Vantrue S1 Pro Test & Review PP

[Panzer Platform]

Mr. Taco Mexican Restaurant Sign
I tested the new firmware to see if it fixed the non functioning HDR.
Unfortunately it did not, and it’s still no match for the A119 Mini 2.

 

[Panzer Platform]

@jonat
@GeekOnTheHill
@Mtnears
@Jeff_Vantrue
@rcg530
@DT MI
@Elbeau
@RayJ
@JDtime
@runtohell121
@Xamu
@kawayanan

I just noticed a new firmware VT-ECI261 for the front camera.
Vantrue makes it hard without showing the release date, or change log.
Has anyone tested it yet?
Did they fix the HDR?
I’ll test it later, but the Viofo A229 Pro & A229 Plus are taking priority.
The last time I heard from any of the 3 revolving Vantrue representatives was 25 days ago.
After Golden Week is over (October 8), does anyone have a good shirt to tug on?

 

[Agie]

@jonat
@GeekOnTheHill
@Mtnears
@Jeff_Vantrue
@rcg530
@DT MI
@Elbeau
@RayJ
@JDtime
@runtohell121
@Xamu
@kawayanan

I just noticed a new firmware VT-ECI261 for the front camera.
Vantrue makes it hard without showing the release date, or change log.
Has anyone tested it yet?
Did they fix the HDR?
I’ll test it later, but the Viofo A229 Pro & A229 Plus are taking priority.
The last time I heard from any of the 3 revolving Vantrue representatives was 25 days ago.
After Golden Week is over (October 8), does anyone have a good shirt to tug on?

I last heard from any of them on the 12th September so not sure what's going on. Jeff seems MIA too :/

 

[DT MI]

Vantrue makes it hard without showing the release date, or change log.

A change log would be especially nice, more so for those who are testing/evaluating cameras.

 

[jonat]

I did the update today, no problems seen yet. I still find it annoying that it clears everything and makes you set up as new - I'm not used to seeing firmware updates do this, even for dashcams.

 

[Panzer Platform]

A change log would be especially nice

Viofo puts the date in the name of the update.
That should at least be the minimum standard.

 

[Panzer Platform]

I still find it annoying that it clears everything and makes you set up as new

This is normal with Viofo.
I keep reading doing a full reset after a firmware update is recommended to clear out any bad juju. lol
I've gotten used to it, and it familiarizes me with the camera.

Have you tested the HDR yet?

 

[rcg530]

I just noticed a new firmware VT-ECI261 for the front camera.
Vantrue makes it hard without showing the release date, or change log.
Has anyone tested it yet?
Did they fix the HDR?
I’ll test it later, but the Viofo A229 Pro & A229 Plus are taking priority.
The last time I heard from any of the 3 revolving Vantrue representatives was 25 days ago.
After Golden Week is over (October 8), does anyone have a good shirt to tug on?

I just tried to use the Android v1.0.32 Vantrue app to update my S1 Pro. It doesn't detect that there's a firmware version update available. The iOS app does detect that VT-ECI261 firmware update is available for the S1 Pro. I was hoping to download it the Android device so that I can copy the file to my firmware repository for the S1 Pro (still no download page on the Vantrue.net website). I can't seem to find a way to access the iOS directory where the Vantrue app places the downloaded firmware files. The Android app also didn't detect the VT-ECI141 firmware update. I used my iOS device to install that firmware. I wish the Android app would detect the firmware updates correctly.

 

[Agie]

I just tried to use the Android v1.0.32 Vantrue app to update my S1 Pro. It doesn't detect that there's a firmware version update available. The iOS app does detect that VT-ECI261 firmware update is available for the S1 Pro. I was hoping to download it the Android device so that I can copy the file to my firmware repository for the S1 Pro (still no download page on the Vantrue.net website). I can't seem to find a way to access the iOS directory where the Vantrue app places the downloaded firmware files. The Android app also didn't detect the VT-ECI141 firmware update. I used my iOS device to install that firmware. I wish the Android app would detect the firmware updates correctly.

Don't know why they don't push it for Android testers too, I'm baffled, not sure what's going on or where their team is at the past few weeks :/

 

[DT MI]

I just tried to use the Android v1.0.32 Vantrue app to update my S1 Pro. It doesn't detect that there's a firmware version update available.

Yours' is not a unique situation. I don't get notification of an update either.

 

[Panzer Platform]

I just tried to use the Android v1.0.32 Vantrue app to update my S1 Pro. It doesn't detect that there's a firmware version update available. The iOS app does detect that VT-ECI261 firmware update is available for the S1 Pro. I was hoping to download it the Android device so that I can copy the file to my firmware repository for the S1 Pro (still no download page on the Vantrue.net website). I can't seem to find a way to access the iOS directory where the Vantrue app places the downloaded firmware files. The Android app also didn't detect the VT-ECI141 firmware update. I used my iOS device to install that firmware. I wish the Android app would detect the firmware updates correctly.

Maybe this is one of the drawbacks of OTA updates.
Worse case scenario, what if Vantrue never posts their firmware updates publicly, and only offers them OTA to make it difficult for users to keep a copy of the firmware for later use, or reference.
I wonder how Viofo would administer their OTA updates.

 

[Agie]

Maybe this is one of the drawbacks of OTA updates.
Worse case scenario, what if Vantrue never posts their firmware updates publicly, and only offers them OTA to make it difficult for users to keep a copy of the firmware for later use, or reference.
I wonder how Viofo would administer their OTA updates.

It's pre production isn't it, the S1 Pro so hasn't been launched officially if I'm not mistaken. But that being said, OTA updates I think work pretty well now in the smartphone world down to a tee.

