82. I review the Viofo 4K Dashcam (A139 Pro)

Viofo sent me their latest 4K dashcam, the A139Pro to have a look at and as I was considering getting a dashcam anyway, I thought I'd have a look.
DISCOUNT CODE (UK and US)
Viofo say to enter "Vandemonium" at checkout to get 5% off at Amazon or $20 off at their website.
Buy the A139Pro here:
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Buy the bluetooth remote:
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A139 Pro Dashcam Page at Viofo:
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Tools & Parts used for my campervan build
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Old sink unit: geni.us/Van_Si...
Old heater unit: geni.us/Van_Pr...
Old inverter: geni.us/Van_In...
DeWalt jigsaw: geni.us/Van_De...
DeWalt drill: geni.us/Van_De...
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[@ralphg3454]

This video is better than any tech youtuber video I can find. Thank you for a well detailed presentation.

[@Vandemonium]

Thank you! 😀

[@familyw5661]

Turns out we have the same definition for “Temporary “ lol😂love it.

[@Vandemonium]

🤣🤣

[@dawnboone2]

David, you are such a delight to watch! Please review more things. 😀

[@bennysh]

I like the moment of quiet reflection.

[@gweyers]

If only you still had the boat….. A bow cam & stern cam. And the interior cam to catch your navigation. Glorious! Thanks David. And thanks for the ending epilogue.

[@hellsop]

The video specifics/workflow nerding is much appreciated. Thank you.

[@peterdavies4938]

I watch both your vlogs. I’ve been caravanning for 48 years, your tip about putting a rigid pipe in your drinking water container is fantastic, I use it in my 40 litre outside container and now use just about every drop of water. Just brilliant, many thanks

[@Vandemonium]

Thank you! I would flag up the points that some commentators made about possibly growing nasty things in the water on the pipe unless it's wiped clean occasionally.

[@MartinAhlman]

Even a blurry pic of the plate will help the police. The colour, the make of the car... Makes things easier.

[@muzzthegreat]

9:38 'By temporary I mean it will probably stay like that until the end of time' - ahahahahaaaaaaaa!!! I really belly-laughed at that!

[@Vandemonium]

Sadly true though 🤣

[@cms9902]

Dash cam screen. Where its useful, is that at a glance you can see the dash cam is functioning. Now, this is actually quite important. So many electronic devices suddenly fail, many are on an autobahn to landfill. My dashcam has it's moments, and there have been a couple incidents where the camera failed to record, and missed an important event. Now I check the cam by glancing at the rear screen. So they do have their uses.

[@NathanElcoate]

You do a great job at reviewing, David.

[@NeverlandSystemZor]

That Dashcam is actually better than expected. It's better than most I've seen. I guess you could say the job it does is quite dashing! ;)

[@Deb_Downes]

After a nasty road rage incident whilst riding my motorbike, I installed a Viofo Motorcycle dashcam. Reasonable price, easy DIY install, has lots of features, does the job 👍:)

[@jamesa7506]

Thanks for the time to reflect at the end of the video, and yes, I think I will watch the paint dry next time. 😀

[@CaptainArloNJ]

Your 'end of time' comment invoked a humorous image: your campervan parked in the Milliways carpark with Marvin pointing to the dashcam wiring saying, "See, he told you". Got a chuckle from the ending too. 😂

[@Vandemonium]

Ha!

[@ianhawkins7387]

Great review as always very professional, technical enough for the common man thanks

[@coco_sloth]

I had fun watching this video aswell as re-watching it checking the number plates have been taxed and MOT is up to date! 🤣🤣

[@nilo70]

Thanks David for making this informative episode. Cheers From California 😊

[@SecretSquirrelFun]

Lovely. Nice soothing muzac at the end there. Brilliant. 🙂🐿🌈❤️

[@Ben-311]

Incredibly detailed review. Im actually looking for one of these and this data was very helpful.

[@Vandemonium]

Thank you! Glad it was helpful 😀

[@rowanhard]

Informative and entertaining as usual. With a few laughs thrown in for good measure.❤

[@shirleylynch7529]

Great review. Well done. You are really good as explaining what you are doing and how the dash cam is working.

