Pros and Cons: A119S v2 VS A119 v2

[Dont Knowler]

if I hear something I can reply but not something I can promise to keep you updated on

Of course, only if you happen to hear something. Any input you might want to share would be invaluable to the community, since not everyone here has your abilities to obtain information - e.g. via meeting the owner etc.

 

[jokiin]

Of course, only if you happen to hear something. Any input you might want to share would be invaluable to the community, since not everyone here has your abilities to obtain information - e.g. via meeting the owner etc.

I know the owners but there are also several of their resellers that are active on the forums here that probably have some customers that have been affected also so I'm sure you will hear about it on here one way or another as soon as they have things sorted out, some of their resellers also do our brand also so I do hear about these things from time to time and know that others are following up on this as well

 

[OCD Tronic]

Most VIOFO sellers speak to the VIOFO sales team, but I communicate directly with the owners. (and I'm always passing along OCD Tronic & Various Forum member feedback)

 

[Dont Knowler]

Most VIOFO sellers speak to the VIOFO sales team, but I communicate directly with the owners. (and I'm always passing along OCD Tronic & Various Forum member feedback)

Good to know, thank you! Hope you will use your influence to expedite resolution of the focus drift issue. Does not seem to be a very big deal to me: just a proper lens holder is needed, a 0,20USD piece at mass production. Especially after they have had proper (metal) holders in their early batches - why not just switch back from plastic to metal, now that they are aware of the issue? A proper carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic would certainly work too, but it may end up being more expensive than proper metal.

 

[IvanhoeYU]

agree with @jokiin it has to be "whatever is needed" for the public (not experts).
Some of us are not able to fix it even if we receive the new fix holder.
Let's anticipate and suppose that this will be maybe one of the solution but up to what I've seen on some service videos, to replace the holder you need more technical skills, take out the glue, change the holder, fix correctly all this stuff, refocuse, recheck etc.
I suppose that Viofo has some tools and some QC procedure for it.
Doing "DIY" in improper way will be even more dangerous for them as no guarantee that some of us will be able to it as it has to be done.
And if we review this fix as "non working" and chat on forums about it, without really doing it properly and respecting technical procedure, it will be unfair too in front of @viofo too.
cheers

 

[IvanhoeYU]

telling this does someone knows if @Rayman.Chan 's Mini0906 has this focus floating issue up to the temperature range?
some reliable brands there?

does someone has opened the Mini0906 as you guys have done with a119s?
It's interesting to see the optical kit (lens/holder/sensor)?
what material is used?
composite materials, metal, or the vulgar plastic in order to save couple of cents?

even in general it's interesting to know a little bit more about the robustness and construction concepts of dashcams...even if to have good reliability all of details are important (hardware & software).
good to know what kind of "security margin" in term of manufacturing are applied.
it's a little bit strange this story as the automotive industry is exactly where you have the extreme conditions and all serious suppliers know it?
does it mean that this "dashcam industry" is not the automotive one? the asnwer seems to be easy, isn't it?
if the case the "dashcams" are the vulgar gadgets.

and in my A4 2017, I have all the camera and radar system with the auto-pilot (something that Tesla has too) and I can imagine that Audi is doing the proper holder, working in at least -20/+60 °C range (as if not the car we'll not be able to read speed panels, lanes and all things around).
and yes, this Audi optical kit cost more, for sure. BTW there is the Audi dashcam but nobody has looking at this, probably because of the cost.

so we should know what dashcams are the real & functional products, have to be called "dashcams" and all others that are simply something different to be installed on the child's buggy, abused to call them "dashcams".

cheers

ps: in my business, we are dealing with large specs, and even the most powerful calculations can not estimate the extreme/worst cases, but at least the specs are clear, after that it's the matter of the marketing, as the large definition including the technical specs, functionalities etc. etc.
so we bring some "extra" as the assurance...as all of us know, this kind of the dimensioning is also tricky as brings extra cost that maybe you can not sell, or maybe you'll never need this kind of over dimensioned specs...it's better to have it then to have the under dimensioned product...you sell or not sell, but for some manufacturers to sell is the only priority, and at the end, it cost much more to loose the customers, market and never having the brand...

 

[Dont Knowler]

but for some manufacturers to sell is the only priority, and at the end, it cost much more to loose the customers, market and never having the brand

Good point.

 

[IvanhoeYU]

@Hombré , seems to me that you have no clue how the industry is working. better to say how the project and also product management proceed...R&D, supply chain, purchasing, prototyping, real field learning curve, service escalation, fixing, on field evaluation...not going into all phases...it was just compressed in couple of words and in ironic way that you are probably not able to understand as you read in first degree, but never mind, wait and see and you can be able to comment it in 2018. it will be better if you have something constructive to say as I suppose that you can do some effort up to you profile...or it's asking you too much?

