A118C Car Dashcam - Review

CRACING · Mar 9, 2017

Hello Friends,

Details:

Product Name and Model: A118C where C means dashcam has capacitor
Product Price: Rs. 3,990. I got it for 3.5k using 8% coupon and payback points.
Bought From: Supershoppinggo, Ebay India
Product Listing: Link
Firmware Version: B40.20160311.001
Accessories included: Power Adapter with Cable Approx 4m, Mini USB Data Cable Approx 1m, Cable Cover, Mount Bracket, 5x Cable Managment Clips, Rope and Screws

Review:

First I would like to thank Prabhagar, for his support, advice and quick response to my queries. We have being discussing about the following dashcam for a month via PM and now I'm able to share review of the A118C Dashcam.

I was looking for dashcam since long and many good ones were available in China but I didn't want to deal with customs, risk in transit and international warranty, hence I could afford only locally available dashcams. Like GT300, G30, GS8000, A118C, G1W-C and etc. However, the model name doesn't mean its made by same manufacture. Physical casing and specifications may look same but they are made by many unknown manufactures, using different components so no guarantee of quality and performance. In China, if you give a product to a manufacturer, they will make a perfect clone of it. Clone of a original product is ok but what about clone of a clone? This is the case with Chinese dashcams which have no standards.

Prabhagar has A118C dashcam, bought from USA. I have seen all his uploaded videos and I was impressed with the video quality. The same model is available in ebay India and I thought it would be better because it has Novatek Chipset and promising spec so decided to buy it. I placed the order last month and seller shipped the product promptly. Received the product after few days and was impressed with the built quality and finishing of it. As expected, the display and UI is not very good but its ok to serve the purpose. Connected the device to power bank and it worked perfectly fine. Using Sandisk 16gb microsd card, which is sufficient but I would recommend 32gb. Anything more isn't supported by the dashcam.

The dashcam has Novatek NT96650 chipset, Aptina AR0330 CMOS Sensor, 170 degree wide angle lens, FHD 1080P high-definition and etc. I was able to check the chipset via pc connection and it indeed has Novatek but to check other components I have to open the device and I couldn't do it until warranty expires.

I did the installation which is very easy. Routed the power cable from Roof lining -> A-Piller cover -> Dashboard -> Glove box and plugged to Power Socket in the Center Console. Meanwhile I have placed order for Hardwire and fuse tap to make the power connection permanent so that the power socket will be useful for other accessories. Will post details about these products once I get them.

Started using the dashcam in the daytime and video was/is pretty sharp and clear. I was very happy about it but unfortunately, it didn't lasted long. Once the dashcam warned up (After 10 mins or so), objects starts to look little blur or noisy. In the nighttime or low light, purple noise starts to appear from the corners of the video, covering the whole vision within few mins. Later when a harsh light hits the camera lens, the video suddenly turns dark and after that video vision recovers but again purple noise starts to appear, depending upon visible light. This type of issue circulates in the low light but in daytime vision is fine, if not little blur. I thought my dashcam is faulty so I contacted the seller and discussed about it for several days. He is very friendly and asked me to set some settings but all were default so no difference to the issues nor factor reset did. Protective sticker on the lens is removed right after installation and windshield is crystal clear so its due sensor only. Finally seller told me me to return the dashcam (excluding accessories) for replacement. I returned it and got the replacement within a week.

The replacement takes a little bit sharper videos (I guess) but damn, this one also has same issues as previous one. Again reported the same to the seller and told him to inform supplier and ask for updated firmware if any. Didn't receive reply so far.

Similar issues are posted in the dashcam forums and its caused by inferior quality components used to make the device. Seller mentions "VIOFO" brand name but the one I got has no mention of such name or even A118c on the box. VIOFO dashcam shows brand name when its powered On but mine doesn't. Probably this dashcam is a clone or a clone of a clone!

May be there is no way but I will have live with this dashcam, after all I don't do night driving and daytime videos are good for me.

Pros:

The wedge shape design and small form factor. Hides nicely behind the IRVM and a cover is provided for power cable management.
Excellent built quality of the product as well as included accessories.
Instead of suction cup, there is adhesive mount so it is strongly affixed to the windshield hence no vibrations or shake videos.
Capacitor instead of battery, for reliability and to withstand heat. Battery causes casing to break open, melt or blast under extreme heat.
Wide angle view and rotary dial on the both sides for height adjustment.
Impressive video quality for first 10-15 mins, then its ok but two wheeler number plates become blur.

