Troubles with A129, always recording

[vpy331]

Hi all,

So I got myself an A129 duo and trying to hardwire it to my 2019 Mazda 3. I got the 3-wire kit and the fuses. Running into some issues now. It seems like it's Always On and always recording.

I connected the black ground to a metal bolt.
Connected the red battery line to a Power Door Lock fuse.
Connected the ACC line to taillight, and tried Audio, both of which should only work with ignition on.

However, the red record light is always on and seemingly recording. In settings, if I turn Off the Parking Mode, then no icons show up in the top left corner, and the recording light stays on. If I turn on Event Detection in Parking Mode, the top left always shows a car with a key icon, and the recording light stays on. If I turn on Motion Detection (which seems to turn off Parking Mode), then a "moving car" icon shows up with I'm moving the camera, but after a minute with no movement, the screen is off, but the Rec light is blinking red. I've been doing all of this in the garage, and with the camera sitting on the seat face down (so it should not detect motion). It seems to have no difference if the car is on or off. Theoretically if i disconnect the Red battery line and only connect the ACC line, camera should power on if the car is on, but it does not. Even if I only connect the ACC line to the Power Door Lock, it still won't power on. If the Red battery line is the only one connected, it works, but same as above, makes no difference if car is on or off. Firmware is v1.5. I've tried a few other fuses for the ACC line (except for power windows, as they are 30A and the fuses are too big for the kit). It basically seems like the yellow ACC line is doing nothing. Anyone have any suggestions? Not sure what to do.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

I would think tail lights would always have power. Did you test the fuse with a meter?
Are you connecting power to the mount or directly into the camera?

 

[CaptureYourAction]

The yellow wire is for 12V detection only, it does not power the camera in any way. All 3 wires need to be connected for the kit to work properly. Check the fuses with a meter to confirm there is power there or not.
I would update to V1.9 and leave motion detection off. Regular motion detection is different than parking mode motion detection.

 

[vpy331]

I would think tail lights would always have power. Did you test the fuse with a meter?
Are you connecting power to the mount or directly into the camera?

Directly into the camera. I don't have a voltmeter unfortunately.

I don't have many choices that I can connect to. Only have power door locks, power windows/seat (but those are 30A too big), audio, back door lock, illumination, break/back/tail/rear turn signal lights. That's it on my driver side fuse box.

 

[vpy331]

The yellow wire is for 12V detection only, it does not power the camera in any way. All 3 wires need to be connected for the kit to work properly. Check the fuses with a meter to confirm there is power there or not.
I would update to V1.9 and leave motion detection off. Regular motion detection is different than parking mode motion detection.

Yeah I don't have a meter, so that's something I can do. If all 3 needs to be connected for it to work, then good. Although it works with only red connected. I do want to leave motion detection off since it doesn't seem like the right option to use. And update by connecting to computer USB i assume?

 

[CaptureYourAction]

Yeah I don't have a meter, so that's something I can do. If all 3 needs to be connected for it to work, then good. Although it works with only red connected. I do want to leave motion detection off since it doesn't seem like the right option to use. And update by connecting to computer USB i assume?

You copy the firmware file onto the memory card, then place the card inside the camera, power it on and it will update automatically. After the update be sure to manually default the cameras settings in the menu. I would then press the reset button on the side of the camera.
Does your radio work when the car is off?

 

[vpy331]

You copy the firmware file onto the memory card, then place the card inside the camera, power it on and it will update automatically. After the update be sure to manually default the cameras settings in the menu. I would then press the reset button on the side of the camera.
Does your radio work when the car is off?

I'll try the firmware update. And no, radio does not. Unless I turn it to the accessories step during start up.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

I'll try the firmware update. And no, radio does not. Unless I turn it to the accessories step during start up.

I would connect the yellow wire to the radio fuse then.

 

[vpy331]

I would connect the yellow wire to the radio fuse then.

Firmware updated, confirmed to be v1.9 now. I will give it another shot. Red to power door lock. Yellow to Audio. I'll have Parking Mode to be event detection. When the car is on and running, it should be recording, but is there suppsoed to be an icon in the top left corner? When I last tried (wasn't driving), the icon was always a car with a key, which was the same icon as the Parking Mode icon in the settings menu.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

With parking mode on, you will see a car icon in the top left of the screen. When you turn the car off, the car icon should turn into a stick man walking if you selected auto event detection.

 

[vpy331]

With parking mode on, you will see a car icon in the top left of the screen. When you turn the car off, the car icon should turn into a stick man walking if you selected auto event detection.

Well I tried again. No difference. Red to power door locks. Yellow to audio (and to back turn signal lights). It's always on and recording. I let it sit for 5min, does nothing. Top left has a car with a camera icon. I turned the Parking Mode to event detection and to 5fps, no difference. I could bring it to a store to have them do it, but somehow I'm not sure if it'll solve it.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

Sounds like the yellow wire is still connected to an always powered fuse. Need a meter to test which ones don’t have power when the car is off.

 

[vpy331]

Sounds like the yellow wire is still connected to an always powered fuse. Need a meter to test which ones don’t have power when the car is off.

Can you connect it to an empty fuse?

 

[CaptureYourAction]

Can you connect it to an empty fuse?

You can, but you’ll still need a way to detect if there is power there or not. Suppose you can just try and see.

 

[Gooffeyguy]

Does your 12v outlet have power when car is turned off? If not, use the fuse that is on.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[vpy331]

You can, but you’ll still need a way to detect if there is power there or not. Suppose you can just try and see.

Does your 12v outlet have power when car is turned off? If not, use the fuse that is on.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

12v fuse is in the engine block I believe.

So after doing some searching online, it seems like my car (2019 Mazda 3), all the fuses on the inside of the car are hot and live all the time. Meaning, I may have to wire it through to the engine fuse box somehow. I could connect it to the inside, but then it wouldn't have "parking mode" and would keep recording until the low voltage is tripped. Or I connect it to a usb/cigarette lighter, which I think shuts off after 10-15 minutes or something. I guess if I truly want to use the A129 how it's supposed to be, then I guess I have to wire it to the engine compartment?