Both, A139 V3 and A119 Mini support 1440P @ 60FPS. This has not been covered on the review. This will double the file size, but is there an advantage in video quality and/or license plate reading at 60FPS vs 30FPS? during the day 60fps with HDR disabled, at night 30fps with HDR enabled (automatic with time setup). Current Amazon price for A229 Duo is $200, for A119 Mini is $100, and for A119 V3 is $80 I am looking to go with two A119 V3 or two A119 Mini setup as front and rear cams. What are the pros and cons for using two V119 V3 or A119 Mini as front and rear vs. one A229 Duo? Are there any difficulties hard-wiring two cameras?
Hey GP, so I took a while responding to this as I wanted to verify a few things. Now 1 I actually borrowed a A119 V3 from a friend so I do not have the V3 in my posession. But the manual on Viofo Website and product details says it only does 60FPS (frames per second in 1080P not in 1440P. /// The A119 Mini however will do 60 frames per second in 2560 x 1440p (2K) with HDR off. I do prefer HDR on but that is a preference for me. I see more Pro's then cons in most situations. In terms of wiring I would run the A229 as it is easier for wiring. WIth the A119 Mini or A119 V3 if you wanted to run parking mode with 2 front units you will need 2 micro SD cards 1 per unit, also 2 hardwire cables 1 per unit iyou plan to use parking mode. Also the current draw will be higher than A229 duo as 2 main units. So keep in mind all of the extra accessories needed as those tend to add up quite quickly.
@@SafeDriveSolutions Thank you so much for your response! Very helpful review and response for the first time dash cam users like myself. Looking at footage from your reviews and others, 2k looks good compromise between price and performance. I feel like HDR is must for night recording, front and rear. I also like 2K rear camera and possibility to run 60fps during day and 30fps+HDR during night (auto-switching) Based on above, I will go with: 2xA119 Mini=2x$100 =$200 2x128GB SanDisk High Endurance SD=2x$16 =$32 2xHK4 Hardware Kit with Fuse taps =2x$17 =$34 1xBluetooth remote control =$18 (hope it works with both cameras at the same time) For total of $284+tax I think higher power consumption in parking mode, as you mentioned, is only major concern. In comparison A229 with the 1x same accessories except 1x256GB SD =$27 would be total of $262+tax
But... with the right multiple fuse tap adapter, you can hardwire separate front and rear cameras into the same fuse slot, and have any settings of your choice (provided you get 2 SD cards and 2 hardwiring kits). So I am considering these options, based on the newly, updated cameras available as of this moment: 1) 119 Mini V2 (front) + 119 V3 (rear) 2) 229 plus (front) + 119 V3 (rear) (costs about 10 extra euros from 1) and I think it's worth it if only for the larger screen. Probably the 229 has a better processor too) 3) 229 plus 2ch. 3) Saves quite some money (1 less SD card, 1 less hardwire kit, and a good money saving on the cam itself compared with buying 2 separate ones) and since it's not a 3ch setting it will still have satisfactory video quality (which means not nice colours to enjoy watching footage, but license plate and maybe other crucial details being caught to be visibile). If I can find a 229plus 2ch vs the other two models license plate capture comparison somewhere, I may finalize my decision to go with 3).
@@ikarugaxx3749 Okay so if you want to research it and break it down. You could do Mini2 x 2 or A229 Plus x 2. What you would benefit is 60fps in 2K. But keep in mind that is with no HDR. So for me I would rather have HDR than 60fps. So that is why I would just get a Viofo A229 Plus front and rear as it already uses the same STARVIS 2 sensor front and rear and it is a lot less wiring and 1 SD card
@@SafeDriveSolutions Let's say it can't do its job at night. Low-light conditions seem to be where Starvis 2 vs 1, and multiple-exposure HDR vs HDR vs WDR, and also I believe the 675 vs 335 sensor have weight.
I have set up the date on the Viofo 119 V3 - no WiFi.. My problem is the 'Time Stamp' which is out of sync when I checked it the following day. I'm in Southern California. Can you let me know which one to select so it's always sync to SoCal time?
