Does the Viofo A129 duo ever go on sale?

[Gooffeyguy]

My buffered parking mode works fine also. The only problem I think is the shock (G) sensor sensitivity during parking mode

 

[StrayCam]

First of all, it one does not use the GPS mount for the A129, you cannot use buffered parking mode at all; so if you intend to use the half of the buffered parking mode that seems to work (auto detection) you need to mount to the gps mount. If someone bangs into your car, the g-sensor does not work at all! That's not a small issue but a "major issue". People who purchased the A129 with buffered parking mode want to know if something bangs into their car or if someone breaks into their their car out of camera sight.

Viofo has offered non-beta versions of firmware 1.8 and 1.9, but neither work for g-sensor detection in buffered parking mode. When a "non-beta" version of firmware is offered to consumers, it normally means "all is well and running" with the firmware...Not the case here with Viofo! - - And although the A129 users have patiently waited for a "fix", Viofo has pushed those users to the back of the bus while they focus on new products for new sales. - - Unfortunately both the upcoming "new users" as well as the "old users" will be on the receiving-end of mediocre customer support from Viofo.

Btw, here's a link to the other thread that Sdeel491 mentioned above:

Buffered Parking mode

I'd rather them be hard at work on fixing the problem.... Lol Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Yeah, I would as well, but "customer service" is very important! I'm reminded of an old saying: "A prospective customer doesn't care how much you know about your product or your service...

dashcamtalk.com

 

[Gooffeyguy]

Why does using the gps mount or not make a difference being able to use buffered parking mode or not?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Nigel]

Why does using the gps mount or not make a difference to being able to use buffered parking mode or not?

I doesn't, StrayCam is wrong!

The camera does need to know when to enter and exit parking mode, which means that you probably want the HK3 hardwire kit so that it can switch when you start/stop the engine. If you don't have the HK3 then it will do it when it sees/doesn't see movement on the GPS.

or if someone breaks into their their car out of camera sight.

I'm not sure that recording an event that the camera can't see is an essential feature?
Of course if the camera can see something then it will record anyway, g-sensor trigger or not, so a correctly working g-sensor is not an essential feature either.
Buffered parking mode recording is triggered by visual motion detection, not by the g-sensor.

 

[gabilondo77]

I'm not sure that recording an event that the camera can't see is an essential feature?
Of course if the camera can see something then it will record anyway, g-sensor trigger or not, so a correctly working g-sensor is not an essential feature either.
Buffered parking mode recording is triggered by visual motion detection, not by the g-sensor.

+1000 for that..so true..

 

[Gooffeyguy]

I agree, but it won't be a locked recording and could be overwritten if left parked long enough. That's the only benefit I see for the g-sensor

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[StrayCam]

It doesn't, StrayCam is wrong!

Yes Nigel, you are right. I stand corrected. I have both of my cables connected directly to my camera which is the way it should be.

I'm not sure that recording an event that the camera can't see is an essential feature?
Of course if the camera can see something then it will record anyway, g-sensor trigger or not, so a correctly working g-sensor is not an essential feature either.
Buffered parking mode recording is triggered by visual motion detection, not by the g-sensor.

It appears your g-sensor comment is in contradiction to what Viofo says about their auto-detection mode/buffered parking and g-sensor. Here's their quote:

"If you set Parking mode- Auto Event Detection, the buffered parking mode will work. If the camera gets into parking mode and there is movement or impact be detected, the camera will record starting 15 seconds before the event and finishing 30 seconds after the event." -Viofo

So if someone bangs into your car, the video starts recording whether it sees something or not. - - Not only will it/should it lock that video in the RO (read only) file telling you there was something more than a mere visual detection (which happens all the time), but it will alert you to the fact that there was some impact on your vehicle. If by chance in the 15 seconds prior to or 30 seconds subsequent to the impact detected by the g-sensor the vehicle or person crosses your camera-view path, you will be able to connect the car/person to the impact incident.

