A329 Test & Review PP

[Chuck McCoy]

How about some useless stationary testing, (Bill hates this most)? lol

SETTINGS:
ALL CAMERAS HAVE CPL FILTERS EXCEPT A229 PRO REAR

A329 2-CH Rear:
V1.0 20241009
HDR On
Max Bitrate (65 Mbps)
All other setting default

A229 Pro 2-CH Rear
V1.3.1 20241024
HDR On
Max Bitrate (60 Mbps + 26 Mbps)
All other setting default

A119 Mini 2
V2.1_20241010
HDR On
Max Bitrate (30 Mbps)
All other setting default

A329 night time HDR performance is off to a good first start.
Well done, and congrats to Viofo.

Rear Cameras

 

[TonyM]

Night Time HDR Comparison - Highway

A329 1-CH:
V1.0 20241009
4K 16:9
HDR On
Max Bitrate (65 Mbps)
All other settings default

A229 Pro 2-CH Telephoto:
V1.3.1 20241024
4K 16:9 + 2K 16:9
HDR On
Max Bitrate (60 Mbps + 26 Mbps)
All other settings default

Did you have CPL on or off in these clips?

 

[voon]

I'm confused. Going by the photos, the older A229 pro is vastly superior to the new A329?

 

[Nigel]

I'm confused. Going by the photos, the older A229 pro is vastly superior to the new A329?

For what reasons do you judge the A229 Pro to be superior?

If you are looking at PP's "night time stationary testing" in his garage, the A229 Pro is seeing far more in the dark areas, and you can judge that seeing more is superior, but it can just mean that it has the exposure wrong. If your aim is to read license plates, then you need the best exposure for that, and being able to see the darkest areas of an enclosed garage lit only by one narrow angle beamed LED torch is not too important. When you are out on a street with street lamps, you are never going to get areas that dark. It is an interesting test, but doesn't match most people's real life, so look at the readability of the illuminated area, not the darkest parts, especially the bit in the main beam, since that will replicate what does happen when you are behind another vehicle and have your headlamps on, directly illuminating their reflective licence plates.

 

[voon]

I meant the telephoto shot in an earlier image. I'm not sure how the A229 works with its telephoto feature, but the license plate is clear and crisp, whereas the ordinary A329 image is the usual blurry mess. Does de A329 also get a telephoto addon?

 

[Nigel]

I meant the telephoto shot in an earlier image. I'm not sure how the A229 works with its telephoto feature, but the license plate is clear and crisp, whereas the ordinary A329 image is the usual blurry mess.

Yes, the A229 Pro and A229 Plus, with Telephoto lens will win at license plate reading.

 

[voon]

I'd wish for both, rear camera AND crisp license plate reading .. but I guess no cam can do that, yet.

 

[Nigel]

I'd wish for both, rear camera AND crisp license plate reading .. but I guess no cam can do that, yet.

Viofo will release their 4K Front + 2K Front Telephoto + 1K rear camera soon. It won't have the external drive of the A329, but it will read plates very well.

 

[TonyM]

Viofo will release their 4K Front + 2K Front Telephoto + 1K rear camera soon. It won't have the external drive of the A329, but it will read plates very well.

That sounds like an interesting evolution of the A229 Pro

 

[SocialsFinest]

Viofo will release their 4K Front + 2K Front Telephoto + 1K rear camera soon. It won't have the external drive of the A329, but it will read plates very well.

Wish viofo could say like “we hope to have this available in… 6 months”
Just a guesstimate would be nice.

Otherwise, i may just buy one on blackfriday/cybmon

 

[Nigel]

Wish viofo could say like “we hope to have this available in… 6 months”

It won't take 6 months, it will be released when it is ready, I suspect it would already be here if they hadn't used a nice new sensor that requires some firmware optimisation!

 

[ogzogz]

How about some useless stationary testing, (Bill hates this most)? lol

A329 night time HDR performance is off to a good first start.
Well done, and congrats to Viofo.

