Viofo A139 3CH 3-channel dash cam: Discrete design and full car coverage

The interior camera of the trio is, unusually, a discrete unit—handy for placement, bad for cable clutter.

- JON L. JACOBI

Viofo’s A139 3CH three-channel, three-camera dash cam system is a first in our experience. We’ve tested three-channel products before, but the interior camera has always been integrated into the same body as the front camera. Viofo’s is separate, as is the rear camera.

The upside to this discrete interior camera approach is versatility in locating each camera. The downside, though easily surmountable, is that you have more cables to hide.

DESIGN AND FEATURES

The A139’s three cameras are also notable for their high resolution. The 140-degree FOV front camera is 1440p, while the 170-degree cabin (interior) and rear cameras are both 1080p. All manage 30 fps while recording simultaneously, which means there’s a fair amount of processing power under the hood. High-quality Sony STARVIS IMX335 sensors are used by all three cameras.

The main (forward) camera body uses a sticky mount. The camera attaches and detaches from said mount by sliding to the left or right. There’s no adjustment once mounted (place carefully!), and there’s no display. Instead of the latter, the A139 relies on a Wi-Fi–connected phone app for displaying live views and changing settings. Feedback is provided by status lights, voice, and other audio clues.

On the back of the main camera are power, record on/off, emergency record (save), the microphone on/ off, and Wi-Fi buttons. You must connect to the phone to change the numerous other settings, and you can’t record while doing so. Small matter—you shouldn’t be driving while using your phone anyway.