[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by Manojah

Anybody aware??

Please contact the India reseller. Someone has posted the contact of Mr. Vijay who's the owner of the authorized India reseller.

He informed me that he can share contacts of technicians who'll do the hardwiring in major cities. He also assured that none of them will splice wires or do anything to void warranty (however, he did mention to keep the service center in loop to avoid confusion later regarding warranty claims).

Btw, I also bought the Viofo A129 Duo just today (not the Pro). It seems to be the better option in the market although a little expensive. I'm expecting it to get delivered by Thu.

[Manojah]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

Please contact the India reseller. Someone has posted the contact of Mr. Vijay who's the owner of the authorized India reseller.

He informed me that he can share contacts of technicians who'll do the hardwiring in major cities. He also assured that none of them will splice wires or do anything to void warranty (however, he did mention to keep the service center in loop to avoid confusion later regarding warranty claims).

Btw, I also bought the Viofo A129 Duo just today (not the Pro). It seems to be the better option in the market although a little expensive. I'm expecting it to get delivered by Thu.

Thanks. Would check it out from Mr. Vijay. I have ordered the Pro version, yet to receive it.

[AutoNoob]

Originally Posted by abhi7013

The screen is stuck on the Viofo logo and doesn't boot. Irrespective of which sd card or even if there isn't any, its just stuck at the logo.

Sorry, you might have already tried it, but just to be sure I am asking this.

Did you try flashing the firmware ? IIRC, the logic for firmware flash activates before booting takes place.

I think in 2019, my dashcam wasn't booting. Flashing the firmware solved the issue.

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by raksrules

Sometimes I wonder if I should continue exploring or spend ~20K and get the Voifo itself. Getting from US doesn't help much with price so I feel better to buy in India.

Hi Raksrules,

I was in the same boat as you and decided to go ahead with Viofo A129 Duo without thinking any further. My reasons are as below:

1. The Viofo dashcams seem to be the only one in the market offering a CPL filter as an accessory - IMO, this becomes critical to avoid glare in the video if we are talking about keeping these videos as evidences
2. It comes with supercapacitor; while there are other supercapacitor based dashcams the lack of reviews is a concern. Viofo has been rated one of the best budget dashcams by multiple reviewer's online (taken with a pinch of salt, but some of the videos do go into the detail of their performance)
3. It is also the only dashcam that seems to be offering something like a buffered parking mode. It essentially records 15s prior to an event detection and 30s after the event; so you capture the entirety of the event from culprits doing the hit-n-run and getting away. As per the reseller, this is available in A129 Duo, A129 Pro Duo and A139 (it is not available in A129 Plus Duo it seems, so watch out for that)
4. The only option which has a motion detection algorithm for parking mode (again with buffer mode)
5. Also gets a bluetooth remote accessory button that allows you to lock a recording. You can conveniently stick this near the steering column and lock recordings which you feel are important. This can also be done via a button on the device itself (did not see such an option in others, but I could be wrong. In any case, having an option via a bluetooth remote is helpful.

I won't be needing parking mode always. But when I do (which will be while I'm on roadtrips), I felt it'll be essential to have something like a buffered parking mode. That along with the fact that it's the only option with a CPL filter accessory, I decided to go ahead with Viofo.

My shipment is expected to arrive in the next couple of days. I'll be hooking it up for a 750km drive coming up this Saturday. Will share my comments on it on this thread.

Originally Posted by abhi7013

In the same boat as you. After almost 5 years, my Viofo has stopped working.

I was chatting with Mr. Vijaykumar (proprietor of the authorized reseller of Viofo in India). He said that the common point of failure for Viofo is the super capacitor going caput after ~5years. He said that's the life expected from it and can be easily replaced.

They do sell the supercapacitor, however, not as an accessory listed on the website. He said that on contacting him, he can get the repair arranged. In another post you have clarified that you're not intending to repair it due to lack of WiFi, which I understand. But in case you're interested, it'll be worthwhile to pursue.

It's also a point to note for other Viofo buyers. I considered this and still decided to go ahead with it because it's probably the best option considering my requirements.

