VIOFO A139 Pro 3-CH 4K UHD Dash Cam vs.
BlackVue DR770X Box Comparison Review

What we appreciate about these three-channel dash cams is their discreet design - both don't come with a screen and can easily be installed. The VIOFO A139 Pro is a screenless triple-channel dash cam, almost the same as the older T130. We love that its front unit is able to be rotated vertically up to 300° for greater coverage, adapting better in different car models for optimal positioning. If you like to record your trips or include travel videos in your vlogs, you can easily switch the front lens to the cabin with this.

On the front of the A139 Pro, we can see that it comes with the LED status REC, Mic, GPS and Wifi. On the bottom part of the front camera, you can see the Power, Recording, Video Protection, Microphone, and Wi-Fi buttons. Designed for security, it’s valuable to know that you can use the Video Protection / Emergency Button to lock the A139 Pro’s currently recording video. This is crucial if you're driving and you want to make sure you save the current footage as locked to ensure that loop recording doesn’t delete it. The DR770X Box instead only has the option to mark and manually record a video through it’s bluetooth button, triggering manual recording. Other options will need to be controlled in-app.

While the VIOFO A139 Pro bears a resemblance to older VIOFO models like the T130, the story is different with the BlackVue DR770X Box. We think that this is a revolutionary dash cam as we haven’t encountered any model designed like this. For the first time, BlackVue designed the DR770X Box to be a separate unit from the cameras, carrying the BlackVue dash cam's processor, WiFi source, and memory card.

Going over its cameras, the DR770X Box has a different form factor compared to other BlackVue dash cams. The DR770X’s little cameras are linked via coaxial video cable to the Box, which serves as the recording unit that can be safely stored in the glovebox or under the seat. This means the Box can be easily kept out of sight, preventing a thief from accessing it, while keeping your dash cam footage safe and private.

We easily noticed that the DR770X Box allows a much smaller design for the front camera compared to a conventional dash cam, since all the components required to process and write the video feeds are embedded in the Box. In fact, the DR770X’s newly designed front camera, which includes a speaker and microphone, is the same size as the interior infrared and rear cameras. Because of its size, we also think it helps minimize overheating risks of a dash cam sitting on your windshield in the hot sun.

And for maximum security, all cables and the SD card slot are both protected by their own tamper-proof locking cover. Even besides the Box, each camera unit presents its own difficulty to break into, as all three of them come with their own tamper proof casing. This casing prevents the cabling from being unplugged, and the camera taken off the windshield. Because of this, in terms of security, we think that the BlackVue DR770X Box has better features than the A139 Pro.

Still, the VIOFO A139 Pro does allow for more direct control through its face buttons and accessible u

VIOFO A139 PRO 3CH

BlackVue DR770X BOX 3CH

Now, we come to the part where the two dash cams would differ – video quality. The VIOFO A139 Pro’s front cam is the industry's first to feature Sony's new STARVIS 2 IMX 678 technology. Going to the rear and interior, the A139 Pro’s secondary cameras are powered by Sony STARVIS 2MP IMX291 image sensors. 

In terms of video recording, we know that Sony STARVIS technology performs admirably in low-light monitoring. However, Sony's most recent tech, the STARVIS 2 IMX 678 image sensor, does a better job with a much wider dynamic range in a single exposure.  

And this is what they built in the all-new A139 Pro. In addition to having a larger image size with a type of 1/1.8", the 4K A139 Pro series now has much less noise and motion blur during day and night recording, making license capturing more seamless than before. With Super Night Vision 2.0, HDR, and WDR, you get a really clear view in this VIOFO.

Now for the BlackVue entry, it doesn’t have a Sony STARVIS 2 and only captures full HD. However, you should not underestimate its 1080p powers as it can capture @ 60 frames per second for its front camera. It’s also full HD @ 30 frames per second for the interior and rear cameras, sporting 2MP Sony STARVIS technology. Like the standard BlackVue DR770X-2CH, the DR770X Box is also equipped with a new SigmaStar CPU and ISP Tuning software which are responsible for the improvements in white balance, dynamic range, and contrast in daytime videos.

It’s not as good and sharp as the A139 Pro’s 4K Sony STARVIS 2, but still gets the job done. While both cameras capture decent footage, we think that they also need an accessory that can prevent rain droplets, dust, and other environmental elements from ruining the footage - that’s why we highly recommend you to get a BlackboxMyCar Aqua Shield - compatible with both the A139 Pro and the BlackVue DR770X Box.

