Just Got into an Accident and The Viofo Dashcam Has Failed Me, Stop Recommending Them

LSteveJobs on 11/12/2023 - 19:11

I have been using a Viofo A129 Plus Front & Rear for the last year and I had an accident today. I wasn't at fault but they're claiming that I am. I smugly told them "lie all you want to the police, you're going to regret it" knowing I had footage of the incident. I just put my SD card into the PC and have a look yourself.
https://i.imgur.com/SGCQgjQ.png

The last recordings were from the 29th of November.

It hasn't been working for nearly TWO weeks. I have the recommended SD card, Sandisk High Endurance and even got it hard wired by a professional. The least the dashcam could do was tell me that something is wrong. The red recording light was still on so I thought everything was okay.

Anyways this makes things harder. Does anyone have any alternative dashcam recommendations?

Automotive Dash Camera VIOFO

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Comments

  • MS Paint on 11/12/2023 - 19:19
    +2

    I'm not experienced with that exact model but were you getting voice commands / prompts over the last 2 weeks?

    lie all you want to the police

    Why were the police involved? Was someone injured?

  • Lord Fart Bucket on 11/12/2023 - 19:23
    +4

    Does anyone have any alternative dashcam recommendations?

    As SteveJobs, i expected you to have 2 iPhones taped magically connected to your window.

    • vinaricee on 10/01/2024 - 22:12

      This is what went wrong. Steve Jobs uses car that has WINDOWS 🤣

  • darkkito on 11/12/2023 - 19:24
    +2

    Yeah, I had the same case when I wanted to record an event but found out VIOFO wasnt recording and had for some reason stopped recording since then.

    If you don't see the initial boot up on the screen, it most likely isn't recording even if the red light is on.

    You are supposed to format the SD card according to the manual but thats negligent by me for 2 years.

    • ATTS on 13/12/2023 - 16:27

      Is there a good brand dash cam to get to avoid the no recording scenario?

      Is blackvue any good?

      • JIMB0 on 14/12/2023 - 09:42

        The rear camera stopped working within 2 years on my Blackvue.

        • ATTS on 14/12/2023 - 18:02

          Oh crap

      • billy72 on 14/12/2023 - 14:10
        +1

        Maybe the best solution is to set up two dashcams :) The chance that both of them stop recording at the same time will be rare.

        • ATTS on 14/12/2023 - 18:02

          Lol

        • JIMB0 on 14/12/2023 - 18:34

          Not a bad idea. I've considered separate cameras for front and rear. At least you'd have some footage if one failed. The problem is that dash cams are not designed as a mission critical device. They have no redundancy built in and fail silently.

      • NirajSS on 09/01/2024 - 14:16

        Viofo is great. But you need to set it up properly, watch some videos available in Youtube and add the settings as you see fit and follow the instructions. We have been using viofo since 2019 no issue, great quality video. you need to go to setting and set up loop recording, HEVC recording, motion detection. Had an accident automatically recorded and saved before, during and after collision as it should. We are using this microSD card https://www.amazon.com.au/SanDisk-Extreme-microSDXC-RescuePR….

        • ATTS on 09/01/2024 - 14:55

          Thanks

          I heard for dash cams , it is best to use "endurance type sd card"

          Is that true

          • NirajSS on 10/01/2024 - 07:27

            @ATTS: Not sure which will be better High Endurance or Extreme Pro but SanDisk Extreme PRO microSDHCâ„¢ and microSDXCâ„¢ UHS-I Cards are shockproof, temperature-proof, waterproof, and X-ray-proof,3 so you can enjoy your adventures without worrying about the durability of your memory card.

            But since High Endurance and Max Endurance is built to be used in Dash cam, Surveillance that may be better. You could find some testing done in Youtube.

            But yes we used Sandisk Extreme Pro micrsoSD have no issue with them, almost 5 years and no issue with microSD or viofo dash cam.

            • ATTS on 11/01/2024 - 19:11

              @NirajSS: Thanks mate

              I think i read on here a few years back, said there sd card didn't record during an car accident and thats when people were saying that suppose to use the endurance card

  • bobjane on 11/12/2023 - 19:35
    +2

    They give you beeps or voice prompts in later models on startup to tell you it's recording. That said you do tune it out after a while.

