VIOFO A129 Pro Duo 4K

VIOFO A129 Pro Duo 4K

The A129 Pro Duo 4K is VIOFO’s first 4K camera, joining a handful of other 4K dash cams currently available. Released October 2019, the front camera records at 4K while the optional rear camera records at 1080p . The rear camera and cable is identical to the VIOFO A129 Duo so if you are upgrading from the A129 Duo, you will only need to purchase the front camera.

The A129 Pro Duo 4K is using the Novatek NT96685 processor and the Sony IMX317 Exmor R sensor for the front camera. This allows for 3840 x 2160p recording at 30fps with a bit rate of 60Mpbs. Video quality during the day is excellent and night quality is good. As of its release date, the A129 Pro has likely the best 4k video quality of any dash cam.

The rear uses the Sony IMX291 STARVIS sensor for the rear camera. This allows for 1920 x 1080p recording at 30fps with a bit rate of 16Mbps. This provides very good video quality during the day and good video quality at night.

The A129 Pro Duo is similar to other wedge shaped VIOFO cameras (A119 and A129 series) from a shape perspective. The A129 Pro is slightly bigger and heavier than the A129. The heavier weight is due to the inclusion of a heat sink in the camera to minimize heat related problems.

VIOFO A129 Pro Duo 4K Heat Sink
A129 Pro Heat Sink – From our member Nath

4K video requires more processing power and generates more heat. One of our members measured the temperature of the unit at 77°C while parked in a hot garage. Note that the camera has built-in overheat protection which will turn the camera off if it gets too hot at approximately 85°C , preventing any damage. The camera also does not allow the user to keep the display always on. This helps minimize heat as well.

The A129 Pro comes with a 2″ screen and WiFi (2.4 or 5 GHz). Choose the 5 GHz option for fastest transfer speeds. Optional items for the camera include a GPS mount, a CPL filter and a Bluetooth emergency lock button.

Review Contents show

Hidden H.265 Option

The default compression used for the A129 Pro is the common H.264 codec. However VIOFO has included a hidden H.265 HEVC codec option.

While video quality at the same bitrate is virtually the same using H.264 and H.265, file sizes are approximately 20% smaller when using the H.265 codec. However there are some drawbacks with H.265:

  1. Requires more processing power to view and edit
  2. May not be compatible with older computers and televisions

Typically H.265 generates more heat in the camera but the A129 avoids this by reducing the bitrate when using H.265 (52Mbps max with H.265 vs 60Mbps with H.264).

Since one of the primary purposes of a dash cam is to have video evidence of an event that you can provide to police or an insurance company, we recommend sticking with the more popular H.264 codec. Those video files are more compatible with older equipment which can minimize head aches when submitting to agencies that don’t have the equipment to view H.265 files.

That being said to access the hidden H.265 HEVC codec you will have to:

  1. Stop Recording by pressing the record button
  2. Long press the MIC button for 4 seconds
  3. When an SD card icon appears on the left side of the screen, H.265 is enabled

Error Warnings

The A129 Pro provides error warnings to let you know if there are any issues while you are recording such as SD card errors. The camera displays any error warnings on the screen and also beeps if there is an error (which is more useful for most users).

Parking Mode

Recently VIOFO has improved the parking mode capabilities on there latest cameras by including pre-buffered parking mode. The A129 Pro offers 3 parking modes if you hardwire the camera:

  1. Auto Event Detection / Buffered: When a moving objects is detected while parking, a video is recorded for 45 seconds (15 second before the event to 30 seconds after the event.
  2. Time Lapse Recording: Records at 1fps, 2fps, 3fps, 5fps, 10fps or 15fps. While parked, the camera will be always recording at the low fps but no audio is recorded.
  3. Low Bitrate Recording will always record when parked and audio is recorded

While VIOFO does a much better job for parking mode than other Chinese cameras, they are not at the same level as the Korean cameras (Blackvue, Thinkware, etc.). Many of the VIOFO complaints we see on our forum relate to parking mode issues.

The recommended hardwiring kit for the A129 Pro is the 3-wire VIOFO HK3 ACC hardwire kit.

Known problems

Double Beep and Missing Video

Numerous owners have complained about two rapid beeps when driving or in parking mode. The two beeps typically occurs when the camera is finalizing one video clip and stumbles to start a new clip. This has caused 5 second gaps in clips, clips being truncated or in the worst case entire video clips missing.

