How To Make a VIOFO OBD2 Adaptor

rcg530 said:
The end of May could be when they send it out for testing in the field. I'm just stating what I was told when I asked when they would be available. 🙂
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i have asked several times for us to test them. We get a range of vehicles in both markets
 
VIOFO - you can send an OBD2 cable to me (in the uk) and I'll test it for you 😉.

I want to order a Viofo A229plus for my daughters car but there are no accessory fuses inside the car (all constant on Mazda CX-30) - the accessory fuses are (I believe) in the engine compartment. It's also a lease car so I'm not going to start drilling through the bulkhead (firewall?) to get a cable through. I guess I'm restricted to using the OBD2 port.

On most of the OBD2 adaptors from Amazon/eBay (with the I/O switch) the cut-off voltage is too low for my liking (11.2v, 11.4v, 11.6v and sometimes11.8v) and there's sure to be some margin - so the cut-off voltage may be even lower still! My personal preference would be nearer 12.2v. Come on VIOFO send me the cable - I'll buy the A229Plus and test it for you.
 
Have you thought about making your own cable like the video on the first post of this thread? Combining the Iroad OBD cable with the Viofo hardwire kit. I use the Iroad OBD cable for my Thinkware Q1000 and it works perfect. Voltage settings are in the dashcam itself. The Viofo cut off volt setting is in the hardwire kit that you can still use.
 
tmanch said:
Have you thought about making your own cable like the video on the first post of this thread? Combining the Iroad OBD cable with the Viofo hardwire kit. I use the Iroad OBD cable for my Thinkware Q1000 and it works perfect. Voltage settings are in the dashcam itself. The Viofo cut off volt setting is in the hardwire kit that you can still use.
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See you get it. Why use a new product that has not been tested on vehicles in the North american market. OBD2 cables are not something you just randomly use. They need to be proven to work and there are lots of bad OBD2 cables out there. I hope @viofo does the right thing ans has it tested thoroughly on vehicles before releasing.
 
When and "IF" I change my preferred current Dashcam provider (ThinkWare), I'll be looking at Viofo, but only when they release their own approved OBD2 cable. I currently use this method to power my ThinkWare 2 channel and it has been flawless AND does parking mode.

I'm sure someone has mentioned this before, but hardwiring a dashcam can be classed as a "modification" by some car insurers (whether that's true or not, I don't know). But if I ever use the hardwire method again, I'm going to inform my car insurers, just to be safe !!
 
safedrivesolutions said:
See you get it. Why use a new product that has not been tested on vehicles in the North american market. OBD2 cables are not something you just randomly use. They need to be proven to work and there are lots of bad OBD2 cables out there. I hope @viofo does the right thing ans has it tested thoroughly on vehicles before releasing.
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@viofo

@safedrivesolutions .. well, whilst you are poking around at CES, ask VIOFO what the status is on the OBD2 cable. They should not have any problems finding North American users that are willing to test the cable for them. 🙂
 
lufa6977 said:
whilst you are poking around at CES, ask VIOFO what the status is on the OBD2 cable.
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To the best of my knowledge, VIOFO is not attending CES this year.
 
Yep, I believe you are correct, I had forgotten about that.
 
152bobby said:
When and "IF" I change my preferred current Dashcam provider (ThinkWare), I'll be looking at Viofo, but only when they release their own approved OBD2 cable. I currently use this method to power my ThinkWare 2 channel and it has been flawless AND does parking mode.

I'm sure someone has mentioned this before, but hardwiring a dashcam can be classed as a "modification" by some car insurers (whether that's true or not, I don't know). But if I ever use the hardwire method again, I'm going to inform my car insurers, just to be safe !!
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Thinkware did not build their OBD2 cable. Bluepoint did. Bluepoint also built Vueroid OBD2 cable.
 
Reply I received when I checked with viofo Australia last week:

"
Thanks for the reply.
Sorry we are not sure for now, we need to further check and push our engineers on this.
You can use the original car charger or the hardwire kit to power the camera first.
Hope our OBD charger will be available again.
"
 
I asked Viofo UK for an update and I received the following response:

I have heard back from the manufacturer and they have advised that they don't have a date of when the OBD2 cable will be released, it is still being tested. They think it will be some point this year.

