VIOFO A139 Pro - Testing / Review Info

[TonyM]

I tried 1CH 1440p60 today and found that it was just 1440p30 with double frames, even in bright sunlight. Other Viofo dashcams set to 1080p60 or 1440p60 have recorded 60 individual frames per second in good light, and only dropped to effective 30fps by frame-doubling in low light.

I then changed to 1440p30 with HDR-ON and confirmed that motion blur in daylight appears to be the same at 1440p30 as 4K30, which is no surprise.

 

[TonyM]

4K1600p vs 4K30 vs 1440p60

Taking a well-lit, stationary scene whilst parked I recorded video clips at different resolution settings (Max bitrate and HDR-OFF in all 3 videos):

1. 4K30 (3840x1600) 53Mbps

2. 4K30 (3840x2160) 60Mbps

3. 1440p60 (2560x1440) 60Mbps


Comparing a 100% crop from the middle of each video yields some interesting results:
1. 4K30 (3840x1600) 53Mbps

2. 4K30 (3840x2160) 60Mbps

3. 1440p60 (2560x1440) 60Mbps

3a. 1440p60 (2560x1440) 60Mbps - resized to 4K resolution in Photoshop


- Sharpening is higher at the cropped 4K1600p resolution than regular 4K, with visible artefacts across the image.
- 1440p retains most of the detail from the 4K original

At maximum bitrate, both 4K and 1440p are recorded at 60Mbps, so there really isn't any reason to choose 1440p. However it may be interesting to try 1440p at a lower bitrate, proportional to the difference in resolution.

 

[Dashmellow]

What is the resolution of your monitor?

 

[TonyM]

What is the resolution of your monitor?

1920x1080

All three source frames were exported at their original resolution using Ctrl+E in PotPlayer.

I viewed each image in the 'Photos' app in Win 11, set to View Actual Size, and took a screen grab using the Snipping Tool.

 

[Dashmellow]

1920x1080

All three source frames were exported at their original resolution using Ctrl+E in PotPlayer.

I viewed each image in the 'Photos' app in Win 11, set to View Actual Size, and took a screen grab using the Snipping Tool.

Screen shots of 4K images made on a 1920 x 1080 monitor seem to give an inaccurate representation on a pixel level even if interpolated mathematically.

"View actual size" of a 4K image on a 1920 x 1080 monitor simply doesn't seem to work quite the same way or look the same way as it does on a 4K (or 5K) monitor due to the pixel density of the monitor when matched with the pixel density of screen shots made on a 1920 x 1080 monitor. I came to this realization after purchasing a computer with a 5K monitor two years ago and witnessing the differences first hand when comparing the same exact images on my old 1920 x 1080 screens and the new one regardless of what magnification I viewed them. You can get some excellent results but what I learned was that 2K and 4K images really need to be viewed on a 4K monitor, especially for critical analysis.

I'm not suggesting that the comparisons you are showing are not accurate, worthwhile and very useful, but if you were to do the same comparisons of 4K or 2K screen shots made and viewed on a 4K monitor I think you would be amazed at how different they would look. On my 1920 x 1080 monitor even if I am looking at 4K or 2K images if I look very closely at the screen I can see the physical pixels of the monitor and when I make a screen shot these pixels are captured and of course, there is the pixel density of the image itself to consider. If I look very closely at my 5K monitor, even with a magnifying glass I see no pixels so ""view actual size"" becomes a different experience.

 

[kamkar]

comparing 2 things visually with your eyes, i would assume watching them 1:1 or apples : apples would be the best.
Just i have no experience in this to draw from as up until lately i have been on a 1080p screen, and only now graduated to a 1440p screen.

I assuming if not done that way, well you compare a excellent painting made by a top tier painter using water colors to the same painting made by a top tier painter using oil paints.
Both can be stunning alone but next to each other there will be vast differences.

I am contemplating with next PC build to upgrade to a 4K Gaming TV for a screen, and maybe go as big as 75",,,,, though then i will also need to rethink my seating and of course distance to screen CUZ then my big computer table even if i put screen on wall need to come back from the wall several meters, and in that case i might want to try something else for a "seating" position much more comfortable than the best gamer office chair.

