NeighborGeek
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #1
Note: I received this camera for free in exchange for writing this review. The opinions below are entirely my own.
My @Redtiger F17 Elite dashcam arrived just before Christmas, which gave me time to install it on Christmas Eve so we could use it during our Christmas Day travels. Inside the shipping box was the F17 Elite dashcam in its retail packaging, along with a couple of additional bags containing installation accessories. These extras included a hardwiring kit for connecting the camera to the vehicle’s fuse box, as well as an extra-long USB-C cable for connecting the rear camera to the front unit. I also really appreciated that the hardwire kit included everything you might need, including a variety of fuse taps to fit different vehicle types, along with cable management supplies. It felt like a thoughtfully put-together kit rather than a bare-minimum accessory.
Opening the main box, I found the camera well packaged and complete with everything needed for a non-hardwired installation, including a 12V cigarette-lighter power adapter. The documentation was serviceable but clearly not written by a native English speaker or technical writer. One example was a set of clear static-cling squares meant to go between the windshield and the camera’s adhesive mount. These are actually a great idea—they make it much easier to remove the camera later without leaving residue. However, the instructions printed on them were labeled with a header that said “Warm Prompt,” which was confusing and clearly a translation issue. I also saw a bit of odd language in the mobile app.
Despite the limited instructions, I was able to complete the installation without too much trouble. The biggest challenge was routing the hardwire power cable to the fuse box. I first tried following the diagram by running the cable down the windshield side of the A-pillar, but the in-line control box on the cable made that route just a bit too short. It would have ended up getting pinched between the dashboard and the door. Instead, I routed the cable across the top of the A-pillar and down behind the rubber door seal. That gave me just enough length to position the in-line box safely under the dashboard near the door.
For the rear camera, I routed the cable down the A-pillar, along the floor under the door trim, and back up into the rear of the vehicle. I used the extra-long USB-C cable included with the accessories. In hindsight, I probably should have tested the shorter cable first, as the 33-foot cable left a lot of extra length. I was able to bundle the excess and tuck it behind the rear seat, but the shorter cable may have been sufficient.
As for the camera itself, the main front unit includes both a forward-facing camera and an interior camera. A separate rear camera connects to the front unit via a long USB-C cable. While I personally don’t need the interior camera, I can see its value for rideshare drivers who frequently have passengers. The camera allows you to disable the microphone and the interior camera entirely, which is a nice privacy option.
I went through the initial setup and connected the camera to my phone via Wi-Fi to try the app. All of the settings available in the app can also be configured directly through the camera’s on-screen menus, so the app is not required for normal use. In fact, I see the app as something you only use occasionally—mainly to view recordings on your phone or update firmware.
One thing I really like is how the Wi-Fi works. The camera’s Wi-Fi is off by default and only turns on when you manually enable it. That means nobody can try to connect to it and access your data when you’re not actively using it. When you do connect, your phone links directly to a Wi-Fi network broadcast by the camera rather than the camera joining your home network. Since the camera is not connected to the internet at all, it gives me confidence that it isn’t secretly sending data back to the manufacturer. That kind of behavior is unfortunately common these days, and this design choice makes me trust RedTiger a lot more.
Because the camera is hardwired, I have it set to record when there is a disturbance around the vehicle while it is parked. I spot-checked the SD card and confirmed that when someone parked next to me and slammed their car door, that was enough to trigger a recording. If anyone were to mess with my truck, I’m confident there would most likely be a video of the event. Looking further, I was actually surprised by how many videos were captured while the truck was parked. I’m not sure whether they were all triggered by the shock sensor, motion, sound, or some combination, but the coverage is reassuring.
At first glance, the recorded video looks crisp and clear. However, when I looked more closely—especially on a large computer screen—I was surprised by how difficult it was to read license plates at short distances. From about one to one and a half car lengths behind me, I could see the general shapes of the characters but not clearly identify them. I tested playback using both Windows Media Player and VLC with similar results. One of the biggest reasons we wanted a front and rear camera is because my wife was once rear-ended at a stop sign and the other driver fled. If we had a rear-facing dashcam at the time, we might have had a license plate or at least a vehicle description. Having both front and rear cameras now gives us a lot more peace of mind, but I am a little disappointed that I wasn't able to clearly read the license plate of the car behind me even as I first started pulling away from a stoplight.
The rear camera is lower resolution than the front, which may explain some of this. I contacted RedTiger and sent them a sample clip. They agreed the video looked blurry and suggested trying their own video player. They also mentioned that sending the file through Google Drive may have added compression.
I did attempt to download the RedTiger video player from their website, but the file was hosted on Google Drive. It feels rather unprofessional for a company to distribute their software via google drive rather than a direct download link from their website. Then attempting to download the file triggered the standard warning that Google could not scan it for viruses. While I know this is common for large files, it gave me enough pause that I decided not to proceed. I also tried viewing the clips using the RedTiger mobile app, but the quality appeared similar to what I saw on my computer.
The front camera performed better, and I was able to read license plates at roughly the same distance I could in real life.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this feels like a very solid dashcam despite a few criticisms. It’s the kind of device that, once installed and configured, you almost forget about—until you actually need the footage. And if that moment ever comes, I’ll be very glad to have it.
