Viofo A129 Duo - What Problems Have You Encountered With this Dash Cam?

[Airborne]

These programs are every where on the net. Finding the correct way to set the camera up will be trail and error I guess. I am going to use the default settings sand see how that works. I finally finished up my sub fuse panel, getting constant and accessory recommend by the company. My Bluesea fuse panel has 6 circuits constant and 6 circuits accessory. The accessory circuit did some doing on my part, I purchased a relay and then it all came together. If anything comes of this at least I have circuit management now and other company’s probably need the same thing on their hard wire kit. If I know of a camera that works in parking mode like Straycam said, I am all in. I am waiting for him or anyone give me a heads up. Does the new pro work correctly?

 

[StrayCam]

These programs are every where on the net. Finding the correct way to set the camera up will be trail and error I guess. I am going to use the default settings sand see how that works. I finally finished up my sub fuse panel, getting constant and accessory recommend by the company. My Bluesea fuse panel has 6 circuits constant and 6 circuits accessory. The accessory circuit did some doing on my part, I purchased a relay and then it all came together. If anything comes of this at least I have circuit management now and other company’s probably need the same thing on their hard wire kit. If I know of a camera that works in parking mode like Straycam said, I am all in. I am waiting for him or anyone give me a heads up. Does the new pro work correctly?

Airborne-

As I said earlier, you have the main settings set to what others here have recommended. And having your 2-minute loops is a good idea; that can help eliminate file corruption. - - As Jokiin mentioned earlier, make sure you reformat your sd card at least once a month (in your camera).

The new A129 Pro is not ready yet. As I mentioned, I was told by someone that the new A129 Pro will likely have problems too! - - There's no sense in those new users getting any different experience than us! - Meanwhile, the band plays on....

 

[Airborne]

That particular model is an Arpenkin Mini Q9. It's only a single cam, but that g-sensor technology comes at a big price! $60 on Amazon...lol. I only posted the video because BCHobbyist shows an example of a g-sensor dash cam working in parking mode the way the "average consumer" would expect it to work. - - As I said, the Viofo A129 Duo will not do this!!!

Btw, your settings for your cam seem fine. I believe BCHobbyist recommended that WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) be turned-off, so I keep mine off. I guess that's all personal choice. And since motion detection in parking mode picks up too much stuff, I always kept it at "low"; but if you're using low bitrate parking mode, this is a moot point (doesn't apply).

What I've been doing recently with my dash cam is "always have it set to Low Bitrate Parking Mode", but merely push the button to turn if off when I don't want any parking mode. If you don't turn it off, say when you're out shopping, it will automatically be on. - - Then when you return to your car, make sure you take a cursory look at your car to make sure there was no obvious damage done to your car while you were away because you cannot count on the A129 to log what should be a triggered even to your RO (Read Only) file.







Yes, Sdeel7491 you are preaching to the choir when you tell me "...it's getting beyond a joke!" - - It's clear that Viofo has placed its present customers (A129 users) in a "low priority position"; they are instead "banking on getting new customers" with the A129 Pro so they are focusing on getting that out in the marketplace before Holiday Shopping starts....only 60 more days!!! - - And I've been told that the A129 Pro will probably face similar "parking mode issues" to what we A129 users have experienced. - - And then "the newest Viofo customers" (A129 Pro) will learn what it feels like to be ignored once they've already purchased their dash cams!

This is a repeating pattern of Viofo, Airborne....they have a predictable perfect record of releasing new dash cam models without fully testing hardware and firmware. - - That's how this Company operates. - - For those contemplating making a purchase of a dash cam, keep this in mind.

If everyone is having this problem then why the company does not make it right is crazy. My return window for the camera closed yesterday, I did get the package on a flash sale. I am interested if someone does get a good parking. Mode camera. I checked out the one you suggested and read up on it some more. Maybe this is why so many guys on here have numerous dashcams

 

[jokiin]

I am re-posting a video here created by BCHobbyist wherein he shows a competitor's dash cam "working" in parking mode with the g-sensor. If you look at the times 4:00 & 4:55 on the video, you'll see how the g-sensor triggers when a shopping cart lightly bumps into a car and when a passerby merely bumps into the car. - - The A129 Duo does NOT do this. This is a major problem for those who are concerned about "parking mode protection".

it won't work like this, it's using a different method, you're comparing apples and oranges

 

[StrayCam]

I don't really care what's under the hood! When I buy a car, I expect it to go from point A to point B with no problems. - - When I buy a dash cam with Parking mode and g-sensor, I expect it to trigger when something shakes my car, even if it's only some punk who runs into it accidentally or a shopping cart that gets rammed hard into my car. - - Unfortunately, with the current adjustments the Viofo A129 g-sensor will not trigger in parking mode.

