Dashcam

• DDPai N5 Dual dashcam, Ranger action cam now in Malaysia – 4K video, radar sensor, RM449 to RM1,099

  In Local News / By Jonathan Lee / 21 March 2024 2:46 pm / 5 comments

  

  Chinese dashcam maker DDPai has launched its latest products in Malaysia – the N5 Dual dashcam and Ranger action cam, aimed at car and motorcycle owners respectively. The former offers new technologies aimed at providing better security monitoring and preventing theft, while the latter breaks into a new market segment for the brand. Both come with an 18-month warranty.

  DDPai N5 Dual

  

  The N5 Dual is DDPai’s new midrange offering, and as the name suggests, it combines a 4K forward-facing dashcam with a 1080p rearward-facing dashcam. This is DDPai’s cheapest 4K dashcam, priced at RM449 for both cameras. It can now be purchased on Shopee and Lazada.

  Fitted to the front dashcam is a wide-angle lens with an f/1.8 aperture and a 140-degree field of view. It shoots 3,840 x 2,160 video at 25 fps and supports H.264 and AI.265 encoding. NightVis noise reduction technology improves image quality in low light.

  A new feature is the optional radar sensor, mounted next to the dashcam on the front windscreen. Combined with DDPai’s AI motion detection technology, it allows the N5 Dual to switch on and start recording when it detects a collision or possible theft, reducing battery drain and allowing up to 15 days of recording. With the radar sensor, the price of the N5 Dual rises to RM599.

  

  

  The rear camera (left) and optional radar sensor

  The N5 Dual also features Intelligent Power Saving (IPS), which can sense if the car’s battery voltage is low and reduce its own voltage consumption to ensure you’re not stranded the next time you try and start your car. Like other DDPai dashcams, the N5 Dual uses a supercapacitor instead of a backup battery, which last longer and poses a lower fire risk (no bloated battery), especially in our hot weather.

  Other features include voice control (you can ask it to take a photo, for instance) as well as driver assistance functions like a front departure alert and a rest reminder. The N5 Dual is fitted with GPS and supports 5 GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity. It has 32 GB of onboard eMMC storage and can accept MicroSD cards up to 512 GB.

  DDPai Ranger

  

  The DDPai Ranger is being touted as a professional riding camera and is essentially a cut-price alternative to full-fledged action cameras from the likes of GoPro and Insta360. It’s priced at RM1,099, about half the price of the latest GoPro Hero 12 Black. It too is available on Shopee and Lazada. For today only, all purchases of the Ranger come with a universal mount, which normally costs RM100 extra.

  Like the N5 Dual, it’s a 4K camera, this time equipped with a wider, faster lens with a 150-degree field of view and an f/1.6 aperture. It’s not quite as versatile as a GoPro – it only records 3,840 x 2,160 video at up to 30 fps and 1440p video at up to 60 fps, so it can’t shoot slow-motion videos (although it does have a timelapse function).

  

  What it does have is D-Flow image stabilisation for smooth videos, along with the same NightVis noise reduction tech as the N5 Dual. A 1,600 mAh non-removable battery provides 110 minutes of 4K recording and 150 minutes of 1080p recording. You can also connect the Ranger to an external power source like a power bank using an optional charging base for continuous recording.

  This being a “riding camera”, the Ranger is able to display motorcycle or bicycle riding data such as speed, duration, gradient, altitude and routing thanks to the inclusion of GPS, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and an altimeter. All this info can be overlaid onto the video footage and is shown on a 1.3-inch touchscreen at the top, which can also be used to monitor and play back footage.

  

  

  For added toughness, the Ranger has a one-piece metal body and carries an IP67 rating, meaning that it’s dust resistant and is rated to be submersible in up to one metre of water up to 30 minutes. An air-cooled enclosure helps prevent overheating during sustained recording.

  The Ranger also supports 5 GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 5.2, and it comes with 128 GB of eMMC storage. One major drawback is that it doesn’t appear to have an SD or MicroSD card slot, meaning that you can only store footage in the built-in storage.

