A119S Parking Mode Beta

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SuperGoop said:
BUG discovered (both A119 & A119s):
I can not turn off G-sensor with Parking Mode enabled. I have an A119 in the front and an A119s in the back. I have set the G-Sensor to "OFF", but both of them still triggers the G-sensor when I go over bumps. They would display a yellow triangle and beep to indicate that G-sensor was triggered, and the file will be locked.
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Mtz said:
@Viofo should tell us if this is a bug or G-Sensor must be enabled by firmware for Parking Mode to work.
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It is still not clear, but what appears to be happening in the Parking Mode, is that the G-sensor menu setting is automatically switched from the User selection to "High Sensitivity" whenever the A119 switches to Standby and Time-lapse recording. Perhaps the G-sensor is suppose to be switched back to the User setting once Normal recording resumes. But I'm getting inconsistent results when I check the G-sensor menu setting at various times after resuming Normal recording. Sometimes it is set to "High Sensitivity" and sometimes it is set as originally selected in the menu setting.

{Edit: Update 1/15/2018: Have concluded that in Parking Mode, the camera does switch the G-Sensor menu setting to "High Sensitivity" sometime after entering Standby/Time-lapse in Parking Mode. G-sensor event (emergency) recordings are easily activated during these periods when the camera switches the setting to "High Sensitivity", regardless of the G-sensor setting originally set by the User (including "OFF"). The current conclusion is that the G-Sensor menu setting does properly switch back to the User's setting eventually, usually within minutes after resuming Normal recording once the parking period ends. Should you experience excessive G-Sensor activated event (emergency) recordings while driving, check and reset if necessary, your G-Sensor menu setting.}
 
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not sure why everyone is surprised the new Parking Mode requires G-Sensor, don't you want your car to record side impacts while parked? All the more expensive dashcams require it, in fact its a selling feature. The A119/S Dashcams don't buffer video and can't enter record mode fast enough to capture anything fast while parked or from corners. If these areas improve along with lower battery drain over night it could be a useful feature. The best way to use Parking Mode is continuous 5 FPS video recording with G-Sensor on High Sensitivity for non-visible side impacts.
 
Tatty said:
It is exactly what EVERYBODY are waiting for...
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Parking Mode still draws the same amount of power as normal continuous driving mode.
 
Tatty said:
OK,and your point at my quote is?...
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point = we are both waiting.
Parking Mode is a great feature if it works well, it's still early in development, i'll wait.
 
That is really true.What I do not understand is why it is so difficult for somebody who knows exactly the source code of the firmware to make the appropriate changes.
Years ago I worked with PIC family microcontrollers and you can do virtually everything if your surrounding hardware allows.
In automotive industry ,changing parameters in various ECUs that are FAR MORE COMPLICATED is insainly simple if you have the source code and of course if you know what you are doing.
That is why I keep telling VIOFO they have a big brute diamond in their hands,but they are still using it crushing peanuts.
And like many many companies,big or little,they(Viofo) are only brokers for this product.Developement is done eventually by sombody else.
They get the money for changes,they do it.And belive me,they do it right IF they get payed.
But if at least the last 3 firmware updates are coming from thousends of kilometers from ROMANIA,I have doubts about the whole story...
Look at Firefly 6s for example what they can acheive ONLY BY FIRMWARE as practical functions of the camera....Much cheaper than A119 also...
But there is a Chinese Developer Team AND producer behind...
You are RC-er.Look what RCEXL have done in the past 10 years...
They changed literally the whole RC scene,by giving other peoples opportunity to enjoy the same hobby with MUCH less costs but at the same high levels.
Also Chinese company,but with own research and developement departament,which literally blown off competition around the globe...Just as example where R/D and marketing are working together in real time.
 
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Tatty said:
That is really true.What I do not understand is why it is so difficult for somebody who knows exactly the source code of the firmware to make the appropriate changes.
Years ago I worked with PIC family microcontrollers and you can do virtually everything if your surrounding hardware allows.
In automotive industry ,changing parameters in various ECUs that are FAR MORE COMPLICATED is insainly simple if you have the source code and of course if you know what you are doing.
That is why I keep telling VIOFO they have a big brute diamond in their hands,but they are still using it crushing peanuts.
And like many many companies,big or little,they(Viofo) are only brokers for this product.Developement is done eventually by sombody else.
They get the money for changes,they do it.And belive me,they do it right IF they get payed.
But if at least the last 3 firmware updates are coming from thousends of kilometers from ROMANIA,I have doubts about the whole story...
Look at Firefly 6s for example what they can acheive ONLY BY FIRMWARE as practical functions of the camera....Much cheaper than A119 also...
But there is a Chinese Developer Team AND producer behind...
You are RC-er.Look what RCEXL have done in the past 10 years...
They changed literally the whole RC scene,by giving other peoples opportunity to enjoy the same hobby with MUCH less costs but at the same high levels.
Also Chinese company,but with own research and developement departament,which literally blown off competition around the globe...Just as example where R/D and marketing are working together in real time.
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VIOFO is probably under license restriction in altering firmware for the NovaTek NT96660 chipset/circuit board and must wait for the licensed ChipTech to return from vacation or finish gaming tournaments. Locking down proprietary firmware is any device from vehicles to smartphones is a manufacturer's nightmare placing security as top priority. Soon someone will crack the NovaTek NT96660 chipset firmware code and offer modified firmware solutions. I'll give you three guesses which country breaks the code first.
 
