Startup problems

[Antero52]

Hello,

I have a Viofo A139Pro 1-channel with HK3-C, FW=1.1_0615, App=3.2.12. I am using the camera in a Fiat Ducato-based motorhome, mainly to complement our travel videos.

I have two kinds of problems.

First, when powered from the HK3-C, the camera does not behave as expected. If I have the BAT and ACC leads conneted to their respective fuse taps, the camera remains powered indefinitely (does not shut off when the engine is shut off). If I disconnect either of the BAT of ACC leads, the camera will never turn on. My temporary solution is to connect both the BAT and ACC leads to a KEY-type fuse tap. Of course, this means that I cannot use the parking mode.

Second, it took me a really long time to understand why the camera sometimes (=seldom) works as expected and more often does not. Even if the camera says "Recording ... Wifi enabled", it does not necessarily mean that the camera records or has Wifi enabled. I finally understood that it is mandatory for the camera to also announce "Wifi connected". If this happens, I can connected my phone with the camera and verify that it is indeed recording. In order to arrive at a working condition (=recording with Wifi connectivity), it is necessary to power the camera on twice in succession. The first attempt ends in the camera saying "Wifi enabled". After that, I turn off the camera and as soon as all lights are off, I turn it on again. This time the camera also announces "Wifi connected" and I can verify that it is recording.

Because the camera needs two starts to get going, I found it more convenient to power the camera from my Ecoflow power station instead of the motorhome's fuse box via the HK3-C. My daily routine is like this. Camera on first time. After "Wifi enabled", camera off. When all light are off, camera on second time. After "Wifi connected", start app, connect to camera, stop recording. Go to settings, format memory card, start recording, exit app, disable wifi from phone. Then start the car. Complicated? Sure. But this has worked with perfect repeatability during our three-week trip to Sweden and Norway (from Finland).

I believe these are two separate bugs, one for each device (HK3-C and A139Pro). If I power my phone from the HK3-C, the phone is powered on or off the same way as the camera is, with regard to the BAT and ACC leads. And as regards the camera needing two start-ups, the behavior is the same regardless from the power source (fuse box via HK3-C or Ecoflow). What might cause the need for two start-ups? My best guess is that some big capacitor does not get quite enough charge during the first startup but does so during the second.

Anyone out there with similar problems?

Antero

 

[Panzer Platform]

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/a139-pro-test-review-pp.48049/post-595941

 

[Panzer Platform]

Disable Wi-Fi on camera.
Only enable Wi-Fi on camera to change settings with APP, or download video clips, etc.
When finished changing settings, or downloading clips, turn Wi-Fi off.
Leaving Wi-Fi enabled on the camera will increase power consumption, and heat.

 

[VIOFO-Support]

First, when powered from the HK3-C, the camera does not behave as expected. If I have the BAT and ACC leads conneted to their respective fuse taps, the camera remains powered indefinitely (does not shut off when the engine is shut off). If I disconnect either of the BAT of ACC leads, the camera will never turn on. My temporary solution is to connect both the BAT and ACC leads to a KEY-type fuse tap. Of course, this means that I cannot use the parking mode.

It seems that you have connected both the ACC and BAT to the fuse that provides constant power if the camera is always on. Please use a multimeter to check which fuse tap will supply constant power and then connect the red cable to it. Then confirm which fuse tape is an accessory one and connect the yellow cable to it.

Second, it took me a really long time to understand why the camera sometimes (=seldom) works as expected and more often does not. Even if the camera says "Recording ... Wifi enabled", it does not necessarily mean that the camera records or has Wifi enabled. I finally understood that it is mandatory for the camera to also announce "Wifi connected". If this happens, I can connected my phone with the camera and verify that it is indeed recording. In order to arrive at a working condition (=recording with Wifi connectivity), it is necessary to power the camera on twice in succession. The first attempt ends in the camera saying "Wifi enabled". After that, I turn off the camera and as soon as all lights are off, I turn it on again. This time the camera also announces "Wifi connected" and I can verify that it is recording.

It is better to turn off the wifi when there is no need to check the footage or change the settings in the app. Please turn off the wifi and confirm if you still need to start it twice to get it to work normally.

 

[Search&Rescue]

It is better to turn off the wifi

Fu***ng advice!!!
When I bought the camera, it was the viewing of the real traffic situation through the Wi-Fi of the rear camera that was my priority.
For this, I specifically bought an 8 inch tablet.
The ability to view live is guaranteed to me by the user manual!
And now the official representative says that it is better not to use Wi-Fi, because. this creates a lot of problems.
Thanks, you made my day!

 

[Antero52]

Panzer Platform & VIOFO-Support,

Thank you for responses. However, the only useful piece of infomation I got is the fact that there are recognized problems with the HK3-C (or some specimens) when used with an A139 Pro.