[@joline2730]

The ending was lovely .... 🙂 Didn't know they cost that much ... thanks for the review and I think they are a blooming good asset 👍

[@Vandemonium]

Definitely useful. You can pick up ultra cheap ones but they are quite nasty quality.

[@rickkearn7100]

David, this Vandemonium channel of yours is the epitome of positive, helpful and well-informed. It's simply top-shelf. I did not know how dashcams differed from Go-Pro and the like, until seeing this. Thanks so much for posting. Cheers!

[@Vandemonium]

Thank you!

[@elizam2119]

Nice musical finish!

[@hmmslagathor9285]

Great review, informative with good examples, and a real-world setup.

[@0HARE]

Yep, a quality dash cam is a great asset in today’s busy world. Thanks for the review.

[@alexmcclintock7843]

As we say over here, (in the Colonies), "Good enough for Government work". Not bad for a dash cam.

[@oscarrox]

Very good review. I like the emphasis on video quality and the different codecs. You are not going to get digital camera quality in a dash cam. But it could show who was at fault in a collision, or deter the offender from trying to deny their actions. A dash cam is a necessity, and the Viofo A139 pro looks to be a good one.

[@Vandemonium]

Thank you 😀

[@Lego6980]

9:32 There’s a Russian saying, ‘There’s nothing more permanent than “temporary”’

[@nigelfindley9648]

Yes - I like the ending music

I think the main camera footage looks good enough to include in a vlog , I am also very passionate about filming and keeping the quality as high as possible , but if I would have to include filming from the car it is a bit annoying to always have to mount a DJI or a GoPro to take the shot , to power them for a long amount of time , to start and stop recording etc

[@camdenmcandrews]

When it comes to making documentaries, even a low-quality image is infinitely better than no image at all. 😁 (And that dash cam's image is as good as one might hope for just a few years ago.)

[@Vandemonium]

Very true!

[@centauri61032]

From a USA viewer... Wow, those prices seem outrageous! We have many different dash cam models available here. And you would be hard pressed to find many that expensive. Maybe just a UK thing? Two questions... Did your dash cam have built-in GPS? And if so, can it show your speed on the recorded video image? That data can be helpful here in the US for reporting reckless drivers. And finally, a separate US observation... There are very few different image sensors that are actually used in dash cams here in the US. So the difference in the cams here mainly come down to overall features, and overall reliability. Field of view (wide angle lenses) are important, to see things coming at you from the sides. Night vision capabilities also vary considerably. And if you are a ride share (taxi) driver, a dash cam with 'in the car' recording is essential. You will inevitably have the customer at some point that accuses you of doing something inappropriate or illegal, driving or otherwise. Having and saving this dashcam footage is your only hope of proving your innocence.

[@Vandemonium]

Yes, it has GPS and can log position and speed on the footage if you choose

[@tinvek]

Bought one of these recently, works well the lack of screen on the camera stops it taking up so much screen space, the picture quality is good and the Bluetooth button very convenient, I find my self saving lots of funny / interesting clips just because it’s so much easier than a button on a camera, previously I’d have pulled the SD card when I got home and found any clip I wanted to keep Or not bothered Usually not bothered

[@TheLocalGeek]

The camera sticks to the plastic sheet using space-age, military-strength, industrial adhesive. The plastic sheet sticks to the windscreen using thoughts and prayers.

[@Vandemonium]

🤣🤣

[@carycoombe3380]

Very educational. I will have to keep that in mind.

[@johnshaw4140]

Thanks David , informative interesting vlog as usual , I'll have to get one of those thingamejigs

[@Vandemonium]

Thank you

[@Valentijnzz]

Looking forward to another video. Cheers!

[@del5.0]

It is a good setup just as a dash cam. So now you can permanently install it in the van as your all-around security system. Top-notch review. A person wanting to buy that unit will know exactly how it works and what the footage will look like. Anyway thanks for a great video, but I have to "dash"... Sorry, David, I couldn't help myself. Cheers!

[@Vandemonium]

Cheers!

