Viofo A329 Dash Camera Dual-Channel review, the new king of flagship dashcams?

[kamkar]

I learned the hard way to look for RAM QVL lists on PC motherboard makers models, but it was actually pretty late and i had build many computers by then.
But the troublesome one was a PC just like the one i build for myself, though less RAM and smaller CPU, but same motherboard, the problem was my friend wanted value RAM where i wanted fast high end RAM as i was into overclocking back then.
And the value ram did not work on that motherboard.

Remember vivid, in the end my friend got another motherboard, but then going to turn in old board,,,,, again, that was right on that particular day of 9 - 11 with the two high rise buildings, so people was freaked out and distracted, so my friend left with a new motherboard, and a few weeks later he got his " repaired " motherboard back too, so +1 up on motherboards, and the value ram did work on the new motherboard.

I will NOT be able to get a collection of external hard drives to test with dashcams, that is way past my financial abilities.


QVL list important building my current PC, CUZ it have / had 8 X 8 GB and so was my first 64 GB RAM computer, down to 48 GB now as a stick died on me and have not bothered replacing it.
It seem ALL motherboards at least for consumer use have a hard time handling many RAM sticks, i think next build i will have to go with 2 X 32 GB sticks

 

[lufa6977]

QVL for motherboards but not for dash cams? The motherboard manufacturers use a Qualified Vendor List to keep from pissing off their customers...basically. MBs use a plethora of BIOS/UEFI settings, PCI speeds/frequencies, trace lengths, interface types, etc. and then there are the memory specs, SPD, chipsets, etc. MB manufacturers develop their BIOS/UEFI software and hardware to be compatible with as many memory modules as possible. They can control what is on their board, but not what the memory manufacturer does so, there is a QVL that indicates the MB manufacturer has tested notated memory sticks to be compatible with the MB. This is no small task as a rule, and not all memory from one company will be compatible with the same board. I have seen Samsung 990 NVME not work on a board where Samsung 970 memory would work. The problem was not with the MB but with Samsung and their proprietary chipset and instruction set being different than the earlier model versions.

The interesting aspect of QVL is the manufacturer can use it to state that only certain memory will work, which is equivalent to saying only Samsung and SanDisk will work. In the case of VIOFO, who knows, perhaps they have intentionally limited NVME / enclosure and SATA drives to certain vendors that they have chosen to be compatible with? This may be due to the Novatec chipset being limited due to drivers, on-board memory, whatever, or maybe it is better to say "use these two brands and models, and nothing else" which may be for support reasons, or perhaps by marketing agreements with manufacturers?

In the end, the limitation is with the manufacturer of the device and not the memory manufacturer. Of course, it could simple be the VIOFO dash cam is not capable of providing stable power to an enclosure as well as multiple other channels, perhaps one could even add in CPU available cycles? None the less, anything USB-C should work...regardless, and this is where standarising on a USB-C or Thunderbolt with a completely built out pin set to cover everything in life is beneficial. When I see a manufacturer bounce back and forth on various USB-C pin out/wire outs, or even swapping from USB-C to COAX, or even blending them on the same unit, I get concerned as somewhere along the developement process, things are going to fall through the engineering and design cracks.

 

[lufa6977]

What type of enclosure are you using for your SSD? Are you using an M.2 SSD?

Dont know about Viofo Capability as I don't have A329 but I've never had issue with this enclosure https://www.amazon.se/-/en/Sabrent-Type-C-Tool-free-Enclosure-EC-SNVE/dp/B08RVC6F9Y?th=1

Not sure if it'd work with the Viofo

I am fond of Sabrent memory and have had good results with them, though a bit expensive. The above enclosure you linked to were shipped, a year or so ago, with faulty USB-C cables, if you have slower than expected speeds, try changing out the cable.

 

[jsmith]

RAM is a poor example because of course certain ones won't work because of typed and frequencies. But in general if it falls within the general specification it will work.

Same with Laptop manufacturers have their own graphics card drivers that are often times out of date because maybe they were release ones with the laptop - sure, optimised for the laptop but even the generic ones from the graphics card will still work and in some instances work better.

