VIOFO A229 Duo - First Look

[LateralNW]

A229 Duo – Firmware V1.0_0516 / Bitrate Maximum / Parking Mode = Low Bitrate Recording / Powered Using VIOFO HK4

This past Friday, I had a somewhat odd incident take place with the A229 Duo. I was on my weekly shopping trip. I arrived and parked at stop number two for this route. When I returned to my car and started the engine, I heard the T130 announce that it was starting to record "3 channels", but the A229 Duo did not make any type of announcement like it normally does when exiting parking mode.

I observed the A229 Duo front panel LEDs were on and I was able to turn on the screen and I observed the blinking red dot on the showing that it was recording. I noted the odd behavior so I could review the video files on the microSD card when I arrived back at home.

It appears the A229 sort of switched to normal mode in that it created video files for normal mode, but it stored them in the "Parking" directory folder along with all of the other low bitrate parking mode files. There were two additional stops along this route and both times the A229 announced it was recording as it exited parking mode and the video files were stored in their proper locations.

View attachment 60661

The T130 also did this. Have you got the parking settings exactly the same in both cameras?

With the T130 I drove for an hour and every file was in the parking folder. This was an intermittent problem. Adapter Viofo cigarette converter.

 

[rcg530]

The T130 also did this. Have you got the parking settings exactly the same in both cameras?

Yes, each one has the following configuration:

• Powered by HK4 hardwiring adapter
• Powered by a dash cam battery pack for parking mode (a different battery pack for each one)
• Set to record low bitrate video for parking mode.
• Normal mode bitrate = Maximum

 

[LateralNW]

Yes, each one has the following configuration:

• Powered by HK4 hardwiring adapter
• Powered by a dash cam battery pack for parking mode (a different battery pack for each one)
• Set to record low bitrate video for parking mode.
• Normal mode bitrate = Maximum

In my experience I had the T130 set to low bit rate and the video footage was many times the speed of the car.
I reset it to normal and found I had normal footage in the parking folder.
It was like the dash cam didn't know the car had started moving. GPS not being checked in the firmware program?

 

[rcg530]

I just completed a video that shows what the VIOFO A229 Duo (front), VIOFO T130 3CH (Front) and BlackVue DR750X-3CH Plus (front) video footage looks like with and without a CPL filter installed.

 

[spb]

Just got A229.
After driving for some time (10-15min?) a double-beep appears which is annoying. Unplugging and replugging the camera helps for some time until beeping reappears.
Looked for a newer firmware at https://support.viofo.com/support/solutions/19000101567 but do not see anything for A229.
Current firmware is VIOFO_A229_V1.0_0511

 

[rcg530]

Just got A229.
After driving for some time (10-15min?) a double-beep appears which is annoying. Unplugging and replugging the camera helps for some time until beeping reappears.
Looked for a newer firmware at https://support.viofo.com/support/solutions/19000101567 but do not see anything for A229.
Current firmware is VIOFO_A229_V1.0_0511

I believe VIOFO is working on a firmware update for the A229 which is later than the 1.0_0511. The link you referenced for firmware updates is their older support page for firmware updates. They have a new location on their website for firmware updates. https://viofo.com/content/42-help-and-support/ There is no A229 section to that page yet, but that's where I would expect any updates to be made available for the A229. I was able to use V1.0_0511 firmware in my A229 Duo without any beeping. I was using a VIOFO 128GB MLC microSD card for my testing.

The beeping you mentioned sounds potentially like a microSD card issue.

 

[spb]

Thanks for the response and useful info.

The card I am using is Sandisk 128GB High Endurance. I used it in A129 with no issues. Formatted it when put it in A229.

 

[runtohell121]

Thanks for the response and useful info.

The card I am using is Sandisk 128GB High Endurance. I used it in A129 with no issues. Formatted it when put it in A229.

You'll probably want to purchase a Sandisk Max Endurance card, as from my testing so far, the High Endurance card works roughly 50% of the time.

Memory Cards Confirmed Working/Not Working?

Recently received the Viofo A229 for testing and decided to use my SanDisk High Endurance 128gb card that was used in a Thinkware X700 previously - was able to record for about 15 minute before it stops recording and throws a memory error. Anyone had any issues with SanDisk High Endurance...

dashcamtalk.com

The one card working so far since Monday when I swapped it out is the Sandisk Ultra 200gb card - haven't had any issues yet but will find out more this weekend on a longer drive.

