Which Best Buy offering should I buy?

[Elkins45]

New member, first post, beyond noob.

I would like a dash cam with a rear facing camera for insurance/liability purposes. I'm old and becoming increasingly creaky, so one of my major considerations is that I want someone else to install it for me. I had good luck getting Best Buy to install a new stereo in my old truck and since they also install dash cams I've decided to (most likely) limit my search to them. Here's a link to the models they sell: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/search...rue&iht=y&usc=All+Categories&ks=960&keys=keys

I'm not entirely certain that them most expensive option is the best here, but as I said I'm beyond a noob. Which would best meet my needs for a basic and unobtrusive camera system? FYI I have an iPhone SE (2nd gen) and am comfortable not having a big screen on the device. Thanks in advance for helpful input.

 

[Agie]

New member, first post, beyond noob.

I would like a dash cam with a rear facing camera for insurance/liability purposes. I'm old and becoming increasingly creaky, so one of my major considerations is that I want someone else to install it for me. I had good luck getting Best Buy to install a new stereo in my old truck and since they also install dash cams I've decided to (most likely) limit my search to them. Here's a link to the models they sell: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/search...rue&iht=y&usc=All+Categories&ks=960&keys=keys

I'm not entirely certain that them most expensive option is the best here, but as I said I'm beyond a noob. Which would best meet my needs for a basic and unobtrusive camera system? FYI I have an iPhone SE (2nd gen) and am comfortable not having a big screen on the device. Thanks in advance for helpful input.

Doesn't Best Buy install dash cams not bought from them too? I wouldn't go for Rexing cos they're fake 4k, also Nextbase are battery and not capacitor so not designed or great for hot weather.

If it was me, I'd personally go for a viofo or maybe Thinkware. I'm sure others could add to this post with specific models for two-channel models. One for front and one for rear. Unless you want one for cabin, one for front.

 

[DT MI]

I want someone else to install it for me. I had good luck getting Best Buy to install a new stereo in my old truck and since they also install dash cams I've decided to (most likely) limit my search to them.

Best Buy's selection of dash cams is severely limited, and none of what they offer would be on my short list.

IMO you should first decide on what camera will best suit your needs and only then consider your installation options. Just about any auto stereo shop will have the same (or better) level of expertise to do the installation as does Best Buy.

Don't sell yourself short on doing the install yourself. It can be somewhat tedious (or even a PITA) but not particularly difficult.

 

[kamkar]

I would buy locally / in country to enjoy your buyer protection laws.

Installing at least basic with the 12 V lighter socket in the dash for power is easy, in that case it is just the routing of the wire.

You can find many videos on youtube on how to install dashcams, it is generally the same no matter the brand of camera or car, so in front feed in wire above the headliner ( tool less job ) then you need to come down A pillar, here you probably have to pull off the plastic trim, in my car this is 2 piece, so forst a small triangle i have to pull off, that reveal 1 screw that hold the main piece well at least in regard to curtain airbags going off, otherwise that is also just snap on and will pry right off.
Then in my car i feed wire thru gap to down under the dashboard ( actually i feed / fish the wire up as the 12 V plug do not go thru that small gap )
Here you can also go along the headliner to the A pillar and then go down putting the wire in between the door weather seal and the car body, you just have to make sure that any airbag retention string you get behind it as otherwise when it deploy it will pull off the wire, so you still need to remove A pillar plastic trim.

Under the dash its then just a matter of getting to the 12 V plug in a unobtrusive way, but there is plenty of room down there, also where you will want to coil up any excessive wire and zip tie, hell even just tape it to something so its out of the way.

 

[Panzer Platform]

Best Buy to install a new stereo in my old truck and since they also install dash cams I've decided to (most likely) limit my search to them.

Every single one of those 74 cameras sold buy Best buy is junk.
Your absolute minimum requirements should be;
1.) STARVIS 2 Image Sensor
2.) HDR.
STARVIS 2 without HDR is almost useless at night.
Start with those specifications, and work your way down.
Installation is a piece of piss you only have to do once.
People regard "professional" installation from retailers like this as the end all be all.
These "professional" installers are responsible for a lot of posts here of recording malfunctions, (parking mode, not shutting off, etc.)
-Chuck

 

[Elkins45]

Every single one of those 74 cameras sold buy Best buy is junk.
Your absolute minimum requirements should be;
1.) STARVIS 2 Image Sensor
2.) HDR.
STARVIS 2 without HDR is almost useless at night.
Start with those specifications, and work your way down.
Installation is a piece of piss you only have to do once.
People regard "professional" installation from retailers like this as the end all be all.
These "professional" installers are responsible for a lot of posts here of recording malfunctions, (parking mode, not shutting off, etc.)
-Chuck

My brief research makes me think there aren’t a lot of cameras with these specs. What are your thoughts on the Vifio A139 PRO two channel version?

 

[Agie]

My brief research makes me think there aren’t a lot of cameras with these specs. What are your thoughts on the Vifio A139 PRO two channel version?