Without the G-sensor alert in your RO file, you would have to (1) detect the impact area yourself and (2) sift through your hours of video looking for the incident. - - Of course, there's always the chance that you don't notice the impact on your car for days or weeks; by then the video could have been recorded over. - - So yes, G-sensor really does serve an important function.

 

[Nigel]

Yes Nigel, you are right. I stand corrected. I have both of my cables connected directly to my camera which is the way it should be.

It appears your g-sensor comment is in contradiction to what Viofo says about their auto-detection mode/buffered parking and g-sensor. Here's their quote:
...

Plugging the power into the main camera instead of the mount adds more complexity. Unless you have an older mount that doesn't support the HK3 input then I would recommend plugging into the mount.

Hopefully Viofo will soon receive an updated SDK from Novatek and the g-sensor will be able to operate as you and Viofo expected it to work. SDK updates are infrequent and a bit unpredictable though so some patience is required and don't expect anyone to give you an accurate release date.

 

[jokiin]

SDK updates are infrequent and a bit unpredictable though so some patience is required and don't expect anyone to give you an accurate release date.

there's a bunch of fixes that have been requested for the SDK, it's not a quick process and Novatek don't offer any timeframe on it either, it's not possible to know what requests have come from their other customers which are also pending, it does take time but it's generally to the benefit of many of the customers

 

[Nigel]

there's a bunch of fixes that have been requested for the SDK, it's not a quick process and Novatek don't offer any timeframe on it either, it's not possible to know what requests have come from their other customers which are also pending, it does take time but it's generally to the benefit of many of the customers

At least it is Novatek and not Amberella, so the fixes will arrive!

 

[jokiin]

At least it is Novatek and not Amberella, so the fixes will arrive!

very true, Ambarella release great lists of features that will never actually arrive

 

[StrayCam]

Plugging the power into the main camera instead of the mount adds more complexity. Unless you have an older mount that doesn't support the HK3 input then I would recommend plugging into the mount.

Hopefully Viofo will soon receive an updated SDK from Novatek and the g-sensor will be able to operate as you and Viofo expected it to work. SDK updates are infrequent and a bit unpredictable though so some patience is required and don't expect anyone to give you an accurate release date.

Nigel-

Everything I've seen on this forum and via Viofo says if you want to use the HW3 kit with the A129 Duo, use the camera inputs for the two cables. I'm not sure why you are saying to plug into the gps mount...?

Unlike me admitting to a mistake, I can see you chose to remain silent on your mistake about what gets recorded when the g-sensor is triggered in parking mode....np, as long as other readers/users understand what's accurate.

Other than Jokiin referencing a third party vendor, I have not seen anyone talking about that here on the A129 threads, this one or the buffered parking thread? - - Once again, wouldn't it be nice if @viofo made an appearance here on these threads instead of making customers "speculate" on what needs to happen to make the A129 Duo work properly. - Of course that's not normally how Viofo operates...they just kind of disappear for months at at time!

 

[Andy555]

Nigel-

Everything I've seen on this forum and via Viofo says if you want to use the HW3 kit with the A129 Duo, use the camera inputs for the two cables. I'm not sure why you are saying to plug into the gps mount...?

Unlike me admitting to a mistake, I can see you chose to remain silent on your mistake about what gets recorded when the g-sensor is triggered in parking mode....np, as long as other readers/users understand what's accurate.

Other than Jokiin referencing a third party vendor, I have not seen anyone talking about that here on the A129 threads, this one or the buffered parking thread? - - Once again, wouldn't it be nice if @viofo made an appearance here on these threads instead of making customers "speculate" on what needs to happen to make the A129 Duo work properly. - Of course that's not normally how Viofo operates...they just kind of disappear for months at at time!

Did Viofo murder your family or something? They really seem to make you angry.

Honestly if having a stable buffered parking mode is such a priority for you, I don't understand why you didn't just go for Blackvue Dr900s or another high end cam.