A329S Test & Review PP

[Chuck McCoy]

Multiplex

The result probably isn't very interesting, but you never know until someone tries it!

I'm very much open to the concept of Multiplex.
It will be a nice option if we ever get the 5CH Box Unit I've been dreaming of; 2025 Dream Dash Cam - 5CH Box Unit
However, the current "unconventional" 3CH implementation is less than enchanting.
Once we get a "symmetrical" 4CH format I'll be all jazzed up to continue Multiplex testing.
I need to move onto night time HDR performance comparisons, but the "weather" is not exactly cooperating. lol

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Bootup Speed Test:
Speed test performed with the same 512GB Viofo SD Cards.
Cameras powered on at the top of the minute.

Q: How long does it take to start recoding when powered up?
A:
11 Seconds: A329 2CH
19 Seconds: A329S 3CH
22 Seconds: A229 Pro 3CH

Q: Why is the A329S so slow, when the A329 is so fast?
A: @Nigel

 

[ogzogz]

Bootup Speed Test:
Speed test performed with the same 512GB Viofo SD Cards.
Cameras powered on at the top of the minute.

Q: How long does it take to start recoding when powered up?
A:
11 Seconds: A329 2CH
19 Seconds: A329S 3CH
22 Seconds: A229 Pro 3CH

Q: Why is the A329S so slow, when the A329 is so fast?
A: @Nigel

I think that depending on how long a camera has been off, there may be differences in the start-up times.

For example, a camera that has been off for 1 week (or longer) may have a different start-up time than a camera that has been off for 10 minutes.

Frankly, is it technically possible that the capacitor is completely discharged or has some energy inside?

With that in mind, could you try this? For example, let each camera be on for the same amount of time and then turn it off and on again at the same time, the result would probably change.

Also, could it be that it changes depending on the memory card capacity?

 

[Chuck McCoy]

I think that depending on how long a camera has been off, there may be differences in the start-up times.

I agree, I removed this variable from the test.
Both cameras were running for about an hour before performing this comparison.

Also, could it be that it changes depending on the memory card capacity?

Yes, I performed this test on the A229 Pro 3CH with 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB Viofo Brand SD Cards.
The test results are in that thread somewhere.

 

[Nigel]

Q: Why is the A329S so slow, when the A329 is so fast?
A: @Nigel

Good question, but I think it is one for the Viofo engineers, not me!

A lot has been added to the A329S, and it probably needs some optimisation to make it run fast. I doubt that adding one extra channel needs to make it half the speed, there will be something, or somethings in the firmware slowing it down.

Maybe on startup, it is waiting for the HK6 to respond over Bluetooth, before it decides if it should start recording, or go straight into parking mode?

This is a power on and boot up test, which is not really how the A329S is designed to be used. We also need a test of time to exit parking mode and record the first frame of driving mode recording, including a test for waking up from the hybrid low power (sleep) parking mode.

Judging by how much slower the A329S is compared to the A329, when responding to voice commands, I think the engineers have got some significant optimisations they could make...

 

[TonyM]

Q: How long does it take to start recoding when powered up?
A:
11 Seconds: A329 2CH
19 Seconds: A329S 3CH
22 Seconds: A229 Pro 3CH

The difference may be 2CH vs 3CH, with the main unit taking longer to talk to each remote before starting.

Can you compare A329 2CH vs A329S 2CH?

 

[joe384]

Yes, that's actually the first install I'm going to do.
One of my my favorite parts of testing these cameras is installing them in unconventional locations to give folks an idea they might need more than a basic 2CH Front & Rear system.
Of course running multiple systems is a pain in the "maintenance", but I think it makes up for it with the benefit of redundancy when malfunctions occur.
I’ve been after good side camera placement since 2020 with two different setups.
But I’ve never been 100% happy with the POV of the cameras.
This will be my third attempt.
I’ve been wanting to mount (2) waterproof cameras under both exterior side mirrors ever since we got the RWC200 for the A229 Pro.
But since you can only run one RWC200 per front / main unit, and the huge/thick USB Type-C cable I put it off.
Now that we have the A329S that can operate (2) RWC400 waterproof cameras, and the super slim Coax cable it’s a more attractive installation process.
The POV I’m after is to recreate the Tesla “blind-spot view”.
Also to also catch potential parking lot mayhem.

