DIY Install: Viofo A229 Duo Dashcam

[anuraagshenoy]

Having a dashcam is the need of the hour, majorly for safety reasons. My basic requirements were:

1. Dual channel
2. At least 2K recording at the front. The rear can be 1080p
3. Supports 256GB memory card size for longer recording.
4. Options with 5GHz WiFi.
5. No battery inside the dashcam.
6. User-friendly mobile application to pair the dashcam

I had the following options:

1. SafeCams Y3S Dual camera
2. 70Mai A800S
3. Viofo A129 Pro Duo 4K

While browsing the dashcamtalk forum for the latest updates, I found that Viofo was on the verge of launching the successor to the A129 Plus Duo dashcam i.e. the Viofo A229 Duo hence decided to wait a bit for things to settle plus niggles could get sorted in the camera that are shipped later on.

• Before this dashcam purchase, I used the following dashcams earlier i.e. the Mini 0806 (in my Swift) Viofo A119S and DDPai Mini (in my Creta).

Mini 0806


Viofo A119S

DDPai Mini

Overall be it the build quality, manufacturer support and user-friendly nature, I felt Viofo was the better option.

After a lot of reading and watching videos on YouTube about the A229 Duo and whether it is worth getting one, the overall consensus was it is a good quality camera with good footage from dual cameras. So here's what I've got:

The Setup: Viofo A229 Duo + Viofo HK4 Hardwiring Kit + Viofo CPL Filter + SanDisk Extreme PRO (128GB) SD card.

I purchased the Dashcam from the Indian distributor for Viofo dashcams i.e. Vijay Sales (Vadodara, GJ) through Amazon and CPL Filter + HK4 hardwiring kit from the Viofo India website. Both the earlier dashcams were purchased from AliExpress when it was serving Indian customers but now that Viofo has an Indian distributor, it was best to stick to them for the warranty-related issues and any guidance that could be required. And for the duration that I have spoken to them regarding the options etc, I was pretty happy with how they dealt with them and gave me options to choose from. They never tried to over-sell or push me for a costlier product during the discussion. Shipping through BlueDart was fast. Got the delivery the next day. (I have NO COMMERCIAL AFFILIATION, WHATSOEVER!).

 

[anuraagshenoy]

To start with, here's what I got in the whole setup:

1. Viofo A229 Duo
2. Viofo HK4 Hardwiring Kit - To enable the parking mode function
3. Viofo CPL Filter
4. SanDisk Extreme PRO - 128GB SD Card

1. Viofo A229 Duo

Here are the specifications of the camera:

• Resolution: 2560 * 1440P 30fps + 2560 * 1440P 30fps
• Front & Rear Sensor: 5MP Sony STARVIS IMX335
• Front Lens: F/No 1.6 with FOV = 140 degrees
• Rear Lens: F/No 1.0 with FOV = 160 degrees
• 2.4 inch HD LCD Display
• Built-in 2.4GHz & 5GHz - Dual-Band Wi-Fi
• Voice Notification for recording start/stop plus errors related to memory cards etc
• Three Parking Mode
• GPS Logger
• CPL Filter (Only for the front camera)
• Supports Micro SD Card up to 256GB

The packaging


A229 Duo - Package Contents (In the order as labelled in the image)

The Package contents are:

1. Trim panel removal tool
2. Viofo's SD card reader
3. Rear Camera unit
4. Main Front camera unit
5. Spare 3M sticker pad for the rear camera
6. Spare 3M sticker pad for the front camera
7. Coaxial cable - To connect the front camera and rear camera. 6m long thinner in dia for easy and a cleaner install
8. USB-C cable to connect to the car's 12V socket - IF hardwiring is not being done.
9. Viofo's 12V USB power adaptor
10. USB-A to USB-C cable to connect the front camera to the computer to transfer files and/or upgrade the firmware
11. A229 Duo User manual
12. Warranty policy card with installation details
13. Initialization instructions are to be followed BEFORE the installation is done to verify whether both cameras are working as intended or not
14. Windshield static stickers (x 2) were provided for a cleaner installation. This is to avoid any sticker residue on the windshield and if one wants to change the position of the camera post the installation.

