Viofo A329T (unboxing & first impressions) (Sony Starvis 2 IMX678, Wi-Fi 6/GPS, HDR, Novatek NT98530, 4K front + 2.5K telephoto + 2.5K rear, HDR all)

[Augustus]

Is A329S still going to have SSD over USB support?

Million dollar question haha, they've had to backtrack on enclosures. Guess it may have to do with how many customers take up SSD adoption for the model and whether they can be bothered supporting that feature anymore

 

[blinkenjim]

Well I got to see and hold the Viofo A329S today…

I cant give any details as I gave my word…

But you wont be disappointed….

Can you tell us -- without citing details -- whether any new features were added in addition to the new cameras? I'll settle for yes or no.

 

[Mtz]

Any idea if there are proprietary cables? Also, it would be interesting to see if my Telephoto or IR from the A229 Pro will work on the A329S; I sort of doubt they would but, interoperability would be nice if everything remains USB-C.

Coaxial MCX on all secondary cameras, the same coaxial like on A329.
There will be one firmware for all 3 versions but with different filenames.bin just because the Menu will contain different words based on the version you have. For example the menu for A329S will contain Interior Camera setup and the menu for A329T will contain Telephoto Camera setup. And the filenames of A329T will be something like 2025_0431_235959_000003T.mp4 and for A329S, something like 2025_0431_235959_000003I.mp4

Found some more information. Advanced parking mode they claim - ultra-low power consumption of 0.2W, and a less than two second impact detection recording time.

That Low Energy Parking Mode will be based only on shocks. For example if you will enter into the car and close the door easy, a Parking Mode video will not start because the shock is too small. But if you will close the door normally or a little harder, the Parking Mode video will start.
The Low Energy Parking Mode is consuming 0.2W as you wrote, but the videos can be saved only on the card and not on the SSD. This is the only way you can obtain such low-power consumption. The video duration for this mode is 1 minute and the video recording will start on the card in less than 1 second after the shock.
I know it is a great feature, but for people who want to know what was happening around the car for all the time it was parked, they will use the old options of Time-lapse and Low Bitrate mode.
But can be some combination of Low Energy Parking Mode and other options, this will depend on some new power source hardware, I guess.

Don't all cabin cameras have fisheye lenses?

Of course not and you know this. Viofo want fisheye lens for interior camera of A329S to obtain almost 360° coverage. This is the reason they are using fisheye interior lens. But I expect the IR LEDs to be more powerful because on a wide lens there is not so much IR light on the sides of the image.

I suppose it's an improvement.... but what if I want 4CH with a rear camera, interior fisheye AND the 2K telephoto!

For me the best is 5CH: Front 4K or 2K, Telephoto 2K, Left 2K, Right 2K, Rear 2K. I am lucky because my car has two small fixed windows on the rear so I can mount the side cameras there. Until a 5CH dashcam will be launched, I will made a setup based on A329T and A229 Plus or A329S but I will use two fisheye interior cameras for the sides.
Right now I am using the front camera on the front and the secondary cameras on the sides. For my future setup will be nice if all 3 videos will be combined in one video. Front at the top and sides at the bottom of the saved video. In this way I will have one video instead of three.

Any chance the new interior camera will be backward compatible with A229?

100% not. The A229 has analog cable with a 3.5mm jack as input and the interior camera of A329S has coaxial cable.

Is A329S still going to have SSD over USB support?

Of course it will have. Just the HDMI option was removed.

 

[indigo]

Coaxial MCX on all secondary cameras, the same coaxial like on A329.
There will be one firmware for all 3 versions but with different filenames.bin just because the Menu will contain different words based on the version you have. For example the menu for A329S will contain Interior Camera setup and the menu for A329T will contain Telephoto Camera setup. And the filenames of A329T will be something like 2025_0431_235959_000003T.mp4 and for A329S, something like 2025_0431_235959_000003I.mp4

That Low Energy Parking Mode will be based only on shocks. For example if you will enter into the car and close the door easy, a Parking Mode video will not start because the shock is too small. But if you will close the door normally or a little harder, the Parking Mode video will start.
The Low Energy Parking Mode is consuming 0.2W as you wrote, but the videos can be saved only on the card and not on the SSD. This is the only way you can obtain such low-power consumption. The video duration for this mode is 1 minute and the video recording will start on the card in less than 1 second after the shock.
I know it is a great feature, but for people who want to know what was happening around the car for all the time it was parked, they will use the old options of Time-lapse and Low Bitrate mode.
But can be some combination of Low Energy Parking Mode and other options, this will depend on some new power source hardware, I guess.

Of course not and you know this. Viofo want fisheye lens for interior camera of A329S to obtain almost 360° coverage. This is the reason they are using fisheye interior lens. But I expect the IR LEDs to be more powerful because on a wide lens there is not so much IR light on the sides of the image.

For me the best is 5CH: Front 4K or 2K, Telephoto 2K, Left 2K, Right 2K, Rear 2K. I am lucky because my car has two small fixed windows on the rear so I can mount the side cameras there. Until a 5CH dashcam will be launched, I will made a setup based on A329T and A229 Plus or A329S but I will use two fisheye interior cameras for the sides.
Right now I am using the front camera on the front and the secondary cameras on the sides. For my future setup will be nice if all 3 videos will be combined in one video. Front at the top and sides at the bottom of the saved video. In this way I will have one video instead of three.

