VIOFO A118C Firmware

viofo

viofo

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Location
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Dash Cam
A129 Pro / A129 Duo / A119 V3 / A119S / G1W-S / WR1/
Released beta firmware:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22493212/A118C/VIOFO_A118C_FW_0727_Beta.zip

Change log:
1. Added: Motion detection sensitivity
2. Added: Turkey Language
3. Added: Loop Recording Icon on screen
4. Added: Time-lapse option
5. Improved: Show "MASS Storage" directly while connected with computer
6. Improved: Press once SOS button to lock the file while in screen save mode
7. Improved: Format warning while the card is not FAT32 format
8. Improved: GPS data not accurate issue while the GPS signal is not good
9. Improved: Support 11 digits Car license number
10. Improved: Delete firmware after Upgrade
11. Changed: Change "CARDV" directory name to "DCIM"

Look forward to see the comments and advice.

Please note there is different A118C produced by other manufactures. We suggest you only use this firmware for VIOFO version.
 
🙂 U the Best
 
do you have the A118 version?
i have a battery, not capacitor
thanks
 
Hi VIOFO

I just ordered this one .
Does it support 64GB micro-SD card?
Because your web said supported but Gearbest said 32GB.
 
I noticed a new setting "AutoRestart" -> OFF, 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes. What does that do?
 
Gibson99 said:
The capacitor firmware will work just fine on a battery a118. I have one of each (one with battery, one with capacitors)
Click to expand...

I can confirm this works. I have a Spy Tec A118 (battery version) [purchased it in Sept 2014, sold by Spy Tec & fulfilled by Amazon]. I also have the plug-in GPS module, and experienced the wrong-year bug (aka 2014 bug) with my previous firmware. With the GPS setting off, datestamps & filenames used the manually-set time, but the file-modified time was still wrong. (I didn't write down my previous FW version before starting the upgrade 😳, but I'll try to find the old file & post the version number.)

viofo said:
Released beta firmware:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22493212/A118C/VIOFO_A118C_FW_0727_Beta.zip

(...)

Look forward to see the comments and advice.

Please note there is different A118C produced by other manufactures. We suggest you only use this firmware for VIOFO version.
Click to expand...

From what I've read, the Spy Tec A118 cameras (the genuine ones, anyway) are the same hardware as the VIOFO version (only reason I flashed this file).

The Good
  • GPS functionality seems to be greatly improved:
    • no more wrong-year bug with GPS set "on" in the menu (datestamp, filename, and modify time all OK)
    • acquires a satellite "lock" within 5-10 sec (vs 15-60+ sec)
    • speed [MPH/KPH] seems to be a bit more responsive (less latency vs the car's speedometer)
  • I like the loop-record icon...helpful to see that you're in the right mode.
  • I did see a card format warning when the card's FAT32 cluster size was set to 16k 😳. I reformatted with 32k clusters & all was fine.
  • Auto-delete upgraded firmware file 🙂
  • Audio from microphone sounds better to me (seems to have less clipping)
The Neutral
  • Not sure why the folder was changed from CARDV to DCIM (which broke some shortcuts I had), but it's no big deal.
  • My old firmware had "Welcome" in white on a green BG as the start screen; this has "VIOFO" in red on a black BG. Doesn't matter to me.
The Bad
  • There doesn't seem to be an option to disable the startup sound! I already disabled "beep sound" in the menu. The startup sound is a bit annoying to me, but I can live with it (this firmware has fixed too many things to go back 😀). I see that someone else mentioned this issue -- will that be fixed?
  • I'm seeing lots of graininess in the evening/night video, but it's possible that it is just more apparent since I'm looking for differences. I just flashed the firmware tonight, so I'll see how the daytime video looks tomorrow & edit/reply soon with the results. I'll also try to upload a raw MOV file or two so others can see it, and maybe it's just normal. (I know the night quality on this hardware isn't great; it just seemed a little better before). Any input from others here?
  • This firmware shuts the camera down almost instantly after loss-of-power (but no corruption occurs). I'm guessing this is normal for the A118C, but I kinda liked my A118 recording for 6-10 more seconds after I switched the engine off. Will there be a similar version of this firmware made for the A118 (battery)?
The Unknown
  • Haven't tried the single-press SOS button feature (but I like the sound of it, as long as I can retrain my "muscle memory" to not double-press every time I see something I want to save!)
  • I don't use motion record, so I can't speak to those features. Probably won't use time-lapse either.
  • I typically remove my microSD to download/view videos, so I haven't tested Mass Storage mode.