[@Simon_Nonymous]

I would highly recommend a dash cam to everyone unless you live in a parallel universe where everyone drives perfectly. I've had products from another very well known brand (Nexbase) , and it gives me some peace of mind in case of a significant emotional event on the road. I opted for a rear view camera, but not a cockpit camera. My camera came with proprietary software which is a wonderful tool as my camera is GPS enabled as yours is, and has three accelerometers in it, so the software plots your location and direction on a Google type map, plus your speed, and also acceleration/deceleration in x,y, and z axes. It would be good to see what - if any software - your camera is bundled with, and what you think of it? Thank you for a good review and a meaningful test!

[@Vandemonium]

No software included in my test unit

[@Simon_Nonymous]

@@Vandemonium righty ho; that is a shame , but helps any possible consumers make their choices.

[@Vandemonium]

It does record GPS though, can overlay onto the pic (shown at the bottom on the sample images)

[@hectorshouse7348]

I love your reviews. Great work. Thank you 😀👍

[@MarkinSeaTac]

Very entertaining on top of being informative. Well done!

[@Vandemonium]

Much appreciated!

[@isobelchapman9548]

David, help me out of my confusion. You popped up yesterday (!) pointing to your old boat and for the life of me I now can’t find that vlog….I’ve tried in your other channel but can’t find it there either. I don’t want to miss any of your vlogs as they are always so very interesting and you make them fun too.

[@Vandemonium]

I popped up because I was filming… it’ll be a few weeks before that gets edited into a vlog, not least because I have to do some more filming yet!

[@MakeDoAndMend1]

Really good video. Thanks David. George and Jane

[@nikiedge]

Thanks.. good review..

[@stco2426]

Nice one. I've been looking for a 2ch dashcam and Ashley Neal recommends Viofo. Looking through their configurator I think the A139 is about right so was pleased to see your review. I think you've made a good review, showing the good and less good. I watched a recent ChrisFix YT where he showed a couple of installation examples and with a couple of vehicle-specific vids, think I have the knowledge to tackle this and do a permanent-live install, relying on the voltage switch to prevent a flat battery. I'd like to include a disconnect switch. but I'm unsure of this step with my car. There are a couple of spare switch blanks around the gear shift, but I'll have to check where to get a switch that fits these. I also don't know what the power draw of the unit is while in parking mode. Any ideas? Finally, "VIOFO A139 Pro 4K Dash Cam | 4 Months Later | BlackboxMyCar" shows there is a way to select the H.265 codec on a video from 27 May 23.

[@NeverlandSystemAngel]

A video about video... how meta... love it!

[@gregbolitho9775]

Nice goin m8!

[@Vandemonium]

Thanks!

[@dirtdigger949]

I wish the world would settle on one set of frame rates but here in the states it seems we are headed toward a 60fm on just about everthing in the next 5 to 10 years. I do wish that everyone could come to agreement on this type of standers.

[@kmclane1]

It appears to me from footage at about 7:24 that you did not remove the second layer of protective film from the clear patch you applied to the window as it is in place when you are mounting the camera. The rectangular label is what you are supposed to use to grab that film with. You are filming through through the less optically clear disposable sheet which will degrade your video quality. It is less obvious if you removed the film from the lens of the cabin camera or not, it is still in place at 8:44, but you may have removed it off camera.

[@Vandemonium]

I was hoping no-one would notice that! 🤣

[@MikaelLevoniemi]

Most cheap dashcam only use jpeg compression and chain jpegs in a motion-jpeg video. Unless yours exactly specifies some exact codec, it's likely it's just motion-jpeg.

[@Vandemonium]

I don't think any still use this ancient method do they? This one definitely uses h.264 encoding

[@wing0zero]

I have this dash cam, if you just use the front camera the bit rate goes up for crisper recording, also if you hold down the mic button it moves to H265 recording.

[@Vandemonium]

Thank you. What an odd hidden feature (that Viofo never mentioned to me!). Unfortunately, I see they use this to make the files smaller (ie use a lower bitrate for the same quality rather than making the images better quality at the same bitrate 😞)

[@interdec]

Not a cheap one, so I think I’d expect better. Dash cams can be very useful generally, but you have to remember to eat the SD card if the accident was your fault. (Or is that a bit naughty)?

