Vueroid D21-4K Dash Camera - Testing/Review RCG

[jsmith]

Yes, I tend use the "Auto HDR" feature with the VIOFO dash cameras to turn it off for daytime and on for nighttime. The D21-4K does not have a timer feature for HDR. The "Driving mode" setting is "Normal" [no HDR], "HDR" or "Ultra LP Capture". No matter what setting I select for daytime use, someone will object to its use in that manner. Since the D21-4K cannot automatically change driving mode setting based on a timer, I set it to HDR. Many users will leave HDR on all hours of the day.

Well I meant if doing a test between two products, shouldn't settings be the same? Turn off HDR for Daytime Test and Turn on HDR for Night Time. To make Apples to Apples comparison to show how both perform under same circumstances.

The D21-4K bitrate is low compared to other 4K dash cameras. I'm the image quality on the D21-4K is set to "High" which is the highest setting for that setting. The D21-4K is using the Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 image sensor just like the A229 Pro / A329, so no it's not being upscaled to 4K.

The Vueroid 4K looks so much worse than Viofo 4K because of the compression choice. 1/3rd less bitrate introduces a LOT more noise into the image. It is visible in both day and nighttime clarity. If the hardware permits, Vueroid Engineers need make serious adjustments to firmware settings to correct the issue.

When I take the CPL filter off, some will complain that it's not showing the "best" configuration. Since Vueroid does not have a CPL filter for the D21-4K [it has been found that a Thinkware stick on CPL filter will work], I run each camera with its "best configuration" available from the dash camera manufacturer. Taking a CPL filter off for nighttime footage is also something I've done for nighttime footage, but that's not a realistic thing to do since most users will not install/remove the CPL filter on a daily basis.

Like the above, best to compare cameras identically with settings. Both on and Both Off. Gives a Fair comparison.

FYI:

In image below: Daytime Viofo you can read true and Car is in Focus. In Vueroid Liberty is hard to read and black car has a more crisp appearance.

In Night time, Vueroid rear is too "Blown Out" and over exposed.

 

[rcg530]

Well I meant if doing a test between two products, shouldn't settings be the same? Turn off HDR for Daytime Test and Turn on HDR for Night Time. To make Apples to Apples comparison to show how both perform under same circumstances.

In this video, the D21-4K and the A229 Pro have HDR enabled day and night. Many users will have HDR enabled all of the time.

Like the above, best to compare cameras identically with settings. Both on and Both Off. Gives a Fair comparison.

View attachment 77260

The "Ultra LP Capture" mode is Vueroid's enhanced HDR mode, so both cameras are operating with HDR enabled, just this time the D21-4K has its "Ultra LP Capture" mode version of HDR enabled.

 

[jsmith]

In this video, the D21-4K and the A229 Pro have HDR enabled day and night. Many users will have HDR enabled all of the time.


The "Ultra LP Capture" mode is Vueroid's enhanced HDR mode, so both cameras are operating with HDR enabled, just this time the D21-4K has its "Ultra LP Capture" mode version of HDR enabled.

I see. Does Ultra LP Capture do any better than "Normal" HDR on the Vueroid? Have you compared these two side by side?

Still puzzled on Vueroid's choice to use 1/3rd bitrate on 4K and create an image with a LOT of noise introduced to video.

 

[rcg530]

I see. Does Ultra LP Capture do any better than "Normal" HDR on the Vueroid? Have you compared these two side by side?

I have two D21-4K dash cameras. At some point, I will have both in the same vehicle to do a comparison of D21-4K HDR vs D21-4K Ultra LP Capture.

Still puzzled on Vueroid's choice to use 1/3rd bitrate on 4K and create an image with a LOT of noise introduced to video.

I'm a bit surprised the D21-4K's bitrate is as low as it is as well. I believe the new Vueroid S1 Infinite will address issues like bitrate. I'll see when I get my S1 Infinite to test.

 

[lufa6977]

I see. Does Ultra LP Capture do any better than "Normal" HDR on the Vueroid? Have you compared these two side by side?

Still puzzled on Vueroid's choice to use 1/3rd bitrate on 4K and create an image with a LOT of noise introduced to video.

My guess, and it is only a guess, is that previously Vueroid has not been focused on the video image quality and feature set demands made by the western market. Americans what the cinema quality video with an in your face image of the license plates. Most other countries just need to record events to prove they are not the guilty party in an accident.

