A129 or A119 v3?

Horsepow3r

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Thought I'd post in this section since the A129 has been out for a while.

I'm trying to decide which of these cameras to buy. If I don't care about having a second camera, is the a129 equal to or better than the a119 v3? Are there other major differences that I don't see? Thanks!
 
You Asked a good question, my son.
After asking a few people here, you need to ask yourself a two question:
1. Do you have SD cards? remember if you want cheap rear camera - you need to have another SD card.
2. Remember Two different camera's - two power supply is needed.

Start with that - We didn't speak about the differences Yet.
 
A129 is the better camera, except for the resolution, so it depends on how important resolution is to you.

Since you are in USA where number plates have tiny characters, I suggest the A119 V3 would be preferable due to the resolution.

On the video, if you are driving in a straight line then the A119 V3 normally wins on number plates due to the resolution, when turning a corner the A129 probably wins due to it's sensitivity (higher shutter speeds). I would choose the A129 for making movies, it has a nicer image quality.

On the audio, the A129 wins fairly easily with a cleaner, clearer sound.

A129 has Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth remote, optional rear camera - all good features.

The status LEDs on the A129 are much nicer, easier to see in sunshine but less distracting at night!

If it is purely an accident camera and you are only going to look at the memory card once a year and will never use the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, then the A119 V3 is perfectly adequate.

(If you wait for the A129 Pro then the resolution issue is solved, 4K easily wins over 1440!)
 
Thought I'd post in this section since the A129 has been out for a while.

I'm trying to decide which of these cameras to buy. If I don't care about having a second camera, is the a129 equal to or better than the a119 v3? Are there other major differences that I don't see? Thanks!
A129 is the better camera, except for the resolution, so it depends on how important resolution is to you.

Since you are in USA where number plates have tiny characters, I suggest the A119 V3 would be preferable due to the resolution.

On the video, if you are driving in a straight line then the A119 V3 normally wins on number plates due to the resolution, when turning a corner the A129 probably wins due to it's sensitivity (higher shutter speeds). I would choose the A129 for making movies, it has a nicer image quality.

On the audio, the A129 wins fairly easily with a cleaner, clearer sound.

A129 has Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth remote, optional rear camera - all good features.

The status LEDs on the A129 are much nicer, easier to see in sunshine but less distracting at night!

If it is purely an accident camera and you are only going to look at the memory card once a year and will never use the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, then the A119 V3 is perfectly adequate.

(If you wait for the A129 Pro then the resolution issue is solved, 4K easily wins over 1440!)

I tend to agree with Nigel.
I have the A119V3 that I will post footage of soon - I have mid year exams that are just blowing my mind.

Points that bug me about the A119v3 is that it doesn't mount as firm as the A129. When you press the emergency key the whole unit moves. The mount appears to be exactly the same as the A119V1 which was a disaster for movement. It's not that bad and is better than the A119V2. I'm puzzled why they went back to the old shell. When you do that on the 129 it doesn't move. The 129 also has a much better button layout. (getting to the menu and not the wi fi is tricky as they are the same button. I stuff it up every time.)

The A119V3 has one feature that I absolutely love. I can eject the memory card out of the unit with my own fingers. On the A129 I can't as the memory card is perhaps a 1mm or 2mm deeper in to the unit. It's not much but one I can get out quickly the other I stuff around that being the A129.

I've had a few no starts with the A119V3 (even though it has the 5 sec start option set.) it is using the exact same power as the a129 which starts every time. In fairness I'm sure if there are bugs in the A119V3 Viofo will sort them out. They are the most active company I have seen in years and they listen and are on this web site.

I ran the A119V3 at 120fps at max res of 720 hoping to be able to get clean still shots while moving. Two things 1. It didn't. 2. The program I played the video back on says it was recorded at 60fps. Windows properties recons it is recorded at 120fps. I don't think it is at 120 fps.

The A119V3 creates great video but I also think the A129 does too but only at 1080 max res with dual cameras. I don't think either of them are very good at reading number plates when the car is coming towards you or if they are say 4 car lengths in front.
When you are behind them no problem and the same goes with the A129 rear camera as long as your rear window is reasonably clean and dry. It's not the cameras fault it the bloody glass on the car is without a wiper blade on it. My previous car a Lexus SC400 was a pleasure to see out the back window due to the rear wiper blade.

The A129 wifi is cool and you can even firmware update the dashcam through the wifi. The bluetooth is a great idea, just press a button close to you and it will tell the dashcam to capture that recording in to the RO folder (emergency saved recordings.) No wires attached.

Having two separate dashcams front and back would piss me off but for others may not be a problem.

I'm sure I have helped to confuse you more than help. I do hope I've helped.

Happy shopping.
 
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The A119V3 creates great video but I also think the A129 does too but only at 1080 max res with dual cameras. I don't think either of them are very good at reading number plates when the car is coming towards you or if they are say 4 car lengths in front.
Readability depends on many factors, both weather conditions and license plates themselves, in Russia, for example, black capital letters and numbers.
For example, here 119V3 enters a turn.

20190612091139_000003.MP4_snapshot_00.01_[2019.06.23_17.56.49].pngБезымянный22.png
20190612091139_000003.MP4_snapshot_00.01_[2019.06.23_18.10.11].png
Безымянный23.png
 
There aren't any other dash cam under 70$ that do the trick it's supposed to do?
film in decent quality the accident and film in high rez as possible the license plate?
We aren't driving in a car to film movies.
Other cheap offers will be great.
And sry for digressing the main subject.
 
