Disappointed with Viofo for Abandoning A129 Duo Owners

Leave it to BMW to over-complicate their cars. But rather than searching for problems we should be looking for solutions. A simple google search reveals how the BMW BST works. There are apparently several versions but they all have a screw down post that does not get disconnected from the battery when the main line is disconnected in an emergency. So, there is no real issue getting constant 12V power source if you want it, unless an impact is so great that the battery itself is damaged.
 
Leave it to BMW to over-complicate their cars. But rather than searching for problems we should be looking for solutions. A simple google search reveals how the BMW BST works. There are apparently several versions but they all have a screw down post that does not get disconnected from the battery when the main line is disconnected in an emergency. So, there is no real issue getting constant 12V power source if you want it, unless an impact is so great that the battery itself is damaged.
I have a Duo wired directly from the battery on my BMW and it works great until I use Bufferd parking mode when it's recording everything with motion detection! When it's left in this parking mode over night and restart the car it tells me that the battery is in low power mode! But starts ok !
I just would like better adjustment for the motion detection!
It's looking like things are improving with G Sencer firmware so hopefully they are going in the right direction!
 
I have a Duo wired directly from the battery on my BMW and it works great until I use Bufferd parking mode when it's recording everything with motion detection! When it's left in this parking mode over night and restart the car it tells me that the battery is in low power mode! But starts ok !
I just would like better adjustment for the motion detection!
It's looking like things are improving with G Sencer firmware so hopefully they are going in the right direction!
Maybe you need to raise the low-voltage cut-off. Is your car a Diesel one? The Diesels require more battery power to start.
 
Maybe you need to raise the low-voltage cut-off. Is your car a Diesel one? The Diesels require more battery power to start.
I've tried it on the different settings it doesn't make a lot difference! It's the number of recordings I would like more control over!!
 
I've tried it on the different settings it doesn't make a lot difference! It's the number of recordings I would like more control over!!

Maybe in your case of having mistakenly purchased a BMW the best option is actually the expensive Cellink Neo -- connected to the BST-enabled battery terminal. I've read some horrible stories about even changing the battery in a BMW, needing to reset codes, reprogram modules, etc. and the cost of that would be much greater than the Cellink Neo. In case you are not aware of how it works, it will only charge its own internal auxiliary battery when your car is on, and it will provide power to the dashcam when the car is off, so there is no draw at all from the car's battery in parking mode.

I bought a Japanese car actually manufactured in Japan. While they too are getting unnecessarily complicated, there are only two steps to changing the battery.
Step 1: Change the battery.
Step 2: Drink a beer.
All the rest happens on its own.
 
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Maybe in your case of having mistakenly purchased a BMW the best option is actually the expensive Cellink Neo -- connected to the BST-enabled battery terminal. I've read some horrible stories about even changing the battery in a BMW, needing to reset codes, reprogram modules, etc. and the cost of that would be much greater than the Cellink Neo. In case you are not aware of how it works, it will only charge its own internal auxiliary battery when your car is on, and it will provide power to the dashcam when the car is off, so there is no draw at all from the car's battery in parking mode.

I bought a Japanese car actually manufactured in Japan. While they too are getting unnecessarily complicated, there are only two steps to changing the battery.
Step 1: Change the battery.
Step 2: Drink a beer.
All the rest happens on its own.
The only mistake I made was believing Viofo had dash cam with Bufferd Parking Mode that worked as advertised! And as regards to buying a B M W it's best car I've owned and driven! I've had a lot cars In my life that's 50 years of owning cars and I've never kept a car longer than 30 months! I've had my BMW nearly 7 years and I look forward to driving it every day!!! If anything needs changing it's the dash cam !! It would be a lot cheaper!
 
The only mistake I made was believing Viofo had dash cam with Bufferd Parking Mode that worked as advertised! And as regards to buying a B M W it's best car I've owned and driven! I've had a lot cars In my life that's 50 years of owning cars and I've never kept a car longer than 30 months! I've had my BMW nearly 7 years and I look forward to driving it every day!!! If anything needs changing it's the dash cam !! It would be a lot cheaper!
I don't disagree about the A129 failing to deliver upon its promised parking modes, though if your BMW is seven years old and you have not yet changed the battery, that could be a contributing factor in the low power mode warnings after using parking mode.
 
