VIOFO A119 V3

[Mtz]

If you don't have the V3 you don't know how good is implemented the WDR for this model. Maybe Viofo or Sony or Novatek still need to work for WDR to work like for A119S.
I don't know who is responsible for WDR adjustments.

After several tests of the V1.03 firmware I'd suggest anyone that does not use the hardwire kit to hold off on updating until others chime in with their results.

1. Reset camera to default settings after firmware upgrade.
2. Restart camera after enabling Parking Mode (unplug the power cable from the camera or GPS mount).
3. Test the Parking Mode.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[valkyrie]

If you don't have the V3 you don't know how good is implemented the WDR for this model. Maybe Viofo or Sony or Novatek still need to work for WDR to work like for A119S.
I don't know who is responsible for WDR adjustments.

1. Reset camera to default settings after firmware upgrade.
2. Restart camera after enabling Parking Mode (unplug the power cable from the camera or GPS mount).
3. Test the Parking Mode.

enjoy,
Mtz

Dashcam was reset to default settings multiple times, hard reset once, Cam Restarted at least 10 times between tests. My device does not Sense power correctly and enter parking mode. Are you saying you did those steps and yours does?

 

[Mtz]

My A119V3 GPS is entering into Parking Mode when using original charger.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[valkyrie]

My A119V3 GPS is entering into Parking Mode when using original charger.

enjoy,
Mtz

So you updated to V1.03 and if you unplug your A119 V3 from GPS while the ignition is off, and then reconnect it, it will go into parking mode without turning ignition on?

Mine does not, it will sit in normal recording mode. But if I turn the ignition on and then back off it will go into Parking mode in a matter of seconds. But I was never getting it to go into parking mode with just DC connection. Thinking about flashing the firmware again.

 

[valkyrie]

I re-flashed the V1.03 firmware and still would not sense or enter parking mode with DC power. Rolled back to V1.02 and it goes into parking mode on DC power in 5 min. I'm going to stay on V1.02 since I have no need for the 1080p resolution fix and V1.03 does not fix the file protection and notification issue.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

So just tested the V1.03 with the 3-wire hardwire kit and regular 5V USB power. I don't notice anything different when using the 3-wire kit. Parking mode engages and disengages when it see's 12V on the yellow wire and when it doesn't. If you unplug the camera while it's in parking mode, let it shut down, then plug it back in, then the camera powers on normally (not back into parking mode). This has always been the case for the A129 cameras, so it makes sense to see it on the A119V3 as well. The camera needs to see the trigger wire (yellow wire) with it's 12V and then not see it to enter parking mode. I tested this on both V1.02 and V1.03. Without the yellow wire, the camera is acting as it's being powered via a normal single 12V and ground and should enter parking mode after no motion for whatever the firmware is set for.
Now, when powering via a 5V USB power source, the time to enter parking mode, after no sensed motion, appears to be different in V1.03 than in V1.02 (and the A129 and A119V2 cameras). It takes 10 minutes of no motion for the A119V3 to enter parking mode, instead of the regular 5 minutes on V1.02. Not sure if this was intentional on Viofo or not, but it does enter parking mode.

 

[viofo]

For non GPS version and use normal charger, it will enter the parking mode after 5 mins.
For parking mode recording, we recommend buy the GPS version, or buy the ACC hardwire kits.

 

[valkyrie]

So just tested the V1.03 with the 3-wire hardwire kit and regular 5V USB power. I don't notice anything different when using the 3-wire kit. Parking mode engages and disengages when it see's 12V on the yellow wire and when it doesn't. If you unplug the camera while it's in parking mode, let it shut down, then plug it back in, then the camera powers on normally (not back into parking mode). This has always been the case for the A129 cameras, so it makes sense to see it on the A119V3 as well. The camera needs to see the trigger wire (yellow wire) with it's 12V and then not see it to enter parking mode. I tested this on both V1.02 and V1.03. Without the yellow wire, the camera is acting as it's being powered via a normal single 12V and ground and should enter parking mode after no motion for whatever the firmware is set for.
Now, when powering via a 5V USB power source, the time to enter parking mode, after no sensed motion, appears to be different in V1.03 than in V1.02 (and the A129 and A119V2 cameras). It takes 10 minutes of no motion for the A119V3 to enter parking mode, instead of the regular 5 minutes on V1.02. Not sure if this was intentional on Viofo or not, but it does enter parking mode.