Cons:

Poor quality night time videos and harsh purple noise.
No IR to capture low light videos.
Camera sensor cannot withstand heat. Becomes slightly blur in the day and noisy in the night.
Due to capacitor, the dashcam doesn't hold up until ignition. [SOLUTION BELOW]
Small display and imperfect user interface.
Confusing settings to navigation and playback mode has no forward button. [DETAILS BELLOW]
No left or right adjustment, so one need to be careful when affixing mount adhesive.

This dashcam has capacitor - which is a special thing but the problem is, it cannot hold power for more then 5 secs. Its work is to give power to dashcam to save video and turn off. Hence you cannot use the dashcam without power connection. Also when igniting engine, there will be slight loss in voltage and this dashcam cannot withstand it either. So it turns off and needs to turn On manually. Solution for it: 1. Turn the key directly from Off to IGN, or before the dashcam starts. 2. Plug in the power adapter after ignition. 3. Manually turn off the dashcam so it can automatically turn ON after ignition.

This dashcam has no next button in playback mode - To view recorded videos, first stop the recording then press mic button two times (first press is photo mode to take pictures), the video you see is the latest recorded video, press middle button to play it or rec button to view previous videos. Once you go to previous videos, you cannot move to next/latest videos. If you press mic button, you will be taken back to video recoding mode. Again you have to enter playback mode to view latest video.

I have connected the dashcam to mobile (HTC One M7) via OTG cable and was able to view recoded videos but it buffers before video starts to play, that means data transfer is slow. Instead, you can use memory card to view contents on PC, Mobile (via otg card reader) or even in the car video system if you have.

This dashcam has motion detection - I haven't tested this feature because it requires power to be always On. As the name states, the camera starts to record videos when there is a motion and stops recording when is no motion to save power. However, those who have tested, didn't found it working perfectly.

Conclusion:

This dashcam is only good for daytime video recordings but for night, you have to look for better one. There are much cheaper dashcams available in ebay Indiabut I don't think they will be any better then this. You cannot be sure about quality and performance. Alternative dashcams with capacitor are A118C2 and A119 but not available here. Transcend dashcams are also excellent if you can afford.

Snapshots:

I have taken many pictures of the product, installation, videos snapshots and uploaded the same to my Google photos. Please click on the below links to view the albums.

Product Photos: Link
(Dashcam shown in the pictures is the previous one. Replacement looks no different)

Installation Photos: Link
(Dashcam shown in the picture is the previous one. Replacement looks no different)

How to Remove A-Pillar Panel of Honda City 3rd Gen: Link
(Instructions given in the first picture info.)

Day and Night Snapshots: Link
(First three pics show the video quality in the daytime and forth pic shows dashboard reflection, Fifth pic nighttime video quality, Sixth pic purple noise, Seventh pic sudden darkness and Eighth pic is after recovering from darkness. Some snapshots are taken from same video but not all.)

Videos that show purple noise and sudden darkness: Video #1, Video #2, Video #3 (Not mine)

* * * * * * * * * *

Thats it. Hope you guys liked my review.

I also dedicate this thread for my friend Prabhagar and other members to discuss about this dashcam, share review of their dashcams or ask any queries.

Thanks...
Best Regards

CRACING · Mar 9, 2017

Pictures of Product, Box and Accessories

CRACING · Mar 9, 2017

Test Post - 1

Installation Instructions [Plug & Go Method]

This dashcam can be installed easily since it comes with cable management accessories to make a perfect wiring inside the car.

Tools needed for installation -

1. Large plastic pry tool
2. Insulation tape or cable tie

Accessories needed for installation -

Cable clips
Cable cover and its mount
Dashcam mounting bracket
Power adapter with cable

*All these accessories are included with the dashcam

Diagram of how the power cable should be routed -

Lets start the installation -

Step 1. Placement of the dashboard camera

I have chosen to place the dashcam behind the IRVM but if your car IRVM has attached to windshield then you'll have to choose left or right side of IRVM to affix the dashcam.
However, do not mount the dashcam in a location that obstructs your view of the road ahead.

(1) Affix the cable management mount to the windshield. Make sure it is straight and power cable can be inserted into it.
(2) Then affix dashcam mount right below the cable management mount. Both have notches so make sure both are aligned to each other.

I have affixed the mounts after wiring the power cable. If you want to do it later, mark the position using paper tape or anything that can be removed later.
Once you route the power cable, you can affix the above said mounts on the marked position.