Hi, I have both the A119 V3 and the A229 Duo and I noticed that my A229 has a "Fish-eye" view whereas the A119 V3 has a no "Fish-eye" view and is much more clearer and crisper video. I have tried both the 1080P and the 1440 resolutions but I still get the "Fish-eye" view o the A229 Duo. I also took off the filter and still the same "Fish-eye" view. It could be that my car's windshield is curved more than my Honda CRV. I love the A119 V3, I think it's worth every dollar spent. Also the support is pretty quick to respond. Question, I just tried to install latest version the firmware for the A229 Duo but I cannot see if it updated on my Wi-Fi connection. I will have to see next time when I drive if it will show-up on the dash-cam itself. Regarding the Hard-wire kit, I did not notice back in November when I purchased the A229 Duo that there was available a Viofo HK-4 kit. So, I had a professional installer use the PAC-IGN3 kit. Now only on cold mornings, my 2020 Telluride reports that an "external device is draining the battery". Other than the coldest mornings, the warning does not appear. The PAC-IGN3 unfortunately does not have the switches to adjust the voltage settings. I have been told by the installer that it could be the car or other factors since this technology is still changing. I would appreciate any input on the voltage issue. I still think the Viofo is a great dash-cams for the price. Thank you for the excellent and honest reviews.
Actually i seen the same thing. It is almost like there is more depth. Not sure if it fish eye or it has less zoom then the other 2 dash cams but I was curious on how to explain it. The image does not look stretched so I would like to say it is less Zoom on the image sensor for some reason.
I checked my A229 this morning and it turns out when I updated my firmware yesterday, it didn't show the new version (V1.0.1296) on the WiFi connection, so I checked the dash-cam itself and there it was, the new version was showing the newer version. I have PAC-IGN3 unfortunately does not have the switches to adjust the voltage settings, do you know if PAC-IGN3 is compatible with the Viofo A229 Duo? Thanks for your support, you guys are great!
@@TakeOffTime I have never used a PAC IGN3 but the way I read it. It should be used with a hardwire cable. Because it senses the can bus system in the vehicle. I have no idea if it it is on 24 hours a day or if it goes to sleep with computer or etc. I would recommend getting the HK4 hardwire cable if you do not already have that.
Thank you for the review! I happen to already have an A229 Duo en route. Are you able to provide an explanation of the additional fuse taps that need to be purchased for the hardwiring kit so that I can enable parking mode? I didn't even realize until looking at some online reviews that Viofo sells the fuses separate from the kit (which is sneaky, IMO). I actually reached out by email to their CS, and they explained that it can be "unsafe" to not use the taps. I asked them for clarification and got none. If you can, I'd love your professional advice regarding fuse taps. What do they do? Are they truly a safety concern? Can I perhaps use any brand, or do I specifically need to buy from Viofo? TY
There are no fuses on current hardwire kits. So you either need to use fuse taps so there is a fuse inline or you need to add a fuseholder inline on constant power and ignition wires.
@Safe Drive Solutions - Dash Cam Specialists Thank you for the response! Does brand name matter at all? Can I use a quality product I can find locally, or do the taps need to be Viofo?
@Safe Drive Solutions - Dash Cam Specialists I'm in Virginia. When I mentioned "locally," I meant a general reference to a neighborhood Best Buy or some similar shop. Thanks again for the response. You helped to clarify a lot more than Viofo's customer service team did.
@Safe Drive Solutions - Dash Cam Specialists I appreciate the link, the vid helped to clarify some things for me. I'm getting a professional installation, but I'm glad to better understand what I'm paying for.
@@brandonyoung7760 The A119V3 and A119Mini are very similar is HDR recording at night. However from testing the A119 Mini did come out clearer for reading license plates at night from our testing.
no HDR turned on works way better. The people online who are saying dash cams work better with HDR turned off at night have a dash camera that does not work properly with HDR at night. The whole point of HDR is for it to adapt to different contrast levels like when we do the tunnel test. Going from bright light to dark light to bright light again.
@Safe Drive Solutions - Dash Cam Specialists ok thanks for clearing that up for me. I think I'll get the mini for my semi truck since I just need a good front camera and the wifi will be a bonus.
@@SafeDriveSolutions That’s not entirely true. Viofo have had many issues with there HDR , also depends on the circumstances if HDR works better. Vortex has shown in many circumstances where HDR works better off
I was able to buy a Lightning to SD Card adaptor and download/view my dashcam videos right through my iPhone. I have the a119 v3
Cool idea
I try to keep from being rear ended by avoiding sudden stops and braking early and gradually.
I just got the A119 mini 2 and plan on using my solar generator so i shouldn’t need parking cable since the generator will keep it powered. Correct?
never tried that before
Both, A139 V3 and A119 Mini support 1440P @ 60FPS. This has not been covered on the review.
This will double the file size, but is there an advantage in video quality and/or license plate reading at 60FPS vs 30FPS?
during the day 60fps with HDR disabled, at night 30fps with HDR enabled (automatic with time setup).
Current Amazon price for A229 Duo is $200, for A119 Mini is $100, and for A119 V3 is $80
I am looking to go with two A119 V3 or two A119 Mini setup as front and rear cams.
