Vantrue S1 Pro Test & Review PP

[Panzer Platform]

First off I am not a professional dash cam tester / reviewer so everything I say should be confirmed & verified, and taken with a grain of salt.
I consider myself a very basic dash cam user that’s tested a lot of cheap junk, and even some expensive junk.
Playing with dash cams in my garage is my retirement hobby.
The most important things to me in a dash cam are image quality & reliability / durability, everything else can take a back seat like gimmick features, and bells & whistles especially AI & ADAS.
I’m not fond of cloud enabled dash cams, but I see how they are necessary in certain applications.

Congratulations to Vantrue for making a dash cam that meets my minimum requirements for what I think makes a good dash cam, (except H.265 Codec).
Wedge Design
Adhesive Mount (not hanging stalk, or suction cup)
Small LCD Screen
Does not require proprietary software to view recorded footage
Does not require intrusive privacy permissions to use smartphone APP
And thanks to @Jeff_Vantrue for sending the S1 Pro, original S1 (2019), and all accessories.

My first experience testing a Vantrue dash cam was August 2022 with the E1;

Vantrue E1 Test & Review PP

Hey guys, Just a few hours ago I received a Vantrue E1 for testing & review sent by Vantrue. Shoutout to @rcg530 for passing my name along to his Vantrue Representative. Thanks Robert. When I first learned of this dash cam I read the specifications, and on paper this camera appears to be a...

dashcamtalk.com

It was released just after the original @viofo A119 Mini, and on paper had similar specifications, so I requested one for test & review to compare with the A119 Mini.
After two months of testing the E1, it was a flop in my opinion, and I sent it back to Vantrue because I did not wish to make a negative YouTube review about it which it would have been.

Fast forward one year later it looks like the S1 Pro fixes all the issues of the E1, and again on paper has similar specifications as the 2nd gen VIOFO A119 Mini 2 with the STARVIS 2 IMX675 image sensor, and HDR.
The S1 Pro rear camera does not interest me in the least being non-STARVIS 2, and only 1080p.
Looking back at the past four years I think the original S1 (2019) was a decent dash cam.
Not as good as anything from VIOFO, but better than cheap eBay junk.
And I think the S1 is a good blueprint to build the S1 Pro from.
I have a feeling there are a lot of loyal S1 owners, and they want to know if it’s worth upgrading to the S1 Pro.
So I’ve put together a list of the specifications for both cameras so we can see how far the S1 Pro has come with 4 years of development.
And I’ll be doing some image quality comparisons.
Keep in mind the S1 Pro I received in a non-serialized, pre-production test sample, that will most likely be different from retail versions available for purchase with an expected released date of 10/31/23.

Dash Cam: ----------------------- S1 2019 ------------------- S1 Pro 2023
Release Date: ------------------- July 2019 ------------------ 10/31/23 (Est.)
Processor: ----------------------- Novatek 96663 ----------- Novatek 96581 ???
Front Sensor: -------------------- STARVIS 1 IMX327 ---- STARVIS 2 IMX675
Rear Sensor: -------------------- Exmor IMX323 ----------- ?????
Resolution: ----------------------- 1080p + 1080p ----------- 2K + 1080p
Framerate: ------------------------ 30fps + 30fps ------------ 30fps + 30fps
Bitrate: ----------------------------- 10 Mbps F+R ------------ 14 Mbps F / 10 Mbps R
HDR: ------------------------------- Yes (Doesn't Work) ----- Yes (Doesn't Work)
FOV: -------------------------------- 170° F / 160° R ---------- 160° F / 165° R
Aperture: -------------------------- F1.47 F / F1.8 R --------- F1.8 F / F1.8 R
Lens Adj Vertical: ---------------- 30° ------------------------- 30°
Lens Adj Horizontal: ------------ 30° ------------------------- 30°
Codec ------------------------------ H.264 ---------------------- H.265
Format: ----------------------------- MP4 ----------------------- MP4
Parking Mode: -------------------- Yes ------------------------ Yes
LCD Screen: ---------------------- 2 inch --------------------- 2 inch
GPS: -------------------------------- Built-in -------------------- External In Mount
Wi-Fi: -------------------------------- No ------------------------- Dual Band 2.4GHz & 5GHz
OTA Firmware Updates: -------- No ------------------------- Yes
Bluetooth: --------------------------- No ------------------------- Yes
Voice Commands: ---------------- No ------------------------- Yes
Max SD Card: --------------------- 256GB -------------------- 512GB
Operating Temp: ------------------ -4°F to 158°F ------------ -4°F to 140°F
Super Capacitor: ------------------ Yes ------------------------ Yes
Optional CPL Filter: --------------- No ------------------------ Yes
Optional Bluetooth Remote: ---- No ------------------------- Yes
Power Connection: --------------- USB-Mini ----------------- USB Type-C
Rear Camera Cable: ------------- USB-Mini ----------------- USB Type-C
Warranty: --------------------------- 18 Months w/ Reg ------ 18 Months w/ Reg
FCC ID: ----------------------------- ?????? -------------------- 2A7EH-S1PRO
S1 Pro; https://fccid.io/2A7EH-S1PRO
Current Firmware: ---------------- VTS10J.V23 --------------- ECH-281 F / ECG-201 R

