Getting started- which accessories?

[inertiacreep]

I haven't had a great amount of time to research too much, so I am still learning a lot and getting ready for my first dash cam as soon as Spring is here. I have decided on the A329 and want to place my order for everything but have some questions.

On Amazon, the A329 is significantly cheaper if purchased in a bundle with accessories. At first I was going to get the bundle with the hardwire kit, but here are my questions now.

1. If I get a battery pack (100% planning), the hardwire kit is completely unnecessary? (give best battery recommendation)
2. How does the battery pack charge? And how is it wired for a clean installation? My car battery is in the trunk which I hook up to a Ctek charger every day. Would this be the best place for it?
3. If I get an external SSD (100% planning) then a micro SD is completely unnecessary?
4. How is a SSD wired for a clean installation? (I read into the glove box might be good, but I need a USB cable. Would appreciate a link to a good solution)
5. How many hours recording is 2tb vs 4tb? Is 2tb good enough?

Appreciate anyone who can answer these

 

[Julian23]

I can help with some of these questions.

2: Most batteries can be charged by either the cigarette socket at a lower amperage or when hardwired at a higher amperage. What you use it up to you.
3: The micro SD is not totally useless. It will act as a fallback if the SSD encounters any issues. This way the camera will record.

 

[Augustus]

I haven't had a great amount of time to research too much, so I am still learning a lot and getting ready for my first dash cam as soon as Spring is here. I have decided on the A329 and want to place my order for everything but have some questions.

On Amazon, the A329 is significantly cheaper if purchased in a bundle with accessories. At first I was going to get the bundle with the hardwire kit, but here are my questions now.

1. If I get a battery pack (100% planning), the hardwire kit is completely unnecessary? (give best battery recommendation)
2. How does the battery pack charge? And how is it wired for a clean installation? My car battery is in the trunk which I hook up to a Ctek charger every day. Would this be the best place for it?
3. If I get an external SSD (100% planning) then a micro SD is completely unnecessary?
4. How is a SSD wired for a clean installation? (I read into the glove box might be good, but I need a USB cable. Would appreciate a link to a good solution)
5. How many hours recording is 2tb vs 4tb? Is 2tb good enough?

Appreciate anyone who can answer these

4. You would need a Viofo official USB cable available in either 1.8m or 2.5m lengths. The 1.8m just fits around in a mid sized sedan so I'd recommend the 2.5m length. It is a usb 2.0 not usb 3.0 cable. For now you'll also have to stick to the recommended SSDs such as Samsung T7 as other external SSDs have had issues with the A329, even though in theory they should be compatible. I wouldn't get the SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD as though it's on the recommended list, a quick Google of this model will show the issues and lawsuit against SanDisk for this particular model.

 

[Nigel]

1. If I get a battery pack (100% planning), the hardwire kit is completely unnecessary? (give best battery recommendation)

1. You probably still want the hardwire kit, because most dashcam batteries output 12V, which still wants converting into 5V USB for the dashcam and the Viofo hardwire kits do a good (efficient) job of that, also for best parking mode the dashcam would like the ACC input from the battery to indicate when you are parked, which most battery packs don't give over USB.

2. Yes, put the battery pack next to the car battery. If the hardwire kit wont reach the dashcam from there, extend the 12V wires to reach the hardwire kit, don't extend the USB because voltage losses on the USB are a problem, while voltage losses on the 12V are zero problem.

3. A microSD card is a backup for a failed SSD, might as well put a small one in the camera, although it may never get used. You can also use the microSD card to transfer files, although most people will use wifi to the phone unless you are making road movies and want a lot of files, in which case you will probably take the SSD to the computer.

4. There seems to be a general view that the glovebox is not a good place, mainly because it is hard to get the limited length cable to it in many cars. You may want it well hidden, you may want it easily accessible, depending on how you are going to use it. The glove box does give easy accessibility and the ability to physically lock it up with car alarm protection if you have a convertible.

 

[Augustus]

1. You probably still want the hardwire kit, because most dashcam batteries output 12V, which still wants converting into 5V USB for the dashcam and the Viofo hardwire kits do a good (efficient) job of that, also for best parking mode the dashcam would like the ACC input from the battery to indicate when you are parked, which most battery packs don't give over USB.

2. Yes, put the battery pack next to the car battery. If the hardwire kit wont reach the dashcam from there, extend the 12V wires to reach the hardwire kit, don't extend the USB because voltage losses on the USB are a problem, while voltage losses on the 12V are zero problem.

