VIOFO A129 Plus Duo User Manual

Customer Service

• 12-month Limited warranty, Lifetime technical support
• Email: support@viofo.com
• Website: www.facebook.com/viofo.world
• Phone: +86 755 8526 8909 (CN)
• Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm

Copyright (c) 2020, Viofo Ltd, All rights reserved.

Product Overview

Standard Items

The following items are included in the package:

• Front Camera
• Car Charger Adapter
• 4M Car Charger USB Cable
• USB Data Cable (Note: For connecting to a computer for file transfer or firmware upgrade, not for charging.)
• Spare mount sticky pads
• Clips
• Trim Removal Tool

Optional Accessory

The following accessories are available separately:

• Rear camera
• GPS module
• Rear Camera Cable
• Bluetooth Control
• CPL (Circular Polarizing Lens)
• HK3 Hardwire Kits

Product Diagram

1) Front Camera

Key components:

• USB Power Port
• Mount
• Lens
• Rear Camera USB Port
• AV Out
• Power In / microSD Card Reader Mode (computer)
• Menu / Power On | Off [Menu button]
• Recording On | Off / Menu Up [Record/Menu Up button]
• Video Protect / Playback / Menu Confirm [Playback/Confirm button]
• Microphone On | Off / Menu Down [Microphone/Menu Down button]
• Live Video Source / Wi-Fi On | Off [Wi-Fi button]

Bottom/Side View:

• Reset Button
• Memory Card Slot
• Microphone
• REC [Record button]
• Wi-Fi [Wi-Fi button]
• MIC [Microphone button]
• /Quad HD

2) Rear Camera (Optional)

Key components:

• Lens
• Power In + Video Out

3) Bluetooth Remote Control (Optional)

Key components:

• Transmit Indicator
• Video Lock Button

Inserting / Removing the memory card

Inserting the memory card

Push the memory card into the card slot until you hear a click, with the card label facing forward (away from the screen).

Removing the memory card

Ensure that the camera is turned off / not recording, and then push the edge of the memory card with your fingernail. The card will spring out far enough to be removed.

Formatting the card

Format the card using the 'Format' option in the Dash Camera 'System settings' menu. This prepares the card for first use. Formatting will permanently erase all data on the micro SD card. For best performance, format periodically (after backing up any important files).

LED Indicators

Buttons and Icons

Standby Mode (Not Recording)

Recording Mode

Playlist Mode

Setting Menu Mode

Installation

Front camera installation

1. Insert the clips, then slide the mount horizontally into the slot on the back of the camera.
2. Select a location on the windshield rear of the rear-view mirror.
3. Wipe clean the installation surface of the windscreen with a dry cloth; it must be grease-free for the sticky pad to stick firmly.
4. Peel the protection film off the sticky pad and camera lens.
5. Fix the front camera on the selected location.
6. Adjust the lens angle:
   • Look at the live view on the LCD.
   • Adjust the angle of the lens up / down if necessary.

Rear camera installation

1. Select an installation location on the windscreen, without defrost grid wires, and where the camera can record the entire rear view.
2. Wipe clean the installation surface of the windscreen with a dry cloth.
3. Peel the protection film off the sticky pad and camera lens.
4. Fix the rear camera on the selected location.

Cable Connection

1) Connecting to Power

Plug the USB power adapter into your vehicle's 12V / 24V female power socket. Insert the 4M USB cable's male port into the camera's mount USB port.

2) Connecting with Rear Camera

Power off the product and connect the rear camera cable to the front camera (main unit). Cable routing should be as shown in the following diagrams. Use the cable clips to help fix the two cables conveniently and safely.

Tips

1. Do not install/mount the camera in a location that interferes with the driver's visibility and safety.
2. Install/mount the camera close to the rearview mirror so that both sides of the scene being recorded are equally covered by the camera's FOV (field of view).
3. To ensure a clear view on rainy days, the lens should be positioned within the windshield wiper's sweeping range.
4. Do not install/mount the camera on or near airbag panels.
5. Installation/mounting location should not be affected by sun control film (window tint). There should not be any other electronic equipment close to the camera for optimal performance.

Display Overview

The display shows:

• Recording Mode
• Recording Time
• Video Resolution (e.g., 1440P30, 1080P60)
• Recording Status
• Emergency Lock [Lock icon]
• Microphone [Microphone icon]
• Wi-Fi [Wi-Fi icon]
• SD Card [SD card icon]
• Date and Time (e.g., 2020/07/28 08:26:15)

Operation

Power On / Off

1. When you start the engine, the camera will turn on and begin recording automatically.
2. When you turn off the engine or unplug the charging cable from the power adapter, the camera will stop recording and turn off.
3. Long press the [Menu button] (☰) to power on or off the camera.

