Q800 poor video quality

Pilkington

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I've had a Q800 Pro with rear camera installed for about a month now and I am thoroughly unimpressed. I previously had an A119 that excellent 1440p video at 30FPS. When comparing the Q800 Pro recordings to my old A119, it's night and day. The Q800 video is extremely grainy and it's hard to make out license plates while my A119 was crisp and clear. The app is nice but overall, I'm extremely disappointed in my purchase.
 
There definitely are cheaper dash cams that have better video quality than the more expensive BlackVue and Thinkware. If video quality is your top and "only" concern, Viofo has some great options.

BlackVue and Thinkware both offer great recording quality but also have added protection features such as buffered parking mode, smartphone app integration and memory partitioning. These features are highly sought after by a lot of customers, rounding up to a more complete dash cam that offers around the block protection.
 
I've had a Q800 Pro with rear camera installed for about a month now and I am thoroughly unimpressed. I previously had an A119 that excellent 1440p video at 30FPS. When comparing the Q800 Pro recordings to my old A119, it's night and day. The Q800 video is extremely grainy and it's hard to make out license plates while my A119 was crisp and clear. The app is nice but overall, I'm extremely disappointed in my purchase.
same here . ive purchased q800 thinkware and the video is not that great. not even good at reading plates.
 
There definitely are cheaper dash cams that have better video quality than the more expensive BlackVue and Thinkware. If video quality is your top and "only" concern, Viofo has some great options.

BlackVue and Thinkware both offer great recording quality but also have added protection features such as buffered parking mode, smartphone app integration and memory partitioning. These features are highly sought after by a lot of customers, rounding up to a more complete dash cam that offers around the block protection.

My main issue is that the video quality of a $300, 1440p dashcam released in 2019 can't beat a $90, 1440p dashcam I bought back in 2016. Video quality isn't my only concern as I was definitely interested in the mobile app and parking mode. However, I did not expect to have noticeably worse video quality when upgrading to what most would consider a premium dashcam.
 
Yup, that's just how it is for the dash cam market at the moment. I can assure you though that the Thinkware Q800PRO will last a lot longer than a cheaper device. Durability and quality are very high with Thinkware. These aspects are definitely "you get what you pay for".

Viofo may be changing the game by coming out with buffered parking mode, but it's a work in progress.
 
I agree. I wasn't happy with the video quality. They claim 2K but worse than a 1080p. Can't read license plate when the car parked across each other at a day time at outside parking lot . A fake 2K quality? When I think of 2K (at a nake eyes) I think of the best video quality than 1080p. @Thinkware @Thinkware Dash Cam @BlackboxMyCar @Pilkington
Not sure if you reading this. Release a new firmware to fix video quality? Even the PC Thinkware viewer is wavy when viewing the clips. I use VLC instead. But then I careless about those. I only need 2k quality as advertised. 2k mean clearer pictures to the dots or half the 4k quality. Other low budget 1080p is way better than the 2k. At a nake eyes, i felt their 1080p is actually a 2k and your 2k is a 720p instead.
Yes your feature is excellent but come on man, give us a real 2k for a price of $300...
 
Hi @know610, We are not up scaling the Q800PRO's video quality to create a "fake 2k". The Q800PRO uses a new Sony 5MP Image Sensor, the IMX335. Would you be able to send us some footage from your Q800PRO? You can also contact our support team and they would be happy to help you resolve your video quality issue. Email: support@thinkware.com.
 
The Q800PRO uses a new Sony 5MP Image Sensor, the IMX335. Would you be able to send us some footage from your Q800PRO?

same sensor used in the A119V3, there's some comparison footage that someone posted on the forum recently
 

@Thinkware @Thinkware Dash Cam I don't understand about Sony 5MP Image Sensor, the IMX335 or whatever tech you put inside - I only know what my nake eyes can view on the PC screen that is evident to prove if video are clear. Q800Pro show a skipping frame when viewing/jumping frame I guess... I will email you raw footage in my dropbox and see for yourself. I love the dashcam and I don't what to use the word "fake 2k" but I see no clear picture at all compare to low budget 1080p. I'm only referring to parked car license plate, not moving car.

Is it just me or can anyone see the video frame skipping? Is the license plate not clear or just me? I don't have special software where I can zoom video to see license plate. I'm just a simple person using VLC or Windows 10 media player. At a price of $300 and at a 2k video quality, this thing should be crystal clear at the distance per link below video.

Anyone interested: https://www.dropbox.com/s/phomqpz4iis4wbc/IMG_0861.MP4?dl=1

Untitled12.jpg
 
I'm not sure why other customers who bought Q800Pro don't (or maybe they did) about the video quality report to @Thinkware Dash Cam
Maybe a small number of us who bought and only affecting a few - idk
 
@know610 What are your parking mode settings? Judging by the video that you linked, it looks like a motion recording clip. Please note that motion recording clips are 15 FPS to save space and to reduce the file size. Do you have any continuous recording footage you could share with us?
 