  GALLERY: DDPai N5 Dual

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  
  GALLERY: DDPai Ranger

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

   

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• Lokatag Pro integrated TnG SmartTag + dashcam device with Loka app launched in Malaysia – RM1,799

  In Local News, Technology / By Mick Chan / 24 January 2024 11:30 am / 17 comments

  

  Nearly five years on from the introduction of Lokatag in 2019, Amtel, the company behind the brand has launched Lokatag Pro, an upgraded version of the built-in Touch ‘n Go card reader in the fashion of the SmartTag device that most Malaysian motorists would be familiar with, now including an expanded feature set.

  Retailing at RM1,799 with pre-orders for the device now being taken for delivery in March, the Lokatag Pro will join the base Lokatag device that continues to be available to purchase, such as via the Lokatag online store on Shopee as well as through authorised dealers.

  Building upon the functionality of the base Lokatag, the Lokatag Pro is a built-in toll card reader with added connected functions and integrates a dashcam, which Amtel says is the first of its kind on the Malaysian market.

  The Lokatag Pro toll reader employs infrared technology from Efkon and supports both traditional and new NFC-enabled Touch ‘n Go cards, continuing to offer the same basic functionality of using SmartTag lanes at highway toll plazas.

  

  

  

  

  Added to these are GPS tracking, real-time alerts, cloud remote control access as well as over-the-air updates through the Loka App, which enables tracking of passage through SmartTag gantries, including toll fares paid. Also included in the Lokatag Pro is the AI voice prompt feature, offering real-time updates on Touch ‘n Go card balance, in Bahasa Melayu, English and Mandarin.

  The integrated dashcam-equipped Lokatag Pro gets built-in sensors and a monitoring system which geo-tags locations where incidents are detected, for evidence collection purposes, as well as alerting the user to suspicious activity near the vehicle.

  For Lokatag overall, the company aims to gain 500,000 users in the coming three years, said group CEO of Amtel Holdings Chester Koid. For its integrated toll card reader system, more than 800,000 units of the built-in system have been delivered in vehicles across eight manufacturers so far, according to the company.

  The Lokatag Pro is available for pre-order at RM1,799, and deliveries of the devices are scheduled for March this year.

  LINK: Lokatag Shopee Store

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

   

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• Viofo A229 Pro dashcam offers up to 4K+2K+1080p 3 channel recording, dual Starvis 2 sensors, 5 GHz WiFi

  In Technology / By Paul Tan / 16 January 2024 11:36 am / 7 comments

  

  The Viofo A229 Pro dashcam is now available in Malaysia, featuring dual Starvis 2 sensors and support for up to 3 camera channels (front, rear and interior).

  Both the front and rear channels use Starvis 2 sensors – a 4K IMX678 for the front 140 degree camera and a 2K IMX675 sensor for the rear 160 degree camera. The interior 150 degree camera is 1080p and uses a IMX307 sensor. All three cameras support HDR.

  The dashcam has an integrated GPS antenna, both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi support, and uses a capacitor instead of a battery. The spec sheet of this dashcam certainly looks impressive!

  The following are the starting prices:

  LINK: Viofo A229 Pro (Front+Rear) – RM1,449
  LINK: Viofo A229 Pro (Front+Rear+Int) – RM1,599

  You can also add on a HK-4 USB-C hardwire kit and a Bluetooth remote which takes the package price up to RM1,654 or RM1,675 respectively for the 3 channel set.

   

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• 70mai A810 4K Starvis 2 dashcam now in Malaysia

  In Technology / By Paul Tan / 20 August 2023 9:01 am / 6 comments

  

  70mai’s new flagship A810 4K dashcam is now available in Malaysia. The biggest difference that the A810 4K has has over the A800 model is the adoption of the new Sony Starvis 2 sensor, which makes the A810 one of the most affordable dashcams on the market using Starvis 2.

  The 70mai A810 is priced from RM659 RRP, but is frequently available from RM599 on online platforms. During tonight’s 9.9 sale, it will be priced at RM545.

