Zenfox T3 Triple channel dash cams free test invitation, limited quantity

[HonestReview]

Based on what? Your own research? That sounds so affirmative...

Yes. Please see my photos I have posted to @Nigel. Photos are of a Micro SD card adapter. With a width of 20mm. Notice the circled area and how it contacts that diode. From the best that I can tell, it would rest upon it if overlapping the SOC. As the SOC is only 15mm wide.

Is resting upon that diode a problem? You guys seem to indicate YES?

 

[Nigel]

Based upon my own test and attached photos.....See Circled Diode - It's same height as the SOC. Copper needs cut down ONLY to fit on top of the SOC. The Media Card Adapter is 20/21CM wide. Same size as the copper plate I ordered (20x20x8mm) - 20 long, 20 wide, 8mm thick.

From the photo, it looks like an inductor, put some thermal paste on top of it to help keep it cool

(Unless it is the temperature sensor?)

If you soldered Copper Shim to the EMI plate, I think it'd regain it's integrity. I ordered these:

Presumably they are not tall enough to reach through a hole in the EMI shield, so I guess the decision is made!

Everyone has confirmed this issue, except @kamkar1 and you.

I don't think that is true, you have confirmed it, and EGS, and ???

I won't be surprised if there are more, given that several of the ones sent out seem to have the tape under the heatsink, but maybe they were sent out free because otherwise they were going in the bin! Maybe people who have just received one have received a later improved batch? Maybe the one I have with no tape under the heatsink is an earlier batch?

 

[HonestReview]

From the photo, it looks like an inductor, put some thermal paste on top of it to help keep it cool

(Unless it is the temperature sensor?)

No idea what that part is, which is why I asked in the first place. You guys recommended against TOUCHING anything else on the board. So I posted a photo showing a potential issue and would like clarification if that'll be a problem!

Presumably they are not tall enough to reach through a hole in the EMI shield, so I guess the decision is made!

Well thermal paste fills in gaps but yes there'd be a small space between the EMI plate and copper plate affixed under it. So I probably won't take this route.

I don't think that is true, you have confirmed it, and EGS, and ???

I won't be surprised if there are more, given that several of the ones sent out seem to have the tape under the heatsink, but maybe they were sent out free because otherwise they were going in the bin! Maybe people who have just received one have received a later improved batch? Maybe the one I have with no tape under the heatsink is an earlier batch?

I believe @SawMaster has seen the issue too. Not very many of us on here doing the tests. Heat is an issue, period. I own 2 Cameras, both overheated when I tested, and both lost rear, internal, and eventually the front camera.

@EGS has same problem.

I guess if you feel so inclined, scroll through the thread and see if anyone else has mentioned the problem.

 

[EGS]

Yes. Please see my photos I have posted to @Nigel. Photos are of a Micro SD card adapter. With a width of 20mm. Notice the circled area and how it contacts that diode. From the best that I can tell, it would rest upon it if overlapping the SOC. As the SOC is only 15mm wide.

Is resting upon that diode a problem? You guys seem to indicate YES?

Note that there's a reason I didn't extend that far. You can look at the picture I took yesterday while I was disassembling my unit again to apply the new paste (MX-4).
The plate was still seating perfectly on top of the soc without touching any other components.

 

[HonestReview]

Note that there's a reason I didn't extend that far. You can look at the picture I took yesterday while I was disassembling my unit again to apply the new paste (MX-4).
The plate was still seating perfectly on top of the soc without touching any other components.

Look at my photo and your photo. Your shield appears to be resting on that "inductor" or whatever component that may be.

 

[EGS]

Look at my photo and your photo. Your shield appears to be resting on that "inductor" or whatever component that may be.

View attachment 52599
View attachment 52598

[/QUOTE]
It may look like it does considering the angle the picture was taken. It is not on top of it nor touching it.

 

[HonestReview]

It may look like it does considering the angle the picture was taken. It is not on top of it nor touching it.

Ok. Well I'll trim my shim down to make sure it doesn't contact that component either once shims are received. Your response is exactly what I needed to know. So thank you.

Please do report back on your test results. I hope you have found a solution to our problem.

 

[EGS]

Ok. Well I'll trim my shim down to make sure it doesn't contact that component either once shims are received. Your response is exactly what I needed to know. So thank you.

Please do report back on your test results. I hope you have found a solution to our problem.

I will park my vehicle in the sun in a little while, and will turn on the camera 30 minutes later and let it run for about two hours or so and I will report back later.
If it fails again, then I will consider a more drastic approach.

 

[EGS]

BREAKING NEWS...

Well, really no news. Something interesting though. I have the Viofo and the Zenfox recording at the same time. An hour after I went to check on both of the cameras they both where still recording on all the available channels from each.
Measured the temperature with my infrared thermometer gun targeting the shell at different spots and maximum registered for the Viofo at that time was 158f while the Zenfox registered 161f.
15 minutes later I returned to do the same and fount that the Viofo recording light is blinking rapidly and the screen won't come on if I press the buttons with no beeps following, I believe it overheated and shut down recording and the temperature remained at 158f.
At the time the ambient temperature is 93f
The Zenfox dropped the rear and interior Chanel's but it continues recording on the front facing camera. Temperature dropped down to 160f, only one degree after 2 of the 3 channels stoped.
This is the first time I have seen the Viofo cut of like that, but the cameras are not in parking mode, they are running at their max bitrate and the vehicle is shut off backing on direct sun light. The power feed is been moved to an always on circuit @ the fuse block. Maybe I should let them cool down and switch them to parking mode with a low bit rate to see what happens next.

 

[HonestReview]

BREAKING NEWS...

