Lost all confidence in my A119 V3.

[JockoT]

Today I made 5 trips and not one of them was recorded. I am positive that at the start of at least one the camera chimed to let me know it had started. My first manoeuvre is out of a narrow gate through a large hedge and across a pavement. I had just completed this movement when the camera chimed and I thought to myself if someone walked in front of me while exiting the gate the camera wouldn't capture it as it takes time to boot up. I have no boot delay, the camera just takes 12 seconds after applying power before it starts up (I just timed it in the house using a USB supply).
I will install it back in the car and try it the next time I am out (possibly a few days away). Unfortunately, the camera is behind the mirror and I cannot see it from the driving seat.
I may have to revert back to my Nextbase, currently my rear gunner.

Just thinking about it. It failed to record three trips on Sunday as well (the last time I was out before today). It did record the first on Sunday. However, despite being set for a Loop Recording length of 10 minutes it stopped after 3 min 15 sec and during that time there was a brief pause/glitch in the recording. It recorded no more since then though it is recording as I play with it.

 

[Dashmellow]

First thing to do is try a different memory card. Also, you can first try reformatting and testing your old memory card with H2testw. You might also try reinstalling your camera's firmware and then press the hard reset button before entering your settings.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

How are you powering it?

What memory card are you using?

What settings did you change from the default?

Are you plugged into the GPS mount or direct to the camera?

What firmware version are you on?

 

[kamkar]

yeah if you are using creative power, you should try the provided source.
Erratic powering up / recording are often a sign of power issues.

 

[JockoT]

It is powered from the Aux socket in my car (ignition controlled) connected to the GPS base.
I use a SanDisK 256 Gb micro SDXC memory card.
I changed the resolution, loop time and G sensor as well as switching off HDR.
I recently updated the Firmware to the latest VIOFO supplied V2.5.
It records fine on the bench using a mains USB supply.

I wondered about the integrity of the car's supply but I have a GPS speedometer from the same port and it is performing flawlessly.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

When you say Aux socket, is this the 12V power port (cigarette lighter)?

Which SanDisk model? The High Endurance?

When you updated the firmware, did you manually default the cameras settings, then press and hold the hard reset button on the side of the camera for about 5 seconds? If not, do so.

Connect power direct to the camera during testing to eliminate the GPS as the issue. GPS will still work.

 

[JockoT]

Cigarette lighter/aux power.
High Endurance.
I did not do a hard reset because VIOFO's instructions didn't tell me to. I have now manually defaulted to factory settings, did a hard reset and input my own choice of settings.
I will leave the camera running powered from the mains USB supply and see what happens. It will probably be Sunday before I am back in the car.

 

[Kremmen]

1) Have you set the 5 second boot delay ?
2) Is this your new Civic?
3) Turn all the parking mode and g-sensor settings to off or low as each one lists.

I'm not convinced that endurance cards work well with dashcams. I'm using a Samsung Evo Plus U3 128Gb that has been going strong for over 3 years now. I bought mine from Scan as at the time there were loads of fakes around.

With regard to the Civic, the power socket is very deep and not all power plugs reach the bottom properly and vibration can cause temporary disconnections. I've got 4 USB power socket converters and only 1 works properly.

Nextbase and Viofo power lead power and terminals are identical. I'm powering my V3 from a Nextbase hardwire kit. Switch the leads and use the Nextbase lead with the Viofo cam. Maybe the Nextbase power plug is slightly longer ?

 

[Kremmen]

Just for reference here are my settings that have proved to be very reliable for me (using Firmware 1.03) :

Resolution - 2560x1440 30fps
Bitrate - High
Loop Recording - 3 Minutes
Video Format MP4
Exposure - +0.0
WDR - Off
Parking Mode - Off
Parking G-sensor - Low Sensitivity
Parking Motion Detection - Low Sensitivity
Time-Lapse Recording - Off
Motion Detection - Off
GPS - On
Speed Unit - MPH
G-Sensor - Off
Date Stamp - On
GPS Info Stamp - All Info
Camera Model Stamp - On
Record Audio - On
Screen Saver - 1 Minute
Boot Delay - 5 Seconds
LED - On
Date/Time N/A
Time Zone N/A
Language N/A
Beep Sound - On
Frequency - 50Hz
Custom Fields N/A
Image Rotation - Off
Firmware Version - A119V3: V1.03 Build 20190924