  LINK: 70mai A810 on Lazada
  LINK: 70mai A810 on Shopee – RM545 9.9 sale

  Other Starvis 2 dashcams previously available in Malaysia are the Viofo A139 Pro priced from RM1,299 and the Thinkware U3000 priced from RM3,049 so as you can see the A810 comes in at a significantly more affordable price point compared to its competitors.

  So what’s so special about the Starvis 2 IMX678 chip? It promises better low light (night) recording with reduced noise and motion blur. This will help ensure that number plates can be clearly captured in footage, which will be useful for evidence collection.

  The 70mai A810 has 4K resolution for the front cam and 1080p HDR for the rear cam. The front cam can go up to 60 fps (though not at 4K) and the camera has a 150 degree view angle and a f/1.8 aperture. If you prefer to use an interior IR cam instead of the HDR rear cam, you can swap it out too.

  

  There’s also a 4G hardwire kit (RM199), which integrates data connectivity with a SIM card into the hardwire kit’s hardware, which allows you to access the dashcam remotely. You can receive instant alerts on incidents through your phone app and track the dashcam’s GPS location remotely. However, 70mai’s website says 4G connectivity will only be activated in October 2023 via an OTA firmware update.

  The 70mai A810 is priced from RM659 RRP, but is frequently available from RM579 on online platforms and will be priced from RM549 during next week’s Shopee August 25 sale.

  LINK: 70mai A810 on Lazada
  LINK: 70mai A810 on Shopee – RM545 9.9 sale

  
  

   

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• Thinkware U3000 dashcam available in Malaysia for RM2,799, powered by Sony Starvis 2 sensor

  In Technology / By Paul Tan / 5 June 2023 10:31 am / 4 comments

  

  Korean dashcam maker Thinkware has a new flagship dashcam called the Thinkware U3000, and preorders for it have been opened by Malaysian distributor Sicurez.

  The Thinkware U3000 replaces the U1000 as the flagship Thinkware dashcam. As you know, the U1000 was listed in MIROS and CyberSecurity Malaysia’s Dashcam Safety Scorecard and came in third on the list with a score of 4.56 out of 5.

  The most important update to the Thinkware U3000 is the new Sony Starvis 2 IMX678 sensor, which promises better low light (night) recording with reduced noise and motion blur. This will help ensure that number plates can be clearly captured in footage, which will be useful for evidence collection.

  The Thinkware U3000’s front camera is 4K UHD, while the rear camera is 2K QHD. While 4K recording for the front camera is at 30fps as standard, you can also set it to 2K 60fps for clearer images in motion.

  In addition, the Thinkware U3000 now also has the radar feature built in. It used to be an additional accessory with the U1000. Both the front and rear cameras have a radar feature.

  Now what exactly is this radar feature? It allows the dashcam to use less battery in parking mode. Basically, the regular behaviour of a dashcam during parking mode is it monitors what is happening through the camera all the time. When it detects something, then it records what is happening.

  Through the use of a radar, the dashcam can shut down its camera and use the radar to detect movement instead, and wake up its camera only when the radar detects something.

  The Thinkware U3000’s pre-order is currently open for RM2,799 with installation included.

  
  

   

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• Viofo A139 Pro – first dashcam to use Sony Starvis 2

  In Technology / By Paul Tan / 20 April 2023 10:34 am / 0 comment

  

  The Viofo A139 Pro 4K dashcam is now available in Malaysia, and can be had in either 1 channel, 2 channel, or 3 channel configurations.

  The 2 channel config lets you add either a 1080P interior or 1080P rear camera, while the 3 channel config allows you to add both an interior 1080P cam and rear 1080P cam to the 4K front camera.

  What’s most interesting about the Viofo A139 Pro is it uses Sony’s latest Starvis 2 IMX678 sensor for the front 4K camera. As of now, the Viofo A139 Pro is the first and only dashcam to use the IMX678 chip.

