V1.3 beta firmware for A229Pro/Plus

[Dashmellow]

Some vehicles, maybe all that have airbags?? tend to have a hole for when airbags go off otherwise the cabin would compress air. There may actually be a hole under your seat/carpet that you may not know about? I would not necessarily want to just run a cable through that, but maybe make it a bit bigger and add some paint to protect it or some sort of seal to the metal. Knowing the year and stuff might actually net some decent ideas hard to say. Feel free to PM me if you want to brainstorm, this stuff is fun to me, up to you . Drilling may or may not be necessary depending what you have for a vehicle. You may have ascertained already that it is required though for a cable run in your scenario, dunno. .

It's an older Toyota Tacoma. No side airbags in the back of the extended cab. No holes either. It would definitely need be be drilled. I do get excellent results from my rear camera mounted on the headliner just above the rear window so it's not like I need to have an external camera but still, it is something I've considered for years, especially after Street Guardian introduced one a long time ago. I've got 5 camera in my truck. Why not 6? You're right, a creative approach can work wonders in a challenging situation. Thanks for your offer to PM. I may take you up on it.

 

[Dashmellow]

I have a Skoda Kodiaq. If I install a camera, the cable will come out between the roof and the trunk door.
There are enough rubber seals where you can stretch the cable without harm to the car.

OK, I see. No trunk on my truck, so that's not an option, of course. I would have to run the cable out through the seam on my rear access cab door along the side of the truck until I get to the bed and I don't want to do that. Every time I think about this I give up on the idea and stick with my current set up which actually works pretty well but a camera on the tailgate would be a nice addition.

 

[Karagandinez]

OK, I see. No trunk on my truck, so that's not an option, of course. I would have to run the cable out through the seam on my rear access cab door along the side of the truck until I get to the bed and I don't want to do that. Every time I think about this I give up on the idea and stick with my current set up which actually works pretty well but a camera on the tailgate would be a nice addition.

Of course it all depends on the car. For me, stretching the cable around the cabin is no problem.
The only difficulty is getting the cable out. But this can also be solved.

 

[Dashmellow]

With a cable coming out my cab door and around to the back of my truck I worry about someone messing with the cable if I park in the wrong place. I recall how years ago I had a CB radio in another truck that had an expensive magnetic antenna on the roof and the cable coming out the side door just like we are talking about for a camera. One night I went to visit a friend in town (I live out in the countyside) and when I got back out to my truck at the end of the evening someone had cut the cable and stolen the antenna.

 

[Karagandinez]

There are enough freaks of all kinds. Several years ago, a group of youngsters was operating in our area.
They removed Mercedes badges from cars. Until they were caught. It's even easier to tear off the camera.
But I'm still thinking.
At the moment I have a VS1 installed on the back and the quality of its shooting during the day suits me quite well.

Viofo VS1

A couple more videos on YouTube

dashcamtalk.com

 

[camtalkatnight]

With a cable coming out my cab door and around to the back of my truck I worry about someone messing with the cable if I park in the wrong place. I recall how years ago I had a CB radio in another truck that had an expensive magnetic antenna on the roof and the cable coming out the side door just like we are talking about for a camera. One night I went to visit a friend in town (I live out in the countyside) and when I got back out to my truck at the end of the evening someone had cut the cable and stolen the antenna.

You definitely have a valid point, especially if it is visible. I would be curious size of the gap between the bed and the cab and if that is something that will hide a cable enough for your likes. Have you taken panels and parts out to see if theres a way to snake a cable out or are you certain there is no way to easily do this, checked the full service manual etc? One could even snip my backup cam that I do have, if they wanted to, even being flush installed and lacking visible wires, they could manage it with a tug on 3M and keep rotating it until the wires lose connection. It does become a conundrum if it became a civil court case as the time/cost involved to make it through court would not be worth it unless for morals, and the person was caught and the dash cam up front wasn't stolen in the process. Definitely many scenarios where things can become cumbersome lol. If one sells the vehicle its easier to get the camera and cable out from an interior install on my car, than it is to keep my cables and stuff for a trunk mounted install which requires me to take off panels from the trunk. The cam being in my rear window is all trim pieces snap on and off no tools required for that...well, minus the cable going through to the left of my steering wheel has a screw or two after a panel pops off, that is by far the hardest part (piece of cake) and then being smart about running the cable safely and out of the way of airbags in the A pillar trim. Running stuff to the back/exterior is a bit more involved, on my car its not that much more involved to do the trunk install but it does require tools for the trunk and knowing where to route and what panels to completely remove on the trunk lid (after getting behind the carpet cover on the under of the trunk door).

