A229 Pro GPS

[Hack_man]

This thread got me wondering. What's the difference in GPS lock time between my Viofo A229 Pro (241024 F/W) and Vantrue E360 (2024-12-06 F/W)?
Both cameras are mounted to the windshield at the same time so in theory the time to lock should be identical.

The A229 Pro definitely took longer. I will repeat this after updating A229 Pro F/W with 241206.

 

[lufa6977]

The GPS mounts for the A229 Pro & A229 Plus are identical.
The GPS mounts for the A229 Pro & A229 Plus are NOT compatible with A329 because it has been “upgraded for better GPS accuracy”.
.
.

That is not entirely correct. I asked VIOFO Support ..

"1) Will the GPS module for the A229 Pro work properly on the A329?"
"2) What are the enhancements to the A329 GPS module? Is it different hardware, or software enhancements?"


VIOFO Support response is .. "They are not totally same, but yes, they can be switched to use."

We are left to ponder what the difference is between the two GPS modules. If the internals of the the GPS modules are the same then it is likely software changes.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

1.Have you confirmed if the upgraded A329 mounts

I just remembered something.
When I received my A329 test unit I knew immediately something was different with the GPS Mount from the first moment I picked it up.
I compared the weight of the A329 GPS Mount with the weight of the A229 Pro GPS Mount in each hand.
The A329 GPS Mount was much heavier, and felt "solid".
The A229 Pro GPS Mount felt "hollow".
I just ordered a digital kitchen scale to weight the mounts at my next opportunity.
It might be a while because I installed my "second extra" A329 GPS Mount in my car to gather side by side test footage of the A329 4K60fps 97Mbps vs. 4K30fps 65Mbps.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/B0DCFQ9XH1

 

[CaptureYourAction]

I just weighed both the A329 and A229 Pro mount and they both weigh 24 grams.

 

[lufa6977]

Here is what the insides look like on two of my three A229 Pro GPS modules. Now, if we know what is in the A329 that would be interesting.

The back plate on one is a bit tarnished from the factory.

Looks like this may be the module specs, the exact module number is not found on Gotop site, so the VIOFO unit may be a custom production. ... Gotop GPS

 

[petrsms]

Hi from Czech rep.
During last two months we buyed 1x A229 Pro Duo and 3x A229 Plus Duo. I have A229 Pro in my car as replacement of my old A119 v3. I notice GPSfix issue on A229 Pro - somedays, very sporadically was GPS fixed for less than minute, but mostly it was not fixed even after hour of driving - like yesterday, 3x drives for 45 min each and not single GPS fix. Whole day on open space outside town. On the same position was A119 v3 fixed every time in minute (Citroen C4 Spacetourer).
This problem is even with last firmware V1.3.1_241206.
And I did not notice this problem with the two A229 Plus installed (V1.3.1_241203). Both have GPS fix within seconds, max about 10 sec!
I will try to swap one of A229 Plus (on the holder from Pro) in my car in the coming days.
Petr

 

[Hack_man]

Hi from Czech rep.
During last two months we buyed 1x A229 Pro Duo and 3x A229 Plus Duo. I have A229 Pro in my car as replacement of my old A119 v3. I notice GPSfix issue on A229 Pro - somedays, very sporadically was GPS fixed for less than minute, but mostly it was not fixed even after hour of driving - like yesterday, 3x drives for 45 min each and not single GPS fix. Whole day on open space outside town. On the same position was A119 v3 fixed every time in minute (Citroen C4 Spacetourer).
This problem is even with last firmware V1.3.1_241206.
And I did not notice this problem with the two A229 Plus installed (V1.3.1_241203). Both have GPS fix within seconds, max about 10 sec!
I will try to swap one of A229 Plus (on the holder from Pro) in my car in the coming days.
Petr

That should be a really good test to install the A229 Plus Module in place of the A229 Pro's. Were the mounts attached with ESD stickers or are you swapping the head?
Neither my Pro or Plus have failed to lock, but the Pro takes a bit of time. I don't drive with the Plus much, I will start to monitor lock time on the Plus.

 

[Karagandinez]

Were the mounts attached with ESD stickers or are you swapping the head?

It is enough to swap the A229 Plus and A229 Pro models without touching the GPS modules.

