V1.3 beta firmware for A229Pro/Plus

Panzer Platform said:
C'mon man, I'm not the only one with a thermal imaging camera. lol
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True, I have one too, but it only has a resolution of 1x1 pixel, and I don't have an A229 Pro.
I'm tempted to go and test the A139 Pro though...
 
Nigel said:
It gives you better image quality instead of smaller file size.

If you want smaller file size, turn the bitrate down a step, that should give you roughly the same image quality as at 16:9 but with a smaller file size.
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How does it do that? The bitrate is the same, file should be smaller.
@VIOFO-Support any input on this?
 
forcefed said:
How does it do that? The bitrate is the same, file should be smaller.
@VIOFO-Support any input on this?
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Bitrate multiplied by length gets you the filesize. Resolution is not a part of the file size equation. You could lower the bitrate setting yourself. I hope you don't mean to ask to lower the maximum bitrate lol :).
 
forcefed said:
@VIOFO-Support

So a 60 second 4k video @ 60mbps bitrate is say 1gb and the same video in 1080p is also 1gb... right?
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60 mega bits per second x 60 seconds = 3600 mega bits.
3600 mega bits / 8 bits per byte = 450 mega bytes

So that file would be 450MB for the 1 video channel, nearly half a giga byte, not your 1GB.

Changing from 16:9 to 21:9 does not affect that calculation, but it does reduce the number of pixels, so you end up with more bits per pixel, so more information stored per pixel, so better quality.

If you reduce the Bitrate setting by one step, then you will roughly return to the original number of bits per pixel, so you will have roughly the original quality, but with a lower bitrate and thus smaller file size.
 
camtalkatnight said:
Yes the file size would be the same =).
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Correct. Bitrate is essentially how much data you use per second. If you wanna use a higher resolution or frame rate without raising the bitrate, you’d have to compensate by throwing away more data (add more compression) to have it still fit within a fixed bitrate. However if you wanna take advantage of the extra info that higher resolution and frame rates offer, you’ll wanna increase the bitrate to allow yourself to store more data per second/minute of video.
 
After trying out v1.3 for my A229 Pro 2CH, it was not that stable so I decided to downgrade to official firmware, but in the process the rear cam got bricked so now I am waiting for a replacement rear cam from Viofo.
 
I am trying to figure something out.

1 or 2 seconds into the timestamped youtube link, it is like an exposure change but it doesn't seem like an actual exposure change. 1.3 beta and no hdr during the recording, CPL installed. Is that typical to see it fluctuate like that during daytime? I have not been pleased with the rear camera so far, wanting to make sure it is not bad. I do know youtube compresses. Wanting to make sure that my camera is not faulty or if that is expected function and quality both. To me it almost looks like a gamma shift (gray overcast) and then goes normal again, semi acceptable image.

Beginning of this video with the least motion in it, is closest to what the original video file looks like, without the CPL installed.
 
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camtalkatnight said:
I am trying to figure something out.

1 or 2 seconds into the timestamped youtube link, it is like an exposure change but it doesn't seem like an actual exposure change. 1.3 beta and no hdr during the recording, CPL installed. Is that typical to see it fluctuate like that during daytime? I have not been pleased with the rear camera so far, wanting to make sure it is not bad. I do know youtube compresses. Wanting to make sure that my camera is not faulty or if that is expected function and quality both. To me it almost looks like a gamma shift (gray overcast) and then goes normal again, semi acceptable image, most likely the 1080p limitations.

Beginning of this video with the least motion in it, is closest to what the original video file looks like, without the CPL installed.
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I don't know if it was mentioned in previous messages, what is the make and model of your vehicle?
 
ogzogz said:
I don't know if it was mentioned in previous messages, what is the make and model of your vehicle?
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2013 Subaru Impreza base model. Installed in rear window (tinted to the legal limit when it was tinted, I think 35%, laws have changed since, allowing a darker tint). Louvers are installed. Pic is on page 6 ;).

Here is a video of the timing of HDR being on the entirety of the video on the rear cam, CPL installed. Notice how after a point it gets a gamma shift of some sort, and becomes a trailing mess. It has been occuring in and out of HDR mode in both day and night usage. Does this seem to be normal behaviour to anybody? The front cam in the A229 Pro has been superb, the rear cam has been leaving much to be desired. Not sure if that is the common trend for rear cam being 2K or if something is off. I really doubt it is from it being 2K. Thank you in advance. Becomes a mess around 1 min 12 seconds. Definitely check out 1 min 56. This is at max bitrate direct file to youtube with youtube compression, as are the prior videos I uploaded on this thread..

