A139 Firmware

[kamkar]

I would take a low light 2 frame plate capture that work VS getting no plate at all, it is just in the daytime i want the footage to look good, at night i am happy if i can get as much as possible not least in small details.

 

[Antoeknee]

So is consensus that HDR should not be turned on?

 

[Dashmellow]

So is consensus that HDR should not be turned on?

Depends of your needs and preferences. People who mostly drive during the day might make one choice, people who are more interested at capturing plates at night might chose HDR, especially if the firmware has been optimized to capture plate numbers.

It also depends on where you live. Large European style license plates are easier to capture whereas smaller plates found in many countries in North, South and Central America and elsewhere around the world are much harder to capture at night regardless of whether you enable HDR or not.

 

[kamkar]

I dont use HDR or WDR in my cameras, but i am looking forward to well functioning HDR in dashcams, i really think it could be a larger step towards better things, that and resolution 4K is the next big step, but the current hardware in use are not super, it is useable just lagging a little in low light, but then again in low light you should never count on any dashcam getting a plate capture, you should see that and call it out for the microphone to record, thats your best bet.

 

[Dashmellow]

I dont use HDR or WDR in my cameras, but i am looking forward to well functioning HDR in dashcams, i really think it could be a larger step towards better things, that and resolution 4K is the next big step, but the current hardware in use are not super, it is useable just lagging a little in low light, but then again in low light you should never count on any dashcam getting a plate capture, you should see that and call it out for the microphone to record, thats your best bet.

I agree, especially about the hardware being "usable", but lagging in low light. For years now, I've been hoping for the day when we start seeing larger sensors used in dash cams. When the day comes when they finally figure out how to implement true HDR in dash cam chip-sets that actually works along with bigger, better sensors being used in dash cams, we will really have something.

I'd be more than happy with a bigger 2K sensor in lieu of a typical smaller 4K sensor.

 

[vvs49]

Here is the difference in HDR modes
For me, it’s better to double than hide, whiten ...

 

[Dashmellow]

Here is the difference in HDR modes
For me, it’s better to double than hide, whiten ...

That looks great vvs49 but I don't see any double imaging. A stationary vehicle is not the same as a moving vehicle.

 

[vvs49]

A stationary vehicle is not the same as a moving vehicle.

That's right, tomorrow I'm driving along this highway with the HDR turned off, let's see how everything will be.

 

[SawMaster]

Anything which improves plate capture chances is to be welcomed even with double imaging as long as that doesn't impair plate capture in other situations. Dashcams are cheap and basic so perfect functionality isn't going to happen. Whatever improvements we can get are always welcome!

Phil

 

[Antoeknee]

Thanks for comments. Bit of experimentation needed I think.

 

[vvs49]

Here's a ride on the same track with HDR turned off!

 

[Antoeknee]

Here's a ride on the same track with HDR turned off!

Thanks for that, quite interesting.

 

[Vortex Radar]

Here's a ride on the same track with HDR turned off!

Wow thanks for that! I've been reviewing my A139 sample footage and have been having difficulty freeze framing plates when cars are driving past like that. I wonder if it's due to the CPL. Are you running one? I may try without the CPL to see if it improves things.

 

[kamkar]

No problem freezing plates one end or the other here.

 

[Vortex Radar]

So I just ordered a second A139 and am doing some side-by-side comparison with them. Here's some quick screenshots with both cams running fw 1.7 and max bitrate.

In the daytime, I notice the same ghosting you all are when HDR is enabled. HDR off seems to do a better job at freezing plates.



At night, HDR on does seem to do a little better job of seeing into the shadows, but HDR off gives me less noise and does a better job at capturing plates.

 

[Mtz]

Normally HDR On should better capture the car license plates for moving cars, I don't know why your results are different.
Here is a short video of A119 V3 with HDR on.
We need to consider that A119 V3 have narrower lens angle and because of this the car license numbers are more successful compared to A139, no matter day or night, HDR on or off.
I think you should do the same test like in my video and see if you can capture at least some license plates from oncoming cars when the HDR is On.
The A129+ camera have a firmware which is offering HDR as always on or between some hours set by the user.

 

[Vortex Radar]

Normally HDR On should better capture the car license plates for moving cars, I don't know why your results are different.
Here is a short video of A119 V3 with HDR on.
We need to consider that A119 V3 have narrower lens angle and because of this the car license numbers are more successful compared to A139, no matter day or night, HDR on or off.
I think you should do the same test like in my video and see if you can capture at least some license plates from oncoming cars when the HDR is On.
The A129+ camera have a firmware which is offering HDR as always on or between some hours set by the user.

I've been doing testing last night and basically all day today. Looking back through last night's testing with cars driving past me like that, I'm not able to pull plates at night from either of the A139's, with or without HDR.

 

[Vortex Radar]

Is anyone able to get 2K60 from the front cam when running all 3 channels? The manual says it supports that, but I can only get 2K60 when running 1 or 2 channels. 3CH is capped at 2K30, even with HDR off. I'm running fw 1.7. Maybe this is different for other fw versions?

 

[CaptureYourAction]

Does not support 2K @ 60 with all 3 channels plugged in.

 

[sunmybun]

So I just ordered a second A139 and am doing some side-by-side comparison with them. Here's some quick screenshots with both cams running fw 1.7 and max bitrate.

In the daytime, I notice the same ghosting you all are when HDR is enabled. HDR off seems to do a better job at freezing plates.



At night, HDR on does seem to do a little better job of seeing into the shadows, but HDR off gives me less noise and does a better job at capturing plates.

I think it could be the camera itself. I remember when I first bought the 2 channel a139 on amazon the front camera was so blurry. I was testing inside my house at first. And then after installing it in my car, I test drove during the day and it still came out blurry. I returned it and got a new one.

the uploaded picture is the new one with hdr on but on a cloudy day. let me know if you want more pictures, i dont really take out the videos from the sd card.