2025 Dream Dash Cam - B159 5-CH Box

[Panzer Platform]

@viofo @VIOFO-Support

B159 5-CH Box
Separate Processor Box with 5 Remote Cameras
IMX675 Front
IMX675 Rear
IMX675 Left
IMX675 Right
IMX675 IR Interior

120° FOV Front
120° FOV Rear
170° FOV Left
170° FOV Right
170° FOV IR Interior

30 Mbps Bitrate Front
30 Mbps Bitrate Rear
30 Mbps Bitrate Left
30 Mbps Bitrate Right
30 Mbps Bitrate IR Interior

HDR Support 5-CH
2TB SD Card Support
360° Swivel Mount (left, right) Left + Right + IR Interior Cameras
Optional VIOFO External Microphone



Coax Cable Connections from A229 Duo, (not A139 Pro)



MSRP: $500 5-CH Front + Rear + Left + Right + IR Interior
MSRP: $??? 4-CH Front + Rear + Left + Right
MSRP: $??? 3-CH Front + Rear + IR Interior
MSRP: $??? 2-CH Front + Rear

2026 B159 Pro 4K

 

[Agie]

I like these box solutions that existing manufacturers are moving to, but still think the efficiency should be invested more in the chipsets without having to resort to these measures

 

[Panzer Platform]

I like these box solutions that existing manufacturers are moving to, but still think the efficiency should be invested more in the chipsets without having to resort to these measures

Well yeah, that goes without saying.
Of course we need more powerful processors that generate less heat.
Who knows how many years away that is.
If it weren’t for the current limitation of Viofo’s SD Card this 5-CH model could have been released last year with existing off the shelf parts as a stop gap to overheating issues.

 

[Nigel]

Optional VIOFO External Microphone

If you don't get the optional external microphone, does it just record the sound inside your glove box?
Where is the lock button?
And the recording indicator?
Or maybe you are going to mount the box on the dash, for easy access to the lock button, memory card, and easy visibility of the indicators?

 

[Panzer Platform]

If you don't get the optional external microphone, does it just record the sound inside your glove box?
Where is the lock button?

Are you not familiar with the BlackVue Box models?
The standard microphone is built into the front camera.
It comes with a Bluetooth lock button, and voice commands for locking videos.
Speaker in front camera as well.

 

[Nigel]

Are you not familiar with the BlackVue Box models?

I've never used one, but I was aware of the microphone position and bluetooth button, and I do think that would look quite good mounted on the dash so that you can see the record indicator etc!

I don't know where the microphone mute button is though? Not everybody likes voice commands.

And I don't know where everyone is likely to mount the box, nobody seems to give info on installs... on the dash, above the mirror, in the glovebox, presumably not by the fuse box, you wouldn't be able to see the indicators or extract memory cards... Out of the way in the trunk would seem a good place?

 

[TheSpanishInq]

This will probably a dream-on cam, MSRP: $500 for 5CH.
It would need 150Mbps, UHS-III won't move that. You'd need SD Express which still seems to have overheating issues. Probably need $500 for the cooling solution alone

CFexpress will probably be a better alternative as it seems more widely adopted. 2TB CFexpress card = $500+
But at least the separate processor box will be able to handle the larger form factor.

And you'd need a custom SoC to handle the five streams, not sure if such hardware currently exists.
Five separate SoC would be a waste of power and generate even more heat.

 

[Vortex Radar]

Yeah that's a lot of processing and demand on the memory card. Personally I'd prioritize a higher bitrate for the front and rear cams, for example, and less so on the side and interior cams. There's a reason interior cameras recording people a few feet away often offer a lower resolution or bitrate than exterior facing cams that record tiny details like license plates and fast moving objects like cars going past you.

 

[DrekiTech]

This will probably a dream-on cam, MSRP: $500 for 5CH.
It would need 150Mbps, UHS-III won't move that. You'd need SD Express which still seems to have overheating issues. Probably need $500 for the cooling solution alone

CFexpress will probably be a better alternative as it seems more widely adopted. 2TB CFexpress card = $500+
But at least the separate processor box will be able to handle the larger form factor.

And you'd need a custom SoC to handle the five streams, not sure if such hardware currently exists.
Five separate SoC would be a waste of power and generate even more heat.

with a separate box and better heat dissipation, I could see internal SSDs becoming a thing on the most premium cameras


To be honest I'm totally here for the separate box, so many brands already have excellent remote cameras for the rear, it would be super easy to implement.

 

[Panzer Platform]

This will probably a dream-on cam, MSRP: $500 for 5CH.
It would need 150Mbps, UHS-III won't move that. You'd need SD Express which still seems to have overheating issues. Probably need $500 for the cooling solution alone

CFexpress will probably be a better alternative as it seems more widely adopted. 2TB CFexpress card = $500+
But at least the separate processor box will be able to handle the larger form factor.

And you'd need a custom SoC to handle the five streams, not sure if such hardware currently exists.
Five separate SoC would be a waste of power and generate even more heat.

Yeah that's a lot of processing and demand on the memory card. Personally I'd prioritize a higher bitrate for the front and rear cams, for example, and less so on the side and interior cams. There's a reason interior cameras recording people a few feet away often offer a lower resolution or bitrate than exterior facing cams that record tiny details like license plates and fast moving objects like cars going past you.

with a separate box and better heat dissipation, I could see internal SSDs becoming a thing on the most premium cameras


To be honest I'm totally here for the separate box, so many brands already have excellent remote cameras for the rear, it would be super easy to implement.

