N4S 3CH HDR Aussie Review!

[suparoo]

This will be my first Dashcam review, so take it easy on me please. 😅 I am not technical minded when it comes to dashcam's - mobile phones etc., I am just your average "baby boomer" (old codger).

On 07-25-2025 I received the Vantrue Nexus N4S to review, thanks very much to Wendy. As has already been explained by others, the unpacking of the box/s has been done others so I too will forego with boring you.

07-26-2025:
I read the User Manual - checked the boxes contents and familiarised myself with the parts - connected front & rear cameras up (not mounted) - plugged the cigarette lighter power lead in and checked that all 3 cameras were working.
Downloaded the latest firmware and installed it on the 256MB micro SD card and updated the front camera only at this stage.

07-27-2025:
I installed the front camera into my 2023 Honda ZR-V Vti-L, all up it took me approx. 40 mins. I did a very rough measure with the cable across the route I chose to mount the dashcam. Then it was just a matter of putting the cable behind the glove box, running it up under the door rubber, removed the A pillar inside trim, making sure the cable didn't interfere with the passenger side airbag curtain. I then tucked the cable under the roof lining near the windscreen until I reached the eyesight technology fitted to the windscreen.
I cleaned the windscreen with an alcohol wipe, put the Electrostatic Sticker into position and installed the mount for the camera. I was surprised as to how easy it was. I will get an Auto Electrician to install the hard wire kit, maybe the rear camera too, it has to go through a rubber tube where the wiring goes for the high mounted stop light on the tail gate.
I have mounted my SG9665GC V2 Street Guardian into the last 4 cars I've had, it has been simple to install with the exception of finding a fuse that is not powered until the ignition is tuned fully on. I always get a Auto Electrician to do that for me, I don't want to fry the electrics in my car or end up with a dead battery.

I intend to run both the Vantrue N4S and the SG9665GC V3 side by side, just to personally see the difference.

07-28-2025 AM
Well we have had a minor setback already, my wife went to take the car out this morning, when she sings out... "what do I do with camera?", the electrostatic sheet had let go and the dashman was hanging by the power cable. I put it back in place and she left, it will be interesting to see if it stays in place. If it falls off again I will use the same double sided tape that I use on the Street Guardian, it is a 3M Scotch brand double sided tape that has never let me down even in 38°C + temps.

I have formalised a plan for the rear camera wiring, I intend to use either a flat poly cable feeder or this one. I will feed it from back to front through the hood liner to pull the cable through, the excess can be tucked into the cargo door. 🤞🤞 I can put into position so it doesn't rattle in the door. I do have plan B if this does not work.

07-28-2025 PM
I have captured an abnormality (my words) in the video's I have captured today. In the top LH corner of the thumbnail below, the sun is out of view, but there are 2 "ghost" of the the sun in the thumbnail. I am not technically minded, so can somebody explain how the dashcam captured those 2 ghosts? They can also be seen in the 2video links below too. I have an idea that it has something to with the curvature in the windscreen glass Y/N?

Here are 2 links to 2 snippets from the front dashcam today.

08-03-2025
Today I finally got time and some warm weather to mount the rear camera. I ran the cable through the roof lining using a fibre glass cable puller, this was suggested to me by another ZR-V owner on Facebook. It took a bit of jiggling to get the puller through and the same coming back through with the cable attached, it was assisted by some cursing as well 🙄. The next hardest part was pulling the cable through the vehicles cable sheath on the rear cargo door, ably assisted by more cursing 🙄. To finish up, it took me a couple of minutes to decide where exactly that I was going on mount the camera on the glass. I finally got it mounted, then came the adjusting of the camera for the view I wanted.

These are my thoughts at this point:

Pro's:

• Very good dashcam's front - cabin & rear.
• Clear pictures, especially the cabin camera.
• Everything required for installation is included in the box, including numerous jumper fuses to cover various types of fuse blades.
• Settings Menu is very easy to navigate and follow using the buttons on the front camera. The settings are much easier to set when connected via Wifi with your cell phone. Especially for people who do not have excellent eyesight.
• The 90° elbow for the rear camera cable to plug into the front camera is a good thought and very practical.
• The fact that you can remove the front camera easily from the mounting bracket is a bonus, especially when you are dealing with the micro SD card.

