A118 / B40 and A118-C / B40-C

Technical Details

– Max. resolution: 1920×1080 @ 30fps
– Price (A118): Amazon US (affiliate link)
– Bit rate: 15 Mbps
– 1.5″ Screen
– Very small size (72mm x 52mm x 43mm)
– Optional external GPS
– Novatek NT96650 processor
– Aptina AR0330 CMOS sensor
– Angle of view: 170° diagonal
– Operating temperature: from -10°C to 60°C (14°F to 140°F)
– Storage Temperature: from -20°C to 70°C (-4°F to 158°F)
– Video format: MOV
– Supports up to 64GB MicroSD cards
– Time and date stamp on video
– Loop recording, auto on/off, G-Sensor
– Interfaces: USB, AV

UPDATE: A capacitor based version of the A118 is now available, called A118-C. As it has no internal battery, the A118-C is more reliable and can withstand higher temperatures than its predecessor.

A118 Review

The A118 was released in mid 2014 by Chinese manufacturer Tiesfong. Like many Chinese dash cams, it goes by various names and is also known as B40, Tiesfong B40, Skyview G6, or AE-CC30. For the sake of readability, we will stick with A118 for this review.

This camera is one of the smallest and most discreet we have seen so far. Unlike most other dash cams, it comes without a mount, sticking directly to the wind screen instead via 3M adhesive tape. This makes the A118 actually look like it is a part of the car, and not like an added gadget. Also, the A118 is all black, which is a huge plus in terms of discreetness.

The A118 records at 1080p resolution. Its video quality is good at day time, and average at night. Video is comparable to the G1W (maybe not quite as good), but the A118’s build quality is noticeably better. Price-wise the A118 is somewhere in between the G1W and the Mini 0803, thus forming a welcome addition to the lower price range.

While GPS is not included by default, an external GPS module can be acquired separately. The A118 comes with all the necessary dash cam functions such as loop recording, auto on/off and date/time stamp. A G-sensor is also present to keep your video files from being overwritten should an impact occur. Video files can be set to 1, 3, or 5 minutes length, which is pretty much standard now.

Hardware-wise the A118 is based upon the Novatek NT96650 processor and an Aptina AR0330 CMOS sensor. It has a 1.5″ screen and records at a bit rate of about 15Mbps. Like most cameras it is specified to accept up to 32MB memory cards, but users have got it to work with 64MB cards as well.

No mount: The red surface sticks directly to windshield, making the A118 extremely discreet

At 170°, the viewing angle is huge, larger than any other dash cam that we have reviewed so far. Obviously, this results in a pronounced fish-eye effect, but that seems like an acceptable price to pay for the greatly expanded field of view.

Another feature that sets this camera apart is its revolutionary shape, which lets you mount it directly to the windshield. It doesn’t need a separate mount like most other cams, making the A118 a lot less noticeable than its competition.

There is also a triangular bracket included that the camera can be attached to, but this is not really necessary. For maximum discreetness, we recommend you just ignore the bracket and tape the camera directly to the windscreen. Just make sure not to mount it to close to your car’s roof, as about 1 centimeter of space is needed above the camera to push it upwards in order to remove it. Also, if you are going to connect the mini-USB cable to the camera while it is mounted, make sure to leave enough space for the plug as it goes into the top of the camera.

Summing it up, the A118 camera offers a lot of excellent features, at an affordable price. For about $20 more than the G1W, you get similar daytime video quality, but significantly superior field of view, form factor, discreetness, and build quality. It doesn’t have GPS and night video is unfortunately rather grainy, but for a dash cam in this price range, the A118 is definitely an attractive choice.

NOTE: If you love the form factor of this camera but would like better video quality, check out the Street Guardian SG9665GC. It uses the same casing, but most internal components are upgraded, including the lens, image sensor, and processor. Be aware it costs more than twice as much as the A118 though.

A118 Video Samples

For full original video quality, make sure to watch on full screen and select maximum video resolution (use the cog icon in lower right corner). You may have to rewind the video after changing the resolution.