VIOFO A139 PRO 3CH

BlackVue DR770X BOX 3CH

Since you already have three cameras running, why not keep it operating even when you’re away for maximum protection, right? Similar to standard VIOFO dash cams, the A139 Pro offers 3 different parking recording modes: Auto-Event Detection with buffered recording, Low Bitrate Recording, and Time-Lapse Recording.

For us, the most important one here that you will use is the Auto-Event Detection with buffered recording. With this mode, the Auto-event detection will automatically record for 45 seconds while a moving object is detected, and if any impact is detected, it’ll give you footage 15 seconds before and 30 seconds after so you can get a full understanding of the incident. Regardless of the parking mode you are using, you will need the Type-C HK3-C or HK4 hardwiring cable.

Moving on to the BlackVue DR770X Box, Similar to other BlackVue models, the DR770X Box highlights Intelligent Parking Mode, Impact/Motion Detection, and Time Lapse Recording. Once the dash cam is hardwired or hooked up to a battery pack, it will switch to parking mode automatically when the car’s ignition is turned off. The DR770X Box comes with a built-in voltage monitor to protect your vehicle battery, and a voltage cutoff timer can be set in the BlackVue app.

While we were testing this dash cam, we always discovered something that proves how secure your car will be if you install the DR770X Box. Aside from keeping your video recordings safely stored, you also have additional protection with BlackVue’s advanced parking modes which keep an eye on your car 24/7.

When someone walks in front of any of the front, rear, or interior cameras that you have set around the car, you can be confident that the camera will record that motion footage, as well as any impacts or forcible entrances attempted. The BlackVue DR770X Box is on the case, whether it's some skulking around, casing the joint, or an act itself. Additionally for parking mode, the DR770X Box’s BlackVue Cloud features can also send you automatic video footage and notifications even when it’s parked, making it easier for you to remotely monitor what’s happening right at your fingertips.  So, for parking mode protection, we think that BlackVue DR770X wins over the A139 Pro.

VIOFO A139 PRO 3CH

BlackVue DR770X BOX 3CH

We love the fact that both dash cams have Wi-Fi and GPS capabilities, which can also be accessed via dedicated apps. The A139 Pro series, like the recent A229 Duo, includes an upgraded 5GHz Wi-Fi module and dual-band Wi-Fi capabilities that provides 4 times faster data transfer, ensuring smooth video streaming, downloading, and sharing. The BlackVue DR770X Box also has Wi-Fi, but it’s limited to 2.4GHz.

With the VIOFO mobile app, everything is more accessible and easy to view. You can download the free VIOFO mobile app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. And once you have installed the app on your smartphone, you can pair it with your A139 Pro.

BlackVue also has an app, but unlike the A139 Pro, the DR770X Box is compatible with a Cloud Service, particularly the BlackVue Cloud. It can also be paired with an optional CM100G LTE module that can transform the DR770X Box into a Wi-Fi hotspot router. With this, connecting to the BlackVue Cloud is easier, which is highly recommended for fleets and ridesharing services.

With the BlackVue Cloud, you can enjoy features like Remote live view, auto event upload, two-way communication, event map, and push notifications to make sure that you’re in the know in and out of your car! So in terms of connectivity, the answer is obvious – the BlackVue Cloud brings the DR770X Box to the top.

VIOFO A139 PRO 3CH

BlackVue DR770X BOX 3CH

If you wish to view your A139 Pro videos, you can launch the VIOFO app on your smartphone or use the Dashcam viewer on your PC, which is the recommended third-party software for VIOFO.

In BlackVue’s case, you can use the BlackVue app or the dedicated BlackVue Web Viewer. Both PC softwares act similarly, although we think that BlackVue has a more user-friendly and intuitive interface.

In terms of dash cam storage, the BlackVue DR770X Box has the capacity to carry up to 256GB. Meanwhile, the VIOFO A139 Pro acts like a champ here, as its storage capacity is available for up to 512GB! It is however worth noting that the 4k image quality of the A139 Pro will naturally take up more space on the SD card than that of the DR770X Box.

VIOFO A139 PRO 3CH

BlackVue DR770X BOX 3CH