UPDATE: Sept 10, 2019 We tested the new A119V3 and it's a nice upgrade to the older A119, A119Pro and A119S. The A119V2 is still a good value if you want to save some money. See our new review here: th-cam.com/video/H4f2HWs_gpc/w-d-xo.html The Pro has also been discontinued but if it's on sale for less than $70USD, it's a good buy.
READ MORE for notes after 2 years of running the VIOFO A119 "V1". I bought the ORIGINAL A119 based off your review 2 years ago! That unit is still running strong and has taken over 1,000,000 minutes of video. I have the original V1 "pin style" GPS mount and it still works great, though I could see how some would say it disconnects when wiggled loose. I STRONGLY recommend VIOFO A119! Thank you Car Cam Central for your original video. Notes after 2 years of use for the original A119 - V1. - the software offers higher resolution settings than the hardware offers. This conflict will trigger the "SD Error" message and continous beep to notify that it is NOT recording. No big deal, so.long as you don't ask it to record in 2k when it can just HD. - I use and recommend a 128G memory card. - It can handle the temperature. I live in the Midwest and heat and cold extreme days can reach extremes of -10° to over 100°. Then consider that heat increased by the trapped heat in a vehicle. The original unit survived two years of these extreme weather and only shut down once after my truck was shut closed, parked outside daily, in the sun, during a week of 100° temps (130°+ in vehicle). Once aired out and cooled off, it powered right back up and has been going over since. - I DO NOT use the GPS feature as it can only make you guilty of speeding, nullify your insurance claim, or make you at fault for an accident. - I do use the microphone as it catches honking, music, and talking. THIS GOT ME OUT OF A TICKET once: I had been pulled over for faulire to wear seatbelt, written a $60 ticket, and I WAS wearing my belt. I knew I couldn't prove I'd had it on... I kept a copy of the video because I thought it was 'cool' to have the traffic stop on camera. I watched the video and the AUDIO off my camera had the 'click' of my buckle latching. It was enough in court to drop the ticket. Win! But that was the first real time I needed the video in 2 years. -insurance companies offer a discount on "permanently installed" dashcams. Be sure yours is adhesive to the window and the cable tucked-in and they may count it. Plugged into USB cig lighter port. Depends on your insurance. - if you push the "Hazard" looking button to trigger an 'event' recording, it starts recording and will protect the next 30 seconds of video from being deleted. However, it will not protect the immediate proceeding incident after which you push the button in response to. For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic and then you press the 'hazard/ event" button it will begin immediately recording a 30-second protected file. The protected video will show the events that occurred as you push the button and after. It will not protect the incident itself since you had not yet pressed the button. So unless you press the button in anticipation of something crazy happening, the crazy event will not be stored as a protected file, but will be accessible if the card is removed and file is retrieved before it is overwritten by loop recording. In short, if you forget to take a video off that wasn't protected, it will get overwritten.
When I started to look at dashcams I was totally confused as what to buy. Andrew's website was great in analyzing the various makes and models. I focused on what he has to say about the Viofo 119v2. I went ahead and purchased it and after a few hiccups to install as the instructions are too clear it works great. I had to use some intuition to solve my roadblocks. The picture quality, sound is the greatest for the price. I don't need anything more and it has options that I don't even use. I went ahead an purchased a second one for my other car. Have been using both for four months and very pleased. Great work Andrew and crew. Keep up the good work.
I am so excited to see that A129 W. Yes WiFi is of utmost importance and Yi gives it at $30 price tag. Then Dual channel is very good but now that you are on improvement page, why not going with 3 channel (Front, back and cabin cameras) as a very cheap but I guess good company has already made it in $40 ish rang price tag. Well, love Viofo and thanks for all the good work you do. Only make sure to have the best Custormer Service (What most Chines companies miss badly) and you will be the number one dashcam camera of the univers!
3 channel is all I want from my favorite brand: Viofo, but with Wifi, dedicated (auto) Parking Mode, time lapse and a good HDR software on top of good capasitor power supply that is what makes the best of best in dashcam world, separated from the others.
An insurance agent I know told me this about the GPS feature: They are refusing to pay on a claim from where one of their customers was at fault. Because the other person, who was clearly not at fault, had GPS showing she was going 3 MPH over the speed limit. Yes, just 3. I turned mine off. At the time it was an optional feature for which I had to pay extra. Something to think about if it is still optional.
Ahh, that sucks. Unfortunately that's the rule. If you aren't sure whether you can drive within the rules, I guess it's better to turn the stamp off. -Rolands
Well done! I've got these 3 cameras as well and haven't had time yet to get into comparing them, and seeing your results has been a big help! Great work with the testing, comparison, and video editing. 👍
We'll be looking at the new Viofo A119V3 soon. The big change is better video quality over the V2. The V3 has a better processor (Novatek NT96670), Sensor (Sony IMX335) and Lens (F/1.6) in addition to an internally changed GPS mount to allow for parking mode. The new processor should also allow for H.265 which means higher bitrate quality but using less space. It also allows you to use the .TS container which should be more corruption resistant than the .mp4 typically used.
I'm looking to buy a dash cam in the next couple of days and was looking at the A119V2 when I came across your video and this comment - should I be considering waiting until the A119V3 is released and if so, when is the release date? Also, how does frame rate affect the video quality and ease of viewing number plates on the footage?
@@bluechang08 I was wondering the same thing. I was looking at the 70mai. Now moved on to Viofo. Dunno if I should wait and see what the V3 can do. But it's odd that, based off these types of products and their reviews, the V3 might be worse than the V2. Hah.
Where did you see the bad reviews of the A119V3? I've only heard of positive comments so far about the higher quality video both day and night - especially under low light conditions. My thoughts is the A119V3 seems to have a big enough change for video quality that it'll be worth it for some owners. If you want the best value, I don't think its there. I think the extra sharpness is nice for hit and runs but not needed. It's available now. -Andrew
@@Lam Hi, I just meant to say that often "updated" or "newer versions" of a product can end up changing things that ultimately end up making the product not perform as well as the original version - the "1.0 version". Like how you said the "S" and the "Pro" version aren't really recommended over the original "A119" (unless I messed that up). But the video quality I've just seen of the V3 looks pretty great. That extra resolution is a big deal, I think.
Ah gotcha, yeah I see what you mean the Pro and S were a bust and it wasn't obvious that the V3 was any better. The resolution, as well as the way the sensor can handle dynamic range, should be huge for video quality.
Two years ago I bought the viofo A119. Your thorough review, comparisons, and recommendation for it were a major contributor toward my purchase of it. I have absolutely no regrets. First off, "thank you" for your hard work to thoroughly test and give honest reviews with your over all thoughts. Now, I'm reaching out to you once more. Being a Viofo fan, I'm having a difficult time finding any reviews on their new Viofo A129 Duo dual channel 5GHz WiFi full HD dash cam for $169.90, and I would love to hear your review of it (HINT-HINT) ;)
Hello, Randy. Thanks for the kind words. The A129 is in our plans, but not before the premium camera review is out. We will buy it as soon as possible and post or initial tests and thoughts on our Facebook page, so make sure you follow it :) -Rolands
I hope it's soon. I look forward to it, but I'm also very eager to get going with it. But I completely understand how it takes a lot of time to put thorough reviews together. Keep up the good work.
Used this channel to help me decide to purchase the original A119... It is absolutely amazing! I just saw the A129 duo and was hoping you had reviewed it! I will likely wait until you do before buying as my sister needs a dashcam and I may give her my A119! Ever since my G1W-C, I have been an avid fan of Viofo!
Hey Adam. The premium camera review comes first. We will definitely take a look at the A129 once it is in our hands. Most likely our opinion on it will be first available on our Facebook page so make sure to follow us there. -Rolands
ive bought 5 of these for my family myself and friends and installed them all with hardwire kits. i think its an amazing camera and has paid itself in multiple incidents over the last two years
I've emailed VIOFO for tech advice & they have gotten back to me very quickly. The GPS/windshield mount is far superior to the suction mounts from Cobra, which would not stay attached to my windshield. However my lighter plug fell apart & I just glued it back together this evening. I may take a look at your hardwiring instructions. This A119 (original) is a great little camera and thanks to you and your videos, I purchased it a couple yrs ago. Thank you.
