Disappointing that auto HDR is based on local time. That's going to change throughout the year. I would have hoped they had it follow the changes in the seasons.
@@VortexRadarI just bought A229 pro, does it have auto HDR as well? What I read running HDR day light may smear the plate number while it s great at night. So can we schedule auto on and off for HDR? Thanks
What's funny is that just today your video regarding the A119 Mini 2 convinced me to buy it from Amazon. Damn it. Great detailed review as always. You're very good at this job.
@@VortexRadarthank you for this video…perhaps the best I’ve watch about this camera…do you recommend the polarized filters for both front and back lenses?
Thank you so much for the review! I have the A139 Pro, and image quality has been perfect for my needs. I think I'll wait for the next one, such as the "A429 Pro" or something. I'd really like to see 4k 120hz and a new generation of Starvis.
Suggested feedback for Viofo (manufacturer developers): 1). Make it so you can set to what device to record (external SSD or internal SD card) based on time, so that you can record when car is off to internal SD to save on power consumption. 2). Add another output port to add a third camera (possibly with a USB-C port). 3). Allow a time setting to set HDR recording mode (ex.: on at nighttime and off during daytime).
Looks like a solid evolution. They took the processing for the interior camera, and allocated it to 60fps capabilities. Nice addition to the line. Im not a knowledgeable silicon guy, but i would guess that adding the processing for the third camera (while keeping 4k/60) is a thermal management hurdle, at this time. (Does parking mode disable internal cameras, in so-equipped set-ups?)
I am waiting for the dashcam which can store directly on cloud. That is what we need. Apart from the immense added convenience of not bothering about storage limit and remotely viewing the footage from anywhere, under the current setup if my car or the dashcam is stolen, my footage goes away with the thief. This is very much doable if they integrate SIM card capability in the cam.
The Nexar Beam2 Dash cam supports on the cloud storage. It’s a great buy from what it looks like. I wanted that feature aswell which is why I’m going for the buy.
Cloud storage is awesome, UNTIL, the PO-PO draw up a warrant to prove you killed 3 people on the freeway. It's always nice to have your CRIME recorded in 4k for the Jury.
@@RonHarrisMe That can be done from any storage, even local storage is enough for that, the type of storage makes no difference to it. If you are so paranoid then don't record anything and ya better improve your driving skills as well. It is much more important not to get involved in any such thing rather than thinking about how to run away from that.
@@amxob21 This is what I would be really interested in. It would not only be helpful as dashcam but also a security cam in one's backyard. Awesome. Thx.
I live in Thailand, and the A329 is set to be released here at the end of the month. There have been widespread reports that the A229 Pro struggles with the hot climate and tends to overheat, particularly when parked outdoors with the parking mode activated. I’m really curious to see how well the cooling mechanism in the A329 has been improved to enhance its reliability in these conditions. This is such a great and helpful review!
The problem with the Viofo A329, they are not selling well. There are reports that the A329 is malfunctioning in Hot- High temperature regions. No Third "Internal" Camera connectivity. The A229 Pro is still the better deal plus it is roughly about $40 USD cheaper. Reason: the A329 provides very little improvement over the A229 Pro and there is no real reason to upgrade or spend the extra $$. (2 Channel units). A329 Power draw or battery drainage issue with use of External SSD and then limited data with the internal micro SD when in Parking Mode. Speaking of Parking Mode, the Thinkware U3000 is still the best for those who want Parking Mode.
Awesome informative video on one of the best dash cams you can buy in 2024, kudos to making the video so friendly, just got and installed A229 Pro in Singapore a couple days back, it's so good in all areas, especially in the UI
hopefully a three channel version is right around the corner. disappointed about the product moving away from usb c. for certain setups i could used a usb c right angle adapter on the rear camera so i don't have an eye sore cable visible across the window. i find dash cam manufacturers like their cables to stick out than give users options to tuck thrm cleaner out of sight. usb c was a step forward. they just introduced that so i am very surprised they are removing it so fast. thicker usb c cables have better shielding to the rear cam and adds durability.
Thanks for another great review/comparison. I just bought & installed the A229 a few days ago, but that's OK. I wish that a Viofo A229 had the ability to keep the screen turned on so I could monitor the back camera on my RV while driving. It would also make them much more useful for Uber drivers that want their riders to know they're being recorded. Hopefully Viofo will add a "screen always on" feature with a future firmware update.
It may not be possible due to heat dissipation requirements. (just speculating, but given Viofo's generally high degree of configurability, it seems plausible)
@@leexgx Thanks, but that's more work to install, and the RV already has excellent side mirrors. I just wanted to be able to see if some small vehicle or motorcycle tucked in directly behind me.
@@craighorner7801 sorry USA user I guess, "rear view mirror dashcam" it stays on all the time and usually clips onto the rear view mirror or Replaces it and most have a rear Camera some are external as well so weather proof (useful if you don't have rear view glass like a RV)
Hopefully, they'll release a 3 ch version in the future. Also, I would love to see a cloud integration in the case the car gets stolen, you can still check the cameras (especially the one facing the inside of the car to identify the robbers)
Not all USB-C cables are created equal. Many are designed solely for charging and support only USB 2.0 speeds. If you're using an SSD, at least try a USB-C data cable
Now that I’ve bought it, here are my two cents. I’ve posted a clip recorded by the front dashcam without sound on my channel. I removed the CPL filter because, with a ceramic film on the front window, it caused a birefringent effect that spoiled the footage. The clip I posted appears overly sharpened and processed. If you look closely at the overhead power lines at the start of the clip, you’ll notice white fringes around them. While this level of digital processing might be helpful for reading license plates, I personally prefer the image quality of the A229 that I keep seeing on other UA-cam channels, including this one. This is the most expensive dashcam I’ve ever purchased, yet I still favour the footage from the A229-it really stands out compared to other renowned Korean brands. Although I initially bought this dashcam for security, I was also hoping to use it as a mini GoPro for vlogging. At this point, though, I’m generally disappointed with the video quality and accept that it serves well as a security camera. Some sunsets in Thailand can unexpectedly look spectacular; it would be nice to capture a few clips to use for social media from time to time.
