Dual 4k Dash cam.

[Panzer Platform]

Even the A119V3 had issues with longer USB cables, which is why I'm surprised the 20 foot USB cable worked with the A129 Pro. 22 gauge or better wire seems to be the key.

Just to clarify, I'm using the 20ft Mini USB cable to power one of my A129 Plus Duo's, (not a Pro Duo).
If I remember correctly my A129 Plus Duo uses 335mA @ 12.28 Volts.
When I tested my Pro Duo it was slightly higher around 400mA.
-Chuck

 

[Milos7]

-Chuck
I meant about power consumption for 4 camera setup. I like to have good 40-50h of park time in case I don't drive between Friday and Sunday for example. Or during the whole weekend. Im thinking to put second bigger battery in parallel to extend time if needed.

 

[Panzer Platform]

-Chuck
I meant about power consumption for 4 camera setup. I like to have good 40-50h of park time in case I don't drive between Friday and Sunday for example. Or during the whole weekend. Im thinking to put second bigger battery in parallel to extend time if needed.

Oh, OK.
Sorry for the confusion.
Another option instead on installing a second battery would be to just plug in a small solar battery charger.
This model delivers around 500mA.
An A129 Pro Duo 4K uses around 400mA.
Like this;

-Chuck

 

[CaptureYourAction]

When I had my A129 Pro Duo, I discovered that using it as a single channel without the rear cam connected it DID NOT increase recording time.
I found Viofo permanely blocks a portion of the SD Card memory just for the rear camera.
So even though the rear cam is not being used, you do not get the available space for the front camera.

Did you confirm this with Viofo? Can't say as I've ever heard this before. Doesn't sound right.

 

[kamkar]

I think on viofo cameras also, a set portion of the storage space are set aside for event recordings, but just how large this space is are never listed by any brand.
Or for that matter if that space are dynamic or not.
Personally i have never had any issue in regard to this, i did once test it with a SG camera, and i did note that there was plenty room for many event videos in that space, but i cant recall how much it was that was taken up by all the events i created pressing the event button while the camera was running here on my PC table.

Right now i have the 256 GB card from my A229 camera in the card reader and it is full to the brim with video, but there are only 4 event recordings on the card, so if a set space was locked for this there should be a gab of empty space ?

 

[Panzer Platform]

Did you confirm this with Viofo? Can't say as I've ever heard this before. Doesn't sound right.

I just checked the support tickets I submitted back in March 2020, (see attached screenshot).
It looks like I failed to report it, (I only had the camera for 21 days).

I just double checked on my A129 Plus Duo.
When the rear camera not conected it does not increase recording time on the SD Card.
It looks like it has the same issue.
-Chuck

 

[Nigel]

I think on viofo cameras also, a set portion of the storage space are set aside for event recordings, but just how large this space is are never listed by any brand.
Or for that matter if that space are dynamic or not.

I think the event recording space has a maximum % of the card size, unless it has changed since I last looked into it, and once used by event files, this space is unusable by normal files.

I don't think that explains what PP describes though, it has nothing to do with the rear camera, and I agree with CYA, I've never seen the described behaviour, my cards always fill up to nearly full, rear camera or not.

There is always a bit of empty space kept for new files, and more empty space is created before it is needed, since the card can need to do some housekeeping before deleted files become available as genuinely free space.

If you remove the rear camera and record for long enough, you will end up with a card full of front files and all rear files deleted.

 

[kamkar]

Indeed on my card when i looked there was 1.8 GB of available space, but this i assume are just part of the routine as if the card filled very much up before deleting old files, that might be a problem.
The mentioned issue here do sound very weird to me too, and it is not behavior i have seen with any camera, and i have tested all 2 channel systems in 1 channel too.
But never seen this issue where a not connected rear camera would still eat up storage.

 

[DAP]

Im not worried about current from the power sources

You should be.
I'm running two A129 pro cameras (not duos) in my car. I originally had them powered using 15' USB extension cables, and the cameras were randomly re-booting. I replaced the cables with ones I made with 16 gauge lamp cord, and that fixed the problem. The problem could also have been fixed by running 12V to the back of the car and using a real short USB cable from the 5V voltage regulator.

Doubling the current drawn through a single cable would have doubled the voltage drop. Even if the power supply could handle 5V at 4A of current, trying to run that much current through a single USB cable would cause a significant voltage drop. Much better to run two cables in parallel, or run 12V and put the 5V regulator near the camera.

 

[Panzer Platform]

Hey Kamkar, and Nigel,
Maybe I have made a grave error.
I'll have to go back, and triple check.

The reason I said not connecting the rear camera does not increase recording time is because when I format my 64GB SD Card in my A129 Plus Duo on low bitrate I get 7 hours, and 7 minutes of recording time on the LCD screen display.

When I disconnect the rear camera, and do the same format with the same settings I get the same 7 hours, and 7 minutes of recording time on the LCD Display.
Sorry for all the trouble. lol
-Chuck

 

[Nigel]

When I disconnect the rear camera, and do the same format with the same settings I get the same 7 hours, and 7 minutes of recording time on the LCD Display.

It is not very easy for it to predict how much of the time you are going to have the rear camera plugged in, so it just makes a guess, seems it’s predictions of the future are not always correct!