Strange GPS behaviour

ASC

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Hello everybody,

First of all, I’m very glad that this forum exists! Bravo for all people participating to discussions.

I bought few days ago a Viofo A119 v2 + GPS v2. I’m very happy with the camera itself (the video quality is very good), but there is some strange behavior of the GPS.

I explain here below my problem:
  • In the morning, when I start the camera there the GPS does not fix. The power cable is plugged to the GPS mount. On the screen, it shows “0 KM/H” in red. I set GPS OFF and after ON, but the camera still show “0 KM/H” in red;
  • If after I connect the power cable to the camera, the GPS fix for a short period of time. During this time the speed varies from 0 KM/H to (the car is not moving) even “15 KM/H”, always at rest;
  • If I reconnect the power cable to the GPS, it will fix for short period of times;
  • When the GPS lose the connection, the speed indicator change the color in red, but it continues to show for a short period of time speeds different from zero.

  • What is strange is that if I reset to the default values (in the Menu), I disable and re-enable the GPS, or I set to stamp no GPS information on the videos, the GPS will fix for a longer period of time (sometimes for more than 30 minutes continuously), but the day after the GPS will not fix again;
  • When the GPS fixes (green color for the speed), another problem is the lag, a huge difference between the car speed and the displayed speed. When I stop to a STOP, the GPS continues to show for many seconds a non-zero speed.

I saw some videos on youtube, and, for other people with Viofo A119, it seems that the GPS is functioning correctly (with a vert small lag).
I updated the firmware from V3.4 to V3.6 but there is no difference.

What do you think about my case? Is the GPS faulty or the camera, or both? I do not know other people in my neighborhood with this Viofo model to try.

There is no aother problems with my camera.

Thank you in advance for your reply !
Best regards,
 

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Your symptoms are typical of a reception issue, what vehicle do you have, does it have an athermic or heated windscreen?
 
Hello, thanks for your reply.

I do not think that is a athermic windschield. It's a Citroen DS4, basic model.

I have a Toguard CE30 dashcam (with GPS), placed in the same place, and I had never issues (the toguard fixes in 2-3 minutes, but after the GPS infos are valid).

Before to buy the Viofo, I tested succesfully other 2K resolution dashcams - Nextbase 512GW (expensive, very bad quality during the night) et Mio Mivue 658 Touch (inferior video quality durint the day compard to Nextbase). They were placed at the same place on the windshield.

Maybe the Viofo GPS is more sensitive. I will try in another car, but I need to remove the GPS mount.
 

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if other cameras with GPS have no issues then your window is probably ok, as I said the results are typical of poor reception but that could still be a problem with the GPS itself which is the root cause
 
I just made a short trip and I can confirm. When the camera starts (the power connecter on GPS mount OR directly on the camera), there is no GPS fix - "0 KM/H" written in red (even after 30 minutes).

The only way to get fixed GPS signal, but only for few seconds, is to made modifications in the menu - set ON/OFF the WDR, set ON/OFF the infos to be stamped on videos, set ON/OFF/ON the GPS. I observed a higher succes rate when I set OFF->ON or ON->OFF the infos to be stamped on videos.

Do you think the camera could be faulty ?? Or the only possibility is a faulty GPS ?

The seller wants to send me another GPS module, but I'm affraid the camera could be also faulty.

Thanks !
 
Do the spring connectors on the GPS look OK? None are bent in any way?
Is the GPS connector on the back of the camera flush with the back?
Did you manually default the cameras settings after updating the firmware? Do so if you did not.
 
Hello, thanks for your reply.

Everything is Ok with the pins and the position of the GPS (see the attached pictures). More than that, the contact areas on the camera look ok also.

And Yes, I made a software reset to default values after firmware update. Maybe is better to made also a hardware reset (with the hard reset button) ?
 

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Hello again everybody,

I have news about this, and I think is not the GPS but the camera !

I removed the GPS mount from the windshield to test it under the clear sky, without any interference, any influence. I used a PowerBank Zalman to power the dashcam through the GPS mount.


