VIOFO A129 non-IR 1080p Modified Firmware MODs Archive

I agree with Combi ^^^^^^^^. I know this forum has been very educational and helpful to me also. I respect and thank all of you that give of your time and knowledge to help answering questions and helping the rest of us learn. Viofo I'm sure appreciates this forum also. I'll bet the support found here sells a lot of cameras for them! BCHobiest and the DCTeam thank you for your work and testing on your beta firmware updates. I look forward to your posts to see your changes!
 
Would the 130 lens make the horizon flatter than the 140 lens?
Not necessarily. The amount of barrel distortion is not directly related to the field of view. Generally, cheap lenses distort more than expensive ones. Viofo use good quality lenses in their cameras.
 
I agree with Combi ^^^^^^^^. I know this forum has been very educational and helpful to me also. I respect and thank all of you that give of your time and knowledge to help answering questions and helping the rest of us learn. Viofo I'm sure appreciates this forum also. I'll bet the support found here sells a lot of cameras for them! BCHobiest and the DCTeam thank you for your work and testing on your beta firmware updates. I look forward to your posts to see your changes!

I had heard good things about the A129 and seen some great footage (Bad Drivers UK) but it was this forum that sealed the deal for me, I agree with what you say @viofo are very grateful I’m sure.


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Would the 130 lens make the horizon flatter than the 140 lens?
If Dashcam is mounted to small car windshield then answer is yes, narrower 130 Field of View Lens will produce less Fisheye effect and less side distortion due to curved windshield edge. This is another reason to mount any Dashcam as close to glass surface as possible. Its only recently that Dashcam owners are discovering Lens differences and option for realistic verses extreme wide angle and over-sharpened Firmware image quality. The curved horizon is most noticeable on 150+ FOV Lens such as A119 160 FOV, the A129 only has maximum wide angle of 140-145ish on original Lens and isn't very noticeable except on side edges.
For vehicle accident video evidence most owners prefer the widest angle possible to record the most area. Drivers wanting to record scenic routes without curved buildings and horizon favor narrower Field of View. The edge distortion created by some small car windshields will greatly affect your preference as shown in my video below with A119 160 degree wide angle view Lens.

 
The image quality is basically identical since both Cams are using same 130 FOV Lens but the color is very different with A119S 6Vh vivid MOD much better than VIOFO's stock A129 FW1.50 color saturation levels. Looks like the A129 needs another MOD adjustment.

 
After reading quite a bit I think I'm finally ready to give one of these modded f/w a shot on my A129. I am confused by one thing and for the life of me can't find the answer. In this thread I see there are 3 different f/w from January 11th (6uk, 4uk, 2uk). How do I know which one I need?
 
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From what I understand, the maximum total bitrate this camera's processor is capable of (without going into problems) is 44 Mbps. Having two cameras, you can have different combos for front and rear camera, as follows (the red + bolded + underlined digit indicates the front camera bitrate)
  • 26 Mbps front and 18 Mbps rear -> 6Uk
  • 24 Mbps front and 20 Mbps rear -> 4Uk
  • 22 Mbps front and 22 Mbps rear -> 2Uk
The U letter is dedicated to the A129 cameras and the k indicates the MOD version. @BCHobbyist - I hope I got that right, correct me if I'm wrong.
I personally am using 2U (22 Mbps Front / 22 Mbps Rear) as it offers identical image quality for front and back.
 
After reading quite a bit I think I'm finally ready to give one of these modded f/w a shot on my A129. I am confused by one thing and for the life of me can't find the answer. In this thread I see there are 3 different f/w from January 11th (6uk, 4uk, 2uk). How do I know which one I need?
Normally I suggest loading Stock VIOFO Firmware for a few weeks then try a lower Bitrate MOD that matches your Lens working your way to highest if you notice improvement. My MODs always use the second digit of Bitrate as version number for quick identification in my embedded MP4 ID Tags, MOD-6Uj = 26Mb/s Front Cam + 18Mb/s Rear Cam + U Image Quality changes + j minor adjustments. Something very special happens to Image Quality at 26.6Mb/s or higher, anything lower is usually mushy detail I avoid on Front camera and my Rear window is always dirty without wiper so 16-18Mb/s is fine. I create multiple modified versions for wider range of owner preferences.