Cons:

• None really from my point of view, just a couple of places where more development could make things easier and better.
• In my opinion the rear camera could be similar in shape to the front camera, that way the lens could be adjustable in the same manner as the cabin camera.
  The current mount for the rear camera is too "flimsy" and subject to being bumped by a load in the boot. I found it difficult to adjust on vehicles with a rear cargo hatch i.e. Honda HR-V or ZR-V.
• The software could do with some more work in my opinion. Maybe I am too familiar with the Street Guardian software, where all the files are uploaded to the player automatically once the program is opened on your PC.

Edit 17-09-2025
I thought I had better post a photo of the Vantrue N4S mounted in my car. You will also see the Street Guardian SG9665GC V2 mounted on the opposite side plus it's GPS to the left beside the Castrol sticker as you look at the photo. The white oblong box to the right of the N4S is my Toll road tag.

 

[suparoo]

I had a weird thing happen with my Nexus 4S dashcam the other day.
It was a rainy day and my wife was stopped at a set of traffic lights, a truck turned the RH corner from the lane beside our car. As the truck turned the corner the camera recorded a still picture of the rear end of the truck. At the same time the windscreen wipers that were set to intermittent activated.
Why would the dashcam record a still picture, was it because of the truck or the windscreen wiper? There was no contact with the truck.

 

[Jeff_Vantrue]

I had a weird thing happen with my Nexus 4S dashcam the other day.
It was a rainy day and my wife was stopped at a set of traffic lights, a truck turned the RH corner from the lane beside our car. As the truck turned the corner the camera recorded a still picture of the rear end of the truck. At the same time the windscreen wipers that were set to intermittent activated.
Why would the dashcam record a still picture, was it because of the truck or the windscreen wiper? There was no contact with the truck.

It’s possible that the truck’s weight caused a vibration, triggering the dash cam’s emergency recording feature. When this happens, the camera first takes a still photo, and the video is saved in the Event folder. Could you please check if the video is in the Event folder on your dash cam?

 

[haiou_f]

It seems that the gravity sensor is working, which is normal

 

[suparoo]

It’s possible that the truck’s weight caused a vibration, triggering the dash cam’s emergency recording feature. When this happens, the camera first takes a still photo, and the video is saved in the Event folder. Could you please check if the video is in the Event folder on your dash cam?

Hi Jeff,
I cannot check the Event folder, I updated the firmware after checking all of the folders. The only records of the incident were the still picture and the video clip that covered a lot more than just the incident.
I trimmed down the video to just 13MB for 6 seconds.

Video Clip

 

[suparoo]

It seems that the gravity sensor is working, which is normal

I'll have to check my G-Sensor setting, I have never had it happen before on my other dashcam.

 

[Jeff_Vantrue]

Hi Jeff,
I cannot check the Event folder, I updated the firmware after checking all of the folders. The only records of the incident were the still picture and the video clip that covered a lot more than just the incident.
I trimmed down the video to just 13MB for 6 seconds.

Video Clip

That’s normal. When the G-sensor is triggered, the dash cam first takes a snapshot and then locks the whole recording clip, not just the few seconds around the incident.

 

[suparoo]

Thanks for the feedback Jeff & haiou_f.
Jeff, the cameras are working really well, I am impressed with both the front & rear cameras. I mentioned the camera to my neighbor who is an Uber driver here in Australia, he shocked me when he said he was not allowed to have an interior camera or dashcam that has one. 😮

 

[haiou_f]

Thanks for the feedback Jeff & haiou_f.
Jeff, the cameras are working really well, I am impressed with both the front & rear cameras. I mentioned the camera to my neighbor who is an Uber driver here in Australia, he shocked me when he said he was not allowed to have an interior camera or dashcam that has one. 😮

He's afraid of leaking his privacy, haha

 

[suparoo]

He's afraid of leaking his privacy, haha

Well that's what I get for believing him. ☹️
I just Googled the question and it says he can have a dashcam., but there are rules he has to follow.

 

[haiou_f]

The internal camera can be turned off。

 

[jsmith]

This will be my first Dashcam review, so take it easy on me please. 😅 I am not technical minded when it comes to dashcam's - mobile phones etc., I am just your average "baby boomer" (old codger).