I believe this is Vueroid's first foray into the Americas market so there is a learning curve. From what I understand, they have been asking questions and listening and are producing the S1 Infinite to compete with the high quality dash cams that are presently in the Americas. Of course, other countries will benefit as well from this.

 

[lufa6977]

Well I meant if doing a test between two products, shouldn't settings be the same? Turn off HDR for Daytime Test and Turn on HDR for Night Time. To make Apples to Apples comparison to show how both perform under same circumstances.



The Vueroid 4K looks so much worse than Viofo 4K because of the compression choice. 1/3rd less bitrate introduces a LOT more noise into the image. It is visible in both day and nighttime clarity. If the hardware permits, Vueroid Engineers need make serious adjustments to firmware settings to correct the issue.



Like the above, best to compare cameras identically with settings. Both on and Both Off. Gives a Fair comparison.

FYI:

In image below: Daytime Viofo you can read true and Car is in Focus. In Vueroid Liberty is hard to read and black car has a more crisp appearance.

In Night time, Vueroid rear is too "Blown Out" and over exposed.

View attachment 77261

View attachment 77260

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Some needs are greater than others. Ultimately, the daytime Vueroid image quality is more than sufficient to show the events of an accident, or some other occurrence. The Vueroid night image appears to show more detail than the Viofo, to my eyes anyway.

The D21 4K is quite capable at what it does and provides an image quality that is more than enough to prove innocence or show events. My only issue with the D21 4K has been the cost, I think it is slightly too high for the U.S. market, for what it provides.

 

[jsmith]

My guess, and it is only a guess, is that previously Vueroid has not been focused on the video image quality and feature set demands made by the western market. Americans what the cinema quality video with an in your face image of the license plates. Most other countries just need to record events to prove they are not the guilty party in an accident.

I believe this is Vueroid's first foray into the Americas market so there is a learning curve. From what I understand, they have been asking questions and listening and are producing the S1 Infinite to compete with the high quality dash cams that are presently in the Americas. Of course, other countries will benefit as well from this.

Russia has long been home to Dashcams due to Drunks, Poor Weather, Insurance Fraud, Scams, and Police Corruption: https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-insane-world-of-russian-dash-cam-videos/

Quality always matters.....However, it could be that in Asians markets / 3rd World Countries with a large Demographic of Poor, Affordability versus Quality had greater demand.

The D21 4K would not provide sufficient rear video at night. Even in Daytime the quality isn't spectacular in certain conditions.

The front camera would be acceptable.

According to @rcg530 the S1 is being designed to correct these concerns.

 

[SafeDriveSolutions]

Are you downloading the video footage to your phone in mp4 format then using those video files in your reviews? Or are you retreiving the video files in a different way?

I have always told people this is more of a smartphone power user dash camera that should be downloaded via smartphone app. I typically also air drop the video file to my mac or upload to google drive.

That has always been best results for me.

 

[kamkar]

I watched Russian dashcam videos for a while, now NOTHING is a suprise to me.

 

[rcg530]

Are you downloading the video footage to your phone in mp4 format then using those video files in your reviews? Or are you retreiving the video files in a different way?

I have always told people this is more of a smartphone power user dash camera that should be downloaded via smartphone app. I typically also air drop the video file to my mac or upload to google drive.

That has always been best results for me.

Hi Ben. I believe we discussed this during a recent phone call. The Vueroid app downloads the AVI file to the phone and then uses what appears to be the a ffmpeg library to extract the front or rear video along with the audio streams from the AVI file into a new mp4 file. The use of the Vueroid app is too slow to process the number of video files I need to have available for my comparison videos.

I bulk copy the video files from the dash camera's microSD card to my NAS file server for the selected date. I review the AVI files for the ones that I want to use in my videos along with the video files from any other dash cameras involved in my video. I use the ffmpeg command line utility to extract the video stream [front or rear] along with the audio track to create MP4 files. The video stream is not transcoded is simply copied as-is. The video stream copied out of the AVI file and placed into the MP4 file container, just like the Vueroid app is doing.

The video bitrates are the same in the MP4 file as they were in the AVI file since the raw video stream contents are copied from the AVI file to the MP4 file. The one thing that is transcoded in the Vueroid app created MP4 files and my MP4 files is the audio track.

