Analysis Paralysis during research for a new cam

[Vortex Radar]

Well depending on if the overheating issue is still present on the A329S/T (Anyone tested in hot weather???) this MAY be an option but tentative until tested.

Sounds like Vueroid has the best approach with a temperature monitoring system in place. If they could implement a Hybrid system combination, this would the most ideal solution. As in OP's case, switching from Normal to LPID wouldn't give him the extended recording times needed.

The OP said he needs to record for 12 hours after just a 10 min drive.

Doing some quick back of the napkin math on a 96 Wh battery based off of RCG's numbers, that would give somewhere between just 2-3 hours of parking record time in a traditional parking recording mode.

 

[lufa6977]

@Vortex Radar @lufa6977 Does lower power parking mode default to impact detection on Viofo A329 S/T after hitting a certain voltage? I've never been a huge fan of impact detection. If someone tried to break into your car, keys your car, vandalizes the vehicle, etc in a manner that won't trigger impact, you're screwed. It's not to say this will happen, but it's a possibility.

I'd say using a low FPS would be better than impact detection, but that's me. I'm not sure how much voltage a 1, 5, or 15 FPS on vantrue uses or whatever settings are available on Viofo. Op is is Arizona which is hotter than hell. So that's another consideration, too.

I don't have an A329, so I can't say. My overall view of this matter, based on the OP's requirements, is that his biggest need is a dashcam that will withstand the heat. That puts him in the Vueroid S1-4K territory; it has a known high-heat survivability rate and a lower return rate than many other dashcams on the market. His first consideration should be: 'Will my dashcam survive the heat?' I have yet to have any of my Vueroid products fail me in heat or cold, nor have they failed to detect motion or impact. Of course, users will need to test whether the low, medium, or high settings work best for their automobile and windshield.

As for power usage, I have yet to experience a dead car battery from a Vueroid product. OP can use the available power features with impact/motion settings and likely will not need an auxiliary battery pack. If the OP wants an auxiliary battery pack, that is fine, but for his drive times, he should probably be willing to bring the pack inside and charge and cycle it at least once a week.

I like Vueroid and Viofo products, but I prefer Vueroid. I prefer the build, design, and engineering of Vueroid. I also like that I do not need additional hardware like the HK between the battery and the dashcam. I prefer battery voltage to the dashcam, and then the voltage is regulated to 5VDC or whatever a component on the dashcam requires.

Viofo has a more extensive feature set and options, but that comes at a cost in terms of money, complexity, and reliability due to the added hardware and associated firmware or software. Many extra features are for enthusiasts, and at the end of the day, if all a person needs is reliable recording while parking and driving, then the OP will need to determine which features he really needs.

 

[jsmith]

The OP said he needs to record for 12 hours after just a 10 min drive.

Doing some quick back of the napkin math on a 96 Wh battery based off of RCG's numbers, that would give somewhere between just 2-3 hours of parking record time in a traditional parking recording mode.

I suggest OP invest in Cell Link Neo / Blackvue / Viofo battery pack. He's trying to accomplish a task (12 hrs of recording) with an inefficient method. A "Maybe I'll Capture Something" via LPID after the fact instead of running a parking mode that will guarantee capture. Given that OP is parking under an overpass, and his vehicle is likely left unattended in a secluded spot, he's more likely to have his vehicle damaged through a break-in / theft.

 

[jsmith]

I like Vueroid and Viofo products, but I prefer Vueroid. I prefer the build, design, and engineering of Vueroid. I also like that I do not need additional hardware like the HK between the battery and the dashcam. I prefer battery voltage to the dashcam, and then the voltage is regulated to 5VDC or whatever a component on the dashcam requires.

Viofo has a more extensive feature set and options, but that comes at a cost in terms of money, complexity, and reliability due to the added hardware and associated firmware or software. Many extra features are for enthusiasts, and at the end of the day, if all a person needs is reliable recording while parking and driving, then the OP will need to determine which features he really needs.

Can you please elaborate, as I don't understand what you wrote. Viofo uses the HK6 that gives the ability to monitor voltage and set a software based cutoff or hardware based cutoff (via hardwire kit). I'm not sure if the two are independent of each other or if the hardwire kit itself overrides the software setting on camera.

I presume the Vueroid uses a hardwire kit, too. Does their kit not have a voltage cutoff? Is their camera regulated by a software setting?

 

[rcg530]

When any dash camera states that it draws "very low power" in parking mode, it will only detect impact events. Video(s) created will not be buffered since they start recording within 1-to-2 seconds after the impact is detected in low power impact detection parking mode.

The current generation of VIOFO dash cameras that support low power impact detection [LPID] [A329S series], consume 30 mA to 43 mA depending on how many cameras are connected. That somewhat elevated low power draw level is a vast improvement compared to the VIOFO traditional parking modes [Auto Event Detection, Time-Lapse, Low Bitrate]. Will the 43 mA power draw greatly reduce the amount of time your vehicle's battery can power it compared to a dash camera that only draws 1 mA in its low power parking mode, yes it can.

I'm going to use my dash camera battery pack projected parking mode time estimates with a 96 Wh battery pack.

My time estimates are based on a simplifying assumption that 100% of the dash camera battery pack's stored capacity is available for use. If the dash camera's hardwire kit has its own low voltage protection feature, the hardwire kit's low voltage protection feature will almost always turn off power to the dash camera before the dash camera battery pack would have turned its DC output power to the dash camera/kit. You might be able to get 85% to 90% of the estimated time based on those restrictions.

A329S consuming 30 mA in LPID: 10 days 12 hours 37 minutes
A329S consuming 35 mA in LPID: 9 days 2 hours 10 minutes
A329S consuming 43 mA in LPID: 7 days 9 hours 46 minutes
Other dash camera consuming 1 mA in its low power impact detection mode: 400 days [in theory]

LPID - VIOFO Style:

While the A329S dash camera is in LPID, it will boot and start recording 60-second videos within 1-to-2 seconds of detecting the impact event. It then returns to low power mode waiting for another impact event.

LPID - Others [VUEROID, BlackVue ELITE, Thinkware U3000/U3000 Pro]:

Some of the other dash cameras with a similar low power impact detection parking mode will approach the situation a little different. When first entering low power parking mode, the dash camera doesn't immediately go into low power impact detection parking mode. The dash camera will go into a monitoring and/or recording mode for a short period of time. If an impact occurs during this initial monitoring period, it will create buffered recording(s) for qualifying impact/motion events. When this initial monitoring period finishes, the dash camera does go into the 1 mA low power mode and it waits for an impact to occur.

If a qualifying impact event is detected, the dash camera will start recording within 1-to-2 seconds. When the unbuffered impact video(s) have finished recording, the dash camera does not go back to low power mode immediately. It will monitor for a period of time waiting for qualifying motion/impacts [depending on the make/model/parking mode/sensitivity settings]. If a qualifying impact/motion event takes place during this monitoring period, buffered video(s) will be created. When this monitoring period finishes, the dash camera will go back into the low power draw parking mode and start the cycle again [waiting for an impact event].

The monitoring periods before/after the LPID low power draw time periods consume significantly more power than the LPID 1 mA portion of this parking mode. Depending on how many impacts occur, the theorectical 400 day time estimate I listed above can be greatly reduced. All dash cameras will consume far more power while it's creating videos due to the LPID detected impact event. The dash cameras with additional monitoring periods before/after LPID mode will consume a few hundred milliamps while in those monitoring periods.