Have been waiting for this review - thanks. Camera is a bit disappointing. Picture is way over sharpened. Crazy that it only works with certain USB cables. Auto HDR should work based on light levels - not setting a time.
@@PadinnPlaysto expand on that, some cables are only rated for AWFUL transfer speeds and it's very annoying. There are over a dozen speed standards out there, and not all can handle the bitrste required for 4k60
Great review, as usual! Seems like A329 is near-perfect dual channel dashcam on the market. The only missing feature that would make it perfect (for me) is cloud support. We have our A329 sample unit for a few days now, review is coming soon to our YT channel as well.
So if this is only a 2 channel dash cam what do you recommend as far as a standalone interior camera. Just when I thought I knew what camera I was going to pick up lol. New teen driver so trying to get safety all around the car. Thanks for yet another great video
I literally just ordered a A229 pro 3CH yesterday lol, probably gonna stick with that choice though, since the A329 doesn't support an interior camera.
The A329 has an obnoxious amount of oversharpening. They need to dial it back. While 60 fps might not help reading the license plates, the cars on the other side of the highway appear to have less motion blur in the segment beginning at 10:51.
I'm currently torn between the A229 Pro and the A329, which has gone straight on sale but going to wait till Black Friday deals. The A329 seems to be good regarding the use of an external hard drive, but is let down regarding not having HDR on the 60 fps mode, which, going by the night samples, makes it redundant. What's the sharpness like on the A329 on the 4K 30fps mode vs the 60fps mode? As previously mentioned is a bit over sharp. Seeing the photo stills differences is good, but the 30 vs. 60 is a bit of a gaming meme as you can't see the difference. It's a good comparison video. Now, I just need to wait for the better deals, even if I use the A329 on 4K 30fps with HDR.
Just a thought: For hotter climes, why not attach a mini cooling fan to the side of a Viofo to help cool it? They're cheap (insert "Antrader 3-Pack 12V 0.1A 2Pin 25mm x25mm x10mm DC Small Mini Brushless Cooling Fan" in Amazon's search field) , run on 12 VDC, and draw little current so it wouldn't take too much improvising to install one on the side of the dash cam to pull air through it; yes, it's an eyesore but it's functional.
Firstly, great channel you have here. Wish i found you first, could have saved me a lot of researching! Been shopping for a dashcam to replace my Thinkware U1000.Was all set to get the A229 pro after seeing your reviews, but then just saw this. Do you know what Viofo has in the works for additional cams for the 329? Ultimately, I'd like a two channel system, but with the waterproof rear cam they have for the 229. The standard rear cam is workable, but ultimately the waterproof cam would be best for my situation.
One thing to keep in mind, if using an SSD make sure to get one with high write endurance. Your run of the mill low tier SSD will probably not hold up as long as a high endurance MicroSD.
Your channel/videos are so helpful. How do the two Viofo cameras license plate clarity compare to the Vantrue N4 Pro? I have a Viofo A129 Pro. I'm a little disappointed in it's ability to record license plates and I'm looking to upgrade?
Great Review! BUT, what exactly did you want the Police to do? The other driver did nothing illegal. Pulling a car over for nothing is illegal. Dotted middle line separating the two lanes (allows passing, safely of course), a lane merge. I would call it a butt hole move on the other drivers part. But not illegal.
Still trying to decide if I want one of these or a Blackvue... I like the image quality on these better but I like the mobile functions on Blackvue more. Stuck in the middle...
I drive a 19 Jeep Wrangler with a huge Adaptive Cruise Control Box on the already small windshield, and for that reason my local dashcam store recommended the A139 Pro (2 channel). But I heard about all the upgraded features on the A229 Pro and no this A329… Do you find that it would be much of a compromise placing the fronts camera to the passenger side of the ACC box??
Love the review, I have the A229 Pro 2CH and love it and was getting ready to buy a second A229 Pro but saw the new A329 and wanted to see if I should buy that instead. I know you talked about the A329 fixing problems but I would have like to know what version front/rear software you were running on the pre market version of the A329..
The 229 vs 329 looks like the contrast is just cranked on the "new and improved" 339. The colors and overall image quality looks much better on "last year's model" 229. Thanks for all the data! :-) My take-away from all of this is that dashcams are STILL worthless when capturing license plates at any distance is required. sigh Someone needs to make a dual-lens camera with an optical zoom on the second one for capturing detailed plates at a distance.
There are at least three models that offer telephotos. Viofo is one of the companies that offers it. Telephotos are helpful, for sure, but they’re not the end all be all either.
I have the A229 Duo and was hoping you'd do a review of this unit!-Thank You Sir!-I'm going to upgrade and as I understand all I have to do is swap out the front and back camera and keep the cables(wires)?
The question is that would they be releasing a329 pro or not? And how would a229 pro compare with that. This information might help the customers of not getting sucked into buying a329 as of now and repent later.
Is it worth upgrading from the A229 Pro (that I currently have) to the A329? I personally think that the only good things about the A329 is the 4K 60fps and the option to utilise an external SSD to expand on your storage capacity and capture lots more moments on the road. Love your reviews by the way!
First of all, thank you for the extensive details you have provided. I only have a question: Is there any chance you could do a video to review Nextbase 622gw and Viofo A329 Pro together?
I have another question. does the cpl filter work better or worse for darker tinted vehicles? My front windshield is 50% and my rear is flat and about 75% dark tint.
Please give them a feedback to enable geofence for parking recording. I do not need parking recording in my garage, so the camera can check if it's in the specific area to skip it.
So I have the A129 Pro Duo is it worth it to upgrade to the A329 or the A229 Pro? Okay looking at the video it would seem like that I could go with the A229.
i had a bad experience with Viofo shutting down at every noon in hot weather & never start again! so are those improvements including solving this issue?
We won’t know for sure until the dashcam officially launches, people start buying and installing them, and people start reporting their results. Summer is over which means much of the overheating feedback might not come until next year.