3. A microSD card is a backup for a failed SSD, might as well put a small one in the camera, although it may never get used. You can also use the microSD card to transfer files, although most people will use wifi to the phone unless you are making road movies and want a lot of files, in which case you will probably take the SSD to the computer.

4. There seems to be a general view that the glovebox is not a good place, mainly because it is hard to get the limited length cable to it in many cars. You may want it well hidden, you may want it easily accessible, depending on how you are going to use it. The glove box does give easy accessibility and the ability to physically lock it up with car alarm protection if you have a convertible.

To add to 3., don't even need take the SSD out to Pc/Mac/device, I have mine stuck in the glovebox and just connect it to my laptop there and then when I want to do bulk transfers. In which case is probably advisable to have a usb 3.1 data cable.

Always handy to have the options.

 

[inertiacreep]

Thanks for the replies

I can help with some of these questions.

2: Most batteries can be charged by either the cigarette socket at a lower amperage or when hardwired at a higher amperage. What you use it up to you.

1. You probably still want the hardwire kit, because most dashcam batteries output 12V, which still wants converting into 5V USB for the dashcam and the Viofo hardwire kits do a good (efficient) job of that, also for best parking mode the dashcam would like the ACC input from the battery to indicate when you are parked, which most battery packs don't give over USB.

2. Yes, put the battery pack next to the car battery. If the hardwire kit wont reach the dashcam from there, extend the 12V wires to reach the hardwire kit, don't extend the USB because voltage losses on the USB are a problem, while voltage losses on the 12V are zero problem.

Ok, so are you saying that I get the hardwire kit + a battery pack and that hardwired to my car battery, the Viofo will still use the battery pack instead for parking mode but just receives the signal from the car battery? And then the car battery will charge the battery pack? I'm kind of confused. Also the hardwire kit is reasonably long that it might reach to the trunk?

4. There seems to be a general view that the glovebox is not a good place, mainly because it is hard to get the limited length cable to it in many cars. You may want it well hidden, you may want it easily accessible, depending on how you are going to use it. The glove box does give easy accessibility and the ability to physically lock it up with car alarm protection if you have a convertible.

What are some other options then? I saw one review on Amazon that has it mounted on the backside of the rear view mirror, which looked really clean. What did they use to mount it like that?

Also any input on how many hours I'll get with 2tb vs 4tb? I would really prefer the 2tb for price. And yea, I'm planning on the Samsung T7 shield.

 

[mentadent]

Make sure you get a CPL Polarizing Filter.

 

[Nigel]

Ok, so are you saying that I get the hardwire kit + a battery pack and that hardwired to my car battery, the Viofo will still use the battery pack instead for parking mode but just receives the signal from the car battery? And then the car battery will charge the battery pack? I'm kind of confused. Also the hardwire kit is reasonably long that it might reach to the trunk?

The battery pack connects to the car battery and a switched input such as the accessory supply
The dashcam connects the the Viofo hardwire kit, and that connects to the dashcam battery pack.
The hardwire kit will not reach the trunk, although there may be an extended one available if you ask customer support. Normally you just add some 12V automotive cable of the required length between the dashcam battery and hardwire kit.

I saw one review on Amazon that has it mounted on the backside of the rear view mirror, which looked really clean. What did they use to mount it like that?

I wouldn't put it there out of choice, as it would be sitting in the sun and would get rather hot on a sunny summer day.

 

[Dan-UK1415]

My set up is battery pack located under passenger seat. This is hardwired to the car.
The dashcam (can use any dashcam) then connects to the battery using it's normal cigarette lighter socket - so the dashcam doesn't need to be hardwired when using a battery pack.
The battery pack is hardwired instead.
I connect it to an ignition on related fuse on internal fuse box (ie, a front or rear cigarette lighter port fuse, navigation screen fuse etc - that is 15a or more and only comes on when ignition is on).
That way the battery charges when the car is on, and drains normally when the car is off - so it's not on a permanent live.

 

[blinkenjim]

4. You would need a Viofo official USB cable available in either 1.8m or 2.5m lengths. The 1.8m just fits around in a mid sized sedan so I'd recommend the 2.5m length. It is a usb 2.0 not usb 3.0 cable. For now you'll also have to stick to the recommended SSDs such as Samsung T7 as other external SSDs have had issues with the A329, even though in theory they should be compatible. I wouldn't get the SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD as though it's on the recommended list, a quick Google of this model will show the issues and lawsuit against SanDisk for this particular model.

