A119 first impressions

SergeiF · Jul 14, 2016

Just got my A119 and so far so good.
Edit: I have figured out GPS data (with some hints from viofo and jokiin).

The image quality is good day and night. Much brighter at night compared to Mini0806.
These are the issues with image quality:
Grain. Image is noisy (not as noisy as A118, much noisier than 0806). I assume this is due to Novatek firmware being tuned towards detail.
Blur/distortion at the edge of FOV. I think a little bit smaller angle lens would be better option.

Here are "raw" video examples in not so ideal conditions:
http://sergei.nz/files/A119_morning_glare.mkv
http://sergei.nz/files/A119_night_dark_street.mkv
http://sergei.nz/files/A119_night_street_lights.mkv
http://sergei.nz/files/A119_sun_strike.mkv
As per request I have added the 1080p60 footage:
http://sergei.nz/files/A119_1080p60_day.mkv

Images.

Box:

Camera:

GPS mount:

Mounting position:

Note: record LED is bleeding through the clearance in the lens mount (LEDs can be turned off in the menu):

A119 (left) vs A118c (right):

Note: four contacts are for GPS mount connection.

Note: A118c has larger lens.

A119 vs A118c vs Blackvue DR400G-HDII vs Mini0806:

Interesting the original container is MP4 (even thought the specs on viofo site state MOV).
Codec info:

Code:

Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from '2016_0715_102611_047.MP4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : mp42
    minor_version   : 0
    compatible_brands: isomavc1mp42
    creation_time   : 2016-07-15 10:29:11
    original_format : NOVATEK
    original_format-eng: NOVATEK
    comment         : DEMO1
    comment-eng     : DEMO1
  Duration: 00:03:00.00, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 20400 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(eng): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 2560x1440, 20074 kb/s, 30 fps, 30 tbr, 60k tbn, 60 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2016-07-15 10:29:11
      handler_name    : DataHandler
      encoder         : h264
    Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 32000 Hz, mono, fltp, 96 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2016-07-15 10:29:11
      handler_name    : DataHandler

This camera really needs a CPL filter (unfortunately not available yet).

So far it is stable. One quirk I found is that if switched fast enough between charging and computer USB port it does not go into mass storage mode. Which will need to worked around (10s delay) with my idea of having automatic archiving via RPi or similar board taking over on shutdown.

At this stage this camera is worth every cent it costs. Great value for money.

fubduck · Jul 14, 2016

Thanks for posting. Mine should get here tomorrow so I'll get it installed on Saturday. Do you have samples of 1080p60?

rhyslbw · Jul 14, 2016

SergeiF said:
These are the issues with image quality:
Grain. Image is noisy (not as noisy as A118, much noisier than 0806). I assume this is due to Novatek firmware being tuned towards detail.

The first one is over-sharpened, evident by the moiré, however as you pointed out it helps with rendering detail so may be a good option for being able to read a distant number plate etc. The night shots are naturally a little noisy, but looks very good to me. Thanks for posting the samples.

viofo · Jul 14, 2016

Thanks for sharing the experience with A119, we are waiting for more advice to tune the firmware, firmware will be updated continuously.
For GPS logger, please try the dashcam viewer.

We promise will release CPL in future.

SergeiF · Jul 14, 2016

fubduck said:
Thanks for posting. Mine should get here tomorrow so I'll get it installed on Saturday. Do you have samples of 1080p60?

Once I have time I will try it own, I don't expect great result at night for 60fps setting as it falls back to 30fps in low light conditions (at least it should fall back).

viofo said:
Thanks for sharing the experience with A119, we are waiting for more advice to tune the firmware, firmware will be updated continuously.
For GPS logger, please try the dashcam viewer.

We promise will release CPL in future.

Regarding GPS, I plan to parse these logs on my own (with my own "software"), at this stage I didn't see any GPS logs present on the card (and they are not embedded as subtitles in the video files). I am Linux user so windows/OSX software is no use to me.
At this stage I assume lack of GPS logs is user error. I will need to make sure that the GPS is enabled in the menu.

Any estimates when the CPL will be available (I plan to buy another A119)?

viofo · Jul 14, 2016

SergeiF said:
Once I have time I will try it own, I don't expect great result at night for 60fps setting as it falls back to 30fps in low light conditions (at least it should fall back).

Regarding GPS, I plan to parse these logs on my own (with my own "software"), at this stage I didn't see any GPS logs present on the card (and they are not embedded as subtitles in the video files). I am Linux user so windows/OSX software is no use to me.
At this stage I assume lack of GPS logs is user error. I will need to make sure that the GPS is enabled in the menu.

Any estimates when the CPL will be available (I plan to buy another A119)?

The GPS info is stored in the movie file, if you want to parse it you will need the spec document to know how the data stored. BTW, the dashcam viewer also have a MAC version.

Regarding CPL, it will take about 30-40 days.

jokiin · Jul 14, 2016

the GPS detail is embedded in the video file, you can confirm if it's logging by using Dashcam Viewer

nDroid3 · Jul 14, 2016

How's the motion detection?

SergeiF · Jul 14, 2016

jokiin said:
the GPS detail is embedded in the video file, you can confirm if it's logging by using Dashcam Viewer

Cannot use dashcam viewer (not going to install windows just for that). So I assume the GPS log is binary and embedded in non-standard way into the container? Is there any documentation/spec for this?