@@VortexRadar We can buy these in Australia also, so you will soon get reasonable feedback! I have been using a Blackvue for about 10years, and the image quality is somewhat poor (compared to cameras in the past 5 years) & speed to transfer over wifi are terrible, so have been looking to update, but torn between Blackvue and Viofo...I want video quality, I want good transfer speeds, I want good low draw parking mode. Nearly going to get A229, now A329 out, maybe better, but then Thinkware has all I want... sigh (oh, but night vision on Thinkware isn't as good as either Viofo or Blackvue flagships...further sigh).
I’ve been using the A139 pro for almost 2 years now, the image quality is amazing. However, it’s not reliable! I’ve updated to the newest firmware and using the recommended memory cards, it still won’t save the records sometimes and it’s doesn’t shows any warnings! I have to manually format the memory card once awhile to keep it working properly… I’m having trust issues with Viofo now
@@VortexRadar I have a Garmin Dash Cam 57 and the wifi stays on and only turns off when switched off by me. The Viofo cams wifi switches off after 10 minutes of no use. When parked on the street at a friend's house if I hear a noise outside in the middle of the night I can't connect to the dash cam even though I'm in range and the camera is still on and recording. I can with the Garmin.
Man viofo is on fire. I like the ssd option. I'm probably still gonna rock with the u3000 even tho thinkware hasnt done jack squat with it no updates i ask them on Instagram any new updates for the u3000 ? I got no reply -__-
Any word if there will be a 3 camera A329 Pro version coming out? Also, the Samsung T5 SSD's are still expensive, yet the newer and faster Samsung T7 SSD's are far cheaper (almost double the transfer speed!). Does the A329 support both T5 and T7 (or even T9)? Thanks in advance
Hopefully they address the choppy, abrupt changes to color balance and exposure that the A229 has. I ended up returning my A229, which was disappointing because my A129 Pro worked great
Hold up, I wanted to see you dance in front of the camera. 😁😁Thanks again for reviewing dashcams. The best part about Viofo camera is they will not break your wallet.
It’s not designed to alert you like that even if it does have WiFi. It’s not a cloud capable dashcam. It’s designed to protect your car in case of crashes, hit and runs, break-ins, etc. If they steal the dashcam then it’s gone.
Question: I drive a 19 Jeep Wrangler with a huge Adaptive Cruise Control Box on the already small windshield, and for that reason my local dashcam store recommended the A139 Pro (2 channel). But I heard about all the upgraded features on the A229 Pro and no this A329… Do you find that it would be much of a compromise placing the fronts camera to the passenger side of the ACC box?? Thanks
I like the idea of SSD, but I am a bit concerned on first generation kinks and bugs. It sounds like a battery pack would be preferable if SSD is used, which I don't have. Can A339 be set to automatically switch to micro sd card during parking mode to minimize power draw?
I have 2 of the old style 1080p cams. 1 for front and 1 for back. I've been looking at the A229, but saw the new A329. Which one do you think it would be best for me? I live in Calif and do some early morning dark driving, some afternoon ight driving and some evening night driving. I don't care for the inside camera, so that is not a consideration. The summers can get pretty hot here, so there's that. Also, I have 15% tinted windows in the back. I'm looking for something that is good quality and that will last.
Is there an adjustment for video sharpness in the settings? The A329 video is way over sharpened. You can really really see it if you look at tree branches. It looks fine on the A229. That could be a dealbreaker for me.
I've dropped this brand. I've had two of there cameras and both have died in about a year. Usually always saying needing to format the sd card everytime it turns on, even with a new cd card from Walmart that met the requirements in it. I'm not using a Vantrue N4 Pro and so far no issues. Only been in use for a couple weeks.... so time will tell.
I just got my A229 Pro 3 channel a couple of days ago, but I haven't yet installed it. Do you see a 3-channel version coming in the near future, like the A329 Pro? I don't do ride-share, but I like that the interior camera can record the sides of the car, so you have a better all-around recording.
I currently have the a229 duo, thoughts on if it’s worth it to upgrade? The auto HDR, SSD support, and extra cooling is compelling. Ive been debating adding a side camera to my car to show whats going on beside me, so getting this and swapping it in place of the a229 duo, and then putting the a229 duo videoing out the side is somewhat tempting. That price though if I want an ssd is tough to swallow
The A229 Pro has auto HDR too. Whether it’s worth it is up to you. For me I don’t really need the added features over the A229 Pro, but that may be different for you.
20:30 This is a limitation of the USB standard, not a limitation of the dashcam. You cannot use the SSD with a cable longer what 1m (the total lenght of cable). Of course, there might be some specialised cables but the standard ones won't work.
Nope. “Plus” and “Pro” here just mean upgraded versions of the original A229. The A329 offers further improvements. It’s not exactly like the iPhone with specific regular and pro tiers.
You could have prepared the drive using disk utilities on the mac, you just need to go up a level to the physical disk. You were trying to modify the volume that was already created, instead of changing the disk at the root level.
I was thinking of buying the A139 Pro since you've praised it very highly before... Aside from the newer 4K@60fps, how well do you think the A139 stacks up against the A329? Thanks in advance
The A139 Pro was a great first 4K Starvis 2 dashcam. I personally prefer the A329 for the smaller form factor, LCD on the back, better night time video, and 2K rear cam, but I know some people who still prefer the 139 regardless.
Thanks for the review. 2 notes.....MOST usb cables today are charge only, they lack data transmission capability. The other note would be to have been able to tell us the micro sd compatibility re. capacity. I was unable to find on their site what the max capacity supported by the micro sd port, though they show only a 256mb card in their ad. I have my music playlist on a 1tb card and have never come close to maxing it out.
Yes the USB thing is well documented and affects many other things like radar detectors that need data transmission. It's a well-known headache. There are a LOT of things that were not included in this video, lol, including max video card size. It's already half an hour long. Too many things and people complain about its length. Too few and people complain that something is missing. No one is ever happy... Anyways, if you go to the website for the dashcam and click on "Spec" to see the detailed specifications, you'll see that they mention that 512 GB is the largest size officially supported. Here's more detail on the issues with 1TB cards in Viofo dashcams if you're curious. dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/vortexs-viofo-a329-review.51804/page-2#post-625899
I love the video footage but they need to do the OBD cable. I went with the U3000 because of OBD & heat resistance as well as parking mode. After having my BlackVue DR900X always over heating & not knowing how to & not wanting to deal with install to battery. Had BlackVue professionally installed, yet they didn’t know how to let it do parking mode. It cuts off, when my Truck is off. Now BlackVue has OBD cable.