SSDs as you correctly say will work with pretty much flawlessly because that's generic drivers in Windows / Linux / whatever that will work with it. Gone are the days 15 or 20 years ago where specific drivers had to be made otherwise incompatibilities would exist. The world has moved on in the same reasons for cell phones too with drivers etc. Firmware updates for SSDs are few and far between, and mainly just optimise things a tad further. They're not essential for the drive to work.

So if the usb 3.0 port appears to work with other mountable devices such as usb memory sticks and microSD memory card readers, why can't it work with SSDs? Should be one and done deal.

Ram is a perfect example of "Compatibility Lists". Manufacturers specify which Modules of Ram work best with their product. FYI: Ram goes by Clock Speed and Timings. Ram is often recommended to be bought in pairs so like sticks are kept together for optimal performance. The Clock speed is importance (expressed in Megahertz) and the faster the Mhz, the faster the ram. For Timing (Cas) you want lower latency.

Dashcam Manufacturers also need to test MicroSD card performance with their cameras. Every SD card is manufactured differently, with greater differences across each brand. While one A2 V30 MicroSD card may operate flawlessly, another model from a different brand may run into conflicts. I experienced this issue with different brands of MicroSD cards of similar specs in Cameras.

For SSD's, the same argument remains accurate. People have found that some Enclosures are causing issues with the Viofo A329.

Anyway, I put the onus on Manufacturers to create a list. If a consumer wants to purchase outside the approved risk, then Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware). The non approved storage may or may not work.

 

[jsmith]

I am fond of Sabrent memory and have had good results with them, though a bit expensive. The above enclosure you linked to were shipped, a year or so ago, with faulty USB-C cables, if you have slower than expected speeds, try changing out the cable.

I long since ditched that factory cable. It sucked big time! I bought a USB C 3.2 10gbit Data Transfer Cable to replace it!

 

[jsmith]

QVL for motherboards but not for dash cams? The motherboard manufacturers use a Qualified Vendor List to keep from pissing off their customers...basically. MBs use a plethora of BIOS/UEFI settings, PCI speeds/frequencies, trace lengths, interface types, etc. and then there are the memory specs, SPD, chipsets, etc. MB manufacturers develop their BIOS/UEFI software and hardware to be compatible with as many memory modules as possible. They can control what is on their board, but not what the memory manufacturer does so, there is a QVL that indicates the MB manufacturer has tested notated memory sticks to be compatible with the MB. This is no small task as a rule, and not all memory from one company will be compatible with the same board. I have seen Samsung 990 NVME not work on a board where Samsung 970 memory would work. The problem was not with the MB but with Samsung and their proprietary chipset and instruction set being different than the earlier model versions.

The interesting aspect of QVL is the manufacturer can use it to state that only certain memory will work, which is equivalent to saying only Samsung and SanDisk will work. In the case of VIOFO, who knows, perhaps they have intentionally limited NVME / enclosure and SATA drives to certain vendors that they have chosen to be compatible with? This may be due to the Novatec chipset being limited due to drivers, on-board memory, whatever, or maybe it is better to say "use these two brands and models, and nothing else" which may be for support reasons, or perhaps by marketing agreements with manufacturers?

In the end, the limitation is with the manufacturer of the device and not the memory manufacturer. Of course, it could simple be the VIOFO dash cam is not capable of providing stable power to an enclosure as well as multiple other channels, perhaps one could even add in CPU available cycles? None the less, anything USB-C should work...regardless, and this is where standarising on a USB-C or Thunderbolt with a completely built out pin set to cover everything in life is beneficial. When I see a manufacturer bounce back and forth on various USB-C pin out/wire outs, or even swapping from USB-C to COAX, or even blending them on the same unit, I get concerned as somewhere along the developement process, things are going to fall through the engineering and design cracks.

100% Accurate. It's time consuming and costly to create QVL lists, but QVL lists prevent a pissed off consumer from uselessly buying hardware that may not be compatible. It lets the end user know a list of "Approved Products" that have been tested to "Work". I wrote in response to @Augustus and as you pointed out, two products from the same brand may have manufacturing differences in hardware (Samsung 999 NVME vs Samsung 970) that may make one compatible and another not. I.E. Controller Card, capacitors, etc.