BCHobbyist said:
Soon someone will crack the NovaTek NT96660 chipset firmware code and offer modified firmware solutions. I'll give you three guesses which country breaks the code first.
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the tools to do some of the basics are out there already, no need for three guesses, it came out of Germany first
 
To test the mode, the parking lot has fixed the camera on the window of the house. The lens sent to the parking lot in front of the window. Left the DVR on for the whole day. In the evening when watching the recordings was surprised - most of the videos recorded in the normal mode. Only about 5% is recorded in parking mode 15FPS. It's clear, on the street there is often movement and the camera should react often. But the record should be in the parking mode? Any shocks and movements of the camera are excluded, but it often goes out of parking mode and writes in normal mode. Maybe I do not understand something? Thank you in advance.
 
5Cowbells said:
Try this test at home: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/viofo-plugged-in-for-8-days-straight.30364/#post-357169
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The test was run. The Registrar worked as it should, no complaints. But this short-term test. In long mode, otherwise all. Yesterday re-installed recorder on the window of the house and sent to the Parking lot. Optionally, in place of installation of the vibro-acoustic isolation to eliminate the effects of external factors. Several of the records in Parking mode 15fps. The rest of the entries in normal mode 30fps. But I noticed a pattern. From 2 am until 4 am records in Parking mode no. That is, in this interval of movement is not fixed, it seems to be true. But in this period many records as usual. Every 10 minutes or so, the receptionist was returning to normal mode, did a record 1.5 minutes and went into standby mode. The feeling that he somehow awakens.
 
Bekmeshow said:
The test was run. The Registrar worked as it should, no complaints. But this short-term test. In long mode, otherwise all. Yesterday re-installed recorder on the window of the house and sent to the Parking lot. Optionally, in place of installation of the vibro-acoustic isolation to eliminate the effects of external factors. Several of the records in Parking mode 15fps. The rest of the entries in normal mode 30fps. But I noticed a pattern. From 2 am until 4 am records in Parking mode no. That is, in this interval of movement is not fixed, it seems to be true. But in this period many records as usual. Every 10 minutes or so, the receptionist was returning to normal mode, did a record 1.5 minutes and went into standby mode. The feeling that he somehow awakens.
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I think your concern is about the A119S "waking up" from Time-lapse recording and switching to Normal full speed recording. My testing indicates that once the A119S enters Standby and Time-lapse recording, then only camera movement sensed by the G-sensor will cause the A119 to switch back to Normal full speed recording. I can only guess that your camera's G-sensor sensed some camera movement causing the camera to switch back to Normal full speed recording.

In Parking Mode, the A119S G-sensor is very sensitive and it only requires a small bump to cause the camera to switch to Normal recording. For example, if I lightly tap the camera or push a button or even bump the table where the camera sits, it is enough for the G-sensor to sense movement and switch the camera to Normal full speed recording.

In the test I referenced, you can observe what the camera is doing by watching the button lights and the LCD screen for the different indications as described in the procedure and also below. You need to turn OFF the screensaver in the menu so you can view the LCD screen during testing without touching the camera.
  • REC button red light ON steady - Recording in Normal mode or Time-lapse mode. You must look at the LCD screen to determine which mode is active.
    • If Normal recording, a "car" icon appears on the LCD screen below and left of the blinking red record dot.
    • If Time-lapse recording, the "car" icon is replaced by the "xFPS" symbol, where x is the frames per second selected in the Parking Mode menu selection, for example in your case "15FPS".
  • Power button green light ON steady, REC button red light OFF, and LCD screen OFF - Standby mode, not recording.
I've done this test many times on both the A119 and A119S and think that it works the way I have described. I've also reviewed videos of parking periods and rarely did the camera switch back to Normal recording until I opened the car door and got in. This has been my experience.
 
5Cowbells said:
I can only guess that your camera's G-sensor sensed some camera movement causing the camera to switch back to Normal full speed recording
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Correct........ Camera movement is different to static lens recording
 
Is it better not to take any recording before G-sensor triggered or is it better to keep low fps recording even if without G-sensor triggered?
Which way is better for parking mode?
 
estore009 said:
Is it better not to take any recording before G-sensor triggered or is it better to keep low fps recording even if without G-sensor triggered?
Which way is better for parking mode?
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I think you are asking which is the better menu option: Parking Mode which uses the G-sensor and Motion Detection to determine the recording mode, or Time-Lapse Recording which just records continuously at a reduced frames per second? Individual users have to decide for themselves based on their personal needs and preferences.