Sounds like they hard wired it to a circuit that turns off when your car is off. I had no issues with parking mode on my blackvue. Had one or two times of overheating parked at work so just ensured my car faced east to not have the evening sun on it.
@ yeah it’s been over a year now and they charged me almost 200. Took them 2 hours and they couldn’t figure out how to wire it to stay on. My 12v stays on, I don’t want to mess with it myself. I got the blackvue around my rear view mirror now and it’s good.
@Bearsfan920 ok. For future reference you need to stick a multimeter on a fuse, turn car off and see if the fuse loses power (sometimes can take 5 mins). If it stays on then that's your perm live. Don't use a perm live that operates any safety features such as ABS/Airbags etc.
Questions for you Mr vortex I currently have an A139 Pro 2 Channel. Can I use the same cable that is currently installed in my SUV for the rear camera on this A329. Thank you
It’s gonna be similar with the 329. I like running them in parking mode so it’s still on when you start your car and you don’t have to worry about startup times.
Currently have a Viofo 129 Duo Pro. Hesitating about another as this one now fails to Loop Record. New Samsung Endurance card per Viofo, have reset/ reformated/ factory default everything with all failing. Is this model any more reliable than the 129 Duo Pro?
I would've thrown my A229 Pro 3 Ch like a brick in a river if the A329 has an interior camera. I'd prefer coverage over 60FPS any day. I really can't consider the A329 an upgrade if it took away a vital feature of the previous model.
Sometimes when you're speaking you sound like a auctioneer , you talk so fast and you don't pause. So all your information is blended together, I would have to watch this many times to catch what your saying.
Yeah not super compelling for me either coming from the A229 Pro, but if you're starting fresh or upgrading from something older or simpler then the improvements and refinements are welcome.
you recommended everything except what longer data cable works with a SSD - how do you say buy this SSD but leave us wondering what cable works - I am looking for 15' or so to run to glove box or such. You said not all data cables work which do you see that does since you tested a few of them already? Thanks
If I knew of one already I’d happily recommend one. Viofo sells a 6 ft long one on their site which I only saw once the dashcam was launched for sale lol. I’ve seen some discussion online saying you can’t use super long cables for SSDs, but I’m not sure if that’s true. If you take the initiative to buy a long one and it works, I’d appreciate it if you let me know. It’s always helpful when lots of people work together to figure things out. Thanks.
@@VortexRadar I just used a usb 3.0 C type stick that is 2 TB in size - no HDD needed - a lil weird looking sticking olut the side of the unit but gets the job done
Thanks for spending the enormous amount of time and research on this comparison. Looking forward to seeing your next release.
Cheers
Great detailed review. Just got mine a few days ago. SSD shows up today. Testing begins…. 😀
Last evening I just ordered a Viofo A229 Pro 2Ch!! Anyways I am excited about it!! 🥇Review
The Cam has GPS, right? And I know even the most basic GPS receiver can get sunrise and sunset times. So why not use that for the AutoHDR timing?
Disappointing that auto HDR is based on local time. That's going to change throughout the year. I would have hoped they had it follow the changes in the seasons.
Yeah, that would be so helpful for those of us who live at higher latitudes…
@@VortexRadar It could have automatically turn it on and off based on light conditions.
@@Zainz834 Yeah, exposure detection would be so trivial as an HDR toggle internally.
@@VortexRadarI just bought A229 pro, does it have auto HDR as well? What I read running HDR day light may smear the plate number while it s great at night. So can we schedule auto on and off for HDR? Thanks
What's funny is that just today your video regarding the A119 Mini 2 convinced me to buy it from Amazon. Damn it. Great detailed review as always. You're very good at this job.
lol.. thank you!
@@VortexRadarthank you for this video…perhaps the best I’ve watch about this camera…do you recommend the polarized filters for both front and back lenses?
Thank you so much for the review! I have the A139 Pro, and image quality has been perfect for my needs. I think I'll wait for the next one, such as the "A429 Pro" or something. I'd really like to see 4k 120hz and a new generation of Starvis.
strarvis 3 ,,,the whole dash cam world is waiting
Suggested feedback for Viofo (manufacturer developers):
1). Make it so you can set to what device to record (external SSD or internal SD card) based on time, so that you can record when car is off to internal SD to save on power consumption.
2). Add another output port to add a third camera (possibly with a USB-C port).
3). Allow a time setting to set HDR recording mode (ex.: on at nighttime and off during daytime).
+1 omg yes
You know I've been waiting for this!!! 😁
Thanks for a great video. I just love that you mix SI units and United States customary units, Nice
Nice review Ariel!
Would love to see if the A329 runs even cooler when recording to SSD storage, because the microSD wouldn't be in use?
Looks like a solid evolution. They took the processing for the interior camera, and allocated it to 60fps capabilities. Nice addition to the line.
Im not a knowledgeable silicon guy, but i would guess that adding the processing for the third camera (while keeping 4k/60) is a thermal management hurdle, at this time. (Does parking mode disable internal cameras, in so-equipped set-ups?)
With the interior cam equipped dashcams, it’s actually an option of if you want the interior cam to record or not.
I am waiting for the dashcam which can store directly on cloud. That is what we need. Apart from the immense added convenience of not bothering about storage limit and remotely viewing the footage from anywhere, under the current setup if my car or the dashcam is stolen, my footage goes away with the thief. This is very much doable if they integrate SIM card capability in the cam.
The Nexar Beam2 Dash cam supports on the cloud storage. It’s a great buy from what it looks like. I wanted that feature aswell which is why I’m going for the buy.
Cloud storage is awesome, UNTIL, the PO-PO draw up a warrant to prove you killed 3 people on the freeway. It's always nice to have your CRIME recorded in 4k for the Jury.
