Viofo A139 Pro - 1|2|3 Channel 4K STARVIS-2 HDR + FHD dashcam

[Nigel]

I'm still seeing an issue with both the A139 Pro and the A129 Pro running newer firmware where I can't play/edit video files in FinalCut Pro so I gotta figure out how to resolve that so I can create some videos. Oddly enough I can use older A129 Pro footage from a few years ago when it was running older firmware, but something must have changed with Viofo's newer firmware. Has anyone else had issues editing footage? I can play back in VLC just fine, but not so much in Quicktime or FinalCut.

Do you have a working and a none working file from the A129 Pro that I could compare, to try and find the difference?

 

[DAP]

Big brother here are putting up more and more cameras, not least plate capture cameras.
The argument are surveillance make you safe and free.
Of course those words are out of the mouth of a social democrat.

Funny thing one of those cameras, always figure as a speed camera on the waze like APP i use on long drives

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

Do you have a working and a none working file from the A129 Pro that I could compare, to try and find the difference?

kamkar: since you have VLC, could you go to the tools->codec page for each video and list what it says? That should tell you the difference between the two videos.

 

[Panzer Platform]

Either way, now that I've got two units on hand, it'll be useful for doing things like daytime HDR on/off comparison, having one in the car collecting sample footage while the other is on the bench doing parking mode tests hooked up to some battery packs, etc.

Lucky, (in Napoleon voice). lol
Check out my A139 Pro vs. A129 Pro HDR experiment.
-Chuck

 

[Vortex Radar]

Lucky, (in Napoleon voice). lol
Check out my A139 Pro vs. A129 Pro HDR experiment.
-Chuck

Okay not gonna lie, that test is simple yet brilliant, lol.

Yeah same thing I'm seeing, but your video makes it super clear haha.

Do you have a working and a none working file from the A129 Pro that I could compare, to try and find the difference?

Sure yeah I can PM you something.

 

[Frederick]

I ordered 3 units last week. They were supposed to arrive today, but are stuck in customs (shipment on hold). Bummer, was hoping to install them this weekend.

 

[Lothar]

I have contemplated updating my editing software ( powerdirector 17 )
If i get a new GFX card i will probably gain hardware AV1 encoding, and my old stuff do not support that.
I hope dashcams will gain AV1 soon, so i would be ready.

@72guy i am glad my need to communicate are way - way low,,,,,, even by pre internet standards, but i do still have a few HAM radios from those days, though no antenna but in a pinch a correct length of cobber wire can fill in.
Either way as a 66guy, if things go to hell, well i have already lived a full life, so then its just a matter of taking as many A holes with me in the fall,,,,, to do the world or what is left of it a favor.

Won't happen anytime soon. Wishful thinking.

 

[redkulat]

This is quite interesting, does anyone know the other recording resolutions on the camera? Curious to know if it can do 2K 120 fps yet.

 

[Mtz]

There is no reason for a dashcam to have more than 30 FPS. Yes, in theory, more FPS is better but in reality there is no real proof in normal driving conditions which can show the 60 FPS is better than 30 FPS. More than that, is possible that 60 FPS at night to be worse compared to 60 FPS.
60 FPS is available only because people believe is better so manufacturers are adding it. There are too many 60 FPS no name dashcams which are worse compared to a well known but not expensive 30 FPS daschcam.

To answer at your question, there is no 120 FPS option in A139 settings even for Full HD and is better for you to not expect for such FPS for a future Viofo dashcam or firmware. In theory is possible up to 240 FPS for Full HD but for 2K max is 60 FPS.

 

[redkulat]

There is no reason for a dashcam to have more than 30 FPS. Yes, in theory, more FPS is better but in reality there is no real proof in normal driving conditions which can show the 60 FPS is better than 30 FPS. More than that, is possible that 60 FPS at night to be worse compared to 60 FPS.
60 FPS is available only because people believe is better so manufacturers are adding it. There are too many 60 FPS no name dashcams which are worse compared to a well known but not expensive 30 FPS daschcam.

To answer at your question, there is no 120 FPS option in A139 settings even for Full HD and is better for you to not expect for such FPS for a future Viofo dashcam or firmware. In theory is possible up to 240 FPS for Full HD but for 2K max is 60 FPS.

Thank you for the reply, I do see what you mean. Initially I figured 60 fps would allow to slow down footage to better capture details like plate info.

 

[ogzogz]

This is quite interesting, does anyone know the other recording resolutions on the camera? Curious to know if it can do 2K 120 fps yet.

It works pretty well at 60fps, 120fps in very good daylight.
30fps means less noise at night, i.e. low light.

Meanwhile, a129 pro supports 120 fps in fhd resolution, a129 plus supports 120 fps in hd resolution. it can only record when the front camera is used alone.

 

[Deleted member 64174]

...

 

[Panzer Platform]

There is no reason for a dashcam to have more than 30 FPS.

