Now that I have been driving around for quite some time with the K3 mounted on my motorcycle, it is time for a review. This review only reflects my personal opinion and experience. I have extensive experience with the K2 and K5. So Innovv cameras and the app with all the possibilities and impossibilities are therefore well known to me.
The translation of this review was done using Google Translate, I apologize for any language errors.
For the review I used the equipment below:
- Innovv K3, firmware K3.20210401.V1.00 (Format set to MP4, resolution and bitrate set to maximum values).
- Innovv App, version 1.0.9.20210331
- BMW K1600GT (2018)
- Samsung A7, SM-A750FN / DS, Android 10
Packaging and manual
The packaging has a good quality and, like the other Innovv products, creates a positive expectation. The K3 is well packed in sturdy foam. Transport damage will not be possible quickly.
On A3 sheet has been added with the a brief introduction, motorcycle installation demo, app installation guide and more information.
This A3 sheet is probably one of the first versions. Due to a typo, a label with the correct text has been pasted over "Motorycle Installation Demo".
POSITIVE
- All parts are well packed and shock resistant.
- Everything is clearly stated and read on the attached A3 sheet.
POINTS OF ATTENTION
- No comments.
Hardware
DVR-unit POSITIVE
- It is smaller than the K2's DVR unit.
- Sturdy housing
- TF card is accessible through a rubber seal. So no screwdriver needed.
POINTS OF ATTENTION
- There is no separate power button as with the K2. To download videos, the motorcycle must have the ignition on during the download. It may be possible to switch the K3 on and off with the remote control. For example, by pressing it a number of times in succession.
- Cables are on both sides of the DVR unit. Would be better if all cables are on one side. This gives more options to mount the DVR unit.
- Installing the DVR unit requires some improvisation with tyraps, tape or foam. No mounting bracket is available. A mounting bracket would be a nice addition.
- Camera connections are not marked as front camera and rear camera. It is try and error to see which camera is connected.
- Wifi speed is too slow to download videos. In general use, the Wi-Fi will only be used to change settings. Before downloading the videos, the memory card will have to be read in a computer.
Front camera
POSITIVE
- Sturdy housing and waterproof.
- The round shape makes it easy to place the camera horizontally on a non-horizontal frame.
- Cable has sturdy round metal connectors that do not deform and are waterproof.
POINTS OF ATTENTION
- No comments.
Rear camera
POSITIVE
- Sturdy housing and waterproof
- The round shape makes it easy to place the camera horizontally on a non-horizontal frame.
- Cable has sturdy round metal connectors that do not deform and are waterproof.
POINTS OF ATTENTION
- No comment.
GPS module
POSITIVE
- Sturdy housing and waterproof.
- Cable is long enough.
- The GPS module used is the one that could only support the US GPS (without the label). The other GPS module (support 2 global GNSS system) got no reception and was therefore not further tested.
POINTS OF ATTENTION
- No screw hole for fixing. Only installation possible with double-sided tape.
DC converter
POSITIVE
- Equipped with blue LED for voltage level detection.
- Cables are long enough.
- Fuse holder is of solid quality.
- Equipped with fork plugs so easy to connect to battery pole.
POINTS OF ATTENTION
- No comments.
Microphone
POSITIVE
- Cable is long enough.
- Sound quality is reasonable with the deadcat. Sound quality is also highly dependent on how and where the microphone is placed.
POINTS OF ATTENTION
- Cable is very thin, risk of damage quickly.
- Although the microphone is intended to be attached to the motorcycle clothing, many users will also want to place the microphone on the motorcycle. The current clamp on the microphone is not suitable for this. Additional mounting options for the microphone on the motorcycle could be an good addition.
- Place the microphone in the remote control could be an option. Another advantage is that one less cable has to be installed.
Remote control
POSITIVE
- Sturdy housing.
- Cable is long enough.
- Symbols used just as clearly indicate the functions.
POINTS OF ATTENTION
- Cable outlet on the front, so the cable cannot be neatly concealed. Rear cable outlet would be a better option.
- Mount does not fit the handlebars of more luxurious motorcycles, The brackets are too small. Option for tyrap attachment would be an improvement.
- In bright daylight it is difficult to see which LEDS light up.
installation
Installation is fairly easy and depends on which vehicle the K3 is mounted on. The manual clearly indicates how everything should be connected. The supplied installation materials are sufficient and of good quality.
Video quality
POSITIVE
- Image quality is sufficient. Brightness, contrast and sharpness are sufficient for a good and calm video image (both during day and night recording).
- Brightness and contrast are the same for the front camera and rear camera. (this in contrast with the K5).
POINTS OF ATTENTION
- In the app it is not possible to change video settings like with the K5.
App opties
POSITIVE
- Clear operation
- All settings on the K3 are possible with the app
- In the overviews of videos and photos, multiple files can now be selected at the same time for uploading, deleting, etc.
- Downloaded videos play well.
POINTS OF ATTENTION
- GPS signal strength check is not possible. A signal strength meter in the app can be used to find the right place to place the GPS module.
NOTE
- Unclear what the function of Gravity Aceleration is.
My conclusion about the K3.
The Innovv K3 is a high-quality dash cam, both in video and in the material used. The app capabilities are certainly good.
The K3 was developed on the basis of the K2 which is a good dash cam in its own right. Innovv has made a number of useful additions to the K3, such as the remote control and the separate microphone.
Through this development and taking user comments seriously, Innovv shows that they are and remain the market leader in motorcycle dash cams.
Installing the K3 on the motorcycle is almost the same as the K2. No mistake can be made when connecting the connectors. So mounting the k3 on a motorcycle shouldn't be a problem for many users. The necessary mounting material that is supplied also offers various options for mounting the K3.
One point of attention is that updating the K3 requires a memory card that is smaller than 32GB. If this is not known to the user, it can cause confusion. Hopefully this bug can still be fixed in the new software.
In short, the K3 is a good follow-up to the already successful K2. I am of the opinion that the K3 can become a good competitor of the previously released K5.
I have the K3 on a Can-Am Spyder. I agree with your comments after having owned a K2 on a Yamaha. My only complaint is the USB port should act as a drive to access the SD card if the unit is powered from the DC converter. I understand the K3 is power hungry compared to the K2 so hopefully INNOVV will look into allowing the USB drive to work when the device is powered on via the DC converter.
@AdvThor
> "updating the K3 requires a memory card that is smaller than 32GB" Is this even possible to find? Hopefully not so on the production units, and it should also be possible to connect and update with a browser.This issues has already been fixed since the V0.94 firmware. The problem was, that the bootloader was not able to read the ExFat filesystem, which the K3 uses if the card is larger than 32GB. So even using a browser the update would had failed.
But as mentioned...this has already been fixed.
I don't know if the newest firmware update with a larger SD card is possible.
And updating via a browser, if I have read correctly Frostie has been busy there and can tell more about it. @Frostie Is it correct that updating is possible through a browser?
"updating the K3 requires a memory card that is smaller than 32GB"
Is this even possible to find? Hopefully not so on the production units, and it should also be possible to connect and update with a browser.