@@RonHarrisMe That can be done from any storage, even local storage is enough for that, the type of storage makes no difference to it. If you are so paranoid then don't record anything and ya better improve your driving skills as well. It is much more important not to get involved in any such thing rather than thinking about how to run away from that.
@@amxob21 This is what I would be really interested in. It would not only be helpful as dashcam but also a security cam in one's backyard. Awesome. Thx.
I live in Thailand, and the A329 is set to be released here at the end of the month. There have been widespread reports that the A229 Pro struggles with the hot climate and tends to overheat, particularly when parked outdoors with the parking mode activated. I’m really curious to see how well the cooling mechanism in the A329 has been improved to enhance its reliability in these conditions. This is such a great and helpful review!
The problem with the Viofo A329, they are not selling well. There are reports that the A329 is malfunctioning in Hot- High temperature regions. No Third "Internal" Camera connectivity. The A229 Pro is still the better deal plus it is roughly about $40 USD cheaper. Reason: the A329 provides very little improvement over the A229 Pro and there is no real reason to upgrade or spend the extra $$. (2 Channel units). A329 Power draw or battery drainage issue with use of External SSD and then limited data with the internal micro SD when in Parking Mode.
Speaking of Parking Mode, the Thinkware U3000 is still the best for those who want Parking Mode.
Thanks for all of the hard work.
Holding out for Prime Days. Will be interesting to see what happens with the 229.
Thanks for that info, straight after watching I went and changed the setting on HDR to auto on my A139
Awesome informative video on one of the best dash cams you can buy in 2024, kudos to making the video so friendly, just got and installed A229 Pro in Singapore a couple days back, it's so good in all areas, especially in the UI
hopefully a three channel version is right around the corner.
disappointed about the product moving away from usb c. for certain setups i could used a usb c right angle adapter on the rear camera so i don't have an eye sore cable visible across the window. i find dash cam manufacturers like their cables to stick out than give users options to tuck thrm cleaner out of sight. usb c was a step forward. they just introduced that so i am very surprised they are removing it so fast. thicker usb c cables have better shielding to the rear cam and adds durability.
Thanks for another great review/comparison. I just bought & installed the A229 a few days ago, but that's OK.
I wish that a Viofo A229 had the ability to keep the screen turned on so I could monitor the back camera on my RV while driving. It would also make them much more useful for Uber drivers that want their riders to know they're being recorded. Hopefully Viofo will add a "screen always on" feature with a future firmware update.
It may not be possible due to heat dissipation requirements. (just speculating, but given Viofo's generally high degree of configurability, it seems plausible)
You be better off with a Wing mirror camera
@@leexgx Thanks, but that's more work to install, and the RV already has excellent side mirrors. I just wanted to be able to see if some small vehicle or motorcycle tucked in directly behind me.
@@craighorner7801 sorry USA user I guess, "rear view mirror dashcam" it stays on all the time and usually clips onto the rear view mirror or Replaces it and most have a rear Camera some are external as well so weather proof (useful if you don't have rear view glass like a RV)
Hopefully, they'll release a 3 ch version in the future. Also, I would love to see a cloud integration in the case the car gets stolen, you can still check the cameras (especially the one facing the inside of the car to identify the robbers)
Not all USB-C cables are created equal. Many are designed solely for charging and support only USB 2.0 speeds. If you're using an SSD, at least try a USB-C data cable
“universal” serial bus 😄🙄
In addition to that. Some USB-C cables have an issue where they only work when plugged in one way, flip it 180 to test if it isn't working.
Now that I’ve bought it, here are my two cents. I’ve posted a clip recorded by the front dashcam without sound on my channel. I removed the CPL filter because, with a ceramic film on the front window, it caused a birefringent effect that spoiled the footage. The clip I posted appears overly sharpened and processed. If you look closely at the overhead power lines at the start of the clip, you’ll notice white fringes around them. While this level of digital processing might be helpful for reading license plates, I personally prefer the image quality of the A229 that I keep seeing on other UA-cam channels, including this one. This is the most expensive dashcam I’ve ever purchased, yet I still favour the footage from the A229-it really stands out compared to other renowned Korean brands. Although I initially bought this dashcam for security, I was also hoping to use it as a mini GoPro for vlogging. At this point, though, I’m generally disappointed with the video quality and accept that it serves well as a security camera. Some sunsets in Thailand can unexpectedly look spectacular; it would be nice to capture a few clips to use for social media from time to time.
Of course I see this after just buying the A229 Pro after seeing your other video
Have been waiting for this review - thanks.
Camera is a bit disappointing. Picture is way over sharpened. Crazy that it only works with certain USB cables. Auto HDR should work based on light levels - not setting a time.
Some usb cables are designed for power only, they don't physically have the data transfer pins. I don't think it's a camera issue.
@@PadinnPlaysto expand on that, some cables are only rated for AWFUL transfer speeds and it's very annoying. There are over a dozen speed standards out there, and not all can handle the bitrste required for 4k60
Great review, as usual!
Seems like A329 is near-perfect dual channel dashcam on the market. The only missing feature that would make it perfect (for me) is cloud support.
We have our A329 sample unit for a few days now, review is coming soon to our YT channel as well.
To read with your mac, plug the SSD into your router if it has a USB slot, then you can access the drive over the network.
lol that’s a good workaround
So if this is only a 2 channel dash cam what do you recommend as far as a standalone interior camera. Just when I thought I knew what camera I was going to pick up lol. New teen driver so trying to get safety all around the car. Thanks for yet another great video
I literally just ordered a A229 pro 3CH yesterday lol, probably gonna stick with that choice though, since the A329 doesn't support an interior camera.
The A329 has an obnoxious amount of oversharpening. They need to dial it back. While 60 fps might not help reading the license plates, the cars on the other side of the highway appear to have less motion blur in the segment beginning at 10:51.
I like ur videos. they are very informative. have they done any updates on the viofo a329?
Ordered this yesterday!!!
Congrats!
I'm currently torn between the A229 Pro and the A329, which has gone straight on sale but going to wait till Black Friday deals.
