First impressions of N5S 4ch system.

[NotThatGuyThatOtherGuy]

I just had my installer install the Vantrue N5S 4CH system with the LTE module into my 2023 Suburban.

I do rideshare full time on the Las Vegas Strip, and my reason for purchasing the 4CH system is primarily to capture riders when they are on the side of the vehicle by using the rear cabin camera. This occasionally matters if I am having some issue with a rider that somehow comes back to me. Unfortunately, I planned poorly as the angle of the camera turns out to not be very good on this vehicle for capturing due to various obstructions between the camera and the front windows.

For the rear unit, the installer had to create an L-bracket and install it to the overhead plastic panel just inside of the rear window. This would be an issue no matter what camera system I chose, because the Suburban has a rear window that can be opened up, and is rather complex how it does that, so routing a cable onto the interior of the window, especially without a coiled cable as the defroster uses, is not a good idea. Maybe a coiled sheath could solve this problem, but the cable that came with the camera was only slightly longer than the length required, so I doubt there would be enough length for such a sheath, if they even exist.

So far, I've only had time to configure the basics for recording, but checking the 1TB SD card everything looks good enough for my job.

My previous camera was a COXPAL A11T, which I heartily recommend for basic dashcam usage as it has turned out to be a very reliable little unit, though I think is now discontinued. That said, this N5S is a huge upgrade, but one thing I don't really like is that it takes much longer for N5S to boot and start recording than the A11T required. This matters when I've been staging with everything turned off and a rider requests a ride from where I'm staging, so I end up loading up for a ride and have no footage of the event. Hopefully nothing bad ever happens. It's possible there is an option for me somewhere in the settings, as I also installed an LFP battery, so if the camera can be configured to continue recording even when the battery changes the signal to indicate the vehicle is shut off, I would configure this each morning and then back in the evening, but I have to admit I've not dug fully through those kinds of features.

The front unit is really quite large. In the past 4 years I have gone through various vehicles and their different generations starting with a 2008 model, and the trend is clearly ever-smaller front windshields. I like having a simple LCD that shows the cameras are working properly and allows me to quickly check status of settings, but I don't need such a large display - it could just cycle through each camera every few seconds so that the LCD and overall unit can be smaller in my windshield. Or the LCD could be on a hinge so I can flip it up when not needed.

I will update this thread as I slowly make use of the more advanced features of the system.

 

[kamkar]

I tested the N5 system back in the day when it came out, and i still think it is one of the best ride share cameras.
But i have never said the 2 interior cameras will give very much view out to the side, for that i feel you really need to put cameras on Fixed side glass like for instance some rear doors will have.
I did that years ago with a dual remote dashcam ( much akin to many dual MC " dash " cameras ) and it worked fine, though up very close to the car not so much as you would then need a even winder fiend of view lens.
And the lenses in these cameras was not the normal 12 mm fine thread you generally see in dash and action cameras, O no these was smaller 8 mm fine thread lenses i never even knew existed.

At distance though, there was overlap between the 4 cameras in my little JAP 5 door hatchback.

 

[Karagandinez]

That said, this N5S is a huge upgrade, but one thing I don't really like is that it takes much longer for N5S to boot and start recording than the A11T required. This matters when I've been staging with everything turned off and a rider requests a ride from where I'm staging, so I end up loading up for a ride and have no footage of the event. Hopefully nothing bad ever happens. It's possible there is an option for me somewhere in the settings, as I also installed an LFP battery, so if the camera can be configured to continue recording even when the battery changes the signal to indicate the vehicle is shut off, I would configure this each morning and then back in the evening, but I have to admit I've not dug fully through those kinds of features.

If you enable parking mode, you won't have this problem.
Recording will be continuous.

 

[NotThatGuyThatOtherGuy]

If you enable parking mode, you won't have this problem.
Recording will be continuous.

Thanks, that did the trick. I set it for the collision detection setting.

 

[EricSan]

At distance though, there was overlap between the 4 cameras

What a great demonstration video! I'm looking to do the very same thing but all of my side windows open with the doors... A newer car that I am contemplating has fixed side windows in the rear, behind the doors. Not sure if I want to pull the trigger on that one or not, though.