You could also take two Identical MicroSD. Both A2 V30 with similar write speeds from say Samsung and Sandisk. One may work with the Viofo and another may not.

The same for the SSD.

Note: I'm not picking on @viofo, but we're discussing their compatibility issues with SSD and SSD enclosures. Everything I said applies to Thinkware, Blackvue, etc.

When manufacturers

 

[Augustus]

Ram is a perfect example of "Compatibility Lists". Manufacturers specify which Modules of Ram work best with their product. FYI: Ram goes by Clock Speed and Timings. Ram is often recommended to be bought in pairs so like sticks are kept together for optimal performance. The Clock speed is importance (expressed in Megahertz) and the faster the Mhz, the faster the ram. For Timing (Cas) you want lower latency.

Dashcam Manufacturers also need to test MicroSD card performance with their cameras. Every SD card is manufactured differently, with greater differences across each brand. While one A2 V30 MicroSD card may operate flawlessly, another model from a different brand may run into conflicts. I experienced this issue with different brands of MicroSD cards of similar specs in Cameras.

For SSD's, the same argument remains accurate. People have found that some Enclosures are causing issues with the Viofo A329.

Anyway, I put the onus on Manufacturers to create a list. If a consumer wants to purchase outside the approved risk, then Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware). The non approved storage may or may not work.

Yeah I know how RAM works , have built PCs myself and have installed and bought laptop RAM many times. Still can't quite agree though with the principles behind compatibility

P.s. think you mean microcontroller for SSDs not controller card, and there's no such model as Samsung 999, maybe you mean the 990 pro

 

[jsmith]

Yeah I know how RAM works , have built PCs myself and have installed and bought laptop RAM many times. Still can't quite agree though with the principles behind compatibility

P.s. think you mean microcontroller for SSDs not controller card, and there's no such model as Samsung 999, maybe you mean the 990 pro

1. 990 the 0 is close to the 9. A typo.

2. Brainfart. Yes microcontoller not controller card.

Anyway, the logic is the same. You're installing a 3rd party device (Ram, SSD, or MicroSD) that the system is dependent upon to operate.

Incompatible Ram = Unstable hardware and the Infamous BSOD (windows) or if on Linux a hard freeze

Incompatible SSD or MicroSD = Camera Beeps because it cannot write data and thus doesn't detect the MicroSd card or storage device, Camera Software freezes, or other instabilities.

I too have built computers from scratch.

Difference of opinion but it's a close enough analogy. Manufacturers should be responsible for building the QVL list.

 

[Augustus]

1. 990 the 0 is close to the 9. A typo.

2. Brainfart. Yes microcontoller not controller card.

Anyway, the logic is the same. You're installing a 3rd party device (Ram, SSD, or MicroSD) that the system is dependent upon to operate.

Incompatible Ram = Unstable hardware and the Infamous BSOD (windows) or if on Linux a hard freeze

Incompatible SSD or MicroSD = Camera Beeps because it cannot write data and thus doesn't detect the MicroSd card or storage device, Camera Software freezes, or other instabilities.

I too have built computers from scratch.

Difference of opinion but it's a close enough analogy. Manufacturers should be responsible for building the QVL list.

Well as @lufa6977 said, it should lie with the manufacturer in this case Viofo. And he started correctly whether it's Viofo limiting it or Novatek who knows.

It will be interesting to see if other manufacturers get on board with implementing the SSD feature or not. If they do, then it may be a case of like what happened with microSD memory cards - that brands such as Vantrue are way more liberal and just open the floor to compatibility. I would prefer that approach as a consumer and I think it suits most of the market better.

 

[jsmith]

Well as @lufa6977 said, it should lie with the manufacturer in this case Viofo. And he started correctly whether it's Viofo limiting it or Novatek who knows.

It will be interesting to see if other manufacturers get on board with implementing the SSD feature or not. If they do, then it may be a case of like what happened with microSD memory cards - that brands such as Vantrue are way more liberal and just open the floor to compatibility. I would prefer that approach as a consumer and I think it suits most of the market better.

