Dash Cam Reliability

[SawMaster]

With my A139 I've had issues with one card; we can't blame the cam for those, I've had some random instances of restarting/boot-looping while driving; the boot-looping was only two sequences long. In all cases the cam's beeps and/or voice let me know of the problem and only a few to several seconds of video was lost. This is as good or better than any cam other than Mobius has given me. Thus I will call the A139 reliable for the purposes of driving recording, but if you want a "mission critical" cam then you'll need to do what is done with all "mission critical" systems and add redundancy; two is one and one is none

Which leads us to deciding what the "mission" is and what it's priorities are. For me, driving recording comes first- that is the most important aspect of a dashcam. Indeed that is why they exist in the first place, so everything else rates less important. And being less important those other aspects needn't be as perfect or as reliable to still have a good dashcam. Those who expect everything any cam does to always work perfectly aren't based in reality. These truly ARE somewhat cheap consumer-grade devices where none have ever worked perfectly in every regard and none ever will.

Getting back on topic, other than the earliest and beta FW's, the A139 has been both reliable and fully functional until the last 2 (now 3) FW's came into use. Early/beta FW's usually have issues and we can extend that to new cam designs sometimes having hardware issues in early versions. We saw a couple months where no serious issues were spoken of, and very minimal issues with anything were noted. So what has changed since then? FW

Given the seasons, there weren't a lot of temperature extremes for the average user to encounter till recent days, but several folks did see some days hot enough to cause issues with other cams, yet no issues were found with this one. Not a perfect test but it should have discovered any major heat related issues. As the seasons continue we're going to get more experiences with this to better know if there are any heat-related issues, what those are, and what aspects of use are being affected. And as always new FW is always to be suspected to have issues and to not be trusted till proven. If new FW introduces new features or significantly expands older known-to-be-stable features you can expect some problems to arise. Even the most careful and conscientious cam manufacturer occasionally has problems with new FW versions.

Life ain't perfect and neither are dashcams

Phil

 

[HonestReview]

I'm sure they're quite reliable but even at $4000 they don't give a 100% uptime guarantee, as to video quality, they're not fantastic, half of the consumer market has better video quality

Police require absolute reliability. So I'm sure the $4000 spent on a Panasonic Dash Cam includes quality made parts. Video quality on Cruiser Cams seem pretty decent, too. Just look online.

You know more than me here, but I'd say police Dash Cams are generally high quality streams. Not sure if 4k or 2k or 1080p, but I'd bank on the police not cutting corners.

 

[Dashmellow]

Yes we agree here. Spend money on performance, image quality, and reliability over wasting money on R&D on gimmicky features.



Agreed, with an exception. Your statement about unreliable consumer product is "subjective". Price often determines quality, but of course is not an absolute guarantee.

You'd have lower expectations on a $50 dash camera than on a $500 dash Cam. However, that $500 dash cam (consumer grade) will never match the image quality, reliability, and performance that an industrial grade ($4000 Panasonic) offers.

This is why Consumer Grade allows certain Quirks, Failure Rates, and Tolerances that are found in Mass Production of these product lines. Along with glitches, bugs, etc.




You state Dash Cameras are the worst, most unreliable, consumer grade product (personal experience and subjective). Buying the cheapest car, television, electronics, etc often yield unreliable performance and cheaper build quality. Regardless of product. - So Here we disagree.

Dash Camera performance and glitches on the consumer level should be improved! It's a shame that Big Name Global Companies have neglected the Dash Cam Market on the consumer level (Except Garmin). I think this would spur a greater awareness of building a more reliable product and incentivize manufacturers to correct known points of failure (Bugs, glitches, etc).

Unfortunately, fixing performance issues and glitches comes at a cost. Which is why we're paying a few hundred dollars / euros for a product versus 1000s. Manufacturers have reasoned that the consumer market does not support the level of Mission Critical Performance and Reliability us enthusiasts seek.

After all, the Dash Cam market is a Niche Market with a limited following. A majority of drivers do not own Dash Cameras. Meaning the incentive for Big Global Brands to enter the market is minimal. Lessening the Chances that Competition Drives research into better, more reliable, consumer grade products.

