Viofo A119 Mini - Overheating Issue

[Treep]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has any updates on the overheating issue with this dashcam? Going to be purchasing my first dashcam and have my eyes set on this one, but want to make sure this issue is sorted first. Is this an issue that needs to be corrected with Viofo tweaking the hardware or something that will be corrected with firmware updates?

I saw that Vortex Radar had contacted Viofo about this and they said they have done some "optimizations" to address the overheating issue. It's just a bit ambiguous what that means? Does that mean they have tweaked the hardware and I should wait for a while to get one from a new batch?

Any info would be much appreciated, thanks!

 

[VIOFO-Support]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has any updates on the overheating issue with this dashcam? Going to be purchasing my first dashcam and have my eyes set on this one, but want to make sure this issue is sorted first. Is this an issue that needs to be corrected with Viofo tweaking the hardware or something that will be corrected with firmware updates?

I saw that Vortex Radar had contacted Viofo about this and they said they have done some "optimizations" to address the overheating issue. It's just a bit ambiguous what that means? Does that mean they have tweaked the hardware and I should wait for a while to get one from a new batch?

Any info would be much appreciated, thanks!

Hi,
Thank you for choosing our products.
We have refined the overheating issue both in hardware and software, so new batches shall be free of this issue, you can rest your mind and purchase.

VIOFO Dash Cams | Best Video Quality Dash Cam | 4K Dash Cameras

Find most versatile dual channel and 4K dash cameras. VIOFO is a world wide leading brand for dash cameras.

viofo.com

 

[IAmATeaf]

I was also thinking of getting a mini for but purchasing from Amazon UK how would I identify a fixed version versus a non fixed version?

 

[Karagandinez]

Just wondering if anyone has any updates on the overheating issue with this dashcam?

Dashcam Fails Under High Temperatures (Recording Light Blinks, Camera Frozen)

Camera: Viofo A129 Pro Duo Hardwired HK3 I've been reading similar threads throughout the last couple years but noticed Viofo never addressed the problem. I've been working with Viofo the last couple months since I bought the camera and they've continued to tell me this is a firmware problem...

dashcamtalk.com

 

[t.a.p]

Hi all,

I have a problem with the camera overheating. Ok, in my opinion this is the reason for the problems. And the problems are as follows:

The camera is hot, even at night during parking surveillance. It is hot to the point that the glass does not freeze around it. The photos were taken in March and the temperature outside was around minus 5[C].

The second problem is that the camera freezes while recording (driving or parking). It then stops recording anything. I can press the buttons and they make a sound, but the camera does not respond and the screen is off. The solution is to unplug the power and wait for it to shut down or use the reset button.

A few times while driving the camera restarted, I know this from the fact that it made a startup sound, but it recorded correctly before and after that.

I decided to send the camera to the seller for checking. The answer after two weeks was that the temperature of the camera does not differ from other a119 mini. On the other hand, they asked to check the ACC connection with HK4, because the description of the reasons suggests an incorrect connection of this line.

I think, ok, I will check it. Ground is ok, voltage is ok, acc voltage is only after ignition. Everything on fuses bypass 5A. I tested the camera again on different settings and in the morning after a night standby in parking mode, the camera again spot heated the windshield, it was hot. I started the engine and the camera went into drive recording mode. So that's how I arrived at work and the camera went into parking mode. When I returned after 8 hours the camera was frozen, it did not go into drive recording mode. I reset, turned it on and so I drove for an hour. I got home and there I saw that the camera once again froze while driving. I quickly measured the temperature then and it was 67[C], outside it was 21[C].

I did another test in the evening with the parking mode turned off. And guess what? The operating temperature reached about 52[C] under the GPS module and on the side it was only 43[C], and after turning off the ignition the camera got colder and colder. On the morning of the next day, there was no sign of a warm spot on the glass and the camera itself was cold. Only unfortunately, I lost the functionality for which I purchased the device.

So, what is the problem? Anyone know? Are these normal temperatures? I'm worried about summer temperatures and that it will blow up burning my car.

I have the HK4-C adapter and firmware 1.1_1017. The camera was purchased in March 2023.

