Nice battery setup.
I’ve had a couple dashcams , but not completely happy.
Which one is your favorite and possible for you to share the model and brand of the new one you’ve just received?
OK, this is prolly more than you were looking for, but here we go:
I don't mean to be difficult, but "favorite" will vary depending on usage scenario and needs. Most of the cameras I've reviewed are from Vantrue, I've also looked at one or two from Viofo (both EXCELLENT brands and there are other brands I haven't reviewed that are also excellent). The camera that just arrived yesterday (specific fit to specific vehicles) is one that I WON'T recommend to anyone - they are a fly-by-night company peddling low quality crap at high prices and use deceptive marketing practices to trick customers into buying something that amounts to false advertising. They advertise 4K resolution, but they are digitally upscaling an 8-year old 2K video sensor to produce a 4K video stream. Sadly, many no-name brands do this. My review of that product will not be kind, but it will be honest.
The Vantrue cameras have an optional LTE module that will allow you to receive real-time notifications of parking impacts on your phone which is a pretty cool feature. Viofo has "slightly" higher image quality than Vantrue, but the difference is VERY small. Among top-tier companies, differences in video quality are small.
In order to address "favorite" or "best" a clear use-case needs to be established first. Do you plan to use parking mode? Or just drive mode recording? How many channels do you need (1ch, 2ch, 3ch, or 4ch)? Do you want cameras that mount externally or internally? Each has a different purpose.
1-ch cameras are front facing only.
2-ch cameras are typically front + rear recording.
3-ch cameras are front+cabin+rear and are great for rideshare or driving kids around because you have interior footage.
4-ch cameras have front+rear external in addition to front+rear internal. These are great for recording side views of your car out the side windows and are best for parking mode recordings, but they consume more power while recording (more channels and more processing).
My all-time favorite is a one channel (front only) 4K camera: Vantrue E1 Pro. Its very small (a tiny cube) so it is a very unobtrusive install, has great image quality, and the price is nice (often less than $150). I put it in my daughter's car when she was 400 miles away at school. A very similar product from Viofo is their new A119M camera. Both are excellent and highly recommended.
For two channels (front and rear), I like the Vantrue S1 Pro Max. It records 4k for both front AND rear (very nice!), has excellent video quality, and is a pretty small package.
For two- and three-channel flexibility, the Viofo A329 (S or T postfix) is a strong contender. The front channel is 4K and others are 2.5K at 1440p. The A329 can be configured with the third channel as a cabin camera (S version) or an awesome 4x front telephoto camera (T version) for reading license plates at a distance. they even have weatherproof external cameras available as a different variant. Another nice one is the Vantrue N4 Pro S which has a 4K front camera, 1K cabin camera (with IR lights for night time), and 2.5K rear camera. Image quality it top tier for both, so is the price tag.
For four channel capability, the Vantrue N5S is where it's at, but the front channel is only 2K instead of 4k. But, you pick up TWO cabin cameras, one front and one rear that provide 360 degree coverage for your car while parked. This is a nice feature.
All of the above VERY quick and I've left out LOTS of details.
Presently, I'm running a 4K Viofo A329T 3-ch (for the telephoto during drive mode), a 4K Viofo A139 Pro 2-ch (front and rear - was a gift from my son), and a 2.5k Vantrue N5S 4-ch (front, front interior, rear interior, and rear - for 360 degree parking mode). Each connects to my DIY parking battery. It's impossible to approach my car without being recorded
.
Here is my review of the Vantrue N4 Pro S camera. It has links to other Vantrue cameras I've reviewed:
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/reviewing-and-testing-the-vantrue-n4-pro-s.53519/
My review of the Viofo A329T is here:
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/reviewing-and-testing-the-3-ch-viofo-a329t.55092/
Apologies in advance - I hope I'm not breaking forum rules with links to another site. I'd recommend any of the 10 brands that are most-prominently featured on this website. Once you get to the "second tier stuff" you are clearly taking a step down in features and quality.