As regards keeping Wifi on or off, I must confess I am utterly baffled. In my original post I said that my daily routine includes: After "Wifi connected", start app, connect to camera, stop recording. Go to settings, format memory card, start recording, exit app, DISABLE WIFI (!) from phone. Note that I disable Wifi from my phone, not from the camera. When the camera detects that it has no Wifi clients, it turns off its own Wifi in a few minutes. IMO this is the best way to ensure that the camera enables Wifi on next boot.

Now you instruct me to disable Wifi on the camera. Please explain to me how I can verify that the camera is really recording (instead of merely announcing that it does) if I have Wifi permanently disabled.

If your advice is an official statement that keeping Wifi on for about 5 minutes harms the camera, then I want my money back. And I didn't connect both leads to an always-on fuse. I have an M.Sc. degree in applied electronics and I can use a multimeter.

Regards,
Antero

 

[ogzogz]

Fu***ng advice!!!
When I bought the camera, it was the viewing of the real traffic situation through the Wi-Fi of the rear camera that was my priority.
For this, I specifically bought an 8 inch tablet.
The ability to view live is guaranteed to me by the user manual!
And now the official representative says that it is better not to use Wi-Fi, because. this creates a lot of problems.
Thanks, you made my day!

A139 has AV output. It will be more functional if you connect with a display with AV input. As it is known, using wifi all the time is not very good. both the tablet heats up quickly and the camera. Wired solution is the best method in my opinion.

 

[Search&Rescue]

A139 has AV output.

Thanks a lot.
I don't like this option.
I've had this before on older cars.
Here my choice was to consciously abandon the cable and use ONLY Wi-Fi.
How beautifully it is all written in the instructions! What breathtaking pictures!
In fact, it's just a lie.
Oops - don't do that, ouch - you'll have a hot tablet and camera (yes, I don't give a damn about it - let them warm up), oops - this will interfere with the BASIC functions of the camera.
Viofo - aren't you ashamed?

 

[safedrivesolutions]

Hello,

I have a Viofo A139Pro 1-channel with HK3-C, FW=1.1_0615, App=3.2.12. I am using the camera in a Fiat Ducato-based motorhome, mainly to complement our travel videos.

I have two kinds of problems.

First, when powered from the HK3-C, the camera does not behave as expected. If I have the BAT and ACC leads conneted to their respective fuse taps, the camera remains powered indefinitely (does not shut off when the engine is shut off). If I disconnect either of the BAT of ACC leads, the camera will never turn on. My temporary solution is to connect both the BAT and ACC leads to a KEY-type fuse tap. Of course, this means that I cannot use the parking mode.

Second, it took me a really long time to understand why the camera sometimes (=seldom) works as expected and more often does not. Even if the camera says "Recording ... Wifi enabled", it does not necessarily mean that the camera records or has Wifi enabled. I finally understood that it is mandatory for the camera to also announce "Wifi connected". If this happens, I can connected my phone with the camera and verify that it is indeed recording. In order to arrive at a working condition (=recording with Wifi connectivity), it is necessary to power the camera on twice in succession. The first attempt ends in the camera saying "Wifi enabled". After that, I turn off the camera and as soon as all lights are off, I turn it on again. This time the camera also announces "Wifi connected" and I can verify that it is recording.

Because the camera needs two starts to get going, I found it more convenient to power the camera from my Ecoflow power station instead of the motorhome's fuse box via the HK3-C. My daily routine is like this. Camera on first time. After "Wifi enabled", camera off. When all light are off, camera on second time. After "Wifi connected", start app, connect to camera, stop recording. Go to settings, format memory card, start recording, exit app, disable wifi from phone. Then start the car. Complicated? Sure. But this has worked with perfect repeatability during our three-week trip to Sweden and Norway (from Finland).

I believe these are two separate bugs, one for each device (HK3-C and A139Pro). If I power my phone from the HK3-C, the phone is powered on or off the same way as the camera is, with regard to the BAT and ACC leads. And as regards the camera needing two start-ups, the behavior is the same regardless from the power source (fuse box via HK3-C or Ecoflow). What might cause the need for two start-ups? My best guess is that some big capacitor does not get quite enough charge during the first startup but does so during the second.

Anyone out there with similar problems?

Antero

1. If you use cigarette lighter cable or USB C cable instead of HK3-C does it operate correctly? That is first thing I would eliminate. Obviously minus parking mode portion.

2. I know people who use it for live view and have zero problems with live view being used. However that being said I want to point out that most people are not using the live view, they are playing with settings or reviewing footage while driving. That is why I personally tell people to leave the Wi-Fi off, Also I have seen some background app referesh stuff that happens in background not related to live view.