But, but, but...
lol

 

[Mtz]

OK, you are a beta tester, so an experienced user, so please make some side by side videos to prove the 60FPS is better than 30 FPS and that difference to be important in real word, on public roads and not to find some missing pixel. Use the same dashcam model with the same settings and upload the original untouched video. If you are writing lol you are very sure about your personal experience, so please share it to be loled with facts and not only words. I am ready for the lol.

I tried 120fps on my A129 Pro and the image was rather grainy as I recall. It certainly was crap for night time video; I am presently using 60 FPS, 2560X1440P,

Of course is better the 2K video, no matter if is 60fps or 30fps. If you wouldn't wrote that 120fps video of A129 Pro is poor and wrote that 129 Pro have 120fps maybe the user could buy that dashcam just because of your info. And later to discover, like you, the 120fps is useeless.
On a dashcam these are the most important things and not the FPS:
1. size of the image sensor
2. resolution
3. lens quality
4. brand (firmware engineers)
5. Clear HDR (Starvis 2) for night
6...
...
84. 120 fps

Initially I figured 60 fps would allow to slow down footage to better capture details like plate info.

The slowdown is useless. The frame is already captured, it is stored on the video on the card. If you want to take a plate info you need to make snapshot like I am doing here.
With A139 Pro you have the biggest sensor from the dashcam market, the FPS just doesn't matter. You can have 120FPS on a no-name Full HD camera and quality to be much much much poor than A139 Pro at 30 FPS. If you dont like A139 Pro or consider it is expensive you can wait for another dashcam with Sony IMX678, for sure in 2023 others will come. From Viofo for sure will be the A229 Pro, maybe you like more the A229 style and it will be cheaper than A139 Pro.

 

[Vortex Radar]

With the 60 fps stuff, I think most of it comes down to people confusing shutter speed with frame rate and/or assuming that dashcams will shoot at 1/60th instead of 1/30th when you double the framerate. In some situations they may do that, especially in lower light, but a higher frame rate doesn't guarantee a faster shutter speed to better free plates.

There's other stuff to consider too like a doubling of the ISO at night to compensate for half the amount of light as well as things like if the dashcam maintains the same bitrate for 30 and 60 fps, you have less data stored per frame, despite having twice the number of frames.

 

[Deleted member 64174]

....

 

[Vortex Radar]

Not taking into account hand held digital cameras by Sony, Cannon, Nikon...etc., the information you gave relates to this dashcam in what manner? Do you know what the shutter speed is for the camera vs. frame rate. What is the ISO being used. Not trying to be an ass but you just opined on something and left some open ends.

Unlike DSLR's and Mirrorless cams, we generally don't have that level of manual control over our dashcams. Nonetheless, cameras are cameras so dashcams are going to have to make the exact same trade-offs given that they rely on the very same principles of physics. They’re making all the same choices, just doing so automatically and without informing the end user.

The point is that there's more nuance and complexity to the discussion. It's not as simple as saying "60 fps is better because it does a better job of freeze framing license plates."

 

[Vortex Radar]

I tried 120fps on my A129 Pro and the image was rather grainy as I recall. It certainly was crap for night time video

Well yeah, no surprise there. If you’re shooting at 120 fps and capping the shutter speed at 1/120th, the camera’s gonna have to double its max ISO compared to 1/60th or quadruple it compared to 1/30th, assuming you want to maintain the same overall brightness. There’s always going to be some compromise when crank up that shutter speed. There is no free lunch.

Again it’s all trade-offs. It’s physics, not magic.

 

[Mtz]

There's other stuff to consider too like a doubling of the ISO at night to compensate for half the amount of light as well as things like if the dashcam maintains the same bitrate for 30 and 60 fps, you have less data stored per frame, despite having twice the number of frames.

I observed that Viofo usually is creating firmwares with brighter image than I imagine. Maybe this is because they expect people to use CPL filters. Having a brighter image (on the sides) is making the Viofo videos looking better in video comparisons because people say that the brighter image is always better.
Usually, in real life as drivers on the public roads, we don't need to see what is outside of the street or a brighter sky.
But more important is that the added brightness can affect negatively the car license plates reading, making them too bright. Of course the HDR will help but a darker image is better than a brighter image when it is about incoming license plates. I tested firmwares with more bright or less brightness and I like more the darker ones for license plates.

So it is possible on Viofo Starvis 2 firmwares to see just a very little darker image compared to Starvis. Maybe.

 

[viofo]

Do you have a working and a none working file from the A129 Pro that I could compare, to try and find the difference?

The A129 Pro, A139, A139 Pro video play issue on Mac with QuickTime and final cut pro is fixed with new firmware.
We will upload the new firmware on official site soon.

 

[Vortex Radar]

The A129 Pro, A139, A139 Pro video play issue on Mac with QuickTime and final cut pro is fixed with new firmware.
We will upload the new firmware on official site soon.

Woohoo! Thank you!