There is a quick comparison of A119 v3 against A129 and other TOP competitors:

Thanks for your work, amazing side by side comparison, as usual :)
VIOFO beats the other two brands in this comparison. It's clearly the best at license plates readability. Thinkware Q800 is surprisingly bad for the price....
 
Viofo cams develop at light-speed, so I can't recommend one over another as what may be "best" today could change with a newer version tomorrow. If I wanted top-grade video for dashcam purposes right now it would be either of these two or something from Street Guardian- I've not seen vids of anything else which come close to these cams, and IMHO if it doesn't have good vids it's not a cam worth considering.

Phil
 
If you would like to upload your recordings then you cant have too many cameras and so A 129 duo, but just the front camera A119 V3 will be fine, and after all most stuff happen in front of you, at least thats my personal observations from the past years.

Then again some guy behind me did get a aneurisme or something.
 
I tend to agree with Nigel.
I have the A119V3 that I will post footage of soon - I have mid year exams that are just blowing my mind.

Points that bug me about the A119v3 is that it doesn't mount as firm as the A129. When you press the emergency key the whole unit moves. The mount appears to be exactly the same as the A119V1 which was a disaster for movement. It's not that bad and is better than the A119V2. I'm puzzled why they went back to the old shell. When you do that on the 129 it doesn't move. The 129 also has a much better button layout. (getting to the menu and not the wi fi is tricky as they are the same button. I stuff it up every time.)

The A119V3 has one feature that I absolutely love. I can eject the memory card out of the unit with my own fingers. On the A129 I can't as the memory card is perhaps a 1mm or 2mm deeper in to the unit. It's not much but one I can get out quickly the other I stuff around that being the A129.

I've had a few no starts with the A119V3 (even though it has the 5 sec start option set.) it is using the exact same power as the a129 which starts every time. In fairness I'm sure if there are bugs in the A119V3 Viofo will sort them out. They are the most active company I have seen in years and they listen and are on this web site.

I ran the A119V3 at 120fps at max res of 720 hoping to be able to get clean still shots while moving. Two things 1. It didn't. 2. The program I played the video back on says it was recorded at 60fps. Windows properties recons it is recorded at 120fps. I don't think it is at 120 fps.

The A119V3 creates great video but I also think the A129 does too but only at 1080 max res with dual cameras. I don't think either of them are very good at reading number plates when the car is coming towards you or if they are say 4 car lengths in front.
When you are behind them no problem and the same goes with the A129 rear camera as long as your rear window is reasonably clean and dry. It's not the cameras fault it the bloody glass on the car is without a wiper blade on it. My previous car a Lexus SC400 was a pleasure to see out the back window due to the rear wiper blade.

The A129 wifi is cool and you can even firmware update the dashcam through the wifi. The bluetooth is a great idea, just press a button close to you and it will tell the dashcam to capture that recording in to the RO folder (emergency saved recordings.) No wires attached.

Having two separate dashcams front and back would piss me off but for others may not be a problem.

I'm sure I have helped to confuse you more than help. I do hope I've helped.

Happy shopping.
How do you update the firmware with the wifi?
Is it simple to upload.
Cheers
 
First it has to be available.
2nd your phone requires internet access.
In the wifi menu there is the option (I have to check where.not near the car atm)
You select that and it does everything else.
I believe it is best not spoken about feature @viofo have implemented. For me it just worked. Honestly I was amazed how slick it is.
Of course you have to have recording off on the phone software to get to the wifi menu on the phone.
 
Readability depends on many factors, both weather conditions and license plates themselves, in Russia, for example, black capital letters and numbers.
For example, here 119V3 enters a turn.

View attachment 46875View attachment 46876
View attachment 46877
View attachment 46878

I don't dispute the quality but keep in mind in your example you have a perfect cloud cover and you are turning towards the other car so it can only get better.
Notice the image still has a blur in the plate it is like it's using HDR in the recording.
Try passing a car coming the other way on a straight bit of road that users reflect number plates at night using HID headlights on your car and all you'll see is a white block for a number plate.
Note I'm not slagging Viofo the video quality is great but just pointing out there are times and places number plates aren't readable.
 
I don't dispute the quality but keep in mind in your example you have a perfect cloud cover and you are turning towards the other car so it can only get better.
Notice the image still has a blur in the plate it is like it's using HDR in the recording.
Try passing a car coming the other way on a straight bit of road that users reflect number plates at night using HID headlights on your car and all you'll see is a white block for a number plate.
Note I'm not slagging Viofo the video quality is great but just pointing out there are times and places number plates aren't readable.
Above, you talked about 3-4 cars ahead, I gave an example. About the night there was no question. 99.9% of nightly numbers will be blurred or overexposed, I don’t need to talk about it, I have been supporting the DVR topic for a long time.

Try passing a car coming the other way on a straight bit of road that users reflect number plates at night using HID headlights on your car and all you'll see is a white block for a number plate.

The case when 0.01% of the numbers can be seen.
Angle A119S horizon 120 °.

1.png
Безымянный.png
 
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I went through this decision myself. If you don't want a rear camera, yeah, I'd probably go with the A119v3 vs. the A129. 2k resolution isn't 4k but it's still better than 1080.
 
How do you update the firmware with the wifi?
Is it simple to upload.
Cheers
Just updated firmware v1.8 with app on my iPad very easy to do! But do I need to do a factory reset now ? And what settings are getting the best results for Parking Mode? I turn my camera off when it's on the drive as covered with cctv!
 
Just updated firmware v1.8 with app on my iPad very easy to do! But do I need to do a factory reset now ? And what settings are getting the best results for Parking Mode? I turn my camera off when it's on the drive as covered with cctv!
Yes, I would do a manual settings default.
 
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