[raksrules]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

Hi Raksrules,

I was in the same boat as you and decided to go ahead with Viofo A129 Duo without thinking any further. My reasons are as below:
<snip>

Thanks for your insights. My brother already has Voifo A129 Duo installed (without CPL filter) in his car so I will look at the videos on bigger screen to see how good they are. He installed it himself and it is not hardwired.

Is the CPL filter really necessary? I think it costs like 2K. I have also heard good things about Voifo and that's why I bought it with me when I came from US in 2019.
The 70mai Pro Plus+ is an option for cheaper than Voifo but it is battery based and I am worried it getting bloated and such.

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by raksrules

Is the CPL filter really necessary? I think it costs like 2K. I have also heard good things about Voifo and that's why I bought it with me when I came from US in 2019.

I'm not sure actually and I'm going with my general photography know-how. I have seen many dashcam videos and the one thing that stands out in most are the glare/reflection. This varies from car to car as well. Some cars will have their windshield/dash setup in a way that it produces more glare/reflection. CPL is the only real way to avoid the glare and hence I started searching for dashcam with CPL options.

I haven't bought the CPL. I'm planning to check the quality without it and if I'm noticing glare, might decide to purchase later.

How has your brother's experience been with the A129 Duo?

[raksrules]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

How has your brother's experience been with the A129 Duo?

Well, he actually won't have any answer to that question. The thing is an "install and forget" for him. He probably never even watches videos. But from what I experienced, at least on my phone, videos look nice. I will try using my iPad next time. I connect to the wifi of Voifo on my phone and then open the app and I can see the live video too and even old ones.

[ontheway]

Hello friends!

I am planning to install dashcam in my S-Cross and since the nearest 12V socket is inside the armrest, thinking of going the hardwiring way. I want just a compact pocket-friendly option, so selected the DDPAI Mini which comes with hardwiring kit-

https://www.amazon.in/Mini-G-Sensor-Parking-Hardwire-Kit/

Now I have some concerns before going with hardwiring, instead of routing the 12V socket wire from A-pillar and around the gearbox to the armrest-

1. I understand that as hardwiring doesn't involve any wire cuts, warranty should not be impacted. Still have anyone of you heard of any instances where car company has created issues even with tapping the fuse box. I know one can write to the company to get clarification, but I also know that Maruti will route the call to the showroom and they will not give a definitive answer or will simply discourage from mingling with the fuse box.

2. Besides, I am also looking at the voltage converter that comes with the hardwiring kit. Should I be concerned about this getting overheated or in rare case catch fire as it is a chinese product and concealed near the fusebox with no ventilation.

3. This particular model has some G-sensor which detects motion and accordingly goes in Parking mode and comes out of it. The always 'on' fuse point like horn needs to be connected with the cam and cam will manage the power draw as per the settings. Is it advisable to rely on the cam to manage the battery drain or prudent thing will be to attach the power line in the fuse which only powers in ignition mode and not take chances.

Thanks.

[arighna.dutta]

Originally Posted by ontheway

Hello friends!

I am planning to install dashcam in my S-Cross and since the nearest 12V socket is inside the armrest, thinking of going the hardwiring way. I want just a compact pocket-friendly option, so selected the DDPAI Mini which comes with hardwiring kit-

https://www.amazon.in/Mini-G-Sensor-Parking-Hardwire-Kit/

Now I have some concerns before going with hardwiring, instead of routing the 12V socket wire from A-pillar and around the gearbox to the armrest-

1. I understand that as hardwiring doesn't involve any wire cuts, warranty should not be impacted. Still have anyone of you heard of any instances where car company has created issues even with tapping the fuse box. I know one can write to the company to get clarification, but I also know that Maruti will route the call to the showroom and they will not give a definitive answer or will simply discourage from mingling with the fuse box.

2. Besides, I am also looking at the voltage converter that comes with the hardwiring kit. Should I be concerned about this getting overheated or in rare case catch fire as it is a chinese product and concealed near the fusebox with no ventilation.

