Which recording resolution get the clearest picture?

ajw1100

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Dash Cam
Now Viofo 119S. Was Mobius Action Cam
I am not sure which resolution should give the clearest recording, There are quite a few to try! I have tried 30 & 60fps but neither seems to give a clear playback, on 60 the video seems swamped or over compressed, giving a less than sharp picture. For example a registration plate or street name board seems to be made of bits, like someone has taken a knife to them and didn't quite get it all back together properly!
 
in good light or day time 60 fps as you can get 1/60 - 1/250+ easily - the best clarity
at less light or night time 30 fps as you might get limited to 1/30, so 60 fps is twice faster - or HW can just duplicate the same 1/30 twice to give you artificial 60 FPS
however, when you set WDR that helps at night time you get resulting 30 FPS
so, it really depends on how or when you use it - IMHO

my 2c
 
The higher the bitrate, the better the overall image quality (free from artefacts). Try some higher bitrate modded firmwares @60fps for fluid motion.
 
Thanks for the replies, I am using 1920x1080 60fps and if I can work out how I will upload a clip of my recording. I assume bitrate refers to the 1920x1080 so am using the highest rate listed at 60fps, I will try the 1280x720 120fps, would that improve clarity? I do around 90% of my driving in daylight, although of course we are now heading into winter so less daylight hours!
Link to youtube video:
As luck would have it I was doing just on 30mph (45 kph) and I saw the copper a long time before he was able to be seen on the recording. Seems mid to far focus is very poor as far as details go. Thoughts on how to improve matters appreciated. I am using the latest firmware and have a Viofo CPL filter attached.

Just watched it from here and it looks even worse than the original...........
 
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No, 1920x1080 pixels is the (full high) definition of each of the 60 frames in a second; bitrate is the number of bits used for encoding those 60 frames. Original firmware uses 20 Mbps for 1920x1080@60fps, or 15 Mbps for 1980x1080@30fps. Modified firmwares use higher bitrates, up to 27.5 Mbps for both 60 fps and 30 fps, that greatly improves image quality.
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/a119s-modified-firmware-mods-archive.35824/

Use Google Drive for posting your footage.
 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JHOFUOkJynKKEbsih7JYUlAdX9k_2ZbG/view?usp=sharing

Thank you, never used Google Drive so that's something I learned today, just hope it plays better than the one on YouTube!

Okay, so I am best to continue with 1920x1080 60fps. I will read up via the link you have posted but 37 pages will take some time. I played the videos on the last page which do look better than mine but I am not an expert in these matters tand fear I would brick my 119s :cautious:
 
and have a Viofo CPL filter attached.
I suggest you check that the CPL is correctly aligned, doesn't appear to be working very well in the video.

Under trees, there is a huge amount of information to be recorded, all those leaves 60 times a second, at the standard bitrates there is not enough space to get all the details stored, it is normal to loose detail in the road surface and sky.
 
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Sorry to appear rather silly, but my CPL clicks in place with no other adjustments available...... It's nicely and fully clicked on..
Perhaps I am expecting far too much from the camera, however it is clarity I need for registration numbers or clarity of footage in case of accident.
 
Thanks for the link. Well that's news to me, I stupidly thought that buying a Viofo filter for a Viofo dashcam would at least mean the setup would be correct. Maybe I have one of them that was not correctly adjusted. I will play the video and hope I understand what to do....
 
Thanks for the link. Well that's news to me, I stupidly thought that buying a Viofo filter for a Viofo dashcam would at least mean the setup would be correct. Maybe I have one of them that was not correctly adjusted. I will play the video and hope I understand what to do....
rotate the filter a little bit at a time until you get what you like from it - it's made rounded just for this reason.
smile3.gif
 
rotate the filter a little bit at a time until you get what you like from it - it's made rounded just for this reason.
smile3.gif
I suggest testing it before making any adjustment, but to me it looks like it is incorrectly adjusted. They should all be correct when they leave the factory, but we have seen that for some reason a few are not correct by the time they are placed on the dashcams.
 
Polarised lens adapters only reduce the amount of reflection and like polaroid sunglass are not always effective.
 
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Is the uploaded file created by your dashcam? (or some video editing software?)

If this is the original file, the modified firmware you are using has an extremely high bitrate (46Mbps), while Viofo firmwares do not use more than 24Mbps. I bet your dashcam gets pretty hot inside, considerably reducing its lifespan.
The image quality is also not impressive for such a high bitrate. For clearer image use 60fps instead of 30fps and a bitrate not higher than 27Mbps.
 
