Nexus 5 Unboxing

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Thanks to Jeff @ VANTRUE for supplying a new N5 for review

Unboxed it today and I must say the heftyness surprised me

Appears to be solid build quality and feels like it weighs more than all of my other Dash Cams combined

Waiting on the Hardwire Kit and Event Remote to arrive before installing on my daily driver

My dash is a bit cluttered at the moment with other cameras for comparision, but I plan on retiring my old BlueSkySea Mini0906 to one of my other vehicles to make room for the N5

The factory radar sensor on my van makes things a little complicated as it needs to be clear of objects and fact that the N5 has dual cameras on the same unit with limited adjustment means I will have to mount it pretty low in order to clear the mirror and get a good interior shot

I've read that some of you guys have been having compatibility issues with certain sd cards.

What 512GB High Endurance cards are guaranteed to work?

 

[kamkar]

Nice welcome to the club M8.
I think you will like the N5

 

[wozzzzza]

thats what i noticed as well, nice and weighty, could mean higher quality, could mean extra lens giving it the weight or both. but from my time with it so far it is pretty good camera, just needs a good parking mode that you can control. not what your car battery quality can control.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Which sd cards are you using?

 

[kamkar]

So far i have tested: ( 256 GB cards only )

Sandisk high endurance - OK
Sillicon Power 3D nand ( brown / white ) - not OK
Kingston canvas go plus - OK

Currently running a kingston select plus, and it seem to work too, though it have not yet filled up and started to recycle so i cant say for sure

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Ok, so I've been putting off installing the N5 until I received the hardwire kit and event remote (which only came in on Friday).

During this time, I picked up a 512GB card (Vantrue) and did some bench testing at home.

Cycled the camera for 3 days straight without shutting down.

Current draw with both front and rear night vision on got up to a whopping 1amp.

Cameras did get warm, but never over heated.

Did a quick install yesterday replacing the following cameras which will be installed on other vehicles.

BlueSkySea B1W
BlueSkySea Mini0906 (dual cam)
BlueSkySea B4K (dual cam)
ToGuard C20

I left a BlueSkySea B2W for future comparison videos

The updated hardwire kit appears to be a solid unit with easy to use settings, but has a straight cable, making the install less neat with the angled port.

Due to the 2-in-1 tube style design, you get limited up/down adjustments for both cameras, which means it has to be mounted low and centered to get a decent field of view for front and front interior shots.

I would've preferred either individual mount cameras or at least an interior cam with full range of motion that can be easily angled towards the driver's side window in the event of a traffic stop.

For this reason, I decided to keep the B2W in place as it has an interior cam that swivels side to side.

The rear camera(s) feel solid, but again, a 90* cable fitting would've made for a cleaner installation.





After only playing around with it for one day, I must say, I love it!!

The app works great.

Connects quickly.

Everything is pretty much straight forward, nuthin too complicated.

Importing footage is a lot faster than I thought it would be with very little lag when streaming direct (perfect for on the spot viewing).

Voice command works great when the cabin is silent, but can be a chore with the radio on or the windows down.

Made me look like a fool talkin to myself at stop light earlier today.

Also, the voice control can pick up on similar phrases playing on the radio or being spoken by passengers.

While using the waze app, every time it said "turn left", the camera would turn off the wifi.

There were a few other random instances of this happening while yappin with my wife, but it was mainly with left turns on waze.

Luckily the wireless remote works as it should if I decide to turn off voice control.




Likes:

Excellent packaging
Solid construction
Easy to use buttons
Voice control
Easy to use app
Wireless event remote


Dislikes

Limited adjustment for field of view
Hardwire kit has a straight cable as opposed to a 90* fitting like the original power cable
Voice control requires a silent cabin to function
Voice control can be activated by random speech on radio
Rear camera cable has straight fitting


















Can't wait to start uploading daily clips

 

[kamkar]

O yeah.
The N5 will be a excellent camera for a guy like you and the family

 

[LateralNW]

The updated hardwire kit appears to be a solid unit with easy to use settings, but has a straight cable, making the install less neat with the angled port.

