VIOFO A229 Duo - Review
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- Опубліковано 15 лип 2024
- This is a review video of the VIOFO A229 Duo dash camera.
🔷The stuttering video issue has been resolved by an updated firmware release for this dash camera. V1.0_0623.
Use promo code Retro10OFF to receive 10% off when you purchase a VIOFO A229 Duo dash camera until 30-Oct-2022.
✅VIOFO A229 Duo Affiliate Links:
🔷VIOFO A229 Duo Dash Cam (VIOFO): shrsl.com/3oefj
🔷VIOFO A229 Duo Dash Cam (Amazon - US): amzn.to/3waifc4
VIOFO provided the A229 Duo dash cam to RetroCarGuy530, LLC free of charge for this review, but the opinions expressed in this video are the opinions of RetroCarGuy530, LLC.
⏲ Video Chapters ⏲
00:00 - Intro
00:53 - Features - Video Resolutions
01:08 - Features - Camera Specifications
01:25 - Features - Image Sensors
01:31 - Features - Front Screen Size
01:35 - Features - GPS Logger
01:57 - Features - Wi-Fi
02:05 - Features - CPL Filter
02:13 - Features - Bluetooth Remote
02:23 - Unboxing - Front Camera
03:01 - Unboxing - Info Card / Stickers
03:20 - Unboxing - Rear Camera
04:38 - Front Camera - Quick Tour
06:06 - CPL - Installation
06:57 - HK4 - Hardwire Kit
08:03 - Videos - Front
08:31 - Videos - Rear
08:51 - Tests - Power Consumption
14:14 - App - Download Videos
16:56 - Final Thoughts - Pros
19:23 - Final Thoughts - Cons
🔷RetroCarGuy530 VIOFO A229 Duo Videos: bit.ly/rcg530-viofo-a229duo
🔷RetroCarGuy530 VIOFO A119 Mini Videos: bit.ly/rcg530-viofo-a119mini
🔷RetroCarGuy530 VIOFO T130 3-Channel Videos: bit.ly/rcg530-viofo-t130
🔷RetroCarGuy530 Automotive Fuse Tap Videos: bit.ly/rcg530-fuse-taps
✅VIOFO Affiliate Links:
🔷VIOFO A229 Duo Dash Cam: shrsl.com/3oefj
🔷VIOFO A119 Mini 1-Channel QHD 60 fps: shrsl.com/3kje1
🔷VIOFO Type-C HK4 Hardwire Kit: shrsl.com/3kje7
🔷VIOFO CPL Filter For A139/T130/A229 Duo/A119 Mini: shrsl.com/3kjei
🔷VIOFO Bluetooth Remote Control: shrsl.com/3l7nf
✅Amazon Affiliate Links:
🔷VIOFO A229 Duo Dash Cam: amzn.to/3ebOgKC
🔷VIOFO A119 Mini 1-Channel QHD 60 fps: amzn.to/3AdyAPV
🔷VIOFO Type-C HK4 Hardwire Kit: amzn.to/3oMJKFc
🔷VIOFO CPL Filter For A139/T130/A229: amzn.to/3oNuacC
🔷VIOFO Bluetooth Remote Control: amzn.to/3EQRHiq
🔷VIOFO T130 3-Channel 1440P+1080P+1080P Dashcam: amzn.to/33mBrrv
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Disclaimer: Due to factors beyond the control of RetroCarGuy530, LLC, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. RetroCarGuy530, LLC assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. RetroCarGuy530, LLC recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of RetroCarGuy530, LLC, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in these videos is the sole responsibility of the user and not RetroCarGuy530, LLC. - Наука та технологія
This review is of a pre-production VIOFO A229 Duo dash camera. The latest firmware version I've been working with is V1.0_0601. Make sure you check out all of the videos in the VIOFO A229 Duo playlist for the complete review of this product.
omg u r really good at what u doing ... thank god i found good man knows really well what he's doing ... u and black box my car & vortex ...such a great men with very good honest testers 🔥❤️
The best review on UA-cam ❤ for this Dashcam
Thanks!
You did a super great job! Respect!
Thanks a lot!
Is this the latest and newest VIOFO dual camera? I was just about to get the A129 and came across this review. Might as well get the newest model if this is it. Great review by the way. Thanks Glen.