    Might be a better design to give an audio warning in case of malfunction rather than at every normal start up.

  • Yummy on 11/12/2023 - 19:40

    Real Steve Jobs never go to el cheapo. But if you insist, get 2 Viofos… or get Blackvue.

  • apsilon on 11/12/2023 - 19:40
    +4

    You've confirmed the camera isn't working with a different SD card?

    • Toph Beifong on 13/01/2024 - 11:33

      This! I've had SD cards in A119 fail on me before!

  • Richardc on 11/12/2023 - 20:02
    +2

    Sandisk High Endurance raise the flag.

  • Mikefr on 11/12/2023 - 20:15

    How old is recording media?

  • dcep on 11/12/2023 - 20:19
    +1

    Sandisk High Endurance and even got it hard wired by a professional. The least the dashcam could do was tell me that something is wrong. The red recording light was still on so I thought everything was okay.

    Go for Samsung Pro Endurance.

    Sandisk High Endurance doesn't have good rep.

    Anyways this makes things harder. Does anyone have any alternative dashcam recommendations?

    Blackvue if no budget.

    DDpai if you're on a budget.

    Navman if you're on budget and want something local with warranty.

    • Brick50 on 11/12/2023 - 20:52
      +1

      Viofo specifically does not recommend samsung pro endurance.
      I got a viofo a week ago and I am using one currently, unsure why they don't recommend but OP is using a card that viofo themselves recommend

      • SteveJobs on 11/12/2023 - 22:25
        +2

        I just found out that they do not recommend 'High Endurance', they recommend 'Max Endurance' instead.

    • chinaman on 12/07/2024 - 19:47

      Agree samsung more reliable than sandism

  • nubzy on 11/12/2023 - 20:44
    +1

    My Blackvue has been running flawlessly for over 4 years. Has proved invaluable and i've used the footage to successfully make claims on two occasions. A must have in this day and age IMO.

    • bobbified on 12/12/2023 - 11:45

      But dashcams don't help when it comes to mechanical failure… 😋

      • nubzy on 12/12/2023 - 12:05

        No but thankfully my Peugeot is reliable and kept in top order, has never broken down on me.

    • NirajSS on 09/01/2024 - 14:25

      It is just that people not following instructions, recommendation, applying correct settings. its not like plug and play. First get a good microSD card (Been using Sandisk Extreme PRO microSD) format it in PC or can do from dashcam setting, then apply settings HEVC, loop recording, motion detection (sensitivity) tc. Been using viofo a129 pro duo since 2019 no issue.

  • [Deactivated] on 11/12/2023 - 20:50
    +1

    Interesting how everyone starts recommending solutions without understanding what the actual problem is lol :)

    OP, sorry you were in an accident, but before making grand claims about brands, have you even tried troubleshooting? Are you sure it’s the camera, and not the memory card, or the camera settings, or the wiring etc?

    • wombat81 on 11/12/2023 - 21:14
      +2

      Or user error. Or the kids stuffed around with it etc etc etc

  • JIMB0 on 11/12/2023 - 21:12

    Did you check it was working after installing it?

  • timthetoolman on 11/12/2023 - 21:32

    Had you been on the app to view anything a couple of weeks ago?
    You need to stop recording to view files, then must resume recording before you close the app.

  • billy72 on 11/12/2023 - 21:46

    I also had a bad experience in the past with Viofo. I was T-boned by a moron and he ran away right after that. I was confident with comprehensive insurance and dashcam so didn't bother to chase him. However, when I turned on the app to download the footage, I realised all clips were only 3 minutes long from the point the car started. The setting was 3 minutes looping but it did not loop but stopped recording after 3 minutes, which was f** stupid.
    Ended up paying for full access since the police did nothing and there was no CCTV nearby.

    • CodeXD on 11/12/2023 - 21:49
      +3

      Full access to what?

      • billy72 on 11/12/2023 - 21:50

        sorry full excess, auto-correct typo

  • plmko on 11/12/2023 - 23:27

    Everyone, stop using a brand of XYZ product because a guy with a new Ozb account had a bad experience lol

  • Jaduqimon on 12/12/2023 - 08:59
    -1

    It's karma for being smug.