Yeah, seeing the new waterproof cameras has got me thinking about side cameras again.

95% of the incidents are people damaging my car while parked! The craziest one I had almost a metre gap between my car and the one on my left, and the other driver got in their car and flung the door wide open. It left a dent about a foot in diameter. I left it in the end (the car have previously had a bad repair on that side)

I ran side cameras in the windows for a fair bit back in 2019, but you never quite see the metal on your own car. It is quite handy to get a better idea of what's going on in busy parking areas though.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

HDR Comparison
A329 2CH vs. A329S 3CH

Q: Does the A329S FRONT & REAR cameras have IDENTICAL image quality as A329 FRONT & REAR cameras, or has it been improved?
A:
I’ve done this “side by side” experiment with a few cameras before, and I can usually immediately identify improvements & differences.
However, this time it’s literally splitting hairs.
The image quality from the front & rear cameras is near identical.
But of course all this is meaningless compared to real world driving test footage when everything is moving, (dash cam, and subject).

However, I’m impressed with the A329S because it can deliver near identical image quality with less Bitrate, so maybe something else has been optimised.
Here’s the Bitrate & file size of the (5) cameras tested.

A329 2CH (front / rear)
A329S 3CH (front / rear / waterproof rear) with WW firmware
66 Mbps - 472MB Front A329 2CH
54 Mbps - 384MB Front A329S 3CH
27 Mbps - 196MB Rear A329 2CH
24 Mbps - 172MB Rear A329S 3CH
24 Mbps - 172MB Rear A329S 3CH (waterproof)

Here’s the (5) original files in a Public Google Drive Folder, (please view / download within 24 hours so I can make room for more clips);
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12g8MP7dht81UabzAAL-CJLTpuoJnMHjx?usp=sharing

Here’s the original files up loaded to YouTube for easy viewing;

1.) A329 Front

2.) A329S Front

3.) A329 Rear

4.) A329S Rear

5.) A329S Waterproof Rear

 

[Chuck McCoy]

The difference may be 2CH vs 3CH, with the main unit taking longer to talk to each remote before starting.

Can you compare A329 2CH vs A329S 2CH?

Of course, I should have done that in the first place, thank you.
I might as well do 1CH too.

Bootup Speed Test:
Speed test performed with 512GB Viofo SD Cards.
Cameras powered on at the top of the minute.
Q: How long does it take to start recoding when powered up?
A:
11 Seconds: A329 2CH
19 Seconds: A329S 3CH

11 Seconds: A329 2CH
20 Seconds: A329S 2CH

11 Seconds: A329 1CH
19 Seconds: A329S 1CH

 

[Chuck McCoy]

This post is about my “side” quest for best POV side view dash cams, (left & right side).
This is my third attempt, and I’m 100% sure I almost have the “best” POV, (camera angle).

Starting in 2020 I received a Viofo A129 Plus Duo for test & review from @BlackboxMyCar that put me in the dash cam review game, (shoutout to Broseph, and team).
I was so impressed with the smooth 2K60fps I bought a second A129 Plus Duo with my own cash money.
At first I only intended to put the second Front / Main on the back window so I could have 2K60fps out back.
I left both 1080P “rear cameras” in the box because “Death to 1080P”.
After a few days I figured why not mount the two “left over” 1080P rear cameras on my side windows to make a 4CH system, so I did just that using my 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis, (fine Corinthian Leather).
I chose to install both rear cameras on fixed side windows looking straight out to the sides at 90° degrees.
The challenge was my fixed side windows are on my rear passenger doors, so I had to wire the cameras inside the door panel which was a pain in the “rear”, and I’ll never do that again.
However, I was satisfied with the end result, (at the time).
Here’s an explanation of the installation;