 

[kamkar]

Yes when we want to go there as a dashcam " addict " we also have to crank up the DIY aspect, CUZ no one cater to this segment, or that is very few have tried to copy the tesla down the side systems mounted on the front fender just in front of the fender / door gap with the wire threading into the cabin there.

The strait out the side also a challenge as really one would like even winder field of view, which is also possible if the camera units use a standard thread like the M12 fine thread or S mount as i recall it is called in the CCTV world

If you can not mount off a fixed glass, you might be able to mount off the top of the plastic trim for the doors, though it is a challenge as this part of the trim is often anything but flat, so some form of go between adapter will have to be fabricated.
Also here, it would be nice if you dont have small kids in the back seat as things would be within reach then.

One of my first side cameras the Innovv C3 camera i had mounted off the back side of the B pillar filming out the back door window, but then there is a high risk of it getting dinged by people getting in and out, and that pretty much also happened the 2-3 times i had people on the back seat while that camera was there. ( factory mounting system )

The C3 was a single remote more like action camera, also did not have a very wide Field Of View
On the other side ( L ) i had a mobius matchbox sized action camera, mounted to a sheet metal bracket folded over so it was sort of like a money clip that could slide over the headliner instead of a stack of bills.
This also filming out of the back door window.
And would of course go flying if Curtain airbags would deploy, but again rare people back there so i did not care for that part.

TBH if anyone would go there to the strait out the side cameras, i was thinking a bracket much like the wind deflectors you can tool less mount on car front doors, something similar to that but made for installing on the inside of rear doors to hold a dashcam.
Like the wind deflectors if made in a clear plastic not too much of a annoyance i feel personally.
But that is probably the best way of masking some sort of universal mounting bracket for rear doors with no fixed glass part.

 

[jsmith]

I just had my installer install the Vantrue N5S 4CH system with the LTE module into my 2023 Suburban.

I do rideshare full time on the Las Vegas Strip, and my reason for purchasing the 4CH system is primarily to capture riders when they are on the side of the vehicle by using the rear cabin camera. This occasionally matters if I am having some issue with a rider that somehow comes back to me. Unfortunately, I planned poorly as the angle of the camera turns out to not be very good on this vehicle for capturing due to various obstructions between the camera and the front windows.

For the rear unit, the installer had to create an L-bracket and install it to the overhead plastic panel just inside of the rear window. This would be an issue no matter what camera system I chose, because the Suburban has a rear window that can be opened up, and is rather complex how it does that, so routing a cable onto the interior of the window, especially without a coiled cable as the defroster uses, is not a good idea. Maybe a coiled sheath could solve this problem, but the cable that came with the camera was only slightly longer than the length required, so I doubt there would be enough length for such a sheath, if they even exist.

So far, I've only had time to configure the basics for recording, but checking the 1TB SD card everything looks good enough for my job.

My previous camera was a COXPAL A11T, which I heartily recommend for basic dashcam usage as it has turned out to be a very reliable little unit, though I think is now discontinued. That said, this N5S is a huge upgrade, but one thing I don't really like is that it takes much longer for N5S to boot and start recording than the A11T required. This matters when I've been staging with everything turned off and a rider requests a ride from where I'm staging, so I end up loading up for a ride and have no footage of the event. Hopefully nothing bad ever happens. It's possible there is an option for me somewhere in the settings, as I also installed an LFP battery, so if the camera can be configured to continue recording even when the battery changes the signal to indicate the vehicle is shut off, I would configure this each morning and then back in the evening, but I have to admit I've not dug fully through those kinds of features.

The front unit is really quite large. In the past 4 years I have gone through various vehicles and their different generations starting with a 2008 model, and the trend is clearly ever-smaller front windshields. I like having a simple LCD that shows the cameras are working properly and allows me to quickly check status of settings, but I don't need such a large display - it could just cycle through each camera every few seconds so that the LCD and overall unit can be smaller in my windshield. Or the LCD could be on a hinge so I can flip it up when not needed.

I will update this thread as I slowly make use of the more advanced features of the system.

The N5S is actually my favorite Dashcam. I run it with the LTE Module. It's ability to capture 4 different views is a winner in my books.