I ran a cable from my dashcam into the sunglasses bay in the car's overhead console. I'll probably move that to a cooler location once temps reach 90F or so (this is Houston, so a few weeks).

I've been able to use a 12" cable because the dashcam location is so close to the overhead. I've been using a Crucial P3 Plus 2 TB SSD in an Orico 40 Gbps enclosure. The camera can't take advantage of that speed, of course, but my PC can, via Thunderbolt, so offloading video proceeds much faster (I regularly offload video). The Crucial SSD has performed perfectly, as best I can tell.

SSDs generate a lot of their own heat, so they're heat tolerant, but running at elevated temperatures does damage them over time, so I'm definitely looking for a cooler place to stash my SSD. I've thought about trying to find a large, flat metal surface I can attach the enclosure to -- essentially, I'm looking for a way to use the car's body as a giant heat sink. If I can find a place like that that's not too inconvenient, I'll use it (I'm not very hopeful).

If that doesn't work, the glove compartment (why are they still called that?) seems like a good spot, or perhaps I'll stash it under a seat.

 

[blinkenjim]

Also any input on how many hours I'll get with 2tb vs 4tb? I would really prefer the 2tb for price. And yea, I'm planning on the Samsung T7 shield.

On my 2 TB SSD, I get about two weeks, but I recently retired, so I no longer drive an hour a day commuting to and from work.

How long you will get depends on your recording rates and how much you drive. For driving mode, I use maximum bitrate, but for parking I use 1 fps time-lapse. My parking mode files use about 5% the data rate of driving mode files (accounting for the difference in video length per file). That together with the fact that I don't drive a whole lot these days probably accounts for the fact that I can go up to 2 weeks without filling the drive.

Obviously, your drive-to-parking ratio and the data rates you choose with have a big impact on how long your SSD will last before it's full.

 

[Augustus]

I ran a cable from my dashcam into the sunglasses bay in the car's overhead console. I'll probably move that to a cooler location once temps reach 90F or so (this is Houston, so a few weeks).

I've been able to use a 12" cable because the dashcam location is so close to the overhead. I've been using a Crucial P3 Plus 2 TB SSD in an Orico 40 Gbps enclosure. The camera can't take advantage of that speed, of course, but my PC can, via Thunderbolt, so offloading video proceeds much faster (I regularly offload video). The Crucial SSD has performed perfectly, as best I can tell.

SSDs generate a lot of their own heat, so they're heat tolerant, but running at elevated temperatures does damage them over time, so I'm definitely looking for a cooler place to stash my SSD. I've thought about trying to find a large, flat metal surface I can attach the enclosure to -- essentially, I'm looking for a way to use the car's body as a giant heat sink. If I can find a place like that that's not too inconvenient, I'll use it (I'm not very hopeful).

If that doesn't work, the glove compartment (why are they still called that?) seems like a good spot, or perhaps I'll stash it under a seat.

Glad to hear your setup is working for you. I had an external SSD, the Kingston xs1000 that works with everything else I've thrown at it but every five or ten startups of my vehicle, doesn't start recording to the SSD. Then has incessant beeping until I tell it to move to microSD or restart the engine. And I don't even have an enclosure

Others have posted threads about how their enclosures aren't working with the A329, so hopefully yours stays working but compatibility is still the wild wild west with the A329, hopefully something they fix with the A329S series in the future. If they decide to implement SSD support again.

 

[Zerozee]

Glad to hear your setup is working for you. I had an external SSD, the Kingston xs1000 that works with everything else I've thrown at it but every five or ten startups of my vehicle, doesn't start recording to the SSD. Then has incessant beeping until I tell it to move to microSD or restart the engine. And I don't even have an enclosure

Others have posted threads about how their enclosures aren't working with the A329, so hopefully yours stays working but compatibility is still the wild wild west with the A329, hopefully something they fix with the A329S series in the future. If they decide to implement SSD support again.

Seriously 😒 even kingston xs1000 is 1 fail over 5 time is huge number, it’s very inconvenient.

@inertiacreep for your reference, my 4TB ssd, set low bitrate, 4K 30frame for 2 channel, i dont set record time lapse, i got around ~200 hours recording.

 

[Augustus]

Seriously 😒 even kingston xs1000 is 1 fail over 5 time is huge number, it’s very inconvenient.

@inertiacreep for your reference, my 4TB ssd, set low bitrate, 4K 30frame for 2 channel, i dont set record time lapse, i got around ~200 hours recording.

I know right. I don't have high hopes for the A329S series - the SSD support is still there but anticipating problems.