A329 Test & Review PP

[Chuck McCoy]

i hope they mean next firmware… if the current 329 gets relabeled as the “plus” because ‘xx’ months from now they release a Pro version, ima facepalm .

I’m already debating lots as it is on the Extra $70ish dollars for the 329 vs 229 Pro on amazon.

Btw Chuck, your Amazon code wasnt working when i tested last night, ill test again later.
And glad to see u had a safe Sema trip.

If i work overtime and get the extra money to get the 329, i’ll be happy to post findings on the soon to come Midwest (probable) -30°F or colder winters

RCG530's Amazon 5% promo code isn't working either.
Even if the promo code works I would still wait until;

1.) First official firmware available on the public website.
Viofo is dragging their feet on that, and it's starting to look like another A229 Pro release.
A229 Pro customers had to wait 6 months for acceptable NIGHT TIME HDR performance.
This time (A329) they nailed night time HDR performance right out of the gate.
Right now we don't have acceptable DAYTIME image quality 4K30 & 4K60.
Everyone in the comment section of test footage videos is complaining it's over sharpened.
The over sharpening doesn't bother me.
What bothers me is selling "complete hardware with incomplete firmware".
The firmware should be acceptable as soon as the camera gets in the customer's hands.

2.) A329 2-CH Telephoto
3.) Thanks for the kind words.

 

[mobiledynamics]

This forum is baaaadddd...it's like putting me into iPhone e-sque want the latest and greatest

1st time Dash owner....and knowing the 329 was out, I bought the 229 Pro with tele and ahem....eventually a new rear camera.
I though this was the best for my use case ( not a enthusiast and probably will never review footage ) once installed and set and forget mode
I just wanted something to capture front and rear in the even of a incident.

I even had plans to run 2 double stacked external batteries....but after running the math in runtime, for my use case, it would have been pointless.
Hopefully I made the right decision going with the 229 Pro

 

[rcg530]

RCG530's Amazon 5% promo code isn't working either.
Even if the promo code works I would still wait until;

My Amazon (US) promo code works for the A329 1CH and 2CH:

 

[Augustus]

RCG530's Amazon 5% promo code isn't working either.
Even if the promo code works I would still wait until;

1.) First official firmware available on the public website.
Viofo is dragging their feet on that, and it's starting to look like another A229 Pro release.
A229 Pro customers had to wait 6 months for acceptable NIGHT TIME HDR performance.
This time (A329) they nailed night time HDR performance right out of the gate.
Right now we don't have acceptable DAYTIME image quality 4K30 & 4K60.
Everyone in the comment section of test footage videos is complaining it's over sharpened.
The over sharpening doesn't bother me.
What bothers me is selling "complete hardware with incomplete firmware".
The firmware should be acceptable as soon as the camera gets in the customer's hands.

2.) A329 2-CH Telephoto
3.) Thanks for the kind words.

Reminds me of the VS1 that was oversharpened out of the box but took them a little while to fix that.

I understand that firmware development is a complicated process and no tech device these days is ready out of the box. But I would expect with the Starvis 2 being around for a couple of years already, that it would be in a much better place. Who knows, maybe the new chipset is holding things up

 

[Augustus]

This forum is baaaadddd...it's like putting me into iPhone e-sque want the latest and greatest

1st time Dash owner....and knowing the 329 was out, I bought the 229 Pro with tele and ahem....eventually a new rear camera.
I though this was the best for my use case ( not a enthusiast and probably will never review footage ) once installed and set and forget mode
I just wanted something to capture front and rear in the even of a incident.

I even had plans to run 2 double stacked external batteries....but after running the math in runtime, for my use case, it would have been pointless.
Hopefully I made the right decision going with the 229 Pro

Until the A329 gets a Tele camera, then the A229 Pro is still very very good. I refuse to take my down in my vehicle even though the A329 is going up, purely because of the RTC300 telephoto

 

[Chuck McCoy]

My Amazon (US) promo code works for the A329 1CH and 2CH:

My Promo Code has not been activated yet: PANZERA329 (sad face)

You forgot to add the free benefit item, (256GB Viofo SD CARD $64).
I can’t get your promo code to work with the free SD Card.
They let you stack the discounts in the past.
Maybe they don’t do that anymore. =(

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Hopefully I made the right decision going with the 229 Pro

The A229 Pro is a GREAT camera for 2023.
The A329 is just a little bit GREATER for 2024. lol

 

[Chuck McCoy]

firmware development is a complicated process and no tech device these days is ready out of the box.

Incorrect.
You have low consumer standards.
Buying hardware with the promises of making it better / acceptable with a firmware update simply unwise.

I would expect with the Starvis 2 being around for a couple of years already, that it would be in a much better place.

I've always said I wish Viofo would just "copy & paste" all the good bits of the previous model, and carry them over to the new model.
But it's like every camera is a one off / unique design with a completely different engineering team, and the teams do not communicate with each other.

Until the A329 gets a Tele camera, then the A229 Pro is still very very good.

Correct.

I refuse to take my down in my vehicle even though the A329 is going up, purely because of the RTC300 telephoto

Correct.

 

[mobiledynamics]

I posted in the other thread.....what I find a bit interesting is that the -ports- they use is not what I would think....aka, their USB C port doesn't use a a -standard USB C cable-
I tried my Thunderbolt 4 cable on the *rear* with my Tele and no dice. Hook up their included OEM cable and all good. It must be some specific pinout on theirs..

 

[Augustus]

Incorrect.
You have low consumer standards.
Buying hardware with the promises of making it better / acceptable with a firmware update simply unwise.

