How To Make a VIOFO OBD2 Adaptor

[safedrivesolutions]

I show you how to make your own VIOFO OBD2 cable

 

[rcg530]

That's a great way to power a VIOFO dash camera with an OBD-II power connection.

 

[Panzer Platform]

Right on Ben,
Excellent work.

You lost me at 4:43 in the video.
When the car is shut off shouldn’t the camera instantly switch into parking mode since you hooked up all three wires from the Viofo Hardware Kit, (Battery Power, ACC Power, Ground)?

1.) Will this work on cars 1995, and older?
2.) Will this work on cars 1996-2007?
3.) Will this work on cars 2008, and newer?

Oh yeah, this video would get more views if you posted it in the Hardwiring & Batteries thread.
If you want to move it just ask DashCamMan.
-Chuck

 

[safedrivesolutions]

@DashCamMan
I guess what @Panzer Platform said. If it makes sense to move it. Feel Free to.

Right on Ben,
Excellent work.

You lost me at 4:43 in the video.
When the car is shut off shouldn’t the camera instantly switch into parking mode since you hooked up all three wires from the Viofo Hardware Kit, (Battery Power, ACC Power, Ground)?

1.) Will this work on cars 1995, and older?
2.) Will this work on cars 1996-2007?
3.) Will this work on cars 2008, and newer?

I was trying to solidify that information. It was quite a pain in the ass to find that out which surprised me. Seeing OBD2 is supposed to be a standard

 

[Nigel]

Edit: See rcg530's post below for the IROAD OBD-II power adapter specific behaviour...

When the car is shut off shouldn’t the camera instantly switch into parking mode since you hooked up all three wires from the Viofo Hardware Kit, (Battery Power, ACC Power, Ground)?

The OBD stays active until it has finished with cleaning up the emissions to comply with regulations, takes around 4 minutes, probably depending on the vehicle. This connector isn't clever enough to tell if the engine is running or not, just if it is active or not.

1.) Will this work on cars 1995, and older?
2.) Will this work on cars 1996-2007?
3.) Will this work on cars 2008, and newer?

It is going to depend on country and type of engine, diesel engine regulations changed at different times to petroleum.

 

[rcg530]

Right on Ben,
Excellent work.

You lost me at 4:43 in the video.
When the car is shut off shouldn’t the camera instantly switch into parking mode since you hooked up all three wires from the Viofo Hardware Kit, (Battery Power, ACC Power, Ground)?

1.) Will this work on cars 1995, and older?
2.) Will this work on cars 1996-2007?
3.) Will this work on cars 2008, and newer?

The info in my post about the IROAD OBD-II power adapter might be helpful. The IROAD OBD-II power adapter uses a motion (or should I say motionless) based strategy to turn off the accessory power. See the "Parking Mode Conditions" in my list.

The answers to #2 & #3 are yes and yes. The IROAD OBD-II power adapter only has two pins 4 (ground) and 16 (power). There's no monitoring of any of the vehicle's various data busses present in the data link connector.

I believe the answer to #1 is it depends. If the vehicle's data link connector has the same shape as the OBD-II data link connector and has power present on pin 16 and a ground on pin 4 then it should work.

Copied from my thread: IROAD OBD-II Power Cable

Observed Behavior

• Mode Switch
  • S = Parking Mode Off
    • When parking mode conditions are met, the accessory and constant power will be turned off
  • P = Parking Mode On
    • When parking mode conditions are met, the accessory power will be turned off and the constant power will remain on
• Power Levels / Triggering Events
  • Not Plugged Into OBD-II Data Link Connector => Plugged In
    • Accessory power and constant power are turned on
  • Parking Mode Conditions
    • Enter Parking Mode
      • Vehicle is stationary for 5 minutes & vehicle system voltage (pin 16) is below 13.5 volts
        • Accessory power is turned off
      • Vehicle system voltage is 13.5 volts or higher
        • If the vehicle system voltage remains at or above 13.5 volts, the accessory power will remain on no matter how long the vehicle is stationary
    • Exit Parking Mode
      • Vehicle begins moving & vehicle system voltage is between 11.2 volts and 13.49 volts
        • Accessory power is turned on
      • Vehicle is remains stationary but the vehicle system voltage rises to 13.5 volts or higher
        • Accessory power is turned on
    • Low Voltage Cutoff - While In Parking Mode
      • ** Note **
        • Since 12-volt power is being provided to the dash camera, the dash camera's internal low voltage cutoff feature can be used to shutdown the dash camera based on the user selected voltage level in the firmware settings of the dash camera.
        • This section is simply documenting the IROAD OBD-II power cable's internal low voltage cutoff feature as mentioned in the product's quick start guide.
      • Vehicle system voltage goes below 11.2 volts for at least 2 minutes
        • Constant power is turned off
      • Vehicle system voltage is below 11.2 volts but rises to at least 11.2 volts
        • Constant power is turned on, but accessory power remains off until the vehicle moves or the vehicle system voltage reaches 13.5 volts.

 

[Panzer Platform]

The OBD stays active until it has finished with cleaning up the emissions to comply with regulations, takes around 4 minutes, probably depending on the vehicle. This connector isn't clever enough to tell if the engine is running or not, just if it is active or not.

Nigel.
Nigel.
Nigel.
In the history of DCT this is the most false & misleading thing you have ever typed.
I don't even know where to start. lol

 

[Agie]

I show you how to make your own VIOFO OBD2 cable

Very informative video thank you for this

 

[Dashmellow]

In the history of DCT this is the most false & misleading thing you have ever typed.

You've only been here for a little over a year now. Those of us who have been here for about a decade or so know that your statement doesn't quite capture the real truth of the matter. There have been some real doozies.