 

[TonyM]

I'm not suggesting that the comparisons you are showing are not accurate, worthwhile and very useful, but if you were to do the same comparisons of 4K or 2K screen shots made and viewed on a 4K monitor I think you would be amazed at how different they would look.

Thanks for the insight. I've only ever had access to a 1080p screen so I guess I don't know what I'm missing!

I don't forsee an upgrade happening anytime soon, even though I would like a new monitor with better colour depth for my photography. My laptop screen only has 68% sRGB coverage.

 

[DAP]

Other Viofo dashcams set to 1080p60 or 1440p60 have recorded 60 individual frames per second in good light, and only dropped to effective 30fps by frame-doubling in low light.

This is really disappointing. The only reason I would select 60 FPS would be to try and force the camera to use a shorter exposure. If the camera reduces the frame rate at lower light situations, that defeats the purpose. I would much rather have a noisy or dark sharp picture than a bright motion blurred mess.

 

[rcg530]

I don't think this has been mentioned yet, but the v3.2.9 Android VIOFO app and the v1.0_1217 firmware for the A139 Pro now have the ability to configure a HDR Timer feature like the A119 Mini.

View attachment 63620 View attachment 63621 View attachment 63623View attachment 63622

Well, that didn't work out well. I updated both A139 Pro dash cameras to v1.0_1217. I then enabled the HDR timer by setting the HDR setting to "Auto" and I defined a HDR On time of 18:00 and a HDR Off time of 08:00. One of the A139 Pro dash cameras (currently in 1-channel mode) seemed to work okay, but the other one (currently in 3-channel mode) had problems. It froze a couple of times. Yes, I used the option to reset everything to their default values. After the third try, it "seemed" to be working.

This morning when I was leaving to go on my weekly shopping trip drive, both A139 Pro dash cameras booted up and then started beeping. I ended up turning both of them off for that trip.

I don't remember which post/thread had a screenshot of the Android VIOFO app v3.2.9 with an older A139 Pro firmware (v1.0_1129 ??). In the screenshot, you can see the updated HDR settings.

Once again, it appears the VIOFO app is presenting a feature to the user that the firmware may not support or support fully yet. I'm guessing the HDR timer feature may be a feature in the firmware, but it appears to not be ready for end user use.

First, I'm going to reset all of the firmware settings to their defaults and then simply toggle the HDR feature to On. I'm hoping that restores some sense of stable behavior. If it doesn't, I'll downgrade the firmware to the previous release I had in the both of the A139 Pro units (v1.0_1119).

 

[Dashmellow]

Thanks for the insight. I've only ever had access to a 1080p screen so I guess I don't know what I'm missing!

Same here until I got this computer and it's been quite a revelation.

One thing I should clarify is that I have a 27" iMac which has a "Retina" display. Retina is a technology from Apple that is more than just a marketing term. It can give images and especially text a smoothness and clarity that visually exceeds the resolution you have it set at. It is possible that "some" of what I stated above may be different on an equivalent third party 4K or 5K monitor that is not a Retina display, but I don't know for sure. Either way, I still say that 4K images are best viewed on a 4K monitor if one wants to properly scrutinize video footage.

 

[gb25]

I don't remember which post/thread had a screenshot of the Android VIOFO app v3.2.9 with an older A139 Pro firmware (v1.0_1129 ??). In the screenshot, you can see the updated HDR settings.

Might have been my post.

I didn't notice the new app version until I saw the HDR settings change. The app update seems to have had a weird effect to the image shown in the app. The preview of the video is squished so that it's only showing in half the frame. It still seems to be recording correctly though. I haven't updated firmware or messed with any of the settings yet.

 

[rcg530]

Well, that didn't work out well. I updated both A139 Pro dash cameras to v1.0_1217. I then enabled the HDR timer by setting the HDR setting to "Auto" and I defined a HDR On time of 18:00 and a HDR Off time of 08:00. One of the A139 Pro dash cameras (currently in 1-channel mode) seemed to work okay, but the other one (currently in 3-channel mode) had problems. If froze a couple of times. Yes, I used the option to reset everything to their default values. After the third try, it "seemed" to be working.