The A329 seems to be good regarding the use of an external hard drive, but is let down regarding not having HDR on the 60 fps mode, which, going by the night samples, makes it redundant.
What's the sharpness like on the A329 on the 4K 30fps mode vs the 60fps mode? As previously mentioned is a bit over sharp.
Seeing the photo stills differences is good, but the 30 vs. 60 is a bit of a gaming meme as you can't see the difference.
It's a good comparison video. Now, I just need to wait for the better deals, even if I use the A329 on 4K 30fps with HDR.
The best part about the A329 coming out is the fact that the A229 might get discounted :D
Prime Day is coming up! 😄 I’ll definitely keep you posted.
So did they ditch the "pro" name or will there be a A329 Pro in the future?
pro is for 3 channel .
@@melancholiasee no.....
Just a thought: For hotter climes, why not attach a mini cooling fan to the side of a Viofo to help cool it? They're cheap (insert "Antrader 3-Pack 12V 0.1A 2Pin 25mm x25mm x10mm DC Small Mini Brushless Cooling Fan" in Amazon's search field) , run on 12 VDC, and draw little current so it wouldn't take too much improvising to install one on the side of the dash cam to pull air through it; yes, it's an eyesore but it's functional.
Firstly, great channel you have here. Wish i found you first, could have saved me a lot of researching! Been shopping for a dashcam to replace my Thinkware U1000.Was all set to get the A229 pro after seeing your reviews, but then just saw this. Do you know what Viofo has in the works for additional cams for the 329? Ultimately, I'd like a two channel system, but with the waterproof rear cam they have for the 229. The standard rear cam is workable, but ultimately the waterproof cam would be best for my situation.
One thing to keep in mind, if using an SSD make sure to get one with high write endurance. Your run of the mill low tier SSD will probably not hold up as long as a high endurance MicroSD.
Your channel/videos are so helpful. How do the two Viofo cameras license plate clarity compare to the Vantrue N4 Pro? I have a Viofo A129 Pro. I'm a little disappointed in it's ability to record license plates and I'm looking to upgrade?
Great comparison. btw i have a229 pro duo can you recommend video resolution 2160P 30fps + 1440P 30fps or 4k 21:9+2k 21:9 ??
Thanks for the great review, but I was wondering if it can be powered by USB port or not?
Yes, but parking mode likely won’t work.
Great Review! BUT, what exactly did you want the Police to do? The other driver did nothing illegal. Pulling a car over for nothing is illegal. Dotted middle line separating the two lanes (allows passing, safely of course), a lane merge. I would call it a butt hole move on the other drivers part. But not illegal.
lol, I didn’t say it was illegal. I just noticed the move and wondered if the cop was gonna do anything. That’s all.
@vortexRadar Can the A329 be powered from the SSD USB port the way the A229 Pro could be powered from the rear camera port? Great review!!
Yes, it can power from the side usb port.
Still trying to decide if I want one of these or a Blackvue... I like the image quality on these better but I like the mobile functions on Blackvue more. Stuck in the middle...
You can also do what I do and run both! lol
@@VortexRadar yeah I’m good! 🤣
Was the thermal test done with the rear camera connected (vifio also needs to make sure that standardising their cables across all future models)
I drive a 19 Jeep Wrangler with a huge Adaptive Cruise Control Box on the already small windshield, and for that reason my local dashcam store recommended the A139 Pro (2 channel).
But I heard about all the upgraded features on the A229 Pro and no this A329…
Do you find that it would be much of a compromise placing the fronts camera to the passenger side of the ACC box??
Love the review, I have the A229 Pro 2CH and love it and was getting ready to buy a second A229 Pro but saw the new A329 and wanted to see if I should buy that instead. I know you talked about the A329 fixing problems but I would have like to know what version front/rear software you were running on the pre market version of the A329..
I’ve run like 3-4 different versions while testing
The 229 vs 329 looks like the contrast is just cranked on the "new and improved" 339. The colors and overall image quality looks much better on "last year's model" 229. Thanks for all the data! :-)
My take-away from all of this is that dashcams are STILL worthless when capturing license plates at any distance is required. sigh
Someone needs to make a dual-lens camera with an optical zoom on the second one for capturing detailed plates at a distance.
There are at least three models that offer telephotos. Viofo is one of the companies that offers it. Telephotos are helpful, for sure, but they’re not the end all be all either.
I have the A229 Duo and was hoping you'd do a review of this unit!-Thank You Sir!-I'm going to upgrade and as I understand all I have to do is swap out the front and back camera and keep the cables(wires)?
Yep! Cables are all otherwise compatible.
The sharpening post processing on the a329 is way over the top
The sharpening effect on the A329 is horrendous. I hope they plan on fixing this in a firmware update.
The question is that would they be releasing a329 pro or not? And how would a229 pro compare with that. This information might help the customers of not getting sucked into buying a329 as of now and repent later.
How do these Viofo’s handle heat 38c and above?
Is it worth upgrading from the A229 Pro (that I currently have) to the A329? I personally think that the only good things about the A329 is the 4K 60fps and the option to utilise an external SSD to expand on your storage capacity and capture lots more moments on the road. Love your reviews by the way!
First of all, thank you for the extensive details you have provided. I only have a question: Is there any chance you could do a video to review Nextbase 622gw and Viofo A329 Pro together?
The 622 is pretty dated at this point. Here’s my review of it: www.vortexradar.com/2020/11/nextbase-622gw-dashcam-review/
I have another question. does the cpl filter work better or worse for darker tinted vehicles? My front windshield is 50% and my rear is flat and about 75% dark tint.
Please give them a feedback to enable geofence for parking recording. I do not need parking recording in my garage, so the camera can check if it's in the specific area to skip it.
Does this thing have little skips of 1-3 seconds between creating video files, like every Stype camera does?
So I have the A129 Pro Duo is it worth it to upgrade to the A329 or the A229 Pro? Okay looking at the video it would seem like that I could go with the A229.
i had a bad experience with Viofo shutting down at every noon in hot weather & never start again! so are those improvements including solving this issue?