[@snubbedpeer]

Quite an interesting kit you showed us, I haven't thought about having a dashcam until after this video 🙂 I suppose that in order to be useful you shouldn't go with a resolution much lower than this one.

[@DavidBarker-ke2on]

Thanks for the video, very helpful and informative.

[@davidpiper3652]

If I put one in my van, could I use it via WiFi to look outside CCTV style, if I thought there was something dodgy going on around my van? Lovely ending David, thank you.

[@Vandemonium]

Yes, if the ignition was switched on or if you had the parking wiring connected

[@jaser3312]

Good review. I'm pretty sure it does have a h.265 option

[@caffeinefix2751]

it does, and apparently it does not have a significant difference in quality

[@leedavies3629]

Nice one Dave nice jacket it’s bit pricey for what it is I got my dash cam free with some oil dose the job but you did a top review have a top week Dave 🙂🎥🎤✌️

[@zapfanzapfan]

Temporary = Til the end of time. Ha, ha! I can relate. I'll just put that over there for the time being... 10 years later... still there.

[@ianmillard1604]

The front facing camera could be good for time-lapse footage, that way quality is not as crucial. Still a good idea to have one though!

[@improprietary1]

w-wait thats not a narrowboat! I've only ever seen you do boat videos and on a whim looked up a review for this dashcam just to see a very familiar face in an unfamiliar environment!

[@Vandemonium]

Welcome to my van channel. You're only about five years late 🤣🤣

[@AnomadAlaska]

The quality seems fine to occasionally post something interesting you capture or a funny time lapse of a drive.

[@Vandemonium]

Definitely

[@Dave-zj1zj]

I love mine Haven't had any trouble with it

[@smilysun8358]

🤣 Cracking me up with that ending

[@johnlong3214]

Don't forget to inform your inssurance company if you do install it, it should bring your premium down.

[@Simon_Nonymous]

Yup, my first dashcam paid for itself as I got a 12.5% discount on my insurance!

[@gingerman5123]

I just ordered one of these from them.

[@rinuz2320]

I am from many places.. love ur work, great review thank u sir i am also buying...

[@Morecocksthanhands]

I love your vidoes..

[@Vandemonium]

Thank you

[@sdshawn29]

Dash cam not working. I just purchased a Viofo A139 pro, after many reviews I settled on this unit. And after 3 days many rounds with brused ribs from laying on my car seal . The problem was the unit would work intermittently would not stay on. The fix was the battery limits switch would shut it down in park mode. So pay attention to your battery voltage I had to put switch to the lowest voltage for it to stay on. It seems simple and stupid right , well it took me 3 days to figure it out , I hope this will save some poeple from a frustrating install.

[@HisnameisRich]

@6:30 the instructions tell you to use water because it allows you to push the bubbles out from under the film (much like window tint)

[@Vandemonium]

Oh! I messed that up then

[@HisnameisRich]

@@Vandemonium no-one knows everything and it would be a sad state of affairs if they did!

[@Capitaine.Albator]

There’s nothing more permanent than a temporary mesure. 😂 👍🏻✌🏻🇨🇦

[@aspide3000]

Nice review, useful.

[@gregbolitho9775]

Know and like where ya comin from bloke. Been lookin on EBAY for a Dash Cam, GPS and Reverse/Reversing Camera. Thanks m8!

[@Vandemonium]

You are a superstar, thanks Greg 😀

[@shavedphil]

Great ending 😅

[@dbcooper7326]

GBood review. The basic thing us useless if it cant read the license plate.

[@Vandemonium]

Yup. This one manages that as long as the vehicle is close

[@lucindawilson5510]

jolly good thanks

[@Albert_206]

Overpriced to me anyway, taking into account your own test criteria. Good review!

