Thinkware ARC - Testing/Review - RCG

[rcg530]

A Thinkware marketing rep reached out to me to see if I wanted to check out their new Thinkware ARC dash camera. Here are the features / specifications listed on their website.

Features:

• 2K QHD 1440p @30fps
• 4 MP Omnivision
• 125° Wide Angle Lens
• 2.7” LCD Touchscreen
• IPS Panel
• WDR
• HDR Rear View Camera
• Anti-File Corruption
• THINKWARE Dash Cam Link App
• Parking Surveillance Mode
• Smart Parking Mode
• External GPS
• Easy Device Pairing
• Super Night Vision 2.0
• Integrated Thermal Protection
• Supercapacitor
• AVC H.264
• Dewarping Technology
• Smart Driving Alerts (TSA-Traffic Signal Alert, FVDW-Front Vehicle Departure Warning)
• Safety Camera Alerts (Speed and Red Light Camera Alerts)
• Supports MicroSD Cards up to 256GB

Specifications:

• Resolution :
  Front – 2K QHD (2560 x 1440)
  Rear – 2K QHD (2560 x 1440)
• Camera :
  Front – Omnivision OS04C20
  Rear – K302P CMOS
• Frame Rate: 30 fps
• Viewing Angle: 125° (Diagonal)
• Dimensions(WxDxH) : 104 x 28 x 49 mm (4.09 x 1.10 x 1.93 inch)
• Weight : 90 g (0.198 lb)
• Storage Temperature : -20°~ 70° C (-4°~ 158° F)
• Operating Temperature : -10°~ 60° C (14°~ 140° F)
• Capacity : MicroSD card 32/64/128/256 GB (UHS-I)
• Input Power : DC 12/24V, Built-in Super Capacitor
• GPS : GPS Antenna Included
• Languages: English (US, UK), French (Canada, France), German, Spanish

Here are my unboxing pics for the Thinkware ARC 2-channel dash camera:



I'll begin my standard camera focus checks, power consumption tests and drivings tests over the next few weeks.

 

[rcg530]

Thinkware ARC 2-Channel FW v1.00.01 - Power Consumption Data

The parking mode power consumption is somewhat typical for time-lapse and motion detection, but the energy saving parking mode still consumes 57 mA @ 12.6V or 0.72 Watts. The energy saving parking mode does start recording video within 1.5 to 2.0 seconds after the impact event. In the "Notes" column, you can see the data related to various modes of operation within that particular video recording type.

 

[safedrivesolutions]

A Thinkware marketing rep reached out to me to see if I wanted to check out their new Thinkware ARC dash camera. Here are the features / specifications listed on their website.

Features:

• 4 MP Omnivision
• HDR Rear View Camera

Still no HDR front camera

 

[rcg530]

Still no HDR front camera

I already expressed that as a concern before it was shipped to me. The ARC has the same front camera image sensor and lens specs as the Q200.

 

[safedrivesolutions]

I already expressed that as a concern before it was shipped to me. The ARC has the same front camera image sensor and lens specs as the Q200.

Which I have one on my shelf that I reviewed. The ARC i believe is available direct through Thinkware website. It looks better than their prior LCD screen units.

 

[rcg530]

I added my initial power consumption test results for the Thinkware ARC 2-channel dash camera to post #2

 

[Panzer Platform]

A Thinkware marketing rep reached out to me to see if I wanted to check out their new Thinkware ARC dash camera.

No STARVIS 2 and HDR = Lame Duck

 

[rcg530]

No STARVIS 2 and HDR = Lame Duck

I agree the specs are sub-optimal. I think it's still worth checking out some of the less than ideal dash cameras on the market so consumers will have someway to get some information on those type of units (good or bad).

Speaking of bad test findings, I was able to get the Thinkware ARC 2-channel dash camera installed into my 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. I went on the initial test drive after the installation and found that the ARC front camera created very shaky footage. The windshield mount seems to allow any [even slight] vibrations from the road to move/shake the front camera enough to cause up/down movement in the front camera video footage. The front camera mount's adjustment screw is fully tightened and the ARC front camera is fully inserted into the windshield mounting clip. I created a video for Thinkware to see what found.

 

[rcg530]

I collected some daytime sample footage from the Thinkware ARC and a VIOFO A229 Plus 2CH (with rear camera). The Thinkware ARC's front camera is shaking a bit in the slide mount that connects it to the windshield mount. That's still being investigated.

 

[rcg530]

It appears that Thinkware wants me to send back the Thinkware ARC dash camera that I have so they can investigate it more on their end.

Last night, I installed the F200 Pro front camera that I have from the MB-100 multiplexer review. The Thinkware ARC and the F200 Pro front cameras have similar styles of windshield mounts. I gathered footage from both units and found the F200 Pro footage to be "steady". The ARC front camera footage contains noticeable up/down shaking and the ARC "detects" impact events while driving that are not impact events. I have the ARC's continuous recording impact sensitivity set to "Lowest" (there is no "Off" setting). The ARC's windshield mount is firmly attached to the windshield glass and the adjustment screw is fully tightened. The only thing left is the slide joint that is used to connect the top of the ARC to the windshield mount. The ARC front camera is fully inserted into the slide joint.