This problem is sometimes rectified by using a different MicroSD card in the camera. Some of the better cards to use are Samsung EVO Plus, Sandisk Extreme Pro or WD Purple (make sure to purchase from reputable sources and check it is not a fake card – many fake SD cards are for sale).

Note that the two rapid beeps is different than standard 3 slow beeps that notify you when the camera is saving an event to the RO folder. Also beeping as the camera transitions in and out of parking mode is normal.

Sample Videos

Day Video – Front

Day Video – Rear

Night Video – Front

Night Video – Rear

A129 Pro (top) vs A119 V3 (bottom)

Should I Purchase?

From a video quality perspective, the VIOFO A129 Pro 4K is quite impressive and in most situations, has better video than other 4K cameras available today. The rear camera video quality is good as well. The A129 Pro 4K also has many great features such as prebuffered parking mode, excellent build quality and discreet wedge shaped form factor. At approximately $250, price is very good compared to other 4k competitors.

Since this is VIOFO’s first 4K camera, there appear to be some initial issues with the camera (double beeping and lost video). If these are resolved with firmware updates, this camera will be an excellent buy if you are looking for the best video quality available.

See what other owners have to say about the A129 Pro on our forum.

Where to purchase for lowest price

While the A129 Pro Duo 4K sells on Amazon, the VIOFO official store on Aliexpress is sometimes cheaper or you can purchase direct from VIOFO.

Note: Links to vendors are affiliate links that support our website. Read our affiliate disclosure here.

Firmware

WARNING! MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR FIRMWARE ARE PERFORMED AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR DASH CAM AS A RESULT OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

Firmware Update Instructions

  1. Download the firmware file
  2. Unzip the FWA129P.bin file
  3. Copy the FWA129P.bin file directly onto the microSD card root directory, not in any folders (card must be in Fat32 format)
  4. Insert the microSD card into the camera and power it on via a 5V/1A power source. Do not use computers USB ports, they do not supply enough power.
  5. While upgrading, the front REC red LED starts blinking (the light blinks slowly at the beginning, then blinks quickly), when the lights stop blinking, the firmware upgrade is finished. The camera will restart and the firmware file will be deleted automatically.
  6. IMPORTANT!!  Now go into the menu and manually default your cameras settings.  Do not miss this step!

Latest Firmware

The latest firmware can be downloaded at the Viofo site or below:

Previous Firmware

User Manual

The English User Manual can be downloaded here.

Specifications

Detailed Specifications

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Camera Type Dual Channel
Form Factor Wedge
Country China
Processor Novatek NT96685
CMOS Front Sony Exmor R IMX317
CMOS Rear Sony STARVIS IMX291
Channels 2
Screen 2"
Touchscreen No
GPS Yes
G-Sensor Yes
Wi-Fi Yes
Parking Mode Buffered
Lock Files Auto or Button
Max Resolution Front 3840×2160p (4K)
Front Frames Per Second 30
Max Bitrate Front (Mbps) 60
Max Resolution Rear 1920×1080p
Rear Frames Per Second 30
Max Bitrate Rear (Mbps) 16
Video Format MP4
Compression H.264 or H.265
Diagonal Viewing Angle Front 140°
Diagonal Viewing Angle Rear 140°
SD Card Type MicroSD
Max Size (Spec) 256GB
Max Size (User) 512GB
Size Front (mm) 84 x 55 x 40
Size Rear (mm) 53 x 50 x 31
Mount Adhesive
Power Supply 5V
Operating Temp -10°C to 65°C
Battery Capacitor
Error Notification Audio and Screen
Swivel (To Record Side Windows) No
Apps Android, iOS
Cloud Connectivity No
Release Date Oct 2019
Warranty 18 months with registration
Unique Features 4K Front Camera
3 Parking Modes (Buffered, Timelapse, Low Bitrate)
Advantages Excellent video quality for dual camera
Discreet
Good support
Disadvantages Initial release issues (double beeping)
Final Word Best 4K video quality to date. If initial issues are resolved, this camera will be an excellent buy.

Published: Dec 28, 2019

VIOFO A129 Pro Duo 4K - DashCamTalk
VIOFO A129 Pro Duo

The VIOFO A129 Pro Duo 4K has the best 4K video quality to date. Does not perform the best at night and some owners have had issues.

Product SKU: VIOFO A129 Pro Duo 4K

Product Brand: VIOFO

Product Currency: USD

Product Price: 250

Price Valid Until: 2023-01-01

Product In-Stock: SoldOut

Editor's Rating:
7.5