Here's what ffprobe reports for the original AVI file created by the D21-4K:

• Stream "#0:0" is the front camera video stream: codec hevc/h.265
• Stream "#0:1" is the rear camera's video stream codec hevc/h.265
• Stream "#0:2" is the audio stream: codec pcm_s16le
• Stream "#0:3" is listed as a Subtitle stream, but I believe that must be where the GPS data is stored in the file

The pcm_s16le audio codec is not directly handled by the ffmpeg library/commands when creating MP4 files. When the Vueroid app creates the MP4 files it converts the audio track to be an"aac" audio stream to be placed into the MP4 file.

This is what ffprobe shows for the front camera MP4 file created by the iOS Vueroid app:

This bitrate for the front camera video stream is 20020 Kb/sec and the audio stream has been transcoded into the aac audio track. There is no "Subtitle" stream/track in the Vueroid app converted file. The video stream encoder is listed as "Lavf58.48.100" which is one of the supported encoders in the ffmpeg library of encoders.

This is what ffprobe shows for the rear camera MP4 file created by the iOS Vueroid app:

Here is the ffprobe output for the MP4 files I created from the same AVI file. The encoder is listed as "Lavf60.3.100" which appears to be a slightly newer version than the Vueroid app is using.

 

[indigo]

Thanks for your review. U are very very professional
I think d21 4k is a semi-finished product
It is very difficult and complex to use his app
Vueroid is new company to manufacture？
i am very disappointment at d21 4k

 

[indigo]

My guess, and it is only a guess, is that previously Vueroid has not been focused on the video image quality and feature set demands made by the western market. Americans what the cinema quality video with an in your face image of the license plates. Most other countries just need to record events to prove they are not the guilty party in an accident.

I believe this is Vueroid's first foray into the Americas market so there is a learning curve. From what I understand, they have been asking questions and listening and are producing the S1 Infinite to compete with the high quality dash cams that are presently in the Americas. Of course, other countries will benefit as well from this.

i think all countries need very good video image quality dashcams, espeially, d21 use sony imx 678 and d21 sell not cheaper!
it seem d21 sell more expensive than viofo 329? but d21 is not better than viofo 329
vueriod should update his firmware for d21 soon

 

[jsmith]

Hi Ben. I believe we discussed this during a recent phone call. The Vueroid app downloads the AVI file to the phone and then uses what appears to be the a ffmpeg library to extract the front or rear video along with the audio streams from the AVI file into a new mp4 file. The use of the Vueroid app is too slow to process the number of video files I need to have available for my comparison videos.

I bulk copy the video files from the dash camera's microSD card to my NAS file server for the selected date. I review the AVI files for the ones that I want to use in my videos along with the video files from any other dash cameras involved in my video. I use the ffmpeg command line utility to extract the video stream [front or rear] along with the audio track to create MP4 files. The video stream is not transcoded is simply copied as-is. The video stream copied out of the AVI file and placed into the MP4 file container, just like the Vueroid app is doing.

The video bitrates are the same in the MP4 file as they were in the AVI file since the raw video stream contents are copied from the AVI file to the MP4 file. The one thing that is transcoded in the Vueroid app created MP4 files and my MP4 files is the audio track.

Here's what ffprobe reports for the original AVI file created by the D21-4K:

View attachment 77264

• Stream "#0:0" is the front camera video stream: codec hevc/h.265
• Stream "#0:1" is the rear camera's video stream codec hevc/h.265
• Stream "#0:2" is the audio stream: codec pcm_s16le
• Stream "#0:3" is listed as a Subtitle stream, but I believe that must be where the GPS data is stored in the file

The pcm_s16le audio codec is not directly handled by the ffmpeg library/commands when creating MP4 files. When the Vueroid app creates the MP4 files it converts the audio track to be an"aac" audio stream to be placed into the MP4 file.

This is what ffprobe shows for the front camera MP4 file created by the iOS Vueroid app:

View attachment 77271

This bitrate for the front camera video stream is 20020 Kb/sec and the audio stream has been transcoded into the aac audio track. There is no "Subtitle" stream/track in the Vueroid app converted file. The video stream encoder is listed as "Lavf58.48.100" which is one of the supported encoders in the ffmpeg library of encoders.