A lot of people have smartphones now so access to the dashcam itself via the app and wifi isn't such an issue, and software and app updates are regular events for them anyway. So they just need to ensure that they translate the established reliability of OTA in that world, over to the dashcam world.

 

[Panzer Platform]

But that being said, OTA updates I think work pretty well now in the smartphone

Yeah, but smartphones are "constantly" connected to the internet.
Dash Cams are not.
Most consumers buy a dash cam, and never update the firmware from the version that came with it.
RCG530 uses an A129 Pro Duo that I think is still on the original firmware trouble free.
I'm still using a pair A129 Plus' on original firmware too.

 

[Agie]

Yeah, but smartphones are "constantly" connected to the internet.
Dash Cams are not.
Most consumers buy a dash cam, and never update the firmware from the version that came with it.
RCG530 uses an A129 Pro Duo that I think is still on the original firmware trouble free.
I'm still using a pair A129 Plus' on original firmware too.

Not disagreeing, but perhaps then it should be forced on the user like what can be set on phones (to install updates automatically or outside of certain times). Education on these would be paramount too, but whether it's DSLR/mirrorless cameras, action cameras, dash cameras - it's all the same boat, at the moment it's a manually instigated update.

Its annoying but perhaps what happens with the Sony PlayStation can apply here - I often get system updates pushed to me whenever I turn on to play, and i can't play the game I want until the system firmware update has been performed (it won't let you until you've done it)

 

[Panzer Platform]

perhaps then it should be forced on the user

Incorrect.
Vortex Radar, and I had a discussion about back in the day manufactures had one chance to get a product right before releasing it to the public.
Imagine a 1985 NES cartridge, lol
Nowadays paying consumers have unwittingly become R&D, Quality Control, and beta testers, because unscrupulous manufactures take advantage by releasing hardware with incomplete software because of firmware updates.
A consumer should never have to update their product, it should be complete from day one.
But those times are gone. lol

 

[Agie]

Incorrect.
Vortex Radar, and I had a discussion about back in the day manufactures had one chance to get a product right before releasing it to the public.
Imagine a 1985 NES cartridge, lol
Nowadays paying consumers have unwittingly become R&D, Quality Control, and beta testers, because unscrupulous manufactures take advantage by releasing hardware with incomplete software because of firmware updates.
A consumer should never have to update their product, it should be complete from day one.
But those times are gone. lol

No they shouldn't but the complexity of software and firmware development these days, just makes it impossible for it to be rock solid from day one. Otherwise everyone would be doing it in every industry and nailing it from day one. No time, no money, to wait around for it to be ready for prime time.

And the younger generations are getting more impatient by the day. Everything has to be faster, and flashier than before. And when you tell them that back in the day when you were a kid, that the internet loaded hell slow with 33.6k modems and web pages could take minutes to load, their eyes glaze over.

 

[DT MI]

And when you tell them that back in the day when you were a kid, that the internet loaded hell slow with 33.6k modems and web pages could take minutes to load, their eyes glaze over.

Ha, you are one of the 'younger generation'. I remember (NOT fondly) using an acoustic coupler in a corporate environment and thinking it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. At 300 baud data rate it wasn't feasible to transmit anything except text.

Acoustic coupler - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Agie]

Ha, you are one of the 'younger generation'. I remember (NOT fondly) using an acoustic coupler in a corporate environment and thinking it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. At 300 baud data rate it wasn't feasible to transmit anything except text.

Acoustic coupler - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Haha I can wait trust me .I'm talking about my kids

 

[Elbeau]

So, as I mentioned in an earlier post,, I didn't put the camera through any bench testing. I used it and reviewed it as a typical end user (who isn't likely to be reading Dashcamtalk posts). The camera in my other vehicle is a BlackVue DR770X Box with the X130 battery and connectivity module, a camera that is supposedly out of the S1 Pro's league. Well, here's what I've found after a few weeks of use:

Pros: Video quality closely matches that of the BlackVue. The parking mode offers a lot of options and worked well (although my car is mostly parked in a closed garage and, therefore, didn't have much opportunity to test different situations). However, it did keep track of what was going on in public lots. My software update was seamless. The price is reasonable. It works with the Vantrue OBD cable (if you want parking features without hard wiring).

Cons: While the lens itself swivels, the camera body itself is fixed. Mounted just to the left of my rearview mirror, the screen points somewhat to the right and cannot be adjusted. However, the screen is so tiny as to be essentially useless other than to see the cameras are on and an image is there. The instruction manual is insufficient, written in micro print and was also blurry. The cable for the rear camera is ridiculously fat and "proprietary."

Bottom line: If you are looking for decent quality images, good parking features, not planning to rely on the screen, don't care about cloud connectivity, and have decent room on your windshield, I think this camera is a good deal. I can't say how it compares to others in its price range, though.

 

[Elbeau]

No they shouldn't but the complexity of software and firmware development these days, just makes it impossible for it to be rock solid from day one. Otherwise everyone would be doing it in every industry and nailing it from day one. No time, no money, to wait around for it to be ready for prime time.

And the younger generations are getting more impatient by the day. Everything has to be faster, and flashier than before. And when you tell them that back in the day when you were a kid, that the internet loaded hell slow with 33.6k modems and web pages could take minutes to load, their eyes glaze over.

Back in the day, when an improvement was made, the only option was to live with what you had, or buy the new version. It is virtually impossible for other than the most basic product to be perfect on day one. Firmware updates are not a negative; they are a positive. And I remember using a "lightning fast" 1200 baud rate modem that took 15 minutes to download a picture and over an hour to download a music album. Now, longer than 15 seconds pisses me off.