VIOFO A229 Ultra 2CH Dual 4K Dash Cam Front and Rear, Dual STARVIS 2 IMX678 Sensors & 2-Channel 4K HDR, Faster 5GHz Wi-Fi & Precise GPS Car Camera, Voice Control, Super Night Vision 2.0

An outstanding, easy-to-use dashcam
At the time I’m writing this review I’m the only one who actually paid for this camera, so hopefully you can trust my opinion. :)After a great deal of research, I settled on the VIOFO A229 Pro as my new dashcam, but when I saw the Ultra and its 4K rear camera, I decided to go for that one instead. I’m glad I did.Image quality, both front and rear, is excellent. Setup is very simple, and the ability to use the app to configure everything rather than the camera itself is very helpful. I do wish that there was an option to leave WiFi on all the time rather than having to manually enable it every time, but that’s a minor quibble.The included USB cable wasn’t long enough to run along the headliner and molding to my 12V power adapter so I had to buy a 15′ cable instead. It’s only a temporary solution while I wait to install the hardwire kit (not included), but it would’ve been nice to not have to spend the extra $8. It also would’ve been nice if there had been an SD card included, but I always get the biggest one that a device supports (512GB in this case) so that’s money I would’ve spent regardless.The rear cable, though, was a great length. I have a 2023 Honda Pilot and there was plenty of cable left over after I ran it all the way to the rear window.I wasn’t keen on using adhesive to attach the cameras, but VIOFO includes clear static sheets to attach to the glass first, and that’s awesome. I used a sheet both front and rear and there are no issues with adhesion.At any rate, this is basically just the A229 Pro with a 4K rear camera instead of 2K. If that’s worth the extra expense, go for it. If that upgrade isn’t important to you, save the money and go with the Pro.

Great dash cam, but budget a little extra for accessories
I’ve installed a handful of dash cams and the Viofo A229 Ultra has been one of the easier and more capable setups I’ve used. While I might recommend their three channel model (if you’re open to the additional spend), this dual channel Front/Rear setup with Sony’s STARVIS 3 sensors is quite a capable option. The daytime footage is clear and sharp, while nighttime performance is pretty impressive. The cameras handle the changing lighting conditions of outdoor driving quite well – headlights, shadows, and contrast-heavy scenes still produces images where license plates and obstacles are still visible.From a technical standpoint, the A229 Ultra actually performs better than several of the systems I’ve installed. The 5GHz wi-fi makes transferring images fast; the GPS locks on quickly and accurately; and the voice control not only works, but is actually a nice feature. Once you have it set-up, the camera mostly stays out of your way – which is exactly what you want.That said, the system is NOT simply plug-and-play and there are a few frustrations that keep it from being perfect.First, I wish the camera came with at least a small SD card to get you started. At this price point, even a modestly sized card would have made sense simply since you cant configure or test much without one. You’re going to want to upgrade to a high-speed, high-endurance 256 or 512GB card anyway, but it’s still a little annoying they didn’t drop a 16GB or 32GB card in the kit.Second, there is no hardwire kit or OBD2 installation option included – you have to buy these separately. This seems to be an industry-wide practice that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. If you’re going to go through the effort of a clean installation, why, then plug it into your cigarette/DC port? It is annoying that, like the SD card, when you buy this kit you are immediately pushed into buying additional accessories just to get it to work.Installation is doable – even if you are inexperienced. The rear camera cable was long enough to hit the back of our BMW X3 with room to spare. A clean installation does take some time and patience mapping the path and getting the cable tucked into the trim. I do like that the kit comes with a trim tool, but expect several hours of work if you want a truly clean installation. It’s not hard – it just takes time.Once installed properly, the dash cam does work as promised. Excellent coverage and clarity with other features that make it with a good choice. Just go in knowing you’ll want/need a good high-endurance SD card, a hardwire or OBD2 solution, and several hours to do the install right.If you’re willing to do that, the A229 Ultra is a solid choice.

Awesome quality, big sensors (important), install takes time, easy to operate, good WiFi, security
Super nice dashcam. I’ve been using dashcams for years, and this one is a huge upgrade. The 4K quality is impressive. Of particular note, this camera has large sensors (1/1.8″), which makes such a huge difference in image quality and sharpness, particularly at night. Noticed how videos are often grainy in low light? It’s all about the sensor size. Newer iPhones have 1/1.2″ sensors, so this isn’t terribly far off. This becomes very important when trying to capture a clean enough image to read license plates of other cars.Installation isn’t super easy. The main issue is running the wires. You’ll have to run one from the back window to the front, which involves getting under the ceiling liner, not simple. You’ll also have to run 12v power up to the front camera, which is most like going to be up near your review mirror, also not easy if you don’t want wires hanging everywhere. It can be done and is worth the effort. Nice that they included a plastic wedge tool to help safely separate panels.The main camera looks rather big in the listing photos, but it is impressively compact. The on-screen menus are easy to navigate with loads of options and controls.I particularly like the WiFi functionality, which I’ve never had before in a dashcam. It makes accessing and offloading the video on your dashcam super convenient. Easy to setup if you’ve ever connected a smart device to your router before. If not, just follow the directions, not terribly difficult.Having a dashcam provides so much peace of mind. It really protects you well from aggressive drivers in case of an incident. I was in an accident a few years ago (rear ended), and the first thing I told the other driver was that it was on dashcam. He immediately accepted responsibility, no problems. So worth it.Though this dashcam is a bit more expensive, it is worth it for the sensor size alone. Superior image quality. Great value at this price, definitely recommend!