VIOFO A129 Duo (Pre-production sample)

[turtleoftime]

Might have something to do with it, hopefully there will be a better tuned firmware soon.

Another reason is that it doesn't always use the same white balance/exposure for front and back due to the contents of the image. I think that can be improved but they are never going to be a perfect match.

Another reason in my car is that the glass in my front and rear windows is at different angles so the effectiveness of the CPL is different, I get more reflection on the rear camera which results in the colour not being as vivid as for the front.

I know this sounds silly, but have you adjusted the lens to be sure that its at perfect "washout" setting by spinning the lens?

 

[Nigel]

I know this sounds silly, but have you adjusted the lens to be sure that its at perfect "washout" setting by spinning the lens?

It's the slope of the glass that is different and that can't be corrected by turning the CPL, the physics of the reflection means that less of the reflected light is polarised. However I could solve the issue by putting a matt black cover on my rear parcel shelf so that there is less light to reflect, I will try that when I get around to it...

 

[Finger]

Wished hey had used a thinner cable for the rear cam. Really struggling to tuck it away, might have to put it on ebay.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

[krole]

Wished hey had used a thinner cable for the rear cam. Really struggling to tuck it away, might have to put it on ebay.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

Just for reference on my Rav4. I was able to run mine along the top of the weather stripping in the doors and where the upper and lower trim pieces meet. I poked the cable in with the included plastic pry bar. The only trim pieces I had to remove were the a pillar and the one on the rear hatch. I had to pull down the rear headliner clips as well.

 

[JohnnyMnemonic]

^ Basically the exact same way I ran it in my Escalade ESV. I was worried about the length but I ended up with about an extra foot of cable and overall, the run was easier than expected.

If I'd have liked to see one change concerning the A129, it is the plug on the rear camera. I wish the plug entered from the side and not the top as I'd have been able to mount it higher on the rear glass. Not a big deal in the end, I like the quality if this cam for the price I paid.

 

[Finger]

That's roughly how I had installed it on my previous cars but my new car is so tight. I can barely tuck it under the roof liner as there is not enough rubber seal to hide the cable. Even the front window of the car can't hold both cables together due to the thickness

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

[JB-007]

how thick it is actually, what is the diameter of the cable going front to back cam? why does it have to be so thick for as I have seen a few members stating its very very thick. Wouldn't it be cool if the rear cam can connect wirelessly to the front cam without a cable? I cant see why it cant be done with wifi or bluetooth or something else. are there any wireless dash cams out there that do this? (run wirelessly from front cam to rear cam)

 

[warsaws]

I don’t see what the problem is. I appreciate a well shielded cable. I’ve already installed 3 A129s.

 

[krole]

how thick it is actually, what is the diameter of the cable going front to back cam? why does it have to be so thick for as I have seen a few members stating its very very thick. Wouldn't it be cool if the rear cam can connect wirelessly to the front cam without a cable? I cant see why it cant be done with wifi or bluetooth or something else. are there any wireless dash cams out there that do this? (run wirelessly from front cam to rear cam)

Approximately 5mm.

Either way you're going to need some kind of cable going to the back cam to power it, might as well have that cable send power and data.

I don't know the reason for it being as thick as it is.

 

[JB-007]

^ Basically the exact same way I ran it in my Escalade ESV. I was worried about the length but I ended up with about an extra foot of cable and overall, the run was easier than expected.

If I'd have liked to see one change concerning the A129, it is the plug on the rear camera. I wish the plug entered from the side and not the top as I'd have been able to mount it higher on the rear glass. Not a big deal in the end, I like the quality if this cam for the price I paid.

^ Basically the exact same way I ran it in my Escalade ESV. I was worried about the length but I ended up with about an extra foot of cable and overall, the run was easier than expected.

If I'd have liked to see one change concerning the A129, it is the plug on the rear camera. I wish the plug entered from the side and not the top as I'd have been able to mount it higher on the rear glass. Not a big deal in the end, I like the quality if this cam for the price I paid.

can't you use the 90-degrees adapter plug that comes with the A129 so that it can fit closer to the edge of the rear window?

 

[JohnnyMnemonic]

can't you use the 90-degrees adapter plug that comes with the A129 so that it can fit closer to the edge of the rear window?