Thanks for yur comments, I have no idea of bitrates so am lost on that one. The video is just copied from the card to my PC and uploaded through Google Drive. I am using 60fps not 30fps, well that is what I set it at anyway. I am looking for better clarity in the recordings.
 
Bitrates change according to content even if set to 27Mbps. The rate changes according to the complexity of the scene but should average around the bitrate set. Your video is saying that it's average bitrate is 46Mbps almost 2xDVD rate. See below (This output from media info);

General
Complete name : D:\Temp\Viofo clarity example - Mod FW .mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42 (mp41/isom)
File size : 303 MiB
Duration : 55 s 253 ms
Overall bit rate : 46.0 Mb/s (V.High)
Encoded date : UTC 2018-10-25 16:09:27
Tagged date : UTC 2018-10-25 16:09:27
Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4
Format settings : CABAC / 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=30
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 55 s 233 ms
Bit rate : 45.9 Mb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 30.000 FPS not 60fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.738
Stream size : 302 MiB (100%)
Encoded date : UTC 2018-10-25 16:09:27
Tagged date : UTC 2018-10-25 16:09:27
mdhd_Duration : 55233
Codec configuration box : avcC

A 27Mbps video from A119 V2 1440P at 30FPS;
Complete name : D:\Temp\Mod 7Rf CPL on.MP4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42 (isom/avc1/mp42)
File size : 584 MiB
Duration : 3 min 0 s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 27.2 Mb/s
Movie_More : 400B7R
Encoded date : UTC 2018-10-18 09:01:46
Tagged date : UTC 2018-10-18 09:01:46
Origin : NOVATEK
Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L5.1
Format settings : CABAC / 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=15
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 3 min 0 s
Bit rate : 26.6 Mb/s
Width : 2 560 pixels
Height : 1 440 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 30.000 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.241
Stream size : 571 MiB (98%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2018-10-18 09:01:46
Tagged date : UTC 2018-10-18 09:01:46
Codec configuration box : avcC

Flash the Dash Cam again and make sure you reset to default and then setup. Down load and check the video again using "Media Info". Easy found on google and its free. As dacbuc says there a great risk of frying your Dash cam at that Bite Rate if you don't sort it out.
 
Thank you, I certainly do not want to fry my dash-cam and looking at the above - bearing in mind how little I understand of such things - I can see that there are some large differences between the two logs in some areas. Again please excuse my ignorance but when you advise to Flash the Dash Cam I assume you mean back to its original state and VIOFO FW then reset to default and then change the settings as required. Copy the video on the card taken from the camera (Recorded on the Modded FW) and check it with Media Info. I am not sure what this will achieve, do you mean compare it with the first log in your reply? Or travel the same route again and download that to compare?
Apologies for being so dense, as you will have gathered this is not my best subject :unsure: .
 
It might be wise to reset the dash cam. There is a small hole on the side to do this, then flash the camera again, only use a safe power supply such as a phone charger. Power banks have been known to cause problems.
Then flash with your chosen firmware. Then take some video. then on the pc start up Media Info and select the video and it will return a list similar those posted where you will be able check the bitrate to see if it is within the correct rate. Only download "BCHobbyist's" MODs to make sure that you have not got a malicious file parading as a good MOD.
If you have any doubt you can watch many videos on YouTube to guide you though updating. I suggest checking out BCHobbist's YouTube Channel.
 
You learn something every day, be even better if you understood what you have learnt :unsure:.

I have again downloaded the latest FW from the Viofo site, 2.61 I think it was.
Reset, formatted, returned to default settings, changed settings to my needs. took a short video of my desk and downloaded Media Info. This is the resulting report on the video, I am not using Audio so didn't bother with that part.

General
Complete name : L:\DCIM\Movie\2018_1027_155229_004.MP4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42 (isom/avc1/mp42)
File size : 205 MiB
Duration : 1 min 11 s
Overall bit rate : 24.0 Mb/s
Movie_More : DEMO1
Encoded date : UTC 2018-10-27 15:53:40
Tagged date : UTC 2018-10-27 15:53:40
Origin : NOVATEK

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L5.1
Format settings : CABAC / 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, RefFrames : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=15
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 1 min 11 s
Bit rate : 23.8 Mb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 60.000 FPS :)
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.191
Stream size : 202 MiB (99%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2018-10-27 15:53:40
Tagged date : UTC 2018-10-27 15:53:40
Codec configuration box : avcC

I guess that's put it back to normal with a 23.8 bit rate. Is there a way of improving clarity without cooking the camera?
 
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