Yes, this is VIOFO’s latest 2-channel dash camera with 2k video resolution for both the front and rear cameras.
Great review! Would you recommend the a129 Pro Duo over this when on sale?
I have the A129 Pro Duo in my wife's car for the past couple of years. It works very well and I just pulled the microSD card and the video footage still looks crisp and clear for both the front and rear cameras. The advantage of the A229 Duo is that the rear camera records in QHD 2K 30fps while the A129 Pro Duo rear is only a 1080p camera.
@RetroCarGuy530 Thanks for the awesome review. Would you recommend this over the A129 Plus Duo? I understand the rear of this one is 2K while A129 Plus Duo is 1080p. But the front of this is only 30 FPS while A129 Plus Duo can be 60 FPS. Do you think it's worth to sacrifice 30 FPS?
The A129 Plus Duo is not one of the many VIOFO dash cameras that I own, so I don't have first hand experience with that model dash camera. It looks like the A129 Plus Duo only has 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connectivity while the A229 Duo has 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, along with the 2K rear camera. The A119 Mini has the same image sensor as the A229 Duo uses in the front camera and when I set the A119 Mini to 2K 60fps, I can't say that it dramatically improves the clarity of license plates. If the 5 GHz Wi-Fi, slight larger screen or the 2K rear camera is "must have" feature for you then the A229 Duo would be the choice to make, but otherwise the A129 Plus Duo might be fine for your needs.
@@RetroCarGuy530 how about in comparison to the A129 Pro Dual? Don’t those come with 5ghz Wi-Fi?
I answered this same basic question you posted in the A229 Duo 3-month follow up video question section. Yes, the A129 Pro Duo does have 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz Wi-Fi support as well.
I am thinking sandisk 256 high endurance? Or would you think the 128 is adequate? Just wasnt sure. Thank you. Good video.
I'm using a 128 GB card and it's sufficient for my driving habits. If you drive long distances and need to retain more on the microSD card, then the 256 GB might be necessary. The SanDisk High Endurance is known to have a compatibility problem with the A229 Duo. I'm using the SanDisk Max Endurance 128GB card and it works well with the A229 Duo.
Right on RCG,
Awesome review.
The power consumption tests was my favorite part.
Do you think this camera can dissipate enough heat to support a 60fps firmware update down the road?
-Chuck
Based on the tests I ran today, I would guess the 60 fps setting might cause the A229 Duo to overheat. I was observing 165F to 170F temps on the A229 Duo front camera case and GPS mount with the outside temp in the mid 90s F.
The A119 Mini that I'm testing overheated today. Its GPS mount and the top of the A119 Mini case reached 180F while in low bitrate parking mode with direct sunlight on the dash cam/GPS mount. The pre-production A119 Mini I have has a known defect that prevents it from powering itself down and staying powered off. In the overheat situation, it attempts to power down, but it simply reboots and repeats that cycle until the temp drops down to about 165-to-170F range and then it starts working ok again.
@@RetroCarGuy530
This is what I was worried about since the rear camera does not have its own processor like the A129 Plus to keep temps down on the main camera unit.
I was also worried about the A119 Mini having overheating issues due to a smaller footprint, and possibly smaller heat sink.
Parking mode in direct sunlight is such a demanding situation. I wonder how they will ever find a solution for that.
-Chuck
What a fantastic review rcg530!! Well organized, great information, thorough and professional. It convinced me to grab one to replace an old DDPai.... and special thanks for the discount! I used your affiliate link combined with another coupon saved $56 buckaroos! I just had to subscribe to your channel for more great info... keep up the grand work!
Awesome, thank you!
Looking at this one for front/rear setup to replace my A119 V3. I see they don't have any support/firmware pages for it up yet. Would you suggest waiting a bit before purchasing A229?
A buyer of one of the production A229 Duo units reported that it arrived with firmware V1.0_0511. I know of at least two test firmware releases after that version (V1.0_0516, V1.0_0601). The Auto Event Detection parking mode problem I mentioned in the review requires at least V1.0_0516 to fix that issue. I'm sure VIOFO will have a firmware update page up for this product soon. You might want to wait until they have a firmware update page up and running for the A229 Duo, but even with the V1.0_0511 firmware it's still a decent dash cam.