3. If you plug dash camera into HK3-C cable while ignition is off the dash camera I have seen where it does power up before you even switch the ignition on.

4. What micro SD card are you using?

5. DOes your cable have the markings of 20 - 24 awg on the cable? The HK3-C cable that is. You may think this is a weird question but the older version of HK3-C cable is smaller gauge and will fail over time as it heats up more.

Happy to help

 

[Antero52]

To VIOFO-Support:

Here are two photos that clarify my problem with the HK3-C. The first one shows the fuse box of our motorhome (based on a Fiat Ducato van). The cables from the HK-3-C are routed from top left. The black is screwed under the ground bolt, while the red and yellow are routed to their respective fuse taps via triple Wago connectors. The Wagos can be opened and closed without tools, and thus allow me the change configurations easily. As you can see, I have removed the ignition key altogether but remains powered on. If the camera has been powered off for a long time (such as an hour), merely connecting the USB power cord does not turn on the camera. But if the camera has been powered on (via the ignition key), then the camera remains on for at least an hour, or possibly indefinitely, although the ignition key has been removed altogether.

The second photo is essentially the same as the first, except that I've connected a voltmeter at the ACC lead. As you can see, the voltage at the ACC lead is zero. Therefore I don't buy the argument that I've connected both ACC and BAT leads to an always-on fuse tap.

To safedrivesolutions:

Thank you for trying to help me. The answers to your 5 questions are:

1. No. A USB cable from an USB socket works the same as my Ecoflow (if we forget the Ecoflow's vastly superior max power). See my 1st post, the paragraph that begins "Because the camera needs two starts to get going, I found it more convenient to power the camera from my Ecoflow ..." The Ecoflow is more convenient than the HK3-C because I can attach and detach the USB power without turning on and off much of the car (eg headlights).

2. As I've said earlier, I have Wifi on only for a few minutes, so that I can verify that the camera is indeed recording.

3. It depends on how long the camera has been powered off. If an hour or more, then merely connecting USB power from the KH3-C does not turn on the camera. If about 10 minutes or less, then reconnecting USB power from the Hk3-C does power on the camera.

4. My primary card is Sandisk Max Endurance 128GB. I've also tried other cards (such as the infamous Sandisk Extreme Plus 256GB) but they work the same as the Max Endurance (note that in my use pattern the card never gets full because in the evening I copy the day's files to an SSD drive and the next morning I format the card).

5. If you mean the USB-C cable, it says 24AWG. Nice to know that I've received an old hardware kit. However, I don't think I can blame the cable for my startup problems because the problems don't go anywhere even if I power the camera from the Ecoflow through a variety of USB cables, some of which are capable of delivering more than 60W of power (as indicated by Ecoflow's front panel).

Regards,
Antero

 

[Panzer Platform]

As you can see, I have removed the ignition key altogether but remains powered on. If the camera has been powered off for a long time (such as an hour), merely connecting the USB power cord does not turn on the camera. But if the camera has been powered on (via the ignition key), then the camera remains on for at least an hour, or possibly indefinitely, although the ignition key has been removed altogether.

It almost sounds like your vehicle has a sophisticated PCM strategy that monitors for parasitic drains, and when it detects one it "shuts off" that circuit until the next key ignition cycle.
Even when the camera is powered down, the hardwire kit will consume around 14mA @ 12.60 Volts = 0.1764 Watts.
This tiny draw might be enough to trigger the PCM's threshold for parasitic drains.

 

[JardaB]

Hello,

I have a Viofo A139Pro 1-channel with HK3-C, FW=1.1_0615, App=3.2.12. I am using the camera in a Fiat Ducato-based motorhome, mainly to complement our travel videos.

I have two kinds of problems.

Antero

Your problems are a bit atypical and we are dealing with multiple problems. If I understand your description, I'm suggest:

1 - I think you need to verify the behavior of the power section over time by measuring on the fuses.

2 - The second thing is your claim that the camera will report a recording that doesn't start. This is a matter for complaint

3 - If you are using a parking mod, is the camera supposed to turn off? What mode the camera is in can be indicated by adjusting the LED behaviour. Normal mode - all LEDs, parking mode - only the REC LED.

4 - you need to check how the camera start delay and the delay before switching to parking mode is set

 

[SooksVI]

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/a139-pro-test-review-pp.48049/post-595941

This was extremely helpful! I've been having similar issues to OP since I first got my camera around January. I just checked my wire, and it turns out Amazon sent the wrong wire, even though it stated for the a139 Pro. Viofo support tried to help for months until they told me to ship the camera, but I didn't get around to it. I'm glad I decided to check the forum once more before shipping.