Here's a quick introduction video;

 

[Panzer Platform]

Here is some preliminary heat testing with my TOPDON TC004 Thermal Imaging Camera.
It was 87℉ (30℃) in my garage, (no direct sunlight).
I let the cameras obtain normal operating temperature by letting them operate in normal recoding mode in 2-channel configuration for one hour.
The hottest parts of the cameras were;
S1 (2019): 122℉ (50℃)
S1 Pro (2023): 140℉ (60℃)

 

[Panzer Platform]

@Jeff_Vantrue
In this post I will discuss difficulties I experienced trying to update the firmware of the S1 Pro.
Shortly after opening up the Vantrue smartphone APP on my iPhone SE 2020 iOS 13.5.1 I saw there was an available firmware update.
I decided to try the OTA (over the air) method.
I was able to download the update to my iPhone.
However when I tried to send the update to the S1 Pro it failed repeatedly.
I decided to update the firmware the old fashioned way by downloading the update from the manufacturer website, transferring the update to an SD Card, and interesting the SD Card into the S1 Pro.
I went looking for the update, and discovered there are three different Vantrue websites, and none of them had the firmware update for the S1 Pro.
1.) https://www.vantrue.net
2.) https://www.vantrue.com
3.) https://www.vantrue.us
How confusing is that for the average consumer?
C’mon Jeff how about just one website?
After consulting with @rcg530 he advised me to try the OTA method with an Android device, and sure enough it worked on the first try.
-Chuck

 

[Panzer Platform]

In this post I would like to discuss an error I think should be fixed with a firmware update.
When enabling the Wi-Fi to use the APP the LCD Screen displays “5G”.
This is incorrect, it should say “5GHz”.
5G and 5GHz are two completely different things that will most likely confuse the average consumer.
5G is the 5th generation cellular / mobile network.
5GHz is a radio frequency, (2.4GHz is the “other” one).
C’mon @Jeff_Vantrue how about adding the Hz?
-Chuck

 

[Panzer Platform]

HDR Test
1.) S1 Front
2.) S1 Rear
3.) S1 Pro Front
4.) S1 Pro Rear
5.) A119 Mini 2
6.) U3000 Front

 

[Panzer Platform]

HDR Test Screenshots
Yo @Jeff_Vantrue it looks like HDR does not work on the S1 Pro.
Can you get this fixed before the camera's expected release date of 10/31/23?

S1 Front


S1 Rear


S1 Pro Front


S1 Pro Rear


A119 Mini 2


U3000 Front

 

[Panzer Platform]

It looks like HDR on the S1 Pro does not work, (front or rear).
See my above test footage & screenshots.
Can you guys confirm & verify with your testing?
@rcg530
@DT MI
@Elbeau
@GeekOnTheHill
@JDtime
@RayJ
@runtohell121
@Xamu

 

[Panzer Platform]

Indoor Lens Focus Check @Jeff_Vantrue

It looks like every camera is out of focus except the S1 Pro Front.
I will recheck with outdoor footage.