 

[kamkar]

It is my understanding that dashcams generally support GLONASS, GPS and BeiDou

As a European i do NOT want to be depending on other countries systems, so that leave me with Galileo, and i would appreciate if i could use that alone or at least at primary system.
This go from navigation / dashcams or for that matter weapons guidance systems.

Some places, with a country being naughty and doing GPS jamming at large, i could see it being very much hit / miss

 

[lufa6977]

It is my understanding that dashcams generally support GLONASS, GPS and BeiDou

As a European i do NOT want to be depending on other countries systems, so that leave me with Galileo, and i would appreciate if i could use that alone or at least at primary system.
This go from navigation / dashcams or for that matter weapons guidance systems.

Some places, with a country being naughty and doing GPS jamming at large, i could see it being very much hit / miss

Yet...in armed conflict in EU, no one should not doubt for one moment that EU boffins won't shut down the Galileo signal for commercial / civilian use. As well, the U.S. made certain that Galileo used a frequency far enough away from GPS so the U.S. could jam Galileo and not affect GPS signals.

Current GPS jamming in the East is due to the presence of U.S. GPS enabled weapons. If those weapons were Galileo enabled, then Galileo would be jammed. Whom we get our positioning information from, in regards to our dash cams, is irrelevant and any positioning / timing signal can be jammed by most any country in the EU, the U.S., China and others.

In the end, other than for patriotic reasons for each of us, it does not matter who we get positioning data from as it is all easily compromised.

 

[lufa6977]

I just weighed both the A329 and A229 Pro mount and they both weigh 24 grams.

Sort of what I expected. Until we see the inside components of the A329 GPS module we really won't know where the "enhancements' were made. I spent years working with and on systems that provided positioning / timing data as well as the equipment that used that data. While some positioning data antenna are better than others, the one thing that really mattered was the software and how it addressed weak signals, type of signal, number of satellites, etc.

It seems that VIOFO provides one GPS / positioning data module for the entire planet, so, if in Europe how does module know you are in Europe and what makes it determine to use use GPS, GLONASS or BeiDou? If software defaults to BeiDou, and the module is in the U.S., what are the software steps taken to shift to GPS? I tend to think the enhancements are more software oriented, but that is only a speculation.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Have you confirmed if the upgraded A329 mounts installed in your intermittent A229 Pro unit(s) resolved the GPS issues you cited above?

I’ve got (6) A329 GPS Mounts on the way, (shipping is usually 15 days).
(3) for in car installation with (2) A229 Pro & (1) A229 Plus.
(3) for “test rig” bench testing
I’ll be so happy if the “new upgraded” A329 GPS Mounts fix the GPS malfunctions of my (2) A229 Pro & (1) A229 Plus.

 

[petrsms]

One question. These, who have GPS fix problem, are you using hardwire kit or included USB-A/USB-C (to CPL)? Because, after my todays testing Pro and Plus I'm realy confused.. :-(
Some facts:
A229 Plus in C3 / A229 Pro in C4
- both cars side by side under open sky
- both CAM powered via included power cable and CPL charger
- both GPS modules are frimly attachet to windshield with original 3M stickers (without antistatic / magnetic (or what is it) sticker)
What I found out:
1)
C3 last drive about week ago ! GPS fix without problem after less then 2 sec
C4 last drive yesterday and there was no GPS fix not even after five minutes today :-(
2)
I exchanged Cameras and problem still persist in C4 also with Plus contrariwise Pro in C3 had GPS fix in few seconds
- ok, I understand, that is because GPS module is in holder, so this steps was only just try
3)
so I unpacked and used GPS module from our not yet installed A229 Plus and connect it in C4 instead installed one (just loosely, and I held it in my hand or hung it on a cable)
even after 10 minutes it not get GPS fix !
so I tried it same way in C3 (with my Pro cam from C4) and voilaaa, it get GPS fix in less then 5 sec !
so I took it back to C4 and it get GPS fix immediately after power up!

and now what... it seems like some interference in C4 which affects first fix, but when an GPS module was fixed few seconds ago it no affects GPS re-fix...

I noticed, that the hardwire kit is equipped installed ferrite filter near USB-C connector, but on included USB-A/USB-C is not.

so next time I will try:
use another cable from CPL (loose direct to CAM)
use another CPL
use power from powerbank

But if any of you have this GPS fix problem and are using hardwire kit, then damn you, because my teorry will be gone and I'll be back at the beginning...