It is interesting how you conveniently ignore certain comments and facts that don't fit your narrative. You seem to be all over the place here indulging in irrelevancies like 1000 dollar CCTV cameras, 4000 dollar dash cams, 50 dollar dash cams, etc. We are talking about average mid to high end dash cams such as the Viofo A129 Duo ($170.00) and the A139 ($270.00) And these are not "cheap" cameras by any means.

What you characterize as "subjective" is based on 11years of extensive direct hands on experience with more than two dozen different cameras and eight years of particpation in this forum where I've observed thousands of reports of myriad types of camera failures, glitches, frustrations, lost footage, etc, etc,.

Putting the notion of "absolute reliability" aside for the moment, people really just want and expect that when they spend say $150.00 -$300.00 on a product that it will perform as advertised. They don't expect to spend inordinate amounts of time trouble shooting, dealing with glitches and failures and not capturing key footage they need. Regardless, of price, I can't think of a category of product where dealing with problems and shortcomings is the norm rather than the exception. And that is indeed often the case with dash cams. A constant refrain one hears on this form is "check your footage! - make sure your camera is functioning properly". I don't leave my driveway until I've checked to see that all my cams are up and running and I am hardly alone in this practice.

I find the position you've taken here a bit puzzling and even rather funny considering your history with dash cams.

As I pointed out previously, a large percentage of your posts to this forum have been complaints about dash cam problems. You reported that your first camera, a Viofo A129 Duo was defective and needed replacement. Then you complained that the replacement had issues.

Camera 1 was most likely defective. Kept randomly freezing. Was using a Sandisk Ultra Plus 32GB card. I know the memory card functions. As a troubleshooting method, I ordered a 256GB Sandisk Extreme A2. Didn't solve Camera 1's issues. Amazon sent replacement.

So now the New Camera + Hardware kit is installed, one bug still persists.

Then you had another bad experience as a beta tester of the ZenFox. You posted a thread called, "ZenFox T3 - What a piece of SH*T. Camera Dying"

Well, my second camera no longer works properly. Reflashed and now wifi enables but still cannot be found by any device.

So after a few weeks this camera seems screwed. Tried doing a reset to default settings. Tried another memory card. Nothing helps.

0 stars for this product.

You called it a "Dud". It froze just like your A129.

1. Zenfox T3 which is a Dud. Damn thing freezes for no reason these days. Supports low bitrate parking mode when it isn't busy freezing.

And now, just yesterday, you reported that you are expecting a replacement for your Viofo A139! Jeez!

Viofo is mailing me out a replacement unit, so will be interesting to see what happens there, too.

And you are still arguing with me when I say that dash cams are an inherently unreliable product category? This is all pretty hilarious at this point.

I will be launching an interesting thread on this topic soon elsewhere on this forum, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, let's get back to the discussion about firmware, shall we?

 

[HonestReview]

It is interesting how you conveniently ignore certain comments and facts that don't fit your narrative. You seem to be all over the place here indulging in irrelevancies like 1000 dollar CCTV cameras, 4000 dollar dash cams, 50 dollar dash cams, etc. We are talking about average mid to high end dash cams such as the Viofo A129 Duo ($170.00) and the A139 ($270.00) And these are not "cheap" cameras by any means.

What you characterize as "subjective" is based on 11years of extensive direct hands on experience with more than two dozen different cameras and eight years of particpation in this forum where I've observed thousands of reports of myriad types of camera failures, glitches, frustrations, lost footage, etc, etc,.

Putting the notion of "absolute reliability" aside for the moment, people really just want and expect that when they spend say $150.00 -$300.00 on a product that it will perform as advertised. They don't expect to spend inordinate amounts of time trouble shooting, dealing with glitches and failures and not capturing key footage they need. Regardless, of price, I can't think of a category of product where dealing with problems and shortcomings is the norm rather than the exception. And that is indeed often the case with dash cams. A constant refrain one hears on this form is "check your footage! - make sure your camera is functioning properly". I don't leave my driveway until I've checked to see that all my cams are up and running and I am hardly alone in this practice.

Cars...TVs....Electronics... All have failures and varying reliability depending upon brand, model, etc.

11 Years of your personal experience is STILL anecdotal. Because we're talking still talking about the experience of ONE PERSON and not a large slice. It'd be similar JD Powers rating cars based upon receiving ONE SURVEY.

I've had opposite experience. My replacement A129 Duo has never locked up or failed. Nor has the second one running in another vehicle. Yes, one was bad, but the 2 I got now are perfect.

