A119 Problem

Flashman

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Has anyone come across this screen/display problem before and is there a remedy?

Just bought the unit via Amazon, with the GPS extra. After a day of apparently OK use and recording (I checked the videos on VLC) and using the supplied connector to the 12v supply, the following day I drove 200 miles or so, and the day after that I connected up the unit again to the 12v source to find the screen was malfunctioning. The left hand third showed coloured "noise" and the right hand two thirds was black. The on screen information was present (recording mode, date etc). The Rec button is lit red and won't switch off to enable me to access the Menu. No difference if I switch off or reset. No difference to the display if I connect to my PC via the supplied cable and the "Mass Storage" message does not appear. I am using the latest firmware.

I have a GPS unit, but no difference if I connect up to power via this unit or via the main body.

Any thoughts? Has the sensor given up the ghost?
 
Are the recordings ok? What happens when you turn it on without an sd card inserted?

@Gibson99

Thanks for responding.

1 I've checked the recordings of the 200 mile journey. First ones look OK (3 minute loop). Then the next ones seem to have a "grey" break in them about once a second, and then the last lot are basically a pixellated still image which is too large for me to upload - but basically is a "blocky" pink/purple image with the actual road image just discernable through the pixels.

2 Without the SD card, there is no change in the display but, when connected to the 12v supply but not to the PC, the Rec button will now respond and I can access the Menu.

3 The Check Disk utility indicates that all is OK.
 
@Gibson99

Thanks for responding.

1 I've checked the recordings of the 200 mile journey. First ones look OK (3 minute loop). Then the next ones seem to have a "grey" break in them about once a second, and then the last lot are basically a pixellated still image which is too large for me to upload - but basically is a "blocky" pink/purple image with the actual road image just discernable through the pixels.

2 Without the SD card, there is no change in the display but, when connected to the 12v supply but not to the PC, the Rec button will now respond and I can access the Menu.

3 The Check Disk utility indicates that all is OK.
So when your powering the camera in your house with a USB adapter, the camera seems fine? Have you tried recording inside? Maybe your having some power issues related to the car adapter or your 12v port (in your car).
 
No. Indoors, with the camera powered via the USB from my PC or a powerbank, I get the same faulty display with or without the SD card inserted.

Again indoors, with the SD card inserted I cannot disable the Rec button so as to access the Menu. Without the SD card inserted, I can disable the Rec button and access the Menu.

Nothing is actually recording onto the SD card whether I am indoors or in the car.
 
No. Indoors, with the camera powered via the USB from my PC or a powerbank, I get the same faulty display with or without the SD card inserted.

Again indoors, with the SD card inserted I cannot disable the Rec button so as to access the Menu. Without the SD card inserted, I can disable the Rec button and access the Menu.

Nothing is actually recording onto the SD card whether I am indoors or in the car.
Your computer USB won't power your camera properly. Try a USB adapter (like your phone charger). Also try both USB cables that came with the camera.
 
OK.

I have now carried out the following using both USB leads supplied with the A119:

1 with and without SD card inserted using an iPhone charger adapter plug working off the mains

2 with and without SD card inserted in car no 1 (which was the car used on the 200 mile journey referred to in my original post)

3 with and without SD card inserted in car no 2.

In each case, with the SD card inserted the display was faulty as described above and I could not access the Menu. In each case, without the SD card inserted the display was faulty as described above but I could access the Menu.
 
what SD card(s) do you use? can you access the SD card on your computer through a SD card adapter?
 
Sandisk Ultra 32 GB purchased at the same time as the A119 (ie only just started being used).

I accessed the recordings of the 200 mile journey OK on the PC and I have just copied another (non-dashcam) video to the SD and it plays back fine on the PC.
 
If I read your first post correctly, the text and icons generated by the camera (text overlays, menus, record icon, etc) are all nice and clear on the in-built screen, correct? If that's the case then yes, it does sound like the image sensor is bad. Either that or the ribbon cable between the main board and the sensor is loose or damaged. Definitely get in touch with your seller about setting up a return or exchange.

If they are OK with it, maybe you can open the camera and check or reseat the flex cable to the imager assembly.

Pics of disassembly here: http://www.gibson99.com/reviews/dashcam/viofoa119b60dashcampre-productionbetaunitphotos
 
and this is the only SD card you use in a camera?
 
Sandisk Ultra 32 GB purchased at the same time as the A119 (ie only just started being used).

I accessed the recordings of the 200 mile journey OK on the PC and I have just copied another (non-dashcam) video to the SD and it plays back fine on the PC.
I'd recommend getting a non sandisk card. They die fast in dashcams and warranty is void when used in dashcams.
 
Yeah, sounds like your having 2 separate issues. One being the SanDisk Ultra card. Your gonna want another card when you get the camera running or replaced.
 
Thanks everyone for all this support. I only read about the Sandisk issue after I bought the 2 items together.... The Sandisk SD still seems to be working OK for other uses so I will recycle it elsewhere and set the exchange process in motion with Amazon for the A119 - and get a new SD at the same time.
 
Thanks everyone for all this support. I only read about the Sandisk issue after I bought the 2 items together.... The Sandisk SD still seems to be working OK for other uses so I will recycle it elsewhere and set the exchange process in motion with Amazon for the A119 - and get a new SD at the same time.
Yep I have a sandisk ultra 64gb in my android smartphone and it's fine for storing music and photos/videos, since it doesn't see a lot of write cycles.
 
Can you send a picture or video to us to check?
Thanks.
 
I had all kind of noisy image problems, which appeared when I put the camera in the right vertical position.
When I moved the camera all the way up or down, the problem would go away.

The problem appeared to be the flat cable running from the camera to the board:
When moving the camera, the flat cable would touch the side of the board's EM-shielding and lift it up, consequently exposing the cable to the EM field that was underneath, and causing the image problems.

I solved it by taping the loose part of the EM shield to the board, so the flat cable could no longer lift it.
 
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Thank you for sharing with us the problem and its solution.
 
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