VicoVation Vico Opia2 2K Ultra-HD 1440p HDR Dashcam

The media could not be loaded.  I have owned and used this camera for quite awhile now. I have also owned a TF2, WF1, and Marcus 3 so I have quite a bit of experience with the Vico line. The Opia2 is a high quality Taiwanese built camera. Hardware wise It features an Ambarella A12 processor with a 4MP OmniVision OV4689 CMOS Sensor. It uses a Super cap instead of a battery so it can handle higher temperatures (32-167 F) a Mini B type power plug, and has external GPS.I have had issues when using another cord with my Marcus 3 things like boot looping and stopping recording, and it is always recommended to use the original power cord that came with the camera. However for the sake of science I tried an OBD 2 to Mini B cable that came with a different camera to see if it would work until I can get my power plus wired in, and while Smart Parking does not work because it is power plus exclusive I was able to power the camera this way for a short test. Again this it at your own risk and is not recommended.This combination of parts really shines on the software side giving the camera a bit rate of 25MB and a file size of 920MB per 5 mins even though I believe the box claims a lower bitrate number, and has Mono audio at 128kbps. Resolutions are 1440/1296/1080 HDR On at 30. 1080 at 60 HDR off. The screen saver offers a 15 Sec and 1 Min off time. 15 seconds is one of the lowest choices I have seen and is very important for people who live in states where driving with a screen on is illegal as well as night driving.The camera also features a nice quick release mount. I have taken the mount and pealed off the 3M stick as seen in the pictures below and added a piece of 3M dual lock tape. This allows for the entire mount to stay low profile and secure, but also gives the ability to be completely taken down if need be.Vico Tag offers space for 12 characters where most cameras only have 8 or 9 so that makes it nice to put your user name hard coded on the video if you wish. Loop was set at 5 mins, but I believe firmware 2.2G adds a 3 min loop choice. The firmware can be found on VicoVation's official website. There is a choice for low and normal screen brightness. This helps when you need to tap a button at night. The camera will not blind you when it comes on as well as the ability to flip the image both vertically and horizontally.Another thing that makes this camera really great is the Smart Parking Surveillance 2.0 when used with a Power Plus this allows the camera to use parking mode. This features a time lapse mode with a still taken every 1, 10, or 60 seconds, and also has Motion Detection. Along with Vico's great Emergency recording that has a stand out orange button that when pressed the camera will take 30 seconds before and after you trigger the emergency button (total 1 min video) into an emergency folder.The file will be protected from regular recording and not be automatically written over when the camera needs to loop.Overall this camera is a really great high end camera. Video looks great both during the day and at night. Even when my windscreen is dirty it provides great video.For more information and to see more videos check out DashCamTalk. I have more videos posted there.

The media could not be loaded.  Lets start from the beginning. This is my first ever dashcam. I purchased another brand before this one and returned it within 24 hours. I needed to learn alot about dashcams.The Pros:1. Exceptional customer service. Seeing as I was going though a learning curve. I had lots of questions and really honestly thought I had a dud. I exchanged emails for 2 weeks with Jen from Vico. There was a time difference as I think they are in Taiwan. But she responded accordingly and professionally.2. The camera. I was having a hiccup in the beginning recording in 1080P60FPS. The video seemed to stutter. After replacing the Micro SD car with an Transcend MLC card Class 10 UHS-3 instead of the UHS1. The problem of stuttering went away, Maybe it was a fluke. But I would recommend going with a UHS3 card due to read and write speed being faster.3. 1440P is awesome!! You are not going to read every license plate while flying by other cars. But at slow speeds or stopped you should be able to possibly make some out. The clarity in 1440P instead of 1080P is like night and day. Just keep it in 1440P.4. Get a CPL filter. There is a video on the internet about how to adjust for windshield glare. This will help on sunny days.The cons:1. The windshield mounts. This is not exclusive to Vico but the other name brand I bought. It seems like they need to get the camera closer to the windshield IMO. Now I have read reviews on distance from the windshield and their are numerous thoughts. To me it would seem closer is better, but I'm not the expert.That's it. That's my only con.I can't thank Jen for all her help and feedback during my learning curve. She at one point also suggested returning the product for another one even though there was nothing wrong with this one! Unheard of. One other thing I will say. If you are having a hiccup with the camera, for the love of god, make sure you have the proper Micro SD card in it and formatted before use. I have read reviews of some cameras work and some don't. User error or not purchasing the proper Micro SD card. There is a recommendation in the manual of which ones are supported. So just don't go buying any Micro SD card and thinking that's it. Their is a quality difference between cards.I actually started a Youtube channel for dash cam footage. Hopefully they will allow the link in the review. Spend the money and get this camera. With the way people have their face planted in their phones now a days, you need to protect yourself and your insurance.I am professional truck driver for a big name company. We have not wandered in to cameras yet, but I am sure to come. This is my way to protect my license!!!