About to give up with WiFi

[BCHobbyist]

The current firmware/app combo, at least on Android on my Pixel 2 XL is borderline unusable
It will only connect on 2.4, refuses to on 5
Which means the frame rate for aiming the camera or downloading files is atrocious
To download a saved 3 minute files took me about 4 minutes
And the range is lousy, you have to be within a foot or two of the camera for a steady stream
I'm really no better off then I was with the A119s I had before, I still have to dismount and bring it inside to a computer

Many owners expect instant WiFi video downloads like watching Netflix. Consider single Netflix 2hour movie is 2-4GB, the A129 can save 3 min video clips as 500MB which can take a long time over 2.4GHz WiFi. Everyone is addicted to their smartphones and any Dash Camera with WiFi support sells better than non-WiFi for this very reason. Expecting instant download of huge video files is unrealistic. I never use WiFi to transfer large files.

Simple solution is create a routine of keeping two spare 64-128 GB memory cards in the vehicle. If important event is recorded that day switch memory cards in vehicle and connect saved footage to card reader on computer for fastest download. I've been doing this for all my Dashcams for 4 years.

 

[Alistair Parsons]

Thankyou, yes 100% agree
ive seen so many posts on so many forums of people having unrealistic expectations.....

Many owners expect instant WiFi video downloads like watching Netflix. Consider single Netflix 2hour movie is 2-4GB, the A129 can save 3 min video clips as 500MB which can take a long time over 2.4GHz WiFi. Everyone is addicted to their smartphones and any Dash Camera with WiFi support sells better than non-WiFi for this very reason. Expecting instant download of huge video files is unrealistic. I never use WiFi to transfer large files.

Simple solution is create a routine of keeping two spare 64-128 GB memory cards in the vehicle. If important event is recorded that day switch memory cards in vehicle and connect saved footage to card reader on computer for fastest download. I've been doing this for all my Dashcams for 4 years.

 

[skot]

So had the A129 duo for a while now, but about to give up!

I’ve posted on this forum about my issue of never reliably being able to use the WIFI function. 99% of the time when I switch WIFI on to connect my iPhone, the iPhone can connect to the WiFi, however the app crashes (I’ve used Dod app as well) or the app will display the list of files only about 25% of the time. When I can get a list of files to download or view, they won’t stream. The list goes on.

I’ve raised tickets before, but I always get the standard firmware and similar theorys seeen on this forum. So what I want to ask you all is if you could post a video of you successfully using WiFi?

I can post a video of how it doesn’t work!!

I have trouble with wifi as well
Using Android.

 

[skot]

Many owners expect instant WiFi video downloads like watching Netflix. Consider single Netflix 2hour movie is 2-4GB, the A129 can save 3 min video clips as 500MB which can take a long time over 2.4GHz WiFi. Everyone is addicted to their smartphones and any Dash Camera with WiFi support sells better than non-WiFi for this very reason. Expecting instant download of huge video files is unrealistic. I never use WiFi to transfer large files.

Simple solution is create a routine of keeping two spare 64-128 GB memory cards in the vehicle. If important event is recorded that day switch memory cards in vehicle and connect saved footage to card reader on computer for fastest download. I've been doing this for all my Dashcams for 4 years.

In my case, I am talking about just connecting to the VIOFO wifi. In majority of the cases - mission impossible.

 

[benjoon]

I'm having problems with my wifi too.

Rear cam - not connected
Phone - iphone 8s
Firmware - updated
using 12v cig lighter charger

my phone is about 1cm away from the dash cam I've been trying to play with the distance and it doesn't really make a difference because i'm inside the car when i'm trying to copy files over.

I've noticed that it takes over 6 min to copy over a 300mb file. ie. 3min file.

I've tried copying a file to the VIOFO app today on my iphone 8s and it told me that it was copied successfully but it wouldnt let me save it to my phone album.

I've tried playing a video on the a129 device using the VIOFO phone app and it plays fine till for a several seconds then freezes.

Is this normal to have problems like this?

 

[jeff000]

I've had a few problems connecting, but patience has fixed the issue every time. I use an iPhone sometimes, but mostly use an Android tablet. I'm up to connecting and the app working the first try 90% of the time. WiFi is so much easier to to scan the recordings than pulling the card every time.

When I turn the WiFi on on the Front Unit, I wait until the tablet sees the WiFi. Wait a few seconds and then connect. Connection happens almost immediately. Give it a few seconds then start the app. If there is a problem, quit the app then go to settings and 'Force Stop' the app then start the app again. If I don't 'Force Stop' the app, there's a 75% chance it will not work retrying it. So, patience is taking the time to go the extra step to force the app.