Thanks for testing. I don't get Parking mode to engage at all when there's only 12V on yellow wire unless I first have 12V on the red wire with V1.03. As well I don't get Parking mode when using a power bank with V1.03.

With V1.02 I can plug it in to my car 3-wire hardwire kit to GPS, (key off) it will start up in Normal mode and it will go into parking mode in 5 min without any trigger or turning on ignition.
With V1.03 it does not, will start in normal recording mode and it will stay in Normal recording until I turn on ignition and turn it back off. Then it will go into parking mode.

The same if I connect to a power bank sitting on my desk with V1.02 it will start in normal recording then go into Parking mode in 5 min
But with V1.03 I quit testing at around 10-12 min usually and it never went into parking mode but stayed in Normal recording mode.

Here's the results of one of the tests I did this morning on power bank sitting on my desk with lens covered and setup for Auto event detection, it ran from 8:58:20 - 9:12:20, 14 min of run time and never went into parking mode. IDK what the difference is but on mine at least it doesn't switch into parking mode like it does with V1.02 either off DC power or through the hardwire kit.

 

[mart83]

What other bugs are corrected in the new firmware?

 

[Kremmen]

All updated here

Q: There is a file called CarNo_Backup.txt on the SD Card. It's always empty, what's it for ?

 

[Tractor]

Car no. Back .txt as been present in olderA119. seen in the earlier version of the A119. and has always been empty, you could put your vehicle number in txt form in there but seemed to be a back up of the No. plate entered in the cam but as always appeared empty to me.

 

[Kremmen]

Thanks

Must try putting something in there and see if it gets sucked in on the next update

 

[viofo]

Thanks for testing. I don't get Parking mode to engage at all when there's only 12V on yellow wire unless I first have 12V on the red wire with V1.03. As well I don't get Parking mode when using a power bank with V1.03.

With V1.02 I can plug it in to my car 3-wire hardwire kit to GPS, (key off) it will start up in Normal mode and it will go into parking mode in 5 min without any trigger or turning on ignition.
With V1.03 it does not, will start in normal recording mode and it will stay in Normal recording until I turn on ignition and turn it back off. Then it will go into parking mode.

The same if I connect to a power bank sitting on my desk with V1.02 it will start in normal recording then go into Parking mode in 5 min
But with V1.03 I quit testing at around 10-12 min usually and it never went into parking mode but stayed in Normal recording mode.

Here's the results of one of the tests I did this morning on power bank sitting on my desk with lens covered and setup for Auto event detection, it ran from 8:58:20 - 9:12:20, 14 min of run time and never went into parking mode. IDK what the difference is but on mine at least it doesn't switch into parking mode like it does with V1.02 either off DC power or through the hardwire kit.
View attachment 48749

It is a bug in V1.02 for if no GPS in parking mode, fixed in V1.03, so that's the difference.

In V1.02 if no GPS, it will enter to the parking mode after 5mins even there are continuous motion in the front.

 

[valkyrie]

It is a bug in V1.02 for if no GPS in parking mode, fixed in V1.03, so that's the difference.

In V1.02 if no GPS, it will enter to the parking mode after 5mins even there are continuous motion in the front.

Can you clarify what the fix is in V1.03 as I've had it fail to ever go into parking mode for over an hour with the lens covered sitting on a desk. No GPS, no movement, no activity at all.

ETA. I've been corresponding with Capture Your Action on the Viofo forum as well as here so adding these tests from that forum here.

A119 V3 Does not sense or enter Parking mode after firmware update V1.03

Just as the title says, after updating firmware to V1.03, the A119 V3 does not enter Parking modes with only DC. Does not enter Parking mode with Hardwire kit unless ignition switch is first turned on and off.

www.viofo.com

"I decided I'd test again to see if I could replicate your results, I can not. However I have found it will go into parking mode with only DC power with V1.03. Just not consistently or in the 10 - 12 min time frame I was testing. I assume the results would be the same connecting to GPS with hardwire kit.

What I first did since I had V1.02 firmware installed was do 3 tests to verify parking mode working by connecting with dc power and laying on my desk, configured for Auto Event detection (easier for me to see since it causes the led to flash in parking mode) and with the lens taped over.