Notice how near the end of the video when my third tail light (rear window) turns on, it tends to go back to its better state. Is it the camera not getting enough light or adjusting incorrectly due to the louvers being picked up as black? Is there any way to have a special setting for a center of image focused exposure, I am thinking that could be the dilemma? Thoughts? Is it running as an Evaluative Metering method instead of spot metering? I mean that would make sense that it would by default. Seems like I have a tough use scenario. If the louvers are causing the issue with the lens and its reaction, would a custom firmware with a super vertically narrow aspect ratio fix it, it would depend on if the shutter rate is affected before the cropping or after. The other thought is maybe there is a way to use spot metering or even center-weighted average metering if its not the one used already. What I do know is that I am wasting bitrate and using heat (pixels that are showing blockage from louvers) lol. This is after 30+ minutes of fine adjustment to find the best viewing angle and place to get the rear cam getting an image vs being blocked by louvers. It seems like I would be better off with an interior camera if I could have a telephoto that could actually pick up licenseplates and not be affected by the louvers. I can see through the louvers great by eye from the front. To me it appears that the shutter speed is being adjusted due to the louvers, and it is actually adjusting in day and night regardless of hdr setting being on or off, so we can cancel out it being hdr related. At times it looks like it might be overexposed during daytime on the rear facing cam only, this would lend to the idea that the louvers are being considered to be darkness or something that needs lit up, changing the shutter speed. @VIOFO-Support


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Panzer Platform said:
Maybe you would be better off with the waterproof rear cam for the A229 Pro, and mount it externally.
BTW, what is the year / make / model of your car?
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I do not see a waterproof cam that works for the A229 Pro. I only see one for a different model that uses a different plug, also might be the Starvis and not Starvis 2 sensor. I could be failing to find the actual correct product though. Either way it would be covered in stuff, as my backup camera does, blocking the view within one or two short drives :) lol.
 
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camtalkatnight said:
The other thought is maybe there is a way to use spot metering or even center-weighted average metering if its not the one used already.
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For a front camera, they normally expose for the road, ignoring the sky, not sure about the rear camera, but it is probably the same, so if you were to tilt the camera up a little, so that the slit runs across at about 38% height instead of 50% height, you might find that it has rather better exposure and your brake light would have less effect on the exposure.

I'm not sure the exposure is bad as it is though.

What is the dark bar across the centre of the slit? I thought maybe it was a heater line, but it seems to reflect other people's brake lights, and a heater line wouldn't do that...

I think your main problem is motion blur, made significantly worse by the very dark tint, and not helped by the bar across the centre of the slit.

camtalkatnight said:
I am trying to figure something out.
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That video appears to have rear HDR turned On, what does it look like with rear HDR turned off?
 
Nigel said:
For a front camera, they normally expose for the road, ignoring the sky, not sure about the rear camera, but it is probably the same, so if you were to tilt the camera up a little, so that the slit runs across at about 38% height instead of 50% height, you might find that it has rather better exposure and your brake light would have less effect on the exposure.

I'm not sure the exposure is bad as it is though.

What is the dark bar across the centre of the slit? I thought maybe it was a heater line, but it seems to reflect other people's brake lights, and a heater line wouldn't do that...

I think your main problem is motion blur, made significantly worse by the very dark tint, and not helped by the bar across the centre of the slit.


That video appears to have rear HDR turned On, what does it look like with rear HDR turned off?
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Check a few posts up where I have two videos shared ;P. Top is with CPL installed, bottom is without. You can tell that it is HDR on because I mentioned it, in fact, it looks like that during daytime randomly, with HDR off (due to metering I am almost certain, it looks like hdr (in sdr) even when it is off at times). I beleive it is the metering of the light and it is adjusting based on the fact that most of the view is dark, just not the center.

Dark section you mention is most likely a shadow of one of the louvers.

My tint is ~35%, not a dark tint, although a tint nonetheless, limiting some of the light.

The motion blur is most likely caused by the shutter speed adapting to what it thinks is low light when it might not actually be that low of light, being confused by the louvers, affecting the final image regardless of hdr being on or off. The shutter speed changing to a slower shutter speed would be causing the blur, less clarity on any movement, harder to read signs/plates etc. Brake lighting up in the rear is causing the shutter speed to be a faster speed, netting more clarity, less blur. *The brake light only seems to be helping in this scenario rather than hurting.

There was still plenty of light outside at the time of the darker recording, not full night time yet, but much more than the video led on for some of its duration.

Aiming it up "could" help, it would also limit me to even less visible space to see through on the recording. That would be two poisons for sure lol.