I've always said I wish Viofo would just "copy & paste" all the good bits of the previous model, and carry them over to the new model.
But it's like every camera is a one off / unique design with a completely different engineering team, and the teams do not communicate with each other.

Correct.

Correct.

Lmao, having been in the cell phone space for the last 20 years, knowing programmers and firmware development teams personally, you're dead wrong. The complexity has increased manyfold over the years, and products are either being rushed out the door in a highly competitive tech market - or may be constrained by smaller development teams and engineers. If the teams aren't talking to each other, then that leads to a company failing at some point.

You are right though about buying a product on day one on promised features is not a good thing. You want a product in a usable state out of the box of course.

 

[Paul Iddon]

Odd that @viofo haven't sent any units to the UK (or anywhere in Europe) for testing that I have seen - least ways on here for feedback.

Do they anticipate that European sales will be good enough regardless?

 

[lufa6977]

Odd that @viofo haven't sent any units to the UK (or anywhere in Europe) for testing that I have seen - least ways on here for feedback.

Do they anticipate that European sales will be good enough regardless?

I would probably send to Europe first simply as there is precious little bit**ing about license plates from our European brothers. 🤣

 

[lufa6977]

Lmao, having been in the cell phone space for the last 20 years, knowing programmers and firmware development teams personally, you're dead wrong. The complexity has increased manyfold over the years, and products are either being rushed out the door in a highly competitive tech market - or may be constrained by smaller development teams and engineers. If the teams aren't talking to each other, then that leads to a company failing at some point.
.
.

Oh yes, I know this well. Add to that, if the product is an international product you then have different wants, needs, and requirements for various countries, laws, and cultures. I have seen code where there were 4000 or 5000 lines of code and 20,000 lines of patches to satisfy those wants, needs, and requirements. At some point the software house has to refactor the code and make it all base code but, that takes time and money and interferes with other ongoing code maintenance and development projects.

A glaring example are the U.S. users begging for the Daylight Savings option. A reasonably straight-forward endeavour if coding from anew, but, if adding to existing code, well, then one has to bash around a bit to make it work.

 

[inetjnky]

purchasing a new 2025 Lexus rx350h luxury trim this week. Never owned a dashcam previously so this will be my first purchase. After reviewing this thread it’s making me pause on my purchase to hold out for telephoto on the new 329 lineup. I’m not interested in buying older tech and prefer to look forward. One thing I’m curious is if telephoto might be an option to add to the existing 329 that’s being sold now or does it utilize an entirely different camera? I just don’t want to have to buy twice if I can help it. I also don’t want to have to wait another 12 months before it’s released either. Feeling stuck.

 

[inetjnky]

Also, can anyone tell me if this can automatically connect to wifi when you return home for accessing the video remotely with a computer or phone without having to remove the card?

 

[Chuck McCoy]

I posted in the other thread.....

Hello,
Welcome to the club.
This thread is for my testing & review of the A329.
You are talking about the A229 Pro.
If you tag me @Panzer Platform I will come over and give you the explanation about the Type-C Cable for the Rear & Telephoto for the A229 Pro.
Or you can get an answer direct from Viofo here;

Submit a ticket

support.viofo.com

-Chuck

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Odd that @viofo haven't sent any units to the UK (or anywhere in Europe) for testing that I have seen - least ways on here for feedback.

@Karagandinez @Mtz @Julian23 have A329 units.

You would think @Nigel would have one by the amount of replies he makes about the A329, but he does no testing, and does not provide hands on real world experience, only theoretical.
We haven't had a test & review from Nigel since 2022 Original A229 Duo.
I wish he could help with testing, because his knowledge is light years beyond mine.

I have a feeling EU testers are not posting test feedback because they are waiting on the first official public firmware before they start burning gas gathering test footage.
Or, they see the amount of personal attacks lobbed at me for my unintelligent attempts, and do not want the anonymous internet hate. lol
Oh yeah, have you seen this;
Dawid and Pawel are 50% of the best testers in Poland.
The other 50% is SklepHadron
Closed Captions available in English

 

[Chuck McCoy]

329

Welcome to the club.
The A329 2-CH Telephoto is worth the wait in my opinion.

automatically connect to wifi when you return home

Part of me wants to say no, part of me wants to say people have figured it out on their own, and doing it.
Nothing official from Viofo yet.

 

[inetjnky]

Welcome to the club.
The A329 2-CH Telephoto is worth the wait in my opinion.

Part of me wants to say no, part of me wants to say people have figured it out on their own, and doing it.
Nothing official from Viofo yet.

Thanks, I guess I’ll wait on the telephoto 2ch a329 then. Hope they hurry up 😀

I’ve read how it’s being done on older models, was just curious if it’s capable on the a329 as well.

 

[Augustus]

@Karagandinez @Mtz @Julian23 have A329 units.

You would think @Nigel would have one by the amount of replies he makes about the A329, but he does no testing, and does not provide hands on real world experience, only theoretical.
We have not have a test & review from Nigel since 2022 Original A229 Duo.
I wish he could help with testing, because his knowledge is light years beyond mine.

I have a feeling EU testers are not posting test feedback because they are waiting on the first official public firmware before they start burning gas gathering test footage.
Or, they see the amount of personal attacks lobbed at me for my unintelligent attempts, and do not want the anonymous internet hate. lol
Oh yeah, have you seen this;
Dawid and Pawel are 50% of the best testers in Poland.
The other 50% is SklepHadron
Closed Captions available in English

Didn't know about Sleep will check him out now 🙂

Correct on Nigel.

Buying my SSD today and then getting onto the A329 testing soon. Was going to get a SSD with an enclosure but then thought about the summer heat here and shat myself.