If you own A129 as single camera with new narrower 130 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-6Uj for higher sharpness.
If you own A129 as single camera with original wide angle 140-145 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-6Uk for slightly less sharpness.

If you own A129 Duo and desire more detail from Rear camera with new narrower 130 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-4Uj for higher sharpness.
If you own A129 Duo and desire more detail from Rear camera with original wide angle 140 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-4Uk for less sharpness.

If you live in Hot climate always recommend using the lower Bitrate stock VIOFO Firmware to reduce load , heat and stress on chipset/processor.
 
Normally I suggest loading Stock VIOFO Firmware for a few weeks then try a lower Bitrate MOD that matches your Lens working your way to highest if you notice improvement. My MODs always use the second digit of Bitrate as version number for quick identification in my embedded MP4 ID Tags, MOD-6Uj = 26Mb/s Front Cam + 18Mb/s Rear Cam + U Image Quality changes + j minor adjustments. Something very special happens to Image Quality at 26.6Mb/s or higher, anything lower is usually mushy detail I avoid on Front camera and my Rear window is always dirty without wiper so 16-18Mb/s is fine. I create multiple modified versions for wider range of owner preferences.

If you own A129 as single camera with new narrower 130 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-6Uj for higher sharpness.
If you own A129 as single camera with original wide angle 140-145 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-6Uk for slightly less sharpness.

If you own A129 Duo and desire more detail from Rear camera with new narrower 130 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-4Uj for higher sharpness.
If you own A129 Duo and desire more detail from Rear camera with original wide angle 140 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-4Uk for less sharpness.

If you live in Hot climate always recommend using the lower Bitrate stock VIOFO Firmware to reduce load , heat and stress on chipset/processor.
Is the new 180deg rear camera available to order?
 
Is the new 180deg rear camera available to order?
Probably not ready for Retail sales for 30-90 days. Firmware is still v1.01 and that alone takes time. Not sure new IR Camera will appear on VIOFO's website or sold through select Vendors or both. My early IR Camera sample is still working and actually has better long range Focus than two of the original Rear Cams. Once officially announced it will be a fast seller and advertised heavily multiple times not to mention my IR MOD will be released in this thread on the same day.

 
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From what I understand, the maximum total bitrate this camera's processor is capable of (without going into problems) is 44 Mbps. Having two cameras, you can have different combos for front and rear camera, as follows (the red + bolded + underlined digit indicates the front camera bitrate)
  • 26 Mbps front and 18 Mbps rear -> 6Uk
  • 24 Mbps front and 20 Mbps rear -> 4Uk
  • 22 Mbps front and 22 Mbps rear -> 2Uk
The U letter is dedicated to the A129 cameras and the k indicates the MOD version. @BCHobbyist - I hope I got that right, correct me if I'm wrong.
I personally am using 2U (22 Mbps Front / 22 Mbps Rear) as it offers identical image quality for front and back.

This may have been answered, but reading through 25 pages is a bit cumbersome. What is the default bitrate for Front and Rear Camera? I know each is set to 1080P + 30 FPS. But doesn't list bitrate for either combination. I.e Front 26 and rear 18.

Curious how the stock Viofo Firmware Compares to the Custom Mods. As from what I am reading here, the real changes in quality are derived from changing the bitrate of the cameras.
 
Normally I suggest loading Stock VIOFO Firmware for a few weeks then try a lower Bitrate MOD that matches your Lens working your way to highest if you notice improvement. My MODs always use the second digit of Bitrate as version number for quick identification in my embedded MP4 ID Tags, MOD-6Uj = 26Mb/s Front Cam + 18Mb/s Rear Cam + U Image Quality changes + j minor adjustments. Something very special happens to Image Quality at 26.6Mb/s or higher, anything lower is usually mushy detail I avoid on Front camera and my Rear window is always dirty without wiper so 16-18Mb/s is fine. I create multiple modified versions for wider range of owner preferences.