I fully agree with @lufa6977 and stated as such before further debate continued.

Irrespective, if Novatek is the limiting factor or Manufacturer, the Manufacturer should make an approved QVL (Quality Vendor List) that avoids incompatibilities. If Manufacturer is the culprit, then said company already knows which devices are likely to work and not work. If Novatek is at fault, it is likely Novatek has informed dashcam Manufacturers of chipset limitations.

What ifs and pointing fingers becomes inherently unproductive. Giving consumers an approved list of devices cuts through this headache, minimizes customer service complaints, and ensures a device functions properly.

Yes it takes extra time and money to build a QVL list, but it also saves on customer's returning merchandise, or complaining about a product, and leaving negative reviews.

That's why beta testing and sending out products to SKILLED reviewers is also important (skip the vine and influencer bullsh*t where everything is FANTASTIC). It's cheaper to give out a few dozen cameras to find bugs than have your whole engineering team chasing down problems. After the problems get chased down, then go to Vine and Influencers!

@viofo makes a GREAT PRODUCT. I've owned numerous dashcams from this company and am happy with them.

This advice goes for EVERY dashcam manufacturer. Thinkware, Blackvue, Viofo, etc.

 

[Augustus]

I fully agree with @lufa6977 and stated as such before further debate continued.

Irrespective, if Novatek is the limiting factor or Manufacturer, the Manufacturer should make an approved QVL (Quality Vendor List) that avoids incompatibilities. If Manufacturer is the culprit, then said company already knows which devices are likely to work and not work. If Novatek is at fault, it is likely Novatek has informed dashcam Manufacturers of chipset limitations.

What ifs and pointing fingers becomes inherently unproductive. Giving consumers an approved list of devices cuts through this headache, minimizes customer service complaints, and ensures a device functions properly.

Yes it takes extra time and money to build a QVL list, but it also saves on customer's returning merchandise, or complaining about a product, and leaving negative reviews.

That's why beta testing and sending out products to SKILLED reviewers is important (skip the vine and influencer bullsh*t where everything is FANTASTIC). It's cheaper to give out a few dozen cameras to find bugs than have your whole engineering team chasing down problems. After the problems get chased down, then go to Vine and Influencers!

@viofo makes a GREAT PRODUCT. I've owned numerous dashcams from this company and am happy with them.

This advice goes for EVERY dashcam manufacturer. Thinkware, Blackvue, Viofo, etc.

That's why there are folks here on DashCamTalk to help review, YouTube is pretty sugar coated. Vine shut down years ago haha

Viofo remains a mainstay in my vehicle because of its high bitrate, I have had firmware issues and I would rate 70mai and Vantrue better than them when it comes to stability. But they do eventually squash those bugs.

 

[jsmith]

That's why there are folks here on DashCamTalk to help review, YouTube is pretty sugar coated. Vine shut down years ago haha

Viofo remains a mainstay in my vehicle because of its high bitrate, I have had firmware issues and I would rate 70mai and Vantrue better than them when it comes to stability. But they do eventually squash those bugs.

Vine Exists under Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/vine/about

Likewise, Viofo is a mainstay in my vehicle. I love their unique low bitrate parking mode with 30 frames per second. I've encountered firmware bugs and complaints. Viofo has been responsive when I asked them questions, although I agree resolutions are not immediate.

Both Youtube and Vine are sugar coated..... Product tested for 30 minutes. Works Great. Love it. Send me more freebies.... Is dishonest, does costumers a disservice, and doesn't legitimately evaluate the product.

 

[Augustus]

Vine Exists under Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/vine/about

Likewise, Viofo is a mainstay in my vehicle. I love their unique low bitrate parking mode with 30 frames per second. I've encountered firmware bugs and complaints. Viofo has been responsive when I asked them questions, although I agree resolutions are not immediate.

Both Youtube and Vine are sugar coated..... Product tested for 30 minutes. Works Great. Love it. Send me more freebies.... Is dishonest, does costumers a disservice, and doesn't legitimately evaluate the product.

