Which VIOFO given local prices?

[maddfi]

Hello...

In my country I can currently buy VIOFO 2ch dashcams (bare models, no extras) from local suppliers for the following prices, converted to USD:

• A129 Plus Duo (no GPS) $208
• A129 Pro Duo $210
• A139 2ch $286
• A139 Pro 2ch $306

I think those prices are different from typical prices in the USA and it looks to me like the A129 Plus Duo is overpriced here and the A129 Pro Duo and A139 Pro 2ch are reasonably priced. Is that correct?

If you were choosing between those four models based on those prices, which would you select or avoid?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

 

[Panzer Platform]

Front Camera: $220 A139 Pro IMX678 (1 channel)
Rear Camera: $120 A119 Mini 2 IMX675
Total: $340
or
Front Camera: $120 A119 Mini 2 IMX675
Rear Camera: $120 A119 Mini 2 IMX675
Total: $240
or
October $240 A229 Pro Duo IMX678 & IMX675 (my prediction)

VIOFO 4K HDR Dash Cam Front A139 Pro 1CH , STARVIS 2 IMX678 Sensor, Super Night Vision, Ultra HD 4K Dashcam

The First Real 4K With NEWEST Sony STARVIS 2 Sensor, being the first to deploy the newest Sony STARVIS 2 tech, A139 PRO is powerful enough to outfight most 4K dashcams on the market and support 4K recording with highly upgraded image clarity and accuracy in license capturing. Sony's latest...

viofo.com

A119 MINI 2 Best-In-Class 2K HDR Image Quality, Sony STARVIS 2 Sensor 5MP IMX675, 2K 60FPS 5GHz Wi-Fi GPS Dashcam with Novatek 9

2K HDR dashcam A119 Mini 2, using Sony’s latest STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor and boasting a range of impressive features, which greatly enhances low-illuminance performance and ability to capture clear license plates. A119 Mini 2 is the newly upgraded version of our A119 Mini dashcam, making leaps...

viofo.com

A129 Pro: Avoid
A129 Plus: Avoid
A139 IMX335: Avoid
-Chuck

 

[LateralNW]

Front Camera: $220 A139 Pro IMX678 (1 channel)
Rear Camera: $120 A119 Mini 2 IMX675
Total: $340
or
Front Camera: $120 A119 Mini 2 IMX675
Rear Camera: $120 A119 Mini 2 IMX675
Total: $240
or
October $240 A229 Pro Duo IMX678 & IMX675 (my prediction)

VIOFO 4K HDR Dash Cam Front A139 Pro 1CH , STARVIS 2 IMX678 Sensor, Super Night Vision, Ultra HD 4K Dashcam

The First Real 4K With NEWEST Sony STARVIS 2 Sensor, being the first to deploy the newest Sony STARVIS 2 tech, A139 PRO is powerful enough to outfight most 4K dashcams on the market and support 4K recording with highly upgraded image clarity and accuracy in license capturing. Sony's latest...

viofo.com

A119 MINI 2 Best-In-Class 2K HDR Image Quality, Sony STARVIS 2 Sensor 5MP IMX675, 2K 60FPS 5GHz Wi-Fi GPS Dashcam with Novatek 9

2K HDR dashcam A119 Mini 2, using Sony’s latest STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor and boasting a range of impressive features, which greatly enhances low-illuminance performance and ability to capture clear license plates. A119 Mini 2 is the newly upgraded version of our A119 Mini dashcam, making leaps...

viofo.com

A129 Pro: Avoid
A129 Plus: Avoid
A139 IMX335: Avoid
-Chuck

Why avoid the A129 plus?

 

[Panzer Platform]

Why avoid the A129 plus?

3 Years old
No STARVIS 2
No HDR
No Voice Notifications
No Voice Commands
No 5th PIN to disable GPS power consumption in parking mode
No USB Type-C
No 5GHz Wi-Fi (painfully slow downloading footage to smartphone)
1080p Rear (2K is becoming the new standard)

A129 Plus was great 2-3 years ago.
Today it’s long in the tooth, and better cameras are available for not much more money.
I still have two installed in my 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis making a 4-channel system.
When the A129 Plus was released September 2020 it was $180.
The current price is $130.
If you only had $130 you would be better served with an A119 Mini 2 for $120.
And adding a second camera when your budget allows.

 

[maddfi]

Front Camera: $220 A139 Pro IMX678 (1 channel)
Rear Camera: $120 A119 Mini 2 IMX675
Total: $340
or
Front Camera: $120 A119 Mini 2 IMX675
Rear Camera: $120 A119 Mini 2 IMX675
Total: $240
or
October $240 A229 Pro Duo IMX678 & IMX675 (my prediction)

VIOFO 4K HDR Dash Cam Front A139 Pro 1CH , STARVIS 2 IMX678 Sensor, Super Night Vision, Ultra HD 4K Dashcam

The First Real 4K With NEWEST Sony STARVIS 2 Sensor, being the first to deploy the newest Sony STARVIS 2 tech, A139 PRO is powerful enough to outfight most 4K dashcams on the market and support 4K recording with highly upgraded image clarity and accuracy in license capturing. Sony's latest...

viofo.com

A119 MINI 2 Best-In-Class 2K HDR Image Quality, Sony STARVIS 2 Sensor 5MP IMX675, 2K 60FPS 5GHz Wi-Fi GPS Dashcam with Novatek 9

2K HDR dashcam A119 Mini 2, using Sony’s latest STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor and boasting a range of impressive features, which greatly enhances low-illuminance performance and ability to capture clear license plates. A119 Mini 2 is the newly upgraded version of our A119 Mini dashcam, making leaps...

viofo.com

A129 Pro: Avoid
A129 Plus: Avoid
A139 IMX335: Avoid
-Chuck

Thanks for that, lots of useful thoughts in there.

