The New 2K QHD Dual-Channel Dash Cam from VIOFO
VIOFO A129 Plus Duo In-Depth Review
The VIOFO A129 Plus Duo is the latest 2K QHD dual-channel dash cam system from VIOFO. It is designed to fill the gap between the A129 Duo and the A129 Pro Duo, and it is built specifically for those looking for something more than the A129's Full HD but does not require 4K recording of the A129 Pro.
A bridge between the A129 Duo and the A129 Pro Duo?
The VIOFO A129 Plus Duo is designed to fill the gap between the A129 Duo and the A129 Pro Duo, offering 2K QHD recording in the front and Full HD 1080p from the rear camera with the option to switch between 60FPS and 30FPS. Day time and night time video quality is excellent thanks to the 5MP Sony STARVIS image sensor in the front camera and the 2MP Sony STARVIS image sensor in the rear camera.
Just like all the other VIOFO dash cams, the A129 Plus Duo is equipped with a 2.0" high-definition screen, a user-friendly button interface and an external GPS antenna that is built into the adhesive mount.
Key Features
- 2K QHD at 60FPS, 30FPS
- 140° Wide-Angle Lens
- 5MP Sony STARVIS image sensors
- Super Night Vision
- Dual camera chipset
- 2" high-definition screen
- Built-in WiFi
- VIOFO App Viewer
- GPS logger included
Pros
✓ Dual-channel (front & rear) coverage
✓ Option to upgrade to 2K QHD @60FPS
✓ Built-in WiFi
✓ User-friendly design
✓ Option to use built-in screen or app
Cons
❌ Not 4K UHD
Discover all the specs and features of the A129 Plus Duo.
Our Video Review
Image Quality & Recording Capabilities
The A129 Plus sports the same 5MP Sony STARVIS image sensor and processor as the A119 V3, giving you clear 2K QHD images in all light situations, day and night. But unlike the A119 V3, the A129 Plus comes with the option to tag on a rear camera for a comprehensive front-and-rear dual-channel system. The rear camera records in 1080p Full HD. When used as a dual-channel system, both front and rear camera record at 30 frames per second.
With the latest firmware update, you can unlock 2K QHD recording at 60FPS and 2K QHD+ at 60FPS. The result is fluid-smooth recordings that captures critical details even your vehicle is traveling at high speed.
Yes, it’s not 4K. But the A129 Plus was never designed to compete with the A129 Pro 4K UHD dash cam. It is intended to fill the gap between Full HD (A129) and 4K UHD (A129 Pro).
In terms of viewing angle, the A129 Plus offers a wider field of view than the A129 or the A129 Pro, at 140° field of view.
But just like the A129 Pro, the A129 Plus gives you multiple bitrate settings as well as the option to use the H.265 video codec in addition to the standard H.264. With H.265, you are able to fit more 2K QHD videos on the same microSD card, ensuring longer coverage so you don't miss a thing.
Note that the H.265 encoding is a hidden mode in the A129 Plus Duo. To enable it, you will need to stop recording and then hold the MIC button; you will then see the SD card icon on the left side of the screen.
Upgraded version of the A129 Duo?
The obvious difference is the video quality. The VIOFO A129 Plus Duo gives you 2K QHD video recording whereas the A129 only gives you 1080p Full HD. This is all because the A129 Plus comes better image sensors.
Other differences between the two models include:
1) Options to upgrade video recording - the A129 Plus gives you the option to upgrade the frame rate, bitrate and the video encoding codec
2) Rear camera with its own chipset - so the A129 Plus front camera doesn't have to work as hard
Parking Surveillance
The VIOFO A129 Plus Duo offers Parking Recording with motion and impact detection. When we tested the A129 Plus Duo's parking mode capabilities, we found the results virtually the same as those of our A129 Pro Duo parking mode test, with the exception of Buffered Parking Recording. In other words, the feature is pretty solid but if you are looking for buffered parking recording, you won't find that in the A129 Plus or Plus Duo.
Is It Heat Resistant?