Awesome, thanks for letting me know about their customer service. I've been paying closer attention as that was one of the reasons they've received poor reviews before. Too bad about the charger but in the newer packages it's separate from the wire which means you can get a good phone charger instead Glad it's worked out for you. -Andrew
I have been using the a119s for 6-7 months now, 3 times it has died w/ white screen, every round had to re-flash the software. Quite happy with the video quality, just sometimes it seems out of focus. Its not persistent, but sometimes seems to appear randomly. BTW, Great video !
thank you for the review... i got the original and very happy with it. decided based on your review a couple of years back. like the stealth mode. the downside is that you cannot view on the phones but its not a problem for me
Why is it when I order a new camera you do a in depth review the day later 🤣. The same happenned when I ordered my aukey dr02 dual which although isn't as clear as it could be, is a super easy camera to operate and save clips etc and editing is really easy due to both clips saving with audio simultaneously. Thanks for this review. I've ordered the a119 pro for my wife's car following good feedback from some guys I know. I have to add that it is currently being sold on amazon UK for £49.60 via spytech who I purchased my g1w-s from which I still think is my best purchase to date. Not sure what that equates to in dollars US but I know it is well under $100. Great informative video btw. Keep up the good work guys . 🖒
Thanks for watching us Danny. We'll try to deliver good stuff more frequently from now on. Be sure to be around to see our next video about premium cameras. -Rolands
I have been looking to upgrade my Abee V30 Dashcam I got as a gift from my aunt for years. It hasn't died on me yet but the cable is going bad. Considering that it's a crappy upscaled 1080p and it's like a 7 year old dashcam, I decided to buy a new one. I went with the A119V2 thanks to your video, awesome comparison. Thanks again!
You said this video will be uploaded 10 days after your unboxing video at your 2nd channel. Its been weeks but still it's worth watching. Thanks Andrew!
Thanks for your in-depth review of the Viofo A119. I've used it for almost a year in Florida. I used it in 2017, on a driving trip to France with NO windshield mount. I placed it on a wool Beret and let it ride on the dash. It only fell on the floor when I went up a 60-80% grade. But, that only made the video exciting and funny. I also miss place the GPS in Normandy. For our 2018 driving tour of England I purchased two GPS mounts so I had a spare. I used a small third party suction mount but it had noticeable vibration that the A119 could not remove. Switching to the retail GoPro suction mount, removed the vibration. My only complaint is the screen is not readable when used with the suction mount.
Hey, thanks Richard for your story! Glad you got a lot of good use out of it. Didn't think about the GoPro suction mount - I'll look into that. -Andrew
Just an FYI. I own the A119S V1 and it developed a few technical issues so I created a Trouble Ticket with Viofo whereby they got back to me and said they now have an A119S V2 Upgrade Kit. They are sending it to me free just the cost of shipping which is $15 USD along with a link on how to do the upgrade. They have great service and have always worked with me through any trouble tickets I've created. So anyone with an A119S V1 that wants to upgrade to the V2 just create a ticket and request the upgrade kit. It's a lot cheaper than buying a new one or tossing the old one.
I'm Using both the A119 for rear video and the A119S With the CPL, Front, for the past year in the AZ heat. Excellent video Quality day and night.. All cameras are a little different.. settings; A119, 1080-30, EV+1, WDR on.. A119S W-CP 1080-60, EV+2 WDR off.. Night time still good... Bad/Good, My Original A119S Decided to retire(at 8mo), I contacted Viofo directly and sent the camera back as instructed.. They just contacted me, that they received it(7-18-018), and immediately sent out the replacement, Service VG So far.. PS I did have a 2nd A119S, Backup, any way, Because of the Dry Heat of 106 avg(4mo), Destroys any Plastic devices... I do recommend this Company..
Which of these would you pick personally? I just need the more consistent one for day and night. Mostly driving to work. New subscriber love these videos
And by the way, would a b1w blueskysea be good enough? Im debating between all of these and b1w is a lot cheaper but decent reviews. Thanks for any help
Hey Joseph - thanks for subscribing. The A119V3 is my new best performing pick under $300. It has better overall video quality especially at night and an improved parking mode over the older A119V2. The A119V2 is still my "best value pick". I would get it if you need to save $20 (ideally to pick up an endurance microSD card)
Their customer service is outstanding I have a gen 1 a119 have it for 2 years then it start giving me problems and stopped working I contacted them they sent me out a version 2 a119 for the cost of shipping 😀 I recently bought the 129 Duo dash cam and I love it.
@@Lam yes I went through customer service I've been having problems with the a119 v1 camera 3 months after I bought it so there was a record of it. I Just provided my serial number of the camera and they looked up all the information to see that I was having a ongoing issue with the camera. It was too much of a hassle to ship back from the US to China I just paid the shipping cost of a new camera.
Hey jtlbz - that's awesome. Thank you for clarifying. I'm making a new review of the V3 and I was trying to figure out how good Viofo's customer service is.
The updated GPS mount doesn't fit on the older V1 mount unfortunately. The CPL may have to be tacked on in place as I forgot to mention a circular polarizer groove was added as well. Andrew
oh man no wonder why it only had 3 stars at the time i recommended the v2 to my friend. i took back my recommendation after seeing the reviews and told him to the the Anker Roav C1, which is great considering the bay area doesn't get that hot for it to become unreliable.
Not that simple, Yiheng. It's fake 4K. The Lifechaser 4K dash cam uses a Novatek OV4689 sensor, which CAN'T give you a real 4K resolution. The only real 4K dash cam choices right now are the Blackvue DR9000S and the Nextbase 612GW, but we'll do some more research and see fi there is anythign else. -Rolands
Great video, sort of a shame that its not really an improvement (yet). I have been testing the a119 pro along an a119 also and so far I am a little confused as to why it even exists other than the bundles come with the CPL and suction cup mount. not a bad product but hoping for improved video quality.
Thanks Jon! I think we're all hoping the video quality of the Pro gets significantly better. Perhaps Viofo believes they can squeeze a lot more performance out of the Aptina sensor? -Andrew
This was a really good review! Something you failed to mention is the firmware version that is being used on each camera. As you know image quality has been altered with firmware updates so this is very important information to include. So what firmware were you running on each camera?
Good point! I updated to the latest versions for all three cameras before I ran any of the image tests. About 2/3rds of the way I got a beta version of the firmware for Viofo. Original A119: v3.6 A119S: V2.4 A119 Pro: May 2nd Beta -Andrew
Agree, it's a good cam, but I'd avoid the CPL. I have *the orig A119 and that does not have a groove for the CP filter.* You must use a piece of tape or It will fall off at every bump or touch, in case you'd need to adjust the lens. Poor design/planning. It's very difficult to adjust too, mine didn't rotate freely and it's def doesn't worth $15. Once it's on it's only ok for very bright and sunny days, on cloudy ones or night time it's just reduces light and quality, (for he same would need higher ISO or slower shutter..).
i have the V2 and it is amazing, ive had it for almost one year and no problem at all, image quality is perfect on both day and night. just make sure that you purchase a high quality MicroSD card so it is able to keep up with the constant overwriting the camera has to do. i highly recommend it. besides it has a resistor so it wont get damaged in SoFlo heat.
Great comparison! I am so close to getting the V2 as my first Dash Cam. Now that the V3 is out, and the image looks much crisper, do you think I should spend the extra and get the V3 over the V2?
Hey, I would buy it during Prime day on Amazon. It's on sale. I just purchased mine today and I"m looking forward to testing it out. From the video footage, there's a big improvement during the day and during very low light recording. On sale, it's worth the upgrade. If it's not, harder to say.
@@Lam Great info! It is about $20 CAD lower than the price I first saw. I think it's a good deal with the discount so I will get this before deal's over. Thanks for your opinion and have a great day!
Every year my smartphone gets a processor that's 30% faster than the last one and a camera leagues ahead of its predecessor. What's up with how many years now dash cams have been stagnant?
I've noticed that too. Even with "improved" models not much changes despite the sudden spike in price. In all honesty my old DOD L360W (despite it not having the same FOV) was far better than the supposedly new and improved LS370W which I now have. The only benefit with the 370W has over the 360W is the wider lens but the video is grainier so what's the point?
Economics. A smartphone gets pushed out into the market faster and in higher volumes than a dash cam. That lowers production cost of smartphones. Also smartphone users tend to change phones regularly so many iterations (improvements, changes, etc) are made in a shorter span than a dash cam. So in short if there are more dash cam users and they regularly change their dash cams then you would see newer and better(?) versions produced quickly.
After using for about eight months, my A119S has started to experience occasional firmware corruption issues at power up, requiring a reflash of the firmware using an SD card. This is annoying if it happens when I'm out and about somewhere, so now I carry another SD with the firmware loaded on to it, just in case. I think the firmware corruption is possibly due to the unit losing power mid-operation when the camera is doing something involving a write to its internal memory. I power it via USB cable plugged into a car charger; the car's electrics don't lose power until 10/15 minutes after the ignition is turned off. Now as a precaution, when I park, or if I remove the camera to take with me, I now manually stop loop recording then turn off the unit by holding down the power button. Otherwise this camera is excellent and has performed well for thousands of miles. Getting a good CPL for it is essential, just like any camera working in bright daylight.
