Dash Cam Basics product guide
Vantrue N4S (RC18) Three-Channel Dash Cam
Drivers wanting front, cabin and rear views with a rear camera mounted indoors
Vantrue's N4S records the road and cabin from one body and the rear from an RC18 camera that the manual calls non-waterproof. The manual gives 1944P front and 1440P cabin and rear, a -4°F to 140°F working range, U3 cards up to 1TB bought separately, and parking modes that need steady power such as Vantrue's hardwire kit.
Listing checked . Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Published specifications
- Manual: 2592x1944 front + 1440P cabin + 1440P rear, 30fps
- Manual: 158° front, 165° cabin, 160° rear; F1.8
- Manual: RC18 rear camera is non-waterproof
- Manual: microSD 32GB-1TB, U3 or faster; none in box
- Manual: supercapacitor; working -4°F to 140°F; 5V 2.4A
- Vantrue: 12-month warranty, 18 months with registration
Fit and limits
Strengths
- Three views with four infrared lights for the cabin
- Four parking modes per the listing, including 10-second pre-event motion recording
- Detailed exact-model manual on Vantrue's site
Caveats
- RC18 rear camera is not waterproof, unlike the RC09 the product page shows
- No memory card included
- Parking mode needs a steady power source such as a separate hardwire kit
Three cameras in two bodies, and this is the RC18 kit
The N4S is a front unit that records the road and the cabin, plus a separate rear camera. Vantrue's manual lists 2592x1944 at 30fps for the front and 1440P for the cabin and rear when all three run, with 158-degree front, 165-degree cabin and 160-degree rear angles and F1.8 apertures. There are four infrared lights for the cabin view and a 2-inch IPS screen.
The manual says the N4S is sold two ways: with the RC09 waterproof rear camera and waterproof cable, or with the RC18 standard rear camera and a non-waterproof cable. This listing's title ends in RC18. Vantrue's product page promotes an IP67 waterproof rear camera for outside mounting, which describes the RC09 version, not this kit.
The product page and the manual disagree on rear resolution
Vantrue's N4S product page describes 2.7K front and 2.5K cabin and rear recording with 158, 160 and 160-degree lenses. The exact-model manual and the Amazon listing both give 1944P front with 1440P cabin and rear in three-channel mode, and 165 degrees for the cabin. The listing agrees with the manual; if rear resolution matters to you, confirm with Vantrue before buying.
Other combinations in the manual are 1944P front and cabin at 30fps, 1944P front with 1440P rear, and front only. The listing mentions PlatePix, a front-camera mode the manual says brightens the scene ahead but can darken the overall picture; Vantrue recommends turning it off in low light while parked.
Buy a card separately; the manual wants U3
The listing's box list has the camera, rear camera, a 20-foot rear cable, an 11.5-foot car charger, a 3.3-foot USB data cable, a GPS adhesive mount, electrostatic stickers, a spare bracket base, cable clips and a crowbar-style pry tool, and the listing says cards are sold separately. The manual accepts 32GB to 1TB microSD cards rated U3 or faster.
Vantrue asks you to switch the camera off before inserting or removing the card and to format it at least once every two weeks. The USB data cable is for data only, not power. The manual's troubleshooting also recommends U3 or A2 cards for stutter and FAT32 formatting for card errors.
Parking modes and how they get power
The listing names four parking modes: motion detection with 10 seconds of pre-event recording, collision detection, low bitrate and low frame rate. In the manual, collision detection wakes the camera to record 30 seconds after five minutes still; motion detection records 10 seconds before and 30 seconds after a trigger, with 2, 4 or 6-metre sensitivity. Only one of time-lapse or parking mode can be on at a time, and parking files should be checked regularly before loop recording overwrites them.
For parking mode to work properly, Vantrue says to use its hardwire kit or another stable continuous power supply, and recommends its own ACC kit because other brands' ACC pin positions may differ. The kit is an optional extra in the manual and is not in this listing's box. Without ACC wiring, the manual says the camera enters G-sensor parking after five minutes of vehicle inactivity.
Heat limit is 140°F in use
The N4S runs on a built-in supercapacitor and must stay connected to power to record. Its manual lists a working temperature of -4°F to 140°F and storage of -4°F to 158°F, with a 5V 2.4A, 7-watt supply. The listing's bullet gives the same -4°F to 140°F figure.
The manual recommends collision-detection parking mode in hot, sunny weather and says to turn the camera off when the cabin reaches 60°C, which is the top of its working range. Its safety page says use outside -20°C to 60°C may cause failure. Wi-Fi is dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz, and the manual warns you may not connect to the Vantrue app while using wireless CarPlay or Android Auto.
Warranty is 12 months, 18 when registered
Vantrue's warranty page gives 12 months on all products, plus six more months when you register on vantrue.com, for 18 in total, running from the original order date. The listing's field reads 18 months warranty after register. Replacements carry the remaining time and do not restart the clock.
Exclusions include purchases from unauthorized resellers, improperly operated devices, lost or stolen products, non-quality issues after 30 days and free products. Buyers from authorized third-party dealers get Vantrue technical support, but exchanges or refunds go through the dealer. Check who sells the offer you choose.
Check the current listing
Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Primary sources
- Vantrue Nexus 4S (N4S) product page
- Vantrue N4S user manual V1.7 (English)
- Vantrue N4S manual and firmware page
- Vantrue warranty page
Primary sources checked .
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