@know610 What are your parking mode settings? Judging by the video that you linked, it looks like a motion recording clip. Please note that motion recording clips are 15 FPS to save space and to reduce the file size. Do you have any continuous recording footage you could share with us?
@Thinkware Dash Cam Thank you for getting back


Ok understand 15FPS since it's a parking mode motion detection to save space. The next one is continuous recording at around 6:50am. The color was kind of faded and the distant between my car and Jeep, the license wasn't clear. In order to view license clearly, my car had to be very close like at 00:03. When pausing at 00:36 and at 00:40, I cannot read Jeep and bus license plate. Maybe this is due to cpl, cloudy, and the sunlight on left side hitting causing faded color, idk?? I will view more clips later when home.

Side note:
I have Thinkware CPL Filter installed.
Dash Cam Setting for brightness, everything default as "Mid"
 
Is it fine to add to this thread? I have a similar concern. Got a Q800 Pro and was really looking forward to it. The video quality is very poor and I am very disappointed with it. I don't think I can ever get a Thinkware again :(
 
Is it fine to add to this thread? I have a similar concern. Got a Q800 Pro and was really looking forward to it. The video quality is very poor and I am very disappointed with it. I don't think I can ever get a Thinkware again :(

The more the merrier! I'm glad to see that it's not just me experiencing issues with the Q800. This needs more visibility for a number of reasons:
  • Thinkware realizes this is a problem
  • They fix the problem, if possible
  • Potential buyers know to hold off or consider other options
 
The more the merrier! I'm glad to see that it's not just me experiencing issues with the Q800. This needs more visibility for a number of reasons:
  • Thinkware realizes this is a problem
  • They fix the problem, if possible
  • Potential buyers know to hold off or consider other options

Besides posting in this forum, I also email their support per @Thinkware Dash Cam . Here's the reply

Please see if there is any difference in quality with the Super Night Vision Setting Disabled. As well please try altering the Front Camera Brightness in the Camera Settings.
We are working on a New Firmware version for the Q800PRO to correct the Noise, and Grain.

Today I disable Super Night Vision and Brightness change from "Mid" to "Brighter"... Let see when i'm home.
 
Any success playing with those settings?

I highly recommend to check some comparison videos which have been published last weeks on YT. Please don't expect too much from Cam system like that it does exactly what it is made for.
I'm quite sure engineers have to make a trade off between usuability and quality. As sensor is the same as like A129/A119V3 and first visual impression make those much better i would like
to see some improvements here as well. As far as i know those are recording with higher bitrate but i'm not sure where physical limit of A12 Chipset is. Raising just bitrate will increase filesize and
also will put some more strain on components which might increase heat as well and Cam might power off when overheating.(Just read Blackvue threads looks like Thinkware is doing better here with Q800.

Higher resolution won't help that much and those offered 2K Resolution still is just 1080P(No it is not Fake resolution, have a look what those 2k really is) with just extended field of view.(Which is quite nice as it makes it possible to see more to the left/right may it on parking lot or cars crossing right/left)

What i would like to see is Super night Vision "auto" function, so you can set the timeframe(Like for battery protection) when it is used as well as more adjustments (if possible) to effect recording
quality.(Like HQ mode with fixed bitrate)
Besides that please Thinkware if you ready this make Audio feedback/talk more selectable.(Like only give feedback when impact did happen, otherwise keep silent. Also please reduce the impact detection by "1". Everytime you enter your car and shut the door you have 1 impact. I don't want to hear that every time i start the car.(If more user events have been triggered that's ok)

Besides all minor critics i'm very happy with Thinkware Q800, works absolutely fine using Cellink Neo6 and 400GB SanDisc SD-Card.

Cheers,
 
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Hi All ,
Before I purchase the Q800, did disabling of Super Night Vision fix the issue.... ? Hard to believe the most important aspect for buying the Q800 would have poor/grainy video....

I'll stay away until Thinkware or anyone else confirms they've fixed the video quality.

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.
 
Here is a video I did about my DJI Mavic Air drone. Both the GoPro Hero 7 and the Drone were running in 2k
I think you came here to gain attention. Unless you are going to tell us that you taped your drone to the windshield and used it as a dashcam.
 
That Mavic post was the most random contribution to a discussion in the history of the internet.

Anyway...I just bought this dashcam and the quality is HORRID. Driving 10ft away from a car and you can't even tell if it has a license plate from N. Africa or N. America.

I am about to undo all the wiring that I've spent an hour doing and returning this thing later today if I don't hear any news on how to fix this.
 
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