A229 Pro GPS

[Hack_man]

Sorry guys ! My mistake, I focus on my poor English and write nonsense. Yes, I mean CLA not CPL 🤐🙆‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Yes, I can confirm, that after successfull GPS Lock next drive after short pause had GPS lock almost immediately. But not every time. For example if GPS is locked: Drive10min - Pause5min - Fix OK Drive > and after few repeat these sequence (about after 4-5 pause) GPS get lost and for rest of the day it not get back.

Oh well so much for that theory 😕

 

[lufa6977]

Oh well so much for that theory 😕

While on a short trip to the store, I was thinking about that. The GPS systems I worked on did not retain satellite or channel data once power was off. We powered the shelves with dual DC feeds, -48vdc so very seldom did we loose power to a shelf. On the other hand, I could log into a shelf and see where it was storing positioning data, signal strength, etc. All of this data was not preservable on total power failure, or maintained on a drive. I don't think these little VIOFO GPS modules are doing much more than sensing the signal and passing it on to the dash cam, I could be wrong though.

Presently our weather is low, dark, heavy clouds with rain incoming. In my garage, my A229 Pro, with the garage door open synced up within a few seconds. I have a request to the High Lord of VIOFO for clarification on the enhanced module and if this is a second module released after the initial A329 GPS module. In my previous sync issues, one was fixed by replacing the GPS interface board on the back of the A229 Pro back shell. It may have been bad from the factory or I damaged it from frequent removal of the dash cam from the module. Past that, later firmware has resolved my sync issues.

I still want to know what is inside the "new and enhanced" A329 GPS module...or is it just marketing.

 

[Hack_man]

In my previous sync issues, one was fixed by replacing the GPS interface board on the back of the A229 Pro back shell. It may have been bad from the factory or I damaged it from frequent removal of the dash cam from the module. Past that, later firmware has resolved my sync issues.

I still want to know what is inside the "new and enhanced" A329 GPS module...or is it just marketing.

So you replaced a board internal to the camera? What led VIOFO to agree it was due to the interface board? Was it obviously mechanically/electrically intermittent? Its unusual for companies to send internal parts like that even it the customer is tech smart, I would think they'd just send a new camera head. If it was damaged from frequent removal I'll bet the contact platings were worn but that would take a lot of disconnects.

Panzer should have some interesting feedback when he gets some A329 modules to play with.

 

[lufa6977]

So you replaced a board internal to the camera? What led VIOFO to agree it was due to the interface board? Was it obviously mechanically/electrically intermittent? Its unusual for companies to send internal parts like that even it the customer is tech smart, I would think they'd just send a new camera head. If it was damaged from frequent removal I'll bet the contact platings were worn but that would take a lot of disconnects.

Panzer should have some interesting feedback when he gets some A329 modules to play with.

VIOFO was agreeable to sending the part, I actually offered to buy the part. I also had a lens that had a bad secondary lens in it, sent them a picture and they replaced the lens for me, same with the inner board. I think by that time VIOFO was aware I had some ability with disassembly and assembly of the dash cam and electronics in general. Presently, and this is from my own action, one of the leads from the Bitwell Super Cap detached from the mainboard, I am waiting for some wick so I can clean up the two points and re-solder the cap back in. I did find out the A229 Pro will power up and run without the super cap present. However, on power off the video file is abruptly closed. People that fix problems with Scotch tape or duct tape probably should not venture into the inner workings of the dash cam. 🙂 As mentioned, I have always offered to pay for the part and shipping and that may help. I never went looking for a free handout. 🙂

I was able to isolate the fault because I had at that time two A229 Pro dash cams ( now have three ) and three of the A229 Pro GPS modules. Moving components around and swapping parts led to finding the board as bad. In honesty, I may have damaged the board from frequent removal of the dash cam from the windscreen mounted GPS module. In the dark, it is easy to incorrectly mount the dash cam and have pins cross or short each other between the GPS and the back of the dash cam. GPS sync was always slow on that camera but at some point the camera became iffy and would not power up or would take far too long to power up. Since power was being fed via the GPS module that left the board in the GPS module, the GPS interface board in the dash cam, or the dash cam main board itself as being faulty. It was my good luck it was the GPS interface board and was easy to change out. That resolved power and most sync/lock issues but those issues persisted in a lesser degree until later FW updates.