Probably, not sure if somehow there’s something proprietary that wouldn’t allow it to work, doubtful though. I’d just like it to ‘make sense’ out of the box and not have to buy more pieces off amazon.

Edit, you said the 90 degree adapter that comes with the a129. Mine did not come with a 90 degree adapter, I didn’t know it was supposed to. I just checked the website and one is not listed as included. One end of the 20’ cable is right angle but that’s the end that is supposed to connect to the front camera. The other end, for the rear cam, is straight.

 

[krole]

can't you use the 90-degrees adapter plug that comes with the A129 so that it can fit closer to the edge of the rear window?

Probably, not sure if somehow there’s something proprietary that wouldn’t allow it to work, doubtful though. I’d just like it to ‘make sense’ out of the box and not have to buy more pieces off amazon.

Edit, you said the 90 degree adapter that comes with the a129. Mine did not come with a 90 degree adapter, I didn’t know it was supposed to.

I don't think the 90 degree adapter is from Viofo, some sellers add it I believe. The adapter is mini USB for the power cable, the rear cam cable isn't mini USB, it looks similar at a glance but is different.

You could however switch the cable around, but then you would have a the cable coming straight out the side of the front cam. Depeneding on how its mounted is not ideal either. I could probably get away with it, but at this point I think I'll leave it.

 

[JB-007]

Probably, not sure if somehow there’s something proprietary that wouldn’t allow it to work, doubtful though. I’d just like it to ‘make sense’ out of the box and not have to buy more pieces off amazon.

Edit, you said the 90 degree adapter that comes with the a129. Mine did not come with a 90 degree adapter, I didn’t know it was supposed to. I just checked the website and one is not listed as included. One end of the 20’ cable is right angle but that’s the end that is supposed to connect to the front camera. The other end, for the rear cam, is straight.

I believe is saw a picture on the forum of the "loose" 90-degree angle adapter plug. Also I have seen some mention they used the rear connection in front and the front to the rear reversing the instructions so they can mount the rear closer to the edge of the window. I will have to look for that post its here somwhere

 

[JB-007]

I don't think the 90 degree adapter is from Viofo, some sellers add it I believe. The adapter is mini USB for the power cable, the rear cam cable isn't mini USB, it looks similar at a glance but is different.

You could however switch the cable around, but then you would have a the cable coming straight out the side of the front cam. Depeneding on how its mounted is not ideal either. I could probably get away with it, but at this point I think I'll leave it.

Yes, I believe you are correct. Someone did say you can reverse the cable from front to rear cam. Maybe the 90-degree angle adapter I saw is what you described sorry for the confusion

 

[CaptureYourAction]

I include a 90 degree miniUSB adapter with all the Viofo cameras, but this is for front camera power only.

 

[Rhody401]

Yes, I believe you are correct. Someone did say you can reverse the cable from front to rear cam. Maybe the 90-degree angle adapter I saw is what you described sorry for the confusion

I reversed it on the two I installed, and it lets me install it much higher. It also looks better, imo, with bot cables going in the same direction in the front. It works fine, and fit well within the roof liner.

 

[Harsh]

The pre-production sample received stopped powering on a day after starting this thread.

Had sent it back to VIOFO for further investigation but the unit has been lost in transit. Unfortunately we'll never know what went wrong with the unit.

Let's see how the new retail sample does - https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/viofos-a129-duo.34939/



Opening post updated.

 

[Rhody401]

Looks like their customs is holding it?

I have some production units and have been running them for a couple weeks now, and all is well! Cant wait for the new wiring kit and parking mode, as well as the new cpl.

 

[Daali]

Just for reference on my Rav4. I was able to run mine along the top of the weather stripping in the doors and where the upper and lower trim pieces meet. I poked the cable in with the included plastic pry bar. The only trim pieces I had to remove were the a pillar and the one on the rear hatch. I had to pull down the rear headliner clips as well.

How difficult was it to run the cable through the weather proof tunnel in the hatch? I cannot figure out how to get the wire up through there

 

[Nigel]

How difficult was it to run the cable through the weather proof tunnel in the hatch? I cannot figure out how to get the wire up through there

If it is going at the top of the hatch then there is really no need to follow the car wiring, just go from the headliner with a bit of a loop that can open up to allow the hatch to open, or go diagonally so that the cable just twists slightly as the hatch opens.