Fixed! Problem with Installing Modified Firmware

[Skeezix]

Today I wanted to try some of the modified firmware in my A119. It currently has version 4.01 loaded. I copied version FWBA119_MOD-5Ro_v4.00+25Mbps+Enhanced+Dice.bin to a memory card and verified that the file transferred (it did).

Then I connected the A119 to my computer and waited 5 seconds or so for the green and the red LEDs under the buttons to blink slowly 4 or 5 times, and then flash for a few seconds, then blink, then flash, etc. That never happened. When I checked the firmware version on the A119 it had not changed from version 4.01, it simply began recording. So I repeated the process using version 3.4 and had the same result. The modified firmware did not install into the A119.

The instructions that I wrote when I originally installed the 4.01 firmware said if I change the name of the file it will not install into the A119. When I tried to install version 3.4 I made sure that the filename on the card was:

FWBA119_FW_V3.4.bin

So what should I change the name to?

And if I do and it loads correctly into the A119, how will I know that I have installed the modified firmware?

 

[CaptureYourAction]

File name should be FWBA119.bin. All versions have the same name.

 

[Skeezix]

Okay, I changed the name to FWBA119.bin and got the same results. Here is exactly what I did:

1. Download the new FW file from the bottom of the support.viofo.com page. The file name should be FWBA119_FW_V#_##.bin where # is the revision of the firmware. (The filename was only FWBA119.bin)
2. Remove the card from the A119 and put it in the computer.

3. Copy the -.bin file from the computer to the card.

4. Verify that the file is indeed on the card, then put it back into the A119.

5. Connect the A119 to the computer. After 5 seconds or so, the green and the red LEDs under the buttons should slowly blink 4 or 5 times, and then flash for a few seconds, then blink, then flash, etc. When the update is finished, the A119 will display "MicroSD Card Reader Mode". (I used a standard USB cable for this connection. The green and red LEDs under the buttons did NOT flash or blink. After the 5 seconds some words displayed so fast I couldn't read them. That was followed by the words "MicroSD Card Reader Mode".)

6. Reinstall the A119 into the car, and turn the ignition on, and wait 10 seconds. When the A119 is ready, the firmware parameter should read 4.0 (or whatever),and the red LED under the REC button should remain on. (What happened was the A119 came up as it normally does with the REC button on and the red LED slowly flashing. It was as if nothing was transferred. The firmware version showed 4.01)

What did I do wrong?

 

[CaptureYourAction]

V4.01 is the latest and the one on the Viofo site (even though it stated as V4.0). If you have V4.01 on the camera, then that's the latest.

 

[Kremmen]

I never try and update the firmware via a PC.

Put firmware file on a small, just formatted, SDCard. Plug cam into mobile phone wall charger or use the car connection.

 

[Skeezix]

Okay, so Step 5 in my last post should read "Install the A119 into the car... " rather than "Connect the A119 to the computer..." ?

I'll give that a try. Must have something to do with the difference in USB cables. The one in the car only has the plus and minus volt wires connected, and the one I use to connect the A119 to the computer has the Data+ and Data- leads connected as well.

 

[Kremmen]

I always use a mobile phone usb wall charger.

I put the car bit in for reference