If you own A129 as single camera with new narrower 130 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-6Uj for higher sharpness.
If you own A129 as single camera with original wide angle 140-145 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-6Uk for slightly less sharpness.

If you own A129 Duo and desire more detail from Rear camera with new narrower 130 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-4Uj for higher sharpness.
If you own A129 Duo and desire more detail from Rear camera with original wide angle 140 FOV Lens recommend using MOD-4Uk for less sharpness.

If you live in Hot climate always recommend using the lower Bitrate stock VIOFO Firmware to reduce load , heat and stress on chipset/processor.
So for those of us with A129 Duo 130°, is it only possible to improve rear camera detail (not front camera) with your modded firmware?
 
So for those of us with A129 Duo 130°, is it only possible to improve rear camera detail (not front camera) with your modded firmware?
No. 7Uj will give you 27Mbps on the front and 17Mbps on the back. That's a big increase on the front, possibly at the expense of rear camera detail. Or you can choose a different front / rear bitrate balance with 2Uj, 4Uj and 6Uj versions.

The #Uk versions may be better for the 140deg camera since the FW sharpness is not set so high.

The best thing to do is to give them a go and see what you think.
 
This may have been answered, but reading through 25 pages is a bit cumbersome. What is the default bitrate for Front and Rear Camera? I know each is set to 1080P + 30 FPS. But doesn't list bitrate for either combination. I.e Front 26 and rear 18.

Curious how the stock Viofo Firmware Compares to the Custom Mods. As from what I am reading here, the real changes in quality are derived from changing the bitrate of the cameras.

Suggest you start recording your own test footage and SEE the quality difference in Sharpness alone using lower Bitrate MOD such as 4Uj.
Image Quality varies greatly from identical A129 models even with the same Lens due to lack of precise Focus adjustments on production line. The center focus can be blurry/soft but when using Strong Sharpness improves quality but on perfectly Focused Lens Strong Sharpness creates 'halo' outline effect. This was main IQ issue for over a year on all VIOFO Cams until modified firmware reduced Sharpness levels.

Stock Firmware Footage at 16 - 24Mb/s compared against 26 - 27Mb/s show noticeable improvement and best revealed by recording and comparing yourself, YouTube's samples are inaccurate.
Take MOD-6Uj for a test drive and compare against your own previous stock footage.

Code:
                               Firmware v1.50                  Modified FW 4Uj
                          1080@60fps     1080@30fps         60fps+30fps     1080@30fps
Menu                      Single Cam      Dual Cam          Single Cam      Dual Cam
Settings                    Front       Front    Rear         Front       Front     Rear
Bit Rate Low               20.1Mbps     10.2     10.1        24.6Mbps      24.5     20.1
Bit Rate High                20.1       16.3     16.2          24.6        24.4     20.3
BR Low Wifi 2.4Ghz           20.1        8.0      7.0          24.5         8.3      6.9
BR High Wifi 2.4GHz + APP    20.1        8.1      6.9          24.5         8.1      6.9

Code:
                               Firmware v1.50                  Modified FW 7Uj
                          1080@60fps     1080@30fps         60fps+30fps     1080@30fps
Menu                      Single Cam      Dual Cam          Single Cam      Dual Cam
Settings                    Front       Front    Rear         Front       Front     Rear
Bit Rate Low               20.1Mbps     10.2     10.1        27.6Mbps      27.6     17.4
Bit Rate High                20.1       16.3     16.2          27.7        27.6     17.4
BR Low Wifi 2.4Ghz           20.1        8.0      7.0          24.5         8.1      6.9
BR High Wifi 2.4GHz + APP    20.1        8.1      6.9          24.5         8.1      6.9
 
So for those of us with A129 Duo 130°, is it only possible to improve rear camera detail (not front camera) with your modded firmware?
The purpose of all my Modified Firmware for A129 Duo, A119S, A119 Pro, A119, GitUp G3 Duo is to improve main Front camera. Specifically for the A129 Duo the side effect of different Bitrates is corresponding opposite Bitrate changes to Rear Camera (increase one decrease the other), but Image Quality, Sharpness, Saturation adjustments are applied to both with equal benefits.
The Rear Camera image quality will always be less since its below 24Mb/s and never reach the 26.6Mb/s noticeable Bitrate boundary.
 
