A229 Pro Overheating

viofo said:
The tree is for praying good luck.
I didn't join this event, just share photos from our hometown, most cities in China have similar events.
Click to expand...
If you could mount a VS1 on a drone to film the drone show that would be awesome advertising.
I bet the HDR would look good.

 
The A229 Pro 2CH (with rear camera) installed in my test car did not have a problem during today's weekly 3-hour drive (multiple driving segments and parking sessions). Ever since I installed the v1.3 test/logging firmware provided by VIOFO (logging turned off for the past two weeks), the A229 Pro my car and the A229 Pro in my wife's car have not had any abnormal shutdown events.
 
Thanks, good to see the issue seems to be resolved!

rcg530 said:
I believe the standard firmware can have logging enabled. To enable logging, simply create an empty file with the name of "log" at the root of the memory card file system (root directory).
Click to expand...
FYI
I'd added dmesg.log to the root of the memory card, unfortunately no information was written to it. Firmware: V1.2_240227. Would have been nice to see the kernel's output.
 
TheSpanishInq said:
Thanks, good to see the issue seems to be resolved!


FYI
I'd added dmesg.log to the root of the memory card, unfortunately no information was written to it. Firmware: V1.2_240227. Would have been nice to see the kernel's output.
Click to expand...
The logging enabled version of the firmware required me to place a file with the name of "log" at the root directory of the memory card to enable writing to the dmesg.log and zmd.log log files.
 
:confused: My bad, I should read more carefully. Will try next time when I swap out the memory card.
 
Panzer Platform said:
Incorrect.
A229 Pro 2-CH Rear Power Consumption;
Normal Recording: 6 Watts
AED Parking Mode: 5 Watts
See attached chart from RCG530.

I fully agree 100% we should be able to use any SD Card we want that meets speed / rating classification, (this is not reality).
When it comes to SD Cards in Viofo Dash Cams;
“You can be right, or you can be happy”
Just like any ex-wife will tel you. Lol
Users on this forum have been driven mad with SD Card issues.
Using a Viofo SD Card can eliminate this variable.
Viofo SD Cards are like divorce, exorbitantly expensive but worth every penny. Lol

Worst case scenario this camera may be useless in parking mode in summer heat 40℃ / 104℉ or above.
If parking mode is your priority you may want to return it within your return policy period, and look for other options.
Click to expand...
how about parking mode with only shock trigger?
is it similar or much lower?
 
timetraveler said:
how about parking mode with only shock trigger?
is it similar or much lower?
Click to expand...

VIOFO A229 Pro - Testing / Review - RCG

This video contains daytime cloudy sky footage from a VIOFO A229 Pro front camera and a VIOFO A119 Mini 2. I use the raw audio captured by both dash cameras so you can hear the quality and volume differences. Hi rcg530, thanks for the sample videos. Does the A229 pro or A119 mini 2 run...
dashcamtalk.com dashcamtalk.com
 
timetraveler said:
how about parking mode with only shock trigger?
is it similar or much lower?
Click to expand...
It would be about 0.2 Watts, if Viofo made it available, that is what I measured on the A119 Mini.

Hopefully it will become available again in future, but the current models are a bit too slow at waking up after the impact, they would likely miss recording the important bits. A sub one second wake up would make it desirable.
 
I updated to the publicly available v1.3 firmware files before driving my car on my weekly 3-hour drive with several parking mode sessions. The A229 Pro shutdown in two different parking mode sessions. I have more details in this post:

VIOFO A229 Pro FIRMWARE

What format are you using 21.9? No, 16:9 I probably didn't understand you, that’s what the translator said!! Yes, 21:9 doesn't work on my iPhone either, only on Android in GU Auto!! Viofo has not yet updated the iPhone application!
dashcamtalk.com dashcamtalk.com
 
Today, I reconfigured my A229 Pro to have 3-channels during my drive to gather footage to compare with Vantrue N4 Pro video footage. All previous drives had the A229 Pro configured as a 2-channel dash camera with a rear camera.

The outside temperature was in the low to mid 80sF/30C. During parking mode sessions, the passenger compartment would reach a max of 107F/42C according to my cheap thermometer in my vehicle’s center console. That thermometer tends to read a bit higher than the actual temperature due to the center console plastic getting warm. The thermometer is not exposed to any direct sunlight.