Ah the other Vine haha 😂.

Yeah press kits for review units are pretty normal these days, you hear the same hashtag terms used for reviews. Only folks that really legitimately evaluate a product are here on DCT, not trying to toot our horn but we do a pretty good job overall

 

[BeerMonster]

Another update to the SSD situation on the A329. I was provided a new 2.5m official Viofo cable and the SSD issues persist, even though it doesn't happen as often with my Kingston XS1000 1TB model.

Viofo have typically been picky with their microSD memory card compatibility, for better or worse, compared to other brands such as Vantrue or 70mai. One has to wonder if they have taken the same approach here, or is it a case of what should be straightforward support not happening (either Novatek or Viofo's side).

Will be interesting to see if competitors such as 70mai and Vantrue provide support for external memory, using the Novatek NT98530 chipset that has support for such. It appears to be a typically low-volume market so I would presume that it wouldn't be a priority for them as such.

Overall, it's disappointing to see something that should be so easily implemented have issues with SSD enclosures and external SSDs themselves.



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Guess I'll have to wait a bit and see if their firmware updates make it more reliable.

I just picked up a sandisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD 2TB and was just going to order the 2.5m usb-c data cable from Viofo. Guess i'll wait and see.

I've been dragging my feet on a replacement for my now dead blackvue 900s, and when I saw the a329 with external storage support that really peaked my interest. I've been wanting a unit with external storage support for a while

 

[BeerMonster]

1. 990 the 0 is close to the 9. A typo.

2. Brainfart. Yes microcontoller not controller card.

Anyway, the logic is the same. You're installing a 3rd party device (Ram, SSD, or MicroSD) that the system is dependent upon to operate.

Incompatible Ram = Unstable hardware and the Infamous BSOD (windows) or if on Linux a hard freeze

Incompatible SSD or MicroSD = Camera Beeps because it cannot write data and thus doesn't detect the MicroSd card or storage device, Camera Software freezes, or other instabilities.

I too have built computers from scratch.

Difference of opinion but it's a close enough analogy. Manufacturers should be responsible for building the QVL list.

They absolutely should. Only problem is, that list can change over time. Been building computers for decades and in IT for 25+ years and on several occasions I've seen items removed from the QVL as newer firmware comes out.

 

[jsmith]

They absolutely should. Only problem is, that list can change over time. Been building computers for decades and in IT for 25+ years and on several occasions I've seen items removed from the QVL as newer firmware comes out.

Generally, you can downgrade firmware back to an older version if that happens. Better than buying a piece of hardware and finding out it isn't compatible at all with no QVL list.

 

[Augustus]

Guess I'll have to wait a bit and see if their firmware updates make it more reliable.

I just picked up a sandisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD 2TB and was just going to order the 2.5m usb-c data cable from Viofo. Guess i'll wait and see.

I've been dragging my feet on a replacement for my now dead blackvue 900s, and when I saw the a329 with external storage support that really peaked my interest. I've been wanting a unit with external storage support for a while

That model of SSD is on their recommended list so it should work. Not my cup of tea as it had data loss issues and a lawsuit, that model but each to their own haha

Hopefully it gets better with firmware updates the old a329

 

[lufa6977]

That model of SSD is on their recommended list so it should work. Not my cup of tea as it had data loss issues and a lawsuit, that model but each to their own haha

Hopefully it gets better with firmware updates the old a329

I don't recall reading about it, but will the new A329S support external SSD?

 

[Augustus]

I don't recall reading about it, but will the new A329S support external SSD?

Million dollar question lol, I'm not smitten with it as what I initially was now knowing they could have done better with their SSD compatibility. Plus their official SSD cable is somewhat thick (I understand why) but leaves less room for a multi dashcam setup like i run ...

 

[BeerMonster]

That model of SSD is on their recommended list so it should work. Not my cup of tea as it had data loss issues and a lawsuit, that model but each to their own haha

Hopefully it gets better with firmware updates the old a329

Well... that's just great lol

Thankfully in the return period, I just did a quick read on the sandisk and I'll send it back a get a 2TB t7 shield.