Julian23
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2016
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- Dash Cam
- Several brands :)
Having spent two months driving with the Viofo A229 Ultra, I have a good feel for its real-world performance. Here is my final review after these weeks.
Important note up front: because of German privacy laws, I cannot publish unedited driving videos with plates and faces visible. I will add screenshots and photos to illustrate the points.
Specs A229 Ultra 3CH:
Unboxing and build quality
The packaging is typical Viofo, well-organized and functional. In the box, you get the main unit, front CPL filter (rear CPL is optional), static stickers, a pry tool, cables to connect both cameras and to power the camera, and a dual-port USB car charger. The cameras and cables feel solid, and the adhesive GPS mount allows for a quick release of the main unit. No defects were noted during unboxing or installation.
Daytime quality
The dual 4K setup with Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 sensors provides excellent clarity for both front and rear footage during the day. Colors are accurate, and the dynamic range handles bright sunlight and shadows well. Plate legibility is very good at normal city and highway speeds. The FHD cabin camera also captures clear footage of the interior.
Front:
Rear:
Interior:
Nighttime quality
Night performance is a strong point for the A229 Ultra. The STARVIS 2 sensors shine in low light, capturing detailed footage. HDR helps manage headlight glare effectively. The cabin camera's IR LEDs illuminate the interior well, providing clear black-and-white footage in complete darkness. The rear camera also maintains good plate capture at night.
Front: (both cars driving at 100km/h)
Rear:
Interior: (My mounting locations is not ideal. The reflection from the headliner decreases the image quality)
Features and connectivity
The camera features reliable 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, offering fast footage transfer to the mobile app. The Viofo app is easy to use for reviewing and downloading clips. The buffered parking mode works well, offering Auto Event Detection, Time Lapse, and Low Bitrate recording options when hardwired with the HK4 or HK6 kit. I always use low-bitrate recording not to miss anything while the car is parked.
Built-in GPS accurately logs speed and location data. Like any other Viofo unit, the A229 Ultra also has Voice control to easily enable or disable functions.
If reaching up to the camera to lock a video is too far, then the optional Remote Control with configurable buttons, the BTR200 might be of interest.
The BTR200 will allow you to lock the current video and also to have additional functions:
I customized one button to enable/disable the WiFi when needed.
Audio, heat and stability
The microphone captures clear audio within the cabin.
Throughout testing, even during longer drives in warm weather, the A229 Ultra remained stable with no reboots, freezes, or file corruption issues. (25°C was the hottest outside temp I tested)
The supercapacitor power design contributes to its reliability in varying temperatures.
I also tested another SD card to check if the A229 Ultra is compatible with it. The Samsung Pro Plus 256Gb.
In my case, it ran fine without any issues or warnings.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Final thoughts
After two months, I can say that the Viofo A229 Ultra is a premium 3-channel dashcam that delivers on its promises of high-quality recording. The A229 Ultra demonstrates that 4K in the rear will improve the quality very noticeably. It might not be for everyone, but I appreciate this very much. If you prioritize top-tier image quality for front, rear, and cabin, reliable operation, and a solid feature set including advanced parking modes, this is a strong pick. It's an excellent choice for drivers who want comprehensive coverage and peace of mind.
The Fisheye Cabin camera will capture a wider FOV than most interior cameras from other manufacturers.
The A229 Ultra 3ch will likely show the direction Viofo will take in the future, with dual 4K and one additional channel for the interior or a telephoto lens.
Important note up front: because of German privacy laws, I cannot publish unedited driving videos with plates and faces visible. I will add screenshots and photos to illustrate the points.
Specs A229 Ultra 3CH:
- Sensor: Front: Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 8MP Rear: Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 8MP Cabin: Sony STARVIS 2 IMX662 2MP
- Lens: Front: F1.8 Aperture, FOV=140° Rear: F1.8 Aperture, FOV=140° Cabin: F2.2 Aperture, FOV=210°
- Parking Mode: Auto Event Detection, Time-lapse, Low Bitrate Recording
- Video Codec: H.264
- WiFi: 2.4GHz, 5GHz
- HDR: Front, Rear, Cabin
- Storage: microSD Card
Unboxing and build quality
The packaging is typical Viofo, well-organized and functional. In the box, you get the main unit, front CPL filter (rear CPL is optional), static stickers, a pry tool, cables to connect both cameras and to power the camera, and a dual-port USB car charger. The cameras and cables feel solid, and the adhesive GPS mount allows for a quick release of the main unit. No defects were noted during unboxing or installation.
Daytime quality
The dual 4K setup with Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 sensors provides excellent clarity for both front and rear footage during the day. Colors are accurate, and the dynamic range handles bright sunlight and shadows well. Plate legibility is very good at normal city and highway speeds. The FHD cabin camera also captures clear footage of the interior.
Front:
Rear:
Interior:
Nighttime quality
Night performance is a strong point for the A229 Ultra. The STARVIS 2 sensors shine in low light, capturing detailed footage. HDR helps manage headlight glare effectively. The cabin camera's IR LEDs illuminate the interior well, providing clear black-and-white footage in complete darkness. The rear camera also maintains good plate capture at night.
Front: (both cars driving at 100km/h)
Rear:
Interior: (My mounting locations is not ideal. The reflection from the headliner decreases the image quality)
Features and connectivity
The camera features reliable 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, offering fast footage transfer to the mobile app. The Viofo app is easy to use for reviewing and downloading clips. The buffered parking mode works well, offering Auto Event Detection, Time Lapse, and Low Bitrate recording options when hardwired with the HK4 or HK6 kit. I always use low-bitrate recording not to miss anything while the car is parked.
Built-in GPS accurately logs speed and location data. Like any other Viofo unit, the A229 Ultra also has Voice control to easily enable or disable functions.
If reaching up to the camera to lock a video is too far, then the optional Remote Control with configurable buttons, the BTR200 might be of interest.
The BTR200 will allow you to lock the current video and also to have additional functions:
I customized one button to enable/disable the WiFi when needed.
Audio, heat and stability
The microphone captures clear audio within the cabin.
Throughout testing, even during longer drives in warm weather, the A229 Ultra remained stable with no reboots, freezes, or file corruption issues. (25°C was the hottest outside temp I tested)
The supercapacitor power design contributes to its reliability in varying temperatures.
I also tested another SD card to check if the A229 Ultra is compatible with it. The Samsung Pro Plus 256Gb.
In my case, it ran fine without any issues or warnings.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Excellent dual 4K video quality for front and rear, day and night.
- Sony STARVIS 2 sensors deliver superior low-light performance.
- Reliable supercapacitor power design.
- Buffered parking mode with multiple options.
- Includes CPL filter for front camera
- Voice control BT remote support
- Extremely wide FOV from the Interior camera
- High Bitrate without any artifacts
- Cabin camera resolution is limited to FHD, not 2K like the A329S series
- No Cloud features available
- No WiFi 6
Final thoughts
After two months, I can say that the Viofo A229 Ultra is a premium 3-channel dashcam that delivers on its promises of high-quality recording. The A229 Ultra demonstrates that 4K in the rear will improve the quality very noticeably. It might not be for everyone, but I appreciate this very much. If you prioritize top-tier image quality for front, rear, and cabin, reliable operation, and a solid feature set including advanced parking modes, this is a strong pick. It's an excellent choice for drivers who want comprehensive coverage and peace of mind.
The Fisheye Cabin camera will capture a wider FOV than most interior cameras from other manufacturers.
The A229 Ultra 3ch will likely show the direction Viofo will take in the future, with dual 4K and one additional channel for the interior or a telephoto lens.