  The new Starvis 2 IMX678 chip promises better low light (night) recording with reduced noise and motion blur. This will help ensure that number plates can be clearly captured in footage, which will be useful for evidence collection. The front camera can record 4K in 30fps, or 1080P in 60fps.

  Thanks to the Starvis 2 sensor, it’s safe to say the Viofo A139 Pro will probably give you the best night video footage on the market right now, until Viofo’s competitors come out with their own Starvis 2 dashcams.

  UPDATE: Thinkware’s new U3000 powered by Starvis 2 has opened for pre-orders in Malaysia.

  You can buy the new Viofo A139 Pro from the links below.

  LINK: Viofo A139 Pro – 2 channel
  LINK: Viofo A139 Pro – 3 channel

  If you haven’t installed a dashcam in your car yet, best to get one installed ASAP. Dashcams have to be a standard feature on every car these days, as they can provide invaluable evidence to protect ourselves in case of an accident.

  
  

   

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• 70mai Omni X200 360 degree rotating dashcam with 4G-connected remote surveillance now in Malaysia

  In Technology / By Paul Tan / 18 April 2023 2:08 pm / 2 comments

  

  LINK: 70mai Omni X200 – from RM599

  70mai is now offering the Omni X200 dashcam in Malaysia. It looks quite unlike any other dashcam, shaped more like an egg-like external CCTV camera rather than the typical design of dashcams we’re used to. It’s also available in a striking red and beige design instead of the typical black or grey.

  The key unique selling point of the 70mai Omni X200 is the fact that the camera lense can move. The section that the camera is mounted on can rotate 360 degrees (well, technically 340 degrees), so it can even turn inwards to face the driver.

  The camera has a 140 degree field of view f/1.5 lens paired with a OS2K10 sensor, with a resolution of 1920x1080p and a 60 fps frame rate. There’s also a small 1.2 inch screen on the device.

  The mic on the Omni isn’t just used to record sound for the video, you can actually use to to give voice commands such as to capture a video.

  Other than using the movable camera to shoot a vlog by rotating it to face the driver, it can also move to track people walking past the car while parked.

  Speaking of parked, for it to function while parked you’ll have to buy the 4G hardwire kit to wire it up to your car’s fuse box. And you’re right on the name being peculiar, it seems the hardwire kit has a 4G cellular modem in it and adds the ability to add a SIM card so you can access the dashcam remotely.

  You can buy the 70mai Omni X200 for RM599 with 32GB storage, or add on the 4G hardwire kit for RM779. Buy it through the link below.

  LINK: 70mai Omni X200 – from RM599

   

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• Thinkware Q1000 2K+2K dashcam now in Malaysia

  In Technology / By Paul Tan / 3 January 2023 1:18 pm / 7 comments

  

  If you’re looking for a high-end dash cam, the Thinkware Q1000 is now available in Malaysia. The new model offers 2K+2K recording, which means 2K resolution for both the front and rear cameras.

  Having 2K (1440p) resolution for the rear cam is an upgrade from other Thinkware models such as the Thinkware U1000 which only offers a 1080p rear camera paired to a higher 4K resolution for the front.

  The new Thinkware Q1000 also has the latest third generation Super Night Vision 3.0 technology, which promises to offer higher quality low light footage, which should be useful to pick out the details you need during incidents at night.

  Another new feature is Bluetooth assisted pairing where you can pair your phone to the dashcam easily using Bluetooth, although the actual connection still happens over WiFi, which in this case both 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi connectivity are provided.

  If you already own a Thinkware dashcam, it’s worth pointing out that the Q1000 is built to connect to a different, newer cloud app platform with more features called Thinkware Connected, which is different from the Thinkware Cloud system that older dashcams like the U1000 use.

  The Thinkware Q1000 package includes front and rear cams, 32GB memory card, and a hardwire kit and retails for RM2,399 from Thinkware distributor Sicurez. Just as a reminder, if you want to upgrade to a bigger storage size than the bundled 32GB, remember to choose an endurance-type MicroSD card.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

   

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• What is the best dashcam to buy? MIROS and CyberSecurity Malaysia want to help answer

  In Local News, Technology / By Paul Tan / 4 November 2022 6:08 pm / 15 comments

  

  MIROS (an agency under MOT) and CyberSecurity Malaysia (an agency under the MCMC) has collaborated to publish a safety scorecard for dashcams called CamScore.

