I bought the viofo A229 Plus 1 channel and it’s working great with my cx30 GS, plug it in the usb A port and no issues. Decide to save some time and money and didn’t buy the rear camera.
https://preview.redd.it/atytfdt02u0g1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ac9bb70645c7cb02320392cf5fe9ef7c21f9ed0
FitcamX is great for OEM look and easiest install (front cam wise, rear cams are all the same), but it's behind the times on video quality in low light due to the sensor they use.
There are a lot of options in the price range. Viofo is one of the more popular options when it comes to how much you get for the money. If we look at a typical 2 Channel (fron/trear) setup, for just about the same money as FticamX (with consideration for adding SD Card and a mirror power harness to Viofo) you can get something like a Viofo A229 Plus which uses Sony Starvis 2 sensor that is vastly superior to the FitcamX sensor in low light, which is important for nighttime use. You will also get GPS, voice control/prompts and 5Ghz Wifi (instead of just 2.4Ghz) for faster data transfer. FitcamX has no parking mode option for recording when car is turned off, but that would be available in the Viofo if you opted for hardwire kit.
I know that the A229 Plus is only a 2K front cam, and FitcamX's has front 4K front camera options, butit's is not a real 4K camera. It'a a 2k sensor with software upscaling to 4K. I'll take the 2K Starvis 2 Sensor all day long over FitcamX's fake 4K sensor with worse low light. Also, the Viofo's rear cam is 2K vs 1080p in the FitcamX.
There's also the A229 1 Channel for less money and it can be expanded to a.2 Channel or 3 channel. Also the 119M Pro with 4K sensor,. For even less money ther eis the A119 Mini 2 The A119 mmodels are 1 channel only with no upgrade option to 2 channel.
The FitcamX gets its power off the mirror connector using a branch connector where you plug the mirror connector into the FitcamX harness and then it plugs into the mirror.
The exact same connectors are available for use with any other brand of dashcam from a [Domgar](https://www.amazon.com/Dongar-Dashcam-Compatible-Connects-Rearview/dp/B09RRSC9XF), [Hifihia](https://www.amazon.com/Hifihia-Compatible-Hyundai-Sportage-Telluride/dp/B0DJRHBW8Z/), and another of other brands that sell variations of the same base components, such as [YQMAJIM](https://www.amazon.com/YQMAJIM-Dashcam-Compatible-Sportage-Rearview/dp/B0DJ2NJGK6/), [Naponal](https://www.amazon.com/Naponal-Type-Connector-Auto-dimming-Rearview/dp/B0CSPDY7VS/), and [Gonifeto](https://www.amazon.com/Gonifeto-Detector-Compatible-Rearview-Detectors/dp/B0D1MK8XSV). There's even more of the same type of options like [mangoal](https://www.amazon.com/Dashcam-Telluride-Carnival-Connects-Rearview/dp/B0DBV8LRZP/) and [FtiDVR](https://www.amazon.com/FitDVR-Connects-Rearview-Protection-D3-014/dp/B0CQZ16527/).
Domgar is the most popular, and they specifically advertise on their website having fused output which is nice to have but not required for such a lower power draw device in my opinion. It was out of stock when I was doing my purchases and I opted for the Hifihia one, which I'm using now in 3 cars (2 Hyundai, 1 Ford) and it's built very well and works great. I also run radar detectors in two the cars and the Gonifeto would be my choice if I was starting all over again as it's 1 product to cover 2 devices. I already had mirror taps for both my radar detectors though, so I just used those to tap into the Hifihia harness.
Thus to answer your question directly: No, the Viofo (or any other brand) does not require running wires around. This assumes you only care about the front facing dash cam.
Note that if you have a desire for parking mode, which is ability for the camera to car when the vehicle is off, the mirror-based power method cannot be used, as it's switched accessory power. Using this mode requires hardwiring to the fuse panel, which would mean running a wire from there up to the mirror area.
If you want a rear facing dash cam, they *all* require running a cable from the front dash cam to the rear of the vehicle, including the FitcamX.
Lastly, if you determine you want to go all in with a 3 channel setup of front, rear, and interior, the FitcamX doesn't support 3 channels.
Anyway, I also love the FitcamX OEM integration aspect from an aesthetics standpoint and fully intended to go that route in my two vehicles where it's available. However, after I started doing more research and watched clips on YT, I decided I would rather have better quality video for my dollar.
All the links I provided are to a connectors that allows a Viofo (or any other brand) to get power in the exact same way the FitcamX does.
Popular mounting positions on the glass itself are behind the mirror, or on the passenger side immediately to the right of the mirror sound and up at the headliner.
Another option is on the mirror surround itself on the passenger side. The plastic is perfectly smooth so it's not as idea as the glass. I am using this currently, but I didn't do appropriate prep and it fell down after 4-5 hours in the direct sunlight when only 82F outside temp. The first time I did it I cleaned the plastic with alcohol, stuck on the mount, then attached the dashcam to the mount a couple minutes later. I'm re-doing it now where I cleaned with alcohol, then used an adhesion promoter pad I got on Amazon, then stuck on the mount. I am not going to put the dashcam on the mount until a full 24 hrs to allow time for the double sided tape to properly set and adhere.