I have a N5 HWK do you know what changed for it to be updated?

The remote device you also mention could you elaborate how it works.
I didn't know there was one.

Thanks.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

I have a N5 HWK do you know what changed for it to be updated?

The remote device you also mention could you elaborate how it works.
I didn't know there was one.

Thanks.

Vantrue has a few USB-C hardwire kits that are compatible

Some have only 2 LVC settings, others have a visible voltmeter

The one I have has an LED, 4 LVC settings and an adjustable timer

As for the remote, it just has two buttons

One toggles the mic and the other lets you lock the video clip or snap a photo.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

A little voice control testing

I still have to play around with the sensativity settings

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Well, this is embarrassing

First video with my new N5 is of me getting pulled over for doing 90+ in a 55 while rockin out to Chris Isaak

 

[LateralNW]

Well, this is embarrassing

First video with my new N5 is of me getting pulled over for doing 90+ in a 55 while rockin out to Chris Isaak

Was wicked games playing
I noticed you used the capture button.

Video is clear!
Is that 35mph? What are the penalties?
In Aus I'd lose my license for 12mths and $A1000 fine.

 

[kamkar]

New Vantrue HWK look strait forward, well at least if you have a bare minimum understanding of such things.

I some times slide on the speed too, but i have to admit not 35 MPH
That is now measurements, going a few decades back and +35 KMH was the norm pretty much no matter the allowed sped for a road.
These days if its bad i do 90 on a 80 highway.

For me with the Vantrue cameras i have to use the HIGH setting for the voice thing.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

From earlier today

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

New Vantrue HWK look strait forward, well at least if you have a bare minimum understanding of such things.

I some times slide on the speed too, but i have to admit not 35 MPH
That is now measurements, going a few decades back and +35 KMH was the norm pretty much no matter the allowed sped for a road.
These days if its bad i do 90 on a 80 highway.

For me with the Vantrue cameras i have to use the HIGH setting for the voice thing.

Force of habit

I'm a bit of a gearhead and have a heavy foot

Especially when others are speeding around me

Case in point, a few months back I spotted a Durango SRT speeding along.

Decided to chase him for a bit

Even squirted him with some water (I'm such an arsehole lol)

Turned out to be an unmarked police car (f@ck)

Thought for sure I was goin to jail

Said he got me at 105mph, but still let me off with a warning (witholding that footage from public view for now)

As for the high setting on the voice control, I tried that for the past few days and got a bunch of random locked events (like 5 or so).

 

[kamkar]

I never had a misfire on the voice control, but of course i do not have English language talk radio going, and i dont think English music will do it, at least i have never noticed but if my radio are on it is probably also at 100 %
My right foot are also still heavy, but me changing to 4X4 trucks ( Mitsubishi ) and later SUV, that took the edge off it, also now, well if you drive really bad they can confiscate your car, though when that happen you are also really really naughty in traffic like + 100 % over the limit, or dangerous driving like red light running and passing dividers on the wrong side ASO.

back in the old days, every year in August we have the towns annual culture week ( excuse for mass consumption of alcohol ) so going home from my M8 place down south, on the highway after having passed thru a larger town on the way home, i was passed by a taxi, and even though i floored it the second he flew buy, and reached 150 KM/h on the 80KM/h highway, and not catching up to him at all, well i just let it go.

Speed, that do up the ante in most aspects of traffic, its not really a big thing for me in traffic, but i just say that now as no one have plowed into me at excessive speed.
In the 90ties i was most often 100 % over in towns, and highways / motorways i was like + 70% over the limit most of the time, how i never got a speeding ticket i will never know.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

My right foot are also still heavy, but me changing to 4X4 trucks ( Mitsubishi ) and later SUV, that took the edge off

I'm actually the opposite

I speed way more in my mini van and Land Cruiser that I do in any of my race cars

 

[Agie]

From earlier today

The video content is great, but I'm also here for the music you're listening to while cruising mate! Top choice!

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Just a short clip sitting in the driveway when my dog barked at one of our tenants

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Short clip of a BMW and Corvette messing around on the Southern State Parkway