
| FPS | 30 |
| Bitrate | 12.0 Mbps |
| Viewing Angle | 170° |
| Dimensions | 74 x 43 x 33 |
| HDR | No |
Published: April 26, 2021
CHORTAU B-T12
The CHORTAU B-T12 is a cheap dash cam but we are not impressed with the choppy video quality and poor build quality. Spend more for a more reliable dash cam.
Product SKU: CHORTAU B-T12
Product Brand: CHORTAU
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 32
Price Valid Until: 2023-01-01
Product In-Stock: SoldOut
4.2