So basically, what we have is your personal experience, but not a large slice. The A129 Duo being reliable is based upon DashCamForum Reviews, My Experience, and a NUMBER of other's here and elsewhere. Thus it isn't simply me saying "I don't trust my camera".

I find the position you've taken here a bit puzzling and even rather funny considering your history with dash cams.

As I pointed out previously, a large percentage of your posts to this forum have been complaints about dash cam problems. You reported that your first camera, a Viofo A129 Duo was defective and needed replacement. Then you complained that the replacement had issues.

My replacement A129 Duo has ZERO ISSUES. Dupe Frame issue is not corrected but the replacement and 2nd one I purchased have never frozen, always captured reliably, and never caused me any consternation. Annoying to have dupe frames. But not affect the camera's functionality.

Then you had another bad experience as a beta tester of the ZenFox. You posted a thread called, "ZenFox T3 - What a piece of SH*T. Camera Dying"

The Zenfox was a new product sent out for review. I don't consider "New Products" having never been to market representative of PRODUCTS being sold. Here is a new manufacturer, with ZERO EXPERIENCE designing a camera, trying to break into Dash Cam Market. They failed, their product ABSOLUTELY SUCKED. And others verified it. Again, that's like me because it took Tesla a VERY LONG TIME to get a good product, that all car manufacturers are CRAP. People have to find their place, and if they don't, they sink and go out of business.

Zenfox has yet to release ANOTHER product. I see their long term viability at very little chance of success.

You called it a "Dud". It froze just like your A129.

Froze like the first one. A129 Duo Replacement and 3rd one I purcahsed are flawless

And now, just yesterday, you reported that you are expecting a replacement for your Viofo A139! Jeez!

No one said quality control is perfect. I'm not 100% certain it's the camera itself. Could be firmware. I'm going to run more tests. It's just others aren't experiencing the same issues. If it is the camera, then maybe the replacement will be like my 2nd A129 Duo. Flawless.

Again, consumer products are massed produced. Win some lose some. That's why they make warranties.

And you are still arguing with me when I say that dash cams are an inherently unreliable product category? This is all pretty hilarious at this point.

I will be launching and interesting thread on this topic soon elsewhere on this forum, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, let's get back to the discussion about firmware, shall we?

I wish we lived in a perfect world where products worked every time. I've bought products before where I've had issues and had to replace. My First Sandisk High Endurance failed miserably. I did a Zero write on it and it still has a bad sector / uncorrectable sectors. Sandisk sent me a new one that works fine. However, I've used the "bad one" to put movies and other data. And it always seems to fail after hitting a spot with bad sectors. Clearly faulty.

Does that make all Sandisk High Endurance cards crap? No...But I got one that failed with 3 months of use in a Dash Camera! Another user on here had the same problem with the exact model I bought (Sandisk High Endurance).

I bought a Micca Spec and after about a year of usage, it crapped out. Company sent me a replacement and that one has worked fine.

Mass production sucks. Things are slapped together. I could go on and on about how consumer electronics often have a shelf life that matches their warranty. You know why companies offer X length warranties? They do the math on about how long they expect their products to work trouble free!

 

[Dashmellow]

Cars...TVs....Electronics... All have failures and varying reliability depending upon brand, model, etc.

11 Years of your personal experience is STILL anecdotal. Because we're talking still talking about the experience of ONE PERSON and not a large slice. It'd be similar JD Powers rating cars based upon receiving ONE SURVEY.

I've had opposite experience. My replacement A129 Duo has never locked up or failed. Nor has the second one running in another vehicle. Yes, one was bad, but the 2 I got now are perfect.

So basically, what we have is your personal experience, but not a large slice. The A129 Duo being reliable is based upon DashCamForum Reviews, My Experience, and a NUMBER of other's here and elsewhere. Thus it isn't simply me saying "I don't trust my camera".



My replacement A129 Duo has ZERO ISSUES. Dupe Frame issue is not corrected but the replacement and 2nd one I purchased have never frozen, always captured reliably, and never caused me any consternation. Annoying to have dupe frames. But not affect the camera's functionality.



