[Dashcam] Viofo A139 Pro 1/2/3CH HDR

[timc3]

Yeah, I was worried about the warranty.

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[Speuk]

A few pics from unboxing... Good to see it is all black as some online images show a grey panel.

It will be a few days before I install.... just too cold atm. The left hand fuse panel (UK passenger side) in the footwell has very few fuses in rows B and C so plenty of empty to tap. (It is a RHD car so it is the fuse panel that does not have the emergency connector)

 

[tchavei]

A few pics from unboxing... Good to see it is all black as some online images show a grey panel.

It will be a few days before I install.... just too cold atm. The left hand fuse panel (UK passenger side) in the footwell has very few fuses in rows B and C so plenty of empty to tap. (It is a RHD car so it is the fuse panel that does not have the emergency connector)

Looks great!

Really looking forward to follow your install, especially the A pillar ?

I was told to put the cam over or as close as possible to the dotted area to avoid potential GPS signal issues. Really curious how you will mount it. I think RHD owners have clearly an advantage here.

Now man up, put a coat on and go mount that thing tonight ??

 

[Hirschaj]

Really looking forward to follow your install, especially the A pillar ?

That damn A pillar trim. ?

 

[tchavei]

That damn A pillar trim. ?

Yeah. Apparently no one has been able to remove it. I guess being able to lift it enough to pass the cable and keep it hidden is already a victory.

 

[Hirschaj]

Yeah. Apparently no one has been able to remove it. I guess being able to lift it enough to pass the cable and keep it hidden is already a victory.

I’m a member of the “tried and failed” club.

 

[Speuk]

Looking at the installation instructions for the Porsche Dashcam if you zoom in on the sketch it shows the A pillar cover removed.

 

[Speuk]

Part 1 install today....
First job was to test the cameras by powering from 12v socket in central arm rest.
I have installed the power cable and hardwired to passenger side fusebox (left side... RHD car)
Installed the rear camera cable which is 6m long x 2.7mm dia by routing down the A pillar, behind the fusebox and then along the door cills and up the side of the rear seats and the behind the speaker trim panel and into the roof lining then through the rubber tube into the rear hatch. All very straightforward
I failed at getting the A pillar trim completely off but managed to unclipped the top which allowed me to get my fingers down the rear edge and creat about a 3cm gap. I fed both power and rear camera cable behind the air bag and up to the front roof lining tucking both under the front edge.
I used a long cable tidy to fish the rear cable through the rubber tube to the hatch and beyond. The 6m cable is the perfect length with about 300 mm to spare.
Tomorrow's job is to remove the adhesive mounts from the temp dashcam mounts and mount front and rear cameras.
Ground connection was made behind side dash trim by add a m8 nut to existing stud. See the thread on Blackvue 900 install for deatiled pics.
A few pics below.....

 

[tchavei]

Part 1 install today....
First job was to test the cameras by powering from 12v socket in central arm rest.
I have installed the power cable and hardwired to passenger side fusebox (left side... RHD car)
Installed the rear camera cable which is 6m long x 2.7mm dia by routing down the A pillar, behind the fusebox and then along the door cills and up the side of the rear seats and the behind the speaker trim panel and into the roof lining then through the rubber tube into the rear hatch. All very straightforward
I failed at getting the A pillar trim completely off but managed to unclipped the top which allowed me to get my fingers down the rear edge and creat about a 3cm gap. I fed both power and rear camera cable behind the air bag and up to the front roof lining tucking both under the front edge.
I used a long cable tidy to fish the rear cable through the rubber tube to the hatch and beyond. The 6m cable is the perfect length with about 300 mm to spare.
Tomorrow's job is to remove the adhesive mounts from the temp dashcam mounts and mount front and rear cameras.
Ground connection was made behind side dash trim by add a m8 nut to existing stud. See the thread on Blackvue 900 install for deatiled pics.
A few pics below.....

Yay! Those are great news! Thank you so much for the initial report. I'm saving all your pics and explanations.

So you managed to pull the cables behind the airbags nevertheless? Excellent news.

Regarding the cam position. In your picture, one can barely see any dotted area in your windshield? Is it from the picture angle or does your car have a reduced dotted area?

Did you test the cam's GPS reception in that position?

Thank you!

 

[Speuk]

Yay! Those are great news! Thank you so much for the initial report. I'm saving all your pics and explanations.

So you managed to pull the cables behind the airbags nevertheless? Excellent news.

Regarding the cam position. In your picture, one can barely see any dotted area in your windshield? Is it from the picture angle or does your car have a reduced dotted area?

Did you test the cam's GPS reception in that position?

Thank you!