3. This particular model has some G-sensor which detects motion and accordingly goes in Parking mode and comes out of it. The always 'on' fuse point like horn needs to be connected with the cam and cam will manage the power draw as per the settings. Is it advisable to rely on the cam to manage the battery drain or prudent thing will be to attach the power line in the fuse which only powers in ignition mode and not take chances.

Thanks.

I have recently bought Viofo A139 3-channel dashcam for my S-Cross 1.6. And from the little understanding that I gained before finalizing on the dashcam are as follow against your points:

1. For S-cross, there is no issue to tap from the fuse box w.r.t warranty, else a clearance generally required from the dealership. However, it is still better to keep your often visited A.S.S/dealership in loop to be very sure regarding this.

3. G-sensor will detect g readings and initiate recording based on available features and settings, it won't trigger based on motion, if it doesn't have motion sensor. So if your dashcam has only g-sensor or only continuous surveillance mode, then it won't trigger recording every now and then, so risk of draining your car's batter is low. Either way, even if you hardwire the cam, you can still configure/disable surveillance mode to control battery drainage. So you can take chances .


Happy motoring.

[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by AutoNoob

Sorry, you might have already tried it, but just to be sure I am asking this.

Did you try flashing the firmware ? IIRC, the logic for firmware flash activates before booting takes place.

I think in 2019, my dashcam wasn't booting. Flashing the firmware solved the issue.

Thank you for this advice! I searched around the net and found that boot issues are quite prominent and they are resolved with a firmware update. I tried it out yesterday and it seems to work fine now!

This is kind of bittersweet as I got it working and saved myself some expense but the bug is still inside that I need a wifi dual-channel dashcam asap..!

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

They do sell the supercapacitor, however, not as an accessory listed on the website. He said that on contacting him, he can get the repair arranged. In another post you have clarified that you're not intending to repair it due to lack of WiFi, which I understand. But in case you're interested, it'll be worthwhile to pursue.

It's also a point to note for other Viofo buyers. I considered this and still decided to go ahead with it because it's probably the best option considering my requirements.

I guess the capacitor is fine but the issue was with the firmware as now it seems to be working well.
I would have loved to upgrade with Viofo dual-channel itself but at 20k, it seems quite unreasonable when you get similar ones for less than half the price (both capacitor-based and battery).

[raksrules]

Originally Posted by arighna.dutta

I have recently bought Viofo A139 3-channel dashcam f

If I may ask, what is the practical scenario where you need the 3rd channel, the one facing inside the cabin of car? I sometimes even question the need of rear camera and personally, I don't see the purpose of the 3rd channel / camera at all.
But I am curious what your mindset and requirement was when you considered a 3CH dashcam system.

Originally Posted by abhi7013

I would have loved to upgrade with Viofo dual-channel itself but at 20k, it seems quite unreasonable when you get similar ones for less than half the price (both capacitor-based and battery).

I am aware that for 10.5K one can get the 70mai Pro Plus+ which is dual channel and battery based. But which capacitor based dual channel dashcam is available for lower than Voifo price?
Asking since I will be getting my car in a month and would like to install dashcam soon. My brother has Voifo A129 Duo and I was inching towards buying same but as you mentioned, it is pricey at 20K. But then the first one I bought from US (carried myself) wasn't exactly cheap either ($160).

[tilt]

Originally Posted by raksrules

If I may ask, what is the practical scenario where you need the 3rd channel, the one facing inside the cabin of car? I sometimes even question the need of rear camera and personally, I don't see the purpose of the 3rd channel / camera at all.
But I am curious what your mindset and requirement was when you considered a 3CH dashcam system.

The three-channel dashcams are primarily targeted at taxicabs/uber/lyft etc. to protect the drivers from unruly/drunk passengers and also to protect them from any false accusations of misbehaviour etc.

The practical use for we as non-commercial drivers is pretty much non-existent. However, these could maybe serve as cameras for maybe YouTubers who like to be on camera while driving and edit their footage using all three cameras without neding to jump through hoops for time-synching.

Cheers

[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by raksrules

I am aware that for 10.5K one can get the 70mai Pro Plus+ which is dual channel and battery based. But which capacitor based dual channel dashcam is available for lower than Voifo price?

