Dashcam Recommendations

[culzean]

I've stuck with. 264 as I've been told that the Police can't often play .265 should you have need to forward a clip.

I have forwarded a couple of clips via Nextbase app of people doing dangerous stuff and nothing happened even though the number plate was plainly visible, don't think I will bother any more.. I bet police not interested unless anyone injured or killed or vehicle used to commit a crime.

[Kremmen]

I'll bet you're right

[culzean]

I notice on previous nextbase dashcam cable and often on computer cables ( and widely used in industry ) there was a ferrite bead fitted to cable.  This is to filter out high frequency electrical interference - however the Viofo does not have one.  I had some 'in my electrical bits box'  ( a 3.5mm clip on type ) and here ( attached PDF ) it is fitted to new Viofo cable.  I know I can use the existing Nextbase mini-USB led and 5 volt adaptor,  but the lead is permanently connected to the 12volt power plug, Later on I may well get a 5v  powerbank for using with parking mode on the dashcam and the 12volt / 5V adaptor on Viofo has 2 x USB A sockets and the cable to dashcam is plugged into one of them, could use the other socket for charging phone or even satnav.  If I use the Viofo lead it will plug straight into a powerbank. 

You can buy clip-on ferrite beads quite cheaply  - as above the 3.5mm type fits most satnav and dashcam leads,  as well as mouse and keyboard cables.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08Y6L23V5/

[attachment deleted by admin]

[culzean]

I did notice that when using the Nextbase power supply with the Viofo A119 V3 that the Viofo would not boot up until I started the engine.  The Nextbase used to boot even with engine off, maybe the Viofo is a bit more sensitive to voltage, but even if car battery dropped to 12volts ( highly unlikely as is is a nearly new Yuasa Silver ) there would still be enough to produce a healthy 5 volts on the USB plug.  I tested the supplied Viofo power supply with the engine not running and the Viofo booted OK,  so I decided to fit the Viofo PSU and routed cable around under door frame rubber etc.  Now at least when I get a 5V powerbank I can tuck it down side of seat and unplug USB from 12volt adaptor  and plug the USB plug to Viofo lead into it for parking mode.

[Kremmen]

Maybe you had the Nextbase to power up on vibration, if so when you jumped in it triggered it.

I've got mine on the ignition power and with a 5 second delay.

[culzean]

Maybe you had the Nextbase to power up on vibration, if so when you jumped in it triggered it.

I've got mine on the ignition power and with a 5 second delay.

Nextbase only got power through cigarette lighter plug when ignition was on,  so me jumping in the car would not have triggered it as I only turned ignition key when already sitting down ( I already had G sensor on lowest sensitivity anyway,  as it was too sensitive and any bump in the road resulted in a locked file ).  I did exactly the same with Nextbase and Viofo - already sitting in car when I turned the ignition key, and every time the same happened.  using Nextbase PSU with Nextbase, it powered up every time,  using Nextbase PSU with Viofo it only powered up when engine running, Using Viofo PSU both units powered up without engine running...  I won't sweat too much about it but it is intriguing. The main thing is that the Viofo now fitted and working..

[Kremmen]

I understand what you said but the Nextbase has an onboard battery, that if set, (parking mode) can do exactly as you said, power up on motion regardless of ignition power.

Viofo's require their 3 wire hardwire kit to perform the same function. Their red wire goes to permanent power, yellow to ignition power and black to ground. This way the camera always has power available for parking mode but it's your vehicle battery.

Hope that makes sense.

[Jocko]

Viofo, even without Boot delay, takes a lot longer than the Nextbase to start up. I normally turn the ignition on and wait the 12 seconds until the Viofo boots up before starting the engine. This confirms Viofo has started before driving off (with firmware 2.5 sometimes it didn't start). If I jump in, buckle up, start the car and drive off I can be out my gate and on the road before the Viofo starts recording.

[culzean]

I understand what you said but the Nextbase has an onboard battery, that if set, (parking mode) can do exactly as you said, power up on motion regardless of ignition power.

Viofo's require their 3 wire hardwire kit to perform the same function. Their red wire goes to permanent power, yellow to ignition power and black to ground. This way the camera always has power available for parking mode but it's your vehicle battery.

Hope that makes sense.

Makes sense but never enabled / used parking mode on nextbase. 

[culzean]

Have noticed with Viofo A119 V3 that with HDR turned on ( high dynamic range, to make shadows brighter ) that it makes the number plates less clear in daylight, but HDR better for numberplates in low light like evening / night -- so what to do ?   I suppose because vast majority of my journeys in daylight / dusk these days that I will leave HDR turned off.  Also a lot less vehicles around after dark anyway.   Running 2560 x 1440 p @ 30 fps with high bitrate at the moment

[Kremmen]

The answer is to download and run firmware 2.6T

2.6T has a HDR timer that is user set to your times. Trouble is is that you will need to keep adjusting it month on month as dusk and Dawn changes depending on when you drive.

This is why I run firmware 1.03. That was the last version before they introduced HDR.

Viofo sent me a PM explaining that under 1.03 the older WDR was On or Off as per your menu setting but HDR, whilst the menu says On and Off is actually Low and High. HDR is known to introduce software induced motion blur but works well at night.

I've performed loads of testing with various firmware versions and 1.03 is the version that gives the sharpest daytime freeze frames.

There are 2 'Mod' versions built by Dashcamtalk member VVS but he is mainly concentrating on nighttime performance over daytime.

Let me know which versions you're interested in and I'll post links here. Firmware is easy to update and I'll post that later if required.

The proof of the pudding is sample screenshots. Both these shots are on the M4, same time of day and exactly the same 50mph.

Settings identical @

Resolution - 2560x1440
Bitrate - High
EV - 0.0
FPS - 30

Firmware 1.03 WDR Off:



Firmware 2.5 HDR Off:

[culzean]

Thanks for that,  bit of a learning curve Eh...  at the moment it seems OK with number plates and road signs with V2.4 - so will run with it for a while before I start trying different firmware.  Had a bad experience with changing firmware on a garmin satnav, an update bricked my unit,  Garmin denied all knowledge and only offered to sell me a new dashcam, but others on forum had experienced the same problem....

[Kremmen]

If you do decide to upgrade firmware, and I've done it lots without issue.

FAT32 freshly formatted SDCard, I use a small 8 Gb one.
Put "FWA119V3.bin" firmware file into root of card ensuring the capitalisation is retained.
Put card into unit

Plug unit into a USB wall socket or mobile phone charger or cable in car. Never use the PC as that puts the unit into mass storage mode.

Once powered the LED will start to flash. When complete the LED will stop flashing and after a few seconds it will reboot, that can take up to about 20 seconds. Wait for it to reboot and automatically fire up. It will automatically start recording to the SDCard at which point you can turn it off and replace your main card.

[culzean]

If you do decide to upgrade firmware, and I've done it lots without issue.

FAT32 freshly formatted SDCard, I use a small 8 Gb one.
Put "FWA119V3.bin" firmware file into root of card ensuring the capitalisation is retained.
Put card into unit

Plug unit into a USB wall socket or mobile phone charger or cable in car. Never use the PC as that puts the unit into mass storage mode.

Once powered the LED will start to flash. When complete the LED will stop flashing and after a few seconds it will reboot, that can take up to about 20 seconds. Wait for it to reboot and automatically fire up. It will automatically start recording to the SDCard at which point you can turn it off and replace your main card.

I have updated  our security camera firmware like that a couple of times,  but using a USB stick.

[Jocko]

I have changed my Viofo firmware twice with no issues.