The CHORTAU B-T19 is a Chinese single channel dash camera released in Sep 2020. The CHORTAU brand is trademarked by a company called Shenzhen BaiYou interconnected Technology. This camera is very similar to the CHORTAU B-T12. The only noticeable differences are the design and the B-T19 records in MOV format instead of AVI. The higher model number does not translate into better performance for the B-T19.
Unfortunately CHORTAU does not provide the processor and CMOS sensor specs of the B-T19. That being said given the $40 price point, we expect a low end processor and CMOS sensor for this dash cam.
Video Quality
The B-T19 records 1080p video at 30fps with an average bitrate of 10Mbps. Video quality during the day is average and night quality is below average. Colors appear to be washed out and not realistic. Even at this low price point, video quality is disappointing.
Features
The B-T19 has a 3.1″ screen and g-sensor but really no additional features given the basic nature of this dash cam. The camera does not have GPS, WiFi or supporting smartphone apps. The B-T19 provides non-buffered parking mode if you hardwire the dash cam to your vehicle (optional hardwire kit required).
The CHORTAU B-T19 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.
Similar to other CHORTAU cameras, build quality is not impressive. The camera is lightweight and cheaply built. There have been many reports of cables getting damaged and the suction cup mount breaking. Another negative is that error notifications are displayed only on the screen and there are no audio notifications.
Support
CHORTAU provides very little support for this camera and we have not seen any firmware updates since it has been launched. The company does not even have a website for their products and sell primarily via Amazon. CHORTAU provides a 12 month warranty, which is standard for most dash cams.
Known Problems
Damaged Display
While the B-T19 does not suffer from the screen falling off issue of the B-T12, many owners complain of display issues. Typically the issue shows up as horizontal or vertical lines making the screen unusable. Other patterns have also been reported.
There also reports of blacks dots appearing on the screen.
Damaged Power Cords
CHORTAU once again has used low quality power cables. Numerous owners have complained of damaged cords as seen in these following photos.
Broken Mounts
The suction cup mount is also not the greatest quality.
Sample Videos
There are numerous videos and reviews on Youtube for this camera. During the day time quality could be acceptable to some users but the colors are quite muted. Night video is significantly worse and disappointing. Picking up details is also not ideal with this dash cam.
Should I Purchase
The CHORTAU B-T19 is a cheap and popular camera on Amazon, we are not impressed with the poor video quality even for this price point. Build quality is very low and many owners have reported issues with this camera. Overall, not a dash cam worth investing in.
Specifications
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T19 |
|---|---|
| Price | $40 |
| Overall Rating | 4.0/10 |
| Price Rating | 9 |
| Brand | CHORTAU |
| Channels | 1 |
| Channel Setup | Front |
| Form Factor | Hanging |
| Front Resolution | 1080p |
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T19 |
|---|---|
| Parking Mode | Non-Buffered |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| GPS | No |
| Cloud Connectivity | No |
| Voice Commands | No |
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T19 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Unknown |
| Video Format | MOV |
| Compression | H.264 |
| Screen Size | 3.2" |
| Touchscreen | No |
| Mount | Suction |
| Power Supply | 5V |
| Battery Type | 150mAh |
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T19 |
|---|---|
| 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-T19 |
|---|---|
| Day Video | 4 |
| Night Video | 2 |
| Reliability | 3 |
| Discreetness | 2 |
| Support | 4 |
| Spec | CHORTAU B-T19 |
|---|---|
| CMOS | Unknown |
| Max Resolution | 1920 x 1080p |
| FPS | 30 |
| Bitrate | 10.0 Mbps |
| Viewing Angle | 170° |
| Dimensions | 80 x 50 x 15 |
| HDR | No |
Published: June 6, 2022
CHORTAU B-T19
The CHORTAU B-T19 has poor build quality, low reliability and unimpressive video quality. Not worth it even though the cost is very cheap.
Product SKU: CHORTAU B-T19
Product Brand: CHORTAU
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 40
Price Valid Until: 2023-01-01
Product In-Stock: SoldOut
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