Viofo A139 3CH review

Jeremy Wong

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Dash Cam
Viofo A119, Viofo A119S, Xiaomi Mijia, 360 J511C, etc
Author's Note: The full review can be found here. My review blog for my other reviews: jwtechreviews.com


Thanks to Viofo for providing the A139 3CH for review.

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Technical Specs:
• Processor: Novatek 96687
• Sensor: Front – Sony STARVIS IMX335, Rear – Sony STARVIS IMX291, Interior – Sony STARVIS IMX291
• Lens: Front 140° Wide Viewing Angle; Rear 140° Wide Viewing Angle; Interior 170° Wide Viewing Angle
• Resolution: 3 channels: 2560×1440 30fps + 1920×1080 30fps + 1920×1080 30fps, 1920×1080 60fps + 1920×1080 30fps + 1920×1080 30fps; 2 channels: 2560×1440 30/60fps + 1920×1080 30fps
• Support up to 512GB microSD card
• Built-in 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi
• Built-in supercapacitor
• GPS mount
• Support external 3.5mm jack microphone
• Coaxial interior & rear cam cable
• Bluetooth remote (optional)
• CPL filter (optional)
• Parking mode (requires Viofo USB Type-C hardwire kit)
• Lock bracket to lock the hardwire kit and memory card slot (optional)



The box
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Open box
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Content
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• A139
• GPS mount
• Rear cam
• Interior cam
• USB Type-C car charger
• Rear cam coaxial cable 6m
• Interior cam coaxial cable 1m
• Micro SD card reader (mine is missing)
• Electrostatic film
• Spare mount tape
• Pry tool
• Hello! card
 
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USB Type-C hardwire kit (optional)
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Bitrate settings

There are 4 bitrate settings that you can set on the A139 3CH. Below is the information for H.264 encoding for the 4 bitrate settings.

H.264 Low bit rate
Front cam: 2560×1440 30fps – Overall bit rate: 15.3 Mb/s. 109MB per 1min file.
Rear cam: 1920×1080 30fps – Overall bit rate: 10.3 Mb/s. 73.7MB per 1min file.
Interior cam: 1920×1080 30fps – Overall bit rate: 10.3 Mb/s. 73.7MB per 1min file.

H.264 Normal bit rate
Front cam: 2560×1440 30fps – Overall bit rate: 19.5 Mb/s. 139MB per 1min file.
Rear cam: 1920×1080 30fps – Overall bit rate: 12.8 Mb/s. 91.5MB per 1min file.
Interior cam: 1920×1080 30fps – Overall bit rate: 12.8 Mb/s. 91.5MB per 1min file.

H.264 High bitrate
Front cam: 2560×1440 30fps – Overall bit rate: 23.6 Mb/s. 169MB per 1min file.
Rear cam: 1920×1080 30fps – Overall bit rate: 15.3 Mb/s. 109MB per 1min file.
Interior cam: 1920×1080 30fps – Overall bit rate: 15.3 Mb/s. 109MB per 1min file.

H.264 Maximum bit rate
Front cam: 2560×1440 30fps – Overall bit rate: 27.8 Mb/s. 199MB per 1min file.
Rear cam: 1920×1080 30fps – Overall bit rate: 17.0 Mb/s. 121MB per 1min file.
Interior cam: 1920×1080 30fps – Overall bit rate: 17.0 Mb/s. 121MB per 1min file.



Test setup
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I will be using a 128GB Transcend High Endurance microSD 350V card for the recordings. Also using the new USB Type-C hardwire kit.
 
Videos
Below is recorded using firmware v1.0.0923:
Front: 2560×1440 30fps with an overall bit rate of 19.5 Mb/s using Normal bitrate mode with WDR on.
Rear & interior: 1920×1080 30fps with an overall bit rate of 12.8 Mb/s using Normal bitrate mode with WDR on. Interior cam is with IR auto mode.






 
Final thoughts

This is not the final retail version of the A139 3CH. So it might have some changes in the final retail version from my unit.