Right now, we would take the A119 V2. We were a bit disappointed in the A119 Pro, because just like you mentioned the only real improvements are the sensor and lens. We hold a hope for improvement and we'll update our description if anything changes. -Rolands
Car Cam Central I just purchased the pro and although the night vision is better it is pretty grainy. My only real life comparison is to the Blueskysea Free Gift + G1W-C Car Dash Camera DVR NTK96650 Chip AR0330 Lens Capacitor Vision No Battery (G1W-C G1W PRO) which I purchased on Ebay for about $50 Aud. I must admit that the clarity of this cheap one seems somewhat better than the new Pro. I'm a little underwhelmed but I'm hoping that future firmware update might improve it. Also.. playing with the lane departure mode.. it doesn't work... but the vehicle alert sort of does. No big deal. Thanks for your reviews.
It does very well in hot climates. I'm not sure I understand your question though. The A119 uses a capacitor instead of a battery. That' s what makes it so reliable. If you meant is there anything that will protect the battery of your car if you hardwire the camera, then the answer is no. There are not built-in systems for that. -Rolands
Thanks to your review I bought A119 V2. So far I am very satisfied. Thank you very much!! I am not sure, I think I saw it in one of the videos (I watched so many! :D ) that it is possible to see on a map, where the car has been, when you attach it to computer. Did I mixed up something, or it is really possible?
Nice vid. What did you set resolution and wdr at and what is your recommended settings for moving vehicles (as opposed to parking monitor)? Not sure if mine is defective but it's hazy for some reason. Almost as if didn't remove the little plastic lens cover that came with the packaging.
What is the best 3-in-1 dash camera for taxi drivers (video take at front+rear+interior cab) ? 1 - Is it a dash camera ? 2 - Is it a special mirror ? Thanks Andrew in advance for your help on this.
Hello Mike. We currently don't have any 3-channel system recommendations. We do have a video for taxi and Uber drivers with recommendations here: th-cam.com/video/0oYqnqb6Agc/w-d-xo.html Check it out. Maybe you find something that's good for you. -Rolands
@@Lam How about this: SIV WiFi Car Dash Cam 1.54 inch 1080P? It was recommended by BGR on Google today and on sale now from $110 to $44 ! Is it worth trying?
It works pretty good. What I really wanted to know was the BEST WAY to view it on the computer. I thought that might be especially important to see details of any problem I might encounter. Just putting the SD card in the computer is good but I thought that I would see license plate numbers better..
Hello Anthony. Majority of cameras won't be able to capture license plates in certain situations. What resolution are you using in our camera? -Rolands
I had an A119 that was from SpyTec on amazon and it died and I RMAd it a year ago and it just died again. it wont' even turn on. i remember in your review it had capacitor and was rated well for heat but i find the texas heat just kills it. they wont RMA it again :(. I also found that the foam included was too think to work with the v1 GPS mount and it just ripped it.
Hi Car Cam, do you believe in CPL filters? I have noticed a lot of reflection off of my front dashboard when I put paper on my center dashboard (subaru impreza) also when I don't have anything there. I have seen some from dashcam brothers (39.99) and seen their with/without cfl filters and didn't see a difference, however on the blackbox my car/blackvue filter (49.99)I did notice some difference. What is your experience with these and what are your opinions? Oh, and I have a back dashcam as well. blackvue 750s 2ch
Hello, Ken. Sorry to hear that. Are you sure you did everything right? Did you download the firmware from Viofo's website and follow the instructions carefully? -Rolands
Hello Andrew, Good to know you are real.....Chortle and snort!!! I think the A119 could be a great TH-cam video tool. I've seen whole videos showing popular scenic roads using a Dash Cam. Now that the A119 is only $80, two could be used to show landscape scenes on the move. Possible combinations could be: front and at the passengers, front and one side, or two aimed front right and front left. With no over lap, that would provide 340 degrees of moving video coverage. They could be edited into one screen in various and changing combinations. They can even be used in combo with a GoPro. On 9 June 2018, my wife wanted to see the wild ponies on the Dartmoor, UK,. We found them grazing around a parking lay by on the crest of a hill, with no obstructions behind them, like trees. I happened to park with the setting sun to my back. For some reason the camera didn't turn off and we captured my wife interacting with the ponies, well lit with the broad vista behind. In 2K it was stunning. The English back roads are very narrow, often with rock walls adjacent to the pavement on the left. I veered too far to the left and burst the right front tire. It scared the pee out of my sleeping wife, but the A119 proved it was my fault, and recorded the post incident argument to boot. Great footage for stories back home.
I have the A119 w/GPS mount. That mount sticks very well to the windshield. The cam became loose on the mount, causing it to cut on & off, so I need to do the pad in between the two as shown at 2:12 here.
My a119 kept restarting and I figured it was because of the gps mount. The GPS is pretty useless now since the power is now connected on the body of the camera
Whenever i feel like i want to shoot Video of both the Front doors these cameras have Option to Shoot outside at any time like a Vlogger and do not want to shoot video of (Front and inside the Rear Room) , then the SKYBLUESEA B2W & CAMSONIC ULTRA Z 2 & 3 Dash Cam Benefits if a person want to shoot a video outside the front doors sides Left & Right , would be easy to change the direction to record Multiple Angles of both the Cams accordingly , option to Rotate , as they Rotates 180 degrees . I love those Dash Cams . Other cams don't have those multiple Angles to Shoot .
Great content guys, very useful. I already subscribed. Between the Aukey DR02 and the Viofo A119 V2 which is better and why?. Thanks. Keep making more videos ;)
Hello Andre. Thanks for the kinds words. It's definitely the Viofo A119V2. For starters, the A119V2 has better video quality and reliability. Only thing Aukey has over Viofo is the 2-year warranty they offer for their cameras. Otherwise, they don't update firmware for their products and Viofo's customer service has really picked up in the last year or so. -Rolands
Hi! Very helpful video. I wanted to buy my dad the V2. He is a truck driver . I was wondering if you think that camera could be connected in a semi truck? With the sensor aswell?
Several years ago I bought the original Viofo A119 and I have a question regarding the Firmware. The VIOFO website offers the Firmware for the other models: A119 S, V2, V3 and Pro, but nothing for the original A119. Where can I find the A119 Firmware?
Thank you for your excellent videos. I want to buy my first dash cam, but I’m still not sure which to buy. I want to spend no more than $200 and I also live in flaming hot Las Vegas. What should I buy?
Andrew, great video. Thanks for posting it. I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a new dashcam to replace a mini 0806 that failed. I was leaning towards the a119 Pro until I saw this video. Do you still feel that the a119 v2 is a better option or has Viofo improved the performance of the a119 Pro with recent software updates? Thanks!
Sounds good. BTW, I just found out about the Viofo a129 Dual Channel dashcam, which looks pretty good, especially with the smartphone interface. Are you planning on reviewing that dashcam in the near future?
I bought the Viofo A119 V2 from Amazon 3 months ago and it already quit working. Viofo offered to replace it if I shipped it back to China $30. I'm not going to spend any more money on a camera that only lasted 2-1/2 months.
Hey Mike, do you know which retailer you bought it from? Viofo doesn't sell it directly. Retailers like Baiklov, BlackBoxMyCar, CaptureYourAction and OCD Tronic will have USA/Canadian warranties. You may not even have to pay for shipping. -Andrew
Does anybody else have a foggy area on the left side of the videos recorded with Viofo A119 V2 ? It is easy to see it if you try to look at the cars plate numbers on the street, the ones from the left are not clear.
It is a bit of a hassle, but we have an excellent parking guide on our website for that and if you want something that has a working parking mode without any hard-wiring I would consider the Anker Roav C1, but only if you live somewhere cooler as it has a battery which could act up on you in warmer weather. -Rolands
Good video, thanks. I duno if I should grab a V2 or wait for review(s) on the V3. The V3 might be a downgrade in some areas, is that right? (Despite "on paper" details/specs.) Haha.
Hey Complex, from what I've seen the video quality is substantially better in all ways especially under very-low light. If you're concerned about video quality I'd probably go for the V3 right now. -Andrew
So I've had one and everytime I try to see the footage, it says (error with recording and then says format sd card) I go to menu and I click format sd card and it still keeps telling me the same thing. Wat do I do.
after one day owning this A119V2 #1. It stopped recording very first day even dough the camera was still in normal recording mode pretending just like it was recording, but there was no video file of the trip on SD card. #2. It does not stay in highest resolution, it will go back to 1920x1080 randomly. #3. The photo shot is never larger then 1920x1080 which is useless for reading licence plates. #4. Parking mode set for 5 frames / sec will record sometime slow mo, some time fast but when it records slow mo it will play back only fast motion and sometimes doesn't record at all. #5. Not compatible with Win 7, it will play back choppy video, not consistent. Yes I did try different video players. #6. Motion detection is again sometime working, sometime not working. It will write the files sometime in different folder sometime not, and sometime it will split it in two different folders. It can not be set or used together with parking mode yet the parking mode will sometime work as motion detection - again...only some time. I didn't test all of the settings but I don't feel like wasting any more of my time with this toy, bottom line this toy is very far from security device..... really? this is your best choice?