I know for a fact that Viofo had their A129 where it wasn't sensitive enough months back; and I know they had a fw version where it was too sensitive, going off all the time. - - So, Viofo has the capability of fixing the sensitivity. It should not take months to correct, that is, unless another project (hint: A129 Pro) is occupying Viofo's time. - - Mark my words, when the A129 Pro is released, it too will have problems that get kicked down the road... This is not new territory for Viofo...they do it all the time!

 

[Airborne]

If everyone is having this problem then why the company does not make it right is crazy. My return window for the camera closed yesterday, I did get the package on a flash sale. I am interested if someone does get a good parking. Mode camera. I checked out the one you suggested and read up on it some more. Maybe this is why so many guys on here have numerous dashcams

Are you planning on purchasing a Arpenkin Mini Q9. Amazon is more then 60 bucks, but still way cheaper then the 129. and Everything comes with the purchase, you don,t have to add the hard wire kit, that price is included

 

[StrayCam]

Are you planning on purchasing a Arpenkin Mini Q9. Amazon is more then 60 bucks, but still way cheaper then the 129. and Everything comes with the purchase, you don,t have to add the hard wire kit, that price is included

Here's a link to the the one BCHobbyist tested in his video.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B07F5Q46DJ

There's a $30 coupon that makes the net cost $60. - - There are trade-offs with this camera. No buffered parking...different form factor.

Once again, the little bit of research I did when I stumbled on BCHobbyist's video a while back showed me that I wasn't expecting the impossible when I expect the g-sensor to get triggered when something bumps into my car. And as I said, at one time Viofo even had the g-sensor on the A129 too sensitive. - - So, they are able to do it. - - The million dollar question, is WHEN????

 

[jokiin]

There's a $30 coupon that makes the net cost $60. - - There are trade-offs with this camera. No buffered parking...different form factor.

yes, the trade off is the method used will wake the camera after the event so you don't actually get whatever triggered the G-Sensor in your recording, this method is different to what is being used in the A129, if you think you can have it this sensitive using prebuffer then you're going to be dissapointed

 

[StrayCam]

yes, the trade off is the method used will wake the camera after the event so you don't actually get whatever triggered the G-Sensor in your recording, this method is different to what is being used in the A129, if you think you can have it this sensitive using prebuffer then you're going to be dissapointed

Jokiin,

Once again, you seem to be ignoring the fact that the A129 g--sensor was at one time "too sensitive". So, the "only reason for A129 users to be disappointed" is Viofo has put this project on the back burner. - - Viofo has the capability of making the g-sensor work in parking mode. They have already gone to two extremes: one where it was not sensitive enough and one where it was too sensitive. Now, they merely need to adjust it to Goldilocks' "just right".... Just how hard is that to do???

 

[jokiin]

I don't know that the goldilocks mode that you're wishing for is actually possible with this hardware, everything seems easy when you don't know how it works

 

[StrayCam]

I don't know that the goldilocks mode that you're wishing for is actually possible with this hardware, everything seems easy when you don't know how it works

Even Bill Zhou from Viofo said that "what we average A129 users wish with g-senosrs" would be possible with our dash cams. And he went on to say Viofo would fix it. - - The only problem is he said it would be fixed a month ago!!! Instead he blew us all off!!!

This is good for prospective customers to understand. A different choice would most likely not result in a Company that breaks promises...

 

[jokiin]

sensitivity can likely be improved further, I don't however think it's going to be as you are hoping it to be where a slight bump would set it off, that kind of sensitivity requires the camera to be in a low power sleep mode as you see it done on the Q9

 

[kamkar]

Those G - sensors have me worried, though when i get to do parking mode i plan to do always low bitrate, but it would be damn nice with just a picture ( with a time stamp ) triggered by the G sensor to know something have went down and when so you have a place in time to go look in among your parking footage.
Otherwise if you see in time your car have a dent, then depending on your parking time since it happened, you have a lot of footage ( time ) to look over.
I am aware that some mofo keying your car, the G - sensor will probably never be able to pick that up, and maybe not someone making a small " mall" dent in your side with a door.
But i was hoping to be able to have it so sensitive that if you park curb side and a semi or bus or some loud boy vehicle blow by could make a trigger.