70mai pro plus+ seemed very attractive given the features and price but the battery is a concern.

Regarding capacitor ones for this price, you have the ddpai z40 dual channel which comes 2k cheaper than 70mai:

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09C3DV35B/...VTGS0TW8ME35QZ

There's no GPS, so that's a miss. It says out of stock. Only this model is available without gps.

[AutoNoob]

Originally Posted by raksrules

Is the CPL filter really necessary? I think it costs like 2K.

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

I have seen many dashcam videos and the one thing that stands out in most are the glare/reflection. This varies from car to car as well.

I bought CPL along with my Viofo A119S in 2018. And have experimented with and without it. It reduces glare to big extent. Main difference comes in night. The headlamps of on-coming vehicles don't wipe out the video till they are very near.

Originally Posted by abhi7013

Thank you for this advice!

Great !! Glad it worked.

the bug is still inside that I need a wifi dual-channel dashcam asap !

I would have loved to upgrade with Viofo dual-channel itself but at 20k, it seems quite unreasonable

Even I am eager to go for dual channel setup. But since my current one is working flawlessly, spending a big amount is wasteful. However, if I do opt for one, I'll go for Viofo A129 Pro Duo 4K.

when you get similar ones for less than half the price (both capacitor-based and battery).

In my case, considering current experience, I'll put my trust in Viofo brand over saving of some amount.

Originally Posted by raksrules

I was inching towards buying same but as you mentioned, it is pricey at 20K. But then the first one I bought from US (carried myself) wasn't exactly cheap either ($160).

I'll also look for such option. 20k (local) vs. 12k or even 15k (from US) is no-brainer for me.

[arighna.dutta]

Originally Posted by raksrules

If I may ask, what is the practical scenario where you need the 3rd channel, the one facing inside the cabin of car? I sometimes even question the need of rear camera and personally, I don't see the purpose of the 3rd channel / camera at all.
But I am curious what your mindset and requirement was when you considered a 3CH dashcam system.

Apart from the usual expectations of being able to capture any event from the front dash camera, other criteria I had:

1. Coverage - It must have coverage for the door side areas. Coverage behind the front camera area. I am not an Uber driver, however, recently one of my car's door paint has been vandalized inside a secured parking area. CCTV angle is such that it didn't have coverage for my car properly. This would have helped. - Most of the cameras gets rejected here including A129.

2. Motion sensor - to start recording in the event of someone around the car inside a secured parking area (where movements are supposed to be low in general) instead of continuous loop recording in Surveillance mode. - Most of the cameras got rejected here. Like: 70 Mai A800s, DDPai Z40, etc.

3. Super Capacitor - A500, A800s got rejected here

4. As stealthy as possible. (nice to have feature - like X120S pro that I have)

5. Reliable - less complex construction - I feel, display, cameras, lithium ion battery all packed together is a candidate recipe for a complicated design.

6. Good customer support - From many Indian reviews that I came across.


I feel, a dashcam devoid of a screen on the main unit, may make it simpler and more reliable unit, due to fewer parts involved apart from making it more stealthy, so that's a plus for me.

Now, I could have achieved point 1 with dual dash cams like Thinkware Q800 pro also, as the main camera can rotate for certain degrees similar to A139, or have A129 pro duo (2k INR less than A139) by keeping the rear camera in the angle of doors from the rear, however, A139 was giving me a more "set it up and forget" kind of setup for just 2k more with maximum coverage.

And I can always disable the interior camera to stop feeling like a Lyft driver while driving

Plus I could have got it cheaper from US, but, as I understand, warranty is applicable to devices bought from here in India.

And rear camera for sure helps. Rear end crashes, hit and run by two wheelers from the rear, etc.

At the end it boiled down to between feature rich thinkware q800 and a139, where I chose a139, as it had a better capture quality and interior IR LED camera may yield better results in dark surroundings (dark parking areas) apart from the above mentioned advantages.


Yes, it ended up to be bit pricey, but from my experience, it will pay up for itself. To begin with if I can catch hold of the regular offender whose keying one of my car from past few days.


Hope this helps.


Happy motoring.