Front Camera (User side) - With the larger 2.4" screen with Status LED for Power, Recording, GPS, Mic & WiFi. Buttons are provided to toggle through the menu while operating the camera directly

Front Camera (Windshield side) - 3M sticker for the GPS mount pre-applied. The front camera can be 'detached' from the GPS mount to connect to the computer etc. The lens can be moved for vertical adjustment depending on the mounting location and angle


Front camera with GPS mount removed

Front Camera - Left side


Front Camera - Right side


Rear Camera - Comes pre-applied with 3M Sticker. The camera is not detachable like the front camera. 360 degrees rotatable for adjusting the view as desired. Image can be 'mirrored' & 'rotated' in the settings


2. Viofo HK4 Hardwiring Kit


Viofo HK4 Contents (L to R - The box; 2 pairs of Low-profile MINI ATM fuse taps with 5A fuses included; Hardwiring kit & HK4 User manual)

3. Viofo CPL Filter

Dashcam with CPL Filter installed

4. SanDisk Extreme PRO - 128GB variant

 

[anuraagshenoy]

• Coming to the installation part, either one can use the 12V power socket provided or go for the hardwiring route. Since I also wanted to access the parking mode function, I have hardwired the dashcam using the Viofo HK4 kit.

Items Required for the Installation:

• Zip ties
• 12V tester pen
• Trim panel removal tool
• 1/4' socket set
• Crimping tool
• Wire stripper
• Hot air gun
• Heat shrink tubing
• Multimeter
• Fuse puller - located in the fuse box in the engine compartment

Note: Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery before starting the installation.

Fuse Selection for Hardwiring

• The hardwiring kit comes with 2 pairs of fuse tap cable (Low-profile Mini) type fuses so this installation requires the use of one pair of fuse taps i.e., one for ACC (yellow) and the other for Poer (red) wire. Using the 12V tester pen, choose the appropriate fuse that stays ON when the ignition is OFF (for Red wire) and the fuse that turns ON only when the ignition is ON (for Yellow wire).

NOTE: While choosing the fuse, never select critical items like ABS and airbags which may impact the safety and functioning of the car in the event of any failure. In my case, I chose the 'Cigar Lighter fuse' for the ACC (yellow) wire fuse tap and the 'Power seat fuse' for the Power wire (Red) fuse tap. Neither of them is critical in terms of the safety and functioning of the car.

• Once the fuse points are selected, strip the wires to the appropriate length and crimp them into the provided fuse tap cables individually. Before crimping is done, slide a piece of heat shrink tubing over and crimp the wire into the butt connector. Ensure the crimp is tight and wouldn't slide out over time. Slide the heat shrink over the connector and shrink it using the heat gun.
• From the fuse box remove the 'original circuit' fuse and fit it into the holder that is near the 'pins of the fuse tap cable' and then add the appropriate 'secondary fuse' into the fuse tap cable and slot the fuse tap cable into the chosen location in the fuse box. Repeat the same for the second fuse tap cable too.
• Locate the factory ground point to connect the third wire in the hardwiring kit. Once located, loosen the bolt and connect the black wire (GND) to the terminal and tighten the bolt fully. Ensure the connection is tight. Do NOT over-tighten.
• Before winding up and fixing all the panels etc back, connect the negative terminal on the battery and connect the USB cable to the GPS port of the camera and test if the camera turns ON and whether both the cameras are working as required.
• If the parking mode function is being enabled, set the appropriate voltage on the voltage configurator using the selector switch comprising of 4 positions i.e., (a) 11.8V, (b) 12.0V, (c) 12.2V and (d) 12.4V. I have set the switch at 12.2V.
• Once everything is good and working as it should, refit the trim panels back and tidy up the interiors.

Camera Mounting Locations

1. Front Camera
I chose the location to be near the IRVM which is placed in the centre of the windshield so the recording would be even to look plus coverage would be better. Accessing it from the driver's seat would be easier too with minimal obstruction. I didn't use the static stickers provided in the package since I stuck the camera directly to the front windshield (on the 'black dotted' border). Once the camera is turned ON, stop the recording, turn ON the WiFi and connect to the app on the smartphone. Switch to 'live view' mode to align the CPL filter with as much as possible minimal glare. After the CPL filter is adjusted, adjust the angle of the camera lens to have a '50% - sky and 50% - road' view for optimal functioning of exposure functioning.

2. Rear Camera
At the moment it is mounted on the HMSL cover that is just above the rear windshield. While viewing the files, I felt that the demister lines are making the video look odd hence would be removing the rear camera from the current position and mounting it directly onto the rear windshield glass between the demister lines for better video quality from the rear camera.

NOTE: While choosing the mounting locations, keep in mind to have an area where the windshield wipers move to have good quality footage available in the rainy season too. Else the footage would be of no use once the glass area is dirty and/or wet.