 

[Dashmellow]

At the moment I have a VS1 installed on the back and the quality of its shooting during the day suits me quite well

Same here but with an A119 V3 and I'm very happy with it. I may replace it with a VS1 or a A119 Mini 2. I have the camera mounted with a custom aluminum plate mounted on the headliner just above the rear window so that the camera hangs down and can see out through the glass without touching it. The rear window slides open so I can't mount the camera directly to the glass or I wouldn't be able to open the window so I had to get creative. I recently updated my mounting system with one of my flat platform DIY mounts coupled with another DIY mount (seen below but since painted black) which allows me to aim the camera in every axis for precise alignment which I couldn't do before and so it was always slightly off kilter. The camera sits almost horizontal and upside down so it is fairly stealthy when seen from the outside.

 

[Dashmellow]

You definitely have a valid point, especially if it is visible. I would be curious size of the gap between the bed and the cab and if that is something that will hide a cable enough for your likes. Have you taken panels and parts out to see if theres a way to snake a cable out or are you certain there is no way to easily do this, checked the full service manual etc? One could even snip my backup cam that I do have, if they wanted to, even being flush installed and lacking visible wires, they could manage it with a tug on 3M and keep rotating it until the wires lose connection. It does become a conundrum if it became a civil court case as the time/cost involved to make it through court would not be worth it unless for morals, and the person was caught and the dash cam up front wasn't stolen in the process. Definitely many scenarios where things can become cumbersome lol. If one sells the vehicle its easier to get the camera and cable out from an interior install on my car, than it is to keep my cables and stuff for a trunk mounted install which requires me to take off panels from the trunk. The cam being in my rear window is all trim pieces snap on and off no tools required for that...well, minus the cable going through to the left of my steering wheel has a screw or two after a panel pops off, that is by far the hardest part (piece of cake) and then being smart about running the cable safely and out of the way of airbags in the A pillar trim. Running stuff to the back/exterior is a bit more involved, on my car its not that much more involved to do the trunk install but it does require tools for the trunk and knowing where to route and what panels to completely remove on the trunk lid (after getting behind the carpet cover on the under of the trunk door).

Yes, I've checked many times. There is no path to the outside without some kind of drilling.

Funny story about my antenna. Months later I was at a local Walmart when this weird looking kid rolls by in a funky looking car with my antenna on it! I knew right away it was mine because the cable had a big ugly splice right where mine had been cut (this would have totally ruined the performance of my Wilson antenna but that's another discussion). Anyway, I followed the car on foot and watched him and got a good look at the kid and at my antenna as he walked away towards the store. I called the cops and they showed up, I told them the story and they busted him when he came out of the store. I eventually got my antenna back after they no longer needed it as evidence!

 

[Karagandinez]

Same here but with an A119 V3 and I'm very happy with it. I may replace it with a VS1 or a A119 Mini 2. I have the camera mounted with a custom aluminum plate mounted on the headliner just above the rear window so that the camera hangs down and can see out through the glass without touching it. The rear window slides open so I can't mount the camera directly to the glass or I wouldn't be able to open the window so I had to get creative. I recently updated my mounting system with one of my flat platform DIY mounts coupled with another DIY mount (seen below but since painted black) which allows me to aim the camera in every axis for precise alignment which I couldn't do before and so it was always slightly off kilter. The camera sits almost horizontal and upside down so it is fairly stealthy when seen from the outside.

View attachment 72989

 

[Dashmellow]

View attachment 72991

I like that! I seems very discrete. It's one of those things where some people might not even realize it is a camera.

Edit: Have you thought about taping the cable down or hiding it better?

 

[camtalkatnight]

Same here but with an A119 V3 and I'm very happy with it. I may replace it with a VS1 or a A119 Mini 2. I have the camera mounted with a custom aluminum plate mounted on the headliner just above the rear window so that the camera hangs down and can see out through the glass without touching it. The rear window slides open so I can't mount the camera directly to the glass or I wouldn't be able to open the window so I had to get creative. I recently updated my mounting system with one of my flat platform DIY mounts coupled with another DIY mount (seen below but since painted black) which allows me to aim the camera in every axis for precise alignment which I couldn't do before and so it was always slightly off kilter. The camera sits almost horizontal and upside down so it is fairly stealthy when seen from the outside.