The Zenfox was a new product sent out for review. I don't consider "New Products" having never been to market representative of PRODUCTS being sold. Here is a new manufacturer, with ZERO EXPERIENCE designing a camera, trying to break into Dash Cam Market. They failed, their product ABSOLUTELY SUCKED. And others verified it. Again, that's like me because it took Tesla a VERY LONG TIME to get a good product, that all car manufacturers are CRAP. People have to find their place, and if they don't, they sink and go out of business.

Zenfox has yet to release ANOTHER product. I see their long term viability at very little chance of success.




Froze like the first one. A129 Duo Replacement and 3rd one I purcahsed are flawless



No one said quality control is perfect. I'm not 100% certain it's the camera itself. Could be firmware. I'm going to run more tests. It's just others aren't experiencing the same issues. If it is the camera, then maybe the replacement will be like my 2nd A129 Duo. Flawless.

Again, consumer products are massed produced. Win some lose some. That's why they make warranties.



I wish we lived in a perfect world where products worked every time. I've bought products before where I've had issues and had to replace. My First Sandisk High Endurance failed miserably. I did a Zero write on it and it still has a bad sector / uncorrectable sectors. Sandisk sent me a new one that works fine. However, I've used the "bad one" to put movies and other data. And it always seems to fail after hitting a spot with bad sectors. Clearly faulty.

Does that make all Sandisk High Endurance cards crap? No...But I got one that failed with 3 months of use in a Dash Camera! Another user on here had the same problem with the exact model I bought (Sandisk High Endurance).

I bought a Micca Spec and after about a year of usage, it crapped out. Company sent me a replacement and that one has worked fine.

Mass production sucks. Things are slapped together. I could go on and on about how consumer electronics often have a shelf life that matches their warranty. You know why companies offer X length warranties? They do the math on about how long they expect their products to work trouble free!

I'm sorry if you think 11 years of hands on experience is "anecdotal". It is hardly like I'm the only one reporting on any of these issues. You seem to be in denial about your experiences with dash cams but perhaps you have low standards about what constitutes a reasonable balance of performance and reliability. Personally, there is hands down, no category of electronic consumer product at any price where I have ever spent so many hours troubleshooting, dealing with failures and glitches and indeed most of the more than two dozen cameras I owned or tested are no longer functional. (except my Mobius cams which are the most reliable dash cameras ever built. They take anything you cam throw at them, heat, cold , shock, vibration, whatever - 8 years in)

All you've done on this forum is complain about your camera woes and self righteously argue with people. As I said a few days ago, it grows tiresome for all. I'm not particularly interested in engaging with you any further, so I'll just leave it at that.

Oh wait! You left out that you now have a Viofo 139 replacement on the way on top of all the other problems you've reported. That's normal product reliability? That's quite a track record you've had here and you seem ok with it. This is a $270.00 camera for the three channel model. That kind of money buys you a very high quality, very reliable CCTV camera or a very nice quality, ultra reliable point and shoot camera.

 

[HonestReview]

I'm sorry if you think 11 years of hands on experience is "anecdotal". It is hardly like I'm the only one reporting on any of these issues. You seem to be in denial about your experiences with dash cams but perhaps you have low standards about what constitutes a reasonable balance of performance and reliability. Personally, there is hands down, no category of electronic consumer product at any price where I have ever spent so many hours troubleshooting, dealing with failures and glitches and indeed most of the more than two dozen cameras I owned or tested are no longer functional. (except my Mobius cams which are the most reliable dash cameras ever built. They take anything you cam throw at them, heat, cold , shock, vibration, whatever - 8 years in)

I wouldn't call my standards low. Again, my various Dash Cameras have captured two accidents and I'd be very f*cking pissed if I checked the camera, to find the footage missing.

I'm a realist. I realize technology and hardware aren't perfect. It's the reason I run two different dash cams in every vehicle. My Own (A129 Duo and A139) and an A129 Duo and a Free MyGeko Gear 950 in my mother's car. Redundancy my friend

When something is very important, you make sure you cover your bases. It's why computers use raid!

All you've done on this forum is complain about your camera woes and self righteously argue with people. As I said a few days ago, it grows tiresome for all. I'm not particularly interested in engaging with you any further, so I'll just leave it at that.

Oh wait! You left out that you now have a Viofo 139 replacement on the way on top of all the other problems you've reported. That's normal product reliability? That's quite a track record you've had here and you seem ok with it. This is a $270.00 camera for the three channel model. That kind of money buys you a very high quality, very reliable CCTV camera or a very nice quality, ultra reliable point and shoot camera.