 

[Karagandinez]

Hi all,

I have a problem with the camera overheating. Ok, in my opinion this is the reason for the problems. And the problems are as follows:

The camera is hot, even at night during parking surveillance. It is hot to the point that the glass does not freeze around it. The photos were taken in March and the temperature outside was around minus 5[C].

The second problem is that the camera freezes while recording (driving or parking). It then stops recording anything. I can press the buttons and they make a sound, but the camera does not respond and the screen is off. The solution is to unplug the power and wait for it to shut down or use the reset button.

A few times while driving the camera restarted, I know this from the fact that it made a startup sound, but it recorded correctly before and after that.

I decided to send the camera to the seller for checking. The answer after two weeks was that the temperature of the camera does not differ from other a119 mini. On the other hand, they asked to check the ACC connection with HK4, because the description of the reasons suggests an incorrect connection of this line.

I think, ok, I will check it. Ground is ok, voltage is ok, acc voltage is only after ignition. Everything on fuses bypass 5A. I tested the camera again on different settings and in the morning after a night standby in parking mode, the camera again spot heated the windshield, it was hot. I started the engine and the camera went into drive recording mode. So that's how I arrived at work and the camera went into parking mode. When I returned after 8 hours the camera was frozen, it did not go into drive recording mode. I reset, turned it on and so I drove for an hour. I got home and there I saw that the camera once again froze while driving. I quickly measured the temperature then and it was 67[C], outside it was 21[C].

I did another test in the evening with the parking mode turned off. And guess what? The operating temperature reached about 52[C] under the GPS module and on the side it was only 43[C], and after turning off the ignition the camera got colder and colder. On the morning of the next day, there was no sign of a warm spot on the glass and the camera itself was cold. Only unfortunately, I lost the functionality for which I purchased the device.

So, what is the problem? Anyone know? Are these normal temperatures? I'm worried about summer temperatures and that it will blow up burning my car.

I have the HK4-C adapter and firmware 1.1_1017. The camera was purchased in March 2023.

What memory card are you using?
I noticed the following pattern: If the memory card has poor bandwidth, then the DVR itself starts to heat up more and may cause the DVR to freeze.
Try changing the memory card or lower the bitrate. After all, during parking, the DVR does not freeze.

 

[Dadi_T]

Those photos are perfectly normal. Basic kindergarden stuff.
It is normal for a dashacam to be very warm/ hot for touching when it's running. Like @Karagandinez asked, what memory card do you use, first of all?

 

[t.a.p]

What memory card are you using?
I noticed the following pattern: If the memory card has poor bandwidth, then the DVR itself starts to heat up more and may cause the DVR to freeze.
Try changing the memory card or lower the bitrate. After all, during parking, the DVR does not freeze.

After purchase, I installed a U1-class card. When the camera came back to me, I mounted a U3-class card.

I used many settings, but the effect was always similar. The camera was very hot. Only turning off the parking mode completely had an effect.

 

[t.a.p]

Those photos are perfectly normal. Basic kindergarden stuff.
It is normal for a dashacam to be very warm/ hot for touching when it's running. Like @Karagandinez asked, what memory card do you use, first of all?

To me, these temperatures are abnormal. What about when the temperature jumps to 70-80 [C] in the hot summer in parking mode? It also froze while driving and also restarted earlier where it was given cooling from the vehicle's ventilation.

When the windshield was frozen, the camera had auto event detect mode, and it had nothing to detect, it recorded a big nothing and got very hot while doing so. In seven months, winter will return. When the temperature will be very much below zero, the windshield in the car will not be able to withstand the stretching from the point temperature difference. This can be an expensive game for me, so I prefer to clear it in the warm months.

Maybe my unit has a defect and warranty service didn't detect it?

 

[kamkar]

I have never sen any overheating on my A119 mini, and it did see some hot weather last summer ( well in Danish scala ) and we did have more than usual days of +30 deg C temperatures.
Regarding parking guard i can not tell as i have not tested the A119 mini in that way., my preferred parking guard mode are also low bitrate and not any of the other formats that are most often possible.

I tested the A229 duo on a hot summer day ( 31 - 32 deg C ), with the car parked in the sun / facing the sun, and also doors / windows closed, the A229 duo recorded the 3 hours i have set it to on the timer.
TBH i did expect it to shut down, CUZ i was sitting in the shade, nice and easy shooting my air rifle and drinking cold soda, and i was sweating like a pig.