[@horstszibulski19]

You mentioned a license plate overlay, what's that, blurring out the plates that are recognized on the recording so that you can use it without blaming people? Seems a handy thing for a dashcam, wouldn't mind if you put some clips from it it upcoming videos! Thx for showing! 👍👍👍

[@Vandemonium]

Nothing so clever - just a way to add your own plate onto the recording (one for fleet managers so they know whose footage they're seeing)

[@horstszibulski19]

@@Vandemonium Ah, ok...thx...👍

[@yakobs_8534]

I installed a Viofo A139 Pro Trio camera on the car, and the interior camera, which also has night vision, I use to monitor the front of the car at night, but because of the reflection from the windshield, nothing can be seen when the IR is activated .Is there any film or anti-reflection filterto get rid of this problem?

[@jonhenke3241]

I like the idea of a camera particularly with all the newer features but every single cam I've had has died after a year because it overheated in the summer and popped. I can't justify buying a $300 cam from the same people whose $70 cam failed. The removable cameras are no good because I know I will forget to have it the time I have an accident.

[@Vandemonium]

I worry I'll forget to take it each time too

[@kenkyukai100]

at that price i would defo review it !

[@jeffhoward9186]

Great vlog, thank you. Now is time for a gin and tonic. I will have a scotch and cigar. Enjoy the day and life!!!

[@stephencrowther524]

Crazy price

[@loki7441]

If it was needed , old Plods computer could shimmy up the fuzzy registration plates. Have you been down some dusty roads? The old dash top looks pretty dusty, BUT the camera you are using is probably enlarging everything in close proximity.

[@Vandemonium]

They can't just magic up detail from no-where, I think you've been misled by too many movie where they say "zoom and enhance!" and it magically does 🤣🤣

[@loki7441]

@@Vandemonium I apologise for not adding that the basic baby water wipes are fantastic for cleaning dusty dash tops. One of my dogs had decided to pester me into his pre bed time ramble. A guy I worked with said If wet wipes are good enough for a baby's seating area , then they are good enough for cleaning the leather on his Mercedes ! I live on a main road and my Toyota has that textured surface on the dash top. Loves dust and saves it for me, I think its an extra I must have ordered by mistake.☹ In the early 1990's I was doing a bit of work at the Boat in Dublin show for the company I worked for and the stand beside us was selling video security for boats. From the marina end of things I think, all cables. No broadband then. Ahh those were the days. 🙄 They challenged us to find the hidden camera as we watched ourselves on the monitor. (Black & White) The image was excellent for the time and nobody found the camera . It was as small as the phone cameras we expect today. We were talking about it for weeks. Mobile phones were only evolving from the cavity block to the red brick size then. and I do need a new dash cam, excellent review

[@robsin2810]

That’s a bit too expensive, for what you get🇦🇺🙏👍

[@jza_23]

How do you get live view to work on your phone? Mine is black. But it does record and I’m able to download the video to see the footage. Also, it fails to load the video when playing a recorded video on the viofo app itself.

[@Vandemonium]

Hmm it just worked on my phone, no issues. Sorry!

[@ViofoDashcamOfficial]

What is the model of your phone? If you use an iPhone, please disable the VIOFO app from accessing the cellular on your phone. If it does not help, please set your phone to airplane mode when you need to connect the camera wifi. If your phone is Android, please close the VPN on your phone( if your phone has one) and open the VPN in the app. Hope this will help.

[@The244Pike]

It works better on android then iOS.

[@perfectheatingandplumbingp7747]

thanks are you able to measure the diameter of the lens. looking for a CPL filter for another dashcam

[@malcolmelliott1876]

Personally I would, for that much money, buy 3 cheapish China-clone 4K GoPros (@~40 quid), all with Wifi, separate SD cards and multiple mounting options, plus ability to shoot vlog-usable footage. I am amazed at the prices people pay in the UK, even online, for the same items that are available online here in Malaysia for a fraction of UK prices. VAT must account for a lot, but getting direct from China, Taiwan or even Japan cuts out the middle men and their profit. That said.. the A139Pro is the same price online here due to it only being available through a single local agent, who is forced to maintain the retail price.

[@Vandemonium]

The trouble with action cams is they don't loop back over the SD card once it's full so you do have to remember to erase the card(s) before each journey, and on a long journey they could easily become full. Plus there's no facility to mark clips as "do not delete" so the dashcam does have function that it's designed for which the action cams don't.