I'm not arguing. However, you've spent this entire conversation touting your experience. I get it man. You've been heavily involved in Dash Cams for the past 11 years. Yes, it gives you a certain level of expertise

However, there's a reason companies often send out large number of betas. To find flaws and solicit feedback from more than just a few individuals. Or companies send out 10s of thousands of surveys to find out if a product has a repeated pattern of successes or failures.

You're simply too self involved in your own opinion. And yes, I might gripe, but my gripes are often repeatable gripes about a given product. And go beyond opinion when others verify those same flaws.

I have yet to say the A139 is a SH*T product that no one should purchase. The jury is still out as my results have not been replicated by others. And just today, I found results contradicting earlier findings.

So while I await my replacement, I may have found the issue is possibly firmware related versus hardware. Or maybe both. My testing continues.

Remember, I'm just ONE tester. In this case a paying consumer (bought my A139). My job with Any product I buy is to try to find ALL FAULTS with a product and get things corrected to the betterment of others

Does that make me a pain in the ass? Definitely! But it also brings to a company's attention areas that need improved.

 

[Leonauto]

Does that make me a pain in the ass? Definitely! But it also brings to a company's attention areas that need improved.

Oh my God, how pleased this mister is with himself! What pain in what ass? Have you forgotten that there is a technical forum here?

So write to these companies on their contacts, stick thorns in them with all your might. Why don't you do this? Or laziness mother was born before you?

Why did you decide that the forum is a platform for your accusatory speeches?
No need for emotions, enough facts, but you turn it into a farce.
And what has the forum participants to do with it? You are mistaken, mister, it is not here that you need to organize a revolution and present your demands, for this there are the official channels of the manufacturer.
This is a technical forum, not a consumer one, where housewives discuss the quality of irons and coffee makers, and even more this is not a social networks, such as Facebook, telegrams, etc. This is your mistake

 

[Dashmellow]

I wouldn't call my standards low. Again, my various Dash Cameras have captured two accidents and I'd be very f*cking pissed if I checked the camera, to find the footage missing.

I'm a realist. I realize technology and hardware aren't perfect. It's the reason I run two different dash cams in every vehicle. My Own (A129 Duo and A139) and an A129 Duo and a Free MyGeko Gear 950 in my mother's car. Redundancy my friend

When something is very important, you make sure you cover your bases. It's why computers use raid!


I'm not arguing. However, you've spent this entire conversation touting your experience. I get it man. You've been heavily involved in Dash Cams for the past 11 years. Yes, it gives you a certain level of expertise

However, there's a reason companies often send out large number of betas. To find flaws and solicit feedback from more than just a few individuals. Or companies send out 10s of thousands of surveys to find out if a product has a repeated pattern of successes or failures.

You're simply too self involved in your own opinion. And yes, I might gripe, but my gripes are often repeatable gripes about a given product. And go beyond opinion when others verify those same flaws.

I have yet to say the A139 is a SH*T product that no one should purchase. The jury is still out as my results have not been replicated by others. And just today, I found results contradicting earlier findings.

So while I await my replacement, I may have found the issue is possibly firmware related versus hardware. Or maybe both. My testing continues.

Remember, I'm just ONE tester. In this case a paying consumer (bought my A139). My job with Any product I buy is to try to find ALL FAULTS with a product and get things corrected to the betterment of others

Does that make me a pain in the ass? Definitely! But it also brings to a company's attention areas that need improved.

"I'm not arguing."

Really?

 

[HonestReview]

Oh my God, how pleased this mister is with himself! What pain in what ass? Have you forgotten that there is a technical forum here?

So write to these companies on their contacts, stick thorns in them with all your might. Why don't you do this? Or laziness mother was born before you?

Why did you decide that the forum is a platform for your accusatory speeches?
No need for emotions, enough facts, but you turn it into a farce.
And what has the forum participants to do with it? You are mistaken, mister, it is not here that you need to organize a revolution and present your demands, for this there are the official channels of the manufacturer.
This is a technical forum, not a consumer one, where housewives discuss the quality of irons and coffee makers, and even more this is not a social networks, such as Facebook, telegrams, etc. This is your mistake

Well let's see.

1. I post my very detailed findings on this forum.
2. I ask others to replicate these findings.
3. I 100% contact companies with my findings.

