Dongar PRO (Parking Mode Dash Cam Adapter) Development Updates

[SP4RUNNER]

Good to know. I will now wait till they fix the issue. Can’t stand high pitched noises.
What dash cam did you buy?

I purchased the REDTIGER Dash Cam Front Rear, 4K/2.5K Full HD Dash Model F7NP

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[RigidYota]

I ended up installing it to see what it’s like. I still hear the whining on and off depending on background noise. Not ideal. I have an a229 with rear camera so I can’t imagine how much more draw it would need.

Im also noticing it doesn’t seem to trigger parking mode correctly. It just stays on….
Parking mode is correctly set but it never switches or announces parking mode. I left my truck for a couple of hours and when I checked I just had back to back videos.

Reset the settings and same same. The a229 also announces when it switches to parking mode and it doesn’t anymore. Worked fine in my last vehicle with the normal hardwire kit.

Anyone else have this setup? Wondering if I’m missing something. Checked online for a while to no avail.

 

[Dongar]

@RigidYota thanks for the feedback re: the whine... I promise we'll get it fixed, we ordered the components and getting the PCBAs made asap. It was just not something we expected because it's very current dependent and we focused all our testing on high power. Just curious if you tried plugging in something like an iPhone cable in and if it goes away?

Re: Viofo, I found some threads of people having similar issues with the camera but confirm parking mode can activate on other constant-power source with 5 minutes of inactivity. The manufacturer is implying that it is extremely sensitive though. It might be Viofo's way of getting you to use their hardwire kits instead of the many alternatives of the market, but I'll look into it and see if I can figure out if they're doing something proprietary and add it to the next version.

Sources:

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/viofo-a229-duo-draining-battery-pack-very-quickly.49306/

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/parking-mode-without-hardwire-kit-or-dashcam-battery.51655/

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/cannot-activate-parking-mode-from-power-bank.51343/

 

[goin2drt]

I ended up installing it to see what it’s like. I still hear the whining on and off depending on background noise. Not ideal. I have an a229 with rear camera so I can’t imagine how much more draw it would need.

Im also noticing it doesn’t seem to trigger parking mode correctly. It just stays on….
Parking mode is correctly set but it never switches or announces parking mode. I left my truck for a couple of hours and when I checked I just had back to back videos.

Reset the settings and same same. The a229 also announces when it switches to parking mode and it doesn’t anymore. Worked fine in my last vehicle with the normal hardwire kit.

Anyone else have this setup? Wondering if I’m missing something. Checked online for a while to no avail.

@RigidYota thanks for the feedback re: the whine... I promise we'll get it fixed, we ordered the components and getting the PCBAs made asap. It was just not something we expected because it's very current dependent and we focused all our testing on high power. Just curious if you tried plugging in something like an iPhone cable in and if it goes away?

Re: Viofo, I found some threads of people having similar issues with the camera but confirm parking mode can activate on other constant-power source with 5 minutes of inactivity. The manufacturer is implying that it is extremely sensitive though. It might be Viofo's way of getting you to use their hardwire kits instead of the many alternatives of the market, but I'll look into it and see if I can figure out if they're doing something proprietary and add it to the next version.

Sources:

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/viofo-a229-duo-draining-battery-pack-very-quickly.49306/

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/parking-mode-without-hardwire-kit-or-dashcam-battery.51655/

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/cannot-activate-parking-mode-from-power-bank.51343/

I just installed the A229 Pro 2 channel. I am new to dashcams but not technology FYI.

I was parked for 10 days. I got ZERO recordings while parked. Attached are the settings I had on the dashcam. I am not hearing any whining sound but haven't really been trying. I also have my Dongar module behind the plastic piece to hide it.

I obviously need to do some playing around. I installed it right before vacation. Sadly enough someone drove by my truck in a planter and I really wanted to see the video but no luck.

 

[RigidYota]

I just installed the A229 Pro 2 channel. I am new to dashcams but not technology FYI.

I was parked for 10 days. I got ZERO recordings while parked. Attached are the settings I had on the dashcam. I am not hearing any whining sound but haven't really been trying. I also have my Dongar module behind the plastic piece to hide it.

I obviously need to do some playing around. I installed it right before vacation. Sadly enough someone drove by my truck in a planter and I really wanted to see the video but no luck.

what setting do you have on the dongar? Could it be on ign or maybe the timed one that just records straight for 4 hours and stops? Even the continuous would shut off at some point to protect the battery in 10 days. Especially if it just keeps running non stop it would eat the battery quicker than proper parking mode.

it seems the dongar doesn’t engage proper parking mode on these cams so those settings wouldn’t trigger. It sounds like a very similar issue to what I’m dealing with.

I still need to read through those links shared by dongar support to me in this thread but I’m a bit bummed for now. Maybe my misunderstanding but now I’m in a corner trying to figure out my next move.

 

[goin2drt]

what setting do you have on the dongar? Could it be on ign or maybe the timed one that just records straight for 4 hours and stops? Even the continuous would shut off at some point to protect the battery in 10 days. Especially if it just keeps running non stop it would eat the battery quicker than proper parking mode.

it seems the dongar doesn’t engage proper parking mode on these cams so those settings wouldn’t trigger. It sounds like a very similar issue to what I’m dealing with.

I still need to read through those links shared by dongar support to me in this thread but I’m a bit bummed for now. Maybe my misunderstanding but now I’m in a corner trying to figure out my next move.