What are the pros and cons for using two V119 V3 or A119 Mini as front and rear vs. one A229 Duo?
Are there any difficulties hard-wiring two cameras?
Hey GP, so I took a while responding to this as I wanted to verify a few things. Now 1 I actually borrowed a A119 V3 from a friend so I do not have the V3 in my posession. But the manual on Viofo Website and product details says it only does 60FPS (frames per second in 1080P not in 1440P. /// The A119 Mini however will do 60 frames per second in 2560 x 1440p (2K) with HDR off. I do prefer HDR on but that is a preference for me. I see more Pro's then cons in most situations. In terms of wiring I would run the A229 as it is easier for wiring. WIth the A119 Mini or A119 V3 if you wanted to run parking mode with 2 front units you will need 2 micro SD cards 1 per unit, also 2 hardwire cables 1 per unit iyou plan to use parking mode. Also the current draw will be higher than A229 duo as 2 main units. So keep in mind all of the extra accessories needed as those tend to add up quite quickly.
@@SafeDriveSolutions Thank you so much for your response! Very helpful review and response for the first time dash cam users like myself.
Looking at footage from your reviews and others, 2k looks good compromise between price and performance. I feel like HDR is must for night recording, front and rear. I also like 2K rear camera and possibility to run 60fps during day and 30fps+HDR during night (auto-switching)
Based on above, I will go with:
2xA119 Mini=2x$100 =$200
2x128GB SanDisk High Endurance SD=2x$16 =$32
2xHK4 Hardware Kit with Fuse taps =2x$17 =$34
1xBluetooth remote control =$18 (hope it works with both cameras at the same time)
For total of $284+tax
I think higher power consumption in parking mode, as you mentioned, is only major concern.
In comparison A229 with the 1x same accessories except 1x256GB SD =$27 would be total of $262+tax
But... with the right multiple fuse tap adapter, you can hardwire separate front and rear cameras into the same fuse slot, and have any settings of your choice (provided you get 2 SD cards and 2 hardwiring kits).
So I am considering these options, based on the newly, updated cameras available as of this moment:
1) 119 Mini V2 (front) + 119 V3 (rear)
2) 229 plus (front) + 119 V3 (rear) (costs about 10 extra euros from 1) and I think it's worth it if only for the larger screen. Probably the 229 has a better processor too)
3) 229 plus 2ch.
3) Saves quite some money (1 less SD card, 1 less hardwire kit, and a good money saving on the cam itself compared with buying 2 separate ones) and since it's not a 3ch setting it will still have satisfactory video quality (which means not nice colours to enjoy watching footage, but license plate and maybe other crucial details being caught to be visibile).
If I can find a 229plus 2ch vs the other two models license plate capture comparison somewhere, I may finalize my decision to go with 3).
A229plus 2 channel is best option
@@SafeDriveSolutions You didn't tell me why, but I am going to trust you and stop researching, to complete my order very soon.
@@ikarugaxx3749 Okay so if you want to research it and break it down. You could do Mini2 x 2 or A229 Plus x 2. What you would benefit is 60fps in 2K. But keep in mind that is with no HDR. So for me I would rather have HDR than 60fps. So that is why I would just get a Viofo A229 Plus front and rear as it already uses the same STARVIS 2 sensor front and rear and it is a lot less wiring and 1 SD card
Wow the a229 is horrible glad I purchased the v3
It is not horrible. It just lacks the HDR difference. It still is a great camera same as the V3 is great.
@@SafeDriveSolutions Let's say it can't do its job at night.
Low-light conditions seem to be where Starvis 2 vs 1, and multiple-exposure HDR vs HDR vs WDR, and also I believe the 675 vs 335 sensor have weight.
I have set up the date on the Viofo 119 V3 - no WiFi.. My problem is the 'Time Stamp' which is out of sync when I checked it the following day. I'm in Southern California. Can you let me know which one to select so it's always sync to SoCal time?
GMT-8
@@SafeDriveSolutions Thanks for the quick respond. I forgot to add whether this apply when selecting 12 HRS or 24 HRS.
@@LouieRey-n1y it says GMT-7 for Los Angeles for some reason. So not sure if I gave you wrong info or not.
That really *IS* a great comparison 😊
Yo Ben,
Great job on this review.
Your videos are improving vastly with every upload.
-Chuck
Thanks. Continuous improvement is one of our company values. 😀
When I am recording on a A229 camera why does my screen go off in a few seconds?
There is a timer set for when the screen times out. I think default is 30 seconds.