Another thing I forgot to add: when the LEDs are enabled they can be visible at the front of the camera via the clearance in the lens assembly.

runtohell121 · Jul 14, 2016

Any picture of the unit itself? I'm curious about the lens/holder area, wondering what have been changed since the beta unit I've been using.

SergeiF · Jul 14, 2016

viofo said:
The GPS info is stored in the movie file, if you want to parse it you will need the spec document to know how the data stored. BTW, the dashcam viewer also have a MAC version.

Regarding CPL, it will take about 30-40 days.

No Windows or Mac, Linux only. I prefer to solve these issues myself if there is no tool available so spec will be nice. Out of curiosity why not embed GPS data as subtitles?
If I cannot read the GPS data in an open way, then the GPS "feature" is completely useless to me.

runtohell121 said:
Any picture of the unit itself? I'm curious about the lens/holder area, wondering what have been changed since the beta unit I've been using.

I will take some pictures in weekend (side by side with Mini0806 and A118C).

jokiin · Jul 14, 2016

SergeiF said:
Cannot use dashcam viewer (not going to install windows just for that). So I assume the GPS log is binary and embedded in non-standard way into the container? Is there any documentation/spec for this?
.

this is for a different model and the format is a little different on the new chipset but the concept is the same https://github.com/kbsriram/dcutils

SergeiF · Jul 14, 2016

jokiin said:
this is for a different model and the format is a little different on the new chipset but the concept is the same https://github.com/kbsriram/dcutils

Thank you, at least it sends me in right direction. I will poke at it on weekend and see if I can come up with an opensource/python way of extracting this data.

SergeiF · Jul 14, 2016

I think I found the binary GPS data

SE in |ASE.>.cE.H.F=..A| suggest correct hemisphere. Although it looks a bit empty (not time data?).

Code:

082b7f00  47 50 53 20 4c 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |GPS L...........|
082b7f10  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
082b7f20  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  0a 00 00 00 1b 00 00 00  |................|
082b7f30  04 00 00 00 10 00 00 00  07 00 00 00 0f 00 00 00  |................|
082b7f40  41 53 45 00 3e f0 63 45  d2 48 88 46 3d 0a db 41  |ASE.>.cE.H.F=..A|
082b7f50  7b 14 36 42 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |{.6B............|
082b7f60  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
082b8ef0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 20 00 66 72 65 65  |.......... .free|

Edit: 3e f0 63 45 works out to 3647.01513671875 and d2 48 88 46 to 17444.41015625
Which works out to here, which is very accurate.
Also next 4bytes 3d 0a db 41 work out to 27.3799991607666 (knots?) and 7b 14 36 42 to 45.52000045776367 (bearing). The 27knots or so work out 50km/h which is also about right, as well as 45' bearing.

viofo · Jul 14, 2016

SergeiF said:
I think I found the binary GPS data

SE in |ASE.>.cE.H.F=..A| suggest correct hemisphere. Although it looks a bit empty (not time data?).

Code:

082b7f00 47 50 53 20 4c 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |GPS L...........| 082b7f10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................| 082b7f20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0a 00 00 00 1b 00 00 00 |................| 082b7f30 04 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 0f 00 00 00 |................| 082b7f40 41 53 45 00 3e f0 63 45 d2 48 88 46 3d 0a db 41 |ASE.>.cE.H.F=..A| 082b7f50 7b 14 36 42 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |{.6B............| 082b7f60 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................| 082b8ef0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 20 00 66 72 65 65 |.......... .free|

Edit: 3e f0 63 45 works out to 3647.01513671875 and d2 48 88 46 to 17444.41015625
Which works out to here, which is very accurate.
Also next 4bytes 3d 0a db 41 work out to 27.3799991607666 (knots?) and 7b 14 36 42 to 45.52000045776367 (bearing). The 27knots or so work out 50km/h which is also about right, as well as 45' bearing.

Please check the private message regarding the GPS info.

jokiin · Jul 14, 2016

SergeiF said:
(knots?)

yes, GPS data is always in knots

Gibson99 · Jul 15, 2016

maybe GPS was originally intended for sea-going vessels since there's no landmarks. or land.

does the cam put the GPS data into the video itself as text at the bottom, similar to the date/time stamp?

jokiin · Jul 15, 2016

Gibson99 said:
maybe GPS was originally intended for sea-going vessels since there's no landmarks. or land.

does the cam put the GPS data into the video itself as text at the bottom, similar to the date/time stamp?

well it's a military application so I guess knots make more sense for that purpose, any conversion to MPH or KMH is done by the camera or the playback software

Gibson99 · Jul 15, 2016

jokiin said:
well it's a military application so I guess knots make more sense for that purpose, any conversion to MPH or KMH is done by the camera or the playback software

i knew it was originally military only. and what we get isn't anywhere near as accurate as what they get, but it's good enough for simple navigation.

i didn't think speed or heading were things that came down from the sats. i figured that was a local calculation on the device, done using time and location differences. for example: "between 09:10:21 and 09:10:22 you moved from x,y to x+1,y. Since Y didn't change and X changed to the positive, you are moving due east. and you moved one degree in one second so that works out to (really stinkin fast) km/h" or something along those lines...

jokiin · Jul 15, 2016

yeah the sat gives pretty basic raw data, a lot of the smarts are done by the device

A119 first impressions

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