Our Recommended Settings for the Thinkware U3000 4K UHD Dash Cam

Resolution for front/rear: 4K @ 30 frames per second for the front, and 2K QHD @ 30 frames per second for the rear

For the U3000, you also have the option to scale it down to 2K @ 60 frames per second if you often drive on speeding highways. You may choose this if you wish for your footage to have less motion blurs, but overall, the video quality of 4K @ 30 fps is still highly recommended.

Brightness for front: Mid, depending on your windshield tint

Brightness for rear: Mid, depending on your windshield tint

Rotate rear camera: Disabled

(Continuous Mode) Super Night Vision 4.0: Enabled

(Parking Mode) Super Night Vision 4.0: Enabled

Image Quality: High, this is a new feature where you can choose between normal and high. Of course, high quality is best when recording evidence, although it will also consume more space on your micro SD card.

Voice Recording: Enabled - The U3000 comes equipped with a built-in microphone for recording audio in the cabin. We recommend turning this on for security purposes especially when you’re sharing a ride. However, if you live in an area where audio recording is prohibited, you can have this setting disabled. You can also easily turn on and off the audio of the voice recording of the camera through the microphone button on the front unit.

Set Privacy Recording: Disabled - This is a new feature that constantly wipes the SD card for your privacy, constantly looping over existing footage storing only a limited-time backlog. If you want to enable this, you can choose between 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, and G-Shock options which only saves impacts. Files will be saved that long after being recorded, and cleared afterwards.

Continuous Mode Incident Recording Sensitivity: Mid. If your vehicle rides pretty low, and you can feel most bumps on the road, then consider turning the sensitivity down.

Parking Mode: Motion Detection – although if you’re leaving your dash cam for a long time, you can also activate Energy Saving mode or RADAR mode.

When activated, Thinkware’s Energy Saving Parking mode saves a 20-sec video clip only after an impact has been detected. On the other hand, RADAR mode means that when a person or vehicle is detected in a low-power recording situation, the U3000 immediately wakes up and starts recording.

Parking Mode Waiting Time: 30 seconds. This is a new option to enable a couple minutes boot delay to parking mode.

Smart Parking Rec: Enabled, for thermal protection and external battery protection. When enabled, this setting prevents heat-related damage by automatically switching to a low-power mode if the temperature inside the vehicle gets too high during parking surveillance.

Impact Sensitivity in Parking Mode: Mid

Motion Detection Sensitivity: Mid

Radar Sensitivity: Mid

Use External Battery: This setting is only applicable if using the Thinkware iVOLT Xtra battery. Otherwise, leave this off.

Off Timer: Depends on your preference - the Thinkware U3000 has a built-in voltage monitor. With this setting, you can set a timer so that your dash cam will turn off after a specific duration of parking mode or the voltage cutoff, whichever comes first. To turn off the off timer, select Disabled.

Battery Protection: Enabled. This enables the cutoff options below.

Vehicle Type: Choose whether you’re using a regular car, a hybrid car, or an electric car

Battery Cutoff Voltage: 12V (11.6~13.2V)

Wintertime Battery Protection: November, December, January

Most BMW fuseboxes, while not all, are not as easily accessible as your average vehicle. Instead of being up at the front of the vehicle, they are located in the rear of the trunk. Even if there is a fusebox in the front of the vehicle, it is unlikely that it will have both the constant, and ACC(Ignition-based) connection required for the hardwire installation.

To properly hardwire the camera, you’ll need to run the cable all the way from that rear fusebox in the trunk to the camera on the front windshield. While some dash cams are mounted in a way that allows professional installers to accomplish this with the stock hardwiring kit, many vehicles or camera models will need an extended wire to cover the distance.

BMWs, like other European car models, have very thin panelling, making wiring more difficult, especially when combined with how far the cable must be run from the trunk. Camera models with thick cabling, such as Viofo, are not ideal for wiring into BMWs. Unsure how to run the cables through the vehicle? Check out our BMW guides here.

Language: Depends on your preference

Volume: Depends on your preference, but if you select 0 for the volume level, the voice guidance will be disabled.

Note that with the Thinkware U3000, audio messages’ volume are already separated between ADAS, Safety cameras, and System itself.

Security LED: Enabled

Rear Camera LED: Enabled

Time Zone: Select your date and time

Daylight Saving: Enabled

Speed Unit: mph

Speed Stamp: Enabled

Wi-Fi Frequency Band: 5GHz

Internet: Enabled, this is important if you wish to connect to the Thinkware Connected Cloud features. If this isn’t enabled, the dash cam will not be able to connect to any internet source.