The retail version will be on sale in a month’s time.

The A139 is a new design from the A119 & A129 series. But you can see some similarities with Thinkware’s F800 Pro here.
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Overall, I do like the new A139 designs and using super thin coaxial cables for the rear and interior cams.

The audio in the recordings seems to be much louder now which is good.

Wish the USB Type-C connector on the new USB Type-C hardwire kit is a straight connector instead of a 90° angled connector.

Also, A139 has voice prompts. The voice prompts are on par with Thinkware dashcams.


But there aren't voice prompts when GPS is connected.
 
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Are the image rotate settings a 180 degree rotate? Or does the lens know it's orientation?
 
Are the image rotate settings a 180 degree rotate? Or does the lens know it's orientation?
You will need to set the rotation in the settings, there is no orientation sensor in the remote cameras.

I don't think you would ever want to mount the main unit upside down, and you are not going to be rotating the remote cameras 180 degrees very often, even though they do allow 360 degree rotation.

I think there will be a seperate rotate setting for each view, although I'm not sure they all work correctly in the current beta version.
 
Does this camera support 3 channel low bitrate parking mode similar to the A129 Duo / Plus?
 
Secondary question. Without a screen, does this camera give auditory cues (beeps) if there's a problem? I.E. SD card fails, camera stops recording, etc?

One reason I favor a screen is you can see what's going on. So wondering how these problems get addressed without a screen to serve as a visual cue.
 
Secondary question. Without a screen, does this camera give auditory cues (beeps) if there's a problem? I.E. SD card fails, camera stops recording, etc?

One reason I favor a screen is you can see what's going on. So wondering how these problems get addressed without a screen to serve as a visual cue.

Yes, there are notification beeps like the A129 series. Not recording, got parking mode triggers, etc.

Even the LED blinks while beeping when not recording.
 
Yes, there are notification beeps like the A129 series. Not recording, got parking mode triggers, etc.

Even the LED blinks while beeping when not recording.

Sounds like a very promising 3 channel camera has come to the market.
 
I am very optimistic with the A139, and hope it will be a great success for Viofo.
There are a few small things i think could have been better in design, and there is also a few places where polishing the firmware will be possible to give great results.
BUT ! as it is now i have had no issues in regard to regular operation, parking guard i can not say as i have not been able to test this, but for me personal it is a secondary feature.
 
Parking mode with motion detect works fine using front and rear cams to detect- perhaps a bit too sensitive though. It also works well through time-lapse recording. Checking the low-bitrate function now.

So far only one small glitch which is being fixed with viewing some parking mode files. Otherwise mine has done everything else very well indeed, and I'm working on my review which should be done soon.

Phil
 
You will need to set the rotation in the settings, there is no orientation sensor in the remote cameras.

I don't think you would ever want to mount the main unit upside down, and you are not going to be rotating the remote cameras 180 degrees very often, even though they do allow 360 degree rotation.

I think there will be a seperate rotate setting for each view, although I'm not sure they all work correctly in the current beta version.

I have just received my sample for reviewing. The rotation in the settings is actually a vertical mirror flip, which is a bit odd.

So if you have the interior camera stuck to your windscreen facing out and rotate it round you end up with a 180 degree image which the rotate setting will fix the vertical orientation but not the horizontal. This explains why pauls footage shows him on the left hand side of the car when he is driving a right hand drive car!

You can just ignore the rotate function, turn the camera to face you and then rotate the mount back. The only issue is the cable exits the other side of the camera. This is not too much of an issue as the camera cable has a right angle connector meaning it will go up to the headliner anyway, this does make you wonder what the rotate function is for though!

Also the rear and interior camera rotate 360 degrees but the main camera does not (I would not expect it to anyway as most don't)

The USB C cable does not have the AWG printed on it, it looks quite slim though and is thinner than the USB C cable for my phone. I have a micrometer so will do a comparison compared to other dashcam cables, I don't have my A129 Duo with it's super fat rear cable any more though.
 
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