I will check dongar setting tomorrow. I thought it was in the parking mode one. I check once I parked and did not get anything. Even when I go to the recordings section in the dashcam to review videos and you click “parking” tab there are no videos. I am sure I am doing something wrong.

 

[goin2drt]

This was my setting for the Dongar. Again I did not get any parking videos.
Not sure what I am doing wrong.

 

[Dongar]

@goin2drt do you mean it was not recording at all while parked?

It appears there's confusion about what functionality the Dongar PRO is responsible for versus the dashcam. The Dongar PRO simply provides power while the vehicle is off, just like the majority of hardwire kits on the market. That's it. Parking mode is implemented differently by each dashcam manufacturer and triggered using a variety of methods: some use accelerometers, some timers, some use visual motion, some even use radar (like Nextbase iQ and Thinkware). In the Viofo's case, it appears they use a proprietary method to trigger the dashcam's parking mode and hence why they 'recommend' you use their hardwire kit. Otherwise with any other hardwire wiring method (using other brand hardwire kits, external batteries, OBD adapter, etc) your dashcam will still record full quality video when parked. They do say in various places that your dashcam should still enter parking mode after 5 minutes regardless of what brand of hardwire kit you use, but they admit its unreliable.

 

[goin2drt]

@goin2drt do you mean it was not recording at all while parked?

It appears there's confusion about what functionality the Dongar PRO is responsible for versus the dashcam. The Dongar PRO simply provides power while the vehicle is off, just like the majority of hardwire kits on the market. That's it. Parking mode is implemented differently by each dashcam manufacturer and triggered using a variety of methods: some use accelerometers, some timers, some use visual motion, some even use radar (like Nextbase iQ and Thinkware). In the Viofo's case, it appears they use a proprietary method to trigger the dashcam's parking mode and hence why they 'recommend' you use their hardwire kit. Otherwise with any other hardwire wiring method (using other brand hardwire kits, external batteries, OBD adapter, etc) your dashcam will still record full quality video when parked. They do say in various places that your dashcam should still enter parking mode after 5 minutes regardless of what brand of hardwire kit you use, but they admit its unreliable.

Correct. In 10 days it did not record one single video. One absolute should have happened as my truck was bombarded with mud by some ahole driving right next to the truck on a muddy sidewalk putting mud all over the side like I just went mudding. I wanted to check the video and there was nothing. This was also at an airport parking lot so I can only assume it would have caught at least one video of someone walking by.

 

[Dongar]

@goin2drt Does the dashcam stay on when the vehicle is off?

 

[Dongar]

@goin2drt is it recording footage when you're driving?

 

[goin2drt]

@goin2drt Does the dashcam stay on when the vehicle is off?

yes lights are on the cam.

@goin2drt is it recording footage when you're driving

yes it records when driving

 

[Dongar]

@goin2drt so there should be footage while the truck was parked. When parked, it would operate the same way it does when driving. The PRO adapter is simply a powered (data-less) USB port that stays on. In the 'T' setting you have it in, it's on a 4hr timer so you should see 4hr worth of recorded footage from when you first parked at the airport.

 

[goin2drt]

@goin2drt so there should be footage while the truck was parked. When parked, it would operate the same way it does when driving. The PRO adapter is simply a powered (data-less) USB port that stays on. In the 'T' setting you have it in, it's on a 4hr timer so you should see 4hr worth of recorded footage from when you first parked at the airport.

At this point there is no video while at the airport so I can only assume it has been erased and recorded over.

I will try again later when I go to run an errand and see if it records while parked.

I guess then a complete side question if/when I get the camera to work.

So with the Dongar AND in the T setting you are saying it will only record constantly for 4 hours after parked then shut off. If I am at the airport for a day. After the 4 hours someone bumps my truck, breaks in etc then there will be no footage. Isn't that then counter intuitive to have bought a camera that offers "parking mode" in which as I understand it that means the camera is actually off (not using power) until it senses a bump or impact or movement and then it starts recording.

I guess I am confused.

 

[bluecrush.taco]

At this point there is no video while at the airport so I can only assume it has been erased and recorded over.

I will try again later when I go to run an errand and see if it records while parked.

I guess then a complete side question if/when I get the camera to work.

So with the Dongar AND in the T setting you are saying it will only record constantly for 4 hours after parked then shut off. If I am at the airport for a day. After the 4 hours someone bumps my truck, breaks in etc then there will be no footage. Isn't that then counter intuitive to have bought a camera that offers "parking mode" in which as I understand it that means the camera is actually off (not using power) until it senses a bump or impact or movement and then it starts recording.

I guess I am confused.

I guess that's what "Continuous" mode (the middle position on the switch) is for. Theoretically, that mode will allow infinite time of power, up until the low voltage sensor triggers and turns off the adapter. I'm guessing whether the camera is "on" or "off" during that time and how much power is drawing is dependent on the camera itself.

I'm not sure why your dash cam isn't staying powered on to record as normal at the very least. Unless it did for the first 4 hours then turned off because you had the adapter in Timed mode.

My problem is that I can't get my Viofo A229 Pro to activate parking mode. I've set it to a couple of different parking modes but it just won't activate. I thought the dash cam would activate parking mode automatically based on GPS or movement but it's not. Instead, it records like normal in 4k+2k (front and rear) as if I'm driving. That's gonna use up so much of my memory card.

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