ursamajor
Active Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2013
- Messages
- 418
- Reaction score
- 148
- Location
- Braila (27.59E 45.16N)
- Country
- Romania
- Dash Cam
- Viofo A129+, LS650W, GoClever DVR Extreme Gold
jokiin,
I told you I have more information. Not sure if I should tell here, but because you still persevere in contradict me, I will reveal them...
The developement of the events was:
In december 2020, right after testing a bit my just arrived A119V3, I reported it as defective camera to Viofo.ro (the reseller). This happened in the same time with the circus made on this thread by the betatester of Viofo.ro (you know him well), who wanted to convince me that the camera is perfectly functional, though I offered contrary proofs. I sent the camera back for replacement, but the reseller said that ALL cameras from his new stock are THE SAME. In the mean time, he asked to the betatester to come urgently in Eforie (Viofo's Ro "headquarters"), probably to confirm/infirm what I said. Of course, they tested a functional camera... I'm sure, from another older batch.
Reseller recomended me to wait for the next year batch. I waited the new batch (2021), it arrived ~ 12.01.2021. I placed my order, but reseller didn't process it. I contacted him by email and he told me that the new batch could have same audio issues and he recomended me to accept an A129Plus instead A119V3. After watching and analyzing some/more videos, I accepted A129Plus. Indeed, it's newer, it has some extra features and, more important to me, it has better optics: it's sharper than A119V3's.
That's my odyssey with Viofo's DVRs. And the fact that there are other people from distant contries who have issues, that means the issue is overspread. Some reported it, some don't care about it, some don't even know about it... they will face it at the first video playback.
On the other hand, let's accept that some cameras were fixed by FW update (probably a CUSTOM v. 2.1, special for "upgraded" batches)... "Upgraded", ie probably cheaper and bad (unappropriate) microphones. But that replacement using the same chipset/motherboard (w/o no changes in the electronic design) led to the disastrous functionality of the audio chain. Increasing the gain from firmware means to push to extreme the electronics. What that means? Lower reliability perhaps? It's a rhetorical question, don't bother answering.
I think Viofo should THANK me because I discovered the big issue and reported it, not to blame me through some people. I assure you that they know about the issue since december... soon after my report.
Kremmen, chill out... I know what a defective device is.
My new A129Plus has the same volume as your V3 (I heard it in your uploaded file). I also tested my A129Plus indoor and in the car. The sound is the same. Don't teach one's grandmother to suck eggs (I hope the expression is correct, we have in romanian: "you sell cucumber to the gardener").

PS: third case of defective sound: https://www.viofo.com/community/index.php?threads/a119-v3-recording-volume-issue.27101/
PPS: for me, anyway, the case is closed (I have a functional camera now, as it should be), but I'm disapponinted because of many facts, one of them being the messages in this thread, by SOME people who don't have even half of the experience I have in the field of audio, photo and video, nor my technical training, I can smell it on them...
I know, these are hard times for manufacturers, but also for customers, don't forget. The trust is hard to gain but very easy to lose.
I told you I have more information. Not sure if I should tell here, but because you still persevere in contradict me, I will reveal them...
The developement of the events was:
In december 2020, right after testing a bit my just arrived A119V3, I reported it as defective camera to Viofo.ro (the reseller). This happened in the same time with the circus made on this thread by the betatester of Viofo.ro (you know him well), who wanted to convince me that the camera is perfectly functional, though I offered contrary proofs. I sent the camera back for replacement, but the reseller said that ALL cameras from his new stock are THE SAME. In the mean time, he asked to the betatester to come urgently in Eforie (Viofo's Ro "headquarters"), probably to confirm/infirm what I said. Of course, they tested a functional camera... I'm sure, from another older batch.
Reseller recomended me to wait for the next year batch. I waited the new batch (2021), it arrived ~ 12.01.2021. I placed my order, but reseller didn't process it. I contacted him by email and he told me that the new batch could have same audio issues and he recomended me to accept an A129Plus instead A119V3. After watching and analyzing some/more videos, I accepted A129Plus. Indeed, it's newer, it has some extra features and, more important to me, it has better optics: it's sharper than A119V3's.
That's my odyssey with Viofo's DVRs. And the fact that there are other people from distant contries who have issues, that means the issue is overspread. Some reported it, some don't care about it, some don't even know about it... they will face it at the first video playback.
On the other hand, let's accept that some cameras were fixed by FW update (probably a CUSTOM v. 2.1, special for "upgraded" batches)... "Upgraded", ie probably cheaper and bad (unappropriate) microphones. But that replacement using the same chipset/motherboard (w/o no changes in the electronic design) led to the disastrous functionality of the audio chain. Increasing the gain from firmware means to push to extreme the electronics. What that means? Lower reliability perhaps? It's a rhetorical question, don't bother answering.
I think Viofo should THANK me because I discovered the big issue and reported it, not to blame me through some people. I assure you that they know about the issue since december... soon after my report.
Kremmen, chill out... I know what a defective device is.
My new A129Plus has the same volume as your V3 (I heard it in your uploaded file). I also tested my A129Plus indoor and in the car. The sound is the same. Don't teach one's grandmother to suck eggs (I hope the expression is correct, we have in romanian: "you sell cucumber to the gardener").
PS: third case of defective sound: https://www.viofo.com/community/index.php?threads/a119-v3-recording-volume-issue.27101/
PPS: for me, anyway, the case is closed (I have a functional camera now, as it should be), but I'm disapponinted because of many facts, one of them being the messages in this thread, by SOME people who don't have even half of the experience I have in the field of audio, photo and video, nor my technical training, I can smell it on them...
I know, these are hard times for manufacturers, but also for customers, don't forget. The trust is hard to gain but very easy to lose.
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