I think for parking modes you do need some form of trigger, maybe not to start the recording but at least to let you know something have transpired and when that went down.

 

[kamkar]

So instead of G - sensors, which i assume work best with a prolonged force in one or more directions, then how about a vibration sensor ?
I mean something tuned to something lesser ( vibrations ) could maybe be better, even with a major event which your car will just register as a magnitude 8 event.
But then really small "tremors" like a key along the side of your car or a "mall" dent, that should be easy for a vibration sensor to detect.
If they can detect gravity waves from space, i bet they can make a little seismometer for our dashcams.

 

[StrayCam]

sensitivity can likely be improved further, I don't however think it's going to be as you are hoping it to be where a slight bump would set it off, that kind of sensitivity requires the camera to be in a low power sleep mode as you see it done on the Q9

I know the A129 can be made more sensitive because Viofo already did it! - - It would go off if a little bird landed on your car... that was perhaps a little too sensitive!!!

So, that piece of hardware is quite capable...meanwhile we have to be patient and wait 3 more months or maybe more...???

 

[kadobay]

I know the A129 can be made more sensitive because Viofo already did it! - - It would go off if a little bird landed on your car... that was perhaps a little too sensitive!!!

So, that piece of hardware is quite capable...meanwhile we have to be patient and wait 3 more months or maybe more...???

g-sensors measure the acceleration in 3 axes. x-y-z.
We don't know how many axes change "viofo" program algorithm. if the algorithm is written to record in case of changes in at least 2 axes, the change in one direction is not sufficient. In normal driving mode, because the car is already in motion, excessive change in one or more axes may be required to detect the time of the accident/crash.
but since the car is stationary in parking mode, the smallest change in one of the "g sensor" axes must trigger for recording.

 

[Airborne]

g-sensors measure the acceleration in 3 axes. x-y-z.
We don't know how many axes change "viofo" program algorithm. if the algorithm is written to record in case of changes in at least 2 axes, the change in one direction is not sufficient. In normal driving mode, because the car is already in motion, excessive change in one or more axes may be required to detect the time of the accident/crash.
but since the car is stationary in parking mode, the smallest change in one of the "g sensor" axes must trigger for recording.

Huh?. I don’t get any of this?

 

[Airborne]

This is a good thread created by Straycam, I think he is onto something. If the camera is not working correctly we all should help to solve his issues, not down play the problem. I would like to see the company come onto this thread and make suggestions, but I have not seen this happen yet.
So instead of side tracking all his problems help the man out

 

[Nigel]

So instead of G - sensors, which i assume work best with a prolonged force in one or more directions, then how about a vibration sensor ?
I mean something tuned to something lesser ( vibrations ) could maybe be better, even with a major event which your car will just register as a magnitude 8 event.
But then really small "tremors" like a key along the side of your car or a "mall" dent, that should be easy for a vibration sensor to detect.
If they can detect gravity waves from space, i bet they can make a little seismometer for our dashcams.

If you want to pick up keying events and trolly dings then I think a microphone may be the best choice of sensor, a g-sensor (acceleration sensor) is always going to have difficulty detecting something that doesn't actually move the car! If you do use a g-sensor then you need to use it as a microphone rather than for measuring acceleration as it is designed to be used. If you think about distinguishing good noises from bad noises using a microphone, that is the same job as what you are asking the g-sensor to do.

I would like to see the company come onto this thread and make suggestions, but I have not seen this happen yet.

The company would like to participate, but it is never going to do so given the confrontational attitude of certain posters! The consistent repetitive posting of the same issues only succeeds in giving the company a lot of extra publicity, and given that "there is no such thing as bad publicity", it is actually good for the company to leave things as they are Not the best approach for the OP to get the issues fixed though, I doubt he has had any effect on the timescale for a fix

 

[Airborne]

This forum is to report problems and that is all the OP is doing. Now who is being confrontational, you are by just posting the thought.. OP wants the camera working correctly.
The company needs to get off their bum and start at least throwing out suggestions. I seen many of your postings and you sir are always be confrontational. So as the good lord said, Take the log out of your own eye before you try to remove the speck out of the OP eye. We are all on here to find out answers. Some may come across as being strong but I do not feel that about the OP
Now me coming from the Bronx,my words landed me some problems, but people who are not from the street, don’t understand
Just like my 2 children, both have their Masters decree and they know everything. So try to keep a lid on your comments, you sir are stirring the nest. Just leave it alone and let’s hope the company adds some comments soon.