Step 2. Removing A-Pillar panel and Glove box

Open the glove box and press on the both sides and pull it out. The whole glove Box box will not come because it has hinges below, instead it will turn downwards.

To remove A-pillar panel, you first need to remove door rubber beading and then there will be little gap between A-pillar and A-pillar panel.
From the top, use pry tool between the gap and slowly pop the panel. There are three plugs holding the panel and they will pop out with little efforts.
After all the plugs are unlocked, slowly take out the panel from the dashboard and keep it aside.

Note: Image shown above is of right side A-Pillar. You have to remove left side A-pillar panel for "Plug & Go" installation.

Step 3. Begin routing the power cable

Now do a quick wiring from center console to dashcam position; hold the usb connector end of the power cable and insert it under dashboard (To the left side of center console)
and take it out the whole cable from the corner of glove box but leave few inches at the end of power adapter for power socket connection.

Next insert the cable in the corner of dashboard (inside the glove box) and take it out from the top. There is a car wire going through, route the power cable along with it.
You don't have to take out whole cable, just a enough length from A-pillar to roof liner to dashcam. Excess cable can be tied inside the dashboard/glove box.

Tuck the power cable into the roof liner from dashcam position to A-piller. There will be slight gap between roof liner and roof or windshield. Use pry tool if necessary.
Make sure you leave outside few inches of cable ending with usb connector for dashcam connection.

Step 4. Tying the power cable

After correctly routing the power cable from center console to dashcam position, start to tie the cable to existing car wires present in A-pillar and inside dashboard. Also tie the excess cable to side of dashboard. You can use insulation tape or cable ties. If there are no wires on A-Pillar, use cable clips and affix them on A-Pillar. Honda City has enough space inside A-Pillar but I'm not sure about other cars. Make sure there is space for power cable and wire doesn't crush when you refit the A-Pillar panel

Step 5. Testing the dashcam

Connect the usb plug to dashcam and slide it into its mount.

Then fit the cable management cover

Then the plug in the power adapter and turn the keys to ON position.

Do a quick test of dashcam to see if it is working and adjust the height setting of the camera view.

Step 6. Finishing the work

Finally do reverse steps to refit A-pillar panel, door rubber beading and glove box. Make sure the power cable doesn't crush when you refit the A-Pillar panel or glove box.

You have successfully installed the dashcam. Congrats and enjoy it. [clap]

Hope my guide was easy to understand and if you need any details, feel free to ask.

Thanks...
Best Regards

CRACING · Mar 9, 2017

Test Post - 1

Sample snapshots of recorded videos

Daytime video snapshot, taken when camera has just started recording

Daytime video snapshots, taken after the dashcam has recorded videos for more then 30mins. Slight blur can be noticed.

Snapshot of dashboard reflection.

Snapshot of nighttime video quality.

Snapshot of purple noise.

Snapshot of sudden darkness after purple noise reaches max level or harsh light hits the camera sensor.

Snapshot after video has recovered from darkness. Noise only disappears when the dashcam is switched off to cool down.
Otherwise the video circulates from purple noise to darkness to purple noise.

*Some snapshots are taken from same video but not all.

Sample videos of above said issues

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo6m4CsTGFY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFBZ6e0bjUY
Video clips of purple noise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uL-nFsQRp0
Video clip of sudden darkness (Not taken from my dashcam)

Akash1886 · Mar 9, 2017

CRACING said:

Do post pics of installation and working on the thread also buddy. Would be easy for us all. [:)]

Regards

Akash

CRACING · Mar 9, 2017

Akash1886 said:

Hello Bro,

Pictures of how the power cable is routed are uploaded to my google photos and link is shared in my review.

But I will surely write installation guide along with pics and also hard wiring, as soon as I get the hardwire adapter.

Thanks...
Best Regards

Prabhagar · Mar 10, 2017

Hi CRACING,
Congrats on your new dashcam, we look forward to your recordings on our other threads soon - candid camera, funny automotive pics etc. This thread will be useful for prospective dashcam buyers for sure.
I have a small request to share your day time blur issue with some samples and test process so I can test my unit as well. As of now, I am not sure if mine looses focus due to any of the factors you mentioned.
I am also looking forward to hard wire my dash cam, as the 12v connector gets loose at times without my knowledge leading to missed recordings. It has happened quite a few times in the recent weeks, I guess it's time to put the pry tool kit to test on my Tiago [:D]

.
BTW, the photos are awesome as usual, way to go [clap]

.

kkn13 · Mar 10, 2017

Hey I have the same car and am looking to buy a decent dashcam
Thanks for this post !! Any reason why you didnt go for Transcend?

