Am I looking for a dash cam that doesn't even exist?

Mio NoVue

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I had my first dashcam installed 2-3 year ago. It was a Mio Mivue 618 and the place installing it supplied it. I just asked for a dash cam.
Overall it was an ok camera but i had my complaints about it. The colouring was pretty yellowy/orangey in daylight i thought but i suppose i could live with that. The image quality was reasonable but I wanted better. What my main issue was was i didn't think it picked up registration plates as good as i would like. If i'm behind one at traffic then no problems. If we're at slow speeds then no problems but if someone hits me and does a runner, i'd like to be able to pop the card in my PC, go frame by frame and read what the plate was.

I recently picked up a new (to me) car and thought well Nextbase are a big name so i'll 'upgrade'. I saw a Nextbase 522GW for a good price (the 622GW was too much) and made the purchase, especially after Googling search terms such as "best dash cam 2020" brought up articles putting the 522GW in top spot or if not top spot then somewhere near.
Holy crap, how terrible this dash cam is. Such a grainy image. It's worse than the Mio Mivue I had. I've tried all 3 resolutions available and everything about the imagery is just appalling. Day time is poor even in good daylight. Forget night time and when it comes to reading a registration plate which is what I was really looking for out of a camera then unless you're behind them at the lights then you've no chance. I watched a video back and I had to get fairly close to the car in front at crawling speed and then i could read it. I have no idea where it gets its good reviews from because after this i looked in to it some more and saw some images from other peoples 522GW units as i thought maybe something was wrong with mine - turns out no, that's how they seem to be. How anyone can think it is good quality is beyond me but as i say, maybe i'm looking for something that doesn't exist yet? Without buying every dash cam in the game and trying them all out, i've no idea.

What i'm looking for is really good clarity at speed, not just when stationary. I'm not talking about when passing each other at 200mph but normal everyday driving - what you'd expect in 90% of the time. Good clarity in daylight and at night time. I appreciate night time wont be crystal clear but something decent is a start.

And i don't know what feature is needed in a dash cam to be able to pick up a registration plate when you're passing each other but i want it to be able to do this. There was a car coming over a hill, slightly on my side of the road and he swerved out of the way at the last second. Had he hit me, when i put the video file on my PC i couldn't detect the registration plate. I've tried out 1080ps in 30fps and 60fps without joy.

The option of a rear camera would be nice. I've been without one all this time. I'd prefer to have one as it gives a fuller picture. It's not as important as the 2 criteria above but it would be helpful to have.

Screen would be nice although isn't necessarily vital. I'd prefer a screen to the dash cam but if this was at the expense of a quality unit then i'd let it go.

What should i be looking at?
 
Might be worth posting a frame grab from the top of the hill so that we know what you are talking about.

This time of year there is not always a lot of light so most cameras will struggle a bit at higher speeds or away from midday, but some are better than others.

Take a look at:

And I will also suggest the Viofo A129+ Duo because it is too new to be in that list, a dual channel camera with one of the best image sensors available, same as the A119 which is in that list.
 
With the Nextbase unit, it doesn't seem to matter what time of day - because i was driving at 12 noon and put the card in my PC and thought surely this must be decent ... nope.

As you ask for a grab from the top of the hill you are asking about my Mio Mivue 618 camera...

Fiesta.JPG

^^ That was actually taken around 5:45pm in early March this year. I went frame-by-frame in VLC and that was the clearest i could get it.

The imagery doesn't always look so pixellated with the MiVue...
01.JPG
^^ This was taken 12:15pm in December
02.JPG
^^ This was taken 5:30pm end of August.

Another near miss with this guy and this was at very slow speeds but in the dark:
03.JPG

I couldn't make out his plate. I was stationary and he must've been doing 2mph squeezing past me.

All that was with the Mio Mivue ... and the Nextbase 522GW makes these images look like the clearest things you've ever seen in your life.

Someone elses video of the Mio Mivue 618
and i would say that's a pretty accurate reflection as to what i am seeing with this camera in those kinds of conditions.

The Nextbase unit is actually getting sent back so what I want is something easily better than the MiVue.
 
Hard to equal the vid quality of Viofo, and IMHO none do better. Not the cheapest but well worth the price :cool:

Phil
 
As you ask for a grab from the top of the hill you are asking about my Mio Mivue 618 camera...

View attachment 53820

^^ That was actually taken around 5:45pm in early March this year. I went frame-by-frame in VLC and that was the clearest i could get it.
check if the artist signed it, that's an oil painting yeah?
 
check if the artist signed it, that's an oil painting yeah?
In some ways that camera is quite good, I can't see any motion blur in the oil painting!

But maybe it's not as dark as it looks, we don't seem to have our headlights on, and the car actually has a decent shadow thrown by the sun!
 
I don't know why the imagery was as poor as it was in that clip. I deleted the video file so that's all i have from it. I remember at the time thinking how poor the quality was in general, moreso than usual. This is why i attached some other images to give a better idea of how that camera was.

I've had a bit of a look at the VIOFO you mentioned and have to say that the quality does look good. Unless i'm missing something, i don't think it's ridiculously expensive. Depends what you think it reasonable for a dash camera i suppose.

Is the VIOFO A129+ a good upgrade or is it just marginally better (as upgrades don't seem to make huge differences?) or even worse (in the case of the Nextbase 522GW > 622GW (many online reviews seem to complain about the 622 saying it isn't as good as the 522))
 
Is the VIOFO A129+ a good upgrade or is it just marginally better (as upgrades don't seem to make huge differences?) or even worse (in the case of the Nextbase 522GW > 622GW (many online reviews seem to complain about the 622 saying it isn't as good as the 522))
It is 2K front resolution instead of 1080 for the old A129 Duo. (double the detail).
There are other differences, but not huge ones, it is genuinely better and probably better supported for firmware updates being newer.
A different situation to the 622 vs 522.

The A119 has the same sensor and processor if you want to find more footage/comments, not much about for the A129+ yet.
 
Movement and low light don't mix. Unless you're willing to spend hundreds (thousands) Add small size and very tough environment (temperature) and you're looking for a unicorn for at least a few years.
 
It is 2K front resolution instead of 1080 for the old A129 Duo. (double the detail).
There are other differences, but not huge ones, it is genuinely better and probably better supported for firmware updates being newer.
A different situation to the 622 vs 522.

The A119 has the same sensor and processor if you want to find more footage/comments, not much about for the A129+ yet.
Thanks. That'll do. Having looked at sample footage from the A119 i think it looks quite good. Even better if i can figure out how to hardwire it in myself to keep costs down, but electronics isn't my thing. Nextbase had a kit you could buy which when looking at YT videos even i could do.

Wiring in a rear camera may be a bit different though. lol.

Movement and low light don't mix. Unless you're willing to spend hundreds (thousands) Add small size and very tough environment (temperature) and you're looking for a unicorn for at least a few years.
For the most part i was happy with the Mio Mivue i had, it just could've been better, or rather i just wanted better. The Viofo unit seems to be able to tick boxes.

With the Nextbase unit, i may as well have just picked up a £20 eBay special.
 
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