In 2024 I decided to take another stab at side cameras using the “rear cameras” from the A229 Pro, this time using my 2004 Ford Crown Victoria Civilian Base Model, (cloth interior).
Instead of mounting the side cameras on the fixed rear windows like last time, I hung them from the headliner looking out the rear passenger windows, just behind the B-Pillar, (see photo 7).
Since I used a 360° degree ball mount I was able to aim the cameras slightly rearward, but I still could not achieve the “Tesla Side Cam POV” I wanted.
Supplementing the side cameras I also used (2) IR Interior cameras from the A229 Pro mounted in “side view configuration”.
Here’s what that looks like;

Ever since we got the RWC200 (waterproof rear camera) for the A229 Pro I’ve wanted to use those for exterior side cameras mounted under my exterior mirrors.
I never did for two reasons;
1.) A229 Pro only supports (1) RWC200 per front / main unit.
2.) RWC200 uses thick USB Type-C camera cable.
Enter A329WW to solve my “mental installation block”.
The A329S supports (2) RWC400 waterproof rear cameras, and also super slim Coax cable.
Before I permanently mount the RWC400’s by drilling two mounting screw holes in my side mirrors, and additional third hole to route the Coax Cable, and potentially a fourth hole to route the Coax Cable into the passenger compartment, I decided to “test fit” the cameras with my favorite brand of Velcro, (3M Dual Lock) see photo 8.
Working with the A329’s Coax Cables was pleasure in itself.
I was able to bend, twist, and contort the cables to perfectly conform to all the strange pathways.
The Coax cable tends to “keep shape” when you bend them a curtain way, (much different than previous USB remote camera cables).

Here’s what it looks like, (I’ve attached separate unedited / original video files uploaded to YouTube for easy viewing).
I also attached test footage from the A229 Pro left & right side cameras for POV comparison, (filmed simultaneously), and also the “boring” Front, Rear, and IR Interior cameras.
I’ve also attached photos, and diagrams of how the cameras are mounted at the bottom of this post.
Next post should be the same test footage routes at NIGHT TIME, (weather permitting).

HIGHWAY TEST FOOTAGE:

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Here is the same cameras with my city test loop.

CITY TEST FOOTAGE:

 

[GPak]

.......
Q: How long does it take to start recoding when powered up?
A:
11 Seconds: A329 2CH
19 Seconds: A329S 3CH

11 Seconds: A329 2CH
20 Seconds: A329S 2CH

11 Seconds: A329 1CH
19 Seconds: A329S 1CH

More channels and associated image sensor(s), processor(s), multiple files - means more energy is required to keep the 3ch camera running (versus two or one) for a few seconds to properly close recordings and shut down with power off.

More energy – means a larger super capacitor (capacitance-wise), which will take longer to charge, hence increasing boot time.

If the camera is originally designed with a larger capacitor to support 3ch, it will still take the same amount of time to charge those capacitors even if you run it on 1ch.

I know that the original Viofo Mini uses 2x 2.7V, 5F super capacitors.
It would be interesting to know what size capacitors are used in other Viofo cameras, specifically in the A339 and A339S/T/W if anyone has that information.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

will take longer to charge, hence increasing boot time.

Yo GPak,
All those test results were "hot starts".
The cameras were operating for 1 hour before performing the speed test comparison.
How long would I need to wait for the capacitors to fully discharge If I were to perform a "cold start" boot up speed test?
A few hours, maybe a day?

 

[Nigel]

How long would I need to wait for the capacitors to fully discharge If I were to perform a "cold start" boot up speed test?
A few hours, maybe a day?

A super capacitor will hold charge for several days, I don't know if there is anything in the A329 that will discharge it faster, there may be.

Since most people drive twice daily, I think a 12 hour discharge would be a reasonable test, even if that doesn't result in the maximum start time time, it won't be far off maximum time.