Loop Recording

Insert a micro SD card into the camera's card slot. Automatic loop recording will begin once the camera detects power.

1. Time frame for each video file can be set to 1, 2, 3, 5, or 10 minutes.
2. When there is insufficient space on the Micro SD card, loop recording will automatically overwrite the oldest files (one by one).
3. Loop recording files are saved to the SD card in the folder: \DCIM\MOVIE\.

Emergency Recording

1. Automatic emergency recording

When the G-sensor is activated by a collision, the current footage will be locked automatically to avoid being overwritten by loop recording.

2. Manual emergency recording

Press the [Lock button] (!) during recording to lock the current file. Once locked, the file will not be overwritten by the loop recording feature.

Playback Videos

1. Under standby mode (not recording), press the [Playlist button] (!) to enter the playlist.
2. Use the [Left arrow button] (REC) and [Right arrow button] (MIC) to select the desired video, and press the [Play/Pause button] (!) to play.
3. Press the [Exit button] (☰) to exit.

Motion Detection

If turned ON, the camera will start recording upon detecting any movement within its field of view (FOV). If no movement is detected for 60 seconds, it will stop recording and return to 'Motion-Detection' mode. Recording will resume if new movement is detected.

PC Mode

1. Connect the camera to a computer using the included short Mini USB cable.
2. The camera will automatically turn on, and "microSD Card Reader Mode" will be displayed on its LCD screen.
3. The computer will detect it as a "removable disk".
4. There will be two folders under the DCIM folder:
   • Movie (loop recording video files) - Contains subfolder: RO (Protected / Locked video files)
   • Photo (Video snapshot files)
5. Copy the needed files to your computer drive.

Operation (Continued)

View on a TV

The camera has an AV out port for connecting an external display such as a monitor or TV. Note that a 3.5mm male to 3 RCA AUX cable is not supplied.

PIP Mode

There are four modes for live preview on the A129 LCD screen and via Wi-Fi when the rear camera is attached.

Mute

During a private conversation, pressing the [Microphone button] (MIC I►) will mute the audio (disable the microphone).

Firmware Upgrade

Follow the instructions on the VIOFO support website to upgrade the firmware: https://support.viofo.com/support/solutions/19000101567

System Settings

You can set the product features according to your needs and preferences using the camera buttons or the VIOFO app. To enter the menu settings, please stop recording first.

Video Settings

• Resolution: Setting video resolution of footage recorded.
  • Front camera only: 2560*1440P 60fps, 2560 * 1440P 30fps, 1920*1080P 60fps, 1920*1080P 30fps
  • Front + Rear Camera: 2560 * 1440P 30fps + 1920 * 1080P 30fps, 1920 * 1080P 60fps + 1920 * 1080P 30fps
• Bitrate: You can set the bitrate for video. High bitrate may improve the quality and smoothness of the video, especially when recording fast motion or high contrast scenes. Using high bitrate mode may decrease the amount of recording time available on your memory card. Using low bitrate will save space and record for longer time.
• Live Video Source: Front camera / Rear camera / PIP mode 1 / PIP mode 2.
• Loop Recording: Off / 1 / 2 / 3 / 5 / 10 minutes. Recording will begin automatically after powering on with a micro SD card in the device. Each recorded file is up to three minutes long, with old footage being replaced when micro SD card storage is full.
• WDR (Wide Dynamic Range): Dynamic range is the ratio of the brightest portion of the image to the darkest portion of the image. WDR images can record and represent a greater range of luminance levels than can be achieved using more traditional methods.

Advanced Settings

• Exposure: Adjusting the value of the EV (Exposure Value) properly can create better footage under different light sources. It ranges from -2.0 to +2.0. You can adjust the EV for front and rear camera separately. Default is set at 0.0.
• Parking Mode: There are 3 options under parking mode:
  1. Auto Event Detection: The camera will automatically record for 1 minute while a moving object is detected while the car is parked and will stop recording if no new movement.
  2. Time Lapse recording: Records video at low frames (1 / 2 / 3 / 5 / 10 / 15 fps), continuously without audio.
  3. Low Bitrate Recording: Records video in low bitrate (4MB/s) for both front and rear, continuously in mini file size with audio recorded.