I was looking to buy a dashcam, and Viofo A119 V3 was my top pick, can you tell me your imoressions of the dashcam, did you encounter some bad thing or problems with it, and would you suggest it for buying?
Yo Robert,
Can the rear camera be adjusted 360 degrees?
I'm curious if it can be adjusted to show the interior of the car when mounted on the rear window.
And if it can, will the video image be upsidedown?
And does the App allow the rear camera image to be "flipped" so the footage doesn't appear upsidedown?
-Chuck
Hi Chuck,
The rear camera can be rotated 360 degrees in its window mount. I checked in my firmware settings video and the firmware has a "Front image rotate" and a "Rear image rotate" on/off setting.
@@RetroCarGuy530
Right on,
Thanks for checking.
Not sure how all this works BUT, could the lack of focus/crispness on the rear camera be corrected with a firmware update?
I'm debating on this or the a129 Plus Duo.
The focus/crispness is not something the camera firmware can fix. VIOFO just shipped out a replacement rear camera for the A229 Duo. When I receive it, I can see how much better it is compared to the one that came in the box.
@@RetroCarGuy530 hi. Is this a free replacement? Did you have to ask to get the replacement? How do I know if I buy this would it be the newer version or the older version that needs replacement? Thanks in advance.
I contacted my VIOFO marketing contact and VIOFO support about the out of focus rear camera. I uploaded a couple of video examples of the issue and they agreed that my particular A229 Duo rear camera is out of focus. They are sending me a free replacement since it's under warranty.
I'd really like to buy several of these but I've been burned by Viofo before. I bought two A119s with the gps option and after a little over a year, the power connection between the GPS unit and the camera became unreliable. They supposedly released a newer version oto fix this, and it had the same problem.
Any chance Viofo has actually fixed this in the 229? I need 3 new dashcams.
The A229 Duo and A119 Mini have a new 5-pin GPS module connection. The new 5th pin is to let the dash camera and GPS module communicate when the dash camera wants the GPS module to power down. I've removed/installed numerous times the A229 Duo front camera along with a couple of A119 Mini dash cameras on their respective GPS module mounts and I've had zero problems with connection between the two units.
How does the camera operate in high temperatures in your opinion? When it’s parked outside for 8 to 10 hours. Just installed mine this Saturday, and I’ve noticed that the screen get very hot ( in park mode, and screen is off) even if it’s parked inside the garage. I live in Texas where the temperatures reaches in the summer months from 82 to 105 degrees. And I think this is going to become an issue for me.
Last summer when temps where in the 100F to 110F range here in Norther California, the A229 Duo operated without shutting down. The screen (as you noticed) gets quite hot and in fact portions of the screen "blank out" due to the high heat. I reported that to VIOFO and they say it's "normal" and it will function again when the screen cools down. It did function correctly once it cooled down a bit.
Best dash cam this year? Does the camera have a format function...and fat32 conversion? I wonder since my new computer doesn't have an SD card reader slot anymore.
Use can use the supplied USB Type-A to USB-C cable to connect the A229 to your computer. It will power up and on the screen it will display "microSD Card Read Mode". The microSD card will be mounted as a drive on your computer. You should be able to read/write/format the microSD card in the A229 while it is mounted to your computer. The A229 also has a "Format SD Card" feature in the firmware settings menu as well.
@@RetroCarGuy530 Thanks for the help!
Does it matter to get power to the A229 through the top GPS or the side USB.. I installed all the wiring today. And where to power it will determine placement of the front camera. Thank you for your reply.
You can use either location to power the A229. Providing power through the GPS mount has one advantage (as of right now) and that's when the camera is powered down via the PWR button, the A229 will use the new 5th pin in the camera-to-gps connection to instruct the GPS module to power down as well.
@@RetroCarGuy530 ok. So if I take power from the side the GPS would stay on? Thats ok because the way I wired it, through the auto mirror with the Dongar Tech adapter. When the car is shut off. It kills the power to everything. I did not opt for that parking kit. My car being the Electric Mach e, I didnt want the constant power drain on the 12V battery. Thanks a million for helping me out. 👍Glen
One more thing (in Peter Falk voice);
1.) How many hours of recorded footage is possible with your 128GB Viofo sd card with these settings?
