VIOFO A119 Mini 2 - Test and Review RCG

[rcg530]

Is there any update regarding the heating issue?

No update yet. I just sent an email to VIOFO asking for an update.

 

[ogzogz]

Here are two screenshots. The first screenshot was taken in the parking lot after 19 minutes after turning on the Mini 2.
The second screenshot was taken in the parking lot after 115 minutes of running the Mini 2 in the parking mode: "Low bitrate recording".
On the left side, the effect of heat on the lens, that is, defocusing, is very clearly visible.
It turns out that this problem also affected my copy.
Although I did not notice this on V3 and Mini.

View attachment 66563 View attachment 66564

I think it's software. I wouldn't say it's directly related to the heat. however, similar images can be formed in the a129 plus, a229 rear a129 pro cameras as a result of certain time or certain parameters.

To summarize, sometimes parts of the image can be blurry or flat areas. For this, a new IQ can be determined and a solution can be produced by increasing the image quality of the parts that will coincide with the license plates.

As a user, I hope I have analyzed useful and correct. I follow the developments.

 

[Karagandinez]

I think it's software. I wouldn't say it's directly related to the heat.

If you like to think so, then why not...

 

[ogzogz]

If you like to think so, then why not...

I have a problem of focusing on the left image in general while driving today. more on the left. so I respect you. but at other times if it's going to get better, I assumed it might be software, so I had hoped so. i see similar image on a129 pro also without full twilight. but then it recovers in a good light. I hope a solution is found. I'm following.

 

[TonyM]

Here are two screenshots. The first screenshot was taken in the parking lot after 19 minutes after turning on the Mini 2.
The second screenshot was taken in the parking lot after 115 minutes of running the Mini 2 in the parking mode: "Low bitrate recording".
On the left side, the effect of heat on the lens, that is, defocusing, is very clearly visible.
It turns out that this problem also affected my copy.
Although I did not notice this on V3 and Mini.

View attachment 66563 View attachment 66564

I find it difficult to see a big change in focus between these images. The sunlit image (after 19 minutes) might appear sharper due to higher contrast.

I am not saying the focus has not shifted, but an example with similar lighting would be better to compare.

 

[ogzogz]

I find it difficult to see a big change in focus between these images. The sunlit image (after 19 minutes) might appear sharper due to higher contrast.

I am not saying the focus has not shifted, but an example with similar lighting would be better to compare.
View attachment 66729 View attachment 66730

That's what I meant above. my mounting location is to the right of the mirror, but it is a little further to the right since there is an occasional camera. I will try to put it out. I will see if the right and left will have equal problems.

 

[Karagandinez]

I am not saying the focus has not shifted, but an example with similar lighting would be better to compare.

I can't stop time and the sun. They live their lives.
To the left of the car there is a wooden structure. It shows very good soap.
Here you can compare with N5.

Vantrue Nexus 5 4CH 2K / My introduction to the new model.

This is also something rcg530 had found. The IR filter being wired backwards is an issue present with the pre-production units. Those units will not be able to use any of the production firmware updates because the IR filter will operate the reverse of normal. After I received a production...

dashcamtalk.com

 

[TonyM]

I can't stop time and the sun. They live their lives.

I understand you cannot control the weather. I was only saying that an example with similar lighting would be better for demonstrating the issue.

I see that a few people have posted about the same focus issue, so I agree that it is a problem for Viofo to fix.

 

[kamkar]

As for fans

There is also the new airjet fans, which i think are very quiet, well at least for small fans.

I would like to see something like that in a dashcam. but then a dashcam with elevated bitrates, a kick ass dashcam.

 

[Karagandinez]

I understand you cannot control the weather. I was only saying that an example with similar lighting would be better for demonstrating the issue.

If you read the post, you should have seen that 114 minutes have passed between the first screenshot and the second.
Therefore, the lighting cannot be the same.

 

[Nigel]

There is also the new airjet fans, which i think are very quiet, well at least for small fans.

I would like to see something like that in a dashcam. but then a dashcam with elevated bitrates, a kick ass dashcam.

Nice fan, only issue, apart from cost, is that we don't want the dashcam using an extra 1 watt of power to power the fan, that will reduce parking recording time even more!

 

[kamkar]

Yes there is a cost in watts, and also money to be paid here.
I am not thinking for parking recording at all, here i still believe a remote system would be better, and you can make that large enough to house a conventional fan if that is needed at all.