This is what ffprobe shows for the rear camera MP4 file created by the iOS Vueroid app:

View attachment 77270

Here is the ffprobe output for the MP4 files I created from the same AVI file. The encoder is listed as "Lavf60.3.100" which appears to be a slightly newer version than the Vueroid app is using.

View attachment 77273

View attachment 77274

Did you write a script or batch file for items on SD card to automatically upload to your NAS? I thought the D21-4k wasn't LTE capable or Internet Capable?

Sadly, you confirmed my chief complaint @rcg530 videos The upload has 20mbit bitrate and rear 8mbit.

This needs corrected because the compression is simply too low to maximize full use of the 4K stream. The mp4 (or AVI) file created is heavily pixelated at night and the front camera only offers moderate clarity at 20mbits in the daytime.

 

[SafeDriveSolutions]

Hi Ben. I believe we discussed this during a recent phone call. The Vueroid app downloads the AVI file to the phone and then uses what appears to be the a ffmpeg library to extract the front or rear video along with the audio streams from the AVI file into a new mp4 file. The use of the Vueroid app is too slow to process the number of video files I need to have available for my comparison videos.

I bulk copy the video files from the dash camera's microSD card to my NAS file server for the selected date. I review the AVI files for the ones that I want to use in my videos along with the video files from any other dash cameras involved in my video. I use the ffmpeg command line utility to extract the video stream [front or rear] along with the audio track to create MP4 files. The video stream is not transcoded is simply copied as-is. The video stream copied out of the AVI file and placed into the MP4 file container, just like the Vueroid app is doing.

The video bitrates are the same in the MP4 file as they were in the AVI file since the raw video stream contents are copied from the AVI file to the MP4 file. The one thing that is transcoded in the Vueroid app created MP4 files and my MP4 files is the audio track.

Here's what ffprobe reports for the original AVI file created by the D21-4K:

View attachment 77264

• Stream "#0:0" is the front camera video stream: codec hevc/h.265
• Stream "#0:1" is the rear camera's video stream codec hevc/h.265
• Stream "#0:2" is the audio stream: codec pcm_s16le
• Stream "#0:3" is listed as a Subtitle stream, but I believe that must be where the GPS data is stored in the file

The pcm_s16le audio codec is not directly handled by the ffmpeg library/commands when creating MP4 files. When the Vueroid app creates the MP4 files it converts the audio track to be an"aac" audio stream to be placed into the MP4 file.

This is what ffprobe shows for the front camera MP4 file created by the iOS Vueroid app:

View attachment 77271

This bitrate for the front camera video stream is 20020 Kb/sec and the audio stream has been transcoded into the aac audio track. There is no "Subtitle" stream/track in the Vueroid app converted file. The video stream encoder is listed as "Lavf58.48.100" which is one of the supported encoders in the ffmpeg library of encoders.

This is what ffprobe shows for the rear camera MP4 file created by the iOS Vueroid app:

View attachment 77270

Here is the ffprobe output for the MP4 files I created from the same AVI file. The encoder is listed as "Lavf60.3.100" which appears to be a slightly newer version than the Vueroid app is using.

View attachment 77273

View attachment 77274

The point I wanted to make is this is not what a normal customer would do.

A normal customer would download 1 or 2 videos and compare them.

I appreciate all your testing Robert but I always test how a customer would be using the product.

 

[kamkar]

always test how a customer would be using the product.

That is also my main thing, i appreciate the guys that do power usage and what not, but it is way past what i would do.

I just like to gain experience, and so have a proper knowledge database to deploy when people come looking for information often on purchase of a new system, though i must also say i am not keen on just throwing a brand / model in the face of people.

But a few of them i would do, along with a wall of text that hopefully empower people to make up their own decision on what to get.

I would really hate if someone called me a influencer, i would take that as a insult.

 

[Nigel]

That is also my main thing, i appreciate the guys that do power usage and what not, but it is way past what i would do.

It is good to have somebody extract the best out of a dashcam and to reveal the details, even if most people won't.
It would be boring if all reviewers/testers did the same tests, and it would find less issues!

rgc530 is only doing what everyone used to do, with putting the card in their computer instead of using their phone to download the files. The only difference with this camera is that not all video editors/players can cope with the file format, so he is separating the video streams into more normal format files before using the editor/player; doesn't matter if he uses ffmpeg or a Vueroid phone or PC app to do that, but with ffmpeg it can be automated to save a lot of time. The phone app needs reviewing/testing, but that doesn't mean you have to handle all the files that way; putting the memory card in your PC memory card reader is perfectly valid, as is pointing out the inability of many players and editors to display all the video streams in the files without first separating them. People need to know the issues, and this is a real issue with this camera, or maybe just a feature, maybe even a good feature, depending on your point of view!