If the camera is originally designed with a larger capacitor to support 3ch, it will still take the same amount of time to charge those capacitors even if you run it on 1ch.

Not necessarily true, the camera knows how many channels it has, it tells us every time it starts recording, so it could delay the start of recording until it has enough power for the number of channels in use. I don't expect that it does, I guess the super capacitor is fully charged by the time it has done everything else anyway, but it is possible.

 

[GPak]

Yo GPak,
All those test results were "hot starts".
The cameras were operating for 1 hour before performing the speed test comparison.
How long would I need to wait for the capacitors to fully discharge If I were to perform a "cold start" boot up speed test?
A few hours, maybe a day?

For a dash cam, the capacitors are likely to be almost completely discharged every time the camera is turned off, practically regardless of time.
This is because the capacitors are used/discharged fore a few seconds, to close files and turn off the camera properly.

Keep in mind that capacitors only hold a small amount of energy.
For example, here is the energy capacity of the Viofo Mini super-capacitor by AI:
AI Overview
A 2.7V 5F capacitor stores approximately 0.00378 Watt-hours (Wh) of energy. This is calculated using the formula: Energy (Wh) = 0.5 * Capacitance (F) * Voltage (V)^2 * (1/3600). For this capacitor, that's 0.5 * 5 * 2.7^2 / 3600 = 0.00378 Wh.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

capacitor

capacitors

I’m testing another 3CH dash cam that boots up, and starts recording approximately 2-3 times faster than A329S 3CH.
I have video of the speed test, but not allowed to post it right now, (it does not use capacitors).

 

[Dan-UK1415]

I’m testing another 3CH dash cam that boots up, and starts recording approximately 2-3 times faster than A329S 3CH.
I have video of the speed test, but not allowed to post it right now, (it does not use capacitors).

So it's "infinitely" faster?

 

[Nigel]

A 2.7V 5F capacitor stores approximately 0.00378 Watt-hours (Wh) of energy.

That equals 13.608 Ws. (Watt seconds), at 8W consumption for 3 channels, that is about 1.7 seconds, except there are two of those super capacitors, so it can probably run for a little over 2 seconds before the voltage drops too low. Normally they seem to run a bit longer than that, maybe 3 seconds.

I have video of the speed test, but not allowed to post it right now, (it does not use capacitors).

Then it needs to sort out the files that were corrupted at power loss before it can start writing new stuff to the card, so maybe startup time slows down as the card fills up?... it may do on the Viofo too...

 

[GPak]

A super capacitor will hold charge for several days, I don't know if there is anything in the A329 that will discharge it faster, there may be.

Since most people drive twice daily, I think a 12 hour discharge would be a reasonable test, even if that doesn't result in the maximum start time time, it won't be far off maximum time.

Since the capacitors still may retain a bit of energy after shut-off, there may be some difference between 1 and 12 hours, but I think it is likely negligible.

Not necessarily true, the camera knows how many channels it has, it tells us every time it starts recording, so it could delay the start of recording until it has enough power for the number of channels in use. I don't expect that it does, I guess the super capacitor is fully charged by the time it has done everything else anyway, but it is possible.

I would be surprised if the camera charged the capacitors based on the number of channels. To do that, it would have to calculate the power consumption level precisely, which is an unnecessary complication for a DVR, and perhaps impossible given the tiny amount of power it consumes.

 

[Finnegan]

That equals 13.608 Ws. (Watt seconds), at 8W consumption for 3 channels, that is about 1.7 seconds, except there are two of those super capacitors, so it can probably run for a little over 2 seconds before the voltage drops too low. Normally they seem to run a bit longer than that, maybe 3 seconds.


Then it needs to sort out the files that were corrupted at power loss before it can start writing new stuff to the card, so maybe startup time slows down as the card fills up?... it may do on the Viofo too...

Re the bolded, when I first read about this I just assumed the 2.7v caps were being used more to provide 5vdc as opposed to providing more current.
Isn't 5vdc pretty much baseline?