On 07-25-2025 I received the Vantrue Nexus N4S to review, thanks very much to Wendy. As has already been explained by others, the unpacking of the box/s has been done others so I too will forego with boring you.

07-26-2025:
I read the User Manual - checked the boxes contents and familiarised myself with the parts - connected front & rear cameras up (not mounted) - plugged the cigarette lighter power lead in and checked that all 3 cameras were working.
Downloaded the latest firmware and installed it on the 256MB micro SD card and updated the front camera only at this stage.

07-27-2025:
I installed the front camera into my 2023 Honda ZR-V Vti-L, all up it took me approx. 40 mins. I did a very rough measure with the cable across the route I chose to mount the dashcam. Then it was just a matter of putting the cable behind the glove box, running it up under the door rubber, removed the A pillar inside trim, making sure the cable didn't interfere with the passenger side airbag curtain. I then tucked the cable under the roof lining near the windscreen until I reached the eyesight technology fitted to the windscreen.
I cleaned the windscreen with an alcohol wipe, put the Electrostatic Sticker into position and installed the mount for the camera. I was surprised as to how easy it was. I will get an Auto Electrician to install the hard wire kit, maybe the rear camera too, it has to go through a rubber tube where the wiring goes for the high mounted stop light on the tail gate.
I have mounted my SG9665GC V2 Street Guardian into the last 4 cars I've had, it has been simple to install with the exception of finding a fuse that is not powered until the ignition is tuned fully on. I always get a Auto Electrician to do that for me, I don't want to fry the electrics in my car or end up with a dead battery.

I intend to run both the Vantrue N4S and the SG9665GC V3 side by side, just to personally see the difference.

07-28-2025 AM
Well we have had a minor setback already, my wife went to take the car out this morning, when she sings out... "what do I do with camera?", the electrostatic sheet had let go and the dashman was hanging by the power cable. I put it back in place and she left, it will be interesting to see if it stays in place. If it falls off again I will use the same double sided tape that I use on the Street Guardian, it is a 3M Scotch brand double sided tape that has never let me down even in 38°C + temps.

I have formalised a plan for the rear camera wiring, I intend to use either a flat poly cable feeder or this one. I will feed it from back to front through the hood liner to pull the cable through, the excess can be tucked into the cargo door. 🤞🤞 I can put into position so it doesn't rattle in the door. I do have plan B if this does not work.

07-28-2025 PM
I have captured an abnormality (my words) in the video's I have captured today. In the top LH corner of the thumbnail below, the sun is out of view, but there are 2 "ghost" of the the sun in the thumbnail. I am not technically minded, so can somebody explain how the dashcam captured those 2 ghosts? They can also be seen in the 2video links below too. I have an idea that it has something to with the curvature in the windscreen glass Y/N?

View attachment 83337

Here are 2 links to 2 snippets from the front dashcam today.

08-03-2025
Today I finally got time and some warm weather to mount the rear camera. I ran the cable through the roof lining using a fibre glass cable puller, this was suggested to me by another ZR-V owner on Facebook. It took a bit of jiggling to get the puller through and the same coming back through with the cable attached, it was assisted by some cursing as well 🙄. The next hardest part was pulling the cable through the vehicles cable sheath on the rear cargo door, ably assisted by more cursing 🙄. To finish up, it took me a couple of minutes to decide where exactly that I was going on mount the camera on the glass. I finally got it mounted, then came the adjusting of the camera for the view I wanted.

These are my thoughts at this point:

Pro's:

• Very good dashcam's front - cabin & rear.
• Clear pictures, especially the cabin camera.
• Everything required for installation is included in the box, including numerous jumper fuses to cover various types of fuse blades.
• Settings Menu is very easy to navigate and follow using the buttons on the front camera. The settings are much easier to set when connected via Wifi with your cell phone. Especially for people who do not have excellent eyesight.
• The 90° elbow for the rear camera cable to plug into the front camera is a good thought and very practical.
• The fact that you can remove the front camera easily from the mounting bracket is a bonus, especially when you are dealing with the micro SD card.