• Once the cameras are mounted and connected, insert the memory card into the slot and format the SD card 'inside' the dashcam for optimal functioning. Generally, the first boot-up with the memory card installed prompts the user to format it first and once completed, the dashcam starts recording automatically. A voice message is also provided once the format is done (whether successful or not).

 

[anuraagshenoy]

WIP Images

12V Tester Pen - To select the 'correct fuse' during the hardwiring stage


Zip ties


The fuse & OBD port cover was removed to access the fuse box and bolts holding the crashpad (lower)


The driver's side crash pad (side) cover was removed to pass the wiring to the front camera through the A-pillar. As indicated in the picture on the right with arrows (yellow), the two screws need to be removed for the crash pad (lower) disassembly


First, remove the fuse & OBD cover and then unscrew the two bolts using a 10 mm socket and the onto the left of the crash pad, remove the screw using a star screwdriver. Pull the panel outwards and disconnector the two connectors for illumination setting + TC enable/disable switch


Crash pad (lower) removed for easy hardwiring and wire routing


First, remove the hood release handle from the socket. Grab the panel and push it outwards to free it from the trim clip. Driver's side cowl panel removed to access the 'ground' location


Beadings, scuff plate cover and B-pillar trim removed fully to pass the rear camera coaxial cable from the front to the rear windshield


The rear camera wire comes out from the front via the boot lid beading. Need to do some jugaad to address the pinching of the coaxial cable between the boot lid frame and rubber beading. The cable is under pressure at that location.

.
The rear wire passes alongside the rear washer pipe. Zip tied along with the washer tube


Zip ties used to secure the cable to the existing harness


Fuse that was chosen (as highlighted). The fuse with the 'cigar lighter' image was for ACC (yellow) wire and the fuse with the 'seat' icon was chosen for the 'Power' wire (Red)


Hardwiring Kit (HK4) connection points explained


Voltage cut-off switch selector box with neat labelling


The fuse tap cable explained


Factory ground point


Crimping was done on the butt connector for the yellow (ACC) wire. Heat shrink tube slid before the crimping is done


An appropriate fuse was added to the circuit - (20A was the existing fuse as given by the manufacturer). 5A fuse added for the secondary dashcam circuit


Heat shrink tubing slid onto the butt connector and heat was applied to shrink it as much as possible


Hardiwing done, both the fuse tap cables were slotted into the designated locations on the fuse box

GPS mount with USB-C port. Not only does it record the speed + GPS data but also powers the camera plus monitors the voltage drop once the ACC signal is cut off to switch to 'parking mode':


New & updated design for the GPS mount. The five pins record - (a) Speed, (b) GPS, (c) Date, (d) Time and the newly added 5th pin monitors the (e) voltage. When the ACC is OFF, this pin switches the camera to the parking mode (if HK4 kit is used) to hardwire and the 'parking mode' setting is enabled to one of the three available settings


Front camera ports explained. Larger body and ventilation holes for better airflow and heat management


Installation Images

The front camera is installed. All extra wiring neatly tucked into the headliner


Another angle from underneath (also seen is the auto-dimming IRVM that 'HONDA' is providing in the New City).


The rear camera is installed on the HMSL cover. Planning to remove and mount the camera directly onto the rear windshield between the demister lines for a better video quality/output


Boot-up screen with standard 'Viofo' chime


All status LED ON


When any video is locked manually or during an accident, this symbol appears on the screen and the video is saved in a different folder


Front camera view from outside.


Another angle


Rear camera view from outside. Pretty small in size so it is conspicuous


Zoomed out


Glare on the front windshield on a sunny day


Screenshot from the video recording from the Front camera (CPL Filter installed and aligned).
At the base of the image - On the left side: Speed and GPS data are displayed. In the centre: the Dashcam Brand + model is displayed. On the right side: The date & Time is stamped


Screenshot from the video recording from the Rear camera.
At the base of the image - On the left side: Speed and GPS data are displayed. In the centre: the Dashcam Brand + model is displayed. On the right side: The date & Time is stamped

• As seen in the image above, the demister lines are making the recording look odd. I am planning to relocate the camera directly onto the windshield to 'see' how the video output is.

 

[anuraagshenoy]

• The camera can be operated either using the 2.4" screen or the Viofo App found on Play Store. For the sake of convenience, I use the application most of the time for viewing the live feed and to carry out any changes in the settings (if required).

Without connecting to the WIFI of the dashcam, the following screens appear when trying to connect to the App. Click on 'to system settings' will open the WIFI settings in the smartphone


Select the "5G_Viofo A229" network (SSID) and enter the default password to connect it for the first time. Change the password of the WIFI as desired and reconnect:


Once connected, open the Viofo application and click on 'connect your camera'. Immediately the application will open to the 'Live Feed' screen.