Suggest you start recording your own test footage and SEE the quality difference in Sharpness alone using lower Bitrate MOD such as 4Uj.
Image Quality varies greatly from identical A129 models even with the same Lens due to lack of precise Focus adjustments on production line. The center focus can be blurry/soft but when using Strong Sharpness improves quality but on perfectly Focused Lens Strong Sharpness creates 'halo' outline effect. This was main IQ issue for over a year on all VIOFO Cams until modified firmware reduced Sharpness levels.

Stock Firmware Footage at 16 - 24Mb/s compared against 26 - 27Mb/s show noticeable improvement and best revealed by recording and comparing yourself, YouTube's samples are inaccurate.
Take MOD-6Uj for a test drive and compare against your own previous stock footage.

Code:
                               Firmware v1.50                  Modified FW 4Uj
                          1080@60fps     1080@30fps         60fps+30fps     1080@30fps
Menu                      Single Cam      Dual Cam          Single Cam      Dual Cam
Settings                    Front       Front    Rear         Front       Front     Rear
Bit Rate Low               20.1Mbps     10.2     10.1        24.6Mbps      24.5     20.1
Bit Rate High                20.1       16.3     16.2          24.6        24.4     20.3
BR Low Wifi 2.4Ghz           20.1        8.0      7.0          24.5         8.3      6.9
BR High Wifi 2.4GHz + APP    20.1        8.1      6.9          24.5         8.1      6.9

Code:
                               Firmware v1.50                  Modified FW 7Uj
                          1080@60fps     1080@30fps         60fps+30fps     1080@30fps
Menu                      Single Cam      Dual Cam          Single Cam      Dual Cam
Settings                    Front       Front    Rear         Front       Front     Rear
Bit Rate Low               20.1Mbps     10.2     10.1        27.6Mbps      27.6     17.4
Bit Rate High                20.1       16.3     16.2          27.7        27.6     17.4
BR Low Wifi 2.4Ghz           20.1        8.0      7.0          24.5         8.1      6.9
BR High Wifi 2.4GHz + APP    20.1        8.1      6.9          24.5         8.1      6.9

I have A129 Duo (Front and Rear) Camera.

Original Camera I got from Viofo was made sometime in 2018. They released a whole new batch for calendar year 2019. New one came preloaded with 1.50 firmware instead of having to flash unit yourself. Also, packing on hardwire kit is different.

Box for the Camera claims 140 degree viewing angle? not 130?

Also, correct me if I am wrong, but if the modified 6UJ boosts front camera from 16-24mb/s to 26-27...then rear camera would be dropped down to 17 or 18mb/s? Is that low quality? Would setting both cameras to 22 mbps be more idea? Or will the front one suffer a lot?

Sounds like Modified firmware is a trade off. Either give front better quality at expense of rear camera. Or rear better quality at expense of front?

Doesn't CFL filter help with some of the light issue on the Front Camera?
 
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The purpose of all my Modified Firmware for A129 Duo, A119S, A119 Pro, A119, GitUp G3 Duo is to improve main Front camera. Specifically for the A129 Duo the side effect of different Bitrates is corresponding opposite Bitrate changes to Rear Camera (increase one decrease the other), but Image Quality, Sharpness, Saturation adjustments are applied to both with equal benefits.
The Rear Camera image quality will always be less since its below 24Mb/s and never reach the 26.6Mb/s noticeable Bitrate boundary.
Ok I understand what you meant now. I only fitted the cam yesterday, so I’ll run it for a while on stock fw and then try 4UJ! (y)
 
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