S1 Front

S1 Rear

S1 Pro Front

S1 Pro Rear

 

[DT MI]

It looks like HDR on the S1 Pro does not work, (front or rear).
See my above test footage & screenshots.

That was going to be the next thing on my 'to do' list - just haven't gotten around to it yet.

I did discover today that after bringing the camera in for some bench testing (without rear camera attached) over the weekend that, after putting it back in the car, the resolution changed to 1080p for both front and rear cameras where it had been maximum resolution for both. I'm 99.99999999% sure I did nothing to cause the change.

 

[runtohell121]

If the rear camera unit is the same as the Vantrue N4 Pro (which looks likely it is...), it's probably out of focus as it heats up.

I can't confirm the rear unit as I only have the front cam installed currently and really do not want to "permanently" install it in the new vehicle unless I know for sure it's a good/final hardware unit. Still haven't decided which unit(s) to run in the new vehicle yet, but will continue to test dash cams as I get them on top of the permanent unit installed in the vehicle(s).

 

[Panzer Platform]

If the rear camera unit is the same as the Vantrue N4 Pro (which looks likely it is...), it's probably out of focus as it heats up.

I can't confirm the rear unit as I only have the front cam installed currently and really do not want to "permanently" install it in the new vehicle unless I know for sure it's a good/final hardware unit. Still haven't decided which unit(s) to run in the new vehicle yet, but will continue to test dash cams as I get them on top of the permanent unit installed in the vehicle(s).

Thanks for the reply.
I'm more concerned if the HDR works on the S1 Pro front camera.
Just get behind a car at night with your headlights on, and see if you can read the license plate.
See rcg530's post;

Vantrue Sonnet 1 (S1) Pro - Testing / Review - RCG

I was contacted by Vantrue to see if I wanted to check out the new Sonnet 1 (S1) Pro 2-channel dash camera. Vantrue is providing all of the items used in my testing/review free of charge. A few days ago, I received a from Vantrue: 1 - Pre-production (no serial number) S1 Pro 2-channel dash...

dashcamtalk.com

-Chuck

 

[Panzer Platform]

Low Light Test

 

[Panzer Platform]

Low Light Test Screenshots

S1 Front

S1 Rear

S1 Pro Front

S1 Pro Rear

A119 Mini 2

U3000

 

[Panzer Platform]

Outdoor Focus Check - Front Camera
No CPL Filter
Firmware: ECH-281
@Karagandinez I found a brick wall for focus check. lol
-Chuck

 

[Karagandinez]

@Karagandinez I found a brick wall for focus check.

This wall is too small.

 

[Panzer Platform]

@Jeff_Vantrue @viofo @VIOFO-Support

Vantrue S1 Pro Front STARVIS 2 (IMX675)
Resolution: (2560x1440) 30fps
FOV Specification: 160° (actual 140°)
F1.8 Aperture
Firmware: ECH-281
HDR: ON
CPL Filter: OFF
1 Minute File Size: 106 MB
Recording Bitrate Fixed: 14.1 Mbps

Viofo A119 Mini 2 STARVIS 2 (IMX675)
Resolution: (2560x1440) 30fps
FOV Specification: 140° (true 140°)
F1.6 Aperture
Firmware: V1.0 0605
HDR: ON
CPL Filter: OFF
1 Minute File Size: 213.9 MB
Recording Bitrate Variable: 28.5 Mbps

In this scene the S1 Pro is overall brighter.
There is more detail in the trees, and bushes.
However, it comes at a cost of overexposing the illuminated price sign.
The A119 Mini 2 is slightly darker, but the illuminated price sign is clearly legible.

 

[kamkar]

Viofo got something good going with that mini 2

 

[Panzer Platform]

Viofo got something good going with that mini 2

The A119 Mini 2 has the best NIGHT TIME image quality of any dash cam on the market.
The A139 Pro has the best DAYTIME image quality of any dash cam on the market.
I'm testing a new dash cam that is looking better than both of these DAYTIME & NIGHT TIME.
Don't ask. lol

 

[kamkar]

We need to get those 2 to bed.

 

[runtohell121]

When's the A229 Pro coming