Thermalmaster NV300 Max Hybrid Thermal + Visual Camera with AI Alerts Samples + Review

mentadent

mentadent

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Dash Cam
VIOFO A139, VIOFO A139 Pro, VIOFO A119 Mini 2, VIOFO A229...
I kindly received a Thermalmaster NV300 Max camera and I tried it out over the weekend.

It is a dual camera system, with an automotive-grade thermal camera and a conventional camera sensor, that mounts to the roof of your car using supplied adhesive and a strong magnet. Wiring goes sideways in your roof/windshield crevice and through the door gap, to a very good quality 6.4" OLED display that looks much like a smartphone, on a magnetic mount with full range of movement for adjustment.

1734454373188.webp


I've made a video below with numerous samples of it operating. It really does pick up potential dangers quickly and from a long distance. I was driving on a country road and it picked up a pedestrian that I certainly would not have seen. The area where there is a danger changes from black and white to vivid thermal false colours, an audio alert sounds, and a large pedestrian icon shows on one half of the display.

1734454394379.webp


I think this is a great product for people that drive in the country and would benefit from alerts of pedestrians, cars and animals that they may not see in darkness. The alerts are all selectable, and can be linked to minimum speed. There are a few other alerts like getting too close to the car ahead, or the car ahead pulling away without you moving, for instance if you are not paying attention in heavy traffic. It comes with a Bluetooth ODB-II device that automatically pairs, which displays speed and RPM statistics onscreen.

It has numerous voice commands for hands-free operation which worked very well (Hi Max! Defrost on), a defrost function for if it is covered in ice, and records to a supplied SD card and to the internal storage of the device on the roof.

Power usage is 3 watts (6 in defrost mode) through a standard 12V car socket.

Recorded video is not very high quality, and the dashcams that are popular on this forum will blow it away on quality, but could still be useful in a crash or incident.

I found that using my windshield wipers sprayed water onto the device's lenses, which didn't quickly clear, but I used some RainX rain repellent and the drops were blown away by wind from driving.

I don't see this device as a replacement for a standard dashcam, but I do see it as a great option for rural drivers or even city drivers that would benefit from extra safety, and it excels for this purpose. Thank you for the sample to review Thermalmaster.

Video samples:

Kickstarter link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...with-thermal-image-for-all-weather?ref=ejkmlf
 
Last edited:
I saw this on KS
 
It looks like an interesting product. If it is possible, can you set your phone to record the display while you drive so we can see / hear what the alerts are like? Are the alerts quick enough that you can respond in time? Are the alerts distracting, either too many in busy areas, or by diverting your view from the road ahead?

A thermal camera which can 'see' things that your eyes cannot see has the potential to help or harm your defence in an accident. Imagine you hit a cyclist who is riding at night with no lights and wearing all dark clothes. Will this camera help you avoid the cyclist in the first place? Or will it record more than you could possibly have seen by eye and thus suggest the incident is your fault?
 
TonyM said:
...Or will it record more than you could possibly have seen by eye and thus suggest the incident is your fault?
Click to expand...
This is an issue I argue with myself about on occasion. Most better quality dash cams today have better night vision than I (and I assume many people) do which could certainly lead authorities/insurers/etc. to feel that you should have seen something when, in fact, it was not possible.

(Maybe I need to dig out my old A118 cameras that definitely did not have better night vision than I do. 😕)
 
TonyM said:
Imagine you hit a cyclist who is riding at night with no lights and wearing all dark clothes.
Click to expand...
If these thermal cameras take off, then I am sure the cyclists will start wearing Ukrainian anti-thermal drone camouflage, so that you still can't see them. It is amazing how much effort some of them go to to make sure that everything on the bike and themselves is matt black!
 
Nice aftermarket dashcam with thermal imaging! The most impressed is the AI warning, that could help me focus a lot when driving. And what about in raniny/ foggy days?
 
I would so like a thermal camera, but the one that have a crosshair in the middle and mount using picatinny rail.
I would also take a night vision goggle with thermal abilities, but OMG prices on latest genreration goggles.
 
kamkar said:
I would so like a thermal camera, but the one that have a crosshair in the middle and mount using picatinny rail.
I would also take a night vision goggle with thermal abilities, but OMG prices on latest genreration goggles.
Click to expand...
when you talk about buying a product with thermal, not cheap...
 
Hehe true that.
Here even illegal, well without a wad of permits, not least if there is a crosshair.

It is pretty freaky you can now get a 4K thermal camera, with the pixel size they pack the sensor must be significant in size.
 
mentadent said:
I kindly received a Thermalmaster NV300 Max camera and I tried it out over the weekend.

