You are mounting a car dash cam on a motorcycle. The 70mai A410 delivers 2.5K front and 1080p rear at a price that undercuts dedicated motorcycle units. The dual-channel quality is genuine. Your weather and mounting challenges are not solved by that resolution.
Video quality and nighttime capture
The a410 produces 2.5 K video at 2560 x 1440 on the front channel. The resolution of the front channel is approximately 1.5 times that of 1080 p. When installed on a car windshield, the difference can be seen easily. In daylight, a license plate viewed at 30 feet is clearly readable. however, at 50 feet, the text starts to become blurry, but remains legible. This resolution advantage is also apparent when using the motorcycle version. However, there is one caveat - vibrations caused by the wind flowing past a fairing or mirror mounted camera cause blur that would not occur on a stationary windshield-mounted camera.
The rear camera captures 1080p video. The 125- degree-wide-angle lens allows you to capture a much broader rear field-of-view than other cameras. However, the same wide-angle lens causes distortion of details near the edges of the frame. Therefore, if you are viewing a license plate that cuts diagonally across your rearview area, it will be located at the edge of the frame. Additionally, although the wider view may allow you to see more vehicles, it will not necessarily improve the readability of distant plates. You will receive a good-quality secondary record. However, the plates themselves will likely not be readable at a sufficient distance to identify specific vehicle(s).
Loop recording breaks down each piece of recorded video into smaller clips for easier transfer to your pc. The SD card continually overwrites the oldest file until the card reaches capacity. Since both channels record simultaneously, doubling the write load of single-channel units, use a high-capacity endurance microsd card. Lower-cost standard microsd cards are subject to rapid degradation when subjected to continual writes (such as those occurring during simultaneous recording of both front and rear channels). The a410 accepts cards of up to 256 GB. With a 128 GB high-capacity endurance card, you can expect to achieve about 3-4 hours of total recording time before loop-overwrite occurs.
Parking Mode functionality, GPS and App
Parking Mode operates on time-lapse recording. The camera takes a picture at predetermined intervals while parked. To minimize power consumption and extend battery life, this method of recording provides ample time for monitoring your bike for 24-hour periods. As previously stated, since gaps exist between each picture taken during time-lapse recording, if anything strikes your bike between pictures being captured, motion detection activates recording immediately and preserves all subsequent recordings until loop-overwriting resumes.
To enable Parking Mode on your motorcycle requires purchasing the 70mai up03 hardwire kit (sold separately). Using the regular power supply provided by connecting the accessory cord to your ignition switch, Parking Mode is disabled because power is only delivered to the camera while the engine is running. The up03 installs a tap onto an always-on 12-volt source. On a motorcycle, this usually involves installing a tap into an always-on source such as behind the battery or within the fuse box. Most users with basic knowledge of electrical systems will be able to successfully perform this installation. Users lacking electrical system knowledge may wish to utilize only the ignition powered recording feature instead.
GPS functionality integrates into each recorded clip providing your speed and coordinates plus timestamp. These details can greatly enhance your ability to defend yourself against false claims of wrongdoing during traffic stops or minor accidents related to your commute. By including your exact location and speed during a disputed incident, this information can greatly strengthen your case.
Wi-fi connectivity enables remote access to your camera utilizing your smartphone through the 70mai App. You can upload footage, modify settings and monitor the live feed remotely through this application. Unlike having to physically remove your SD card from your camera every time you desire to obtain a particular clip, wi-fi eliminates the need for manually accessing your SD card.
However, similar to wi-fi connectivity offered by several competing cameras available today, wi-fi performance exhibited by the a410 can sometimes drop and become unreliable. Once familiarized with the user interface, you should be able to accomplish everything required to operate your camera remotely.
Transfer rates for transferring footage from your a410 to your smartphone via wi-fi are somewhat slow relative to those experienced with competing 5 ghz wi-fi enabled cameras. Nevertheless, given that you are uploading 2.5 K video files, waiting a few minutes for an hour's worth of footage is still quite acceptable.
What Amazon Reviewers Are Saying
Amazon reviewers have rated the 70mai A410 (aff link) 4.5 stars based upon almost five hundred reviews posted on amazon.com. Thus far in our research we have identified that overall ratings like this represent extremely large numbers of customers who are generally satisfied with products they purchased. An overall rating like this cannot confirm how often failures have been reported or what types of common issues might arise among users.