SDCard:

KremSearch (Just so I can search in the future and find this post)

 

[JockoT]

I have the boot delay set to Off as it takes 12 seconds to boot up anyway. I have never had issues previously though I only bought and fitted the camera and SD card at the beginning of September.
As for the car, I still have the Mk 1 Jazz. I do not use the parking sensor at all as I only have the car powered up when the ignition is on.

 

[Kremmen]

Set the boot delay to 5 secs as a test.

When you first turn on the ignition to Pos 1 the cam starts to power up. Then when you turn to ignition to Pos 2 and then the sprung starter motor position, that can temporarily cut power to the power socket, and other things, and the cam can detect no power and start to shutdown.

It's still in shutdown mode when power is restored so doesn't detect the ignition trigger.

 

[Harsh]

Are you using the supplied USB cable and 12 - 5V charger? If not, what's the output amperage on the charger being used.

From what I've experienced and observed, most of the time, such issues are power or card related.

 

[Kremmen]

From what I've experienced and observed, most of the time, such issues are power or card related.

Yep

 

[JockoT]

I use a quality cable that was installed for my previous camera. The supply is 5V 4.8A split between two USB devices.
I will try the 5-second boot delay.
I ran the camera overnight with 7 hours recorded flawlessly, powered from my 13A socket with inbuilt USB supply.

 

[kamkar]

I just had some issues with a viofo camera ( the T130 ) it would randomly reboot or at least suddenly give the startup announcement, so i assume it have rebooted.
Anyway the problem was the U3 / V30 / A2 Adata endurance card, put in a U3 / V30 / A1 kingston canvas select plus card and everything is good again.
The Adata card i can hit with 4K / 60 FPS footage at 100 mbit in my action camera, and there it just work. Clearly the write speed of the Adata card are not insufficient for what the T130 do, so something else must be the issue.

The 3.1 A outlet in your wall socket seem to be a indicator of the camera are power starved in the car, this could be a result of a failing PSU or at least with a longer cable a power drop in that due to it being poor quality.
I once had a rear camera in the end of a long poor quality USB wire, it was clear for weeks that the camera booting and recording was random, and in the end cost me a direct recording when i got rear ended, so that was a lesson learned the hard way,,,,, even if there was no issue with the crash itself the guy assumed responsibility just fine.

If the camera was a 2 channel system, the rear camera and the wire to it failing could also cause similar problems, in that case unplug it and it should be fine with just the front camera.

 

[Dashmellow]

I use a quality cable that was installed for my previous camera.

The A119 V3 comes with and requires a 22 AWG cable to operate properly. Many other dash cams come with cables that have thinner wires such as 24 AWG or 28 AWG. It is not uncommon to see reports here on the forum of members installing Viofo cameras using their previous camera's cable because it was already installed and then running into problems. So, even if the previous camera had a "high quality" cable it would be a good idea to check and see if it is a suitable wire gauge. You may need to go back and reinstall the camera using the supplied cable.

 

[Kremmen]

It would be a shame to ditch the Viofo when IMO it gives far better results.

 

[Harsh]

I use a quality cable that was installed for my previous camera.

My money's on the cable.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

I'm still a little confused as to how he is actually powering the camera. He said he is using the 12V Aux port (cigarette lighter port), but then says he's using a splitter which supplies 4.8A split between two ports. But, then posts a picture of a splitter that reads 3.1A. Is this a picture of what you actually using?
In the car, you should be testing with the supplied 12V car adapter and long Viofo USB power cable. You need to eliminate all aftermarket (and old) equipment during testing.

 

[JockoT]

The cable I have installed is 22AWG the same as the VIOFO. I do not have two cameras connected to the same power supply. My rear camera runs from a stand-alone Poweradd Pilot X7.
There is a GPS speedometer connected to the 4.8A dual output supply as well as the VIOFO. 400mA load.