Yes, I started with both cables loose and pushed them into the A pillar about 150mm from the top... between air bag securing points so had max gap behind air bag... bit of a fiddle grabbing them the other side of air bag, it would have been much easier if I'd managed to completely remove the cover. Then just pulled them through until I had enough cable to get to the mirror and down to dashcam plus some spare for good measure.
I have the standard black dots.... so just camera angle. Yes GPS fixed OK in that position.
I'll take a few more photos tomorrow showing route of rear cable from behind rear seat up and along to rear speaker cover. Speaker cover comes off really easily, just insert a plastic trim tool under lower edge next to hatch rubber seal until you can get your fingers under it and pull it off. Routing cable from front foot well to rear cargo area takes about 30 seconds it tucks under the cills and trim really easily by compressing the carpet.

 

[tchavei]

For the first time in my life I'm slightly jealous of rhd cars... ? They definitely should make the a139 with left or right camera placement.

 

[Speuk]

Finished the install today, I'm really pleased with it and easier than expected.
A couple of things to note.........
The power lead has a ferrite ring about 100mm from the camera connection so I ended up removing the large plastic panel behind the mirror and running both power and rear camera cables through this. Easy to remove just slide away from mirror towards windscreen. There is a video on the FitcamX installation thread showing how to remove this on an Audi.
I had to pull some more cable through to do this so had to release A pillar cover again... tip if you remove the dashboard end panel (where I made the ground connection it makes it much easier to route cable from bottom of A pillar to fuse box.

A few pics below.... from the drivers seat the camera is completely hidden... sorry to all you LHD guys! I have also taken a pic from the passenger seat ( drivers seat on LHD) with mirror adjusted as if I was driving to give you an idea of how it will look on a LHD car. I could probably move the camera 1cm to the right if mounting for LHD.
I have also included a pic showing the route of the cable behind the rear seats upto the headlining marked in yellow.

 

[tchavei]

Finished the install today, I'm really pleased with it and easier than expected.
A couple of things to note.........
The power lead has a ferrite ring about 100mm from the camera connection so I ended up removing the large plastic panel behind the mirror and running both power and rear camera cables through this. Easy to remove just slide away from mirror towards windscreen. There is a video on the FitcamX installation thread showing how to remove this on an Audi.
I had to pull some more cable through to do this so had to release A pillar cover again... tip if you remove the dashboard end panel (where I made the ground connection it makes it much easier to route cable from bottom of A pillar to fuse box.

A few pics below.... from the drivers seat the camera is completely hidden... sorry to all you LHD guys! I have also taken a pic from the passenger seat ( drivers seat on LHD) with mirror adjusted as if I was driving to give you an idea of how it will look on a LHD car. I could probably move the camera 1cm to the right if mounting for LHD.
I have also included a pic showing the route of the cable behind the rear seats upto the headlining marked in yellow.

Awesome. Really nice of you for letting us know how you did it. It looks great.

Regarding us LHD... I think I'll have to test the dashcam position before deciding how to fixate it. I would prefer having it on the right side and higher but the camera will be then a bit off center. Not sure if it affects the recording of objects coming from the left.
You solution looks great and is something I might have to consider if the above test fails miserably. Tucking the camera just below where the plastic assembly ends and on the right side of the mirror could work. Not sure.

Will you be using parking mode?

By my rudimentary math, you should be good for about 60h until either the software kicks in to recharge the 12V battery for the first time or something glitches out and you're left stranded. In my personal scenario and planning the taycan to be by daily ride, it should never happen except during the one or two holidays a year I take.

 

[Speuk]

Awesome. Really nice of you for letting us know how you did it. It looks great.

Regarding us LHD... I think I'll have to test the dashcam position before deciding how to fixate it. I would prefer having it on the right side and higher but the camera will be then a bit off center. Not sure if it affects the recording of objects coming from the left.
You solution looks great and is something I might have to consider if the above test fails miserably. Tucking the camera just below where the plastic assembly ends and on the right side of the mirror could work. Not sure.

Will you be using parking mode?

By my rudimentary math, you should be good for about 60h until either the software kicks in to recharge the 12V battery for the first time or something glitches out and you're left stranded. In my personal scenario and planning the taycan to be by daily ride, it should never happen except during the one or two holidays a year I take.

I think you will be fine mounting on your passenger side.
I have parking mode turned off atm but will use it occasionally when parked on the road. I've set yhe cut off voltage at 12.4v which is the highest available. I'll probably add a timer (in the app) to switch off parking mode after a few hours

 

[tchavei]

I think you will be fine mounting on your passenger side.
I have parking mode turned off atm but will use it occasionally when parked on the road. I've set yhe cut off voltage at 12.4v which is the highest available. I'll probably add a timer (in the app) to switch off parking mode after a few hours

Yes. It makes sense for you. Mine will be on the street most of the time. It's safer for break-ins but much more exposed to door dings and old ladies (or not so old men) to back into you and flee. I intend to leave the dascam in parking mode all the time. I can't legally use the footage but there are tiny loopholes in the law that can work in my favour.

One question. How flexible is the cable that goes to the rear camera?

Would this be possible?

I have an idea which I think would look very tidy but would require that cable to be able to be bent that way in the conjuction with the HK4 wiring kit... An alternative would be to reverse the cable ie the angled side into the forward cam and the strait connector into the back.

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