A229 Pro - 20240628 - Heat Shutdown Events

09:04:22 NR : At Home - Powered up when vehicle's engine is started
09:28:19 NR => LBR : Transitioned to parking mode after 90 second delay
09:34:14 LBR => NR : Transitioned to normal record mode when vehicle's engine is started
09:44:18 NR => LBR : Transitioned to parking mode after 90 second delay
10:18:17 LBR => NR : Transitioned to normal record mode when vehicle's engine is started
10:20:27 NR : Heat Shutdown Event
10:24:23 <OFF> : Parked vehicle - fueling station / Timestamp from VS1 dash camera
10:27:59 NR : Powered up when vehicle's engine is started
10:32:34 NR => LBR : Transitioned to parking mode after 90 second delay
10:52:57 LBR : Heat Shutdown Event
11:08:17 LBR => NR : Powered up when vehicle's engine is started
11:27:00 NR => LBR : Transitioned to parking mode after 90 second delay
11:35:48 LBR : Heat Shutdown Event
12:02:59 LBR => NR : Powered up when vehicle's engine is started
12:35:23 NR : Arrived at home and powered down A229 Pro 3CH

Notes:

NR = Normal Recording
LBR = Low Bitrate Parking Mode

v1.3 beta with logging v1.3_240522 Front / LBR front camera video 2560x1440 30 fps
v1.3 production v1.3_240612 Front / LBR front camera video 3840x2160 30 fps
 
They should put a fan in it
 
Report on the operation of the parking mode: "Recording with low bitrate" A229 Pro + RTC300

Saturday 29.06.24 turned out to be very warm for us. The temperature during the day rose above +30 degrees Celsius.
The car was parked at 14:57 and the sun was shining on the A229 Pro and on the RTC300.
When returning to the car at 20:49, A229 Pro 2 CH continued to write in parking mode.
The temperature on the instrument panel was +30.5 degrees Celsius.

Start of parking_15_00.jpg End of parking_20_59.jpg wheels-null-blog480-v2.jpg


1.png 2.png 3.png 4.png 5.png 6.png 7.png
 
Last edited:
Is anybody else seeing heat related issues? Have a A229 pro in my cart for my soon to be driving daughter. But we live in Utah... So heat is definitely a factor.
 
Today our day turned out to be warm.
During the trip there was a parking lot for 1.5 hours.
Upon returning to the car I took photographs.
As you can see in the photo A229 Pro 2CH continued recording in the parking lot without problems.

Temperature outside the car
1.jpg

Cabin temperature
2.jpg

The processor temperature at the time of the photo shoot was 98°
 

Attachments

VIOFO provided a test firmware for the A229 Pro that I installed last week. I have no idea with if any changes are present in that test firmware. During last Friday's drive, the A229 Pro 3Ch did not power down! The outside temps were in the 87F/31C to 91F/33C range. The passenger compartment temps reached 100F/38C at the end of the second low bitrate parking mode session.

Friday’s drive was a bit shorter since my wife was with me resulting two less stops than normal and the amount of time spent in each store was a bit shorter than when I go by myself.

20240705 usage log:

09:26:45 NR : At Home - Powered up when vehicle's engine is started
09:48:01 NR => LBR : Transitioned to parking mode after 90 second delay
10:16:19 LBR => NR : Transitioned to normal record mode when vehicle's engine is started
10:34:24 NR => LBR : Transitioned to parking mode after 90 second delay
10:58:44 LBR => NR : Transitioned to normal record mode when vehicle's engine is started
11:28:43 NR : Arrived at home and powered down A229 Pro 3CH

Notes:

NR = Normal Recording
LBR = Low Bitrate Parking Mode

LBR parking mode continued to create 3840x2160 30fps low bitrate video footage for the front camera.
 
The A229 Pro 3Ch dash camera experienced two thermal shutdowns with the 1.3_240702 [test] firmware installed during today’s drive. It was a very warm/hot day as well. A BlackVue DR970X-2CH and a Vantrue N4 Pro 3Ch also had heat related issues. The VIOFO VS1 and Thinkware U3000 installed next to the A229 Pro front camera had no problems. I don’t believe the first thermal shutdown for the A229 Pro 3Ch was legit since it was warm in the car, but not that hot. The second thermal shutdown for the A229 Pro occurs around the time the BlackVue DR970X-2CH and the Vantrue N4 Pro 3Ch started to have some issues. The N4 Pro has never shutdown/rebooted before during any of my drives with warm/hot temperatures.