 

[rcg530]

Thanks for the response and useful info.

The card I am using is Sandisk 128GB High Endurance. I used it in A129 with no issues. Formatted it when put it in A229.

VIOFO reported in another thread/post that the SanDisk High Endurance may have compatibility issues with the A229, but the SanDisk Max Endurance seems to work with it.

Memory Cards Confirmed Working/Not Working?

Recently received the Viofo A229 for testing and decided to use my SanDisk High Endurance 128gb card that was used in a Thinkware X700 previously - was able to record for about 15 minute before it stops recording and throws a memory error. Anyone had any issues with SanDisk High Endurance...

dashcamtalk.com

 

[Nigel]

Thanks for the response and useful info.

The card I am using is Sandisk 128GB High Endurance. I used it in A129 with no issues. Formatted it when put it in A229.

Cards do slow down as they age, and the A229 has a higher bitrate, so needs a faster card than the A129.

You could try a full format with the SD Card Formatter from the SD Association. That often speeds cards up for a while.


Don't actually know that it is a card issue, but seems quite likely.

 

[viofo]

I believe VIOFO is working on a firmware update for the A229 which is later than the 1.0_0511. The link you referenced for firmware updates is their older support page for firmware updates. They have a new location on their website for firmware updates. https://viofo.com/content/42-help-and-support/ There is no A229 section to that page yet, but that's where I would expect any updates to be made available for the A229. I was able to use V1.0_0511 firmware in my A229 Duo without any beeping. I was using a VIOFO 128GB MLC microSD card for my testing.

The beeping you mentioned sounds potentially like a microSD card issue.

This is the latest firmware(0620), almost ready to release.

 

[Paul Iddon]

This is the latest firmware(0620), almost ready to release.

What is changing?

 

[spb]

the SanDisk Max Endurance seems to work with it.

Ordered and installed 128gb Sandisk Max Endurance. Issue gone.

Anyone use professional installer for hardwiring your camera, like a car audio store? If so, how much did you pay?

 

[runtohell121]

Ordered and installed 128gb Sandisk Max Endurance. Issue gone.

Anyone use professional installer for hardwiring your camera, like a car audio store? If so, how much did you pay?

You can try Best Buy or any local car audio stores - they'll know how to hardwire. Not sure on the cost though... My guess is anywhere from $200-$500.

 

[rcg530]

Last Friday, my A229 Duo's front screen started to have sections of it where it wasn't displaying what it should display. I reported it to VIOFO and I was told that this is "normal" while the the camera is running on the upper end of its temperature range. Later that same day, the entire screen was blank. When the camera cooled down, the screen did start working again.

 

[kamkar]

Was that while driving or after a parking guard session ?

 

[rcg530]

Was that while driving or after a parking guard session ?

This was about 90 minutes into the my weekly shopping trip route. I had two parking mode sessions (10 minutes and 15 minutes) along with driving sessions with the A/C on in the passenger compartment while driving.

This parking mode session lasted 25 minutes and the outside temp was 84F/29C. The sun was shining on the front of the car and the four dash cameras installed on the front windshield (A229 Duo front, A119 Mini, T130 front/interior and Zenfox U1 front).

 

[kamkar]

Ill make a note to check if / when we get those temperatures here, we are however barely getting near the 25 deg C that constitute a summer day here, at the current rate Denmark / my area of it will probably get 8 - 10 days of summer for this year.

I do have my LCD on the longest time out, but so far i have not seen anything suspicious on it

 

[bilan]

Hello,

Thank you @rcg530 for your comprehensive review video !
In your list of cons, you mention 1 to 3 dropped Frames every 2 seconds and sluttering video. Did you get news about this problem from the support, since you told them ?

 

[rcg530]

Hello,

Thank you @rcg530 for your comprehensive review video !
In your list of cons, you mention 1 to 3 dropped Frames every 2 seconds and stuttering video. Did you get news about this problem from the support, since you told them ?

The A229 Duo stuttering video issue was resolved by a firmware update. The first version that had that fix was V1.0_0615. Version V1.0_0615 introduced a loss of audio at the end of each video file of 1.67 seconds. That was resolved in version V1.0_0620. VIOFO ended up releasing production version of V1.0_0623 which is functionally the same as V1.0_0620 which includes the stuttering video fix and the audio bug fix. You can download the A229 Duo firmware update from this page: https://viofo.com/content/61-a229-duo-support/