Cons:

• None really from my point of view, just a couple of places where more development could make things easier and better.
• In my opinion the rear camera could be similar in shape to the front camera, that way the lens could be adjustable in the same manner as the cabin camera.
  The current mount for the rear camera is too "flimsy" and subject to being bumped by a load in the boot. I found it difficult to adjust on vehicles with a rear cargo hatch i.e. Honda HR-V or ZR-V.
• The software could do with some more work in my opinion. Maybe I am too familiar with the Street Guardian software, where all the files are uploaded to the player automatically once the program is opened on your PC.

The rear camera will be redesigned in the next 1 to 2 months based upon earlier suggestions and feedback given to Vantrue.

 

[suparoo]

The internal camera can be turned off。

You can only lead a horse to water, you cannot make it drink. 🙁

 

[suparoo]

The rear camera will be redesigned in the next 1 to 2 months based upon earlier suggestions and feedback given to Vantrue.

It will be interesting to see the result from the feedback.

 

[kamkar]

Thanks for the feedback Jeff & haiou_f@.
Jeff, the cameras are working really well, I am impressed with both the front & rear cameras. I mentioned the camera to my neighbor who is an Uber driver here in Australia, he shocked me when he said he was not allowed to have an interior camera or dashcam that has one. 😮

In that case i would have plenty of outward facing cameras, so you at least get a " snap" of the customer as you pull up / they approach and enter.

 

[EricSan]

I am not technically minded, so can somebody explain how the dashcam captured those 2 ghosts?

That looks like typical "flare" from the sunlight hitting the front lens, even though the sun may not be in the frame of what gets recorded. This is nothing to worry about. For the locked recording, it may indeed be vibration from a passing truck. The g-sensor in this camera is VERY sensitive. I have all three of my adjustments turned down to 1. It's a tiral-and-error thing to discover which setting works best for your car and the quality of local roads. I'm happy to have an adjustment for this.

 

[Finnegan]

That looks like typical "flare" from the sunlight hitting the front lens, even though the sun may not be in the frame of what gets recorded. This is nothing to worry about. For the locked recording, it may indeed be vibration from a passing truck. The g-sensor in this camera is VERY sensitive. I have all three of my adjustments turned down to 1. It's a tiral-and-error thing to discover which setting works best for your car and the quality of local roads. I'm happy to have an adjustment for this.

Exactly, and this is the very reason so many rifle scopes and photographic lenses come with lens hoods. A hood
can prevent flare, excess glare, and improve contrast. It's a little difficult to use a hood on a wide-angle lens though,
as it will "crop" the image.

 

[suparoo]

Thanks for the feedback on the lens flare guy's, I was hoping 🤞 that was the case.

I am liking this camera a lot. I like the fact that you can also access the dashcam with your cell phone.

Last Sunday morning my youngest grandson (13) and I happened upon a motorcycle accident, virtually seconds after it happened. A 74 yr old motorcycle rider hit the front brake on a roundabout and went down, he had some sore ribs, right elbow and a gravel rashed left knee, his bike fared better than he did. My military service and Safety Officer Training came to good use.
When I got home and replayed the captured video, I was thankful that I hadn't connected camera to hard wiring yet. The video captured everything that I did to check the guy over for serious injuries, ability to breath etc., I kept him talking then an ER Doctor out for a walk took over and the ambulance arrived moments later.
Had I have had the dashcam hardwired, it would have turned off when I parked and turned the car off and turned the accessories on. The dashcam is still running off the cigarette lighter plug.

 

[EricSan]

The dashcam is still running off the cigarette lighter plug.

It's a mixed bag whether your cigarette lighter outlet remains powered or not when you turn off the ignition. The entire electrical system in Subarus seems to be shut down with the ignition. Same for Volvos. My son's Ford maintains power to the cigarette lighter outlet at all times. I guess it all comes down to how do you plan to use that power supply. In this case, it worked out well!

 

[suparoo]

Oh boy! I feel like a right royal dipstick, a couple of days ago I removed the front dashcam to download a video. It's easier for me with my big fingers to get the SD card out on my desk than have is spring out and get lost in the car, been there done that.
Anyway, while I had the dashcam inside I decided to clean all the lenses. when I removed the CPL it looks weird inside, so I proceeded to clean it but it still looked off somehow. it turned out I hadn't removed the protective film on the inside, I do remember removing outside film though.
So in short, any of my videos before today will be with the film on the inside of the CPL.