Here's a video comparing the shaky ARC front camera footage with the F200 Pro front camera footage which does not contain any up/down shaking.

 

[Nigel]

It appears that Thinkware wants me to send back the Thinkware ARC dash camera that I have so they can investigate it more on their end.

Don't they have another one?!

Maybe they think a bit of vibration is OK, but in low light, that will significantly blur a license plate, and it will be vertical blur unlike the normal motion blur, so the two will add together to make things worse.

Still no HDR front camera

I don't think Omnivision HDR will read license plates at night when they are moving anyway, it only solves the over exposure.

 

[rcg530]

Don't they have another one?!

Maybe they think a bit of vibration is OK, but in low light, that will significantly blur a license plate, and it will be vertical blur unlike the normal motion blur, so the two will add together to make things worse.

I hope they will be sending me another Thinkware ARC dash camera to test. They want the Thinkware ARC I have back so they can investigate why the front camera video is shaky. Thinkware has stated they have not observed this behavior in the units they are using/testing internally. My guess is the slide joint that connects the ARC front camera body to the windshield mount is too loose allowing the ARC front camera to shake when the vehicle is driven on any surface that is not perfectly smooth. You can see how loose that slide joint is in the video I have in post #8.

The F200 Pro uses an extremely similar plastic windshield mount for the front camera, but the slide joint fits much better (no obvious looseness). Even though the plastic tab on the top of the ARC front camera looks like the one on the top of the F200 Pro front camera, the ARC's measured 10.01 mm wide while the F200 Pro measurement was 10.25 mm wide.

 

[sailorman01]

My ARC does same think in impact sensing x just opening and closing my door sets it off in low setting uses lots of memory space because its so hyper sensitive on suv setting I'm going to set it to the very lowest setting from default medium to low didn't solved that issue. But I'm using my old thinkware f50 mount and camera fits perfectly on it camera still can be moved as the mount cannot get tighter but video is stable, no issues of it bouncing, so probably a mount issue with new type of mount. My issue thinkware working on is their memory cards 32gb seems to work, but not their 128gb cards even though it's rated for 256gb. Apparently the ARC on higher capacity cards needs new formats since I randomly get unsupported memory card error often, so waiting on thinkware to get some new types of cards and swap out my 128gb thinkware card as they'll close out the ticket when they get them in to replace older versions. Plus you have to click the microphone thingie on the ARC to record sound it doesn't record sound automatically which is a bummer for me, but once clicked it'll stay on. Probably a memory saving thing. Over all great camera for peace of mind, I don't use those 2 features of traffic light or if vehicle in front starts moving....some odd reason I think it's dumb features. Higher memory cards uses exfat which apparently not compatible with the ARC only fat32...if I recall right the memory cards are formated. I want a higher memory capacity to cover those high impact sensor alarms. 32gb last 4 days. Plus I learned about memory cards in dash cameras when my F50 got destroyed by some weird error, records garbled images, reformat or put in new card, the card gets filled up like a virus got into the F50 somehow..apparently using same card for years will destroy dash cameras due to constant rewritings. Recommended to replace them every 6 months to a year. ARC has a new feature that prevents that...so hopefully lasts more then F50 of 8 yrs. Very happy with thinkware and trouble shooting the ARC which didn't have any issues with their F50.

 

[bramptondriver]

I put a ARC into my CR-V and was not impressed. I didn’t mind the video quality but the fact that I couldn’t fit anything larger than a 64gb microSD card annoyed me. Plus I couldn’t easily save a file when I saw something happen. You need to touch the screen to wake it up and then find the tiny option in the bottom left to press. Even then, it only records 20 seconds of the event AFTER it already happened.
Add to that the collection of cables that could’ve easily been built into the windshield mount. Why not build the GPS into the mount???
I posted my review here. Thinkware ARC shortcomings

 

[rcg530]

I'm still waiting on Thinkware's feedback on what they found with the looseness in the front camera mount. I've asked for updates a couple of times, but I have not received any info on the progress on that investigation.

 

[rcg530]

I put a ARC into my CR-V and was not impressed. I didn’t mind the video quality but the fact that I couldn’t fit anything larger than a 64gb microSD card annoyed me.

According to the specifications in the user manual, the Thinkware ARC supports up to 256 GB memory cards.

 

[bramptondriver]

According to the specifications in the user manual, the Thinkware ARC supports up to 256 GB memory cards.

View attachment 73977

I’ll try it with a 256 but it didn’t recognize the 128. Very frustrating.

 

[Thinkware Dash Cam]

Hello, we do apologize for the inconvenience. We will release a V6 MicroSD card as the V4 which currently selling in our website is not compatible with ARC, Q200, Q850 and F70PRO