 

[BCHobbyist]

Does this focus drift concerns all dashcams or only a119s?

I've done some tests, thanks @gse, and I'll continue to do some more in order to be sure 100% but first result confirms what you're saying.
the operating temperature of the @viofo a119s influences the focus?!

when the dashcam is cold, at least in my case, the focus is clear for objects at bigger distance, after 1h of operating and the dashcam becomes hot, the objects near the lens becomes clear and well focused and distant objects become blurry (of course compared to what have been focused clearly when the lens was cold). now I am understanding better why I am disappointing by Viofo a119s. it works good only for first 5 min...

good to know as if tests confirms this floating of the focus my a119s goes back to amazon and 1* to Viofo.

cheers

What you describe is a defective Lens module (glass lens and sensor and circuit), from VIOFO's website create Service Ticket and request either new Dashcam or just Lens Module for DIY swap. Will take 30 to 60 days to arrive. VIOFO's quality control is marginal at best, I know from experience..

 

[IvanhoeYU]

Hi,

it's funny how the telepathy is working?! We are ALL connected ;-)

I was looking at your video over youtube, and lost a lot of time to found and finally recovered my password there in order to be able to ask you do you have attention to check the focus drifts and refocusing of the A119S V2 and you're writing here with the answer lol.

yes I've created the service ticket at Viofo and kindly asked them if possible to do DIY, so receive the lens Module.
it's not possible and viofo asks the dashcam to be sent to them.
Sending items from China to France is not expensive, and I've thought is more simple, but sending from France to China is really costly.
so I'll try to ask them again, 3rd trial, but if they insist for the 3rd time to receive the dashcam back I'm afraid that my Viofo experience will be stopped here if no other solution or fix.
It was interesting for me to try to fix it and if not possible with some spares I'll not wait 2 months without the dashcam, sending to China... I'll find more serious manufacturer next time if no happy end in this case.
Maybe I'll send it back to Amazon, in France Viofo has bad reviews anyway, so one more or less from my side will not change sales for Viofo.
Maybe I'll try to refocus it, but if you're right and there is the damage on the module it will be more tricky.

BTW I have an another A119S V2 and this one has the similar problem of the temperature focus drift. When I compare between two of them, both have the focus drift, one is more pronounced and can be seen easily, and another is visible but not so shocking.
Both of them have the good focus at the start up / cold state.

So I don't believe a lot in the damaged lens, OK could be with both if I am not lucky, but at that point...could be something else. Viofo do probably the focus in cold stage, and more or less of the drift brings the result more or less visible.

Thanks again, and if you do the refocusing of the lens V2 and you post your video on youtube, inform us here please.

Cheers

Ivan

PS : BTW, if i'm not wrong the V2 is F1.6 coated; and the V1 is 1.8 non coated (on youtube you've permuted values ;-))

 

[BCHobbyist]

Hi,

it's funny how the telepathy is working?! We are ALL connected ;-)

I was looking at your video over youtube, and lost a lot of time to found and finally recovered my password there in order to be able to ask you do you have attention to check the focus drifts and refocusing of the A119S V2 and you're writing here with the answer lol.

yes I've created the service ticket at Viofo and kindly asked them if possible to do DIY, so receive the lens Module.
it's not possible and viofo asks the dashcam to be sent to them.
Sending items from China to France is not expensive, and I've thought is more simple, but sending from France to China is really costly.
so I'll try to ask them again, 3rd trial, but if they insist for the 3rd time to receive the dashcam back I'm afraid that my Viofo experience will be stopped here if no other solution or fix.
It was interesting for me to try to fix it and if not possible with some spares I'll not wait 2 months without the dashcam, sending to China... I'll find more serious manufacturer next time if no happy end in this case.
Maybe I'll send it back to Amazon, in France Viofo has bad reviews anyway, so one more or less from my side will not change sales for Viofo.
Maybe I'll try to refocus it, but if you're right and there is the damage on the module it will be more tricky.

BTW I have an another A119S V2 and this one has the similar problem of the temperature focus drift. When I compare between two of them, both have the focus drift, one is more pronounced and can be seen easily, and another is visible but not so shocking.
Both of them have the good focus at the start up / cold state.

So I don't believe a lot in the damaged lens, OK could be with both if I am not lucky, but at that point...could be something else. Viofo do probably the focus in cold stage, and more or less of the drift brings the result more or less visible.