Phase 1:
Outside, when the camera starts recording, no GPS fix, "0 KM/H" in red. If I push the REC button (to stop recording), the camera starts to beep and the GPS fixes very quickly. I raun 30 m and the GPS was very responsive, the speed seems OK, when I stopped, quickly the speed came back to 0 km/h. When I started again to record, in less than 2 seconds, the GPS lost the signal.

Phase 2:
After the Phase 1, I made a software reset. For 5 minutes, the GPS fixed the satellites, but when I ran I observed a huge lag between my speed and the displayed speed. I stopped recording and again I had a very responsive GPS.
After 5 minutes, the GPS lost signal when recording. If I stop the recording, the GPS fixes and become again super responsive.


What do you think about that ?

I think I will return the camera and I will buy another, the same.
 
Last edited:
Maybe is better to made also a hardware reset (with the hard reset button) ?

that just reboots the camera
Phase 1:
Outside, when the camera starts recording, no GPS fix, "0 KM/H" in red. If I push the REC button (to stop recording), the camera starts to beep and the GPS fixes very quickly. I raun 30 m and the GPS was very responsive, the speed seems OK, when I stopped, quickly the speed came back to 0 km/h. When I started again to record, in less than 2 seconds, the GPS lost the signal.

Phase 2:
After the Phase 1, I made a software reset. For 5 minutes, the GPS fixed the satellites, but when I ran I observed a huge lag between my speed and the displayed speed. I stopped recording and again I had a very responsive GPS.
After 5 minutes, the GPS lost signal when recording. If I stop the recording, the GPS fixes and become again super responsive.

.

results are still indicative of poor reception, best to talk to the seller about warranty, I'm sure if you have only just recently bought it that it shouldn't be an issue to get help from them
 
Thanks !

I do not understand why could be an issues of reception if the signal is very good and the speed is accurate when the camera does not recording ? The camera lose the signal few seconds after starting to record only. If I stop the recording again, the GPS fixes and the speed is accurate.

Maybe is a problem of electrical power, but I use the 12V to USB socket adapter provided with the camera (DC 5V 3.1A output). In any case, I do not think that the camera needs 3.1 Amps.
 
Thanks !

I do not understand why could be an issues of reception if the signal is very good and the speed is accurate when the camera does not recording ? The camera lose the signal few seconds after starting to record only. If I stop the recording again, the GPS fixes and the speed is accurate.

when signal is low it will get reception easier when the camera is not recording, this is a sign of signal quality issues. not related to your power supply, the camera will only draw what it needs
 
Hello Jokiin,

I understand your point of view, but I do not think that the signal is low. The other camera I have (Toguard CE30) works perfectly.

I understand to have speed delays, but not to lose completely the signal when recording.

I will return the camera and I will order the same. I'll keep you in touch !
 
It's a signal quality issue, if the other camera works fine in the same car then it's not a problem caused by the vehicle, it will be a hardware problem, talk to the seller and get it replaced
 
As you know, for this model of dashcam, the GPS is incorporated into the windshield support.

Do you think is a problem of the GPS, or could also be a problem with the camera (the electronic part that acquire and treat the signal from GPS) ?

Thanks !
 
I had one customer with a A119 Pro that claimed they had poor/inconsistent GPS reception. There is a ribbon cable that runs from the GPS connection on the back of the camera to the mainboard and it appears that this cable got pinched between one of the screw holes that connects the front and back of the camera. This cable runs up against a screw slot on all the A119/A119S/A119 Pro cameras. Replaced the camera and everything is fine now. Perhaps this could be your issue as well. You could open it and take a peak or just ask for a replacement. GPS mount itself could be fine.
 
As you know, for this model of dashcam, the GPS is incorporated into the windshield support.

Do you think is a problem of the GPS, or could also be a problem with the camera (the electronic part that acquire and treat the signal from GPS) ?

Thanks !

it could be either, the GPS itself is the more likely of the two, a good seller will make sure it gets sorted out for you regardless of what the problem is
 
Thank you very much for all replies. I will keep you informed about it.
 
Hello,

I received the 2nd camera today, I tested and it works ! :) The GPS fixes in less than 15 seconds.

I will return tomorrow the 1st camera. I didn't try the old GPS on the new camera, or the new GPS on the old camera.

For both cameras, the video quality is very very good.

We will see now the reliability in time.
 
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