We won’t know for sure until the dashcam officially launches, people start buying and installing them, and people start reporting their results. Summer is over which means much of the overheating feedback might not come until next year.
@@VortexRadar We can buy these in Australia also, so you will soon get reasonable feedback! I have been using a Blackvue for about 10years, and the image quality is somewhat poor (compared to cameras in the past 5 years) & speed to transfer over wifi are terrible, so have been looking to update, but torn between Blackvue and Viofo...I want video quality, I want good transfer speeds, I want good low draw parking mode. Nearly going to get A229, now A329 out, maybe better, but then Thinkware has all I want... sigh (oh, but night vision on Thinkware isn't as good as either Viofo or Blackvue flagships...further sigh).
I’ve been using the A139 pro for almost 2 years now, the image quality is amazing. However, it’s not reliable! I’ve updated to the newest firmware and using the recommended memory cards, it still won’t save the records sometimes and it’s doesn’t shows any warnings! I have to manually format the memory card once awhile to keep it working properly… I’m having trust issues with Viofo now
I really wish the Wi-Fi would stay on for more than just few minutes on these Viofo cameras.
hm, what about using the voice control or wireless remote to enable it as needed?
@@VortexRadar I have a Garmin Dash Cam 57 and the wifi stays on and only turns off when switched off by me. The Viofo cams wifi switches off after 10 minutes of no use. When parked on the street at a friend's house if I hear a noise outside in the middle of the night I can't connect to the dash cam even though I'm in range and the camera is still on and recording. I can with the Garmin.
Man viofo is on fire. I like the ssd option. I'm probably still gonna rock with the u3000 even tho thinkware hasnt done jack squat with it no updates i ask them on Instagram any new updates for the u3000 ? I got no reply -__-
Any word if there will be a 3 camera A329 Pro version coming out?
Also, the Samsung T5 SSD's are still expensive, yet the newer and faster Samsung T7 SSD's are far cheaper (almost double the transfer speed!). Does the A329 support both T5 and T7 (or even T9)? Thanks in advance
Hopefully they address the choppy, abrupt changes to color balance and exposure that the A229 has. I ended up returning my A229, which was disappointing because my A129 Pro worked great
Hold up, I wanted to see you dance in front of the camera. 😁😁Thanks again for reviewing dashcams. The best part about Viofo camera is they will not break your wallet.
The best is to have a bigger sensor with a better lens with a higher resolution outcome.
What, if anything, do y'all do to prevent camera theft? This thing cannot remotely contact you outside of wifi range, right?
It’s not designed to alert you like that even if it does have WiFi. It’s not a cloud capable dashcam. It’s designed to protect your car in case of crashes, hit and runs, break-ins, etc. If they steal the dashcam then it’s gone.
Question: I drive a 19 Jeep Wrangler with a huge Adaptive Cruise Control Box on the already small windshield, and for that reason my local dashcam store recommended the A139 Pro (2 channel).
But I heard about all the upgraded features on the A229 Pro and no this A329…
Do you find that it would be much of a compromise placing the fronts camera to the passenger side of the ACC box??
Thanks
I like the idea of SSD, but I am a bit concerned on first generation kinks and bugs. It sounds like a battery pack would be preferable if SSD is used, which I don't have. Can A339 be set to automatically switch to micro sd card during parking mode to minimize power draw?
Is the screen covered in glass or plastic?
I have 2 of the old style 1080p cams. 1 for front and 1 for back. I've been looking at the A229, but saw the new A329. Which one do you think it would be best for me? I live in Calif and do some early morning dark driving, some afternoon ight driving and some evening night driving. I don't care for the inside camera, so that is not a consideration. The summers can get pretty hot here, so there's that. Also, I have 15% tinted windows in the back. I'm looking for something that is good quality and that will last.
In your case I’d say get the A329 2CH. bit.ly/ViofoA329-2CH Not really a reason to go for the 229 in that case.
@@VortexRadar Thanks for the reply. I was leaning that way, just wanted to make sure. Keep up with the great work.
Is there an adjustment for video sharpness in the settings? The A329 video is way over sharpened. You can really really see it if you look at tree branches. It looks fine on the A229. That could be a dealbreaker for me.
Unfortunately not. It’s baked in, but perhaps that’ll be dialed back in a future firmware version.
I've dropped this brand. I've had two of there cameras and both have died in about a year. Usually always saying needing to format the sd card everytime it turns on, even with a new cd card from Walmart that met the requirements in it. I'm not using a Vantrue N4 Pro and so far no issues. Only been in use for a couple weeks.... so time will tell.
was the CPL not on correctly for the A329? The colors looks washed out than the A229 and not as vibrant.
It was installed correctly. Maybe just differences in post processing, similar to the added sharpening we saw on the A329?
I just got my A229 Pro 3 channel a couple of days ago, but I haven't yet installed it. Do you see a 3-channel version coming in the near future, like the A329 Pro? I don't do ride-share, but I like that the interior camera can record the sides of the car, so you have a better all-around recording.
I currently have the a229 duo, thoughts on if it’s worth it to upgrade? The auto HDR, SSD support, and extra cooling is compelling. Ive been debating adding a side camera to my car to show whats going on beside me, so getting this and swapping it in place of the a229 duo, and then putting the a229 duo videoing out the side is somewhat tempting. That price though if I want an ssd is tough to swallow
The A229 Pro has auto HDR too. Whether it’s worth it is up to you. For me I don’t really need the added features over the A229 Pro, but that may be different for you.
20:30 This is a limitation of the USB standard, not a limitation of the dashcam. You cannot use the SSD with a cable longer what 1m (the total lenght of cable). Of course, there might be some specialised cables but the standard ones won't work.
hm you sure? The white cable I used in the video is from my MacBook Pro and that cable is 2 m long.
Will vifo ever come out with a camra with cloud capabilities like black vew or thinkware
Are there any features that make the A229 pro a "pro" that are missing on the A339?
Don't currently have a dash cam and looking to get one of these.