  CamScore provides an initial evaluation of dashcams based on three different points – basic features, advanced features, and ADAS features. The cams are then ranked based on a score out of 5. There was no elaboration on how the scores were calculated.

  The two top scorers on the list are the 70mai A800S and the 70mai A500S, both scoring 4.59 points out of 5. This was followed by the Thinkware U1000 with a 4.56 score, the 70mai M500 with a 4.53 score and the DDPAI X5 Pro with a 4.52 score.

  

  

  With no elaboration on how these scores came about, it would be completely up to you if you want to refer to this list when choosing your next dashcam. For example, you might have different criteria when evaluating which dashcam to buy, such as the use of a lithium ion battery vs the use of a super capacitor for backup power as an indicator of potential longevity (no bloated battery issue with supercaps), or the availability of cloud connectivity features. These are not part of CamScore’s evaluation.

  Although ADAS features are part of the scoring, yours truly personally just turns off all the ADAS features on his own dashcams because of the nature of how Malaysian drivers behave on the road. The ADAS warnings just continuously go off all the time because Malaysian traffic seems to be a constant danger zone! This is in contrast to ADAS features that come native with cars which feel a lot less panicky.

  The CamScore table is missing pricing so here’s a list of some of the top dashcams listed including the pricing and a link for you to buy them online. As for installation you can either install the dashcam yourself or install it at a shop for an additional RM100-RM250 fee depending on complexity of the install process.

  As 11.11 sale is coming up, this might be a good time to get one if you haven’t already. Whenever possible, we’ll use the price for the version with a rear camera included as we think rear cameras are a must have when it comes to collecting footage to use as evidence.

  • 70mai A800S – RM574
  • 70mai A500S – RM399
  • Thinkware U1000 – RM2,599
  • 70mai M500 – RM439 (no rear camera, 32GB built in)
  • DDPAI X5 Pro – RM1,799 (32GB built in)
  • IROAD X11 – RM1,650
  • DDPAI Z50 – RM549
  • AZDOME M17 – RM199
  • AZDOME M01 Pro – RM189
  • AZDOME AR08 – RM419 (digital rear view mirror style)
  • AZDOME PG16S-R – RM409 (digital rear view mirror style)
  • AZDOME M300 – RM149 (no rear camera)
  • AZDOME M550 – RM449 (3CH: front+rear+interior)
  • DDPAI Mini 5 – RM599 (no rear camera)
  • AZDOME M63 – RM449
  • AZDOME GS63H – RM309
  • AZDOME BN03 – RM359
  • DDPAI X2S Pro – RM899
  • DDPAI Z40 – RM339
  • 70mai A400 – RM309
  • DDPAI Mola N3 Pro – RM319
  • SIPII SP200i – RM499
  • 70mai Rearview Dashcam Wide – RM499 (digital rear view mirror style)
  • 70mai M300 – RM189

  Lastly, for dashcams that do not come with built in storage, remember to choose the right kind of SD card to use with your dashcam.

   

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• 2022 Viofo A229 Duo dashcam offers 2K+2K recording

  In Technology / By Paul Tan / 25 September 2022 5:21 pm / 5 comments

  

  Chinese dashcam maker Viofo has launched a new dashcam for 2022 called the A229 Duo. The A229 Duo is a dual channel dashcam with 2K (1440p) recording for both the front and rear cams.

  The rear 1440p cam is the highest resolution for a rear cam in the Viofo range. It’s stablemates all use 1080p rear cams including the flagship A129 Pro Duo that has a 4K resolution front cam.

  The Viofo A229 Duo’s front and rear cameras both use Sony Starvis IMX335 5 megapixel sensors. You can either record in 2560x1440p or 1920x1080p for both the front and rear cams, but both resolution choices are offered with 30fps framerate – there’s no 60fps to be gained here even if you drop the reso.