It is a dual camera system, with an automotive-grade thermal camera and a conventional camera sensor, that mounts to the roof of your car using supplied adhesive and a strong magnet. Wiring goes sideways in your roof/windshield crevice and through the door gap, to a very good quality 6.4" OLED display that looks much like a smartphone, on a magnetic mount with full range of movement for adjustment.

View attachment 75937

I've made a video below with numerous samples of it operating. It really does pick up potential dangers quickly and from a long distance. I was driving on a country road and it picked up a pedestrian that I certainly would not have seen. The area where there is a danger changes from black and white to vivid thermal false colours, an audio alert sounds, and a large pedestrian icon shows on one half of the display.

View attachment 75938

I think this is a great product for people that drive in the country and would benefit from alerts of pedestrians, cars and animals that they may not see in darkness. The alerts are all selectable, and can be linked to minimum speed. There are a few other alerts like getting too close to the car ahead, or the car ahead pulling away without you moving, for instance if you are not paying attention in heavy traffic. It comes with a Bluetooth ODB-II device that automatically pairs, which displays speed and RPM statistics onscreen.

It has numerous voice commands for hands-free operation which worked very well (Hi Max! Defrost on), a defrost function for if it is covered in ice, and records to a supplied SD card and to the internal storage of the device on the roof.

Power usage is 3 watts (6 in defrost mode) through a standard 12V car socket.

Recorded video is not very high quality, and the dashcams that are popular on this forum will blow it away on quality, but could still be useful in a crash or incident.

I found that using my windshield wipers sprayed water onto the device's lenses, which didn't quickly clear, but I used some RainX rain repellent and the drops were blown away by wind from driving.

I don't see this device as a replacement for a standard dashcam, but I do see it as a great option for rural drivers or even city drivers that would benefit from extra safety, and it excels for this purpose. Thank you for the sample to review Thermalmaster.

Video samples:

Kickstarter link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...with-thermal-image-for-all-weather?ref=ejkmlf
Click to expand...

How do you feel about the way the unit sits on the roof and the way the cable is routed to the interior?

Is it easy to remove from the roof?
 
kamkar said:
It is pretty freaky you can now get a 4K thermal camera, with the pixel size they pack the sensor must be significant in size.
Click to expand...
Most thermal cameras are VGA, a few are XGA resolution.

The 4K thermal cameras are mainly fake 4K thermal cameras, they have a normal 4K image sensor, plus a VGA thermal sensor, and they overlay the colour from the thermal sensor onto the real 4K visible light sensor, which results in 4K only if there is enough visible light for the visible light sensor to see a 4K image. In full darkness you only have VGA resolution.
 
Nigel said:
If these thermal cameras take off, then I am sure the cyclists will start wearing Ukrainian anti-thermal drone camouflage, so that you still can't see them. It is amazing how much effort some of them go to to make sure that everything on the bike and themselves is matt black!
Click to expand...
They seem to remove the reflectors from the pedals and the back of the bike too. It's impressive. It's like they want to get hit. I try my very best to see them but this camera sees them before me sometimes.
 
LateralNW said:
How do you feel about the way the unit sits on the roof and the way the cable is routed to the interior?

Is it easy to remove from the roof?
Click to expand...

I would prefer a far smaller camera on the roof as it draws attention and I don't want it to get stolen. I might heat shrink wrap it in the same colour as my car to camouflage it. The cable routing is fine, it's just one cable down the channel between the windshield and the roof, then into the door.

It has to be mounted permanently with the adhesive to stay on. There is a magnet but I don't want to test if it's good enough for highway speeds.
 
kamkar said:
It is pretty freaky you can now get a 4K thermal camera, with the pixel size they pack the sensor must be significant in size.
Click to expand...

I think the highest thermal sensor you can get as a civilian is about 512x384 pixels. There used to be a limit on frames per second like around 12, but you seem to get 25 now.
 
mike Grady said:
Nice aftermarket dashcam with thermal imaging! The most impressed is the AI warning, that could help me focus a lot when driving. And what about in raniny/ foggy days?
Click to expand...
I had to put some RainX on for the rain to blow off the sensor when driving. I wonder about foggy days. I think thermal cameras can see through fog but it reduces the range a little.
 
mentadent said:
There is a magnet but I don't want to test if it's good enough for highway speeds.
Click to expand...
When I worked on highway construction projects I had a temporary flashing orange light bar on the roof of my car. It was larger than the size of a shoe box. It stayed in place at 70mph held only by magnets.
 
TonyM said:
When I worked on highway construction projects I had a temporary flashing orange light bar on the roof of my car. It was larger than the size of a shoe box. It stayed in place at 70mph held only by magnets.
Click to expand...
Not to be smart but how did you get it off?

I've seen some ridiculously strong magnets and also some very clever ones like the electro permanent magnets.
 
How big was the magnet @TonyM? The magnet on this is about 15cm x 3cm.

It's possible it'll work but just as possible it'll fall off.
 
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