CRACING · Mar 10, 2017

Prabhagar said:

Thank you. Sure, I will try to post videos as I go through.

Prabhagar said:

Please find attached snapshots above. The previous one was too much blur and the replacement is much better, including day and night.

Prabhagar said:

Once I get the hardwire adapter, I will surely post installation instructions for it. For now I have only posted plug and go installation.

kkn13 said:

Its my pleasure.

Dashcam installation is very easy in the Honda City and if you use plug and go method, then there no need to worry about warranty issues.
If warranty has expired, go for hardwire method for permanent and factory like perfection.

kkn13 said:

Transcend dashcams costs from 8k to 12k. My budget was 4k max so couldn't afford it.

kkn13 · Mar 11, 2017

Oh I dont really have a budget but I need 2 dashcams for highway use ie poor lighting conditions etc
Should I go in for Transcend or give A118C a shot
My concern is reliability and stability , my dad doesnt like stuff failing easily and I see mixed reviews for every dashcam I see(SJ cam, Transcend,A118c etc)
Any advice?
How is replacement/warranty from manufacturer?

CRACING · Mar 11, 2017

kkn13 said:

Two dashcams for front and rear or day and night?

kkn13 said:

I wouldn't recommend A118C for low light video recording, atleast not the one I got from ebay seller.

If you want dashcam that has capacitor, checkout Street Guardian SG9665GC v3. It looks same as A118C but has better built quality, Sony CMOS Sensor, 64Gb card support, active firmware updates and etc. In short its much better then A118C.

Alternative brands for A118C are Viofo and Spy Tec, which costs less then Street Guardian. The one I got is generic A118C aka B40, its not Viofo brand as mentioned by ebay India seller.

Next version of A118C, is A119. Again Viofo or Spy Tec are best bands to choose in this model.

However, these products are available in Amazon USA and other online stores in USA so you have to pay extra shipping charges or get it picked by your friend. Imported products don't have warranty or it would be expensive to claim. So you have to assume the product will work without issues but there is no guarantee.

If you don't want to take risk, better to go for locally available ones for easily warranty claims. Like Transcend Drive Pro 220 which is the best camera in this brand.

kkn13 said:

Its hard to say which dashcam works reliably because dashcam exposes to extreme temperature so there is high chance of failing. Its better to buy one that comes with a warranty.

My dashcam has 6 months seller warranty. To claim, send message to seller regarding the problem and if he finds it faulty, he will ask you to return the product for replacement or refund. Return shipping cost must be paid by the buyer.

There will be no manufacturer warranty for imported products listed in ebay India.

Transcend has 1 year manufacturer warranty and you claim in the nearest Transcend service center.

kkn13 · Mar 12, 2017

CRACING said:

Two dashcams for front and rear or day and night?

I wouldn't recommend A118C for low light video recording, atleast not the one I got from ebay seller.

If you want dashcam that has capacitor, checkout Street Guardian SG9665GC v3. It looks same as A118C but has better built quality, Sony CMOS Sensor, 64Gb card support, active firmware updates and etc. In short its much better then A118C.

Alternative brands for A118C are Viofo and Spy Tec, which costs less then Street Guardian. The one I got is generic A118C aka B40, its not Viofo brand as mentioned by ebay India seller.

Next version of A118C, is A119. Again Viofo or Spy Tec are best bands to choose in this model.

However, these products are available in Amazon USA and other online stores in USA so you have to pay extra shipping charges or get it picked by your friend. Imported products don't have warranty or it would be expensive to claim. So you have to assume the product will work without issues but there is no guarantee.

If you don't want to take risk, better to go for locally available ones for easily warranty claims. Like Transcend Drive Pro 220 which is the best camera in this brand.

Its hard to say which dashcam works reliably because dashcam exposes to extreme temperature so there is high chance of failing. Its better to buy one that comes with a warranty.

My dashcam has 6 months seller warranty. To claim, send message to seller regarding the problem and if he finds it faulty, he will ask you to return the product for replacement or refund. Return shipping cost must be paid by the buyer.

There will be no manufacturer warranty for imported products listed in ebay India.

Transcend has 1 year manufacturer warranty and you claim in the nearest Transcend service center.