 

[Karagandinez]

To me, these temperatures are abnormal. What about when the temperature jumps to 70-80 [C] in the hot summer in parking mode? It also froze while driving and also restarted earlier where it was given cooling from the vehicle's ventilation.

Contact support and ask for the temperature.
At these temperatures, the DVR works without problems for me.
I monitored the processor temperature and it rose above 100 ° C and did not affect the operation of the DVR.

 

[Karagandinez]

When the windshield was frozen, the camera had auto event detect mode, and it had nothing to detect, it recorded a big nothing and got very hot while doing so. In seven months, winter will return. When the temperature will be very much below zero, the windshield in the car will not be able to withstand the stretching from the point temperature difference. This can be an expensive game for me, so I prefer to clear it in the warm months.

Your GPS module is constantly energized and its temperature is always above 0°C.
So the windshield around the GPS module will never be covered with ice.

 

[t.a.p]

Your GPS module is constantly energized and its temperature is always above 0°C.
So the windshield around the GPS module will never be covered with ice.

Ok, thanks for the information.

Does the gps module take voltage when in parking mode we have the gps set to off and the power plugged directly into the camera?

I ask because that's also how I tested and the hottest spot was at the back of the camera at the connection to the gps module and it looked like heat transfer to the windshield

 

[Karagandinez]

Ok, thanks for the information.

Does the gps module take voltage when in parking mode we have the gps set to off and the power plugged directly into the camera?

I ask because that's also how I tested and the hottest spot was at the back of the camera at the connection to the gps module and it looked like heat transfer to the windshield

In the latest firmware there is an item: Disabling GPS in the parking lot.
We had a firmware in which the processor temperature was written to a separate file on the memory card.

 

[gse]

I ask because that's also how I tested and the hottest spot was at the back of the camera at the connection to the gps module and it looked like heat transfer to the windshield

There is a firmware mod Dex9999 for monitoring CPU temperature, you can check.

FWA119M-TemperatureMonitorMod.zip

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[CaptureYourAction]

After purchase, I installed a U1-class card. When the camera came back to me, I mounted a U3-class card.

I used many settings, but the effect was always similar. The camera was very hot. Only turning off the parking mode completely had an effect.

What brand and model card?

 

[Dashmellow]

What memory card are you using?
I noticed the following pattern: If the memory card has poor bandwidth, then the DVR itself starts to heat up more and may cause the DVR to freeze.
Try changing the memory card or lower the bitrate. After all, during parking, the DVR does not freeze.

Somewhere I read that different voltage ranges and increased electrical resistance in some memory cards make them run hotter. Of course, if the card has lower bandwidth and you try to jam too much data through it, it will also run hot. Then again faster bus speeds and increased data transfer rates make memory cards run hotter too. Maybe this is why people report different problems with different cards in different cameras? Anyway, changing to a different memory card is always the best place to start for troubleshooting.

 

[t.a.p]

Thank you all for helping me with my problems

We are currently working together with VIOFO Support on my issues.

I'll inform you of the result.

What brand and model card?

Kioxia Exceria 128GB U1 - previously (set from seller).
SanDisk High Endurance 64GB U3 - currently.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

Thank you all for helping me with my problems

We are currently working together with VIOFO Support on my issues.

I'll inform you of the result.


Kioxia Exceria 128GB U1 - previously (set from seller).
SanDisk High Endurance 64GB U3 - currently.

Never heard of the Kioxia, but the SanDisk High Endurance card is known to not work well in the Mini. Stick with the Viofo recommended cards. The SanDisk Max Endurance should work well.

 

[t.a.p]

Never heard of the Kioxia, but the SanDisk High Endurance card is known to not work well in the Mini. Stick with the Viofo recommended cards. The SanDisk Max Endurance should work well.

You can read more about Kioxia here => Wiki

I ordered a 128GB SanDisk Max Endurance card. It will be delivered on Wednesday. I'm more of a pessimist now, but I want to exclude the reason for the low-performance card. By the way, I installed the new firmware.

Thank you