So far, I'm pretty happy with the new firmware. Thanks for continuing development & fixing bugs 🙂

EDIT: added a little more info about 16k vs 32k clusters, changed text highlighting for consistency
 
Last edited:
PCjabber said:
  • I did see a card format warning when the card's FAT32 cluster size was set to 16k 😳. I reformatted with 32k clusters & all was fine.
  • Not sure why the folder was changed from CARDV to DCIM (which broke some shortcuts I had), but it's no big deal.
  • This firmware shuts the camera down almost instantly after loss-of-power (but no corruption occurs). I'm guessing this is normal for the A118C, but I kinda liked my A118 recording for 6-10 more seconds after I switched the engine off.
  • Will there be a similar version of this firmware made for the A118 (battery)?
Click to expand...

always format the cards in the camera
DCIM is to support 3rd party Apple card readers for iPhone/iPad
fast shutdown is needed for capacitor version
battery version only seems to exists in the knockoff versions these days so probably unlikely
 
jokiin said:
always format the cards in the camera
Click to expand...

Hmm. I actually couldn't format the card in the camera when it gave me that error message (MENU button made a beep sound, but didn't bring up the menu). I always do formatting with Rufus when I need it to be a specific filesystem/cluster size (i.e. not just in this instance). I've had no format-related troubles in the first ~1.5 yrs of A118 ownership (using Rufus in the few instances I've reformatted the card). I just messed up when I reformatted the card before the FW update and picked 16k clusters.

I'll keep your advice in mind though, in case I have any trouble.

jokiin said:
DCIM is to support 3rd party Apple card readers for iPhone/iPad
Click to expand...

Oh, OK...that makes sense.

jokiin said:
fast shutdown is needed for capacitor version
battery version only seems to exists in the knockoff versions these days so probably unlikely
Click to expand...

Dang 🙁. Well, I'll probably buy one of the supercap ones at some point (I live in the southeast USA, so heat is bound to kill the battery eventually). For now, I guess I'll deal with the quick shutdown...the other improvements are way too good for me to revert to the older battery firmware! 😎
 
Last edited:
PCjabber said:
Hmm. I actually couldn't format the card in the camera when it gave me that error message (MENU button made a beep sound, but didn't bring up the menu). I always do formatting with Rufus when I need it to be a specific filesystem/cluster size (i.e. not just in this instance). I've had no format-related troubles in the first ~1.5 yrs of A118 ownership (using Rufus in the few instances I've reformatted the card). I just messed up when I reformatted the card before the FW update and picked 16k clusters.
Click to expand...

16k clusters would have tripped it up
 
PCjabber said:
I live in the southeast USA, so heat is bound to kill the battery eventually
Click to expand...
I'm surprised my original battery a118 is still going strong. I'm planning on mounting it in the side window of my truck this week now that I have two a119 cameras, which will be my front and rear cameras. My a118c will be in the other side window.
 
It looks I am the only one suffering from this issue on this new firmware.
At first, all looks ok, I did a "factory reset" and adjusted all the setting as I had previously.
It looks it is working as always. But if you leave the car and comes back after a couple of hours (my camera is switched on and off by the ignition key) the camera turns on, but does not start to record. Also is the menu not accessable unless I remove the SD-card (which is a 32GB type). After a "Default setting" the camera seems to work normally again. But after a couple of hours later (and NO power to the camera) it is again in this state. I noticed also, that time stops. Changing levels of the motion sensor, or switching it to off does not help.

I have downgraded the firmware to A118C_20160316 release and all is working fine again.
 
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