Friday 12-July-2024 - Heat Test

970X = DR970X-2CH
U3000 = Thinkware U3000 2CH
A229Pro = VIOFO A229 Pro 3CH
VS1 = VIOFO VS1
N4Pro = VANTRUE N4 Pro 3CH
All = 970X+U3000+A229Pro+VS1+N4Pro
Car = 2014 Chevy Caprice
PM TL = Parking Mode / Time-Lapse
PM LBR = Parking Mode / Low Bitrate
NR = Normal Recording (Driving) Mode

08:55 - All - Power Up / Engine Start / NR starts

09:17 - Car,970X,N4Pro - Park car / 970X enters PM TL
09:18 - U3000 - After 30 second delay / Enters radar parking mode
09:19 - A229Pro,VS1 - After 90 second delay / Enters low bitrate parking mode
09:28 - Car,All - Start engine, All exit parking mode

09:39 - Car,970X,N4Pro - Park car / 970X enters PM TL
09:39 - U3000 - After 30 second delay / Enters radar parking mode
09:40 - A229Pro,VS1 - After 90 second delay / Enters low bitrate parking mode
10:03 - Car,All - Start engine, All exit parking mode

10:11 - Car,970X,N4Pro - Park car / 970X enters PM TL
10:11 - Car - Inside car (center console) temp 97F / outside 90F
10:11 - U3000 - After 30 second delay / Enters radar parking mode
10:12 - A229Pro,VS1 - After 90 second delay / Enters low bitrate parking mode
10:30 - 970X - PM TL / 'HT' High temperature alert appears in the status line
10:38 - A229Pro - PM LBR / Thermal shutdown
10:40 - Car,All - Start engine, All start NR mode (A229Pro was off)

10:54 - NR,970X - Turns off 'HT' high temperature alert in status line

10:56 - Car,970X,N4Pro - Park car / 970X enters PM TL
10:56 - Car - Inside car (center console) temp 102F / outside 95F
10:57 - U3000 - After 30 second delay / Enters radar parking mode
10:57 - A229Pro,VS1 - After 90 second delay / Enters low bitrate parking mode
11:13 - Car - Inside car (center console) temp 105F / outside 95F

11:17 - 970X - PM TL / 'HT' High temperature alert appears in the status line
11:21 - A229Pro - PM LBR / Thermal shutdown

11:37 - Car,All - Start engine, All start NR mode (A229Pro was off)
11:37 - Car - Passenger compartment temp 114F / outside 94F
11:38 - NR,970X - Thermal shutdown

11:47:53 - NR,N4Pro - Stops recording video
Front: 11:47:46 => 11:47:53 / 11 seconds missing from start of video
Cabin: 11:47:35 => 11:47:53
Rear: 11:47:35 => 11:47:53

11:48 - NR,N4Pro - Restarts and resumes normal mode recording
11:49 - NR,970X - Powers up after cooling off during thermal shutdown

12:09 - Car,All - Arrive Home / Park car in garage / Power down all dash cameras
 
I'm not quite as concerned about parking mode... But the shutdowns during driving are concerning. Wondering if the A229 Pro in 1CH mode would take the heat better.
 
My A229 Pro 2CH has been suffering from overheating ever since the outside weather has started getting hotter (above 85F or 30C) whenever I leave my car parked in direct sunlight. I do not use parking mode, so when I turn on my car the dashcam will power on for a few seconds and then shut itself down. I have noticed that this problem usually only happens when the dashcam itself was in direct sunlight. Also of significance is that that this issue does NOT occur if I unplug the rear camera under the exact same circumstances. I contacted VIOFO support and after some discussion they told me me this:
We have confirmed this with our engineer.
When the temperature reaches 85F outside, the temperature will be very high in the cabin.
Plus the working heat, the camera will heat up quickly, then it will trigger the built-in protection mechanism.
With the rear camera plugged in, it will increase the power consumption, then bring more heat to the camera.
This cannot be solved entirely as all the dashcams will face with this challenge, hope you will understand.
Click to expand...
I very much like the camera aside from this issue, so I'm very hopeful that one of these new firmware that I've seen talked about here might help to alleviate the issue somewhat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top