VIOFO support has always been good to me when it came to parts and pricing, I have no complaints.

 

[VIOFO-Support]

and now what... it seems like some interference in C4 which affects first fix, but when an GPS module was fixed few seconds ago it no affects GPS re-fix...

The GPS will lock a signal more faster for a "hot" start. You may refer to this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_to_first_fix
It seems that there is an interference in your car since the same camera can fix a signal soon in another car. It is better to remove the camera with same GPS module outside the car to have a try at this point.

 

[kamkar]

We can only go that fast in airplanes here 😳

My friend had a 1985 Dodge ram charger, he used a gamin NAV unit it to get KMH speed as he was on larger tires and the MPH speedo dident work, but the damn thing would throw out insane numbers now and then if there was poor satellite connection, so according to that NAV unit some times we almost hit 300 km/h in that rust bucket on little forest roads.

 

[petrsms]

Hello, so after week tests, when I was more and more confused, it seems that I found the reason with poor GPS lock. In short - big athermal windshield in Citroen C4 Spacetourer (Grand Picasso) 2022. Today I found this thread and situation is same for me. I don't understand one thing - why my old A119 v3 with much older HW worked fine with GPS more than two years on same position like this new "much improved" HW 😕 Much annoyng.
BTW I think, that I had A119 v3 more then 5 years and previous car was same C4 Grand Picasso 2016. Never had GPS issue.

Like I tested, maybe it will be better for me to draw it, than explain it in English 😉. Anyway, whatever you can think of, I've already tried 😎
As I said, I had one not yet instlled A229 Plus so I took it to my car. Few days I watch it leaved loose on passanger seat, on that seat under a cloat, on the dashboard, in middle compartment in the dashboard... and GPS lock was everytime very fast (immediately or no more then 30-45sec.). During these days A229 Pro on windshield had no more then 2-3 locks. It looked like GPS modul from A229 Pro is realy bad (I tested even swap cameras and problem persists on the windshield no mater if Plus or Pro was attached). So I swaped the GPS moduls on windshield. And? Problem persists on the windshield again 😡 and now original "bad" GPS modul works fine out of windshield.
I also tried another CLA, short power cable between CLA and GPS modul, powered from powerbank in "death" car to prevent interverence, also ferrite filter on power cable even cable from rear cam... Nothing worked

In Citroen C3 2016 or Mercedes Vito 2022 works another A229 plus very well. But both cars have not athermal windshields and windshields are much smaller then in C4.

So now what... 🤔 Maybe solution can be the above-mentioned GPS modul from A329 ? Obviously it can work when the old A119 v3 worked. But our all 4 cameras was buied in two purchase in December 24 from Czech Viofo dealer, so maybe it already cointains improved modules (like was previously mentioned here) 🤷‍♂️. I found, that on 3 pieces is marked 2431 on the board and on one 2423 (maybe - not good readable). Maybe the date of manufacture (yyww)?

If anyone found the new A329 module helpful, please let me know. Petr

 

[Nigel]

Can you mount the GPS module a little further away from the glass? Maybe on the car sensor pod, or maybe just put two layers of sticky pad on. That may be the difference to the A119.