Nope. “Plus” and “Pro” here just mean upgraded versions of the original A229. The A329 offers further improvements. It’s not exactly like the iPhone with specific regular and pro tiers.
thanks for the report. I'm wondering if I can connect 2 similar main 329 cameras to work as a pair for front and rear
What? You can run two independent A329’s standalone, but you can’t connect two front cams
You could have prepared the drive using disk utilities on the mac, you just need to go up a level to the physical disk. You were trying to modify the volume that was already created, instead of changing the disk at the root level.
I was thinking of buying the A139 Pro since you've praised it very highly before... Aside from the newer 4K@60fps, how well do you think the A139 stacks up against the A329? Thanks in advance
The A139 Pro was a great first 4K Starvis 2 dashcam. I personally prefer the A329 for the smaller form factor, LCD on the back, better night time video, and 2K rear cam, but I know some people who still prefer the 139 regardless.
bonjour peut ton regler la 329 pour voir la imatriculation de nuit??
si ont met en 30fps hdr la nuit c'est comme la a229 du coup
Thanks for the review. 2 notes.....MOST usb cables today are charge only, they lack data transmission capability. The other note would be to have been able to tell us the micro sd compatibility re. capacity. I was unable to find on their site what the max capacity supported by the micro sd port, though they show only a 256mb card in their ad. I have my music playlist on a 1tb card and have never come close to maxing it out.
Yes the USB thing is well documented and affects many other things like radar detectors that need data transmission. It's a well-known headache.
There are a LOT of things that were not included in this video, lol, including max video card size. It's already half an hour long. Too many things and people complain about its length. Too few and people complain that something is missing. No one is ever happy...
Anyways, if you go to the website for the dashcam and click on "Spec" to see the detailed specifications, you'll see that they mention that 512 GB is the largest size officially supported.
Here's more detail on the issues with 1TB cards in Viofo dashcams if you're curious. dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/vortexs-viofo-a329-review.51804/page-2#post-625899
I love the video footage but they need to do the OBD cable. I went with the U3000 because of OBD & heat resistance as well as parking mode. After having my BlackVue DR900X always over heating & not knowing how to & not wanting to deal with install to battery. Had BlackVue professionally installed, yet they didn’t know how to let it do parking mode. It cuts off, when my Truck is off. Now BlackVue has OBD cable.
Sounds like they hard wired it to a circuit that turns off when your car is off. I had no issues with parking mode on my blackvue. Had one or two times of overheating parked at work so just ensured my car faced east to not have the evening sun on it.
@ yeah it’s been over a year now and they charged me almost 200. Took them 2 hours and they couldn’t figure out how to wire it to stay on. My 12v stays on, I don’t want to mess with it myself. I got the blackvue around my rear view mirror now and it’s good.
@Bearsfan920 ok. For future reference you need to stick a multimeter on a fuse, turn car off and see if the fuse loses power (sometimes can take 5 mins). If it stays on then that's your perm live. Don't use a perm live that operates any safety features such as ABS/Airbags etc.
Does the parking mode needs hardwiring ?
Yep
Can you do a review on the Compustar front and rear dash camera? It links to a compustar alarm system or wires independently.
Do you leave your camera in your car when getting your car serviced?
Yep. I also tell the service advisor that there’s a dashcam in there.
Questions for you Mr vortex I currently have an A139 Pro 2 Channel. Can I use the same cable that is currently installed in my SUV for the rear camera on this A329. Thank you
I use A229 pro temp. Reading @40C is too hot or not?
What is the boot up time on the A329? My A229 Pro takes between 18s and 25s to start recording with a Samsung 512gb card?
It’s gonna be similar with the 329. I like running them in parking mode so it’s still on when you start your car and you don’t have to worry about startup times.
Currently have a Viofo 129 Duo Pro. Hesitating about another as this one now fails to Loop Record. New Samsung Endurance card per Viofo, have reset/ reformated/ factory default everything with all failing. Is this model any more reliable than the 129 Duo Pro?
My A329 just arrived today. The white line for the lens is not moved to the new location 🧐 still facing the windshield like the A229
Oh really? Thats odd. Thanks for the heads up.
Thanks for the review. When will Viofo release the 3 channel version of this dashcam?
Sorry my crystal ball is broken lol
No problem 😂. Was wondering if you could use your connections with Viofo to see if they planned releasing a 3 CH of A329 at all.
They’ll be at SEMA this year so I’m sure we’ll have a chance to chat about the A329 and ask questions just like this
I would've thrown my A229 Pro 3 Ch like a brick in a river if the A329 has an interior camera. I'd prefer coverage over 60FPS any day. I really can't consider the A329 an upgrade if it took away a vital feature of the previous model.
Sometimes when you're speaking you sound like a auctioneer , you talk so fast and you don't pause. So all your information is blended together, I would have to watch this many times to catch what your saying.
I hear ya. I can slow down but then the video would be like 45 min or an hour long, lol. Tradeoffs.
Where is the Vortex special discount code?
Eh not upgrading, not worth it.
My thoughts exactly.
Yeah not super compelling for me either coming from the A229 Pro, but if you're starting fresh or upgrading from something older or simpler then the improvements and refinements are welcome.
@@VortexRadar since when did the a229 pro have the option of adding a telephoto camera? and what is the quality of the telephoto camera?
@@j2w1_lubFirst time I’ve seen that too.
@@VortexRadar Do you think it's a good upgrade from the A129 Pro? That's what I have currently. Love my mom's A229Pro though so idk lol
you recommended everything except what longer data cable works with a SSD - how do you say buy this SSD but leave us wondering what cable works - I am looking for 15' or so to run to glove box or such. You said not all data cables work which do you see that does since you tested a few of them already? Thanks
If I knew of one already I’d happily recommend one. Viofo sells a 6 ft long one on their site which I only saw once the dashcam was launched for sale lol. I’ve seen some discussion online saying you can’t use super long cables for SSDs, but I’m not sure if that’s true. If you take the initiative to buy a long one and it works, I’d appreciate it if you let me know. It’s always helpful when lots of people work together to figure things out. Thanks.
@@VortexRadar I just used a usb 3.0 C type stick that is 2 TB in size - no HDD needed - a lil weird looking sticking olut the side of the unit but gets the job done