I can't make these companies listen. But when I tested the MyGekoGear 950 and 960, I gave the company my results. One shortcoming is they developed a hardwire kit, but it does not work. Be it their cameras need a firmware update or the hardware kit itself isn't designed properly. I don't know. But I couldn't get the camera to enter parking mode at all.

Zenfox T3, I was very specific in letting the company know their camera had major heat issues. I had others verify my concerns. It wasn't just me "griping". So that once we were sure these issues are repeatable and not isolated, the company would know. Unfortunately, Zenfox "quit" here after the feedback proved to be critical and not the "o this is a fantastic dash camera" they were seeking from their users.

I am now doing the same thing with the A139. I have contacted support about my concerns. Their reply was please keep camera out of the sun. Not really a great response. However, others are stating their units are not having the issues I'm facing. So my unit may be problematic. I'll see once the replacement arrives.

When I say I'm a pain in the ass, I mean it in terms of I AM NOT A YES MAN. I test the product I get and give an "Honest Review". I'm not some redditor who says THANKS BEST CAMERA EVER. To kiss ass, and get more products. That's not me. I buy or get a product, I test the hell out of it, and will 100% find flaws and shortcomings. I pass them along to the company!

 

[HonestReview]

Really?

Yes. Just because you think highly of yourself, doesn't make your opinion golden. We're a technical forum, and everything I do, I've backed up with proof. See my extensive testing of the Zenfox T3, A139, A129 Duo, MyGekoGear Cameras, etc.

Any product I buy or am given, I stress test to its limits. I'm not a "Yes Man" by any means looking to keep myself on the "beta / promo list". You want your hardware tested, I do just that. Unfortunately, said company might not like what I find, but I tell the truth.

I have contacted Viofo about my A139. It appears others on here are now starting to find issues themselves related to overheating. However, others are not getting corrupted files.

So when my replacement arrives, I will make the determination if my 2nd unit does the same thing, or if I got a bad product.

Again, my assessments are empirically based upon fact. You clearly have read my thread on the A139 where I posted video after video of my findings. Not "Oh Dash Camera's are the Most Unreliable Product on the Market".

That's subjective Hyperbole. Most technical gadgets have bugs and flaws. The issue becomes whether the manufacturers bother to address and correct them. Here we agree, you have a 100% legitimate gripe. As often, issues are left unresolved. Some companies are better than others though.

 

[Dashmellow]

Just because you think highly of yourself, doesn't make your opinion golden.

You sure engage in a lot of projection. You repeatedly accuse others of the very behaviors you have on display in your posts.

I'm not arguing.

I'll say it again - really?

I swear, you've gotta' be the most disputatious, self-aggrandizing guy on the whole forum. You really need to knock it off at this point.

 

[Dashmellow]

Back to blocking you =). I'll go back to what this forum is intended to do and not waste any further time with you.

Product Test. Find Flaws. Let Manufacturers Know. Hopefully get things corrected. Something I've spent considerable time doing on the A139.

Yes! Please do go away and stopping bothering me with any more of your nonsense. As I've said a few times already, it is quite tiresome for all of us.

Gosh! What would Viofo and other manufacturers know what to do without your unsolicited advice and assistance!

 

[Dashmellow]

Having EMO children like you crying that every Dash Camera is poorly made. Basing this erroneous statement on your 11 years of experience looking at yourself in the mirror telling yourself how great you are!

At least my criticism is constructive and I take the time to let manufacturers know my findings.

Where are your videos of the A139? I've posted plenty. All I see you doing is whining and crying. If all Dash Cameras are so bad, why bother hanging around. Go find another hobby.

For all your moaning, at least I contribute to the forum in a manner that assists others. Sharing my findings, along with soliciting feedback, in hopes of bettering a product.

Enough with your insults and abusive behavior. This has been a hallmark of yours since you arrived here.


And FWIW, I've contributed far more to this forum over the years than you likely ever will.

 

[HonestReview]

Enough with your insults and abusive behavior. This has been a hallmark of yours since you arrived here.


And FWIW, I've contributed far more to this forum over the years than you likely ever wiil.

Blocked. Enough said. Back on topic eveyone. Nothing to see here.

 

[DashCamMan]

Moved these posts out of the A139 firmware thread since they were not related to the topic at all.

 

[TonyM]

Moved these posts out of the A139 firmware thread since they were not related to the topic at all.