Well, really no news. Something interesting though. I have the Viofo and the Zenfox recording at the same time. An hour after I went to check on both of the cameras they both where still recording on all the available channels from each.
Measured the temperature with my infrared thermometer gun targeting the shell at different spots and maximum registered for the Viofo at that time was 158f while the Zenfox registered 161f.
15 minutes later I returned to do the same and fount that the Viofo recording light is blinking rapidly and the screen won't come on if I press the buttons with no beeps following, I believe it overheated and shut down recording and the temperature remained at 158f.
At the time the ambient temperature is 93f
The Zenfox dropped the rear and interior Chanel's but it continues recording on the front facing camera. Temperature dropped down to 160f, only one degree after 2 of the 3 channels stoped.
This is the first time I have seen the Viofo cut of like that, but the cameras are not in parking mode, they are running at their max bitrate and the vehicle is shut off backing on direct sun light. The power feed is been moved to an always on circuit @ the fuse block. Maybe I should let them cool down and switch them to parking mode with a low bit rate to see what happens next.

I think you test may be flawed. Neither the Viofo or T3 Cameras are not meant to be run at full bitrate while parked. So doing so is running the cameras outside their intended parameters. Which will without a doubt result in overheating since the cameras aren't down clocked while sitting int he sun.

Real world test:

1. Cameras operate while driving without freezing.
2. Cameras record in low bitrate mode in direct sunlight without freezing.

I've had my Viofo in the car with direct sun on a 33C / 90 Degree day and never once experienced a hiccup. Two Viofos run in two different cars one stays outside all the time. Again this car never experiences an issue either on the days we had that were hot. Both cameras over 1 year old.

 

[EGS]

I think you test may be flawed. Neither the Viofo or T3 Cameras are not meant to be run at full bitrate while parked. So doing so is running the cameras outside their intended parameters. Which will without a doubt result in overheating since the cameras aren't down clocked while sitting int he sun.

Real world test:

1. Cameras operate while driving without freezing.
2. Cameras record in low bitrate mode in direct sunlight without freezing.

I've had my Viofo in the car with direct sun on a 33C / 90 Degree day and never once experienced a hiccup. Two Viofos run in two different cars one stays outside all the time. Again this car never experiences an issue either on the days we had that were hot. Both cameras over 1 year old.

I realize that I'm pushing both of them outside their limits. I Should not do that

 

[EGS]

I have a question to you guys that have been using parking mode in the Viofo. I haven't used it before in that mode.
Is the Viofo able to enter to parking mode if I turn on the P mode feature even though I don have a h3 hardwire kit? The camera is on a constant power socket now. Will it switch on its own since there is no motion?

 

[Harsh]

Yes, IIRC after 3 minutes.

 

[EGS]

Yes, IIRC after 3 minutes.

I just tried it and confirmed it did went in to PMode

 

[kamkar]

well often i run test cameras with at least the LCD on all the time ( if possible ) and if there was a way to make then boot with wifi on and it not having a impact on image quality i would do that too.
While heat tolerance have probably been extensive tested at the factory i feel as a tester it is my duty to make sure the camera are durable, and as i use my oven in the kitchen to store my stash of large RC Lipo batteries i cant run a dashcam in there, so i do second best.

I have not yet done anything like that with the T3 as other issues have prevented me from doing that,,,,,, and stupid me i also forgot to borrow my friends IR temp gun on Saturday, so maybe i remember that on Tuesday.

With me it seem like with a cold start the battery can record for a while before it start to stop recording, and it do indeed point towards temperature problems, but i have on occasions seen it suddenly recording more files before stopping.
And as it stop pretty much for every file it save when in that state, it should matter if i record 3 minute files or just 1 minute files, but it dont matter, 1 or 3 minutes, the stop come after it have saved that and start to record again, and then 1 minute low bitrate or 3 minute and normal bitrate, the camera create a 3330 KB file before stopping, making me think it is not heat related after all.
In the days to come i will try and use 5 and 10 minute file size, if it is heat the camera should shut down mid file, at least when i use 10 min file length.

But i have a feeling it is a code issue, related to the handover between segments, just not sure why it only start to happen after 5-6 minutes of recording after a cold start.
Also they say summer are on the way back to Denmark, so eager to see if " cold" IE sun heated blast furnace "cold" start have something to say.
If it is temperature and the weather get that hot ( lately it have in no way been uncomfortable for me to get into the car ) then when weather get hot the time it take before the camera start to stop record should be shorter.

 

[kamkar]

yep p mode on in menu, and power + no movement = camera turn into parking mode after a while.

 

[EGS]

I will do more testing as I realize this was not a real life or normal condition testing. I haven't gone driving today, so I will live as it is and do more testing as I drive in the next couple of days.

 

[HonestReview]

I have a question to you guys that have been using parking mode in the Viofo. I haven't used it before in that mode.
Is the Viofo able to enter to parking mode if I turn on the P mode feature even though I don have a h3 hardwire kit? The camera is on a constant power socket now. Will it switch on its own since there is no motion?

I believe it would be GPS triggered by lack of motion. I run the hardwire kit so mine is triggered when accessory is cut off.

 

[HonestReview]

I will do more testing as I realize this was not a real life or normal condition testing. I haven't gone driving today, so I will live as it is and do more testing as I drive in the next couple of days.

Can you try putting the T3 and Viofo in parking mode, letting them sit in sun a few hours, and see what happens? Both the T3 and Viofo should enter parking mode if GPS is enabled and they sit idle for a few minutes.

 

[kamkar]

I think it is the G sensor that decide in old school 2 wire parking mode, seem silly to use GPS, not least since in the old days GPS was often a extra to dashcams.
And i also think using the G sensor will use a lot less power too.