Hey, that's horrible to hear. That's obviously not the experience you (or I) would expect from the A119. There's something wrong likely with the capacitors as it seems the settings are constantly resetting. Your camera needs a bit of power to keep the settings in memory which comes from the capacitors. I would go to your retailer and tell them your issues with #2. For #1, which SD card are you using? There are cards that are simply incompatible with the camera. If you are using something too slow or possibly if the card has an error. We recommend cards like the Sandisk // Transcend High Endurance. #4 Sounds like it's jumping between parking mode and nromal recording. All time-lapse mode videos will play back fast forwarded because it records at 5FPS and it will play at 30FPS (6X Faster). #5 That's likely your compter if you're playing 1440P videos. Older computers will struggle as the higher resolution requires more resources to play. You can also try VLC player. #6 Don't use motion detection, we mention it in the video but Viofo doesn't have good detection algorithms right now. Hope my notes help. -Andrew
Hello, I have some questions. First, would this review also apply to spytec? They also make the A119. Secondly, have you ever encountered an issue with the lens becoming loose, causing the footage to be shaky? I've had it happen to 3 A119 cameras in a row. Two have been replaced by spytec, and now they're telling me my warranty is expired. They're also telling me they've never come across this issue despite it happening to 3 of mine. Anyone else experience this?
Hey, I can answer your questions: 1) Would apply to SpyTec and they are not the manufacturer simply a retailer who adds their branding to other products. 2) I haven't heard of a loose lens, the shaking that you see is because the camera is vibrating in the mount. EVA foam has been added to fix this problem in more recent cameras. You can also jury rig a solution by adding some tape in between the mount and camera. -Andrew
Thank you. I don't know if people would like that. They would just see that as another way for government to pull out money from the citizens. And, in most cases, if the cameras would be mandatory, they woudl have to fit certain requirements and that's not always a good thing. Right now you can choose what camera you want and whether to even have it and that's ok. -Rolands
Hi, I just ordered a 119v2. I am trying to figure out how to tell if the 32g cards are working/recording. I see a lot of reviews saying its difficult to tell if the card is actually working when it appears it is. Does this particular unit tell you if its not recording?. I also have another dash cam a Crosstour, and I have no idea if the card is working or not. Is there an easy way to tell in general and on the 119?.
Hi, can you do a review on Garmin Speak Plus? Love your comprehensive unbiased reviews and would be nice to get your perspective on the above mentioned. Cheers!
Hello. I don't think we can do a review on this in the near future. We have lots to do in the dash cam field and getting into multi-functional devices would be a whole new world and would require to build a new testing system. Sorry. -Rolands
My only complaint with my A119 is when I push the button to save the recording, is it beeps at me three times and this is caught in the recording. Haven't found a solution yet and Viofo hasn't done a firmware update option to turn off.
Do you (anyone reading this) recommend 1440p @ 30fps or 1080P @ 60fps for dash cam use? I take a lot of video of kids and pets and my RC passion. In each of those cases, I prefer 60fps over 30fps, even at the loss of some resolution. However, since I have never used a dash cam, I don't know how that unique video environment is affected by 30 vs 60 fps. THANKS!
Hey, elaborating on Rolands, the A119 looks best at 1440P, the other modes significantly reduce video quality. It might look better (smoother) at 60FPS but since the purpose of your dash cam is to capture details (license plates mainly) and less for aesthetics, I'd recommend the higher resolution. -Andrew
Hello Bob. Not for a while. We have our hands full with the premium camera review right now. We will, however buy it as soon as possible and test it. After tests we will probably share our initial thoughts about the camera on our Facebook page. -Rolands
I have a Street Guardian sg9665gc V3 and I live in a very hot sunny country (which is the reason I took it) and when I leave the camera unattended under direct sunlight at a 40 celcius, it would lose focus very badly. When I open the AC or go under shades and keep for a while it always comes back to original focus as if nothing happend. Is it a defect that shouldnt be happening or is it normal ? And is it better to switch to A119V2 or A119S V2 rather than the SG?
Hey, I answered this question in the other video but yes, solid red = recording, blinking = not recording. You can see from this scene here: th-cam.com/video/amjcsoExAQU/w-d-xo.html -Andrew
Hello please suggest one best cam from this pro or orignal and wil they be available in Canada as my sister is gonna visit there m from India please do tell me i want dual chanel means i just want two cams one for front and one for rear and i like this design of cam so u also said quality of cam and footage is nice so what to do do i need to buy two cam amd set two different cams in car or should buy dual channel please suggest thank u in advance
I think the A119V2 is still your best bet. We have buy links for Canada as well so there shouldn't be any problems with that. Just check our video descriptions, or see our Best Dash Cam article where we have a full list of our recommendations with best places to buy. www.carcamcentral.com/guide/best-dash-cams-car-dvrs-black-boxes-of-2018 -Rolands
UPDATE: Sept 10, 2019
We tested the new A119V3 and it's a nice upgrade to the older A119, A119Pro and A119S. The A119V2 is still a good value if you want to save some money. See our new review here: th-cam.com/video/H4f2HWs_gpc/w-d-xo.html The Pro has also been discontinued but if it's on sale for less than $70USD, it's a good buy.
READ MORE for notes after 2 years of running the VIOFO A119 "V1".
I bought the ORIGINAL A119 based off your review 2 years ago! That unit is still running strong and has taken over 1,000,000 minutes of video. I have the original V1 "pin style" GPS mount and it still works great, though I could see how some would say it disconnects when wiggled loose.
I STRONGLY recommend VIOFO A119! Thank you Car Cam Central for your original video.
Notes after 2 years of use for the original A119 - V1.
- the software offers higher resolution settings than the hardware offers. This conflict will trigger the "SD Error" message and continous beep to notify that it is NOT recording. No big deal, so.long as you don't ask it to record in 2k when it can just HD.
- I use and recommend a 128G memory card.
- It can handle the temperature. I live in the Midwest and heat and cold extreme days can reach extremes of -10° to over 100°. Then consider that heat increased by the trapped heat in a vehicle. The original unit survived two years of these extreme weather and only shut down once after my truck was shut closed, parked outside daily, in the sun, during a week of 100° temps (130°+ in vehicle). Once aired out and cooled off, it powered right back up and has been going over since.
- I DO NOT use the GPS feature as it can only make you guilty of speeding, nullify your insurance claim, or make you at fault for an accident.
- I do use the microphone as it catches honking, music, and talking. THIS GOT ME OUT OF A TICKET once: I had been pulled over for faulire to wear seatbelt, written a $60 ticket, and I WAS wearing my belt. I knew I couldn't prove I'd had it on... I kept a copy of the video because I thought it was 'cool' to have the traffic stop on camera. I watched the video and the AUDIO off my camera had the 'click' of my buckle latching. It was enough in court to drop the ticket. Win! But that was the first real time I needed the video in 2 years.
-insurance companies offer a discount on "permanently installed" dashcams. Be sure yours is adhesive to the window and the cable tucked-in and they may count it. Plugged into USB cig lighter port. Depends on your insurance.
- if you push the "Hazard" looking button to trigger an 'event' recording, it starts recording and will protect the next 30 seconds of video from being deleted. However, it will not protect the immediate proceeding incident after which you push the button in response to. For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic and then you press the 'hazard/ event" button it will begin immediately recording a 30-second protected file. The protected video will show the events that occurred as you push the button and after. It will not protect the incident itself since you had not yet pressed the button. So unless you press the button in anticipation of something crazy happening, the crazy event will not be stored as a protected file, but will be accessible if the card is removed and file is retrieved before it is overwritten by loop recording. In short, if you forget to take a video off that wasn't protected, it will get overwritten.
Tuneman777, thank you so much for this report. Very accurate what you have said. I'm glad you took my advice and that it's worked out for you.
-Andrew
Thanks for the detailed info. Very useful.
When I started to look at dashcams I was totally confused as what to buy. Andrew's website was great in analyzing the various makes and models. I focused on what he has to say about the Viofo 119v2. I went ahead and purchased it and after a few hiccups to install as the instructions are too clear it works great. I had to use some intuition to solve my roadblocks. The picture quality, sound is the greatest for the price. I don't need anything more and it has options that I don't even use. I went ahead an purchased a second one for my other car. Have been using both for four months and very pleased. Great work Andrew and crew. Keep up the good work.
Awesome C Lac, glad to hear. Thanks for letting me know it's been working out for you!
-Andrew
Andrew, you make it difficult not to hit the BUY button! Thank you for your thoughtful reviews.
Thanks for the great review always, the new A129 Wi-Fi dual channel dash camera will be released soon.
I am so excited to see that A129 W. Yes WiFi is of utmost importance and Yi gives it at $30 price tag. Then Dual channel is very good but now that you are on improvement page, why not going with 3 channel (Front, back and cabin cameras) as a very cheap but I guess good company has already made it in $40 ish rang price tag. Well, love Viofo and thanks for all the good work you do. Only make sure to have the best Custormer Service (What most Chines companies miss badly) and you will be the number one dashcam camera of the univers!
As the new solution supported, the 3 channels and 4 channels is not far.