I think you're suggesting I buy direct from viofo.com rather than from local suppliers. The problem with that is that there's a fair chance I'll be charged 23% VAT by customs when the package arrives plus I usually prefer to buy in-country for warranty reasons.

I'll think about your suggestion and definitely consider buying from viofo.com but my question still stands about which of the listed cameras I should buy given the prices in my original post above. I think reading your message the answer is the A139 Pro...

Does anyone else have anything to add to Chuck's message?

 

[zugzwang]

3 Years old
No STARVIS 2
No HDR
No Voice Notifications
No Voice Commands
No 5th PIN to disable GPS power consumption in parking mode
No USB Type-C
No 5GHz Wi-Fi (painfully slow downloading footage to smartphone)
1080p Rear (2K is becoming the new standard)

A129 Plus was great 2-3 years ago.
Today it’s long in the tooth, and better cameras are available for not much more money.
I still have two installed in my 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis making a 4-channel system.
When the A129 Plus was released September 2020 it was $180.
The current price is $130.
If you only had $130 you would be better served with an A119 Mini 2 for $120.
And adding a second camera when your budget allows.

In VIOFO A129 Plus WDR was replaced by HDR in firmware ver. 1.6. In my opinion nightime quality is way better than in A229 with no HDR.

 

[Panzer Platform]

I think you're suggesting I buy direct from viofo.com rather than from local suppliers. The problem with that is that there's a fair chance I'll be charged 23% VAT by customs when the package arrives plus I usually prefer to buy in-country for warranty reasons.

My only concern is you get the camera with the best possible image quality.
I only endorse A139 Pro in 1-channel configuration only, (not 2-channel).
If you drive at night the A119 Mini 2 has better night time image quality than A139 Pro based on my testing.

A119 Mini 2 Test & Review PP

How about a round of applause for @viofo? It looks like they’ve done it again. I started reviewing dash cams for Viofo June 14, 2022. In the past 11 months they’ve released the original A119 Mini, A229 Duo, A139 Pro, WM1, and now the A119 Mini 2. All of them in my opinion are “class leaders”...

dashcamtalk.com

 

[LateralNW]

3 Years old
No STARVIS 2
No HDR
No Voice Notifications
No Voice Commands
No 5th PIN to disable GPS power consumption in parking mode
No USB Type-C
No 5GHz Wi-Fi (painfully slow downloading footage to smartphone)
1080p Rear (2K is becoming the new standard)

A129 Plus was great 2-3 years ago.
Today it’s long in the tooth, and better cameras are available for not much more money.
I still have two installed in my 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis making a 4-channel system.
When the A129 Plus was released September 2020 it was $180.
The current price is $130.
If you only had $130 you would be better served with an A119 Mini 2 for $120.
And adding a second camera when your budget allows.

Thanks for the reply and reasoning. Being old and proven is great. If Viofo continues to sell it then its not old just the design is old.

While all your points are valid, budget and reliability are very important to me.

I'm looking at current prices for Australia and the A129 plus Duo is $220.95 and that's with a discount! I expected it to be cheaper sub $200 and if it was I would recommend it. I am still using the A129 Duo first model and it has saved me from incurring costs from an accident where the other persons husband decided to fight the claim (Who wasn't even in the car!). He lost. I also had the T130 on the windscreen but is was just out of view as the person reversed into the side of my car on the left and the T130 was set for looking ahead.
Without the good old A129 Duo I would still be fighting this dick.
Personally I want a reliable dashcam over everything else. Bells and whistles I love but I also know that a dashcam with a screen can get by.

From a price point of view it I would probably go for the A229 duo if it is any good. I expect the a A229 will get an upgrade to 4K front with the Sony Starvis 2 sensor. The case size should help reduce the problem of excessive internal heat.
Heat is going to be a big issue in Australia in the coming years as we are about to go through another 'El Niño Everything gets cooked / burnt last time it came some of the plants I had that usually don't display distress from the sun were sunburnt!

The Mini 2 is AUD$162.02 again with current discount. The video looks really good. I don't understand why they bother selling the Mini 1 when it is only AUD$10 cheaper..... perhaps they are getting rid of stock?

For $250 approx the A119V3 could do the job and it would be at 2560x1600 front and back. (It also introduces redundancy which is a side benefit). A pain but given its reliability it won't need to be mothered as much as some dashcams.

Cheers

 

[Panzer Platform]

Being old and proven is great.

"Old is gold"

Bells and whistles I love

I'm officially anti-bell & whistle. lol
The only thing I'm interested in is;
1.) Best possible image quality
2.) Reliability (no recording malfunctions)
3.) Durability (last warranty period 12-18 months)

I expect the a A229 will get an upgrade to 4K

If they release an A229 Pro Duo IMX678 Front IMX675 Rear (STARVIS 2 both F+R) that should be a class leader.
The only problem I see is I hope they figure out a way to get a CPL Filter on the rear camera.
I would wait until October to see what happens.

 

[Dashmellow]

"Old is gold"

I'm officially anti-bell & whistle. lol

But just yesterday you complained that the A129 plus is 3 years old and is missing various bells & whistles like Voice Notifications and Voice Commands along with other features.

You can't have it both ways.

3 Years old

A129 Plus was great 2-3 years ago.
Today it’s long in the tooth...

 

[Leonauto]

Once upon a time I had a 1984 Passat B2, this is a very reliable and easy-to-maintain car, and 4 adults could fit in the back seat... They don't make such cars now, but I would like to. It is necessary to appreciate the good that is, and not complain "it is too outdated" simply because the start of the release was not yesterday.
The desire for improvement is justified, but I would not chase indicators-figures, reliability and proven quality are much more important. And of course, everyone has their own preferences and priorities.