Normal Recording Mode
Front & Rear 2560x1440 @30fps
Maximum Bitrate
2.) And do the hours of recorded footage increase by double (twice as much) when only using the front camera, (rear camera disconnected)?
-Chuck
I'll check my video files from my A229 Duo later tonight to get your answers.
@@RetroCarGuy530
Right on.
The A229 Duo video files recorded at Maximum bitrate and a time length of 3 minutes (file sizes): Front = 692224 KB, Rear 565248
KB. 128GB microSD card formatted with a FAT32 file system and 64 KB allocation units, there's a total of 1914368 of the 64 KB allocation units on the disk. There seems to be about 6023 64 KB allocation units left with a "full disk" (small mount of free space left). That leaves 1908345 64KB allocation units for video files.
The front 3-minute video file consumes 10816 of the 64 KB allocation units and the rear 3-minute file consumes 8832 of the 64 KB allocation units.
If only normal mode front video files are being created, a maximum of 176 front 3-minute video files can be created giving a max of 8.8 hours of video being recorded.
If both the front and rear normal files are being created, a maximum 97 front/rear 3-minute video file pairs can be created giving a max of 4.85 hours of video being recorded.
If you subtract out some amount of storage for parking mode video files, then the theoretical maximums listed will be reduced.
I believe I have all of the math correct. I hope that answers your question.
@@RetroCarGuy530
Right on,
Thank you.
Is there any hidden way to enable h.265 or HEVC recording in this dash cam? I tried the trick of holding the mic button for a few seconds which works on some other Viofo models and on my A229 it seems to enable/disable an icon on the left of the screen (not a memory card icon but a car icon), however it doesn't enable h.265. I am not sure what exactly that does actually.
The H.265 codec is not available in the A119 Mini, A119 Mini 2 and the A229 Duo. There are patent infringement risks if VIOFO includes it in their newer dash cameras.
@@RetroCarGuy530 Oh wow, that's a real bummer. Thanks for the insight, helps me just settle with the settings I have on now.
Sir will you recommend this over viofo a139? The price is very similar in my place. I’m having a dilemma between this two
I have not tested the A139 dash camera as of yet. The A139 (in general) has decent reviews from what I've seen so far. The advantage of the A229 is the 2K rear camera and it has a screen, but the screen can have sections that "blank out" if it gets really hot while in direct sunlight. If you don't require a screen and 1080p rear video is sufficient (which it likely is) then the A139 might be a good choice for you.
@@RetroCarGuy530 yea, i live in malaysia a relatively hot country.. my concern is the reliability of a229, the firmware seems unstable too scrolling thru the forum
The A229 Duo I've had in my car over the past several months of hot temps has worked (recorded) without fail. The only issue being the blanking out of the screen when it is extremely hot from direct sunlight exposure. I worked with VIOFO before the A229 was released to iron out issues in its firmware. The V1.0_0623 firmware has been very stable in the A229.
Can you switch to the rear camera to help with parking ?
Yes, you can quickly press the WiFi button to wakeup the screen and then also to toggle the current camera view being presented on the screen (four combinations - front only, rear only, front large/rear small overlay, front small overlay/rear large). Depending on where you install the A229 Duo front camera on the front windshield, it may make it challenging to see the screen to allow it to be helpful while backing up the vehicle. The other thing to consider is the "Screen Saver" setting cannot be turned off so depending on what you have it set to ( 3 secs, 15 secs, 30 secs, 1 minute or 3 minutes) is when the screen will turn off again.
Hi does the pads for the cam can be reused?
They're single use pads, but there is a spare for the front/rear camera in the box.
This camera is no longer available for sale by Amazon and out of stock at Viofo. Is really that good or something else?
Last night, VIOFO stated that the A229 Duo will be in stock on the Amazon (US) site this coming Friday 02-Sep-2022. I just checked on the VIOFO website and I was able to place the A229 Duo into a shopping chart (didn't complain about being out of stock). Just yesterday, I obtained a discount code for my viewers to use when purchasing the A229 Duo from the VIOFO site (and in theory the Amazon site). Use code Retro10OFF and it should reduce the price by 10 percent.
What's that button with a red triangle for?
