A few problems with a new A129 Pro Duo

[SWoMP]

I recently purchased a new A129 Pro Duo (after a lot of research on here and asking questions - thanks for all the answers). Unit is now installed, with polarising filters an both cameras. Image quality is great but I'm still wrestling with a few problems....

1) The unit works fine on the desk but when put on the GPS / power mount in the car it seems to work for a while and then just stops recording. The mount is wired in with a HK3 kit and the optional fuse taps. So I have two suspicions: the mount is not connecting to the unit correctly; or the Viofo supplied 256Gb SD card is playing up - I've done a full reformat of the card out of the unit using GUIformat2 and that seemed to finish ok although the progress bar appeared to restart during a couple of times during the run.

2) I've mounted the rear camera on the rear screen being careful to avoid any elements in the screen. On my car the rear screen has more than just heating elements, it also has two more separate circuits which I guess are aerials of some sort (as well as a DAB radio shark fin on the roof). When I plug the rear camera in, it affects the in-built SatNav system so that the car's position lags about 200 to 400 m behind its actual position. I'm trying to find out what the two non-heating elements actually do.

Any comments on the above greatly appreciated...

 

[Nath]

1) There is a bad flex cable used inside the camera so you better provide power directly to the cam, instead of powering it through the mount. That's probably the culprit.

Also you better check whether you have the updated HW version of HWK because it seems like some revisions have nasty outputs. Unfortunately Viofo done these updates secretly so you need to take HWK apart to find out.

2) Welcome to the club of Viofo cameras with USB connection. There are multiple threads discussing many kinds of interference. Not much what you can do actually. The wire is double shielded, some may recommend ferrite beads but it's more about hit&miss.
But this could be related also to the nasty HWKs...

 

[SWoMP]

Thanks for the reply. Forgive my ignorance but is "HWK" the hard wire kit?

 

[SWoMP]

P.s. And would it tell me what the version is on the box it was supplied in?

 

[sowiq]

The unit works fine on the desk but when put on the GPS / power mount in the car it seems to work for a while and then just stops recording.

Are you sure that there’s a static power in the fuse you connected to and it doesn’t disappear after a few minutes when you start the engine? I found similar case in my Audi A4 the other day. The solution was to use another power source

 

[Nigel]

as well as a DAB radio shark fin on the roof

That may be just GPS and phone, with the DAB on the rear window.

Try and route the rear video cable away from the shark fin and its cable, interference decreases rapidly with distance, there is always going to be a bit but most people don't have a problem if a bit of distance is kept.

 

[Nath]

Thanks for the reply. Forgive my ignorance but is "HWK" the hard wire kit?

Yes. Sorry about that, I should have made it clearer.

P.s. And would it tell me what the version is on the box it was supplied in?

I'm not sure to be honest. Actually, from total of 6 HK3 which I have, only one for A139 (different Viofo camera) was in a box, the rest came in a plastic packaging. Which was actually the updated one so box itself could also be the sign , I suppose.

Btw: @Nigel mentioned what I forgot to say, re-routing the cable could also be a solution.

 

[VIOFO-Support]

Did you try using the original USB cable to plug into the USB port on the camera body side to power the dashcam?

 

[SWoMP]

That was on my list of things to try next. First will try HK3 cable into camera unit (bypassing the GPS mount..)

 

[SWoMP]

Dug out the box my HK3 kit came in. On the box there is: UPC Code: 1 94044 0018 5 and EAN Code: 6 972147 070168. Can anyone tell me what version this might be (also see @Nath's post above)

 

[SuperCurro]

I have the same problem. On desk no problems, with HK3 or direct. But with everything full installed in the car it works fine in parking mode but when I start driving only last less than 1 minute then just stop recording until enter again in parking mode.

I have the rear camera with the 8 m cable and without running the car everything goes fine.

I connect the camera in the same fuses I use to connect my other cameras.

Next test is just disconnect the rear camera and see if there is any kind of interference that kills the main camera. But I take the cave through the floor and there is not other cables.

The interested part is at the desk with exactly the same components I don't have any problem

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[SWoMP]

I've just been preparing for my next set of tests. These will all be done without the rear camera plugged in because of the interference with the car's own GPS receiver.
I have just finished using h2testw on my 256Gb sdcard with no errors reported and am now using guiformat2 to do a full format. At 2.5 hours each both of these are a pain, but hey-ho...
I will then fit the card in the camera unit and put it in the car with the HK3 power plugged in to the camera unit (not the GPS mount).
If this then runs for more than 30 minutes, I can assume the HK3 supply is ok.
I shall then power the camera off, reformat the card, then put the HK3 power supply back in to the GPS mount and try that again.
If this then runs for more than 30 minutes, it means the problem has gone away. But if it doesn't work, I think that means the GPS mount is not connecting properly and will contact the Viofo supplier.
If the HK3 supply is doubtful after the first test, I shall start the test again using the USB power supply cable....
Will report back on my findings but it may take a few days to do all this!

 

[SWoMP]

P.s. Once the above problem is resolved, I can then move on to determining what to do about the rear camera mounting and/or cable run!

 

[kamkar]

Id you are a DAB / SAT radio user, it is wise to do a test run of the cable to the rear camera along the route you want to do, doing so bu loosely press it in under rubber grommets / seals and so along the route, this is much easier than doing a full install only to find out another route might be better.

I myself dont use any of these radio forms, or any form of radio actually, so i have never encountered the issue or have a feel for how much gain there is by trying a alternate route.
The FM antenna on my car roof have not been mounted in 4 years or so, as i have flat rate car wash and so wash my car very often + as said dont listen to any radio.

 

[SWoMP]

I dont use the radio either (preferring to listen to the car progressing). However, the rear camera mount (or cabling) at the moment does interfere with the in-built GPS receiver, so much so it introduces a time lag for the cars position of up to half a mile as shown on the Satnav - which I do use!

 

[SWoMP]

It has been suggested to me I use some ferrite cores on the rear camera cable (see: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254950719380). I cant try this for a while but has anyone else tried it with any success?

 

[kamkar]

Yes thats a issue i have heard of before, i cant remember if it was a Aussie or new zealander but a guy out there had problems with the GPS in his Subaru when he installed his dashcam.

Ferrite chokes have been used by some folks and some of them also with luck, some brands also provide a few of those with their cameras nowadays.

 

[SuperCurro]

I have found out what happened in my case. While The main camera is in parking mode and you disconnect the rear camera then when start recording then fails. It happens to me twice, so if you disconnect the rear camera you must power off and on the main camera. In theory you don't need to do this but if you don't do it then the system becames unstable.

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[kamkar]

Yes you cant just yank things out of a dashcam like that, that would require a reboot then.

 

[SWoMP]

I've just completed a 50 miles round trip and found all expected files present and correct. This was with the HK3 power plugged directly into the camera unit. I conclude the problems I've been having are with the GPS module so off to the Viofo support site now to initiate a support request...