VIOFO A119S Modified Firmware MODs Archive

[BlackCloud]

Just checking in here as I have been out of the loop for quite some time...
All is well with me. Hope All is well with y'all?
I recently built a new computer that will be better at video processing than my ancient laptop that i was using. So now I'm trying to get back up to speed on whats going on.

 

[IvanhoeYU]

hi @BlackCloud , me to, just checking about news here.

Maybe someone can help in brainstorming: I have been thinking to get 129 duo pro, but finally I'll wait to have all issues resolved first.

and maybe stay couple of months more with my TWO A119S, especially if I can have final fix for those.

in fact the focus is perfect in cold state, but after 10-15min when camera is worming (not hot, as I've done what @BCHobyist has recommended) the focus goes out!

very known issue and it seems that the best solution is to replace the support (plastic to metal) but it is more DIY than I can do (done by @gse ).

Does someone know, if we can obtain the GOOD worm focus, defocusing slightly the cold state focus, lens closer to sensor maybe...if we move the focus 0.5 - 1.5mm left like when BCHobyist refocuses the bad lenses.

I prefer to have bad focus in "cold" and "good" focus in worm state, 99.99% of usage, against the choice of Viofo to have it opposite (as it seems that with even new improved polymer support you can not get both and it has been confirmed in my case with 2 A119S, and one replacement lens that Viofo has sent to me; it seems that only SG FULL metallic base fix definitely the issue and you have good focus in both states, cold and worm)?

cheers

 

[gse]

Does someone know, if we can obtain the GOOD worm focus, defocusing slightly the cold state focus, lens closer to sensor maybe...if we move the focus 0.5 - 1.5mm left like when BCHobyist refocuses the bad lenses.

Yes, this option had a place to be, but it did not lead to a good result.
1. It will be very difficult to predict the moment of good focus, because we do not know how much the lens warms up and moves relative to the matrix.
2. Order from Viofo the sensor module assembly.

 

[IvanhoeYU]

- i'll try the mod fw to see if it slightly helps,
- even if we can not predict the dilatation up to the worming up, if some anticipation helps, i'll try. as I've said Viofo has sent me the new lens kit/sensor. assembled and focused but even it is better then original, it still presents the worm defocusung. less visible but on 32" screen very visible to my eyes.

- @gse, I've seen somewhere that you have mounted up the metallic sensor support. this is probably the ultimate solution. where have you found it, please? I'll need two of them if possible to find. from SG version maybe?

thanks

 

[gse]

I've seen somewhere that you have mounted up the metallic sensor support. this is probably the ultimate solution. where have you found it, please? I'll need two of them if possible to find. from SG version maybe?

Since 2017, a metal holder has been installed on all Viofo registrars, you can request it from the support service or request a complete module.
In SG, the metal holder is the same as Viofo, because the matrix board is marked SG

 

[IvanhoeYU]

When Viofo has sent to me the new KIT, I've seen that the original and the replacement one has been marked StreetGuardian. but I remember it as plastics not metal...and it was in November 2017 sent by Viofo, so they have sent me plastic ones then, not the metal one probably.

the picture of the original (I'll open to take the picture of the replacement one, but up to me it is the same, just a little bit better focused, but loosing focus with warming up):


@gse, do you have maybe the picture of the new metallic sensor kit?

so the MOD FW can not improve a lot there...

 

[gse]

the picture of the original (I'll open to take the picture of the replacement one, but up to me it is the same, just a little bit better focused, but loosing focus with warming up):

You have a plastic holder in the photo
It metal

 

[IvanhoeYU]

I've just opened both A119S and both have the plastic holder.
So the "fixed" KIT holder sent by @VIOFO-Support has been the bad plastic one, as the original one?!
Yes I would like to thank them as the communication was nice and the replacement under the warranty, as it should be, BUT I don't understand why they didn't send me the definitive SOLUTION, I mean in metal to avoid thermal dilatation, as it was my MAIN complain and all after the after sales escalation to be done?!

As I didn't know that it can be better I've lived with it, having the bad focus, all this time?
my mistake too.

If they have had, end of 2017 the metallic one, was logical to send the RIGHT metallic one ...but now it's too late complain probably. we are in 2020 and in EU the warranty is 2 years (finished for me mid-october 2019; but this case is more "vis-cashé" and it is unlimited in time, but who will take the time and energy to fight for 200eur for months and having the cost of 5 times more...)