I am merely thinking on a it as a tool to be able to up the image performance without cooking everything.
TBH something like this and actually getting a airflow inside a dashcam which i dont there is very much of now in current designs, must be very nice in regard to thermal performance which i think makers run up against all the time with current cooling solutions.

 

[Nigel]

Yes there is a cost in watts, and also money to be paid here.
I am not thinking for parking recording at all, here i still believe a remote system would be better, and you can make that large enough to house a conventional fan if that is needed at all.

I am merely thinking on a it as a tool to be able to up the image performance without cooking everything.
TBH something like this and actually getting a airflow inside a dashcam which i dont there is very much of now in current designs, must be very nice in regard to thermal performance which i think makers run up against all the time with current cooling solutions.

I've been expecting a piezo electric fan suitable for dashcams to become available, but so far they are all too big and too expensive, seems there is not enough demand for a small and low powered fan to enter production. Even a very small one should make a significant difference to dashcams, 1W is far too big.

 

[Dashmellow]

The Airjet looks very interesting @kamkar. I wonder what they cost? As for power consumption, it might be worth the trade-of if it allows for a dash cam to operate longer in an enclosed vehicle. Personally, I find my parking mode needs are usually only several hours at a time, although I recognized the others need parking coverage for much longer periods. I guess using such a device would depend upon how you power your cameras.

A technology like this could perhaps be used to good effect if dash cams were to be designed and built more like CCTV cameras as I've been advocating for a long time where the design and construction of the housing and camera's chassis draws heat away from the internal components.

 

[kamkar]

Compared to a regular fan they are pretty expensive, they are made with a photo lithography like process just like a IC, but like TV panel making, the larger they can make the mother "glass " the cheaper they can make them.
ATM it seem to be very prototype like setup, but the way i see it they should not find it hard to attract investors and scale up.
The actual performance of these like CPUs should also scale up node over node for a while at least.

Power use is about the same as a regular fan

Linus have a few months old video where he run around their booth and are very exited.

I think if you put something like this in a dashcam, you will probably have to move the microphone out of it, maybe to a remote mouse GPS antenna, but that should be a mediocre exercise

 

[Vortex Radar]

I'm working on my A119 Mini 2 video now and this heating issue is making it tougher to find footage to share for the video, heh. Here's a quick A/B comparison with the car parked for about 1 hr 45 min in the sun. The top half is when I arrived. The bottom half is when I was leaving.

 

[rcg530]

I'm working on my A119 Mini 2 video now and this heating issue is making it tougher to find footage to share for the video, heh. Here's a quick A/B comparison with the car parked for about 1 hr 45 min in the sun. The top half is when I arrived. The bottom half is when I was leaving.

That's why I suspended my review until this issue is resolved by VIOFO.

 

[TonyM]

I'm working on my A119 Mini 2 video now and this heating issue is making it tougher to find footage to share for the video, heh. Here's a quick A/B comparison with the car parked for about 1 hr 45 min in the sun. The top half is when I arrived. The bottom half is when I was leaving.

View attachment 66915

Is there any part of the frame in the second video that is sharp? Or does it all go slightly blurred? Sometimes with focus shift, your dashboard or wipers appear more detailed.

 

[ogzogz]

The left side sharpness problem is that the captured image is shifted slightly to the left.
I tested this with a tape. you can try too. When you think of the left image as a square, there are more angles to the left. This can cause blurriness.


@viofo @VIOFO-Support I tried to shape it amateurishly. inside the red square is the current image area. It is a little bit smaller than the green area that should be. i.e. the current viewport appears to be shifted to the left. This is software related.


They can average it with software.

There seems to be an issue with overheating. more precisely, we witness this during daylight hours when the lighting is variable. But evening plate reading is good. I would also like to add that, since the projector led headlights have a sharp cut line, unfortunately, when the license plate of some vehicles is high, it becomes difficult to read. for this, enough light is needed so that the reflective plates can be read clearly. The image of the non-light parts is vaguely visible.

 

[Panzer Platform]

That's why I suspended my review until this issue is resolved by VIOFO.

That's why I feel like a failure for only checking initial focus, instead of rechecking after the camera gets to Normal Operating Temperature.
I’ve learned my lesson to confirm & verify focus at N.O.T. on all future testing.