VIOFO A129 Duo beeping and not going on Parking Mode

[HonestReview]

What is station mode?

 

[Nath]

If the term is used properly here, it will act as a client (to connect to other AP).

EDIT: Which is the feature i was missing. @viofo
About the client.txt file, i hope the info will be crypted in the final release.
EDIT2: Is there such beta firmware for A129P as well?

 

[HonestReview]

If the term is used properly here, it will act as a client (to connect to other AP).

EDIT: Which is the feature i was missing. @viofo
About the client.txt file, i hope the info will be crypted in the final release.
EDIT2: Is there such beta firmware for A129P as well?

So is Viofo adding the capability for the camera to connect to a car's 3 or 4G? Or is the camera just remaining as the access point. I'm a bit confused on what they're implying.

 

[unrecognized88]

I just started experiencing this on my A129 Duo. I have a Sandisk High Endurance 256GB that I purchased from Amazon (sold and shipped by Amazon). I also tested it with h2testw program and confirmed all was good before proceeding with the install.

Since I am working from home, I have been swapping out an Anker 20,000mah and an Anker 26,800 mah power bank and only have the front camera recording since I reverse park into the spot. Just noticed yesterday that it wasn't recording when I went to check on my car. It was beeping when I opened the door and I had to wake it up and hit record again. Wondering if it has anything to do with the memory card being full. I'm going to format the card while in the cam and see if I get the same issue after it fills up again.

Update: I reformatted my 256GB Sandisk High Endurance card on 3/30 and the dash cam recorded normally without beeping for the next couple days. I would go and check on it and swap battery banks every 24 or 48 hours.

Just went to check on it and it was beeping again. Camera stopped recording yesterday at 5:30pm, but started up again at 2:15am. It recorded until 4am and stopped again.

Does 6 days of recording for a 256Gb card sound right? The app shows that there is 2xx MEGAbyte of memory left on the card.

 

[HonestReview]

Update: I reformatted my 256GB Sandisk High Endurance card on 3/30 and the dash cam recorded normally without beeping for the next couple days. I would go and check on it and swap battery banks every 24 or 48 hours.

Just went to check on it and it was beeping again. Camera stopped recording yesterday at 5:30pm, but started up again at 2:15am. It recorded until 4am and stopped again.

Does 6 days of recording for a 256Gb card sound right? The app shows that there is 2xx MEGAbyte of memory left on the card.

1. Is your camera properly grounded?

2. What fuses did you select for ACC and Battery?

3. What firmware are you running?

If all is set properly and you've got firmware 1.5v or later, I would suggest returning camera for replacement.

 

[CaptureYourAction]

1. Is your camera properly grounded?

2. What fuses did you select for ACC and Battery?

3. What firmware are you running?

If all is set properly and you've got firmware 1.5v or later, I would suggest returning camera for replacement.

He's using battery packs for power during parking mode. This is a known issue believed to be firmware related.

 

[HonestReview]

He's using battery packs for power during parking mode. This is a known issue believed to be firmware related.

Battery packs can be hardwired, too. So I guess with that knowledge, I wonder if the battery pack is properly charging. Or as you put it, if this is actually a firmware related issue.

 

[unrecognized88]

Battery packs can be hardwired, too. So I guess with that knowledge, I wonder if the battery pack is properly charging. Or as you put it, if this is actually a firmware related issue.

My Anker battery packs aren’t hardwired. They’re just portable standalone battery packs that you use for charging phones. I’m leaning firmware issue. Camera works just fine until the memory card fills up. It’s suppose to start recording over oldest recordings, but for some reason it’s not. Card itself is a real sandisk.

 

[HonestReview]

My Anker battery packs aren’t hardwired. They’re just portable standalone battery packs that you use for charging phones. I’m leaning firmware issue. Camera works just fine until the memory card fills up. It’s suppose to start recording over oldest recordings, but for some reason it’s not. Card itself is a real sandisk.

Loop recording is enabled i presume? Try downgrading to version 1.5 firmware or 1.9. Or upgrading to latest. See if issue is resolved with any new or prior firmwares.

 

[unrecognized88]

Loop recording is enabled i presume? Try downgrading to version 1.5 firmware or 1.9. Or upgrading to latest. See if issue is resolved with any new or prior firmwares.

Yep it is set on loop recording and I am on 1.9 firmware. I will just wait on the new firmware to come out. I don't want to test the Beta. At this point, it's just a bit annoying to have to reformat the card every 5-6 days, but it's okay since I already go out every 1-2 days to swap out battery packs.

I will also try troubleshooting by swapping out an extra A129 Duo that I have this weekend and using the current card. It was for the wife's car, but I haven't gotten around to installing it yet.