One can select the view as desired i.e., (a) Front camera feed only; (b) Rear camera feed only; (c) Front camera with Rear camera feed overlaid and (d) Rear camera with Front camera feed overlaid using the button 'Switch camera'.

Live View - Front Camera feed only


Live View - Rear Camera feed only


Live View - Front camera with Rear Camera feed overlaid


Live View - Rear camera with front Camera feed overlaid


This is how the files are arranged in the application.


A separate folder each for 'Locked' & 'Parking mode' files


SD Card formatted using GUIFormat software


Following is how the videos are 'labelled and saved' on the memory card. The videos ending with the letter 'F' are from the front camera. Videos ending with the letter 'R' are from the rear camera. Also, note the file size for each of the files. The settings I've kept are - Loop recording set at 3mins with Max resolution and Max Bitrate while recording. The average file size for output from the front camera is 440MB and the Rear camera file size is 350MB


"Settings section" in the Viofo smartphone application.

Video Resolution: 1944P 24fps + 1944P 24fps, 1440P 30fps + 1440P 30fps, 1080P 30fps + 1080P 30fps
Loop Recording: 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 minutes. I have set it at 3 minutes.
Video Bitrate: Low, Medium and Maximum. I have set it at Maximum
WDR: On or Off.
WiFi Channel: 2.4GHz or 5GHz. Set it at 5GHz if the smartphone supports it and also for a faster video download rate.
Time Zone: Set as desired. For India, it is +05:30
Time Synchronisation: Once the 'Time Zone' is updated, synchronize the time between the smartphone and the camera for even time and date info during recording.
G-Sensor: Low, Medium and High. I have kept it at 'Low'.
Parking Mode: Three options are available - (a) Auto-Event Detection (AED), (b) Time Lapse and (c) Low Bitrate Mode. I have set it at AED for now.
Parking Recording Timer: Duration that the camera will record 'after' parking mode is enabled and once the timer has lapsed, the camera will shut down. If kept OFF then the dashcam will continue to record till the low-voltage cutoff happens. If the timer is set then the dashcam will record for that duration and then turn afterwards.
Enter Parking mode timer: Off or 90sec. In this, if the setting is kept at 'OFF' the camera will immediately switch to parking mode after the ACC is turned OFF. If '90 sec' is selected, the camera will switch to parking mode 'after' 90 seconds is done post ignition switch off.
GPS Info Stamp: (a) Speed Only, (b) GPS coordinates Only, (c) Speed + GPS coordinates.

NOTE: Every time the firmware is updated on the camera, these settings are reset automatically and would require to be re-done.

Firmware version during first boot up (Verison No.: V1.0_0926):


Firmware upgrade in progress (the 'PWR' LED will flicker and will restart automatically


Latest Firmware (Verison No.: V1.2_20230413):


Language options are available to select. The default setting is English:


Screensaver Settings:


SD Card Format Instruction:


SD Card read Mode - When the USB cable is connected to the laptop


Post the firmware update, the screen display contents have changed a bit. GPS Speed is shown at the bottom right corner in Green (If GPS is connected) and Red (If GPS is not connected). The resolution chosen is displayed in the top right corner.

 

[350Z]

Note: Thread now live. Thank you for sharing such an extensive review.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[anuraagshenoy]

Uploaded a few videos from the dashcam to my YouTube channel. Links inserted for all the videos:

 

[anuraagshenoy]

Installed a new firmware MOD on the dashcam that gives me the option to see and record the temperatures of the dashcam during operation.

As the temperatures are lower in Hyderabad, the internal temperatures are not hitting the highs. Will have to see how the temperatures are on sustain usage like long drives or during summer season.

 

[Prabhagar]

Very detailed DIY + review. Are you getting satisfactory speeds in viewing/copying videos from the cam to your phone via wi-fi? I have the 129 duo which has only 2.4GHz wifi and is a pain to view/copy files. I end up removing the SD card for review or transfer of data all the time :(

 

[anuraagshenoy]

Are you getting satisfactory speeds in viewing/copying videos from the cam to your phone via wi-fi?

I haven't precisely checked the time required to download a clip using a stopwatch but an average 3 min file which is around 700MB (Max Bitrate on 1440p 30fps resolution) takes hardly a minute or minute and a half when using 5GHz WiFi mode.

I took the memory card out 2 or 3 times so far and have formatted it after refitting it inside the dashcam.