One of the common concerns that some users have with VIOFO dash cams is the issue of overheating. We are aware that some dash cams do tend to heat up quite a bit, though not affecting the regular operation of the dash cam itself. But we understand that not everyone wants a toasty dash cam at the end of their drive.
Although we have yet to test the VIOFO A129 Plus Duo in a Beat the Heat experiment, we tested the A129 Pro and we were quite surprised to find that the A129 Pro was pretty heat-resistant. We expect the A129 Plus to be the same if not better in terms of heat resistance because the A129 Plus Duo rear camera has its own chipset and does its own video recording and encoding. What this means is, the main unit (front camera) now doesn't need to work as hard and will generate less heat and making it less likely to overheat.
GPS Built-in Mount
The VIOFO A129 Plus Duo and A129 Plus available on BlackboxMyCar comes with the external GPS module. With the GPS, you can record your speed and route data in your video footage files. The GPS will also synchronize the A129 Plus' clock with the GPS time so that your video files can be correctly time-stamped.
Connecting to the Dash Cam
Just like the A129 and A129 Pro, the VIOFO A129 Plus Duo is a WiFi dash cam and with the additional 2.4GHz frequency, you can get faster data rates at shorter distances, making it perfect if you need to download multiple footage files when you’re home.
To connect to dash cam, you will need the VIOFO mobile viewer app, which is available free on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Using the mobile viewer app, you can get real-time video preview, download and travel data right on your smartphone. Alternatively, you can use the 2” HD LCD screen for easy setup and video playback. This LCD screen is the same as the one on the A129 or A119.
The A129 Plus does not offer any Cloud capabilities.
Can I Use the Same Cables If I'm Upgrading?
The rear camera of the VIOFO A129 Plus Duo comes with its own chipset and does its own encoding of the recordings which means, the front camera does not come with the hardware to process the rear camera feed. And because the rear cameras of the A129 Duo and A129 Pro Duo relies on the front camera, you will not be able to pair the A129 Plus front camera with the them.
Also, because of the way the front and rear camera works in the A129 Plus Duo, the connecting cables will also be different from the ones used in the A129 Duo and the A129 Pro Duo.
In other words, if you are looking to upgrade from the A129 Duo, you will need to replace the entire setup, from cameras down to the connecting wires.
The A129 Plus Duo is perfect:
✔ If you are looking for something more than Full HD but don't need 4K
✔ You prefer the option of both screen and smartphone app
✔ You do not need a Cloud-ready dash cam
✔ You are looking for a reliable, heat-resistant dash cam
Common Customer Questions & Recommendations
We would like to end this follow-up review with several customer questions and feedback.
1) Does the A129 Plus Duo come with a suction cup mount?
No, the A129 Plus does not come with a suction cup mount. Instead, you will get the adhesive mount with the built-in GPS.
Note that the suction cup mount for the VIOFO A119 V3 is not compatible with the A129 Plus.
2) Is there a way for the A129 Plus Duo to record in 2K QHD at 60FPS when paired with a rear camera?
You might have seen some VIOFO A129 Plus Duo reviews on YouTube where the A129 Plus Duo is capable of 2K QHD at 60FPS and Full HD at 30FPS simultaneously. Unfortunately, many of those review videos were made with the first release of A129 Plus Duo "Testing" unit, and since then, VIOFO has removed that recording option from the official product.
However, it appears that the new VIOFO firmware update addresses this and unlocks the option to record in 2K QHD @ 60FPS when used in a dual-channel setup. We are currently investigating this and will have an update shortly. Thank you for your patience.
3) What is the difference between the Non-eMMC and the eMMC version of the A129 Plus Duo?
The VIOFO A129 Plus Duo and A129 Plus available on BlackboxMyCar is the non-eMMC version.
eMMC stands for embedded Multi Media Card, which is basically a memory card that’s built into the dash cam. In other words, instead of relying on an external microSD card, your footage clips are stored on the internal storage card. The A129 Plus eMMC model comes with a built-in 16GB memory space.
The non-eMMC version means you need to use a microSD card to record your drive. So, please make sure you pick up a microSD card at checkout!