Thinkware F770 [front cam only] Review

[USDashCamera]

I only had the front cam, rear cam will likely come in the future:

 

[Module 79L]

I'm not sure that card reader's solution is a good idea. If one has to empty a full 32GB card it'll take more than 10 mins. and the cards heats up a little. Now imagine sticking that card inside a closed slot and then sticking the card reader into another closed slot, which may already be inside a hot environment and has no heat dissipation. Multiply that by several times and you could be damaging the card in the long run.

 

[niko]

I'm not sure that card reader's solution is a good idea. If one has to empty a full 32GB card it'll take more than 10 mins. and the cards heats up a little. Now imagine sticking that card inside a closed slot and then sticking the card reader into another closed slot, which may already be inside a hot environment and has no heat dissipation. Multiply that by several times and you could be damaging the card in the long run.

Thats a good point. I guess ( hope ? ) Thinkware has tested those scenarios and they are sure it will not damage the card ?

 

[USDashCamera]

I'm not sure that card reader's solution is a good idea. If one has to empty a full 32GB card it'll take more than 10 mins. and the cards heats up a little. Now imagine sticking that card inside a closed slot and then sticking the card reader into another closed slot, which may already be inside a hot environment and has no heat dissipation. Multiply that by several times and you could be damaging the card in the long run.

I never thought of that. I actually use a transcend adapter that has a full size and micro sd slot all the time anyways.

I am replacing my blackvue 650 with the thinkware F770 now though. I need to get the new cellink tho. Just hesitant to drop the money on another one.

 

[Module 79L]

Thats a good point. I guess ( hope ? ) Thinkware has tested those scenarios and they are sure it will not damage the card ?

I never thought of that. I actually use a transcend adapter that has a full size and micro sd slot all the time anyways.

Maybe they saw that card reader, it was cheap, small and "innovative" enough, and they thought it was a nice idea to include it in the package. We all know how these things work and despite Thinkware being a company with higher quality standards than most of the Chinese ones, they probably didn't waste any time and money testing a cheap card reader.

But hey, that's just me (the only dashcammer in the world who empties his card every day ), talking. I sure would give it a lot of use but most F770 owners probably would never get it out of the box.

 

[niko]

But hey, that's just me (the only dashcammer in the world who empties his card every day ),

Do you drive a lot or use small capacity card ?

 

[Module 79L]

Do you drive a lot or use small capacity card ?

I use a 32GB card and I record on average 6 or 7GB on working days, but since I never let the card in the camera overnight, I might as well unload it.

 

[USDashCamera]

ordered the new cellink so i can hardwire the F770 to that. i am hoping the V1 expansion will hook up with it just fine, didn't wanna buy the expansion too again (although V2 does have a bigger battery) I am curious to see if i can use the cig port on the V1 expansion with a second camera. although i am not sure if its a good idea. alex from blackboxmycar said cellink claimed it didnt matter if you plugged your camera into either the main or expansion battery, but never heard if it was ok to plug into both. just to be safe i plugged all my cams into the expansion only. but V2 the expansion doesn't even have an output. so my assumption is the expansion charges itself while driving, but then charges the main battery while running (since only the main battery has an output on V2).

 

[USDashCamera]

I installed the F770 in my new toyota tacoma truck. I had to turn the road safety features off because for some reason it kept going off when it shouldn't. i tried adjusting the angle so the hood matched up with the recommended line, tried changing it to suv/truck, it still kept beeping at me when it didnt need to. so i just turned it off.

 

[jokiin]

I installed the F770 in my new toyota tacoma truck. I had to turn the road safety features off because for some reason it kept going off when it shouldn't. i tried adjusting the angle so the hood matched up with the recommended line, tried changing it to suv/truck, it still kept beeping at me when it didnt need to. so i just turned it off.

I think those features are hit and miss regardless of brand, the only way to get these working properly is something that is designed for the specific vehicle and integrated by the manufacturer

 

[J Ward]

OP, as I see you review many dashcams for us in the USA. Is the F770 the best dashcam money can buy if money was no object?

 

[USDashCamera]

OP, as I see you review many dashcams for us in the USA. Is the F770 the best dashcam money can buy if money was no object?

I don't really think there is such thing as a best dash cam. It is my personal favorite because I really value a discrete form factor (the F770 has an all black/dark gray wedge style form factor, similar to the popular A118/B40 design but even thinner) and buffered parking mode, and rear 1080p. The problem with the F770 is the video quality is not as good as many single channel cameras. But I think the video quality is good enough while driving, and good enough during parking mode. The Street Guardian SG9665GC was my go to for best video quality/night quality for a 1080p30 cam but there are so many 1296p and 1080p60 cams now that I haven't tried its hard to really consider whats the "best" when I could really only go off of what I have used.

It really depends on what you want feature wise. If you don't care about parking mode or a rear channel, there are many better options that have better video quality and would be better for recording just while driving. You generally sacrifice video quality for other special features, many people don't want any special features they only care about the best video quality possible while driving and there is nothing wrong with that if thats what you feel you need.

 

[J Ward]

I don't really think there is such thing as a best dash cam. It is my personal favorite because I really value a discrete form factor (the F770 has an all black/dark gray wedge style form factor, similar to the popular A118/B40 design but even thinner) and buffered parking mode, and rear 1080p. The problem with the F770 is the video quality is not as good as many single channel cameras. But I think the video quality is good enough while driving, and good enough during parking mode. The Street Guardian SG9665GC was my go to for best video quality/night quality for a 1080p30 cam but there are so many 1296p and 1080p60 cams now that I haven't tried its hard to really consider whats the "best" when I could really only go off of what I have used.

It really depends on what you want feature wise. If you don't care about parking mode or a rear channel, there are many better options that have better video quality and would be better for recording just while driving. You generally sacrifice video quality for other special features, many people don't want any special features they only care about the best video quality possible while driving and there is nothing wrong with that if thats what you feel you need.

Yes sir, I admit. I am really looking for a single channel, best video quality like 1080p @ 60fps with a chip that can actually process that amount of MB/S and a great pixel count on the camera in order to not waste 1080 @ 60fps.