2 dashcams as in for 2 cars
I think front is good enough, is rear advisable/usable at night?
Transcend DrivePro 220 looks good to me, I dont think Ill be able to risk it with the local/unbranded ones if warranty is questionable
I had a few bad experiences with headunit causing fuse trouble, is hardwiring risky? I have 2 cigarette lighter ports in front , so I was thinking of using that instead but my dad is keen on keeping it as clean as possible

CRACING · Mar 12, 2017

kkn13 said:

Some people like to take footage from front as well as rear because both are essential. Rear cam would be useful in parking lot or if someone rear ended your car and flee.

kkn13 said:

If there are multiple power sockets, you can use any of them for dashcam. Later you can also switch to hardwire.

Proper wiring shouldn't cause any issues but striping existing wires to connect new equipment's is not a good idea. Instead, it is recommended to use fuse tap and hardwire kit so that the installation would be easy and also reversible anytime.

Quick instructions: Fuse tap is used to tap positive voltage from fuse box (Any accessory fuse can be tapped) and negative is taken from bolts near fuse box. Then both wires are connected to input wires of hardwire adapter and its output goes to dashcam. Finally hardwire adapter is fastened somewhere near fuse box.

There are different sizes of fuses taps. Buy the correct one that fits in your car fuse box.
Honda City uses micro aka low profile fuses. Tata cars use mini fuses (Not sure about new models).

Hardwire kit comes with mini usb connector since most dashcams have mini usb port but keep note of it when buying.
Also some connectors are 90 degree so choose the one that suits your dashcam. Mine A118C needs straight usb connector.

krishna6239 · Mar 12, 2017

@cracing, A very good review with detailed relevant information. Nice !!!! [:D]

kkn13 said:

It's better to have a rear cam, but not compulsory it all comes down whether you want a rear cam or not. If you want both front and rear cams, better to have dvr system than 2 dashcams.

Hardwiring is not that difficult, but may be risky as long as you don't install load side of fuse to draw side. There are a lot of videos and websites explaining and showing how to connect to fuse box.

CRACING · Mar 25, 2017

How to Repair Corrupted Video Files

Hello,

I have seen lot of dashcam users facing corrupted video files and unfortunately I'm one of them too. My dashcam also recorded such files in the memory card for two times in a month and I was not able to view them in any video players. Once the loop finishes (3mins or 5mins as per setting), the next file will be good.

There are several reasons for the corruption:

1. Bad sectors or corrupted memory card,
2. Power supply interruption,
3. In-compete writing session in the beginning or end of the file,
4. Dashcam turned off but failed to write footer,
5. Memory card slot malfunction or improper connection,
and etc...

I don't remember what happened when the files got corrupted but I have found a software named Registrator Viewer that helped me to recover the video content. If you have a corrupted file(s), try this software and I hope it will work for you too.

Snapshot of corrupted video files, compared to good ones

As you can see, there is no thumbnail for the corrupted video file nor there is length description. Opening this file in WMP shows error "WMP encountered a problem while playing the file and in MPC "Cannot render the file". None of other video players I have tested were able to play the corrupted file.

Anyway, let me guide you how to use Registrator Viewer and recover the corrupted video file(s).

1. Download the software from their official sites (Link). Current stable version is 6.0.

2. Open the software. It is portable so it runs directly when opened.

3. After opening the software, go to file menu and click repair broken file

4. In the repairing child window, select the corrupted file by clicking ... button in the right side of broken file text box. Then select a good file by clicking ... button in the right side of good file text box. A good file is used to repair the corrupted file and it can be any one from the recoded videos. For example, previous file of the corrupted one.

5. Next tick the method to be used to repair the file. For me "Full file scan and trying to decode all bytes" worked but you can try the first one and if it doesn't find frames then choose second one.

6. If you want you can change the result path (where the recovered file will be saved) or remember the default path.

7. Finally click "Do Recovery" button and wait for few mins to recover the frames.

8. Once done, the file will be saved in the given path and also will be added into the software.

9. Play the recovered file or in any other video players and see if its repaired.

Snapshot of repaired video file

Now the thumbnail and length can be seen. Thats it. If you have any queries, feel free to ask me. [:)]

Thanks...
Best Regards

A118C Car Dashcam - Review

CRACING

V10

CRACING

V10

CRACING

V10

CRACING

V10

Akash1886

Honoured Member

CRACING

V10

Prabhagar

V10

kkn13

Suspended

CRACING

V10

kkn13

Suspended

CRACING

V10

kkn13

Suspended

CRACING

V10

krishna6239

V6

CRACING

V10