  The front cam has a 140 degree field of view while the rear has a 160 degree field of view. The rear cam has 360 degree rotation so you can use it to point to the interior if you want. The connection to the rear cam now uses a slim coaxial cable for easier installation instead of the previous thicker MicroUSB cable.

  

  The A229 now uses a USB-C port for power, so you won’t be able to reuse a hardwire kit from previous Viofo dashcams. Backup power to ensure uncorrupted video files uses a supercapacitor instead of a li ion battery for better durability in hot weather.

  The Viofo A229 Duo supports up to a 256 GB MicroSD card. Remember to use an endurance MicroSD card for your dashcams for better reliability. Finally, the A229 Duo supports 5GHz WiFi for faster file transfers when connected to your smartphone via the app.

  You can get the Viofo A229 Duo from RM899 as a standalone dashcam without any add-ons. From there, you can add on various options such as the HK4 hardwire kit, a CPL filter, and a bluetooth record button that you can use to manually start recording clips.

  LINK: Viofo A229 Duo – from RM899

  We are of the opinion that dashcams have to be a standard feature on every car these days, as they can provide invaluable evidence to protect ourselves in case of anything.

   

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• New DDPAI Z50 dashcam offers 4K res at a lower price

  In Technology / By Paul Tan / 22 August 2022 2:59 pm / 3 comments

  

  Chinese dashcam manufacturer DDPAI has introduced the new DDPAI Z50 dashcam. As you would expect from the Z50 model name, it improves on the existing Z40 form factor in the line-up, although the Z40 continues to be on sale at a lower price point.

  The Z50 is now a 4K (2160p) dashcam powered by a Sony IMX415 sensor, an improvement over the Z40’s 1944p Sony IMX335 sensor. The Z50’s front camera lens offers a 140 degree wide view, the same as the Z40. The Z50’s optional RC1 rear camera is 1080p with a 125 degree wide view, the same as the Z40’s.

  Like the Z40, its temporary backup power to ensure file writing is complete in case of a power loss is via a super capacitor instead of a lithium battery, which is said to be superior in withstanding the heat that a dashcam will typically experience installed on a windscreen.

  A dashcam’s backup power is only for this purpose and is not big enough for it work in parking mode, which requires either hardwiring to the car’s fuse box or a specific external dashcam battery. In general, it is commonly assumed that dashcams using supercapacitors last longer than dashcams that use lithium batteries.

  

  The DDPAI Z50 supports MicroSD cards up to 128 GB in size. As we previously posted, it is recommended to use ‘endurance’-type MicroSD cards with dashcams due to the nature of constant loop recording when used with a dashcam,.

  You might realise that DDPAI already has a 4K dashcam in its line-up called the DDPAI X5 Pro using the same Sony IMX415 sensor, so this is yet another 4K dashcam. How is the Z50 different from the significantly more expensive X5 Pro?

  The X5 Pro supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi while the Z50 only supports 2.4 GHz WiFi. This means you will be able to copy files out of the X5 Pro much faster using 5 GHz WiFi if your phone supports it.

  In addition, the X5 Pro has built in 32 GB storage, which can be expanded with an additional 128 GB for a maximum of 160 GB, while the Z50 does not have any built in storage.

  As for recording capabilities, despite using the same sensor, the Z50 is limited to 25 fps at 4K and 30 fps for lower resolutions, while the X5 Pro’s 4K recording is at 30 fps and configurable to up to 90 fps at 1080p.

  The X5 Pro has a 6-axis gyro while the Z50 has a 3-axis gyro. There is one thing that the X5 Pro lacks that the Z50 and Z40 both have though, which is a small preview LCD screen on the dashcam.

  If you’re interested in any of the DDPAI models mentioned above, you can check them out at the links below.

  • DDPAI Z50 4K Dashcam
  • DDPAI Z40 Dashcam
  • DDPAI X5 Pro 4K Dashcam
  • DDPAI X2S Pro

   

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