It remains to be seen if that will still hold up, especially when ambient temp is in the high 90's. If not, I will just move it to the glass.
For just single channel front cam only, go with A119 Mini 2 if you are fine with 2K sensor, or A119M Pro for 4K sensor, $50 difference between the two at regular prices. Viofo also frequently puts their cameras on sale on Amazon, so if you are not in a rush, you can monitor for sales to get better deal. The A119M Pro has been down at $140 a few times a month since January, so probably be able to snag it at that price sometime over next couple of weeks.
Also, buy Viofo branded Micro SD card for their cams. The only other supported card is Samsung Max Endurance and they are not any cheaper.
FitcamX is great for OEM look and easiest install (front cam wise, rear cams are all the same), but it's behind the times on video quality in low light due to the sensor they use.
There are a lot of options in the price range. Viofo is one of the more popular options when it comes to how much you get for the money. If we look at a typical 2 Channel (fron/trear) setup, for just about the same money as FticamX (with consideration for adding SD Card and a mirror power harness to Viofo) you can get something like a Viofo A229 Plus which uses Sony Starvis 2 sensor that is vastly superior to the FitcamX sensor in low light, which is important for nighttime use. You will also get GPS, voice control/prompts and 5Ghz Wifi (instead of just 2.4Ghz) for faster data transfer. FitcamX has no parking mode option for recording when car is turned off, but that would be available in the Viofo if you opted for hardwire kit.
I know that the A229 Plus is only a 2K front cam, and FitcamX's has front 4K front camera options, butit's is not a real 4K camera. It'a a 2k sensor with software upscaling to 4K. I'll take the 2K Starvis 2 Sensor all day long over FitcamX's fake 4K sensor with worse low light. Also, the Viofo's rear cam is 2K vs 1080p in the FitcamX.
There's also the A229 1 Channel for less money and it can be expanded to a.2 Channel or 3 channel. Also the 119M Pro with 4K sensor,. For even less money ther eis the A119 Mini 2 The A119 mmodels are 1 channel only with no upgrade option to 2 channel.
The FitcamX gets its power off the mirror connector using a branch connector where you plug the mirror connector into the FitcamX harness and then it plugs into the mirror.
The exact same connectors are available for use with any other brand of dashcam from a [Domgar](https://www.amazon.com/Dongar-Dashcam-Compatible-Connects-Rearview/dp/B09RRSC9XF), [Hifihia](https://www.amazon.com/Hifihia-Compatible-Hyundai-Sportage-Telluride/dp/B0DJRHBW8Z/), and another of other brands that sell variations of the same base components, such as [YQMAJIM](https://www.amazon.com/YQMAJIM-Dashcam-Compatible-Sportage-Rearview/dp/B0DJ2NJGK6/), [Naponal](https://www.amazon.com/Naponal-Type-Connector-Auto-dimming-Rearview/dp/B0CSPDY7VS/), and [Gonifeto](https://www.amazon.com/Gonifeto-Detector-Compatible-Rearview-Detectors/dp/B0D1MK8XSV). There's even more of the same type of options like [mangoal](https://www.amazon.com/Dashcam-Telluride-Carnival-Connects-Rearview/dp/B0DBV8LRZP/) and [FtiDVR](https://www.amazon.com/FitDVR-Connects-Rearview-Protection-D3-014/dp/B0CQZ16527/).
Domgar is the most popular, and they specifically advertise on their website having fused output which is nice to have but not required for such a lower power draw device in my opinion. It was out of stock when I was doing my purchases and I opted for the Hifihia one, which I'm using now in 3 cars (2 Hyundai, 1 Ford) and it's built very well and works great. I also run radar detectors in two the cars and the Gonifeto would be my choice if I was starting all over again as it's 1 product to cover 2 devices. I already had mirror taps for both my radar detectors though, so I just used those to tap into the Hifihia harness.
Thus to answer your question directly: No, the Viofo (or any other brand) does not require running wires around. This assumes you only care about the front facing dash cam.
Note that if you have a desire for parking mode, which is ability for the camera to car when the vehicle is off, the mirror-based power method cannot be used, as it's switched accessory power. Using this mode requires hardwiring to the fuse panel, which would mean running a wire from there up to the mirror area.
If you want a rear facing dash cam, they *all* require running a cable from the front dash cam to the rear of the vehicle, including the FitcamX.
Lastly, if you determine you want to go all in with a 3 channel setup of front, rear, and interior, the FitcamX doesn't support 3 channels.
Anyway, I also love the FitcamX OEM integration aspect from an aesthetics standpoint and fully intended to go that route in my two vehicles where it's available. However, after I started doing more research and watched clips on YT, I decided I would rather have better quality video for my dollar.
