After six years on the same Aukey dashcams, I moved up to the VIOFO A229 Plus: dual 2K STARVIS 2 sensors, 60FPS, and GPS built into the mount. Here is the full install, the real-world footage against my old camera, and whether it earns the upgrade.
Coming off six years of Aukey dashcams, the A229 Plus is a clear step up. The dual STARVIS 2 sensors deliver cleaner 2K footage day and night, 60FPS is genuinely smooth, and GPS is baked right into the mount. Two catches worth budgeting for: the glare-killing CPL filter and a microSD card are both sold separately, and you will want both.
Verdict: a worthy upgradeI have been running the same Aukey dashcams since 2019, and they have been absolute tanks. My Aukey DR02 and DRS2 both survived brutal Southern summers, freezing winters, and years of baking in the sun. The problem is that Aukey does not even make dashcams anymore. No updates, no support, no new models.
So after six years, it was finally time for an upgrade. I wanted better image quality, faster transfers, and no more ancient USB mini-B cables. That is where the VIOFO A229 Plus comes in. This is the full story: installing it, testing it side by side against my old Aukey, and deciding whether it is a worthy successor to my old workhorse.
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VIOFO A229 Plus
Dual STARVIS 2 sensors, 2K front and rear, 60FPS with HDR off, built-in GPS and 5GHz Wi-Fi: the exact camera behind every clip and test in this article.
One of the main reasons I went with this dashcam is the Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor, released in mid-2022. It is a 5.12-megapixel, high-dynamic-range chip that records 2K 1440p at up to 60FPS, but only with HDR off. Turn HDR on and it drops to 30FPS. We will get to whether that trade-off is worth it later.
The GPS module is built right into the mount, so there is no extra antenna to stick on the glass, which I appreciate. You also get 5GHz Wi-Fi for faster transfers to the VIOFO app, plus voice controls, assuming they work.
Storage tops out at a 512GB microSD, which is not included. You will want at least a Class 10 or UHS-1 card. I stick with Samsung Pro and SanDisk Extreme cards for all my camera work.
Let's see what you actually get. First there is a semi-transparent diagram sheet for, well, reasons. Then the two cameras, which we will get to in a moment. Underneath is a surprisingly well-written user manual with no weird translations, plus a ziplock bag with replacement adhesive pads, three windshield static stickers, a warranty card, and a theft-warning sticker that practically says, "please steal my brand-new dashcam."
In the lower compartment, you will find:
The main unit feels genuinely premium. Power comes in through the removable GPS module, which lets you detach the camera without pulling off the adhesive. There are two extra camera ports: a USB-C on the left and a proprietary barrel connector next to the microSD slot. The kit includes one remote camera, but if you want a third to serve as an interior camera, you will need a proprietary barrel-to-USB-C cable that VIOFO only sells on their website, something Reddit users are understandably annoyed about. If you would rather have more coverage out of the box than piece together a third channel, I also tested the 4-channel Botslab G980H, which ships with an interior camera in the kit.
The remote camera rotates a full 360°, though it does not have the same locking mechanism as the main unit. Hopefully it holds its position over time.
VIOFO did not include cable clips, something my old Aukey dashcams always came with. You can get five from VIOFO's site, which is blatantly overpriced, or grab a 20-pack on Amazon for a fraction of that. That is the better deal, though you probably do not need 20.
I also picked up the optional circular polarizing filter for the main lens to cut down on glare and reflections. This is another thing that really should be included on a dashcam at this price. Installing it is simple: line up the white marks on the camera and filter, then slide it on snug. We will see how much it helps later. Find the CPL filter on Amazon.
First, clean your windshield. This is where you decide whether to use the static stickers: they make removal easier and protect tint, but they can lose grip in extreme heat. Since I am in the South where summers are brutal, I am skipping them.