Thanks again, and if you do the refocusing of the lens V2 and you post your video on youtube, inform us here please.
Cheers
Ivan
PS : BTW, if i'm not wrong the V2 is F1.6 coated; and the V1 is 1.8 non coated (on youtube you've permuted values ;-))

The original 2016 batch of A119S Dashcams included the V1 F1.6 uncoated Lens with metal base, the newer V2 F1.6 Lens is uncoated with plastic base, the ultra new V2 F1.8 coated Lens has plastic base.
(To verify a Lens is coated hold under LED/Fluorescent bulb, angle to catch reflection of bulb on glass lens, if slight green tint its coated)
I responded to this query on my 'Lens Refocus' video on my YouTube channel, check your email.

If the A119S naked lens (out of dashcam but still connected via ribbon cable) in your hand shifts focus after set period of time using FW1.01 it is defective and must be covered by warranty.
Always contact original vendor (Amazon) first then manufacturer (VIOFO) last.

Suspect causes: (1)loose lens holder (2)sensor board heat flexing (3)sensor itself is over heating (4)glass element is loose and shifting inside barrel (5)chipset is making incorrect focus adjustments similar to hot pixel masking (6)bad solder joint near or under Sony Sensor chip that connects/disconnects with temp changes.

DIY repairs: (5)downgrade Firmware to version 1.01 (3)only use 30fps, file loop 3min, 64GB card max, disable FCWS/LDWS (1+2)do not over torque base screws. (4+6)defective hardware

this video compares original V1 F1.6 Lens with metal base to the Ultra New V2 F1.8 coated Lens (note the green tint from the light bulb reflection)

 

[IvanhoeYU]

checked, the lens is the coated one, so the last "ultra new V2 F1.8 coated",
the temperature seems to be OK with the FW 1.0 or 2.1.
Both FW give the same focus drift....
the sensor is well tighten with the mount, no particular issue.

question:

theoretically,what should be the rotation of the upper lens regarding the plastic holder, clockwise or counterclockwise, in order to obtain the good focus for distant objects in "worm" state, and if we consider that actually:

- cold state: distant objects have good focus, closer objects blurred slightly,
- worm state: distant objects blurred, closer objects become well focused,

the idea is to turn 1mm but in the right sens, having distant objects well focused when operating, and tolerate a little bit blurred close ones.
thanks

 

[IvanhoeYU]

and as you can see the sensor electronic board is the Street Guardian SG9663DC...we have the low cost, single channel version of the street guardian 9663 in our Viofo A119s...not working probably so good as SG but the potential is there with the right fix ;-)

what a pity not to have this "famous" SG metallic holder as @gse has explained; I'm sure that it doesn't cost a fortune.

I'm anticipating the comments of some of you that we compare not the same specs..so agree that moreover the hardware there are the FW, the tech and service support, R&D etc.
it explains the price difference...

so one prove more that @jokiin is doing the good job, taking from the similar hardware the maximum. the good lesson for other manufacturers.

anyway, it's a huge waste not having the good lens mount/holder for Viofo...really something difficult to understand as they have probably have seen the focus drift in the R&D phase...no way that nobody has seen it, no way...in my case it's confirmed with two A119S and if some of you would like to do the real tests with your precious A119S you'll probably have a big chance (or some risk, read it as you would like ;-) ) to come to the same conclusion.

cheers

sensor board from the A119S V2

 

[BCHobbyist]

checked, the lens is the coated one, so the last "ultra new V2 F1.8 coated",
the temperature seems to be OK with the FW 1.0 or 2.1.
Both FW give the same focus drift....
the sensor is well tighten with the mount, no particular issue.

question:

theoretically,what should be the rotation of the upper lens regarding the plastic holder, clockwise or counterclockwise, in order to obtain the good focus for distant objects in "worm" state, and if we consider that actually:

- cold state: distant objects have good focus, closer objects blurred slightly,
- worm state: distant objects blurred, closer objects become well focused,

the idea is to turn 1mm but in the right sens, having distant objects well focused when operating, and tolerate a little bit blurred close ones.
thanks

excellent detail on your Focus issue, as demonstrated in my April 2017 'Lens Refocus' video for the original V1 F1.6 metal base lens, anyone can improve a poorly Focused lens.
Best method is insert memory card and Record full range of tiny adjustments aiming lens at distant object in room or out window speaking out loud the adjustment and direction turned from ZERO Point, then pause and repeat with next adjustment. This is shown in my video below. Each Lens from assembly line can be in any focus position, either too advanced or not enough so any advice I give on direction to turn is pointless. Suggest both directions but don't rotate more than 2mm either way. It will take 3 or 4 attempts after reviewing the test footage to get it just right. No need for an external monitor. Use a needle to pry off all glue around Lens threads.
After Refocus use the Dashcam for a week of daily driving while reviewing the clips for tweaking then once satisfied re-glue the Lens threads using UV-Glue or similar softish glue (not super glue).