I have been researching dashcams the past few days as I am going to be putting them in all 3 of my cars, two of which are Hyundai's that can use FitcamX (I just got an Ioniq 6 to replace my EV6).
The FitcamX 4K does not use a true 4K sensor. It uses a Galaxy Core GC4653 which is 2K sensor. They get 4K video from it by digitally upscaling the sensor output to 4K, which is not the same as a true 4K sensor. They state this sensor combined with their software/processing has better low light performance in the same than the Sony IMX415. which is the first gen Starvis sensor that is also a true 4K sensor
If you look at sensors in other dashcams, any midrange and up camera is using Sony Starvis 2 sensors, either IMX675 (2K) or IMX678 (8K). There are still some other sensors being used, but these are easily the most common to see, even in cameras under $200.
For reference, your BlackVue DR770X uses a 1080p Sony Starvis 1 sensor.
IMO, choosing FticamX over another brand is going to be a decision about OEM look relatively to best video quality.
Let's look at comparison, based on current Amazon pricing as of this post: FitcamX with front 4K/1080p rear, polarizing lens filters, and 128GB MicroSD card is $302. Viofo A229 Plus (2K front, 2K rear both Sony Starvis 2), polarizing lens filters and 128GB MicroSD Card is $275. The mirror passthrough harness is $30-43 depending on brand you choose, yielding the same spend as the FitcamX 4K/1080p package.
Yes, I realize this is not a 4K front sensor in the Viofo, but I find this is an appropriate comparison IMO given the FitcamX is digitally upscaled to 4K from a 2K sensor. Even outside of that, I am looking for an equivalent cost comparison.
* Cleanliness: Winner = FitcamX - FitcamX wins this every time, as they integrated the cam to the front mirror cover and it looks completely OEM. Any other dashcam is a separate unit you stick to your windshield near your mirror, an obvious aftermarket add-on.
* Ease of Install (front cam): Minor Advantage = FitcamX - FitcamX uses a mirror harness passthrough to get power (if you don't want to hardwire for parking mode). This same type of harness can be purchased on Amazon from at least 4 different brands, making the "how they connect to power" aspect equal. From the camera itself, the FitcamX replaces the mirror guy (snap off/snap on), no other cables to deal with as the cable to the camera from power is pre-wired in the cover. With other cams, you run a cable from the mirror harness output to the cam and tuck away the excess in headliner/mirror cover. That's slightly more effort and time.
* Ease of Install (rear cam): Winner = Tie - All multi-channel dashcams connect the rear camera the same way, with a cable run from the front camera.
* Video Quality: Winner = Viofo A229 Plus - The Starvis 2 sensors are superior sensors for low light and motion blur, no doubt about it.
As for me, I decide to not go with FitcamX on my two cars that have it as an option. While I really like the OEM look, having better quality is more important to me given the point of a dashcam is to have video evidence if an issue occurs. For same/similar dollars, I'll take better quality. I'm leaning towards Viofo A229 Pro 2CH at the moment which goes on sales on Amazon for $260 rather frequently (currently at that price as of me posting this)
That is debated a lot on the internet. One side says that a small diameter wire running in front of the side curtain airbag is going to have zero impact on deployment because of the amount of force involved when an airbag inflates.
The other side says it's not worth the potential for the airbag to not fully inflate to have the airbag force that wire into your head when it does inflate.
It is possible to to run the rear camera wire along the floor from front of car to trunk area, instead of running it along the entire side curtain airbag area in headliner. It's a little more work because you have to go down the A pillar and back up towards hatch in the rear, but all doable. This would avoid most of the side curtain airbag other than the A pillar.
You may want to watch some videos on YouTube in general about wiring the rear camera in these cars or even Ioniq 5 videos. You need to run the cable through the existing rubber sleeve that connects the hatch to the car body so that the camera can be mounted on the rear hatch glass. This is the most complex part.
I've been using a Viofo A229 Plus with a dongar power adapter to tie it into the mirror power cable and I'm very happy with the cam and ease of installation with the adapter
Viofo a229 plus if you live in a really hot area, Pro if you don’t need “ extra heat protection “ , they’re on SALE rn
They have front and back cam, parking mode is iffy from heat I hear depending on how u have it set
I’ve had mine for a year almost and I’ve had no issues, i love it and have caught crazy moments
Viofo, hanno anche un buon servizio clienti.
In generale consiglio di fare un giro sul forum di dashcamtalk (occhio rischi di uscire con più dubbi di prima).
Comunque “buono” ed “economico” fai fatica a farli stare bene assieme. Io per me ho preso una Viofo 329S che ho trovato un’ottima offerta sull’usato. Per mia moglie una Viofo A229 plus. Le ho pagate quasi lo stesso prezzo.
Ti suggerirei di puntare su qualcosa che abbia il sensore starvis 2. Registrazione 2k è più che sufficiente.
nfslink