But it helps to understand the different options for recording while driving and parked and how each option works. Here's a list of possible parking options for the A119/A119S, but I'll leave the descriptions, pros, and cons for another day or another Poster:
  1. Just record normal full speed recording after parking.
  2. Time-Lapse Recording menu setting.
  3. Motion Detection Recording menu setting.
  4. A combination of Time-Lapse and Motion Detection Recording (turn both menu settings on simultaneously).
  5. Parking Mode menu setting.
It should also be understood that the A119/A119S does not do pre-buffered video recording, which in some modes can result in instantaneous triggering events with no aftermath being missed and/or short 2-3 second recording gaps when the camera switches recording modes.
 
5Cowbells said:
I think you are asking which is the better menu option: Parking Mode which uses the G-sensor and Motion Detection to determine the recording mode, or Time-Lapse Recording which just records continuously at a reduced frames per second? Individual users have to decide for themselves based on their personal needs and preferences.

But it helps to understand the different options for recording while driving and parked and how each option works. Here's a list of possible parking options for the A119/A119S, but I'll leave the descriptions, pros, and cons for another day or another Poster:
  1. Just record normal full speed recording after parking.
  2. Time-Lapse Recording menu setting.
  3. Motion Detection Recording menu setting.
  4. A combination of Time-Lapse and Motion Detection Recording (turn both menu settings on simultaneously).
  5. Parking Mode menu setting.
It should also be understood that the A119/A119S does not do pre-buffered video recording, which in some modes can result in instantaneous triggering events with no aftermath being missed and/or short 2-3 second recording gaps when the camera switches recording modes.
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If it is complicated to parking mode setup,it is not a good experience for users,especially for dashcam newbie;
We wonder if manufacturer can find a simply way to match most user's need for parking mode?
 
estore009 said:
If it is complicated to parking mode setup,it is not a good experience for users,especially for dashcam newbie;
We wonder if manufacturer can find a simply way to match most user's need for parking mode?
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Agree it can seem complex, but the basic functions are fairly straight forward and should not intimidate the user once understood. Parking Mode menu setting is the most complex A119/A119S parking option and it can sometimes be difficult to understand what the camera was doing when viewing the videos if the basic concepts are not understood. But that gets better with use and education. As far as information goes, there is a similar thread for the A119 at https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/viofo-parking-mode-new-beta-feature.29382/ which is much more mature since Parking Mode was first implemented on the A119 V3.1B firmware a few months ago. As far as I can tell, Parking Mode functions for the A119S firmware V2.0 and V2.1 are the same as that for A119 firmware V3.1B, V3.1, and V3.3. A few tweaks to the Parking Mode functions have already been suggested and hopefully Viofo will consider their implementation in the future, and also write a good Parking Mode description in the manual.
 
5Cowbells said:
You still have the option of using the pure Motion Detection or pure Time-Lapse menu modes which are independent from Parking Mode as far as I know (I leave them turned off when in the Parking Mode).
  • The Parking Mode is just the set of activities that the A119 performs when Parking Mode is enabled in the menu - mainly Normal Recording, Time-lapse recording, or no recording (Standby mode to conserve file storage space and power).
  • As it is now, once in Normal recording, the A119 will stay in Normal recording until no G-sensor or motion detection triggers are sensed within the previous 1.5 minute timeframe.
  • If no G-sensor or motion triggers are detected in 1.5 minutes (a quite period), the A119 sort of goes to sleep and stops recording (Standby Mode), but awaits any new triggers.
  • If a motion is detected nearby when in the Standby mode, the A119 starts Time-lapse recording, keeping a watchful eye out. It continues to record Time-lapse as long as motion (not G-sensor) triggers continue to be sensed.
  • If a G-sensor trigger is detected (car bump or movement), the A119 wakes up all the way and starts Normal recording again, from either Standby or Timelapse recording (G-sensor has priority).
I'm guessing the main ideas are (I'm just the messenger):
  • To have a single hands-off autonomous mode to capture significant events while driving or parked.
  • When driving, the very sensitive G-sensor and motion detection will keep the A119 in Normal recording most of the time (not all the time as you have already demonstrated). I've never had it stop recording when driving.
  • When parked, you are probably interested in security and maintaining enough file storage space and power to record the whole time you are away from the car day or night.
  • If there is no motion about and the car is not bumped or in movement, the A119 goes to sleep (Standby mode) but keeps an eye out for nearby motion or car movement.
  • So security-wise, you would like to know when something or someone is very close to your car, hence the A119 detects nearby motion and starts Time-lapse recording (after a no recording Standby period). If the nearby motion ceases for 1.5 minutes, the A119 goes back to sleep (Standby).
  • If someone or something bumps your car or someone enters the car - more important than motion around the car, either you are getting in to drive or maybe you have an unwanted guest so you really want to know in detail what is happening. Hence a G-sensor trigger activates due to the car movement to start Normal recording, and has priority over Standby or Time-lapse recording.
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Great submission but half way through reading it I threw up my hands and ran out of the room screaming looking for a shot of whiskey. I am too old to absorb all this technology. LOL
 
Sutton said:
Great submission but half way through reading it I threw up my hands and ran out of the room screaming looking for a shot of whiskey. I am too old to absorb all this technology. LOL
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Just use it if it suits your needs and don't worry about the details.:)
 
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