TonyM
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2013
- Messages
- 5,417
- Reaction score
- 5,095
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Dash Cam
- A139, M1S
Earlier this year I installed 2No B1W side-facing cameras in my car. The cylinder design fits well with the fixed rear window shape, and the recorded video is adequate for the price. However I have encountered a few issues that led me to consider upgrading the side cameras with the pre-production A129 Duo that I received for testing from @viofo.
So far I have only installed the main camera unit on one side for comparison alongside the B1W, but the results are so overwhelmingly positive that I will soon install the 'rear' camera on the other side. I may be able to find a better position for the A129 after I remove the B1W. I have dark-tinted rear privacy glass windows, so the A129 will not be very noticeable from outside. It's also on the driver's side so it does not obstruct my view of the road at all.
Having ports for the power cable on top of the GPS mount and on the side of the camera unit provides some flexibility on where to mount the camera. Here, I have used a straight cable into the side of the main unit. The A129 has enough up/down range to accommodate the near-vertical side window.
Comparison Screenshots
Stationary, whilst parking:
Moving slowly - passing cyclist:
Driving quickly with slow-passing vehicle
Stopped at junction at night:
Benefits of A129 Duo over B1W for side camera use:
- Better video definition
- Less motion blur
- Wider dynamic range
- GPS to maintain time & date (both my B1W keep losing settings and revert to sometime in 2015)
- Improved low light visibility
- Optional bluetooth remote to trigger event recording
- Only one 5V power cable
Benefits of 2x B1W over A129 Duo:
- Cheaper (Amazon UK prices - A129=£130 / 2No B1W=£100)
- More discreet / smaller
- Slightly wider field of view
Ideally I would like to use a dual-remote system for my side-facing cameras so that I don't have the larger camera unit in my side window. Perhaps something like the forthcoming SG9663DR. However as it is, it's not really intrusive and I'm very happy with the video quality improvements.
I still like my B1Ws and I'll be looking for a suitable use for them.
So far I have only installed the main camera unit on one side for comparison alongside the B1W, but the results are so overwhelmingly positive that I will soon install the 'rear' camera on the other side. I may be able to find a better position for the A129 after I remove the B1W. I have dark-tinted rear privacy glass windows, so the A129 will not be very noticeable from outside. It's also on the driver's side so it does not obstruct my view of the road at all.
Having ports for the power cable on top of the GPS mount and on the side of the camera unit provides some flexibility on where to mount the camera. Here, I have used a straight cable into the side of the main unit. The A129 has enough up/down range to accommodate the near-vertical side window.
Comparison Screenshots
Stationary, whilst parking:
Moving slowly - passing cyclist:
Driving quickly with slow-passing vehicle
Stopped at junction at night:
Benefits of A129 Duo over B1W for side camera use:
- Better video definition
- Less motion blur
- Wider dynamic range
- GPS to maintain time & date (both my B1W keep losing settings and revert to sometime in 2015)
- Improved low light visibility
- Optional bluetooth remote to trigger event recording
- Only one 5V power cable
Benefits of 2x B1W over A129 Duo:
- Cheaper (Amazon UK prices - A129=£130 / 2No B1W=£100)
- More discreet / smaller
- Slightly wider field of view
Ideally I would like to use a dual-remote system for my side-facing cameras so that I don't have the larger camera unit in my side window. Perhaps something like the forthcoming SG9663DR. However as it is, it's not really intrusive and I'm very happy with the video quality improvements.
I still like my B1Ws and I'll be looking for a suitable use for them.
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