Plenty of reviews here about the A139 Pro, also Vantrue Nexus 4 Pro with same IMX678 sensors, and upcoming A229 Pro which has both the Imx678 and imx675.

 

[Panzer Platform]

thoughts on the Vifio A139 PRO two channel

Since day one (November 2022) I have only recommended the A139 Pro in 1-Channel configuration;

A139 Pro Test & Review PP

Let’s take a moment, and give @viofo a hand. They’re on a hot streak of releasing three “best in class” dash cams in the past five months, (A229 Duo, A119 Mini, A139 Pro). I’ve only been into dash cams since 2019, and I don’t think I’ve seen this many new models in such a short amount of time...

dashcamtalk.com

1.) In 3-CH configuration all three channels drop from 30fps to 24fps turning it into a Fake 4K dash cam, (see chapter called Fake 4K in my review for explanation).
2.) In 2-CH configuration the front camera’s Bitrate drops from 60 Mbps to 45 Mbps.
3.) The rear camera is only 1080p STARVIS 1 no HDR.

The A229 Pro has fixed these 3 issues.
1.) In 3-CH configuration it can maintain 30fps on all three channels and the front camera can maintain true 4K resolution (3840x2160).
2.) In 2-CH REAR configuration the front camera’s Bitrate is maintained at 60 Mbps.
In 2-CH IR INTERIOR configuration the front camera’s Bitrate drops from 60 Mbps to 36 Mbps.
3.) The rear camera is 2K STARVIS 2 with HDR.

Q: Why is full recording Bitrate important?
A: Without the full Bitrate image quality is reduced.

However, as of 9/22/23 I can’t recommend the A229 Pro until we see hands on reviews here on this forum.
The only current dash cam I could recommend is the A119 Mini 2, (install two, one front one rear).

A119 Mini 2 Test & Review PP

How about a round of applause for @viofo? It looks like they’ve done it again. I started reviewing dash cams for Viofo June 14, 2022. In the past 11 months they’ve released the original A119 Mini, A229 Duo, A139 Pro, WM1, and now the A119 Mini 2. All of them in my opinion are “class leaders”...

dashcamtalk.com

You may want to wait a few weeks until we see hands on testing of the A229 Pro & A229 Plus.

 

[Elkins45]

Do I actually need rear view? Wouldn’t a front view recording showing you weren’t rolling backwards be enough to prove you were rear-ended rather than backed into someone?

 

[Agie]

Do I actually need rear view? Wouldn’t a front view recording showing you weren’t rolling backwards be enough to prove you were rear-ended rather than backed into someone?

Not sure what the laws are where you live, but I'm in Australia and was rear-ended last year. Didn't even ask me for my dash cam footage as it's automatically assumed that you are the at fault driver if you hit someone from behind.

Rear dash cam is useful to show more angles should there be a multi-car pile-up where for example, the fourth car behind you was a drug-fuelled driver and rear-ended the car in front which led to a dominos effect. And a rear dash cam is useful in general to give even more context to an accident, or verbal abuse or whatnot.

It's better to have it than wish you had that extra angle when an incident does occur.

 

[Panzer Platform]

Do I actually need rear view?

A229 Pro, when?

If you want to film what is happening around the car, then you need to take rear cameras. Well, if it’s a salon, then everything is correct. I'm confused about what @Augie's plan is. Does he want front/rear/side coverage or front/rear/ + interior front/rear shot from the right hand side of...

dashcamtalk.com

 

[Nigel]

Do I actually need rear view? Wouldn’t a front view recording showing you weren’t rolling backwards be enough to prove you were rear-ended rather than backed into someone?

Front video with audio is sufficient in almost all cases, even for rear impacts, and a front only camera is generally more reliable, so if you are looking to keep things simple then the Viofo A119 Mini 2 is a good choice.

Rear video does show what happened to cause an accident, and whose fault it actually was if someone decides to deny that it was them that hit you and it was actually the invisible person who drove off, even though the front of their car is caved in! In most cases there isn't any argument and front video will speed up insurance claims as there is no need for arguments or questioning. It is nice to have rear video even if not essential.

but as I said I'm beyond a noob. Which would best meet my needs for a basic and unobtrusive camera system?

Since day one (November 2022) I have only recommended the A139 Pro in 1-Channel configuration;
2.) In 2-CH configuration the front camera’s Bitrate drops from 60 Mbps to 45 Mbps.

The A229 Pro has fixed these 3 issues.

Being realistic about the requirements, we do not need the very highest videophile quality available!

The A229 Pro is not currently for noobs, it is going to need frequent firmware updates to sort the problems over the next few months, it is not even in full production yet!

The A139 Pro 2 channel has had a year to sort all the issues and is now a reliable dashcam that can just be installed and forgotten about. And 45 Mbps is plenty for 2 channels unless you want to make top quality movies, which is not the requirement!

I will suggest the A139, either 1 or 2 channel, over the A119 Mini 2 because having double the resolution is useful with hard to read USA plates, don't know what Kentucky plates are like though. Make sure it is paired with a Viofo recommended memory card if you want reliability.

Both cameras are easy to install for any professional and are good choices for ease of use, image quality and reliability.