100% not. The A229 has analog cable with a 3.5mm jack as input and the interior camera of A329S has coaxial cable.

Of course it will have. Just the HDMI option was removed.

so if i want two waterproof i buy 329sw
And i want telephoto i buy 329t
If i want two side cameras which one i should buy？

 

[jsmith]

Coaxial MCX on all secondary cameras, the same coaxial like on A329.
There will be one firmware for all 3 versions but with different filenames.bin just because the Menu will contain different words based on the version you have. For example the menu for A329S will contain Interior Camera setup and the menu for A329T will contain Telephoto Camera setup. And the filenames of A329T will be something like 2025_0431_235959_000003T.mp4 and for A329S, something like 2025_0431_235959_000003I.mp4

That Low Energy Parking Mode will be based only on shocks. For example if you will enter into the car and close the door easy, a Parking Mode video will not start because the shock is too small. But if you will close the door normally or a little harder, the Parking Mode video will start.
The Low Energy Parking Mode is consuming 0.2W as you wrote, but the videos can be saved only on the card and not on the SSD. This is the only way you can obtain such low-power consumption. The video duration for this mode is 1 minute and the video recording will start on the card in less than 1 second after the shock.
I know it is a great feature, but for people who want to know what was happening around the car for all the time it was parked, they will use the old options of Time-lapse and Low Bitrate mode.
But can be some combination of Low Energy Parking Mode and other options, this will depend on some new power source hardware, I guess.

Of course not and you know this. Viofo want fisheye lens for interior camera of A329S to obtain almost 360° coverage. This is the reason they are using fisheye interior lens. But I expect the IR LEDs to be more powerful because on a wide lens there is not so much IR light on the sides of the image.

For me the best is 5CH: Front 4K or 2K, Telephoto 2K, Left 2K, Right 2K, Rear 2K. I am lucky because my car has two small fixed windows on the rear so I can mount the side cameras there. Until a 5CH dashcam will be launched, I will made a setup based on A329T and A229 Plus or A329S but I will use two fisheye interior cameras for the sides.
Right now I am using the front camera on the front and the secondary cameras on the sides. For my future setup will be nice if all 3 videos will be combined in one video. Front at the top and sides at the bottom of the saved video. In this way I will have one video instead of three.

100% not. The A229 has analog cable with a 3.5mm jack as input and the interior camera of A329S has coaxial cable.

Of course it will have. Just the HDMI option was removed.

A 5 Channel setup does exist already albeit I believe the front is normal quality and remaining channels are only 1080P: https://thinkwarestore.com/multi-ch...y2TxSzv3auZDihGmM--Wcnj4OHG1z9S6w6hDKfAUs3bBG

So nothing in the quality that you're desiring for quite a while. 5 Channel with that resolution would take placing the main unit in a hidden spot away from the sun because it would easily overheat.

For now, you're stuck with 2 stand alone units to get 5 channel.

 

[Nigel]

Of course not and you know this. Viofo want fisheye lens for interior camera of A329S to obtain almost 360° coverage. This is the reason they are using fisheye interior lens. But I expect the IR LEDs to be more powerful because on a wide lens there is not so much IR light on the sides of the image.

But a 360° camera is not a fisheye camera, is it? You do not see fisheye distortion on a 360* camera.
A fisheye camera is what we see with a normal cabin camera, where the image has lots of fisheye distortion. Normal front lenses also have quite a lot of fisheye distortion, except on a few dashcams that correct it.

 

[vvs49]

A329T will contain Telephoto Camera setup.

Is the Telephoto Camera included or purchased separately?

 

[Augustus]

Is the Telephoto Camera included or purchased separately?

Will be packaged I'm guessing. So across the variants will be A329x base unit, then the Tele or interior or whatever ordered.

 

[Nigel]

Is the Telephoto Camera included or purchased separately?

A329T has the front, rear, and telephoto included in the package.

 

[indigo]

A329T has the front, rear, and telephoto included in the package.

so i want waterproof and telephoto
I should buy 329t and329sw
That crazy

 

[lufa6977]

so i want waterproof and telephoto
I should buy 329t and329sw
That crazy

No. You do as I did, you send support ticket to VIOFO and you ask them to make up a package with the Telephoto and Waterproof cameras. They will send you an invoice that you pay online at the VIOFO store and they will ship to you the lens arrangement you need.

 

[indigo]

No. You do as I did, you send support ticket to VIOFO and you ask them to make up a package with the Telephoto and Waterproof cameras. They will send you an invoice that you pay online at the VIOFO store and they will ship to you the lens arrangement you need.

I mean it seem 329t or 329sw can not use waterproof and telephoto together or at same time
I.should buy two 329xx

 

[lufa6977]

Ah...got it. I did not notice that. <head slap> I need to put to memory the cables and arrangements VIOFO is using.

Buying two is what I did for the A229, a bit expensive but I have excellent quality images at front and back, and with telephoto lens.