All 3 tests entered parking mode at 5 min with V1.02.
9:23-9:28
9:33-9:38
9:40 - 9:45

Then I flashed the V1.03 firmware.
Defaulted Settings
Formatted SD
Reconfigured all settings exactly as I had them with V1.02

The first test gave me hope when it did enter parking mode at 15 min (10:06-10:21. I thought well maybe I just wasn't giving it enough time when I was testing previously so started 2nd test. Second test at 27 min entered parking mode. (10:25-10:52), thought that to be odd so started test 3 and it entered parking mode in 12 min (11:13-11:25). The 4th and last test I did never entered parking mode, started it at 11:26 and stopped it at 12:27.

So for the 4 tests with V1.03
10:06-10:21 15 min
10:25-10:52 27 min
11:13-11:25 12 min
11:26-12:27 Stopped testing at 1 hour mark and still had not entered parking mode.


So in part it does enter parking mode with V1.03. I have no idea why there's so much inconsistency in the amount of time it takes to enter parking mode with V1.03 as the conditions, configuration and test were the same as what I did with V1.02. I've went back to V1.02 again and it's back to entering parking mode consistently in 5 min.

One other thing I noticed you may have some insight to that I don't as I don't know anything about video. But the 4th test that did not enter parking mode I noticed most all files for that hour long duration were 28mbps and a few at 29 mbps. Almost always I see 30mbps when I review the files. This was recording a covered lens so there was no color, motion or anything just black. When I noticed the bitrate difference I connected it to power again and let it record for a few min and without changing any configuration the files were back to 30mbps. "

 

[Mtz]

Did you tested with default settings and just parking mode enabled? Nothing else, even date and time not set?

 

[vvs49]

BCHobbyist!!
Here's the splash screen code copied from 129D and pasted into 119V3.
But in 119, the screensaver goes without delay, so if it makes sense to change it?

 

[valkyrie]

Did you tested with default settings and just parking mode enabled? Nothing else, even date and time not set?

I did today and results have not been repeatable or consistent.

What I posted on Viofo forum a bit ago.
So I did 3 different configurations at 8 tests per configuration today,

1st configuration was Default settings with GPS On and Auto Event Detection Parking mode.
2nd configuration was Default Settings with GPS Off and Auto Event Detection Parking mode
3rd configuration was my usual settings on how I typically configure it.

All tests were done after flashing V1.03, Then Defaulting settings and power cycling. The A119 V3 was power cycled between each test.
All tests were done with a USB Power source connected directly to A119 V3 without GPS Module (Only have one GPS and not going to sit in truck to test or remove it from it's adhesive). The Lens was taped over (to prevent motion detection) and placed on my work table next to my desk.
The tests were run in the order listed 1st through 3rd

Configuration 1 (GPS On) ranged from 6 min to 19 min, no repeatability or consistency.
Configuration 2 (GPS Off) ranged from 6 min to 43 min, no repeatability or consistency.
Configuration 3 (Custom) ranged from 11 min to 36 min, no repeatability or consistency.

I have no idea why there seems to be such a wide range in the time it takes to enter parking mode even with no changes between tests with the same configuration. At one point I thought maybe it was detecting audio (noise from AC), so I placed my phone beside it with a clock announcer broadcasting the time every minute but that had no affect. About the only thing I know after all this time is I'm unable to reproduce consistent results.

 

[Mtz]

Make any test again with another power source and use the original cable. You can make it in the car and cover the lens.

 

[valkyrie]

Make any test again with another power source and use the original cable. You can make it in the car and cover the lens.

Nah I'm done testing. I started testing this because it wasn't going into parking mode using the power from the hardwire kit. Results have been pretty consistently the same. If Viofo wants to explain what the difference is they can or if someone else wants to keep testing to figure it out they're welcome to but I'm rolling back to V1.02 as it's more consistent.

 

[Mtz]

What can we test if our cameras are working OK in parking mode?
After I saw your report here I made a parking mode test and was working OK for me from the first time.
As an old beta tester I tried to analyze what is different between our setups and I see you are using Powe Bank. I was using wall charger with original cable, so the test was indoor like yours and should not be affected by the GPS firmware changes.