I started by sticking the GPS module on first, then sliding the camera into place. In my 2023 Corolla hatch, I positioned it just to the right of the sensor cluster behind the rear-view mirror, mostly out of the driver's line of sight. I also like that VIOFO used black VHB tape; it blends in far better than the gray tape on my old Aukey.
Plug in the power cable. This is where I wish the main cable had a straight plug instead of a right-angle one, since it needs to go straight up into the headliner anyway. From here, tuck the cable along the windshield under the headliner, then down the A-pillar. I used one of my leftover Aukey cable clips near the bottom of the A-pillar, but you can also tuck it into the trim, though that is a bit tricky without clips.
For the next steps it is easier to remove the glove box to reach behind it. In most cars you can unclip the spring shock on one side, then press the sides inward until the stoppers clear the dash panel and it pops right out. I ran the cable down behind the weather stripping in the door jamb, under the side of the dash panel, and into the space behind the glove box, then across and behind another panel so it exits underneath.
Since my 12-volt outlet is in the center-console armrest, I tucked the cable behind the panel next to the passenger seat and routed it into the compartment with the outlet. Plug in the adapter, connect the cable, reinstall the glove box, and you are done. If your outlet is on the dash instead, you can simply tuck any extra slack behind the glove box.
To install the rear camera, plug the cable into the left side of the main unit. This is where the right-angle plug is actually useful. VIOFO recommends routing the rear cable along the driver's side, but I prefer running it the same way as the power cable to keep the wires out of my view. It is a little tighter tucking two cables in some spots, and this is where extra cable ties would have been nice for a cleaner look.
I followed the same path down to the footwell, tucked the cable under the kick panel all the way to the back, then up behind the rear seat cushion. With my hatchback, I had to leave enough slack so the hatch can open without pulling on the cable. I mounted the rear camera at the top of the window, positioned between the rear defroster lines so they do not obstruct the view, then used a clip to guide the cable to the side with just enough slack for smooth hatch movement.
With everything installed, it is time to fire up the dashcam for the first time. The initial setup is simple: pick your language, accidentally set the wrong timezone because you forgot your offset from GMT, choose your speed units, and format the SD card. I also went into the menus to confirm both cameras were set to 2K resolution, HDR was enabled, and to browse a few other settings.
By default the clip length is only 1 minute. You will want to bump that up to 10 minutes, otherwise a 15-minute drive gives you 30 separate files: 15 from the front and 15 from the rear camera.
One thing that took me way too long to figure out: to re-enter the menu you have to stop recording first by pressing the record button, then hit the menu button. If you try to open it while recording, the camera just takes a still photo. It would have been nice if the manual made that clearer.
Let's get to the footage. I tried to cover as many real-world conditions as possible: midday sun, early mornings, nighttime, harsh light, and even rain. I kept the Aukey DRS2 installed alongside the VIOFO A229 so I could do direct, side-by-side comparisons and really see where the improvements are. I am also putting together a separate companion video that is nothing but raw footage across a variety of lighting conditions and settings, so you can see exactly what they look like.
Right away, the A229 Plus makes a strong case for itself. The colors are rich and natural, the dynamic range is excellent, and HDR really helps balance bright skies and deep shadows at the same time. I like the clean on-screen overlay with speed and GPS coordinates, though I could do without the oversized VIOFO logo.
For a license-plate clarity test I set up an old plate and measured out millimeter-perfect 5-foot intervals:
Against the Aukey at the same distances, the VIOFO is an upgrade. Not massive, but definitely noticeable. Running the same test at night, the plate stays clear up to about 15 feet and gets too soft to read reliably beyond that. Still, compared to the Aukey, the VIOFO holds sharper detail and better contrast in low light.
At night the A229 is noticeably cleaner than the Aukey, with less noise and better overall clarity. On darker, moonless nights there is only so much any dashcam can do, but other cars and reflective highway signs still come through clearly and remain legible. After more than a month of testing, going back to the Aukey footage makes the difference obvious: the older camera looks duller, softer, and noisier, and its bright areas, especially headlights, streetlights, and midday skies, blow out completely.