 

[Augustus]

It is good to have somebody extract the best out of a dashcam and to reveal the details, even if most people won't.
It would be boring if all reviewers/testers did the same tests, and it would find less issues!

rgc530 is only doing what everyone used to do, with putting the card in their computer instead of using their phone to download the files. The only difference with this camera is that not all video editors/players can cope with the file format, so he is separating the video streams into more normal format files before using the editor/player; doesn't matter if he uses ffmpeg or a Vueroid phone or PC app to do that, but with ffmpeg it can be automated to save a lot of time. The phone app needs reviewing/testing, but that doesn't mean you have to handle all the files that way; putting the memory card in your PC memory card reader is perfectly valid, as is pointing out the inability of many players and editors to display all the video streams in the files without first separating them. People need to know the issues, and this is a real issue with this camera, or maybe just a feature, maybe even a good feature, depending on your point of view!

While I understand what Robert is doing, it is a lot even for users that prefer to copy via memory card reader (i.e. other methods than using a phone app over WiFi). It's an extremely technical analysis for power users, that would go over most people's heads.

As you say, it would be boring if everyone did the same tests as a reviewer, so it is good for there to be multiple takes and analysis methods on a product for review. But unfortunately I'd have to agree with @safedrivesolutions that this analysis is of limited benefit to most users out there.

 

[indigo]

i try again useing ultra lp capture
and d21 4k is still worse than viofo 229pro

that is very disappointed dashcam by use sony imx 678
i cannot believe his new s1 now

I see. Does Ultra LP Capture do any better than "Normal" HDR on the Vueroid? Have you compared these two side by side?

Still puzzled on Vueroid's choice to use 1/3rd bitrate on 4K and create an image with a LOT of noise introduced to video.

 

[lufa6977]

When I want to know an 'absolute' about a dash cam, or verify my own data, I turn to the reports from @rcg530 . That data is for the dash cam geek and hyper-enthusiast on DCT, however, DCT does not represent the rest of the dash cam world and, this is where 'real life' testing is valuable to the DCT visitors that may or may not have an account. The real world evaluation is what makes @safedrivesolutions videos worth watching. @Vortex Radar has good consumer level reviews on products and I often send folks to his Youtube channel. It is fortunate that all three of them are here to provide a perspective that is relative to a wider range of dash cam users.

I seldom bulk download files, no real need to actually and I suspect darn few people will need to bulk download video files from the TF card. When I do need a video I simply do a WiFi download to my iPhone and then download those to my PC. My only concern is will I have issues with the @Vueroid file format with Debian. I expect not but time will tell.

 

[rcg530]

I did test using the Android Vueroid app and iOS Vueroid app to download and convert the raw AVI file into MP4 files for the front and rear cameras. I always test the app provided by the dash camera company to see how the average consumer would use the app to manage the dash camera and its video content. I always install the products in my vehicles [dash cameras and battery packs] to get "real world" experience using the products as they are intended to be used by the end consumer.

I'm not sure what all of the pushback is related to use of a bulk copying of the raw AVI files from the microSD card to my computer or NAS drive. I wrote batch [cmd] scripts that copy the video files from the dash camera's source media to my local computer or NAS drive. In the Vueroid D21-4K and FineVu GX1000 cases, the AVI file container type with two video streams stored in one AVI file, my video editor [Adobe Premiere Pro] cannot handle selecting a video stream other than the first one [front camera] from the AVI file. I wrote batch scripts that use the ffmpeg program to extract [copy not transcode] the video stream and extract the audio stream from the AVI file into MP4 file [just like their app is doing].

I've used this bulk copy approach for years with every single dash camera that I've reviewed. It allows me to go back and review the footage long after the video files would have been purged from the microSD, SSD or internal eMMC drive. There are many valid ways to deal with managing the video file content for a dash camera review and this is my approach and it works well. If your internal review process is different, that's fine. We're all just trying to figure out how well dash camera products work or don't work.