I wanted to like the U3000

[Dan2]

But alas it's back on its way to Amazon. Here's why this dash cam is a dud for me:

- I knew that the cameras lack HDR and was ready to accept that, but the video that it took when parked in my dimly lit (but not super dark) driveway were beyond abysmal. My old 2016 Lukas takes higher quality videos even if it's only 1080p.

- The impact detection in radar mode isn't working no matter how times I bumped the glass or increased the sensitivity to max. It just doesn't work. I didn't try other modes since the radar one is why I got this model in the first place.

- The cloud mode is so idiotic and the apps so confusing, trying to connect to my phone's personal hot spot instead of the house wi-fi. It also takes forever to connect even though the signal is good.

- Lastly, the camera angle won't adjust for a Jeep Wrangler windshield so half of the screen is filled by my gorgeous Jeep hood.

A big shortcoming also for ALL dash-cams is that none plays nice with Apple CarPlay, so all wifi based apps require a lot of steps (like finding where CarPlay is in the Settings app, disabling it for the current car, using the camera app, going back to settings, etc).

 

[Thinkware Dash Cam]

Hello, Please reach out to us via email or phone call at support@thinkware.com or 1 (844) 865-9273 so we can assist you further. Thank you!

 

[Dan2]

Hello, Please reach out to us via email or phone call at support@thinkware.com or 1 (844) 865-9273 so we can assist you further. Thank you!

I appreciate your reaching out, but I don't think there is much that you could do about four of the major deal breakers design flaws:

1 - the adjustment range of the front camera angle maxes out on a Jeep Wrangler windscreen.
2 - the radar module built into the rear camera will not work when attached to SUVs rear windshields in vertical position. Only the camera adjusts to the angle, not the radar module.
3 - the cloud notifications not working in radar parking mode.
4 - the cumbersome complications of interacting with the camera unit via the phone in a CarPlay set-up.

Anyway, the unit was sent back to Amazon already.

 

[safedrivesolutions]

I appreciate your reaching out, but I don't think there is much that you could do about four of the major deal breakers design flaws:

1 - the adjustment range of the front camera angle maxes out on a Jeep Wrangler windscreen.
2 - the radar module built into the rear camera will not work when attached to SUVs rear windshields in vertical position. Only the camera adjusts to the angle, not the radar module.
3 - the cloud notifications not working in radar parking mode.
4 - the cumbersome complications of interacting with the camera unit via the phone in a CarPlay set-up.

Anyway, the unit was sent back to Amazon already.

To answer a few questions

i know you returned the unit and i am not going to talk you into keeping it. I just want to clarify a few of your concerns as I have installed about 50 of these units now.
1. Not sure about the angle it did seem fine to me. Was it mounted at top of windshield or bottom?

2. The radar will work but only at close range. It will still flood out. But not be 100% effective. I agree this is a design flaw that works for most vehicles. Trucks and Jeeps do pose some challenges.

3. Cloud notifications will work if there is an impact. I have tested this on multiple videos. It is not the same as motion detection though. But if there is an impact it will notify you. provided there is a hotspot or nearby wi-fi it is connected to.

4. Most newer vehicles are causing these challenges. You either need to turn bluetooth off on your phone for a lot of newer dash cameras to pair(Can not do for a U3000 because it uses bluetooth for pairing) or turn carplay off on phone. It sucks i agree but you also do not need to be hooked up to it all the time and most people may only hook up to it very rarely.

 

[Dan2]

To answer a few questions

Thanks for your feedback. I've added my observations below.

i know you returned the unit and i am not going to talk you into keeping it. I just want to clarify a few of your concerns as I have installed about 50 of these units now.
1. Not sure about the angle it did seem fine to me. Was it mounted at top of windshield or bottom?

The unit was mounted at the top. The Jeep windshield is almost vertical. The U300 has an edge shape and the rotation of the camera is limited at more or less 90 degrees minus the angle of the edge, so it can never achieve the proper angle on the Jeep. It's missing really not much, 2-3 degrees, but enough to point down the hood.

2. The radar will work but only at close range. It will still flood out. But not be 100% effective. I agree this is a design flaw that works for most vehicles. Trucks and Jeeps do pose some challenges.

No matter what I did, move, dance , nothing triggered the radar.

3. Cloud notifications will work if there is an impact. I have tested this on multiple videos. It is not the same as motion detection though. But if there is an impact it will notify you. provided there is a hotspot or nearby wi-fi it is connected to.

The Jeep is parked next to the garage and there is a wifi point less than 10' on the second floor. The signal is excellent and I did see that the U300 connected to my network. It just refused to send notifications in radar and the ultra low energy mode.

4. Most newer vehicles are causing these challenges. You either need to turn bluetooth off on your phone for a lot of newer dash cameras to pair(Can not do for a U3000 because it uses bluetooth for pairing) or turn carplay off on phone. It sucks i agree but you also do not need to be hooked up to it all the time and most people may only hook up to it very rarely.

I'm playing with a Blackvue unit now and it plays much nicer with CarPlay since the unit can be accessed via the cloud. No need to disconnect my phone from CarPlay.

 

[safedrivesolutions]

Thanks for your feedback. I've added my observations below.

The unit was mounted at the top. The Jeep windshield is almost vertical. The U300 has an edge shape and the rotation of the camera is limited at more or less 90 degrees minus the angle of the edge, so it can never achieve the proper angle on the Jeep. It's missing really not much, 2-3 degrees, but enough to point down the hood.

No matter what I did, move, dance , nothing triggered the radar.

The Jeep is parked next to the garage and there is a wifi point less than 10' on the second floor. The signal is excellent and I did see that the U300 connected to my network. It just refused to send notifications in radar and the ultra low energy mode.

I'm playing with a Blackvue unit now and it plays much nicer with CarPlay since the unit can be accessed via the cloud. No need to disconnect my phone from CarPlay.

Thank You for responding.

1. i am going to verify this. We have not install one into a jeep yet but many other vehicles.
2. Was the rear camera plug, plugged in the whole way? I ask this because there was an issue where if it was not plugged in whole way the rear radar was not working. It is too late to test this now. But still asking
3. This is puzzling to me. Thinbkware said it would not work on their website but I have duplicated it over and over again.
4. Glad the Blackvue is serving you.

 

[Dan2]

1) Please do. It's wasn't missing much, but just enough to have the hood occupy more than half of the screen.

2) I'm aware about the issue with the plug not being pushed all the way causing problems with the radar. I don't think that was the case. I pushed it in quite firmly.

3) I've seen your video and I liked that notification demo. I was hoping that I'll get the same.

4) The quality of the Blackvue video is a step ahead of that of U300, especially the exposure. For example, I'm in (very) sunny Arizona, my Jeep is bright white, my house is a very pale yellow stucco, and the camera includes half of my (open door) garage interior, which is quite dark by comparison with the other half of the image: on the Thinkware, the garage interior was almost black. On the Blackvue it shows perfectly inside, like in a HDR picture (even though the BV doesn't have it either).
Their app is much better, and lastly, their form factor is better for me: much smaller - because the Jeep's windshield is so vertical, it has much less glass available to wedge shaped cameras.