3 channel is all I want from my favorite brand: Viofo, but with Wifi, dedicated (auto) Parking Mode, time lapse and a good HDR software on top of good capasitor power supply that is what makes the best of best in dashcam world, separated from the others.
Make a a119 spec in a b1w (barrel type) form factor
Will Viofo be releasing in the near future a new front dash cam like the A119 but with wifi capabilities?
An insurance agent I know told me this about the GPS feature: They are refusing to pay on a claim from where one of their customers was at fault. Because the other person, who was clearly not at fault, had GPS showing she was going 3 MPH over the speed limit. Yes, just 3. I turned mine off. At the time it was an optional feature for which I had to pay extra. Something to think about if it is still optional.
Ahh, that sucks. Unfortunately that's the rule. If you aren't sure whether you can drive within the rules, I guess it's better to turn the stamp off.
-Rolands
You can disable the GPS stamp. That's the thing. But you can use a software to pickup the GPS information that includes the location and speed.
Well, if that's true, they give you extra regular mounts. All I would have to do is use one of them and there is no more GPS antenna.
you can just use the gps as a mount and turn off the gps.and if you get into a accident and just turn it on to get the location'
can you use the GPS for the location, but turn off the speed?
Well done! I've got these 3 cameras as well and haven't had time yet to get into comparing them, and seeing your results has been a big help! Great work with the testing, comparison, and video editing. 👍
Thanks Vortex. We enjoy your material as well. Loved your videos from CES 2018!
-Rolands
We'll be looking at the new Viofo A119V3 soon. The big change is better video quality over the V2. The V3 has a better processor (Novatek NT96670), Sensor (Sony IMX335) and Lens (F/1.6) in addition to an internally changed GPS mount to allow for parking mode. The new processor should also allow for H.265 which means higher bitrate quality but using less space. It also allows you to use the .TS container which should be more corruption resistant than the .mp4 typically used.
I'm looking to buy a dash cam in the next couple of days and was looking at the A119V2 when I came across your video and this comment - should I be considering waiting until the A119V3 is released and if so, when is the release date? Also, how does frame rate affect the video quality and ease of viewing number plates on the footage?
@@bluechang08 I was wondering the same thing. I was looking at the 70mai. Now moved on to Viofo. Dunno if I should wait and see what the V3 can do. But it's odd that, based off these types of products and their reviews, the V3 might be worse than the V2. Hah.
Where did you see the bad reviews of the A119V3? I've only heard of positive comments so far about the higher quality video both day and night - especially under low light conditions.
My thoughts is the A119V3 seems to have a big enough change for video quality that it'll be worth it for some owners. If you want the best value, I don't think its there. I think the extra sharpness is nice for hit and runs but not needed. It's available now.
-Andrew
@@Lam Hi,
I just meant to say that often "updated" or "newer versions" of a product can end up changing things that ultimately end up making the product not perform as well as the original version - the "1.0 version". Like how you said the "S" and the "Pro" version aren't really recommended over the original "A119" (unless I messed that up).
But the video quality I've just seen of the V3 looks pretty great. That extra resolution is a big deal, I think.
Ah gotcha, yeah I see what you mean the Pro and S were a bust and it wasn't obvious that the V3 was any better. The resolution, as well as the way the sensor can handle dynamic range, should be huge for video quality.
Two years ago I bought the viofo A119. Your thorough review, comparisons, and recommendation for it were a major contributor toward my purchase of it. I have absolutely no regrets. First off, "thank you" for your hard work to thoroughly test and give honest reviews with your over all thoughts.
Now, I'm reaching out to you once more. Being a Viofo fan, I'm having a difficult time finding any reviews on their new Viofo A129 Duo dual channel 5GHz WiFi full HD dash cam for $169.90, and I would love to hear your review of it (HINT-HINT) ;)
Hello, Randy. Thanks for the kind words. The A129 is in our plans, but not before the premium camera review is out. We will buy it as soon as possible and post or initial tests and thoughts on our Facebook page, so make sure you follow it :)
-Rolands
I hope it's soon. I look forward to it, but I'm also very eager to get going with it. But I completely understand how it takes a lot of time to put thorough reviews together. Keep up the good work.
Wow. This is a fantastic, very technical review. Hands down the best I’ve found on TH-cam so far.
Thank you very much! Keep watching us!
-Rolands
Used this channel to help me decide to purchase the original A119... It is absolutely amazing! I just saw the A129 duo and was hoping you had reviewed it! I will likely wait until you do before buying as my sister needs a dashcam and I may give her my A119! Ever since my G1W-C, I have been an avid fan of Viofo!
Hey Adam. The premium camera review comes first. We will definitely take a look at the A129 once it is in our hands. Most likely our opinion on it will be first available on our Facebook page so make sure to follow us there.
-Rolands
ive bought 5 of these for my family myself and friends and installed them all with hardwire kits. i think its an amazing camera and has paid itself in multiple incidents over the last two years
That's fantastic Diogo, glad to hear they've worked out for you!
-Andrew
I've emailed VIOFO for tech advice & they have gotten back to me very quickly. The GPS/windshield mount is far superior to the suction mounts from Cobra, which would not stay attached to my windshield. However my lighter plug fell apart & I just glued it back together this evening. I may take a look at your hardwiring instructions. This A119 (original) is a great little camera and thanks to you and your videos, I purchased it a couple yrs ago. Thank you.
Awesome, thanks for letting me know about their customer service. I've been paying closer attention as that was one of the reasons they've received poor reviews before.
Too bad about the charger but in the newer packages it's separate from the wire which means you can get a good phone charger instead
Glad it's worked out for you.
-Andrew
I have been using the a119s for 6-7 months now, 3 times it has died w/ white screen, every round had to re-flash the software. Quite happy with the video quality, just sometimes it seems out of focus. Its not persistent, but sometimes seems to appear randomly. BTW, Great video !
I was hoping you would remember to mention the original A119 doesn't have slits cut out to mount the CPL filter. Good video glad I preordered the V1!
have u considered adding body cam reviews? I think body cams are going to be the next big thing.
It might be the next big thing, but there's a lot to cover in the dash cam market as we go. Maybe in the future.
-Rolands
Thanks for the update as I'm now in the market for just such a product for my cars! Have a great week!
Glad to help, Michael! Have a great week too.
-Rolands
As always, you do the most informative dash camera videos on the internet!Thank you for the competent information.
thank you for the review... i got the original and very happy with it. decided based on your review a couple of years back. like the stealth mode. the downside is that you cannot view on the phones but its not a problem for me
Why is it when I order a new camera you do a in depth review the day later 🤣. The same happenned when I ordered my aukey dr02 dual which although isn't as clear as it could be, is a super easy camera to operate and save clips etc and editing is really easy due to both clips saving with audio simultaneously.
Thanks for this review. I've ordered the a119 pro for my wife's car following good feedback from some guys I know. I have to add that it is currently being sold on amazon UK for £49.60 via spytech who I purchased my g1w-s from which I still think is my best purchase to date. Not sure what that equates to in dollars US but I know it is well under $100. Great informative video btw. Keep up the good work guys . 🖒
Thanks for watching us Danny. We'll try to deliver good stuff more frequently from now on. Be sure to be around to see our next video about premium cameras.
-Rolands
I have been looking to upgrade my Abee V30 Dashcam I got as a gift from my aunt for years. It hasn't died on me yet but the cable is going bad. Considering that it's a crappy upscaled 1080p and it's like a 7 year old dashcam, I decided to buy a new one.
I went with the A119V2 thanks to your video, awesome comparison. Thanks again!
I want to thank you for your thorough reviews. Just awesome!
Thanks for letting me know Kathryn!
-Andrew
You said this video will be uploaded 10 days after your unboxing video at your 2nd channel. Its been weeks but still it's worth watching. Thanks Andrew!
Ah, sorry, it took longer than I would have thought. My bad for overpromising, my goal is to get these videos out much faster.
But it is fair from him to remind us about our missed promises. Everything is good. We messed up a bit on this one.
-Rolands
Anxiously waiting for the A129 review
We're sorry for making you wait. It's been taking longer than we expected. Right now, the planned release is on Friday.
-Rolands
@@Lam thanks brah
Still waiting
@@Lam couldn't wait around. I bought it off Amazon a few days ago. Hopefully it won't disappoint
Thanks for your in-depth review of the Viofo A119. I've used it for almost a year in Florida. I used it in 2017, on a driving trip to France with NO windshield mount. I placed it on a wool Beret and let it ride on the dash. It only fell on the floor when I went up a 60-80% grade. But, that only made the video exciting and funny. I also miss place the GPS in Normandy.
For our 2018 driving tour of England I purchased two GPS mounts so I had a spare. I used a small third party suction mount but it had noticeable vibration that the A119 could not remove. Switching to the retail GoPro suction mount, removed the vibration.
My only complaint is the screen is not readable when used with the suction mount.
