A119 Mini 2 Test & Review PP

[Dashmellow]

This is true. Viofo reads posts and listens to the wishes of customers.

Yes, Viofo is much more responsive to what their customers say they want and need on the forum than many other dash cam manufacturers. I also like the way they will introduce a product like the original A119 V1 and then keep improving it and adding features with each iteration like the V2, V3, the Mini and now the Mini 2. Some manufacturers will introduce a camera that may or may not get all the attention and firmware support it really needs, only to abandon it and move onto a new model.

 

[Panzer Platform]

In this post I will attempt to measure the difference in power consumption when disabling the GPS Module in Parking Mode.
Only Viofo cameras that utilize the new 5-Pin GPS Mount have this capability, (A229 & A119 Mini 2).
Previous Viofo cameras use the 4-Pin GPS mount.
The purpose of this feature is to lower power consumption to increase parking mode duration.

Before performing this test I let the camera operate in normal recording mode for 30 minutes to obtain normal operating temperature.
Ambient temperature in my garage was 87℉ (30℃) with 35% Humidity.
I’ll be using the “new & improved” Viofo Hardwire Kit constructed with 20AWG+24AWG wires.
The date code sticker indicates it was manufactured April 2023.
The camera’s firmware is the most up to date “0605”.
I’ll be using my WANPTEK Variable DC power supply set at 12.60 Volts.
I’ll be measuring the Amperage “current draw” with my FLUKE 115 Multimeter utilizing the MIN / MAX / AVG feature to obtain the approximate power consumption.

In order to get a baseline figure to compare with Parking Mode I measured the power consumption in Normal Recording Mode, (Wi-Fi & Screen Off) with the resolution set at 2K60fps (2560x1440p). I measured;
256mA @ 12.60 Volts = 3.2256 Watts

Next, I put the camera in Low Bitrate Parking Mode with GPS ENABLED. I measured;
189mA @ 12.60 Volts = 2.3814 Watts

Next, with the camera still in Low Bitrate Parking Mode with GPS DISABLED I measured;
179mA @ 12.60 Volts = 2.2554 Watts.

I confirmed the GPS Coordinates & Vehicle Speed (MPH) were enabled / disabled by downloading the recorded footage, and looking at the text overlay at the bottom of the screenshots.
It appears disabling the GPS in Parking Mode reduces power consumption by 10mA, or 0.126 Watts.
What do these numbers mean?
How can explain these figures to make sense to the average consumer?

When the camera is used with an “industry standard” 96Wh Dash Cam Battery Pack like the BlackboxMyCar PowerCell 8, BlackVue B-130X, or Thinkware BAB-95 with GPS Disabled it will increase Parking Mode duration by;
2 Hours 20 Minutes
96Wh / 2.3814 Watts = 40.3 Hours
96Wh / 2.2554 Watts = 42.6 Hours

After playing with the camera for an hour or so, I measured the temperature of the camera with my TOPDON TC004 Thermal Imaging Camera.
It was 152℉ (66℃).
At this time I would like to call upon these gentlemen to confirm & verify my findings for accuracy, and anyone else willing, and able to perform this test.
@rcg530
@safedrivesolutions
@Vortex Radar
@viofo
@VIOFO-Support
@BlackboxMyCar
See attached photos for clarification.
-Chuck

 

[Karagandinez]

(A229 & A119 Mini 2).

You forgot about Mini. He turns off the GPS module in the parking lot.

 

[Dadi_T]

T130 can also turn off GPS in parking mode .

 

[Panzer Platform]

You forgot about Mini.

The Original Mini is dead to me. lol

 

[Panzer Platform]

A119 Mini 2 is $95 using promo code: PANZERMINI2; https://www.amazon.com/gp/B0C5MVB7NX

Here’s my review;

-Chuck

 

[Panzer Platform]

Now that my A119 Mini 2 has replaced my original A119 Mini that lives on my REAR WINDOW.
I thought I would compare it with the REAR Camera of the A229 Duo that also lives on my REAR WINDOW.

The A229 Duo settings are;
V1.1_0105, 2K30fps, WDR Off, Bitrate Maximum.

The A119 Mini 2 settings are;
V1.0_0605, 2K30fps, HDR On, Bitrate High, CPL Filter On.