I agree with all of you guys this “fantasy” 5-CH system exceeds the current limits of technology.
I’m just trying to speak this into existence so we have another option to get the processor off the windshield to combat overheating issues.
I threw out the 150 Mbps Total Bitrate to show we need something like SD Express, and the new 2TB SD Cards from KIOXIA;

KIOXIA releases 2TB microSDXC memory card | KIOXIA - Europe (English)

europe.kioxia.com

Once the tech becomes available I see a 5-CH modular system being the answer for a lot of “advanced level” users who want more than their current 2 & 3 channel systems provide.
And also for the folks who only want 2,3,4 channels but with no screen, and stealth hidden box.

 

[Karagandinez]

If you don't get the optional external microphone, does it just record the sound inside your glove box?
Where is the lock button?
And the recording indicator?
Or maybe you are going to mount the box on the dash, for easy access to the lock button, memory card, and easy visibility of the indicators?

I currently have Vantrue F1 installed. Photos can be viewed here:

Vantrue Falcon 1 (F1) / Video and Screenshots and Firmware Update (2024-04-03)

I saw an interesting F1 model on the Vantrue website and really wanted to try it out. I turned to Jeff with a request to give me one model to test in the car. “A model designed for a motorcycle must be installed on a motorcycle,” was the answer. But I convinced Jeff and they sent me one copy...

dashcamtalk.com

The penultimate photo shows what is included in the kit. On the left, a cable with a remote control is twisted around the cameras. The remote control contains: a microphone, a speaker for voice notifications, LEDs for recording, Wi-Fi and microphone activation, as well as buttons to stop/start recording and turn Wi-Fi and microphone on/off. The remote control lies on the console near the gear shift lever. The indicators are clearly visible. Voice notifications are clearly audible. The sound is written well.
So a cable remote control with a microphone, speaker, buttons and LEDs is a completely normal option.

 

[TheSpanishInq]

I could see internal SSDs becoming a thing on the most premium cameras

Nice and fast for recording, but a bitch getting the data of in a decent amount of time. Would require a wired connection imho. And more cumbersome to replace once the cam kills the NAND

no screen, and stealth hidden box

This would need a real good, don't-over-do-it-with-the-permissions app to calibrate the view of the cams. I prefer a screen fore that reason.

 

[Dashmellow]

Nice and fast for recording, but a bitch getting the data of in a decent amount of time. Would require a wired connection imho. And more cumbersome to replace once the cam kills the NAND

A solution for that would be to use a plug-able SSD drive card that could be inserted through a slot in the camera similar to the way we now insert SD cards. This would allow the user to swap out and replace SSD drives or take your memory with you when you exit your car.

 

[Karagandinez]

The remote control lies on the console near the gear shift lever.

Yesterday I wrote about the F1 control panel.
Here is a photo from the Internet with its functions.


This is how it sits in my car.


This is how the main block lies. If the cables to the cameras were longer, it would be possible to put it in another place.

 

[TheSpanishInq]

A solution for that would be to use a plug-able SSD drive card that could be inserted through a slot in the camera similar to the way we now insert SD cards

That would make it even more expensive as a standard M2-interface, as shown in picture, is not fit for that purpose. (It's inserted at an angle and than seated).
Something like this (Icy Dock)

Hence my suggestion to use CFexpress, which is build for this (and uses NVMe too).

 

[Dashmellow]

That would make it even more expensive as a standard M2-interface, as shown in picture, is not fit for that purpose. (It's inserted at an angle and than seated).
Something like this (Icy Dock)

Hence my suggestion to use CFexpress, which is build for this (and uses NVMe too).

Well, it could be accommodated for with the design and engineering of how the drive is installed in the camera, such as a 30 degree connector in a hinged door the drive gets inserted in before locking it shut.

An SSD would be "relatively expensive" but the prices per TB have come way down over time. People have been requesting SSD storage for dash cams in one form or another for quite a long time here on DCT. I think anyone who would be willing to spend the money for what a fantasy dash cam like the one imagined in this thread would cost would be more than willing to spend the money for a solid state drive or even two so they could be swapped out.

PPs proposal for this 5 channel high resolution camera states 2TB card storage. And how much do you expect to pay for a 2TB CFexpress card? Well, you're talking $500 to $800 USD for a 2TB CFexpress card vs a fraction of that price for a 2TB internal SSD card.

Anyway, I guess I was responding to @DrekiTech's comment above.

I could see internal SSDs becoming a thing on the most premium cameras

 

[TheSpanishInq]

Well, you're talking $500 to $800 USD for a 2TB CFexpress card vs a fraction of that price for a 2TB internal SSD card.

You do have point there! I just wonder how long an (M2) NVMe SSD would last, giving that the interface wasn't designed for frequent swaps.

 

[Dashmellow]

You do have point there! I just wonder how long an (M2) NVMe SSD would last, giving that the interface wasn't designed for frequent swaps.

I'll bet most wouldn't swap them often, but it could be useful to have that option available.

 

[kamkar]

I think the contacts on a M2 drives " pins" can take a lot of plugging in and out, even if its not really designed for this, but some form of Caddy could probably greatly improve this.

I dont need a swappable drive as such, just the ability with a screwdriver to put in a new one in case the old one die.
But i like some smart way of backing up to say a thumb drive, so you also need a IO option that are not slow, CUZ i am not going to sit in my car waiting for 5 minutes for my backup of the modest amount of new footage in the event folder content to finish.

 

[Nigel]

This is a box camera, probably sitting in the glove box under lock and alarm system, so why not just plug in a standard USB drive, then you can use anything from 8GB USB memory stick to many very cheap TB magnetic disk, if that is what you want to use. And when you want to take it into the house, just unplug it and plug the spare in its place...