 

[HonestReview]

Yep it is set on loop recording and I am on 1.9 firmware. I will just wait on the new firmware to come out. I don't want to test the Beta. At this point, it's just a bit annoying to have to reformat the card every 5-6 days, but it's okay since I already go out every 1-2 days to swap out battery packs.

I will also try troubleshooting by swapping out an extra A129 Duo that I have this weekend and using the current card. It was for the wife's car, but I haven't gotten around to installing it yet.

I suggest downgrading to V 1.5 and seeing if the same problem exists. Can't hurt

 

[chris-s]

So is Viofo adding the capability for the camera to connect to a car's 3 or 4G? Or is the camera just remaining as the access point. I'm a bit confused on what they're implying.

I'm also confused about this.
Anyone could explain in details benefits of this feature ?

 

[Nath]

So is Viofo adding the capability for the camera to connect to a car's 3 or 4G? Or is the camera just remaining as the access point. I'm a bit confused on what they're implying.

I'm also confused about this.
Anyone could explain in details benefits of this feature ?

I doubt they gonna implement some kind of internet access. The camera has own "webinterface" so if it will by possible to connect it to an AP (make it act as a client) you can access the camera from your home network, for example download the footage, while your cars are parked in garage.

 

[chris-s]

In other words :
1/ A129 connects to the wifi of my house (I guess automatically using the client.txt file)
2/ I can access to the A129 via its local IP address (192.168.x.x)
Correct ?

 

[Nath]

Correct. But obviously i don't know what are their real intentions.

EDIT: 2/ Actually i think they will rely on DHCP server of your router so the IP will by asigned according to the range of your network (static IP wouldn't be smart).

 

[HonestReview]

Correct. But obviously i don't know what are their real intentions.

EDIT: 2/ Actually i think they will rely on DHCP server of your router so the IP will by asigned according to the range of your network (static IP wouldn't be smart).

I think both of you are assuming. Right now the A129 Duo only operates as an access point. Meaning your phone connects directly to the device without any other connectivity in place. The A129 doesn't connect to any external net.

Viofo has yet to clarify if remote viewing through a wireless connection is even supported. So I wouldn't jump to any conclusions.

 

[jimn]

I finished hardwiring my Duo yesterday and get the exact same effect as the OP. I'll try the 2.3 beta that was posted by Viofo to see if that helps.

Edit: I can confirm that it's no longer beeping, but I'll just have to wait and see whether Parking Mode is actually working as expected.

Is there any visual indication that it's in parking mode once the screen has gone off? A few minutes after I turned off the car, my A129 now beeps a couple of times and then all the LEDs go out.

 

[HonestReview]

I finished hardwiring my Duo yesterday and get the exact same effect as the OP. I'll try the 2.3 beta that was posted by Viofo to see if that helps.

Edit: I can confirm that it's no longer beeping, but I'll just have to wait and see whether Parking Mode is actually working as expected.

Is there any visual indication that it's in parking mode once the screen has gone off? A few minutes after I turned off the car, my A129 now beeps a couple of times and then all the LEDs go out.

When you power off your vehicle, the camera will beep a few times and in the top Left Corner the Camera will have a "P" symbol which indicates it's now in parking mode. I suggest you hit the record button, then the = button to go to menu and set it to low bitrate recording. That's the preferred mode with live recording just in a lower bitrate. Enough to catch anyone backing into your vehicle or causing havoc. Turn off motion detection, if not already disabled.

 

[chris-s]

Everyone suggest to use the low bitrate parking recording, but the main purpose (IMO) of a pre-buffered parking mode dashcam is the impact and motion detection parking mode.

 

[SawMaster]

Everyone suggest to use the low bitrate parking recording, but the main purpose (IMO) of a pre-buffered parking mode dashcam is the impact and motion detection parking mode.

That is the concept and intention exactly. The problem lies in the implemantation, which in most cases isn't done very well at all. Only a few cams do G-sensor well enough to be useful for small impacts and even fewer do motion detect at that performance level. Even with the ones which work there is variance between individual cams. Some Korean cams do it well- apparently it is expected in their market, and apparently it takes a lot of effort to get it right- even then the individual variations have been known to not work properly. So the general advice has always been that if you want parking protection, you're better off using time-lapse or low bitrate modes simply because they work reliably. If those aren't available on a cam then record normally (which is hard on the cam especially in hot weather and voids warranties).

Viofo's low bitrate mode works very well, and while it may not 'mark' an incident making it easy to find, at least you will be sure to have that event recorded, and it doesn't stress the cam or void it's warranty. I know it's not the answer you or anyone else wants to hear, but that's how things work in the dashcam world; unfulfilled expectations are the norm here

Phil