I think they are stringing us along, so I bought a (very expensive) iRoad OBDII Power cable and will try to follow the guide and make my own. I already have the hardwire kit from my previous car (that had in-cabin acc fuses). I was hoping to upgrade to the A329S but this will go on hold for now until parking mode is working,
 
I've been testing the VIOFO OBD-II power adapter for the past few months. I'm testing version "2" which has later firmware than first unit. It's working decently in the car I'm testing it in. I gather voltage data logs from a voltage monitor each time I drive that car, so I can send it to VIOFO if something odd happens. I haven't had to send a voltage datalog for a couple of months since it's been working okay for me.
 
rcg530 said:
I've been testing the VIOFO OBD-II power adapter for the past few months. I'm testing version "2" which has later firmware than first unit. It's working decently in the car I'm testing it in. I gather voltage data logs from a voltage monitor each time I drive that car, so I can send it to VIOFO if something odd happens. I haven't had to send a voltage datalog for a couple of months since it's been working okay for me.
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There is a new optimized version coming out in 1 to 2 weeks, we can offer more samples for testing in more cars, if you need one, please contact us.
 
@SafeDriveSolutions - awesome video, building a custom cable doesn't get any easier than this, thanks for the quick tutorial!

I have one small recommendation to add: If it's one thing that I've learned from 40+ years of playing with wires is NEVER trust electrical tape. I've tried so many of them and they ALWAYS unstick/unwind themselves, especially in warmer environments. This could result in solder joints that eventually make themselves naked, risking the potential for a short.

Long ago, I gave up on electrical tape in favor of heat shrink tubing. If I use electrical tape at all (very rarely), it goes UNDER the heat shrink for an additional layer of insulation.
 
EricSan said:
@SafeDriveSolutions - awesome video, building a custom cable doesn't get any easier than this, thanks for the quick tutorial!

I have one small recommendation to add: If it's one thing that I've learned from 40+ years of playing with wires is NEVER trust electrical tape. I've tried so many of them and they ALWAYS unstick/unwind themselves, especially in warmer environments. This could result in solder joints that eventually make themselves naked, risking the potential for a short.

Long ago, I gave up on electrical tape in favor of heat shrink tubing. If I use electrical tape at all (very rarely), it goes UNDER the heat shrink for an additional layer of insulation.
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We dont use 99 cents rolls of tape. We use $10 rolls of 3m tape. We have used 3m tape in extreme cold and extreme heat. Use whatever your preference is.
 
SafeDriveSolutions said:
We dont use 99 cents rolls of tape. We use $10 rolls of 3m tape. We have used 3m tape in extreme cold and extreme heat. Use whatever your preference is.
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When I worked in Domestic Telecom we used E-tape frequently, but we didn't use it everywhere. And I worked strictly
indoors, climate-controlled, etc.

Around the auto I would still like to use heat-shrink. I dunno, we'll see. I don't even know yet if I'll need it this month.
About 8 years ago I had firewood delivered by a small dump truck and the operate chafed my electrical main line to
the house. I used the most expensive, outdoor-rated electrical tape I could find. It was only the outermost sheath that
was damaged, but that repair has held to this day. Rain, snow, ice, -3F up to 105F temperature. It's solid.

Working with this tape can require a quality tape to begin with, and a certain level of care and craftsmanship, but yes,
and I agree, it can work. Worst case just grab some correctly sized wire loom and cover your splices with tape, then loom.
Good-to-go!
 
Skippa said:
VIOFO - you can send an OBD2 cable to me (in the uk) and I'll test it for you 😉.

I want to order a Viofo A229plus for my daughters car but there are no accessory fuses inside the car (all constant on Mazda CX-30) - the accessory fuses are (I believe) in the engine compartment. It's also a lease car so I'm not going to start drilling through the bulkhead (firewall?) to get a cable through. I guess I'm restricted to using the OBD2 port.

On most of the OBD2 adaptors from Amazon/eBay (with the I/O switch) the cut-off voltage is too low for my liking (11.2v, 11.4v, 11.6v and sometimes11.8v) and there's sure to be some margin - so the cut-off voltage may be even lower still! My personal preference would be nearer 12.2v. Come on VIOFO send me the cable - I'll buy the A229Plus and test it for you.
Click to expand...
You can buy adaptors to simulate an IGNition signal using a constant voltage. I will not advertise a location of purchase but you can find one of these, the voltage switching will allow it to make the accessory wire turn on and off with the car, so only a constant voltage is needed, and standby current with it off is about 1.8 ~ 2.2mA
 

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