These windshields that block radio waves often have an area that doesn’t block signals.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Have you confirmed if the upgraded A329 mounts installed in your intermittent A229 Pro unit(s) resolved the GPS issues

I received my (6) replacement A329 GPS Mounts today for my (2) A229 Pro Units, and (1) A229 Plus Unit.
Q: Why 6?
A: 3 for mounting inside car, 3 for test rig / bench testing.
I used my $15 cheapo scale to weigh the mounts;
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B0DCFQ9XH1

Each GPS Mount weighs 25 Grams.
However, (3) A229 Pro Mounts total 75 Grams, and (6) A329 Mounts total 151 Grams.
I guess I need a more expensive scale with higher resolution.
Or, my scale is not accurate.
Now I just need to remove the original GPS Mounts for my (2) A229 Pros, and (1) A229 Plus, and install the new A329 GPS Mounts.
A while back in another thread someone asked how to remove Viofo GPS Mounts, and I filmed a video “How Not To Do It” in real time.
In the video I removed an A119 Mini 2 GPS Mount that had been installed for 1.5 years.
I’m going to pick this mini-project in a few days because I need to finish packing for my trip to CES 2025.

 

[petrsms]

Out of curiosity - what are the markings of the plates inside A329 modules, see my last post?

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Out of curiosity - what are the markings of the plates inside A329 modules, see my last post?

Nothing, they are all blank.

 

[petrsms]

Thank you! The first difference. Now I'm very excited to see how it works.

 

[Hack_man]

@Panzer Platform The video on removing GPS mount is very helpful. My brain must be glitching because I'm missing the NOT part of "How not to remove"? According to another video (safedrivesolutions) they suggested it wasn't a good idea to pry it off but they were using a metal tool as opposed to your plastic tool so maybe that's the difference?

 

[petrsms]

So... now I'm pretty sure, that problem is in athermal windshield, maybe in combination with a larger and heavier camera in comparsion to A119 v3. So the GPS modul is shielded from both sides :-( I recorded this video which makes it clear:

The free camera had a GPS lock in the dotted part of the glass within seconds, firmly attached camera in about 20 minutes. Loses of GPS signal through the windshield with athermal treatment is clearly visible.

So now my last hope is "better" GPS modul from A329...

 

[Nigel]

So now my last hope is "better" GPS modul from A329...

Why not mount the camera in the dotted area, where there is a good signal?

 

[Hack_man]

So... now I'm pretty sure, that problem is in athermal windshield, maybe in combination with a larger and heavier camera in comparsion to A119 v3. So the GPS modul is shielded from both sides :-( I recorded this video which makes it clear:

The free camera had a GPS lock in the dotted part of the glass within seconds, firmly attached camera in about 20 minutes. Loses of GPS signal through the windshield with athermal treatment is clearly visible.

So now my last hope is "better" GPS modul from A329...

How are you getting the red green yellow display bars? I don't see that setting in the menus.

 

[petrsms]

Because in this car is dotted area almost level with the roof and above the sun visor (there is approx. 2cm space between glas and sun visor so there is not space). Also dotted area is out of reach whippers (more than 25cm). Current location is highest possible possition for good view)... :-( On last photo from video are the sun visor closed so you can notice the distance between dotted part and camera.

 

[petrsms]

How are you getting the red green yellow display bars? I don't see that setting in the menus.

I found it somewhere online in a forum... just create an empty file GPSTest.txt in root of SD card... (I renamed format.txt) and when you press WiFi button it will not turn on WiFi but will display this information... wish I knew this sooner 🙂

 

[Chuck McCoy]

now I'm pretty sure, that problem is in athermal windshield,

I just thought of something dumb.
What if you mounted the front camera on the rear window, and the rear camera on the front windshield?
Would that work for you?

 

[akw489612]

So... now I'm pretty sure, that problem is in athermal windshield, maybe in combination with a larger and heavier camera in comparsion to A119 v3. So the GPS modul is shielded from both sides :-( I recorded this video which makes it clear:

The free camera had a GPS lock in the dotted part of the glass within seconds, firmly attached camera in about 20 minutes. Loses of GPS signal through the windshield with athermal treatment is clearly visible.

So now my last hope is "better" GPS modul from A329...

This video test is very helpful
I can see that the GPS of the a229 pro is obviously very problematic.
Looking at the same position in your video the a229 plus is obviously much better than the a229 pro...
I hope the official can fix this problem as soon as possible !!!!