Rattle buttons

Kremmen

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Dash Cam
2 x Viofo A119 V3
My first V3, bought within 6 months of release is fine, but, my spare V3, bought recently, has a rattling noise over less than perfect roads.

After a couple of tests over known problem roads, if I hold my hand lightly over the buttons ....... silent.

So I need a ploy to put light pressure on the buttons.

I do need the mic active, before anyone suggests it :)
 
A strip of electrical insulation tape over the buttons definitely sorts the problem, but doesn't look very nice! If you don't use the buttons much then it is an OK answer.

A lot of the earlier Viofo cameras had minor button rattles, so just replacing it quite possibly won't sort the issue, once you know it is there then you can't miss even very minor rattles! The latest cameras A119 Mini, A229 seem to have completely solved the issue.

If you don't mind taking it apart then inserting something on the back of the plastic buttons to close the gap to the actual switch will work, or a blob of eg silicone grease, or even silicone sealant on the edge of the buttons will also solve the issue.
 
Thanks

Yes it is under warranty but I can't be bothered as the next one, as mentioned, may be similar.

Silicone sealant is worth investigating.
 
A strip of electrical insulation tape over the buttons definitely sorts the problem, but doesn't look very nice! If you don't use the buttons much then it is an OK answer.

A lot of the earlier Viofo cameras had minor button rattles, so just replacing it quite possibly won't sort the issue, once you know it is there then you can't miss even very minor rattles! The latest cameras A119 Mini, A229 seem to have completely solved the issue.

If you don't mind taking it apart then inserting something on the back of the plastic buttons to close the gap to the actual switch will work, or a blob of eg silicone grease, or even silicone sealant on the edge of the buttons will also solve the issue.

Over the years I've encountered several cameras that have had rattling buttons and I've tried every solution you recommend. While they can prove useful in the short run, none of them proved viable in the long run. Lubricants applied to the buttons can become rather messy depending upon the temperature of the camera and in certain situations can interfere with the functionality of the buttons if it works its way into the contacts.
 
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My first V3, bought within 6 months of release is fine, but, my spare V3, bought recently, has a rattling noise over less than perfect roads.

After a couple of tests over known problem roads, if I hold my hand lightly over the buttons ....... silent.

So I need a ploy to put light pressure on the buttons.

I do need the mic active, before anyone suggests it :)
Taken from the Russian forum 4pda.
A similar rattle of the buttons was cured by disassembling and gluing the seals between the plastic of the buttons and the buttons themselves on the board. I cut squares from the complete foamed sealant for the joint of the DVR with the base. The plastic of the buttons rattled because of the gap, the sealant chose the gap and the buttons became silent.
21885664.jpg21885665.jpg
 
Thanks

Yes it is under warranty but I can't be bothered as the next one, as mentioned, may be similar.

Silicone sealant is worth investigating.

I would suggest that a piece of tape over the buttons may be the simplest and most straightforward fix-it to try. Look for the thinnest tape that will do the job. One issue I recall was that sometimes the tape won't allow to button to rebound quite enough, so you may have to experiment with how it is applied. If it works for you, you may have to replace the tape in the long run.
 
Silicone sealant is worth investigating.
Only use it for joining the plastic buttons to the plastic case, don't get any on the electronics, and give it an hour to dry before putting the case back together. (It can be quite corrosive on metal, including the fumes.)

Sometimes a small strip of 3M pad can do that job very nicely, and tends to stick better, but I'm not sure that there is room for it.
 
I like the idea of using the 0.5mm EVA foam to cushion the buttons.

It looks like the EVA foam has been cut and placed inside the button recess. Rather than try and be clever cutting squares I have a set of small punches and I know I will have one that stamps out a perfect size 'dot'.

Looking at that Russian site this button rattle is not unusual.

Kit ready for later :

EVA Foam
Punches
V3
Small screwdrivers
Small work illuminated glasses
Tweezers

6o8pZN0.jpg


A job for later, I'll report back.
 
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Done

Opening it was easy but removing the PCB is another story :

VezXFwX.jpg


Before my ploy :

2zrUSuG.jpg


After my ploy using small EVA dots from my punch set :

dtGj3du.jpg


The important bit, after a serious mishandling due to the PCB board being a **** to get out, is that it's still working.

What I've noticed straight away is that the buttons have a nice soft feel to them when pressed unlike the clicky feel before.



I won't be able to test in the car as my next journey over my known problem road won't be till Sunday, then I won't be back home to offload the footage till the following Sunday.


Thanks for all the tips and a gold star to @Karagandinez for the research and images
 
Looking at that Russian site this button rattle is not unusual.
Yes, I've had several with button rattle, it is part of the design!

I'm wondering what they did to solve it in the A229, because that doesn't appear to have the same issue?
 
Done

Opening it was easy but removing the PCB is another story :

So... you preferred to open the dashcam and probably lose the warranty rather than report the problem to the manufacturer? :unsure:
 
Yep, given the number of reports.

Decided to try and fix it rather than waiting and risk getting another rattly one.
 
What I forgot to check was the freeze frame as I ran the 1.04 you donated.

I'll check tomorrow when I'm next at the PC.

With regard to the PCB, it does come out once you realise that the sdcard slot, usb and jack slots all protrude a bit so you need to bend/tease the case outwards so they clear the case holes.
 
With regard to the PCB, it does come out once you realise that the sdcard slot, usb and jack slots all protrude a bit so you need to bend/tease the case outwards so they clear the case holes.
I found how to do it. I wanted to publish. But by that time you did it yourself.;)
 
Find out tomorrow

I used my usual

2560x1440
High bitrate
EV 0
 
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