The nice lesson for me and I'll probably not buy Viofo anymore , even if I've planed very seriously the 129 duo pro in next weeks or months latest.

Up to some of you the A119S or A119 v3 are still better in the night, the reason why I've wanted to keep , refix eventually the focus, and keep them some time more, giving the @viofo the chance to fix all those issues with the 129 duo pro.

If the 129 duo pro will be fixed as it was the fix of my 2 A119S, no thanks; better to look something else probably.

And of course thank you @gse to make it so clear to me!

cheers

1ST A119A (replacement holder in November 2017, original October 2017)


2ND A119S (october 2017)

 

[gse]

Try to contact Viofo, request a module assembly with a metal holder.

 

[jokiin]

In SG, the metal holder is the same as Viofo, because the matrix board is marked SG

our lens assembly is from a different supplier, it's not the same one they use

 

[kamkar]

I do think plastic mounts are okay today,,,,,, IF ! you get the right ones not faked.
The proper plastics should be thematically stable and give a good result, but if some one have made a run on the same molds using scavenged coke bottles and garbage bags, well then the mounts only look the part.

So you have to be on top of what go onto your company, cuz it affect what go out in the other end of it.

 

[jokiin]

FRP mounts are ok on a camera that's further back from the window, that close to the glass needs metal

 

[IvanhoeYU]

agree with @jokiin , at the end metal is known by everybody, and even if it looks more expensive, when you would like to be o the safe side and have good customer track it is the way in many applications.

@kamkar1 you are right too, but even if the polymers we have today are great, more knowledge is needed to deal with, the know-how about the tolerancing and physical behaviour (all the science).
Many of suppliers simply don't consider all the complexity, maybe @viofo has faced this.

The metal is sometimes more expensive (especially for big series); it's less expensive to have the mould for mass production.

I would like to suppose that when @VIOFO-Support has sent me the same plastic holder, they have done the mistake in spare parts stock.

They have been waiting in the time being the NEW production batch, and as I've requested in metal, I was convinced myself that it was some kind of NEW polymer or some mix polymer/metallic powder or whatever...

so I've ended to look for the 100% metallic, struggling for 2 years with the focus drift, even not knowing that in 2017 Viofo has already implemented the FULL metallic holders...OK clear not the same as SG, so maybe the bad luck in the spare part management for me. who knows.so next time it will be better for me to consider more SG...new lesson for me ;-)

 

[kamkar]

A shifting focus that go back and forth are a PITA, i am fortunate i have not dealt with that, the cases i have sen the focus shift and lock there, so adjusting the lens have fixed it.
But i assume that's more indicative of a issue inside the lens itself rather than the mount it go into.

 

[SawMaster]

Lens mount related focus shift is a known issue with some cams and a metal mount usually helps. It may take several tries to get a warm focus instead of a cold one, but go a little each time (maybe 1mm or less at the edge of the lens) and you can get there eventually. I've had this problem in a few other cams but never so bad that I bothered to refocus.

Phil

 

[gse]

our lens assembly is from a different supplier, it's not the same one they use

Yes, I know this, I had in mind the metal holder itself, it should be the same.

 

[jokiin]

Yes, I know this, I had in mind the metal holder itself, it should be the same.

the mounts are supplied by the lens supplier also, they all look similar but may not be the same

 

[gse]

the mounts are supplied by the lens supplier also, they all look similar but may not be the same

I am 99.9% sure that the mount is the same as Viofo uses SG printed circuit board

 

[jokiin]

I am 99.9% sure that the mount is the same as Viofo uses SG printed circuit board

the PCB has nothing to do with which lens assembly they use

 

[gse]

I do think plastic mounts are okay today,,,,,, IF ! you get the right ones not faked.

Of course there is heat-resistant plastic, but even in DVRs it can play a trick, we separate the matrices by physical size, large-small, cold-hot, heat dissipation from the matrix module, a small case with poor ventilation, etc., so, so that there would be no problems, it is necessary to immediately put metal, knowing brands such as SG, Datakam, TrendVision, having encountered once, took this into account for the future and had no more problems with defocus.

the PCB has nothing to do with which lens assembly they use

It's not about assembling the module, but the constructive size of the holder and fixing it on the board, the internal thread pitch of 12 + 05 mm and the mounting centers on the board 19 mm. It should be identical!