The A229 Pro is one of the latest dash cams released by the Chinese manufacturer VIOFO. While this camera may look similar to the dual camera A229, the A229 Pro has quite a few differences. The Pro adds a third camera making this ideal for rideshare drivers. It is also the first dash cam to use Sony STARVIS 2 sensors for both front and rear cameras.
The VIOFO A229 Pro is based on the Novatek NT96529 processor. It uses a 4K Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 CMOS sensor for the front camera, a 2K Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 CMOS sensor for the rear camera and a Sony Starvis IMX307 for the cabin camera.
Video Quality
One area where the VIOFO A229 performs well is video quality. The front camera records 2160p (4K) video at 30fps with an average bitrate of 57 Mbps. This high bit rate delivers excellent video quality during the day for the front camera and good performance at night.
The rear camera records 1440p (Quad HD) video at 30fps with an average bitrate of 25 Mbps. While not in par with the front camera, the rear camera does a very good job during the day and an average job at night. That being said it is one of the better rear cams we have seen on a multi-channel dash cam.
The cabin camera records 1080p video at 30fps and comes with 4 infrared LED lights. Video recording both day and night are very good and can capture what is going on within the vehicle without issue.
Features
The VIOFO A229 Pro has a 2.4″ screen, g-sensor and a GPS mount. The camera comes with 5GHz & 2.4GHz WiFi with 5GHz allowing for faster download speeds to move clips from the camera to your smartphone with either the Android or iOS app.
Like most wedge shaped cameras, the A229 Pro comes with an adhesive mount. The camera cannot swivel to record interactions at the driver or passenger windows. Build quality is very good, and the camera comes with audio and screen error notifications.
Like its predecessor, the original A229, the A229 Pro keeps its wedge shape and essentially the same size. This is a medium sized dash cam at 99 x 58 x 46mm. Not the smallest camera but not overly large either.
Like other VIOFO cameras, the A229 Pro supports 3 parking modes:
- Auto event detection or buffered parking mode
- Time-lapse parking mode
- Low bitrate parking mode
To enable these parking modes, you will need to hardwire the dash cam to your car (the Viofo 3-wire hardwire kit has a low voltage cutoff and is recommended)
VIOFO has been including Voice Control on its most recent cameras. The A229 Pro supports the following 10 voice commands in 6 languages (English, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai):
- Lock the Video
- Video Start
- Video Stop
- Take Photo
- Turn On Audio
- Turn Off Audio
- Turn On Screen
- Turn Off Screen
- Turn off WiFi
- Turn on WiFI
Out of this list of 10 voice commands, the Lock Video one is the most useful, the rest are unlikely to be used on a regular basis.
Support
VIOFO is responsive to questions and have good support. They also provide regular firmware updates and take into consideration user feedback. VIOFO also provides a 18 month warranty (12 months plus an additional 6 months if you register online) which is better than most dash cams.
Known Problems
Camera Turns off To Prevent Overheating
Recent Novatek chipsets based on ARM architecture have a thermal sensor built in for overheat protection. Previous Novatek chips based on MIPS architecture did not have this feature. For the A229 Pro, the overheat protection level is set at 111° Celsius. When it hits this temperature for 10 seconds, it will show a warning message on the LCD for 20 seconds and then power off.
Given the 3 channels, 4K video and high bit rate, some users have indicated the camera turns itself off on hot days. While this is not really a problem, in comparison the Vantrue N4 Pro has the overheat protection set at 130°Celsius with a detect duration of 10 minutes. Perhaps VIOFO will tweak this setting in later firmware versions.
Sample Videos
Our member Agie had created a detailed review of the A229 Pro here. The following are some of his videos demonstrating the quality of the recording.
Day Video
Night Video
Additional reviews from DashCamTalk members Panzer Platform and rcg530.
Internal Photos
Should I Purchase
The VIOFO A229 Pro has arguably the best video quality for a 3 channel dash cam currently available. Video quality of the STARVIS 2 front camera is impressive, STARVIS 2 rear camera is good, build quality is decent and the camera comes with many features including an 18 month warranty with registration.
The primary negatives are the large size and the $300 price tag. Even though the price is a bit on the higher side, the dash cam does come with 3 cameras.
If you are looking for a rideshare camera with 3 channels, the A229 Pro or the Vantrue N4 Pro are your best options. If video quality is your main criteria, choose the A229 Pro. If you prefer the front camera and interior camera on the same unit, the Vantrue N4 Pro is a better choice.
See what other owners say about the A229 Pro on our forum.
User Manual
You can download the English User Manual here.
Specifications
| Spec | VIOFO A229 Pro |
|---|---|
| Price | $300 |
| Overall Rating | 7.5/10 |
| Price Rating | 8 |
| Brand | VIOFO |
| Channels | 3 |
| Channel Setup | Front, Rear, Interior |
| Form Factor | Wedge |
| Front Resolution | 4K (2160p) |
| Spec | VIOFO A229 Pro |
|---|---|
| Parking Mode | Buffered |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| GPS | Yes |
| Apps | Android, iOS |
| Cloud Connectivity | No |
| Voice Commands | Yes |
| Spec | VIOFO A229 Pro |
|---|---|
| Processor | Novatek NT96529 |
| Video Format | MP4 |
| Compression | H.264 |
| Screen Size | 2.4" |
| Touchscreen | No |
| Mount | Adhesive |
| Power Supply | 5V |
| Battery Type | Capacitor |
| Spec | VIOFO A229 Pro |
|---|---|
| SD Card Type | MicroSD |
| Max Card Size | 512GB |
| Operating Temperature | -10°C to 65°C |
| Swivel | No |
| Country | China |
| Warranty | 18 months with registration |
| Release Date | Oct 2023 |
| Spec | VIOFO A229 Pro |
|---|---|
| Day Video | 9 |
| Night Video | 8 |
| Reliability | 6 |
| Discreetness | 6 |
| Support | 8 |
| Spec | VIOFO A229 Pro |
|---|---|
| CMOS | Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 |
| Max Resolution | 3840 x 2160p (4K) |
| FPS | 30 |
| Bitrate | 57.0 Mbps |
| Viewing Angle | 140° |
| Dimensions | 99 x 58 x 46 |
| HDR | Yes – scheduled |
| Spec | VIOFO A229 Pro |
|---|---|
| CMOS | Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 |
| Max Resolution | 2560 x 1440p (2K) |
| FPS | 30 |
| Bitrate | 25.0 Mbps |
| Viewing Angle | 160° |
| Dimensions | 67 x 34 x 28 |
| HDR | No |
Published: December 22, 2023
VIOFO A229 Pro
The VIOFO A229 Pro has arguably the best video quality for a 3 channel dash cam. Build quality is good and this is an excellent choice for a rideshare camera.
Product SKU: A229 Pro
Product Brand: VIOFO
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 300
Price Valid Until: 2024-01-01
Product In-Stock: SoldOut
7.5