As an interesting side note a 1 minute file size is quite different for the two cameras;
A229 REAR: 184 MB = Approximate Bitrate: 25 Mbps
A119 Mini 2: 216 MB = Approximate Bitrate: 29 Mbps



Check out these two screenshots.
The first thing I noticed is you can read the gas station price sign, and you can see two individual headlights of the car behind me at the stop sign on the A119 Mini 2.
The A229 REAR Camera is having a heck of a time.
Also, take note of how much window glare there is on the A229 REAR Camera.
In the top left corner of the image you can see my rear passenger seat belt “hump” on the parcel shelf.
The rear window reflection glare really is bad on my car even at night.
Please @viofo we need a CPL Filter on the A229 Pro REAR Camera.




Here are the video clips;

 

[Panzer Platform]

Here’s a quick demo activating my parking lights, brake lights, and reverse lights.
Check out the motel sign at 0:34

 

[Panzer Platform]

Here’s some dark highway.
Neither camera can get a plate capture of the White Nissan Rouge.
But the Mini 2 fails a little better. Lol

 

[Panzer Platform]

76 gas station price sign;

 

[Panzer Platform]

Chevron gas station price sign;

 

[Dex_]

Even main A229Duo camera is better than rear A229Duo and of course main A119Mini2 is better without HDR. Enable HDR additionally improve visual quality. That is why I'm so wait for A229Pro Duo with rear Starvis2 sensor. And I absolutely agree with you that CPL filter for rear camera is highly required.

 

[abgx1]

Does A119 mini 2 have same problems with microsd card compatibility like A139? Or do they work OK with cheaper ones like samsung evo etc?

 

[Karagandinez]

Does A119 mini 2 have same problems with microsd card compatibility like A139? Or do they work OK with cheaper ones like samsung evo etc?

Memory cards are always a lottery, but the Mini 2 works seamlessly with more memory card manufacturers than the A139 due to fewer cameras and correspondingly fewer video streams.

 

[abgx1]

yea, A139 was somehow extremply picky. Even Sandisk Extreme PRO wasnt working correctly there.

 

[Dashmellow]

Does A119 mini 2 have same problems with microsd card compatibility like A139? Or do they work OK with cheaper ones like samsung evo etc?

I agree with @Karagandinez that the Mini2 should be fine with most memory cards but I would add that you probably don't want to use the Samsung EVO or Plus, both of which have been discontinued in their original form. You'd be better off with one of the High Endurance cards from Samsung or SanDisk.

 

[Nigel]

yea, A139 was somehow extremply picky. Even Sandisk Extreme PRO wasnt working correctly there.

A139 and A139 Pro work fine with almost any card, when they are in single channel mode like the A119!
Even when writing 60Mb/s video, which is twice the data rate of the A119.

 

[abgx1]

I have spare older red ones...


These are unkillable for me. I have been using dozens of them in car cameras, mobile phones, cctv cameras, rbpi... since like 2014 and only 1 of them died yet. Even the one from 2014 is still working in A118C

Cant say the same about new white ones... In dashcam they usually died within a month



@Nigel maybe it was size what caused the problems, but friend of mine tried sandisk extreme plus 256gb and sandisk extreme pro 512gb and they wasnt working well with A139.

VIOFO A139 Pro - Testing / Review Info

I doubt we will see that kind of night vision implemented in a dash cam any time soon, I wonder how well these night vision cameras cope with bright lights, number plate reflections etc?

dashcamtalk.com

 

[Dashmellow]

These are unkillable for me. I have been using dozens of them in car cameras, mobile phones, cctv cameras, rbpi... since like 2014 and only 1 of them died yet. Even the one from 2014 is still working in A118C

I'm a fan of the Samsung EVO cards too and have several that have been in long term use. As long as you already have them, why not? If you get a Mini 2 try them and see how it goes. I was suggesting that if you were shopping for a new card to go with a more up to date, more durable and more capable memory card. You always still have that option if the Mini doesn't like the EVOs.

 

[abgx1]

The thing is, if I were to need a new €60 SD card like the one required for A139, I would prefer to choose a different camera model or manufacturer instead.