Thinkware F800 - a dashcam that taps into internet connections

[TheDashCamera]

An abstract from the web:

The Thinkware F800 dash cam, designed with the connected car in mind, is a camera which taps into Internet connections in order to send location and status data to emergency services when a crash is detected -- or an "SOS" button is pressed. In addition, the device has a handy "Parking Incident" feature which will let you know if your car is hit while parked.

 

[egonvdv]

Do you insert a sim card, or will you have to buy a mobile router to which it can connect?,
This SOS system is a bit obsolete no..? most cars have such system built in now.
what are the other specs of the camera...? will it just be a dressed up F770 ?
so many questions

 

[Maddog1974]

I have only briefly seen a spec sheet of this unit. It will connect to WiFi hotspots, also it has super night vision whilst driving (not just for parking mode like at present) and even better super night vision for parking mode using some new Sony Lens that's meant to be as good as the human eye. I don't think it's due for a few months as yet...

 

[Dee_82]

I have only briefly seen a spec sheet of this unit. It will connect to WiFi hotspots, also it has super night vision whilst driving (not just for parking mode like at present) and even better super night vision for parking mode using some new Sony Lens that's meant to be as good as the human eye. I don't think it's due for a few months as yet...

The important question is whether or not it is actually any different to the F750. you can add on all the gimmicks you like but we need to have a higher bit rate per channel to make good of night driving and make day time videos even better, esp in high brightness high on screen action, such as driving through a tree lined road. software bumping up the brightness isn't very useful if the low bit rate introduces some serious artefacts. Also, the F750 has wifi support just now, it can connect to hotspots if the camera was programed to do so, so I really hope they actually upgrade the hardware inside the camera this time, If this is just another software bump that isn't scaled out to existing users then ill not be buying it and will give up on thinkware as a brand.

Whilst changing the lens can increase the amount of light for the cameras sensor which will help with night videos the serious business is the SoC and that is what we need to see upgraded

Dont suppose you can find out what the SoC is?

 

[TheDashCamera]

I guess there are lots of questions need to be answered and it's still too soon to decide if it has real hardware improvements. Price point is another important factor as well. It will be interesting to see how well the night vision can be improved on this unit. Here is another link for more information.
http://gadgetynews.com/thinkware-f800-dash-cam-lands-ces-2017-innovation-award/

 

[AJ84]

I don't understand why Thinkware are behind in terms of internet connectivity when all the other functions are miles ahead of other competitors. My biggest issue is while I cannot stand BV after having countless issues in 4 of their models, they have been innovative in developing the cloud upload and live tracking.
To me, this day and age, this is surely an expected functionality - the fact thinkware are "almost" there suggests either they can't figure it out, or they have and just want to release yet another £400 model that then has that.
I would love to havel live tracking to be able to monitor the car live when not at home (CCTV covers at home). Or be able to grab footage from the cloud without having to go to the car, turn wifi on, download the video...and today for instance while I did that, it took so long to download 8 timelapse videos, the camera popped out of wireless mode half way and went back to recording.

If it's able to connect via hotspot, just add the rest of the functionality - you're half way there already. SMS is good, but dated but SMS + live viewing....theres a recipe for a winner especially with GPS tracking already there

 

[Dee_82]

That's all very well and good when the car is turned on, but if the car is turned off, the car battery will not last long at all,

what id like to see is a modular system to the camera, you could have modules which acts like Celink-B(only one that works), we can buy the tracking module, or additional storage, there is no limit, if you opened up the spec to such a system then 3rd party companies could make expansion modules and the list suddenly becomes endless!

 

[AJ84]

I suppose it is how you use it and what you have around you. The car I drive has a built in hotspot but in this case it would turn off when the car is off. My plan would be to use a normal usb hotspot - the one I currently use has excellent battery life and given the cams would not be a huge drain on it, I would think it would have enough juice to get through an 8 hour work day for instance
Once the car is on, the hotspot would start charging again
again, if BV can do it and TW are almost there with the whole SMS bit...

 

[Hyundai kona 2024]

could you let me no what usb wifi you are using