Hey, thanks Richard for your story! Glad you got a lot of good use out of it. Didn't think about the GoPro suction mount - I'll look into that.
-Andrew
Just an FYI. I own the A119S V1 and it developed a few technical issues so I created a Trouble Ticket with Viofo whereby they got back to me and said they now have an A119S V2 Upgrade Kit. They are sending it to me free just the cost of shipping which is $15 USD along with a link on how to do the upgrade. They have great service and have always worked with me through any trouble tickets I've created. So anyone with an A119S V1 that wants to upgrade to the V2 just create a ticket and request the upgrade kit. It's a lot cheaper than buying a new one or tossing the old one.
Thanks for the input. I'm glad you have a positive experience with Viofo's customer service.
-Rolands
Thanks for doing a comparison on these devices. I usually recommend the A119 but wasn't aware about pros & cons on the other models.
Thank you, Alex for watching. We felt all of these cameras needed a comparison so people can make a better choice on what to buy.
-Rolands
I'm Using both the A119 for rear video and the A119S With the CPL, Front, for the past year in the AZ heat. Excellent video Quality day and night.. All cameras are a little different.. settings; A119, 1080-30, EV+1, WDR on.. A119S W-CP 1080-60, EV+2 WDR off.. Night time still good... Bad/Good, My Original A119S Decided to retire(at 8mo), I contacted Viofo directly and sent the camera back as instructed.. They just contacted me, that they received it(7-18-018), and immediately sent out the replacement, Service VG So far.. PS I did have a 2nd A119S, Backup, any way, Because of the Dry Heat of 106 avg(4mo), Destroys any Plastic devices... I do recommend this Company..
Thanks for sharing your experience with Viofo cameras, Dave.
-Rolands
Just purchased the v2! Along with the sd you guys recommended in your site! And used your link :)
Thanks. Let us know how it performs for you!
-Rolands
Which of these would you pick personally? I just need the more consistent one for day and night. Mostly driving to work. New subscriber love these videos
And by the way, would a b1w blueskysea be good enough? Im debating between all of these and b1w is a lot cheaper but decent reviews. Thanks for any help
Hey Joseph - thanks for subscribing. The A119V3 is my new best performing pick under $300. It has better overall video quality especially at night and an improved parking mode over the older A119V2. The A119V2 is still my "best value pick". I would get it if you need to save $20 (ideally to pick up an endurance microSD card)
B1W is fine - it's just more complicated as it needs WiFi to setup and the app isn't the simplest to use.
Excellent video. Thank you again for the continuing and updating of dash cam reviews.
Thanks Erick!
Their customer service is outstanding I have a gen 1 a119 have it for 2 years then it start giving me problems and stopped working I contacted them they sent me out a version 2 a119 for the cost of shipping 😀 I recently bought the 129 Duo dash cam and I love it.
Oh nice, did you contact Viofo customer service and they shipped out a new V2 out to you without requesting the V1 in return?
@@Lam yes I went through customer service I've been having problems with the a119 v1 camera 3 months after I bought it so there was a record of it. I Just provided my serial number of the camera and they looked up all the information to see that I was having a ongoing issue with the camera. It was too much of a hassle to ship back from the US to China I just paid the shipping cost of a new camera.
Hey jtlbz - that's awesome. Thank you for clarifying. I'm making a new review of the V3 and I was trying to figure out how good Viofo's customer service is.
Such a great and in depth review man. Thanks.
Thank you for watching!
-Rolands
Feeling good to hear from you.
Thanks! We are happy to bring you something new as well!
-Rolands
Great video. Minor suggestion - it would be good to continue showing various cam footage even through the talking head portions though.
Hello Tin. Thanks for watching and thanks for the suggestion.
-Rolands
I have an A119 V1 and had no idea they made an updated GPS mount. Definitely going to get the polarizer and look at getting the updated mount
The updated GPS mount doesn't fit on the older V1 mount unfortunately. The CPL may have to be tacked on in place as I forgot to mention a circular polarizer groove was added as well.
Andrew
oh man no wonder why it only had 3 stars at the time i recommended the v2 to my friend. i took back my recommendation after seeing the reviews and told him to the the Anker Roav C1, which is great considering the bay area doesn't get that hot for it to become unreliable.
Great job again Andrew! Thank you! I am a fan of Viofo.
Thanks JPGR. We're a fan too. We were waiting a bit more out of the A119 Pro, but overall their products are great.
-Rolands
can't wait for the dual-channel comparison
And we will be happy to deliver it to you. Just a little patience.
-Rolands
Good video, Andrew...I have the original A119...it's great
Glad to know it's working out for you.
-Rolands
I've got one too (the V2 version). Working great down here in Australia.
I would like the Lifechaser 4K car dash cam. That's great. Amazing day and night recording. So far so good. Reasonably priced.
Not that simple, Yiheng. It's fake 4K. The Lifechaser 4K dash cam uses a Novatek OV4689 sensor, which CAN'T give you a real 4K resolution. The only real 4K dash cam choices right now are the Blackvue DR9000S and the Nextbase 612GW, but we'll do some more research and see fi there is anythign else.
-Rolands
thanks for this video, it helped me make a decision on which one to buy, thanks!!!
Hello Abner. Glad we could help!
-Rolands
Great video, sort of a shame that its not really an improvement (yet). I have been testing the a119 pro along an a119 also and so far I am a little confused as to why it even exists other than the bundles come with the CPL and suction cup mount. not a bad product but hoping for improved video quality.
Thanks Jon! I think we're all hoping the video quality of the Pro gets significantly better. Perhaps Viofo believes they can squeeze a lot more performance out of the Aptina sensor?
-Andrew
This was a really good review! Something you failed to mention is the firmware version that is being used on each camera. As you know image quality has been altered with firmware updates so this is very important information to include. So what firmware were you running on each camera?
Good point! I updated to the latest versions for all three cameras before I ran any of the image tests. About 2/3rds of the way I got a beta version of the firmware for Viofo.
Original A119: v3.6
A119S: V2.4
A119 Pro: May 2nd Beta
-Andrew
Agree, it's a good cam, but I'd avoid the CPL. I have *the orig A119 and that does not have a groove for the CP filter.* You must use a piece of tape or It will fall off at every bump or touch, in case you'd need to adjust the lens. Poor design/planning. It's very difficult to adjust too, mine didn't rotate freely and it's def doesn't worth $15. Once it's on it's only ok for very bright and sunny days, on cloudy ones or night time it's just reduces light and quality, (for he same would need higher ISO or slower shutter..).
I love my viofo dash cam. Hd cam and it's transistor will not overheat.
Good to hear you love your Viofo. What model exactly are you using?
-Rolands
i have the V2 and it is amazing, ive had it for almost one year and no problem at all, image quality is perfect on both day and night. just make sure that you purchase a high quality MicroSD card so it is able to keep up with the constant overwriting the camera has to do. i highly recommend it. besides it has a resistor so it wont get damaged in SoFlo heat.
Hello Esteban. Great to hear that you're happy with your camera. Which microSD card are you using?
-Rolands
Transcend Information 32GB Micro Card with Adapter (TS32GUSDHC10V) thats the one I ordered and both are working great after 10 months. Cheers
Great comparison! I am so close to getting the V2 as my first Dash Cam. Now that the V3 is out, and the image looks much crisper, do you think I should spend the extra and get the V3 over the V2?
Hey, I would buy it during Prime day on Amazon. It's on sale. I just purchased mine today and I"m looking forward to testing it out. From the video footage, there's a big improvement during the day and during very low light recording. On sale, it's worth the upgrade. If it's not, harder to say.
@@Lam Great info! It is about $20 CAD lower than the price I first saw. I think it's a good deal with the discount so I will get this before deal's over. Thanks for your opinion and have a great day!
Every year my smartphone gets a processor that's 30% faster than the last one and a camera leagues ahead of its predecessor. What's up with how many years now dash cams have been stagnant?
I've noticed that too. Even with "improved" models not much changes despite the sudden spike in price. In all honesty my old DOD L360W (despite it not having the same FOV) was far better than the supposedly new and improved LS370W which I now have. The only benefit with the 370W has over the 360W is the wider lens but the video is grainier so what's the point?
Economics. A smartphone gets pushed out into the market faster and in higher volumes than a dash cam. That lowers production cost of smartphones. Also smartphone users tend to change phones regularly so many iterations (improvements, changes, etc) are made in a shorter span than a dash cam. So in short if there are more dash cam users and they regularly change their dash cams then you would see newer and better(?) versions produced quickly.
Thank you for making this channel, I greatly appreciate it. I just bought my first dash cam (an A119 V2) with a memory card that you recommended
Hello Cameron. Thanks for trusting us! Let us know how it performs!
-Rolands
After using for about eight months, my A119S has started to experience occasional firmware corruption issues at power up, requiring a reflash of the firmware using an SD card. This is annoying if it happens when I'm out and about somewhere, so now I carry another SD with the firmware loaded on to it, just in case.
