A119 Mini Test & Review PP

[Chuck McCoy]

Hey guys,
I just got my A119 Mini from the mailbox a few minutes ago.
I'm so excited to begin testing.
So far my initial impression is, it reminds me of an old girfriend.
Short & fat, and cute as a bug. lol

My current firmware is V1.0 Build 20220519
Is this the most up to date firmware?
If not, could someone reply with the current firmware?
Thanks again,
-Chuck

 

[rcg530]

V1.0 Build 20220519 firmware is the latest version I was given to install into my pre-production/review A119 Mini.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

V1.0 Build 20220519 firmware is the latest version I was given to install into my pre-production/review A119 Mini.

View attachment 60763

Thanks Robert.
Darn, I was hoping there was a newer version.
I think I already found two bugs, (see attached screenshots).

1.) After entering a driver name & license plate number in the custom text, the entire text overlay is lost on the recorded footage.
GPS coordinates, speed, date & time, camera model, etc.

2.) After adjusting the date format to "American" MM-DD-YYYY it still shows DD-MM-YYYY.

I tried entering the custom text both ways, with the app, and manually through the camera.
Both have the same results.
-Chuck

 

[rcg530]

The VIOFO android app (v3.2.3) is known to not set the A119 Mini settings correctly. I was just given a test android app version which seems to work with the A119 Mini firmware settings.

I've successfully set a custom text string via the firmware menu, but I have not tried to enter a license plate or change the date format.

I'll go out to my car and try setting the car license plate to a non zero length string and I'll try changing the date format as well.

 

[rcg530]

Using the A119 Mini's firmware menu setting screens, I just tried setting the "Car Number" and change the date format. The "Car Number" value shows up, but the date format did not change in the video, it only appeared to change on the A119 Mini's screen in the lower left corner. I blurred portions of the GPS data due to be located at my home for this test.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Right on.
Thank you for confirming.
I guess I should have included I'm using an iPhone as well.
-Chuck

 

[rcg530]

I received a response from VIOFO that they've also noticed the date format bug. It should be fixed in the next firmware release.

 

[Karagandinez]

1.) After entering a driver name & license plate number in the custom text, the entire text overlay is lost on the recorded footage.
GPS coordinates, speed, date & time, camera model, etc.

I had exactly the same thing when I first turned on the DVR. There was no text on the recorded material.
After a bench test, after about three hours of recording, all of the superimposed text appeared on the recorded material.
Everything is displayed now: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...i-dashcam-with-wi-fi.46942/page-5#post-576008

 

[Chuck McCoy]

I received a response from VIOFO that they've also noticed the date format bug. It should be fixed in the next firmware release.

I had exactly the same thing when I first turned on the DVR. There was no text on the recorded material.
After a bench test, after about three hours of recording, all of the superimposed text appeared on the recorded material.
Everything is displayed now: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...i-dashcam-with-wi-fi.46942/page-5#post-576008

Right on K,
Thanks for the confirmation.
-Chuck

 

[Chuck McCoy]

I love the Voice Notifications on the A119 Mini.
Previously on the A129 series of dash cams it was nice to have an audible “BEEP” to let you know there was a possible malfunction. But, sometimes it was unclear what exactly the type of malfunction was occurring.

Now the young lady in the box lets me know precisely what’s going on. If only my ex-wife was this straightforward, instead of always making me guess what I did wrong. lol
-Chuck

Here’s a short demo;

 

[JDtime]

I love the Voice Notifications on the A119 Mini.
Previously on the A129 series of dash cams it was nice to have an audible “BEEP” to let you know there was a possible malfunction. But, sometimes it was unclear what exactly the type of malfunction was occurring.

Now the young lady in the box lets me know precisely what’s going on. If only my ex-wife was this straightforward, instead of always making me guess what I did wrong. lol
-Chuck

Here’s a short demo;

By any chance can you take a photo of the mini with a deck of cards or pack of cigs? I am trying to see just how small this really is.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

By any chance can you take a photo of the mini with a deck of cards or pack of cigs? I am trying to see just how small this really is.

Right on JD,
That's a great question.
I don't really understand the "Mini" designation.
It's basically the same size as the A129 Series, and the previous A119 Series.
Yes, when you look at it head on, it's slightly slimmer.
But when I held my A129 Plus next to the A119 Mini, the Mini is actually thicker.
Take a look at the photos in Nigel's post.
He's got excellent photos comparing it to other Viofo cams.
-Chuck

 

[CaptureYourAction]

Nigel had some good comparison pics in the thread below.

Viofo A119 Mini - Single channel 2K mini dashcam with Wi-Fi

The Viofo A119 Mini is the latest dashcam in the Viofo A119 series, not really an upgrade to the A119 V3, but a miniaturized and higher specification version. The first samples for review and test should be arriving over the next few days. I have a very early sample, so there may be a few...

dashcamtalk.com

 

[POISON]

I don't really understand the "Mini" designation.

Minor update with WiFi.

 

[Karagandinez]

V3 vs Mini

 

[rcg530]

Do you have a pre-production unit or a production unit? The reason I ask is that pre-production review units have a hardware bug which prevents it from being powered down and staying powered off.

VIOFO has stated they're going to send me a replacement A119 Mini (production version) because of the "power off problem" so I can do my full suite of power consumption tests.

 

[Karagandinez]

I think I have a production unit. Because there was a delay in sending and my copy arrived at my place in early June and has no problems with shutting down.

 

[kamkar]

I think the mini VS the V3 have a updated SOC and better / faster wifi, if the SOC are improved this should maybe also mean some interesting secondary functions could be used,,,,, but i am guessing here.
I tried to DL a 3 minute file on the A229 on day #1 of testing, and not being famiuliar with older and slower wifi, i must say that in this case the DL of the file was done in a time i will be more than good with,,,,,, even if i was a wifi whore.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Do you have a pre-production unit or a production unit? The reason I ask is that pre-production review units have a hardware bug which prevents it from being powered down and staying powered off.

VIOFO has stated they're going to send me a replacement A119 Mini (production version) because of the "power off problem" so I can do my full suite of power consumption tests.

How do I tell if mine is pre-production or not?

 

[Karagandinez]

How do I tell if mine is pre-production or not?

Unlikely.🤔

I just got my A119 Mini from the mailbox a few minutes ago.
I'm so excited to begin testing.

Viofo has been sending out production models for more than 2 weeks.