 

[Agie]

You've only been here for a little over a year now. Those of us who have been here for about a decade or so know that your statement doesn't quite capture the real truth of the matter. There have been some real doozies.

There's another one in the making now with his AV1 Codec thread he started LoL

 

[viofo]

We are working on the OBD cable now, it can be released before 2024.

 

[Panzer Platform]

We are working on the OBD cable now, it can be released before 2024.

Hooray!
How will it trigger parking mode?
Will it monitor CAN BUS activity, or system voltage?
I have a 2004 car (non-CAN BUS).
And a 2010 car (with CAN BUS) for testing.

Whatever happen to the prototype Hardwire Kit with a selection to disable Low Voltage Cut Off for use with dash cam battery packs?

 

[ly-70mai]

How much charging voltage and current can OBD provide to the battery pack?

 

[Nigel]

How much charging voltage and current can OBD provide to the battery pack?

It provides battery/alternator voltage.

As for current, it is rated at 48W, so for Amps divide by 12 or 24 depending on battery voltage, but I'm not sure I would trust all cars to comply with that if used continuously every day.

That is a slow charge for a dashcam powerbank.

 

[viofo]

Hooray!
How will it trigger parking mode?
Will it monitor CAN BUS activity, or system voltage?
I have a 2004 car (non-CAN BUS).
And a 2010 car (with CAN BUS) for testing.

Whatever happen to the prototype Hardwire Kit with a selection to disable Low Voltage Cut Off for use with dash cam battery packs?

It monitors the voltage.

We made a sample that disabled the low-voltage protection, forgot to send it to you.

 

[Agie]

It monitors the voltage.

We made a sample that disabled the low-voltage protection, forgot to send it to you.

I love the convenience of OBD, very much looking forward to this

 

[Panzer Platform]

It monitors the voltage.

Do you mean the Voltage on PIN 16?
Or the Voltage on the CAN BUS Pins?

We made a sample that disabled the low-voltage protection, forgot to send it to you.

I've been looking forward to testing that so see how long it will extend parking mode operation.

Also.
By any chance do you have the 1 Meter short cable for the A229 Pro & A229 Plus REAR camera ready?
I really need / want two (2) of those to mount the REAR camera on the same window as the FRONT camera without coiling up the standard 6 Meter cable in the headliner.

 

[rcg530]

It monitors the voltage.

If it bases its decision on when to turn on/off the dash camera accessory power by vehicle's system voltage alone, that could be a problem for many cars that have the ECM/PCM control the alternator voltage output voltage level based on the amount of load on the system and the charge level of the battery. My dash camera test vehicle (2014 Chevrolet Caprice), can have its system voltage level all the way down to 12.4 volts while driving based on the charge level of the battery and the load on the system.

When I tested the IROAD OBD-II power cable, it had a combination of conditions that must be met to turn on/off the dash camera accessory power. It monitored the vehicle voltage level, but it also detected when the vehicle was in motion. The combination of those inputs allowed it to work in my car.

My DashCamTalk Thread: IROAD OBD-II Power Cable

 

[tmanch]

rcg530.......Im just reading your testing using the Iroad OBD cable for Thinkware. Fantastic reading. I just installed a TW Q1000 to my '23 Audi S5 using the TW OBD power cable and notice an anomaly. My car will be parked in the garage overnight and the cam should be totally shut off. Then I receive a notice from TW Connected app saying my car is in "Driving Status" then in a minute it is in "Parking mode." This is happening w/o turning the car on and no one in the car. I suspect the car is activating something that turns the camera on. Sure enough, I look thru the windows w/o opening a door and some lights on the camera are ON. Since the TW OBD cable has pins that appear to connect to the Canbus, this must be the reason my cam turns on. Have you heard of this happening? Will this Iroad cable be a better alternative since there are only 2 pins in it? TIA.

 

[rcg530]

rcg530.......Im just reading your testing using the Iroad OBD cable for Thinkware. Fantastic reading. I just installed a TW Q1000 to my '23 Audi S5 using the TW OBD power cable and notice an anomaly. My car will be parked in the garage overnight and the cam should be totally shut off. Then I receive a notice from TW Connected app saying my car is in "Driving Status" then in a minute it is in "Parking mode." This is happening w/o turning the car on and no one in the car. I suspect the car is activating something that turns the camera on. Sure enough, I look thru the windows w/o opening a door and some lights on the camera are ON. Since the TW OBD cable has pins that appear to connect to the Canbus, this must be the reason my cam turns on. Have you heard of this happening? Will this Iroad cable be a better alternative since there are only 2 pins in it? TIA.

I tested the Thinkware OBD-II cable with the U3000. It would exit parking mode and return to continuous recording mode when I would open my car's trunk lid or latch/unlatch any of the car's doors. I created a video of my testing the Thinkware OBD-II TOC-300 power cable while I monitor car's CANBUS activity. I suspect the TOC-300 is detecting some CANBUS or other activity via the connection to the OBD-II data link connector and that's why your Q1000 is exiting and re-entering parking mode while parked.

I tested the IROAD OBD-II power cable. It relies on voltage level checks and motion of the vehicle to determine when the accessory power is turned on/off.

If you haven't read my thread on the IROAD OBD-II power cable, please check out the following thread:

IROAD OBD-II Power Cable

I'm testing a Thinkware OBD-II power cable and it appears to use the CANBUS signals on OBD-II data link connector pins 6 & 14. It was suggested I get the IROAD OBD-II Power Cable (JW-100) to see how it behaves. @BlackboxMyCar was kind enough to send me one of the IROAD OBD-II power cables...

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