I think the firmware corruption is possibly due to the unit losing power mid-operation when the camera is doing something involving a write to its internal memory. I power it via USB cable plugged into a car charger; the car's electrics don't lose power until 10/15 minutes after the ignition is turned off.
Now as a precaution, when I park, or if I remove the camera to take with me, I now manually stop loop recording then turn off the unit by holding down the power button.
Otherwise this camera is excellent and has performed well for thousands of miles. Getting a good CPL for it is essential, just like any camera working in bright daylight.
Hello Christopher. What SD card are you using?
-Rolands
Car Cam Central I'm using Lexar Professional cards.
So basically, what makes the A119
Pro a “Pro” over the A119 V2? Is it just the lens? I’m still debating which one to purchase. 🤔
Right now, we would take the A119 V2. We were a bit disappointed in the A119 Pro, because just like you mentioned the only real improvements are the sensor and lens. We hold a hope for improvement and we'll update our description if anything changes.
-Rolands
Car Cam Central I just purchased the pro and although the night vision is better it is pretty grainy. My only real life comparison is to the
Blueskysea Free Gift + G1W-C Car Dash Camera DVR NTK96650 Chip AR0330 Lens Capacitor Vision No Battery (G1W-C G1W PRO)
which I purchased on Ebay for about $50 Aud.
I must admit that the clarity of this cheap one seems somewhat better than the new Pro. I'm a little underwhelmed but I'm hoping that future firmware update might improve it.
Also.. playing with the lane departure mode.. it doesn't work... but the vehicle alert sort of does. No big deal.
Thanks for your reviews.
Great review! Please review the viofo a129 next:)
Yup - it is up next! Bought the camera and it has been unboxed.
-Andrew
Nice to see a decent camera under $300. How does it do in high summer temperatures and does it have battery protection?
It does very well in hot climates. I'm not sure I understand your question though. The A119 uses a capacitor instead of a battery. That' s what makes it so reliable. If you meant is there anything that will protect the battery of your car if you hardwire the camera, then the answer is no. There are not built-in systems for that.
-Rolands
Thanks to your review I bought A119 V2. So far I am very satisfied. Thank you very much!!
I am not sure, I think I saw it in one of the videos (I watched so many! :D ) that it is possible to see on a map, where the car has been, when you attach it to computer. Did I mixed up something, or it is really possible?
Hey. Thanks for watching. There is such a function, but not on this camera.
-Rolands
Nice vid. What did you set resolution and wdr at and what is your recommended settings for moving vehicles (as opposed to parking monitor)? Not sure if mine is defective but it's hazy for some reason. Almost as if didn't remove the little plastic lens cover that came with the packaging.
What is the best 3-in-1 dash camera for taxi drivers (video take at front+rear+interior cab) ?
1 - Is it a dash camera ?
2 - Is it a special mirror ?
Thanks Andrew in advance for your help on this.
Hello Mike. We currently don't have any 3-channel system recommendations. We do have a video for taxi and Uber drivers with recommendations here: th-cam.com/video/0oYqnqb6Agc/w-d-xo.html
Check it out. Maybe you find something that's good for you.
-Rolands
@@Lam How about this: SIV WiFi Car Dash Cam 1.54 inch 1080P? It was recommended by BGR on Google today and on sale now from $110 to $44 ! Is it worth trying?
Have you tried the new A129 yet? Anxious to see your review
We will as soon as we're done with our premium camera review.
-Rolands
It works pretty good. What I really wanted to know was the BEST WAY to view it on the computer.
I thought that might be especially important to see details of any problem I might encounter.
Just putting the SD card in the computer is good but I thought that I would see license plate numbers better..
Hello Anthony. Majority of cameras won't be able to capture license plates in certain situations. What resolution are you using in our camera?
-Rolands
Car Cam Central I’m using the highest resolution.
I’m using the highest resolution.
SO you can't see the license plates at all, or in certain situations, like oncoming cars?
-Rolands
I had an A119 that was from SpyTec on amazon and it died and I RMAd it a year ago and it just died again. it wont' even turn on. i remember in your review it had capacitor and was rated well for heat but i find the texas heat just kills it. they wont RMA it again :(. I also found that the foam included was too think to work with the v1 GPS mount and it just ripped it.
Hi Car Cam, do you believe in CPL filters? I have noticed a lot of reflection off of my front dashboard when I put paper on my center dashboard (subaru impreza) also when I don't have anything there. I have seen some from dashcam brothers (39.99) and seen their with/without cfl filters and didn't see a difference, however on the blackbox my car/blackvue filter (49.99)I did notice some difference. What is your experience with these and what are your opinions? Oh, and I have a back dashcam as well. blackvue 750s 2ch
Last year I purchased the a119 but had to return it. After many attempts to up load firmware updates failed.
Hello, Ken. Sorry to hear that. Are you sure you did everything right? Did you download the firmware from Viofo's website and follow the instructions carefully?
-Rolands
Hello Andrew, Good to know you are real.....Chortle and snort!!!
I think the A119 could be a great TH-cam video tool. I've seen whole videos showing popular scenic roads using a Dash Cam. Now that the A119 is only $80, two could be used to show landscape scenes on the move. Possible combinations could be: front and at the passengers, front and one side, or two aimed front right and front left. With no over lap, that would provide 340 degrees of moving video coverage. They could be edited into one screen in various and changing combinations. They can even be used in combo with a GoPro.
On 9 June 2018, my wife wanted to see the wild ponies on the Dartmoor, UK,. We found them grazing around a parking lay by on the crest of a hill, with no obstructions behind them, like trees. I happened to park with the setting sun to my back. For some reason the camera didn't turn off and we captured my wife interacting with the ponies, well lit with the broad vista behind. In 2K it was stunning.
The English back roads are very narrow, often with rock walls adjacent to the pavement on the left. I veered too far to the left and burst the right front tire. It scared the pee out of my sleeping wife, but the A119 proved it was my fault, and recorded the post incident argument to boot. Great footage for stories back home.
I have the A119 w/GPS mount. That mount sticks very well to the windshield. The cam became loose on the mount, causing it to cut on & off, so I need to do the pad in between the two as shown at 2:12 here.
My a119 kept restarting and I figured it was because of the gps mount. The GPS is pretty useless now since the power is now connected on the body of the camera
Burlington Street in the Hammer...I recognize those potholes anywhere
Whenever i feel like i want to shoot Video of both the Front doors these cameras have Option to Shoot outside at any time like a Vlogger and do not want to shoot video of (Front and inside the Rear Room) , then the SKYBLUESEA B2W & CAMSONIC ULTRA Z 2 & 3 Dash Cam Benefits if a person want to shoot a video outside the front doors sides Left & Right , would be easy to change the direction to record Multiple Angles of both the Cams accordingly , option to Rotate , as they Rotates 180 degrees . I love those Dash Cams . Other cams don't have those multiple Angles to Shoot .
Great content guys, very useful. I already subscribed.
Between the Aukey DR02 and the Viofo A119 V2 which is better and why?.
Thanks.
Keep making more videos ;)
Hello Andre. Thanks for the kinds words. It's definitely the Viofo A119V2. For starters, the A119V2 has better video quality and reliability. Only thing Aukey has over Viofo is the 2-year warranty they offer for their cameras. Otherwise, they don't update firmware for their products and Viofo's customer service has really picked up in the last year or so.
-Rolands
Hi! Very helpful video. I wanted to buy my dad the V2. He is a truck driver . I was wondering if you think that camera could be connected in a semi truck? With the sensor aswell?
Several years ago I bought the original Viofo A119 and I have a question regarding the Firmware. The VIOFO website offers the Firmware for the other models: A119 S, V2, V3 and Pro, but nothing for the original A119. Where can I find the A119 Firmware?
I found this video helpful, thanks.
Glad to help Vince.
-Rolands
I found the CPL on the A119S knocks down the bright hotspots at night a little making the video useful
Agree. CPL is really a great addition in my opinion. That's why we recommend it now.
-Rolands
Thank you for your excellent videos. I want to buy my first dash cam, but I’m still not sure which to buy. I want to spend no more than $200 and I also live in flaming hot Las Vegas. What should I buy?
Andrew, great video. Thanks for posting it. I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a new dashcam to replace a mini 0806 that failed. I was leaning towards the a119 Pro until I saw this video. Do you still feel that the a119 v2 is a better option or has Viofo improved the performance of the a119 Pro with recent software updates? Thanks!
Hey Kelly. We haven't seen any significant improvents as of yet, so as it stands, the A119V2 is still our top pick!
-Rolands
Sounds good. BTW, I just found out about the Viofo a129 Dual Channel dashcam, which looks pretty good, especially with the smartphone interface. Are you planning on reviewing that dashcam in the near future?
I bought the Viofo A119 V2 from Amazon 3 months ago and it already quit working. Viofo offered to replace it if I shipped it back to China $30. I'm not going to spend any more money on a camera that only lasted 2-1/2 months.