I don't disagree about the A129 failing to deliver upon its promised parking modes, though if your BMW is seven years old and you have not yet changed the battery, that could be a contributing factor in the low power mode warnings after using parking mode.
The battery is brand new not 6 months old!
 
I don't disagree about the A129 failing to deliver upon its promised parking modes, though if your BMW is seven years old and you have not yet changed the battery, that could be a contributing factor in the low power mode warnings after using parking mode.
the battery warning is a BMW thing, it sees a voltage drop that doesn't belong so sends a warning
 
the battery warning is a BMW thing, it sees a voltage drop that doesn't belong so sends a warning
But if the dash cam only recorded the things that it's meant to record the battery issue would not be a problem!
 
But if the dash cam only recorded the things that it's meant to record the battery issue would not be a problem!
camera still needs to be powered for parking mode, even if it records nothing all night it's still drawing power, if it's running off the vehicle battery there's going to be a voltage drop and the car will throw a warning, standard BMW stuff
 
camera still needs to be powered for parking mode, even if it records nothing all night it's still drawing power, if it's running off the vehicle battery there's going to be a voltage drop and the car will throw a warning, standard BMW stuff
So if the dash cam is in parking mode and doesn't detect any movement and not recording,is it useing power ? If it isn't then there wouldn't be such a power drain would there ?
 
So if the dash cam is in parking mode and doesn't detect any movement and not recording,is it useing power ? If it isn't then there wouldn't be such a power drain would there ?
it uses a bit less power, but not a great difference, you will still have voltage drop overnight, don't blame the camera for this one, any camera will do the same with your BMW, this is the major reason things like the Cellink Neo came to be
 
it uses a bit less power, but not a great difference, you will still have voltage drop overnight, don't blame the camera for this one, any camera will do the same with your BMW, this is the major reason things like the Cellink Neo came to be
So if I lash out £300.00 plus for a Cellink Neo will that make my dash cam work in Bufferd Parking Mode motion detection as it should ?
 
So if I lash out £300.00 plus for a Cellink Neo will that make my dash cam work in Bufferd Parking Mode motion detection as it should ?
the Cellink Neo will make your camera independent of the vehicle electrical system when the car is off so you won't get any warnings about problems, it won't fix any firmware problems in your camera
 
the Cellink Neo will make your camera independent of the vehicle electrical system when the car is off so you won't get any warnings about problems, it won't fix any firmware problems in your camera
Just as I thought until the camera delivers Bufferd Parking Mode as advertised and it sounds like there isn't a camera that does,then there's no point in spending any more money is there!
 
Just as I thought until the camera delivers Bufferd Parking Mode as advertised and it sounds like there isn't a camera that does,then there's no point in spending any more money is there!
buffered parking mode, working or not, is not going to stop the low battery warnings you get on a BMW from having a camera powered overnight running off the vehicle battery
 
Just as I thought until the camera delivers Bufferd Parking Mode as advertised and it sounds like there isn't a camera that does,then there's no point in spending any more money is there!

Buffered parking mode uses almost as much power as driving mode. In buffered parking mode, the camera is still doing everything except saving files. That is not much power saving.
G-sensor activation should use considerably less power. Others here have performed actual measurements so the specifics are posted on this board somewhere.
I cannot keep up with which parking modes currently work , and which are the biggest headache.

And yes, until you're happy with the implemented buffered parking mode, probably no reason to consider a cellink neo unless the low battery warning bothers you.
 
Buffered parking mode uses almost as much power as driving mode. In buffered parking mode, the camera is still doing everything except saving files. That is not much power saving.
G-sensor activation should use considerably less power. Others here have performed actual measurements so the specifics are posted on this board somewhere.
I cannot keep up with which parking modes currently work , and which are the biggest headache.

And yes, until you're happy with the implemented buffered parking mode, probably no reason to consider a cellink neo unless the low battery warning bothers you.
I've stopped using Parking Mode it's not fit for purpose, I just use the cam when the car is running it works fine no issues!
I just wished I hadn't believed what Viofo had promised!
 
I've stopped using Parking Mode it's not fit for purpose, I just use the cam when the car is running it works fine no issues!
I just wished I hadn't believed what Viofo had promised!
I'm looking to buy an A129 duo. Is the buffered mode really not working properly or is your problem that it causes a low battery signal?
 
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