15 month old V119 memory errors

[roadkill401]

I purchased the units in January of 2017. Everything worked great for about 10 months then it started to go wrong. I had done some periodic firmware updates and perhaps that is the issue? In February the units started to make a noise that was not usual. It started with the one unit in my father's car, so I took it out and found that the unit just wasn't recording to the SD card at all. It was running Firmware 3.1 that I had updated it to around the end of the year. His screen had a funny artefact on the bottom left where it usually showed the entry for the car model, was now a line of boxes with a / in it. When you plugged it in, it would start to beep with a message of memory error. I figured it was a defective SD card and just ordered a new SD off Amazon.

Then I looked at my unit and found out that mine didn't give the error on the screen but was not writing actual mp4 files to the SD but like it was a place holder 1mb file that didn't have any video and just 1/2 second of sound. This had started around November of 2017. I thought that it was best to re-flash the units only to find that they just wouldn't. It turned out they would, you just needed to plug them into a computer and leave them for about 2 hours plugged in, and then they would decide to update. So I put on the latest flash just in case there was a download bug in the updated version I had from before.

Mine started to work fine for a while, but my fathers went right back to giving the constant beep and memory error on the screen even with a new SD card that when tested on a computer says it's working just fine and can't find any errors. Then this past weekend when driving up north, mine started doing the same thing.

I don't know if the units are pooched. Do I risk buying a new Viofo if they only last 8-10 months? The chances of getting two bum units are rather small. And if both exhibit the same issues, then is it a known manufacturing defect? Firmware incompatibility, so how do I get a copy of some old firmware?

 

[Harsh]

Which cards are you using with the two units? Suggest testing them with h2Testw for any inconsistencies.

Install the latest version (3.6) and then reset to defaults from the settings menu, also format the cards from within the settings menu. Should bring both units back to normal.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

Are these V1 units? Are you powering them through GPS mounts? If so, after updating and manually resetting the camera, be sure to power the camera directly, not through the GPS mount. There have many users experiencing memory errors while powering through GPS mounts on V1 A119/A119S units.

 

[roadkill401]

Yes. they are the V1 version. but if you power them directly, then will the GPS still work? Or are you then in effect, throwing out the GPS data as it doesn't have any power. And if this is a basic design flaw, what steps are VIOFO taking to repair replace the defective units? are they shipping out a new V2 to people as the V1 has a design flaw?

 

[jokiin]

GPS still works when power is connected to the camera directly

 

[roadkill401]

OK. I will give that a try and see if it solves the issues we are having.

 

[Gibson99]

you can also test using a phone charger in the house or a USB power bank to rule out any possible problems with the cigarette adapter or your car's lighter sockets.

 

[Skeezix]

The problem has been fixed in version 2 of the A119 (I think). The only advantage to powering thru the GPS unit is the wire to it goes down from the headliner as opposed to down and then in from the side of the A119.

 

[Gibson99]

The problem has been fixed in version 2 of the A119 (I think). The only advantage to powering thru the GPS unit is the wire to it goes down from the headliner as opposed to down and then in from the side of the A119.

The other advantage is if you regularly remove the camera from the car, then it makes it a quick and easy job - no plugs to fiddle with up behind the mirror.