Once the app is up and running, sometimes it takes a moment to populate the playlist. It's never taken more than a few seconds. Maybe 10secs the longest.

Also, if you rename the WiFi, the password reverts to the default. I spent too much time doing everything, including using the 'Reset' button a few times trying to connect without luck. Used the default PW and it worked.

The transfer rate sucks. Everyone is right that it is quicker to transfer by computer.

 

[nav2004]

Never enable WiFi while driving, it throttles image quality bitrate to 8 Mbps. If vehicle has its own Cell or Data or GPS unit or other Dash Cams they will all cause interference. WiFi should only be enabled while parked to configure, view or download event footage.

Can someone from VIOFO confirm this image quality reduction if Wifi is ON. I don't recall reading it in User manual. Issue for me NOT having Wifi ON is the awkard position to get to the camera behind the rear view mirror to see if it has been recording. The 3 little LEDs below the screen are useless to infer anything. The buttons are also not backlit to understand anything. So for me, having the Wifi ON is the easiest way to control the camera.

That said, like others have said, in a week that I have had it, it has been unreliable. I have used 2.4 Ghz before and now using 5 Ghz. Just last night it would be stuck on the Wifi On logo on screen when I tried to turn it on. I then had to power the cam off, get it out of mount, use the cigarette lighter adaptor cable to plug it in while down to see if it works and it worked. Then had to mount it back to the GPS mount and power it back using the hardwire connector.

 

[Capture Your Action]

Can someone from VIOFO confirm this image quality reduction if Wifi is ON. I don't recall reading it in User manual. Issue for me NOT having Wifi ON is the awkard position to get to the camera behind the rear view mirror to see if it has been recording. The 3 little LEDs below the screen are useless to infer anything. The buttons are also not backlit to understand anything. So for me, having the Wifi ON is the easiest way to control the camera.

That said, like others have said, in a week that I have had it, it has been unreliable. I have used 2.4 Ghz before and now using 5 Ghz. Just last night it would be stuck on the Wifi On logo on screen when I tried to turn it on. I then had to power the cam off, get it out of mount, use the cigarette lighter adaptor cable to plug it in while down to see if it works and it worked. Then had to mount it back to the GPS mount and power it back using the hardwire connector.

Test for yourself. Turn WiFi on and record a few files, then turn WiFi off and record a few files. Compare the bitrate for each file and you will see that the files with WiFi on will have a bitrate of about half that of the files with WiFi off. This is done to keep the camera running cooler.

 

[nav2004]

Test for yourself. Turn WiFi on and record a few files, then turn WiFi off and record a few files. Compare the bitrate for each file and you will see that the files with WiFi on will have a bitrate of about half that of the files with WiFi off. This is done to keep the camera running cooler.

Is bit rate in the meta-data of the video file ? I don't see it on few files I downloaded on my Android. Might have to copy to a windows computer and check

 

[Capture Your Action]

Is bit rate in the meta-data of the video file ? I don't see it on few files I downloaded on my Android. Might have to copy to a windows computer and check

Yeah, probably need to view on computer.

 

[nav2004]

Yeah, probably need to view on computer.

So did a test.
Had heck of a time downloading the video file to my android. Even though was in the car next to dashcam and 5G Wifi On, it would not connect beyond the first time. After that no connection and even on first connect timed out trying to list the video files. Anyway, just now switched it to 2.4ghz and was able to connect and download.
Examined the files properties on a Windows computer and the Video bit rate was exactly like you said. Half when not using Wifi. Now what that translates into image quality, I could not tell when viewing both files.
File size also I cannot tell as unfortunately the NoWif clip was only 35 seconds while the WithWifi was the full 2 mins

NoWifi


WithWifi

 

[jeff000]

So did a test.
Had heck of a time downloading the video file to my android. Even though was in the car next to dashcam and 5G Wifi On, it would not connect beyond the first time. After that no connection and even on first connect timed out trying to list the video files. Anyway, just now switched it to 2.4ghz and was able to connect and download.
Examined the files properties on a Windows computer and the Video bit rate was exactly like you said. Half when not using Wifi. Now what that translates into image quality, I could not tell when viewing both files.
File size also I cannot tell as unfortunately the NoWif clip was only 35 seconds while the WithWifi was the full 2 mins

NoWifi
View attachment 497

WithWifi

View attachment 498

Thanks for doing this. I had changed the configuration quite a few times to get sample videos, but always forgot which ones so I could look at the properties. Now I don't have to keep kicking myself in the azz for forgetting to do it. You got proof and an example of it degrading.