The center button with the yellow triangle has multiple functions. Is is documented in the manual as the "Menu Confirm / Video Protect / Playback" button. When the A229 is in recording mode, you can click it once to lock the currently recording video file so that it won't be deleted in the normal file rotation process. If you place the A229 in "standby mode" by pressing the "REC" button, you can then long press the center button to have the A229 enter into video playlist mode. When in "playlist mode", clicking that button select the current video, play the video or pause the video. When in the firmware settings menus, clicking that button will enter/confirm the current setting.
I don't agree with your ask for an included SD card. Many users would already have some (i know I do...). Or otherwise they would need to have several packages with say No-64-128-256 GB options.
But many webshops would do "package deals" or "frequently bought together" things.
Sure, for them the unit cost would be far cheaper than for us to buy retail. But many might feel that these might be cheap cards that won't hold up as well as some might expect from certain brands.
Having just any microSD card doesn't mean it will work with the dash camera the person is purchasing. One of the first questions that comes up when anything doesn't work quite right with a dash camera, is what memory card is being used with it. If the manufacturer supplied a memory card known/verified as working with the dash camera, the technical issues can be worked out much sooner than trying to see if the memory card the user purchased is or is not compatible with the dash camera. The average dash camera purchaser is not an expert in selecting the appropriate memory cards for the dash camera. The selling vendor can offer memory cards for sale with it and that may reduce the number of problems that might occur due to incompatible memory cards, but the selling vendor would need to only sell ones that are certified to work with the dash camera. Why not simply include at least a small capacity memory card that is known to work to avoid the hassle and wasted time when problems come up.
Great review! I'm surprised they still haven't fixed the file names. 2022_0607_093131_F.MP4
There should be an underscore between 06 and 07. So it's: 2022_06_07_093131_F.MP4
In fact, if they wanted to make it even clearer, then it should have been in the format of: 2022-06-07_09-31-31_F.mp4
From the feedback that I've received from VIOFO, the filename pattern (at least the default) is based on the SDK they use for the video chip/platform used for that dash camera. The filename pattern for the A119 Mini single channel dash camera is 20220607093131_000123.MP4. There's no filename basename suffix for the A119 Mini's parking mode video files. I'll take the filename pattern for the A229 Duo over the A119 Mini.
@@RetroCarGuy530 Thank you for the explanation. Saved me the time of going to Viofo's forum and asking about it or emailing Viofo directly as I've been wondering about this for a while
I hate when people complain a device does not come with an SD card. Because I guarantee you, I fucking guarantee you, as many people will complain the one that gets included is too small or low quality/unknown brand and it will be the first thing they replace. I am fine with them letting me pick out my own SD card instead of making me pay for one I won't use, because you will definitely be eating the price of the SD card in the MSRP.
As I stated in the video, I know the memory card will have a capacity that is too small for most power users of the dash camera, but at least there will be a memory card that the dash camera should work with in the box. Then when a problem occurs (if one does), the user will have a memory card they can use (at least for testing purposes) to see if the problem they are experiencing is the dash camera itself or the user selected memory. You can also use the memory card provided to perform firmware updates to the dash camera. So many of the problems with dash cameras are related to using a memory card that is not compatible with the dash camera.
30fps in 2022? Move along, nothing to see here......
QUESTIONS: RCG530...regarding A229 DUO VIOFO i have a slight learning disorder from an IEDs IRAQ reason i ask questions,if you reply cool if not cool i just not smart to understand this stuff,if you do reply maybe copy/paste my questions and add reply next to each maybe that makes EZR watched your whole vid and honestly dont grasp 99% of this terminology,lack better words made my head explode :) rear camera would be SO VERY helpful as PTSD has me on edge when ever someone approaches me from behind without a good distance of a heads up...
S.E.R.E "survival evasion resistance escape" your vid is the way i like to do things explain in detail i commend you on that
if anyone out there shopping etc etc wants to take 30sec to say THANKS to a VET i thank YOU
hOOah
1ST CAV
4TH ID
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YOU: This review is of a pre-production VIOFO A229 Duo dash camera
ME: does that term mean working out the kinks before selling to the public?
ME: Sony starvis is what?
ME: ext mic,does that mean you could run it to trunk area and pick up conversation if people at rear of car?
and can it record audio to front/rear at same time?
ME: guessing GPSs logger means it tracks you where you been?
YOU: Mentioned SANDISK MAX INDURANCE 128gb preferred?