  • lgacb08 on 12/12/2023 - 14:00

    The plus series has known problems with freezing, if you leave it on park mode it will freeze sometimes when you start the engine and the camera stay in limbo until you cut the power. That's why I had to change mine to power on only when engine is on.

    • SteveJobs on 12/12/2023 - 14:12

      Wait so it doesn't record at all when the car is parked with the engine off?

      • lgacb08 on 12/12/2023 - 21:23

        No, if you connect it with the hardwiring kit and set parking mode on, at some stage it will freeze while switching between park mode and drive mode when you start the engine. The only way to fix it is unplugging the power supply.

  • ECE on 14/12/2023 - 18:45

    Dang. Good thing i have the Tessie camera 🤭

  • ThePunchingBag on 15/12/2023 - 14:58

    I'm not knocking the brand but with mine, I only found out it was only recording everything when I was parked & nothing when I was driving…because I had some idiot almost clean me up one day so wanted to watch the footage… That's when I found out what it was doing… I don't know how or why or whether one of the kids were pressing buttons but I haven't been able to get it to work since

  • jumpypotato53 on 15/12/2023 - 15:04

    I have a 2019 Garmin. It told me when my standard SD card died and it stop recording.

    I often hide the dashcam from sunlight when I park the car. A couple of weeks ago the metal plate (there is a magnet) felt of the mount. I just glued it back in, I think it will be fine for a while.

  • darshu on 12/01/2024 - 21:15
    +1

    I have been using a Viofo 129 Duo since 2022 January. My setup is not hardwired (I assume your one is). I have spent quite a lot of time messing with different firmware to get this dashcam working with a 512GB MicroSD card. I could not get it working with a 512GB MicroSD card, reliably. But I have a bit of experience with reliability issues is different firmware. The firmware which came with the camera was behaving a bit odd and sometimes the recordings were suddenly stopped. The camera gets stuck when I start the car (I guess due to sudden low voltage). I found a beta version (I guess V2.3) on the Dashcam Talk website and it was highly stable. So far no foootage loss or corrupt videos. Because, my setup is not hardwired, every time I stop the car, the dashcam is power cycled. Maybe that's why so far the Dashcam is working seamlessly.

  • nwa on 16/01/2024 - 18:12
    +1

    Dashcams can fail, that's why it has to be checked every now and then and good to have a backup cam, or get one with a flashing light to tell you its recording.

    • kerfuffle on 16/01/2024 - 19:20

      get one with a flashing light to tell you its recording

      Or a voice that tells you that recording is starting e.g. BlackVue

      • billy72 on 31/01/2024 - 22:44

        recording started but it can fail in the middle of the trip, need something constantly indicating that the camera is recording so you can look up and check at any time.
        The recording lights on most dashcams are often too dim for a sunny day.

  • mightyhawks23 on 31/01/2024 - 19:24

    Have had 4 A119 (front and back on 2 cars) since 2016 and have had only 1 fail as in the unit was dead which i then replaced with another slightly higher spec A119 v3 (i think)

    There have been the handful of times where they werent recording but was beeping enough for me to get out and check it. Most of the times had to just reformat the sd card; only 1 time was the sd card dead

    Would definitely recommend

  • logistics on 28/02/2024 - 23:12

    It's been a few months since the original post. I came across it while looking for recommendations and what others are using.

    I know exactly what you are referring to @Steve Jobs.
    I ordered two A129 Plus Duo in 2021. First stopped recording/working a month or two months ago and the other a week ago. Hence looking to purchase something new.

    Resetting the camera didn't help. Tried to flash it with new firmware but that didn't work either.

    • SteveJobs on 29/02/2024 - 00:49

      It sucks because people keep recommending it. A dashcam should not be this unreliable.

  • maddoglee on 10/07/2024 - 20:12

    I found mine had a burnt MOSFET. I contacted viofo and they were super responsive and have me the component name. Q5 is SI2301. I'm so glad I don't have to bin it. I'm pretty impressed with the support given I should be able to repair it myself. It could've been a voltage spike on the USB port that killed it. I might see if I can put in some added protection.

    • darshu on 11/07/2024 - 08:49

      That is an awesome fix.

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