Help deciding between Viofo models

[eastwestsider]

• A229 Duo: 2k+2k, 5GHz WiFi, voice notifications, other upgrades
• A129 Pro Duo: 4k
• A129 Plus Duo: 2k
• A129 Duo: 1080p

Should I just get the A229, since it's the latest and theoretically greatest?

 

[mm0sdk]

I'm in the same boat. Not sure what to go for, prices seem to be increased recently too.

 

[foghelmut]

Is there a reason they made the A229 2k while the A129 Pro comes in 4k?

 

[Dashmellow]

Is there a reason they made the A229 2k while the A129 Pro comes in 4k?

2K is often considered the "sweet spot" for dash cam resolution compared with 4K which can have issues with excess heat, low light performance and other concerns. 2K can also be more compatible and more easily viewed than 4K if and when you need to hand off video to a third party such law enforcement, insurance companies and law offices. Not everyone has 4K monitors or graphics cards available (or even 2K for that matter) but the idea is you want your dash cam video to be as easy as possible for the widest variety of people to view. 2K seems to be the perfect compromise these days. You can also fit more 2K footage onto a smaller capacity memory card than 4K.

 

[Nigel]

Is there a reason they made the A229 2k while the A129 Pro comes in 4k?

I think the main reason is that it is cheaper, and for many people 2K is fine. 4k has an advantage in places that have smaller and more difficult to read plates, and in places with wider roads.

The A229 Pro may be 4K, then there would be a choice like with the A129 models, the current A229 is just the start of the line.

 

[EdSM]

• A229 Duo: 2k+2k, 5GHz WiFi, voice notifications, other upgrades
• A129 Pro Duo: 4k
• A129 Plus Duo: 2k
• A129 Duo: 1080p

Should I just get the A229, since it's the latest and theoretically greatest?

Well, the only significant difference I see between the A129 and A229 is the better resolution on the rear-view camera from 1080p to 1440p. This increase is fairly marginal in my opinion. As a disclaimer I have the A129 model and I do not really see a compelling reason to choose the A229 over the A129 at this time.

The main feature I was hoping to see is the ability of the camera to run as a WIFI client (station mode) and not as a WIFI server but that feature is not here yet although it was announced a while ago: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/looking-for-a-dashcam-that-supports-rtsp.39079/#post-581624. I believe they did implement that on the A 139 model.

Why is the WIFI client a big deal? Well, it helps if you wish to have your dashcam stream its video to your phone or your NVR when you are at home so you can see why the alarm went off or maybe you would like to see when the mailman or gusts arrive in your parking lot using your dashcam. The good news is that you can do it even with the A129(WIFI server) model the bad news is that it requires you to connect your device to its WIFI server and therefore you lose your internet connection. When they will enable the camera to work as a WIFI client and not a server you will be able to add it to your home WIFI network extend its WIFI range using a router and keep your internet connection. I tried to run a person detection service that will show me when a package is dropped off in my yard using the video stream that comes from the A129 but unfortunately this detection service is in the cloud so I cannot access it without an internet connection. To get around the issue I found this free app on google app store that does the person detection on the Viofo video stream and records on my phone without the need for an internet connection. It is called Birds ai view. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.unicordia.dc_free. However, I still wish I could keep my internet connection when I connect to my dash cam.