 

[Nigel]

I mean it seem 329t or 329sw can not use waterproof and telephoto together or at same time
I.should buy two 329xx

I think you can use the telephoto and waterproof together, but the details haven’t been revealed yet, so a bit of patience will help!

The waterproof camera should replace the rear camera, so I expect VIOFO support can create you a package.

 

[indigo]

I think you can use the telephoto and waterproof together, but the details haven’t been revealed yet, so a bit of patience will help!

The waterproof camera should replace the rear camera, so I expect VIOFO support can create you a package.

Oh actually i want two waterproof and telephoto
That is 4ch 329xx:（

But maybe 329t.telephoto is same as a229pro telephoto
I just buy 329sw only

 

[Nigel]

But maybe 329t.telephoto is same as a229pro telephoto

No, it is a new telephoto for the A329, the A229 telephoto is not compatible, and the A329 is 3 channels maximum. At some point Viofo will have a 4 channel, but we don't know when, until then, maybe you can have A329 Front + 2x waterproof, and a 2nd camera for the rear. A119 Min 2 is good for the rear, or the VS1.

Why do you want two waterproof cameras?

If they are for side views, the new cabin camera is best for side views, but is not waterproof.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Coaxial MCX on all secondary cameras, the same coaxial like on A329.
There will be one firmware for all 3 versions but with different filenames.bin just because the Menu will contain different words based on the version you have. For example the menu for A329S will contain Interior Camera setup and the menu for A329T will contain Telephoto Camera setup. And the filenames of A329T will be something like 2025_0431_235959_000003T.mp4 and for A329S, something like 2025_0431_235959_000003I.mp4

That Low Energy Parking Mode will be based only on shocks. For example if you will enter into the car and close the door easy, a Parking Mode video will not start because the shock is too small. But if you will close the door normally or a little harder, the Parking Mode video will start.
The Low Energy Parking Mode is consuming 0.2W as you wrote, but the videos can be saved only on the card and not on the SSD. This is the only way you can obtain such low-power consumption. The video duration for this mode is 1 minute and the video recording will start on the card in less than 1 second after the shock.
I know it is a great feature, but for people who want to know what was happening around the car for all the time it was parked, they will use the old options of Time-lapse and Low Bitrate mode.
But can be some combination of Low Energy Parking Mode and other options, this will depend on some new power source hardware, I guess.

Of course not and you know this. Viofo want fisheye lens for interior camera of A329S to obtain almost 360° coverage. This is the reason they are using fisheye interior lens. But I expect the IR LEDs to be more powerful because on a wide lens there is not so much IR light on the sides of the image.

For me the best is 5CH: Front 4K or 2K, Telephoto 2K, Left 2K, Right 2K, Rear 2K. I am lucky because my car has two small fixed windows on the rear so I can mount the side cameras there. Until a 5CH dashcam will be launched, I will made a setup based on A329T and A229 Plus or A329S but I will use two fisheye interior cameras for the sides.
Right now I am using the front camera on the front and the secondary cameras on the sides. For my future setup will be nice if all 3 videos will be combined in one video. Front at the top and sides at the bottom of the saved video. In this way I will have one video instead of three.

100% not. The A229 has analog cable with a 3.5mm jack as input and the interior camera of A329S has coaxial cable.

Of course it will have. Just the HDMI option was removed.

Welcome back Mtz.
1.) What image sensor is used for the (4) remote cameras?
Rear
IR Interior
Waterproof Rear
Telephoto

2.) Do any of the (4) remote cameras have their own processor / chipset, (similar to Rear & Telephoto A229 Pro & Plus)?

3.) Is all processing performed by the Front / Main camera?

4.) What is the maximum combined Bitrate (all 3 channels)?

5.) In 3-CH configuration what is the maximum Bitrate of each camera;
Front
Rear
IR Interior
Waterproof Rear
Telephoto

6.) What is MSRP in these configurations;
A329S 2-CH Rear
A329SW 2-CH Waterproof Rear
A329S 3-CH Rear & Interior
A329T 3-CH Rear & Telephoto
A329SW 3-CH Waterproof Rear & Interior

7.) What is MSRP of (4) remote cameras “a la carte”?
Rear
IR Interior
Waterproof Rear
Telephoto

8.) Does the A329S require a new upgraded HK4 hardwire kit, to provide more current / amperage, as well as “ultra low standby power consumption” to function with the new Low Energy Impact Only Parking Mode (0.2W)?

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Why do you want two waterproof cameras?

 

[indigo]

View attachment 79124

Very very correct
Now i have one only for a229pro waterproof

 

[indigo]

No, it is a new telephoto for the A329, the A229 telephoto is not compatible, and the A329 is 3 channels maximum. At some point Viofo will have a 4 channel, but we don't know when, until then, maybe you can have A329 Front + 2x waterproof, and a 2nd camera for the rear. A119 Min 2 is good for the rear, or the VS1.

Why do you want two waterproof cameras?

If they are for side views, the new cabin camera is best for side views, but is not waterproof.

I mean.the video quality of 229pro telephoto is same as 329t telephoto which use same sony imx 675？
i have one waterproof now