View attachment 111350
My @Redtiger F17 Elite dashcam arrived just before Christmas, which gave me time to install it on Christmas Eve so we could use it during our Christmas Day travels. Inside the shipping box was the F17 Elite dashcam in its retail packaging, along with a couple of additional bags containing installation accessories. These extras included a hardwiring kit for connecting the camera to the vehicle’s fuse box, as well as an extra-long USB-C cable for connecting the rear camera to the front unit. I also really appreciated that the hardwire kit included everything you might need, including a variety of fuse taps to fit different vehicle types, along with cable management supplies. It felt like a thoughtfully put-together kit rather than a bare-minimum accessory.
Opening the main box, I found the camera well packaged and complete with everything needed for a non-hardwired installation, including a 12V cigarette-lighter power adapter. The documentation was serviceable but clearly not written by a native English speaker or technical writer. One example was a set of clear static-cling squares meant to go between the windshield and the camera’s adhesive mount. These are actually a great idea—they make it much easier to remove the camera later without leaving residue. However, the instructions printed on them were labeled with a header that said “Warm Prompt,” which was confusing and clearly a translation issue. I also saw a bit of odd language in the mobile app.
Despite the limited instructions, I was able to complete the installation without too much trouble. The biggest challenge was routing the hardwire power cable to the fuse box. I first tried following the diagram by running the cable down the windshield side of the A-pillar, but the in-line control box on the cable made that route just a bit too short. It would have ended up getting pinched between the dashboard and the door. Instead, I routed the cable across the top of the A-pillar and down behind the rubber door seal. That gave me just enough length to position the in-line box safely under the dashboard near the door.
For the rear camera, I routed the cable down the A-pillar, along the floor under the door trim, and back up into the rear of the vehicle. I used the extra-long USB-C cable included with the accessories. In hindsight, I probably should have tested the shorter cable first, as the 33-foot cable left a lot of extra length. I was able to bundle the excess and tuck it behind the rear seat, but the shorter cable may have been sufficient.
As for the camera itself, the main front unit includes both a forward-facing camera and an interior camera. A separate rear camera connects to the front unit via a long USB-C cable. While I personally don’t need the interior camera, I can see its value for rideshare drivers who frequently have passengers. The camera allows you to disable the microphone and the interior camera entirely, which is a nice privacy option.
I went through the initial setup and connected the camera to my phone via Wi-Fi to try the app. All of the settings available in the app can also be configured directly through the camera’s on-screen menus, so the app is not required for normal use. In fact, I see the app as something you only use occasionally—mainly to view recordings on your phone or update firmware.
One thing I really like is how the Wi-Fi works. The camera’s Wi-Fi is off by default and only turns on when you manually enable it. That means nobody can try to connect to it and access your data when you’re not actively using it. When you do connect, your phone links directly to a Wi-Fi network broadcast by the camera rather than the camera joining your home network. Since the camera is not connected to the internet at all, it gives me confidence that it isn’t secretly sending data back to the manufacturer. That kind of behavior is unfortunately common these days, and this design choice makes me trust RedTiger a lot more.
Because the camera is hardwired, I have it set to record when there is a disturbance around the vehicle while it is parked. I spot-checked the SD card and confirmed that when someone parked next to me and slammed their car door, that was enough to trigger a recording. If anyone were to mess with my truck, I’m confident there would most likely be a video of the event. Looking further, I was actually surprised by how many videos were captured while the truck was parked. I’m not sure whether they were all triggered by the shock sensor, motion, sound, or some combination, but the coverage is reassuring.
At first glance, the recorded video looks crisp and clear. However, when I looked more closely—especially on a large computer screen—I was surprised by how difficult it was to read license plates at short distances. From about one to one and a half car lengths behind me, I could see the general shapes of the characters but not clearly identify them. I tested playback using both Windows Media Player and VLC with similar results. One of the biggest reasons we wanted a front and rear camera is because my wife was once rear-ended at a stop sign and the other driver fled. If we had a rear-facing dashcam at the time, we might have had a license plate or at least a vehicle description. Having both front and rear cameras now gives us a lot more peace of mind, but I am a little disappointed that I wasn't able to clearly read the license plate of the car behind me even as I first started pulling away from a stoplight.
The rear camera is lower resolution than the front, which may explain some of this. I contacted RedTiger and sent them a sample clip. They agreed the video looked blurry and suggested trying their own video player. They also mentioned that sending the file through Google Drive may have added compression.
I did attempt to download the RedTiger video player from their website, but the file was hosted on Google Drive. It feels rather unprofessional for a company to distribute their software via google drive rather than a direct download link from their website. Then attempting to download the file triggered the standard warning that Google could not scan it for viruses. While I know this is common for large files, it gave me enough pause that I decided not to proceed. I also tried viewing the clips using the RedTiger mobile app, but the quality appeared similar to what I saw on my computer.
The front camera performed better, and I was able to read license plates at roughly the same distance I could in real life.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this feels like a very solid dashcam despite a few criticisms. It’s the kind of device that, once installed and configured, you almost forget about—until you actually need the footage. And if that moment ever comes, I’ll be very glad to have it.
View attachment 111350
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