You can change it in settings
Hi, I have both the A119 V3 and the A229 Duo and I noticed that my A229 has a "Fish-eye" view whereas the A119 V3 has a no "Fish-eye" view and is much more clearer and crisper video. I have tried both the 1080P and the 1440 resolutions but I still get the "Fish-eye" view o the A229 Duo. I also took off the filter and still the same "Fish-eye" view.
It could be that my car's windshield is curved more than my Honda CRV. I love the A119 V3, I think it's worth every dollar spent. Also the support is pretty quick to respond. Question, I just tried to install latest version the firmware for the A229 Duo but I cannot see if it updated on my Wi-Fi connection. I will have to see next time when I drive if it will show-up on the dash-cam itself. Regarding the Hard-wire kit, I did not notice back in November when I purchased the A229 Duo that there was available a Viofo HK-4 kit. So, I had a professional installer use the PAC-IGN3 kit. Now only on cold mornings, my 2020 Telluride reports that an "external device is draining the battery". Other than the coldest mornings, the warning does not appear. The PAC-IGN3 unfortunately does not have the switches to adjust the voltage settings. I have been told by the installer that it could be the car or other factors since this technology is still changing. I would appreciate any input on the voltage issue. I still think the Viofo is a great dash-cams for the price. Thank you for the excellent and honest reviews.
Actually i seen the same thing. It is almost like there is more depth. Not sure if it fish eye or it has less zoom then the other 2 dash cams but I was curious on how to explain it. The image does not look stretched so I would like to say it is less Zoom on the image sensor for some reason.
I checked my A229 this morning and it turns out when I updated my firmware yesterday, it didn't show the new version (V1.0.1296) on the WiFi connection, so I checked the dash-cam itself and there it was, the new version was showing the newer version. I have PAC-IGN3 unfortunately does not have the switches to adjust the voltage settings, do you know if PAC-IGN3 is compatible with the Viofo A229 Duo? Thanks for your support, you guys are great!
@@TakeOffTime I have never used a PAC IGN3 but the way I read it. It should be used with a hardwire cable. Because it senses the can bus system in the vehicle. I have no idea if it it is on 24 hours a day or if it goes to sleep with computer or etc. I would recommend getting the HK4 hardwire cable if you do not already have that.
@@SafeDriveSolutions please produce the video content that describes the "fish eye view" in A119 and A229.
Great review
Thank you for the review! I happen to already have an A229 Duo en route.
Are you able to provide an explanation of the additional fuse taps that need to be purchased for the hardwiring kit so that I can enable parking mode? I didn't even realize until looking at some online reviews that Viofo sells the fuses separate from the kit (which is sneaky, IMO). I actually reached out by email to their CS, and they explained that it can be "unsafe" to not use the taps. I asked them for clarification and got none.
If you can, I'd love your professional advice regarding fuse taps. What do they do? Are they truly a safety concern? Can I perhaps use any brand, or do I specifically need to buy from Viofo? TY
There are no fuses on current hardwire kits. So you either need to use fuse taps so there is a fuse inline or you need to add a fuseholder inline on constant power and ignition wires.
@Safe Drive Solutions - Dash Cam Specialists Thank you for the response! Does brand name matter at all? Can I use a quality product I can find locally, or do the taps need to be Viofo?
@Safe Drive Solutions - Dash Cam Specialists I'm in Virginia. When I mentioned "locally," I meant a general reference to a neighborhood Best Buy or some similar shop.
Thanks again for the response. You helped to clarify a lot more than Viofo's customer service team did.
@@ccb6013 safedrivesolutions.com/blog/how-to-hardwire-a-dash-cam/
@Safe Drive Solutions - Dash Cam Specialists I appreciate the link, the vid helped to clarify some things for me. I'm getting a professional installation, but I'm glad to better understand what I'm paying for.
Wouldn't the mini look better at night with HDR turned off?
Numbers and plates clearer?
@@brandonyoung7760 The A119V3 and A119Mini are very similar is HDR recording at night. However from testing the A119 Mini did come out clearer for reading license plates at night from our testing.
no HDR turned on works way better. The people online who are saying dash cams work better with HDR turned off at night have a dash camera that does not work properly with HDR at night. The whole point of HDR is for it to adapt to different contrast levels like when we do the tunnel test. Going from bright light to dark light to bright light again.
@Safe Drive Solutions - Dash Cam Specialists ok thanks for clearing that up for me. I think I'll get the mini for my semi truck since I just need a good front camera and the wifi will be a bonus.
@@SafeDriveSolutions That’s not entirely true. Viofo have had many issues with there HDR , also depends on the circumstances if HDR works better. Vortex has shown in many circumstances where HDR works better off