Reviewers have frequently commented positively regarding night-time video quality produced by the a410 as well as day-time video quality at typical driving distances for readability of license plates.
Reviews have criticized poor behavior associated with the mobile App used to manage your a410. Mobile apps tend to vary in terms of performance from device-to-device and platform-to-platform depending upon how they were designed and tested. Many reviewers indicate that while the App ultimately performs the functions intended (transfer files, modify settings etc.), it does not do so seamlessly and/or intuitively.
Adhesive-type windshield mounting systems reviewed by many users have demonstrated difficulty attaching smoothly to textured or uneven surface type windscreens commonly found on motorcyclists' bikes.
In contrast, positive comments abound regarding value and whether or not this product represents "good bang-for-buck." Owners upgrading from single-channel budget units frequently comment favorably regarding dual-channel capabilities available at slightly higher prices than they paid initially. See the 70mai A410 on Amazon to compare current bundles.
Who is this camera best suited for?
The a410 is best suited for motorcyclists who park their bikes indoors.
For example: trike owners. can am owners. scooter owners who maintain covers on their windshields or otherwise keep them protected from rain. any owner who stores his/her bike inside a garage or shed between trips.
If you are an owner whose motorcycle lives outdoors in heavy rain 365 days per year, then skip this camera entirely. Car dash cams are not designed for motorcycle exposure and will deteriorate rapidly from exposure to rain, road debris/spray and UV radiation damage.
Check here for dashcam comparisons of units created specifically for motorcycle applications. Check here for availability of the a410 on amazon.
See additional articles pertaining to motorcycle-specific technologies and advice based on your personal riding preferences. See here for an article explaining how technical specifications for dashcams relate to actual evidence value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the 70mai A410 work with my motorcycle?
Yes. The a410 is a car dash cam adapted for use on motorcycles. The electrostatic windshield mount works effectively on smooth glass windscreens found on motorcycles. Painted fairings or textured windscreens require either a dedicated motorcycle windscreen mount or an adhesive pad included with purchase.
The camera works fine on a motorcycle. However, wind vibrations create blur on a moving motorcycle whereas no blur occurs on a fixed windshield-mounted camera.
Is this camera waterproof?
No - the a410 is not waterproof and/or dustproof as defined by ip67 standards. Specifically, neither sealed gasket nor waterproof connectors are present on this model as they are typically found on weather-sealed dedicated motorcycle dash cams. Light rain while traveling will not harm the unit. Exposure to continuous rain while parked or road debris splashing onto the unit will damage internal components. If you expose your motorcycle to continuous wet conditions throughout the year (i.e., rain), consider using a weather-sealed motorcycle dash cam instead.
Do i need to buy the hardwire kit for Parking Mode?
Yes - to enable Parking Mode functionality on your motorcycle requires purchasing the optional 70mai up03 hardwire kit (sold separately). Parking Mode uses low-power time-lapse recording. thus, in order for it to function continuously while parked, it must be connected directly to a 12V always-on source rather than relying solely on power supplied through your accessory outlet/cigarette lighter adapter. The up03 provides taps for making connections directly to an always-on source - e.g., behind your battery or in your fuse panel. Most users will be able to make this simple modification successfully provided they possess minimal familiarity with basic electrical principles/techniques.
Users lacking familiarity with electrical principles may prefer simply using only ignition-switch controlled power input (as opposed to an always-on source) and disable Parking Mode.
How big can my microsd card be?
Up to 256 GB supported. High-capacity endurance microsd cards should be considered in order to prevent premature deterioration resulting from repeated write cycles inherent in recording dual-channels (front + rear). Regularly-priced microsd cards can decay rapidly as a result of repetitive writing cycles associated with dual-channel recording. Using a high-capacity endurance card will give you approximately 3-4 hours of combined front & rear recording prior to needing to overwrite older content in order to continue capturing new content.
Will my rear camera require a separate power cable?
No - both front and rear cameras connect via a single cable which passes through the body of the front camera unit. Power for the rear camera comes from an accessory outlet/cigarette-lighter adapter as part of a charging harness which powers both cameras simultaneously (via the above-described cable.)
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