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The Viofo A229 Pro is a top-of-the-line dash cam offering exceptional image clarity and full vehicle coverage (thanks to front- and rear-facing cameras). Beyond image quality, this camera doesn’t have any stand-out features, but it excels at every basic dash cam function.
ProsConsExcellent video qualityVoice control features don’t always work wellExcellent customer serviceEasy to set up and useSimple app
Consider choosing this dash cam if you need front and rear recording, want something that is easy to set up and operate, and are looking for the best possible image clarity. You might pick a different dash cam if you’re hoping for additional features or a more robust app experience.
Viofo A229 Pro Specs
Cost: $300 – $330
Resolution: 4K
Frame Rate: 30 fps
Camera(s): Forward-facing, rear-facing, cabin interior (optional)
Features: Voice control, smartphone pairing, GPS, parking mode (event detection)
Viofo A229 Pro Installation And Handling
As with virtually every dash cam you’ll find on the market, you’ll also need to purchase a microSD card to operate the Viofo A229 Pro. Good MicroSD card options can be found for an additional $40 to $50.
Setting up and installing this dash cam is straightforward. Some people choose to have their dash cams professionally installed. If you don’t want to spend an hour to properly set up this dash cam, that may be a good choice, but it certainly isn’t necessary. From a technical standpoint, installing the A229 Pro dash cam is not complicated. You may want to hire a professional if you plan to hardwire the camera into your vehicle battery, otherwise you can power it through your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet or a USB port.
Everything necessary for installing this dash cam (including tucking the wires into the trim) is included with the kit. Our only complaint when it comes to installation is the adhesive mount. This mount is stable and works well. Once attached, the Viofo A229 Pro is not going to fall. However, it’s very difficult to reposition the camera, so make sure you choose the perfect spot on your first try.
The A229 Pro begins recording automatically once it’s powered. Footage is saved to the microSD card. Once the memory on your card is full, the camera automatically records over the oldest footage. You can save footage (so i won’t be recorded over) with a voice command or the push of a button.
While the voice commands generally work, they don’t work seamlessly. We found we often had to repeat commands a few times before they were recognized. We haven’t noticed any customer reviews complaining about this feature though, so it’s possible that a unique quality about the tester’s voice made it difficult for the camera to interpret.
Viofo App
If you have a computer, you can access recorded footage directly from the microSD card. You can also download footage straight to your phone through the Viofo App over wifi. This process is significantly slower, but unless you’re trying to download a lot of footage at once, it’s unlikely to be an issue.
The app is very basic, but this also makes it easy to use. It’s not filled with large menus so it only takes a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the features. The settings menu allows users to adjust a number of options such as bitrate, framerate, resolution, parking sensor sensitivity, and loop recording duration.
Some smartphone apps request location privileges, which is somewhat annoying and unnecessary. However, the Viofo App does not request any unnecessary privileges, only for photo, video, and audio.
Viofo A229 Pro Video Quality
The Viofo A229 Pro stands out when it comes to video quality. Not only does the forward-facing camera record at 4K resolution, but the advanced Sony Starvis 2 image sensor provides optimal clarity beyond what most other 4K cameras are able to offer.
Daytime Video
Viofo A229 Pro daytime video quality is among the best we’ve seen. License plate details can be discerned from 50 feet away and the overall clarity is high on the default settings. Rear video quality is not as good as the front video (only recording in 2K), but still provides excellent daytime video clarity.
Nighttime Video
We were impressed with the A229 Pro’s nighttime video quality. Except for infrared cameras, this is among the best nighttime cameras that we’ve tested. There exist cameras able to capture sharp, clear, nighttime video, but this technology is not used in dash cams since it would likely be too expensive to be practical.
For a camera in this price range, the nighttime video quality of the A229 can’t be beat. The image below is taken in an extremely low-light situation with virtually no streetlights, while offering a clarity that some dash cams don’t achieve during the day.
That said, you may still have difficulty discerning license plate details in low-light situations.
Viofo A229 Pro Reviews
The Viofo A229 Pro has over 90 Amazon ratings with an average score of 4.4 stars out of 5.0. Our table shows a breakdown of the general sentiment expressed in all of the written reviews:
Review MentionsNumber Of ReviewsExcellent image quality26Easy to install and operate14Excellent value3Too expensive3Poor app experience3Received defective product2
There are not many reviews for the A229 Pro that mention Viofo customer service. In reviews for other Viofo products (such as the A229 Plus), there are many comments about fast and reliable Viofo customer support.
Viofo A229 Pro: 9.0 out of 10.0
The Viofo A229 Pro is a good pick for those looking for the best possible video clarity. We found the video quality to be among the best compared to other dash cams we’ve tested. A large number of Amazon reviewers also praise the camera for its impressive video clarity (both at day and during the night).
Video Clarity10Usability9Features8Overall9
This dash cam doesn’t attempt anything novel, featuring a simple-yet-functional app and few features that no other dash cams have. The A229 Pro’s design is also a little dated and larger than some other options. That said, it functions at a high level, doing the simple things right and stands out when it comes to the most important aspect of a dash cam: video clarity.
Our Dash Cam Testing Process
To test dash cams, we try to install and use each camera as a typical customer would. We open the package, inspect the components, and set up the dash cam according to the given directions. After installing a camera, we take it out for a test drive both during the day and at night. Footage is collected and scrutinized for clarity.
Each camera we test is given a rating (out of 10) for video clarity, usability, and features.
Video Clarity
Our video clarity rating is based on how well fine details can be made out when reviewing dash cam footage. To receive the highest scores in this category, a dash cam should capture enough detail that license plate details can be viewed on distant vehicles.
Few dash cams offer excellent nighttime clarity, but those that do score very well in this category.
Usability
Our usability rating is based on how easy or difficult it is to set up and operate a dash camera. We consider the installation process as well as what it takes to operate the camera. Cameras that allow you to quickly and simply access footage score best in this category.
We also give higher usability scores to cameras that allow you to fine-tune more of the device’s settings such as loop recording duration, exposure settings, framerate, bitrate, and resolution.
Features
Our features rating is based on the dash cam’s functions beyond simply recording the road. This includes functions like parking sensors, GPS, and voice controls. Cameras that include not only the standard dash cam features but also uncommon useful extras score best in this category. Cameras also score well in this category if their standard features outshine the typical dash cam in performance.
Original article: Viofo A229 Pro Review