 

[Hack_man]

I don't have what I consider to be a GPS fix problem, since within a "reasonable" amount of time it locks ( 1-4 minutes) but I have noticed the following behavior:

If I power down the camera in a location that previously took a while (1-4 minutes) to acquire a GPS lock and power it back up within a relatively short time (less than 1/2 hour), I almost immediately get a lock.

I don't have "hard data" to back this up, it's just an informal observation. It seems like once the camera gets a lock, it "remembers" its GPS coordinates if it does not stay powered down too long. But if I let it sit overnight unpowered in the same location, it takes a while to lock.

I am using a power cable spliced to a Powercell 8 battery and camera is mounted by sticky tape to windshield.

When You say "CPL" do you mean CLA (cigarette Lighter adapter?) CPL usually means circular polarizing Lens.

 

[lufa6977]

I don't have what I consider to be a GPS fix problem, since within a "reasonable" amount of time it locks ( 1-4 minutes) but I have noticed the following behavior:

If I power down the camera in a location that previously took a while (1-4 minutes) to acquire a GPS lock and power it back up within a relatively short time (less than 1/2 hour), I almost immediately get a lock.

I don't have "hard data" to back this up, it's just an informal observation. It seems like once the camera gets a lock, it "remembers" its GPS coordinates if it does not stay powered down too long. But if I let it sit overnight unpowered in the same location, it takes a while to lock.

I am using a power cable spliced to a Powercell 8 battery and camera is mounted by sticky tape to windshield.

When You say "CPL" do you mean CLA (cigarette Lighter adapter?) CPL usually means circular polarizing Lens.

That is similar to my experience as well. Though, to be honest, the search and lock have been much quicker with the latest FW, that or GPS is just working better in my area.

I took a look at the FCC OET Exhibits List for both the A229 Pro and the A329 and on the A329 listing for September 2024, it showed the same GPS module as is used in the A229 Pro, even the same manufacturing part numbers. I don't remember if VIOFO released a second GPS module for the A329 later on, if so, then it may have different internals.

I also took a look at the A229 Duo and it had an entirely different GPS module, as far as internals. I have no idea if the A229 Duo had any GPS issues.

 

[Julian23]

I have no idea if the A229 Duo had any GPS issues.

I had issues that the GPS lock was lost when going faster than 250-260kmh or about 160mph.
This is of course an issue that can only legally be tried on the German Autobahn.
This was fixed with a firmware update after reporting it to Viofo.
Other than that, I have not noticed any issues with the various Viofo cams I have.

 

[Hack_man]

I think I see a pattern with @petrsms's test which may have been obvious to others but it took me a while to see:

A GPS Module which has "recently" locked with a camera can be moved to another camera which will then instantly lock

At first I thought the lock condition followed a recently powered down camera, but now I think it follows the module.

 

[Hack_man]

I had issues that the GPS lock was lost when going faster than 250-260kmh or about 160mph.

We can only go that fast in airplanes here 😳

 

[lufa6977]

We can only go that fast in airplanes here 😳

In my youth, I owned a Chevy 1973 Monte Carlo with a 454 4bbl carb. Speedometer said 145mph and I got it to that one time...but never again, too fast for me. 🙂

 

[petrsms]

I don't have what I consider to be a GPS fix problem, since within a "reasonable" amount of time it locks ( 1-4 minutes) but I have noticed the following behavior:

If I power down the camera in a location that previously took a while (1-4 minutes) to acquire a GPS lock and power it back up within a relatively short time (less than 1/2 hour), I almost immediately get a lock.

I don't have "hard data" to back this up, it's just an informal observation. It seems like once the camera gets a lock, it "remembers" its GPS coordinates if it does not stay powered down too long. But if I let it sit overnight unpowered in the same location, it takes a while to lock.

I am using a power cable spliced to a Powercell 8 battery and camera is mounted by sticky tape to windshield.

When You say "CPL" do you mean CLA (cigarette Lighter adapter?) CPL usually means circular polarizing Lens.

Sorry guys ! My mistake, I focus on my poor English and write nonsense. Yes, I mean CLA not CPL 🤐🙆‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Yes, I can confirm, that after successfull GPS Lock next drive after short pause had GPS lock almost immediately. But not every time. For example if GPS is locked: Drive10min - Pause5min - Fix OK Drive > and after few repeat these sequence (about after 4-5 pause) GPS get lost and for rest of the day it not get back.