With no hdr here, do you see the adjustment at 3:17? It will bounce in and out of that during the day multiple times in a 10 minute video. It is doing that at night as well, when HDR is on, randomly occuring. Looking at the trunk itself during that, you can see the clarity drop at that timing as well, to some specs of rain/dirt completely becoming not visible.

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I suspect the louvers and the programming of how the shutter speed is adjusted/light metered, is the culprit when paired together only, and not outside of this use. Not faulty programming, it is probably doing exactly what it is programmed to do even and is probably on the best metering mode for typical use, while not being ideal to possible detriment, in my less than typical use.

Fix to me would be that if that is in fact the scenario in all accuracy, to 1) spot meter at the center for my use case scenario and not the average joe, or 2) if the pixels being cropped out happens to change the evaluation of light entering the lens, that would be the best to have a custom resolution for, as the bitrate would be more effective where cars will be, instead of wasted on louvers.
 
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camtalkatnight said:
see the adjustment at 3:17?
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No! I can't see any change at 3:17.

Maybe you could post a photo of before and after the adjustment, so that we can see what you are talking about?
 
Nigel said:
No! I can't see any change at 3:17.

Maybe you could post a photo of before and after the adjustment, so that we can see what you are talking about?
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Are you viewing with a phone or a big display? It is definitely hard to see from a phone screen. The pixels are far too tiny to notice on a small display with high ppi. I cannot notice that 3:17 on my S22 either, but I can easily see it on my 55" LG C1 while running the display itself at 4K.
 
Nigel said:
No! I can't see any change at 3:17.

Maybe you could post a photo of before and after the adjustment, so that we can see what you are talking about?
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Much easier if you can view fullscreen and go back to back but not sure if the website is coded that way or not. That is zoomed in and a few frames away from each other. The camera will pass and forth between those randomly during day and nighttime during hdr on and during hdr off. It can last for minutes or seconds. Notice the difference on the trunk with clarity changing as well as the car in the distance. Grass/trees also become a blur, and the image becomes soft and less colorful. If you watch it on a big display it will be easy to see. It probably appears blown out of proportion in still images, our eyes adjust looking between the two rather than the frames being gone through quickly. In motion if the blurry like frames are used, it is completely apparent on a big display with any sort of motion small or not. You can also tell on a big display that the black levels appear less dark during it.

I look at this video and wonder how mine could even remotely look anything near it, maybe it can't in my setup, dunno.
 

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camtalkatnight said:
Are you viewing with a phone or a big display?
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A 2K laptop display, and I did check on my phone since that has a rather better (in brightness/contrast terms) HDR display.
I'm also looking at it through Youtube compressed video, so may not see the full 4K detail anyway, if that is what is required.

camtalkatnight said:
Grass also becomes a blur,
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That will probably be due to the compression algorithm. More bitrate would help.
It could also be from extra noise reduction due to lower light levels, but there appears to be plenty of light.

camtalkatnight said:
and the image becomes soft and less colorful.
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I am not seeing the "less colourful", there is a loss of detail.
 
Nigel said:
A 2K laptop display, and I did check on my phone since that has a rather better (in brightness/contrast terms) HDR display.
I'm also looking at it through Youtube compressed video, so may not see the full 4K detail anyway, if that is what is required.


That will probably be due to the compression algorithm. More bitrate would help.
It could also be from extra noise reduction due to lower light levels, but there appears to be plenty of light.


I am not seeing the "less colourful", there is a loss of detail.
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The grass doesn't have any issue until it alternates to that other frame example, hence that something is happening here, during plentiful light, and is not HDR related. More bitrate will definitely help in low light as you suggested, although not what is causing the camera to make such a big shift. Knowing what I am looking for specifically, I can notice it in 480p and 720p on youtube of what looks like a gamma shift and less dynamic in white/black, though cannot tell the grass difference at that limited resolution/bitrate that youtube has. I can see the grass stuff on the highest youtube bitrate, easily. Won't need 4K, sensor is 2K but running at the 21:9 aspect ratio. My rear camera with all of the louvers and lighting scenario etc, is nowhere even remotely near the clarity of the youtube review that I looked at, I suspect it is mostly due to the likely shutter adjustment likely caused by the black that is being picked up (the louvers.) I think my camera is operating at a lower shutter speed than typical for the time of day due to the combination of it all, trying to find a way to work around that to get it back up to par, but I do not know how to edit/write firmware, nor how the shutter speed is adjusted/set up and at what processing stage or hardware stage it is done during. I await for Viofo to respond on here <3.
 
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