ME: VIOFO SD card 128gb good one to use?
as of right now dont think i will buy H4K kit...if i do later does that H4K keep front/rear camera rolling then capture say person,car,shopping cart contacting my vehicle? is that what auto event means?
ME: CPL FILTER pops over factory front lens?
ME: does rear camera attach with tape? i am thinking of a light weight bracket say tucked under headliner so rear cam would be out of direct sunlight
ME: while driving can i switch front camera view screen to rear camera?
Thank you very much............when i order is it ok to use as RON WHITE says......KOO-PIN ?
Thank you for your dedication and service to our country!
>> YOU: This review is of a pre-production VIOFO A229 Duo dash camera
>> ME: does that term mean working out the kinks before selling to the public?
Yes, I was able to get the A229 Duo ahead of its general release to the public. I found some issues in the firmware and working with VIOFO I was able to get those issues resolved before the product began shipping to the general public.
>> ME: Sony starvis is what?
Sony STARVIS is the make/model of the video image sensors used in the front and rear dash cameras. Sony STARVIS image sensors are a popular choice for many of the dash camera manufacturers to use in their dash cameras. Those sensors tend to provide some of the best video quality available today.
>> ME: ext mic,does that mean you could run it to trunk area and pick up conversation if people at rear of car? and can it record audio to front/rear at same time?
The A229 Duo front camera has an internal microphone. The audio it picks up is written to a mono audio track in the front camera video file and the rear camera video file. The A229 Duo front camera has an external microphone jack which allows you to plug in an external microphone and the audio captured by the external microphone is then written to the mono audio tracks as mentioned above instead of the audio captured by the internal microphone. You can place the external microphone in a location that will pickup the audio you want to capture.
>> ME: guessing GPSs logger means it tracks you where you been?
The GPS logger is in the windshield mount for the A229 Duo front camera. The GPS data (when enabled in the firmware settings - it is enabled by default) will allow the current LAT/LNG location data and speed data to be written to the video files. This allows a dash camera video file player to present the current location and speed data on a map. The GPS signal also includes the current date/time and the dash camera clock will be updated with the correct/current GPS time.
>> YOU: Mentioned SANDISK MAX INDURANCE 128gb preferred?
>> ME: VIOFO SD card 128gb good one to use?
I’ve successfully used the VIOFO 128GB and SanDisk Max Endurance 128GB microSD cards with the A229 Duo dash camera. There is a list of recommended and not recommended microSD cards on the VIOFO website. viofo.com/content/61-a229-duo-support/
>> ME: as of right now dont think i will buy H4K kit...if i do later does that H4K keep front/rear camera rolling then capture say person,car,shopping cart contacting my vehicle? is that what auto event means?
The HK4 hardwiring kit allows you to power the dash camera so that you can enable the parking mode feature of the dash camera. It is a 3-wire connect (12-volt constant battery, 12-volt accessory power, ground wire). The 12-volt accessory power (power that turns on when the ignition switch is one in your car and off when the ignition switch is turned off) is what the HK4 uses to know when to have the dash camera enter/exit parking mode.
There are three different types of parking mode recording types supported by the A229 Duo. The “Auto Event Detection” is one that will have the dash camera stop recording when it first enters parking mode and when a harsh enough movement/bumping of the car takes place the camera will start recording for 15 seconds before the event and 30 seconds after the event. The “Time-Lapse” parking mode is one where the camera continues to record at a reduced frame rate (one you select in the firmware settings) but there is no audio recorded. The last parking mode type is “Low Bitrate” which means that the video bitrate is reduced while in parking mode, but it records video the entire time it is in parking mode and audio is also recorded.
>> ME: CPL FILTER pops over factory front lens?
The CPL filter for the front camera is a friction fit item. You press on the CPL filter over the outer barrel of the front camera lens.
>> ME: does rear camera attach with tape? i am thinking of a light weight bracket say tucked under headliner so rear cam would be out of direct sunlight
The rear camera attaches to the rear window via double sided tape. I don’t believe you can place the rear camera mount under the vehicle’s headliner and still have the camera exposed to rear window.
>> ME: while driving can i switch front camera view screen to rear camera?
Yes, you can switch the live view on the front camera screen to rear camera view. The screen size and the interaction with the camera to make the switch would be somewhat of a distraction while driving.