I'm not entirely sure they're related to any topic

At least now I understand why I'm the 'thread starter' for a thread I didn't remember starting!

 

[TonyM]

Back on topic, my #1 priority for a dashcam is reliability, followed by 'good enough' video quality. By that I mean adequate for the purpose of recording evidence, rather than looking cinematic but lacking important detail.

It's been mentioned once or twice that the trusty 8-year old Mobius 1 has an enviable track record for reliability. However that's only if the owner replaces the battery with a capacitor, learns how to set up the FW correctly for auto stop/start and enable loop recording. It's not foolproof out of the box. Well, I should say out of the bag, because early Mobii didn't come in a box!

@HonestReview keeps making the case for his ultra-reliable A129 Duo. To a point I agree, since I also run an A129 in each of our cars. But again I only trust FW V1.50 and not the newer FW with added bells and whistles, and flaws like a default boot delay of 0 seconds.

 

[HonestReview]

Back on topic, my #1 priority for a dashcam is reliability, followed by 'good enough' video quality. By that I mean adequate for the purpose of recording evidence, rather than looking cinematic but lacking important detail.

It's been mentioned once or twice that the trusty 8-year old Mobius 1 has an enviable track record for reliability. However that's only if the owner replaces the battery with a capacitor, learns how to set up the FW correctly for auto stop/start and enable loop recording. It's not foolproof out of the box. Well, I should say out of the bag, because early Mobii didn't come in a box!

@HonestReview keeps making the case for his ultra-reliable A129 Duo. To a point I agree, since I also run an A129 in each of our cars. But again I only trust FW V1.50 and not the newer FW with added bells and whistles, and flaws like a default boot delay of 0 seconds.

I tried the newest firmware on the A129 and wasn't all that excited about the whole station mode experiment. I simply tested it out to see station mode in action. However, the Wifi on the A129 Duo will affect video quality and generate a lot of heat.

None the less, on version 1.5 I've had nothing but flawless recording on the two A129 Duos I own. No matter the heat or cold, this camera hasn't let me down. Yes, my first one was a dud. But the replacement and the 3rd one I got have been true workhorses.

Sad to say, my A139 hasn't started off on a good foot. But maybe the replacement will get things back on track.

Side note: My A129 Duo captured a car rear ending me...Paid itself off in a split second. Easiest insurance claim ever.

 

[DAP]

Back on topic, my #1 priority for a dashcam is reliability, followed by 'good enough' video quality.

While I agree with your priorities, I think that reliability needs a hard definition.

#1: A clear unambiguous start up sound when powered on.
#2: A clear unambiguous shut down sound when powered off.
#3: A clear unambiguous sound and displayed error message when the camera fails to write to the memory card.
#4: Enough stored power to finish writing the last video file after the camera looses power and before the shutdown sound plays.
#5: A large range of operating voltage +- at least 25% of the nominal voltage so that voltage variations do not cause lost video.
#6: A continuous alert sound if the camera is in any way not working properly with a clear error message on the screen, or if the camera has no screen, an error code indicated by an LED flashing in a pattern.
#7: A large temperature range for operation from well below freezing to the highest temperature possible for the interior of a car sitting in the sun in Death Valley on the hottest day ever recorded (more than 130 F).

I am pretty sick of devices that fail silently or, at best report "Error" but no indication of what the error is.
The startup and shut down sounds are necessary so you know the camera is working properly. It is possible for a properly designed device to fail in a way that it is incapable of making any sound or error message. The lack of a normal startup sound or shutdown sound is a clue that can let you know something is wrong.
The worst thing that can happen with a dash cam is for it to silently fail. So you go for months thinking you are recording everything until you get into an accident and find that the most recent recording is 2 months old.
Error messages are important because it allows you to fix problems quickly. I've seen too many posts of people blaming firmware for their problems when it is more likely that the camera was not getting enough voltage, or that they had their settings wrong. Some kind of text file logging in the camera that could be turned on for debugging would also be helpful.

 

[SawMaster]

I'm happy enough with cams that only have a visual indicator of functioning, though I do like sound too. The one exception was my K2S, which with it's remoted processor unit could be mounted out-of-sight, therefore needing sound and not sight; good it has both. I think that's all you really need, but I do like having the rest What I don't like are cams that appear to be functioning normally when they aren't

Phil