This morning when I was leaving to go on my weekly shopping trip drive, both A139 Pro dash cameras booted up and then started beeping. I ended up turning both of them off for that trip.

I don't remember which post/thread had a screenshot of the Android VIOFO app v3.2.9 with an older A139 Pro firmware (v1.0_1129 ??). In the screenshot, you can see the updated HDR settings.

Once again, it appears the VIOFO app is presenting a feature to the user that the firmware may not support or support fully yet. I'm guessing the HDR timer feature may be a feature in the firmware, but it appears to not be ready for end user use.

First, I'm going to reset all of the firmware settings to their defaults and then simply toggle the HDR feature to On. I'm hoping that restores some sense of stable behavior. If it doesn't, I'll downgrade the firmware to the previous release I had in the both of the A139 Pro units (v1.0_1119).

Resetting the firmware settings to their defaults with firmware version 1.0_1217 and leaving the HDR setting at "On" rather than "Auto", everything seems to be working now. I've sent an email to VIOFO about the behavior I encountered.

My advice would be to not use the A139 Pro HDR "Auto" feature just yet.

 

[rcg530]

Now that your testing is complete, and your review uploaded, and since you have two A139 Pro’s would you be willing to mount one on the REAR window in 1-channel configuration to test how well it does in that location? No rush, just for the next time your out gathering sample footage.

The reason I ask is because that was a very popular solution when the A129 Pro was released for folks who wanted maximum 4K image quality for front & rear.

I'm about to move onto my Vantrue E1 and E1 Lite dash camera reviews. I'll be removing both A139 Pro dash cams from the front windshield to make room for all four Vantrue dash cams. (2 E1 and 2 E1 Lite - one with HDR enabled and one without HDR enabled).

I'll have to see if I have enough power feeds from my various dash camera battery packs in that car to power a 1-channel A139 Pro in the rear window.

 

[TonyM]

I would much rather have a noisy or dark sharp picture than a bright motion blurred mess.

I agree, up to the point where the noise swamps all the detail. I've tested some very noisy cameras at 60fps and it's not pretty, or useful.

The A139 Pro is decent on low light noise with HDR on. But turn it off and in very low light it gets very noisy, even at 30fps.

 

[Panzer Platform]

I'll have to see if I have enough power feeds from my various dash camera battery packs in that car to power a 1-channel A139 Pro in the rear window.

Saying rcg530 is out of dash cam power feeds is like saying the North Pole is out of ice. lol

 

[Panzer Platform]

Thanks for the insight. I've only ever had access to a 1080p screen so I guess I don't know what I'm missing!

Chuck: Cries in 720p from his 2010 32" Samsung TV connected to his Chromebook with an HDMI cable.
My iPhone SE 2020 is the highest ppi density screen I have. lol

 

[CuriousGeorge]

Has anyone considered comparing the DR970X vs A139 Pro?

 

[kamkar]

his 2010 32" Samsung

My first ,,,, and only TV was a LG 42LH5000, i think from just about the same time but it was a 1080p.

Been a few years now without it, and i cant say i miss it.

I have contemplated that with a new PC biuld in the future to maybe use a BIG TV for screen, as many new televisions now can also act as pretty damn nice gaming screens.
And i would rather pay XXXX Danish dollars for a nice 55" 4K screen than the same or more for a 32 " PC monitor in same resolution.
But then i would need to rethink my whole setup as a screen that big do not work even on my rather large computer table, i am thinking a wall mounted screen, and then some form or recliner i can melt into´.
Then mod a mouse pad to the armrest and maybe a keyboard rest on the other arm rest on a swing out arm..

A freiend had a setup like that back in the old days when we played C&C and red alert, and it was actually pretty nice even if the screen back then was just a 17 " monitor.

 

[TonyM]

Has anyone considered comparing the DR970X vs A139 Pro?

I'm sure @Vortex Radar has that in mind, and perhaps others too

 

[Vortex Radar]

Yeah I'm definitely interested in DR970X vs. A139 Pro. Now that I'm home I can finally get back to testing my A139 Pro's and those are already out now anyways. I'm not sure when in the spring that the 970X will be available.