A139 parking guard thread ( comments - flaws - requests post here )

kamkar

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10 years, many dashcams
I have just installed the hard wire kit.

Things i noticed in this regard / today.

1: no option to disable G - sensor when in regular drive mode.
2: no option to disable motion detect while in parking mode ( i dont really want to use this function when i al using low bitrate )
3: G - sensor for when in parking mode seem too insensitive, jumping up and down in the driver seat did not set off a event ( high sensitivity ) but flicking the camera body with a finger did set off a event.
4: no timer option, i like that for parking guard, so i have compensated by using a 12.4 V cut off voltage.
5: then the system change to parking guard the voise say so, but then it also announce all 3 cameras are recording, that in my oppinion are a bit of wasted voice.

I am using low bitrate recording for parking guard.
 
On 2, when "low bitrate' is selected the motion detect does not work, even though the app selection can't be disabled. The parking 'g-sensor' may not work either but I can;'t be certain as mine does not want to work in parking mode of any kind though it does well in driving mode. Likely just a fault in my early production cam.

On 4, the timer function is active in the cam, but the app needs an update before it can be used (per Viofo)

On 5 yeah- wasted words but not a big issue for me.

I know you're not a fan of MD for parking, but in mine it works excellently- you might want to try it with yours and see what you think. I've gone back to LB for parking only as I like it better,.

Phil
 
O yeah thats right i noticed motion detect did not work, at least not on front or cabin camera in front of which i waved my hand / fingers with no result.
 
When active, MD works with all 3 cams, but it is not active in LB.

Phil
 
Seem sensible enough that it is there for other modes, even if it is ones i would not use and advise against using.
The people must have choices, the people must be free.
 
it's possible some of the settings are there but the app hasn't been updated yet to make the setting, every time there are settings related changes in firmware the app has to be updated to suit, the release dates don't always align when this happens, the app stores themselves can be part of the delay also
 
Okay the results are in.

Using 12.4 Volts as cut off, the A 139 give me 3 hours and a few minutes of parking guard, a lot more than i really like but no way of changing that ATM, and the high cut off mean my car battery are very good ( put in car a year ago )
Also changed to H.265 recording before my driving today, that also look to be fine, file size only took a 100 MB cut ( 600 - 500 MB for the front camera ) so bitrate cant be that much lower. ( 27 mbit to 23 mbit on the front camera )
The interior camera IR light seem to come on as it get dark, i will have a look at my CCTV camera it must be able to see it come on at some time. i do not mind this fact as i am a short time parking guard user at heart.

And my press of the event button yesterday was also in the RO folder, so that semi running a red light and only stopping to not cream little grey car, and then proceed to run red light, well the video of that "professional" driver are safe and ready to be shared.

The Adata card i am testing also seem to be doing just fine 2 weeks into the test period, i will format it in the camera tomorrow and then test another few weeks to be able to call it safe card for A139.
 
Okay not able to see when the IR light came on, but 3 hours later it is easy to see on my CCTV camera when parking guard end due to low voltage cut off.
I parked my car at at 19:10 and the CCTV video show when the camera stopped. ( IR light on cabin camera go out )
A139 park.jpg

 
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Found the flaw other also talk about, the non working buttons, in my case as i wanted to turn off the camera to eject the memory card, i was not able to do this in parking mode so i had to pull the power plug.

This is not ideal.

I suggest having a corporate firmware where buttons are not working for use in fleet cameras, and a commercial firmware where buttons do work in parking mode.
 
Found the flaw other also talk about, the non working buttons, in my case as i wanted to turn off the camera to eject the memory card, i was not able to do this in parking mode so i had to pull the power plug.

This is not ideal.

I suggest having a corporate firmware where buttons are not working for use in fleet cameras, and a commercial firmware where buttons do work in parking mode.
When mine locks it still powers off with the power button but it does need a long press
 
5: then the system change to parking guard the voise say so, but then it also announce all 3 cameras are recording, that in my oppinion are a bit of wasted voice.
Your A139 announces how many channels uses in parking mode after "Parking recording started" line? Mine doesn't do it.

Found the flaw other also talk about, the non working buttons, in my case as i wanted to turn off the camera to eject the memory card, i was not able to do this in parking mode so i had to pull the power plug.

This is not ideal.

I suggest having a corporate firmware where buttons are not working for use in fleet cameras, and a commercial firmware where buttons do work in parking mode.
I got an email where Viofo stated that they'll reconsider the button function in parking mode. (don't know what it actually means though)

When mine locks it still powers off with the power button but it does need a long press
The power button works for you in parking mode? Do you have HK3C?

The only time the power button alone works for me is when button-lock bugs through to normal mode. In parking mode all buttons are locked completely (not even a superlong press does anything)
 
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Mine is like Nath's. Last FW (IIRC1024?) not the latest one yet.

Phil
 
Yes installed HK3-C on Friday.

Your A139 announces how many channels uses in parking mode after "Parking recording started"
Yes it say the normal 3 channels started recording, 2-3 seconds after the parking mode start announcement.
 
The power button works for you in parking mode? Do you have HK3C?

The only time the power button alone works for me is when button-lock bugs through to normal mode. In parking mode all buttons are locked completely (not even a superlong press does anything)
Sorry mine is bugging in normal mode at this point, mine doesn’t drop to parking mode until 3 minutes after I lock the car or 10 mins unlocked so I haven’t tried it then.
 
You probably need to try another ACC fuse.

Today the viofo APP on my phone updated, and that gave me 2 new options.

1: parking guard timer ( duration ) i instantly set mine to 1 hour like i prefer, now i just need to change the low voltage to 12.2 V so i can use a parking guard past for a longer period. :)(y)
2: Parking guard timer ( delay ) just one option here but thats fine too :)(y)

Parking guard do go off when i have entered my car and "slam" the door, i would still like to see this more sensitive if possible.

Clear blue skies here, so put on some nice old Black sabbath and took a drive outside of town there the people of the land live,,,,,, and rural suburbia.
 
You probably need to try another ACC fuse.
I wired it this way intentionally so that it switches back on if the car is woken up rather than needing the ignition to be turned on.
 
3: G - sensor for when in parking mode seem too insensitive, jumping up and down in the driver seat did not set off a event ( high sensitivity ) but flicking the camera body with a finger did set off a event.
I think the G-sensor from parking mode will trigger a video only if the car is hit by another car.
Unfortunately people are expecting for much more sensitivity from the G-sensor. Normally Viofo should add a fourth option something called like Ultra Sensitivity. This value to be implemented in all Viofo dashcams not only on A139.
 
@kamkar @Mtz The question is whether the G-sensor even has the option at HW level for higher sensitivity.

Many accelerometer chips have specific range and resolution, not necessarily covering the range for rough drive without false-positives and high sensitivity for parking. (Perfect oposite example is DR900S/X which is perfectly sensitive for parking but i wasn't able to drive a single time without false-positive, on air suspension...)
 
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The question is whether the G-sensor even has the option at HW level for higher sensitivity.
Have.

Regarding BlackVue comparison, as you know, Viofo have different settings for G-Sensor in Parking Mode and in driving mode. Parking Mode needs just one more option.
 
It definitely needs more sensitivity while parked. In driving I think it offers a good range for everyone.

I don't know if the SDK allows more than 3 levels and off, but with g-sensor and motion detect I'd want 5-10 levels to select from. These are things where people's wants vary widely and less than 5 just can't give that.

Phil
 
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