• Enter Parking Mode Timer: Set the timer for entering parking mode.
• Parking Recording Timer: Set the parking recording duration.
• Time-lapse Recording: Record video from frames captured at specific time intervals to conserve memory and reduce review time. The default is off.
• Motion Detection: When activated, the camera will start recording if there is movement in front of the camera. Once the camera does not detect movement for 60 seconds, it stops recording and returns to "Motion Detection" mode. The camera will record again upon detecting a new movement.

Connectivity and Data Settings

• GPS: Turn on/off GPS logger. A GPS module is used to include location data in recorded videos. If disabled, your camera will no longer measure speed and position, nor synchronize time/date. (Only available when connected with GPS signal). Use "Dashcam Viewer" to playback videos and visualize position and speed on your computer.
• Speed Unit: Kilometer per hour (KMH) and miles per hour (MPH) are available.
• G-Sensor: Measures shock forces and locks the video recorded at the time. Settings from "low to high" determine the force needed to lock the file from being overwritten. Setting it to low is recommended.
• Wi-Fi: Set On/Off. Press the [Wi-Fi button] (?️) for 3 or 5 seconds to enable Wi-Fi quickly. Choosing 5GHz Wi-Fi mode is recommended.
• Date Stamp: Imprint the time and date on the recorded video.
• GPS Info Stamp: Imprint the GPS information on the recorded video.
• Camera Model Stamp: Imprint the camera model on the recorded video.
• Record Audio: Turn the microphone on and off. This can also be changed during recording by pressing the [Microphone button] (MIC I►).
• Screen Saver: The screen goes black by default after 3 minutes while recording. This can be set by adjusting different time intervals in the menu.
• Boot delay: The camera will boot seconds later when powered on. Settings are Off / 5s / 10s.

System and Display Settings

• Date / Time: Set system date/time.
• Time Zone: Set the current time zone for GPS time and date calibration.

  Note: The time zone must be manually adjusted for daylight savings.

• Language: Set the on-screen display to English, Traditional Chinese, French, etc.
• Beep Sound: Turn all notification sounds On/Off.
• Frequency: Set to minimize flickering and banding in the recorded video.
• Image Rotation: Turn the screen upside down. Fits both front and rear cameras.
• Rear Camera Mirror: Can make the image of the rear camera be displayed and recorded as reversed compared to the actual view. Can be set On/Off.
• Format: This operation will delete all data on the Micro SD card.

  Note: Once you format the card, all information will be deleted and unrecoverable. Make sure to back up all files needed before formatting.

• Format Warning: Set the number of days between format warnings.
• Default Setting: Restore device to factory settings.
• Car Number: Imprint the car number on the recorded video.
• Custom Text Stamp: Imprint customized text on the recorded video.
• Firmware Version: Check the current firmware version of the camera.

Review and Control on Smartphone

The VIOFO app allows remote camera control via a smartphone. Features include full camera control, live preview, playback, and video recording. While Wi-Fi is enabled, the camera can only be controlled by the VIOFO app.

Turn on the Wi-Fi in the menu or long press the [Wi-Fi button] (?️). When Wi-Fi is on, a Wi-Fi status icon and the password appear on the camera LCD screen.

Connecting the camera to a smartphone

• Search "VIOFO" on the Google Play Store (Android) or Apple App Store (iOS). You can also scan the QR codes below to download the APP.
• Download and install the VIOFO APP.
• Run the VIOFO APP.
• Turn on the Wi-Fi in the menu or long press the [Wi-Fi button] (?️).
• On the VIOFO app, follow the app instructions to connect with the camera.

Install Optional Accessories

Bluetooth Remote Control

The Bluetooth remote control (Optional), mounted in a convenient location on your dashboard, allows you to safely protect important videos from being overwritten without taking your eyes off the road. Pressing the Bluetooth remote will lock the current video file and take a video snapshot.

Pairing with dash camera

• Power on the camera.
• Press and hold the video lock button on the remote control for 3 seconds to pair with the camera.
• If paired successfully, the LED indicator of the remote turns blue.

CPL (Circular Polarizing Lens)

The CPL (Circular Polarizing Lens, optional) can be used to reduce reflections and glare from the window glass and road surfaces that can otherwise damage image quality. It works similarly to polarized sunglasses, resulting in more saturated and beautiful video.

Notice

FCC Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio / TV technician for help.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference. (2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Shenzhen Viofo Technology Co.,Ltd, declares that this Radio Frequency peripheral is in compliance with the essential requirements and other relevant provisions of Directive 1999/5/EC.