View attachment 74919
View attachment 74920
View attachment 74921

Rear Cameras

View attachment 74922
View attachment 74923

@viofo
Judging by the images, if we adjust the a329 exposure setting in the + direction and the a229 pro exposure setting in the - direction, they may be equivalent to each other.
Frankly, looking at the two pictures, it is better that the a229 pro is brighter in terms of peripheral vision. because the peripheral vision is set darker to capture the a329 license plate.

The license plate part should be like A329 and the peripheral vision should be like A229 Pro.
In short, a good balancing is required.

 

[Karagandinez]

Wish viofo could say like “we hope to have this available in… 6 months”
Just a guesstimate would be nice.

Otherwise, i may just buy one on blackfriday/cybmon

Post in thread 'Any confirmed news on a new RearView'

Nov 5, 2024

Mainly for my intended use case, I just want some level of recording on front and back.....in which the current setup is .....due to how the inputs work relative to the 229. I have considered briefly just putting a Garmin Mini on the rear and just have tele/front 229 It's not a labor or cost issue....just wanted something straightforward in use, function and aesthetics....

I'm not crazed about the screen on the A229 nor due to shape....can't really put it behind review. Blocks sensors....
Function vs fashion....one of the better/best current Video Quality on the market, and I really...

• viofo

• 

 

[SocialsFinest]

Post in thread 'Any confirmed news on a new RearView'

Nov 5, 2024

Mainly for my intended use case, I just want some level of recording on front and back.....in which the current setup is .....due to how the inputs work relative to the 229. I have considered briefly just putting a Garmin Mini on the rear and just have tele/front 229 It's not a labor or cost issue....just wanted something straightforward in use, function and aesthetics....

I'm not crazed about the screen on the A229 nor due to shape....can't really put it behind review. Blocks sensors....
Function vs fashion....one of the better/best current Video Quality on the market, and I really...

• viofo

• 

I dont have any dash cam right now. So i dont have a telephoto to be able to qualify for the “free trial test run”.

I’d just really like to wait for blackfriday OR the 3ch 329 tele+rear. But not knowing when “soon” is, with life being life. Aka accidental delays. Which is understandable.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Night Time HDR Comparison

SETTINGS:
ALL CAMERAS HAVE CPL FILTERS
LENS ADJUSTMENT:
A229 Pro (50% road / 50% sky)
A329 (60% road / 40% sky) I must have moved the lens accidentally
That’s why the Las Vegas sign looks smaller in the thumbnail, sorry @Mtz

A329 2-CH Rear:
V1.0 20241009
HDR On
Max Bitrate (65 Mbps)
All other setting default

A229 Pro 2-CH Rear
V1.3.1 20241024
HDR On
Max Bitrate (60 Mbps + 26 Mbps)
All other setting default

Stay tuned for more Las Vegas Night Time HDR comparisons.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Did you have CPL on or off in these clips?

Yes, from now on I always have the CPL Filter installed.
I usually mention in the post under "settings" but I guess I forgot this time, sorry about that.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

I'm confused. Going by the photos, the older A229 pro is vastly superior to the new A329?

The A329 is improved over the A229 Pro in almost every area (image quality).
The TELEPHOTO is something completely different.
It is not available for the A329 "yet".

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Bill told me at SEMA they're are working on an A329 3-CH;
1.) Front
2.) Rear IMX675
3.) Telephoto IMX675
The Telephoto will plug into the HDMI input.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

if we adjust the a329 exposure setting

Every since 2018 I never changed the EV setting for testing, and comparing cameras.
I always leave the EV default at 0.

 

[ogzogz]

Every since 2018 I never changed the EV setting for testing, and comparing cameras.
I always leave the EV default at 0.

When the exposure setting is 0, the brightness or contrast levels of the two cameras and the image they give should be similar.

For the a329, plate sharpness appears darker at the 0 exposure setting.
On the a229 pro it is slightly lighter at setting 0.

I will have a suggestion for this soon and if it is implemented, everything will be better for the image.