View attachment 72989

This is phenomenal. You sir....applause from me. This is the bread and butter of DIY and forums, ingenuity and keeping costs down at the same time. I love it. A++.

 

[Karagandinez]

Edit: Have you thought about taping the cable down or hiding it better?

As soon as I have time, I have work to do on removing the rear door trim. I still need to install a rear view camera in the rear door handle.
Then the cable will be hidden under the casing and everything will be fine.
By the way, neither the camera nor the cable is visible from the outside through the glass.

In the photo the glass is still light. I'll have to take a photo with the new glass.

 

[Dashmellow]

This is phenomenal. You sir....applause from me. This is the bread and butter of DIY and forums, ingenuity and keeping costs down at the same time. I love it. A++.

Thanks for your kind words! Yeah, I've always been a DIYer of one kind or another going back to when I was a kid.

 

[Dex_]

I would easily pay $10 USD more for H.265 support

How I can get my money? Wait a few days for my mod and you got it.

 

[Nigel]

View attachment 73006View attachment 73007

How I can get my money? Wait a few days for my mod and you got it.

Nice, but do you think that it actually gives better image quality?

 

[Dex_]

I did not see any disadvantages with H265 compared to H264 encoder - so why not use a bit more featured codec.

 

[Paul Iddon]

I did not see any disadvantages with H265 compared to H264 encoder - so why not use a bit more featured codec.

Am I recalling correctly that someone said older computers struggle to render H265 so the user base may not favour it?

 

[Dex_]

That about 4K resolution and Maximum bitrate setting on this older computer? May be back to FullHD?
This is only options and anyone have a choice. Much more easy to implement in mod FW was a change H264 to H265 hardcoded without adding a new option to Video Settings menu. But I spend a lot of my time to do this thing as selectable option.

Oh, I got it! You won`t donate a $10

 

[camtalkatnight]

View attachment 73006View attachment 73007

How I can get my money? Wait a few days for my mod and you got it.

1) Are you able to change the light metering mode as well?
2) Is this based on the 1.3 beta firmware? I know this would void warranty if its a custom firmware.
3) Have you tried to reach out to Viofo to add some features? Maybe more bitrate options for parking mode for the audio/video based parking mode?
4) Was the coding for H.265 actually in the device but just disabled?

You are right that this is optional, and that H.265 is a more advanced and efficient codec.

This is stuff that Viofo should be applying and communicating much more on (unless I am in the wrong place). If the unit is not able to cool enough in some areas for H.265 I can understand that, maybe give a warning and an option even if it would void warranty in doing so.

 

[camtalkatnight]

Am I recalling correctly that someone said older computers struggle to render H265 so the user base may not favour it?

There are plenty of pretty old computers that cannot playback 4K even on a 1920x1080 screen properly regardless of codec used. Most monitors being used for gaming are not above 1920x1080 statistically according to Steam. If we want to stay in the past we can choose to do so. Are those people going to record in 4K, probably not if they are going to play them back frequently. For legal reasons, one would want to shoot at the highest resolution as long as the bitrate and hardware comes with a result in the end that looks superior. If we were shooting in a much higher resolution than 4K, it would be a whole different discussion for heat and file size, playback devices etc. Shooting in a container in 10 bit HDR is not very useful however, but could be good for leisure use. HDR is a whole nother can of worms for legal use if we want to look at the video in an mostly color/luminance accurate representation. It can be done adequately if one supplied the hardware to play it back. 8-Bit HDR is saved in SDR from the A229 Pro so it won't matter if one is using HDR in that model. I could find plenty of computers that can play it back for much less than the new price of the Viofo 229 Pro, and if it comes to legal reasons, I would gladly pay for a computer for that if I didn't have one, or borrow/utilise a computer that can, though if it needed HDR playback that price would easily jump as that is a different HDMI specification, and you would need a screen that can play it back as well, hiking price again. This would be an option on the user end, and one could always record in a lower resolution and H.264, and hopefully have a computer that can play that back. I happen to have the ability to play back H.264/H.265/AV1 and record with all of those codecs on the fly on my computer, hardware supported, not relying on software to save or convert. I also have the ability to view in HDR running 3840x2160@120hz.