Hey Mike, do you know which retailer you bought it from? Viofo doesn't sell it directly. Retailers like Baiklov, BlackBoxMyCar, CaptureYourAction and OCD Tronic will have USA/Canadian warranties. You may not even have to pay for shipping.
-Andrew
Thanks Andrew just subscribed, OCD Tronic on Amazon. Shipped it to them on Wed. for $3.70 USPS. Keep up the good reviews.
Mike
Does anybody else have a foggy area on the left side of the videos recorded with Viofo A119 V2 ? It is easy to see it if you try to look at the cars plate numbers on the street, the ones from the left are not clear.
So i cant use the parking mode unless i hardwire the camera? Well that kinda of useless if someone doesnt know how to hardwire cable?
It is a bit of a hassle, but we have an excellent parking guide on our website for that and if you want something that has a working parking mode without any hard-wiring I would consider the Anker Roav C1, but only if you live somewhere cooler as it has a battery which could act up on you in warmer weather.
-Rolands
There seems to be someone making a newer style like the K1S. It is called Raytis Enforcer DX1 on amazon. Looks interesting.
I bought the Viofo A119 with the camera that swivels up & down and also back & forth.
Good buy. Let us know how it performs!
-Rolands
Good video, thanks.
I duno if I should grab a V2 or wait for review(s) on the V3. The V3 might be a downgrade in some areas, is that right? (Despite "on paper" details/specs.) Haha.
Hey Complex, from what I've seen the video quality is substantially better in all ways especially under very-low light. If you're concerned about video quality I'd probably go for the V3 right now.
-Andrew
So I've had one and everytime I try to see the footage, it says (error with recording and then says format sd card) I go to menu and I click format sd card and it still keeps telling me the same thing. Wat do I do.
What's the model of your camera and what SD card are you using?
-Rolands
Would you compare Viofo A119 with Xiaomi 70mai pro?
after one day owning this A119V2
#1. It stopped recording very first day even dough the camera was still in normal recording mode pretending just like it was recording, but there was no video file of the trip on SD card.
#2. It does not stay in highest resolution, it will go back to 1920x1080 randomly.
#3. The photo shot is never larger then 1920x1080 which is useless for reading licence plates.
#4. Parking mode set for 5 frames / sec will record sometime slow mo, some time fast but when it records slow mo it will play back only fast motion and sometimes doesn't record at all.
#5. Not compatible with Win 7, it will play back choppy video, not consistent. Yes I did try different video players.
#6. Motion detection is again sometime working, sometime not working. It will write the files sometime in different folder sometime not, and sometime it will split it in two different folders.
It can not be set or used together with parking mode yet the parking mode will sometime work as motion detection - again...only some time.
I didn't test all of the settings but I don't feel like wasting any more of my time with this toy, bottom line this toy is very far from security device.....
really? this is your best choice?
Hey, that's horrible to hear. That's obviously not the experience you (or I) would expect from the A119. There's something wrong likely with the capacitors as it seems the settings are constantly resetting. Your camera needs a bit of power to keep the settings in memory which comes from the capacitors. I would go to your retailer and tell them your issues with #2.
For #1, which SD card are you using? There are cards that are simply incompatible with the camera. If you are using something too slow or possibly if the card has an error. We recommend cards like the Sandisk // Transcend High Endurance.
#4 Sounds like it's jumping between parking mode and nromal recording. All time-lapse mode videos will play back fast forwarded because it records at 5FPS and it will play at 30FPS (6X Faster).
#5 That's likely your compter if you're playing 1440P videos. Older computers will struggle as the higher resolution requires more resources to play. You can also try VLC player.
#6 Don't use motion detection, we mention it in the video but Viofo doesn't have good detection algorithms right now.
Hope my notes help.
-Andrew
Hello, I have some questions.
First, would this review also apply to spytec? They also make the A119.
Secondly, have you ever encountered an issue with the lens becoming loose, causing the footage to be shaky? I've had it happen to 3 A119 cameras in a row. Two have been replaced by spytec, and now they're telling me my warranty is expired. They're also telling me they've never come across this issue despite it happening to 3 of mine.
Anyone else experience this?
Hey, I can answer your questions:
1) Would apply to SpyTec and they are not the manufacturer simply a retailer who adds their branding to other products.
2) I haven't heard of a loose lens, the shaking that you see is because the camera is vibrating in the mount. EVA foam has been added to fix this problem in more recent cameras. You can also jury rig a solution by adding some tape in between the mount and camera.
-Andrew
Excellent review. Am I the only one that wishes it to be a mandatory item for all vehicles? I've seen too many hit and runs and it's ridiculous.
Thank you. I don't know if people would like that. They would just see that as another way for government to pull out money from the citizens. And, in most cases, if the cameras would be mandatory, they woudl have to fit certain requirements and that's not always a good thing. Right now you can choose what camera you want and whether to even have it and that's ok.
-Rolands
no privacy issues
Most new cars have radar tech looking out front already, wouldn't be that hard to link it to video footage, and access it when necessary
Thanks for the video
Hi, I just ordered a 119v2. I am trying to figure out how to tell if the 32g cards are working/recording. I see a lot of reviews saying its difficult to tell if the card is actually working when it appears it is. Does this particular unit tell you if its not recording?. I also have another dash cam a Crosstour, and I have no idea if the card is working or not. Is there an easy way to tell in general and on the 119?.
Hi, can you do a review on Garmin Speak Plus? Love your comprehensive unbiased reviews and would be nice to get your perspective on the above mentioned. Cheers!
Hello. I don't think we can do a review on this in the near future. We have lots to do in the dash cam field and getting into multi-functional devices would be a whole new world and would require to build a new testing system. Sorry.
-Rolands
My only complaint with my A119 is when I push the button to save the recording, is it beeps at me three times and this is caught in the recording. Haven't found a solution yet and Viofo hasn't done a firmware update option to turn off.
Really wanted the A119 however I don't think I can find a fuse that would work on my truck. :(
Good thing you got the Rove R2 haha.
Thank you
You're welcome!
-Rolands
"Hello!"
*I fall off my bar stool*
Don't scare me Andrew hahaha
Sorry about that. We try to be more predictable greeting people in our latest videos! :)
-Rolands
Do you (anyone reading this) recommend 1440p @ 30fps or 1080P @ 60fps for dash cam use? I take a lot of video of kids and pets and my RC passion. In each of those cases, I prefer 60fps over 30fps, even at the loss of some resolution. However, since I have never used a dash cam, I don't know how that unique video environment is affected by 30 vs 60 fps. THANKS!
Hello Michael. I would always go for the highest resolution. In the case of the A119, the native resolution is 1440p, so go for that.
-Rolands
Hey, elaborating on Rolands, the A119 looks best at 1440P, the other modes significantly reduce video quality. It might look better (smoother) at 60FPS but since the purpose of your dash cam is to capture details (license plates mainly) and less for aesthetics, I'd recommend the higher resolution.
-Andrew
That is very well-spoken excellent advice! Thank you very much! My new camera arrived today, so I'll be sure to record in 1440P.
Awesome video!
Thank you very much!
-Rolands
Great Review
Thank you very much!
-Rolands
Andrew, will you be doing a review of the A129 Duo? I would like to get your take on it before buying.
Hello Bob. Not for a while. We have our hands full with the premium camera review right now. We will, however buy it as soon as possible and test it. After tests we will probably share our initial thoughts about the camera on our Facebook page.
-Rolands
I have a Street Guardian sg9665gc V3 and I live in a very hot sunny country (which is the reason I took it) and when I leave the camera unattended under direct sunlight at a 40 celcius, it would lose focus very badly. When I open the AC or go under shades and keep for a while it always comes back to original focus as if nothing happend. Is it a defect that shouldnt be happening or is it normal ? And is it better to switch to A119V2 or A119S V2 rather than the SG?
...at 5:31....What is the **LENS FLARE** from......Do you have a Key-Light shining on your studio lens...??....Thank You...
2nd question. It says that a solid red light means it's recording. However, from what I can tell its a blinking red that's recording. So which is it?
Hey, I answered this question in the other video but yes, solid red = recording, blinking = not recording. You can see from this scene here: th-cam.com/video/amjcsoExAQU/w-d-xo.html
-Andrew
Hello please suggest one best cam from this pro or orignal and wil they be available in Canada as my sister is gonna visit there m from India please do tell me i want dual chanel means i just want two cams one for front and one for rear and i like this design of cam so u also said quality of cam and footage is nice so what to do do i need to buy two cam amd set two different cams in car or should buy dual channel please suggest thank u in advance
I think the A119V2 is still your best bet. We have buy links for Canada as well so there shouldn't be any problems with that.
Just check our video descriptions, or see our Best Dash Cam article where we have a full list of our recommendations with best places to buy.
www.carcamcentral.com/guide/best-dash-cams-car-dvrs-black-boxes-of-2018
-Rolands
Is it A119s v2 ? Which u recommended and sir now i have to buy from India so i have only one option that is banggood.com