[@graeme1491]

If you hold down the mic button it will change to H265 compression

[@Vandemonium]

Thank you. What an odd hidden feature (that Viofo never mentioned to me!). Unfortunately, I see they use this to make the files smaller (ie use a lower bitrate for the same quality rather than making the images better quality at the same bitrate 😞)

[@Leeviathon]

Also, can't some devices have trouble playing back H265 compression?

[@fatihtaran8228]

Hello, I have read in many user comments that the a139 pro 2ch device gives an error in the heat. What do you say about this situation?

[@Vandemonium]

It was not hot when I was testing it so I couldn't legitimately comment

[@VIOFO-CS]

Firstly, we need to explain that 4K cameras will bring more heat due to more power consumption. To solve this problem, we have used an automotive-grade chip with high-temperature resistance. And transmit the heat from the chip to the camera cover through the heatsinks and thermal grease. So the appearance of the camera may be hot, but it means that the heat has been dissipated. Also, there is a protection mechanism inside, so it will turn off automatically when it is too hot to protect the machine. Besides, a high-quality sd card is also requested as a bad card will also bring more heat due to the additional power consumption. The configuration of A139pro to dissipate the heat is very good already in the dashcam market actually.

[@leobloom4526]

Its a cheaper price on Viofo Uk

[@thetruth7633]

Beats the crapp out of Blackvue, those have become ridiculous expensive, had the top model back in 2017, lasted two years. Junk.

[@hamshackleton]

Interesting but expensive. My little Mobius is just as effective - and less intrusive! Anyway, I don't have a smartphone, so it's of no use to me! The mobius plugs into my computer via usb, and can be set to motion trigger, or 12v (ignition on) to start it recording.

[@mikiex]

My Mobius just gave up hence why I'm here, tempted to get another and put some supercaps in it

[@MrBblhed]

Just wondering, I don't recall you mentioning it, so here goes. Is it possible for you to extract time lapse video from the footage from the footage the camera collects so you can add snippets of your travels that show more roadway in less time?

[@Vandemonium]

I could extract it during editing but it's not a function of the dashcam itself

[@MrBblhed]

@@Vandemonium Nice, I believe it might be a nice tool to help with the narrative now and then.

[@andyrbush]

I bought a dash cam. It was made in China, it lasted less than six months, which is par for the course. In that time however there was almost nothing worth recording, and so far a few years later there has still been nothing I would have recorded if I had a camera.

[@WillN2Go1]

Too bad about the camera, but congratulations on years of safe incident free driving.

[@hectorshouse7348]

You spotted the flaw with cameras…they don’t provide the action 🤣

[@lynmoore8355]

well this is very interested vlog.... I have a uniden dashcam........ not really happy with it, keeps shutting off, don't load properly, is a pain in the butt.also say memory error... re fresh it works for awhile but then nothining...

[@Vandemonium]

😞

[@debpartin6618]

You don't want PC James Payne to write you a ticket

[@dmdwst8787]

Is it possible to use the inside camera as rear camera? Would there be any benefits due to Infrared while driving at night?

[@Vandemonium]

I imagine you could but suspect the range of the little infra-red LEDs is very limited so likely no benefit.

[@lexusls]

Negative, zero potential benefit. Not only do the little IR emitters lack the power output to achieve any sort of effective range, but more importantly glass reflects IR light. Ever tried taking a picture through a glass window from an inch away with your flash on? ...yeah completely unusable image lol

[@TheBlueFernando]

​@@lexuslsi agree with this. I accidentally switched the inside and rear camera and the video is as bad as you described it. Lol

[@chrisaris8756]

Very interesting thanks David. For my money it has just confirmed that a dashcam is useless. I assume they don’t work when the car is unattended so you don’t get footage of who has hit your car and driven off. Now THAT would be useful. Also should you be involved in an incident where you were not totally blameless (a frequent occurrence) you have just shot any defence you might put forward in the foot. Not for me I’m afraid. The main thing is, don’t have the incident in the first place!!! Cheers thanks for all your excellent videos.

[@Vandemonium]

Hi, it can be purchased with a permanent wiring kit which means it will still run while parked.