The rear camera records at the same 2K resolution as the main unit, so image quality is very similar, with good detail, vibrant color, and solid dynamic range. That said, with a hatchback, keeping the rear glass clean is a constant battle. Dust, road grime, and water spots cut into clarity, so the footage is not quite as pristine as the front camera. In clear conditions, though, it is impressive and matches the front cam.
If there is one upgrade you need with this dashcam, it is the circular polarizing filter. Without it, dashboard reflections in bright sunlight are terrible: they wash out the image and undo much of what the STARVIS 2 sensor brings to the table. It is disappointing that VIOFO does not include it, but the difference is night and day. In side-by-side shots, glare is drastically reduced, and license plates stay readable even in tough, high-glare scenes.
If there is one upgrade this dashcam needs, it is the CPL filter. The difference is night and day.
Switching HDR off to push the frame rate up to 60FPS made rewatching footage from the roads in the North Georgia mountains noticeably smoother. Colors are still vibrant, and even without HDR the sky did not get washed out.
I am not entirely sold on HDR yet. While it helps in certain lighting situations, it is inconsistent and sometimes introduces processing artifacts. Rather than give a half-formed verdict here, I ran a full analysis in a dedicated deep dive on why I turn HDR off on this dashcam, which walks through the ghosting, the frame-rate trade-off, and the night-time results in detail.
With all this footage, it is worth knowing how much you can actually store. At the highest bitrate, a single 10-minute clip from one camera averages about 2 GB. On a 512GB microSD card, that works out to roughly 40 hours of total footage. Since you are recording from two cameras, you are looking at about 20 hours of looped recordings, plenty for something like a round trip from Atlanta to Chicago without overwriting older footage. If you want to size a card to your own commute, I built a dash cam storage calculator that does the math for you.
The VIOFO app is available in both major app stores. To connect, hold the Wi-Fi button on the dashcam until it turns on, confirmed by an on-screen icon and a voice alert, then follow the app's pairing instructions. Once connected, you can:
In my testing, the app worked fine, with no connection dropouts or crashes, though that seems to be the exception based on user reviews. Many people report trouble pairing or staying connected, so your mileage may vary. The interface is a bit dated, but it gets the job done.
The voice controls worked well. The camera recognized my unaccented commands pretty much perfectly. There are 12 commands available, all fairly useful if you can remember what they are. It works for me, but your experience may vary. I do wish there was a keyword trigger like "Hey VIOFO," because a couple of times I accidentally activated a command during regular conversation.
After using the VIOFO A229 Plus for a couple of months, I can confidently say it is a solid upgrade. Coming from a dashcam that served me well for over six years, I honestly did not expect to be this impressed. If you are still running an older model or getting your first dashcam, this is a strong contender that delivers where it matters most.
I have a second video on the way that is nothing but real-world footage, day, night, and bad weather, so you can see exactly how it performs. Let's hope VIOFO sticks around longer than Aukey did, so we can see what they do with the next generation. And as always, expect a long-term follow-up in a year or two to see how the A229 holds up.
The A229 Plus records at 2K QHD (2560 x 1440) for both the front and rear cameras. The front camera supports 60 frames per second when HDR is off, and 30 FPS when HDR is enabled.
At night the A229 Plus performs significantly better than older dashcams like the Aukey DRS2, thanks to its Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor. The footage is less noisy, headlights and road signs are easier to read, and reflective signs stay legible even in near-total darkness. Like most dashcams, though, license-plate readability at distance is still limited at night.
Yes, it supports HDR recording, which improves contrast in challenging light such as driving into the sun or leaving a tunnel. However, enabling HDR drops the frame rate from 60 FPS to 30 FPS. Some drivers find HDR helpful, while others prefer smoother footage with it off. It is best to test both modes. I break down my own testing in the HDR deep dive.
At the highest bitrate, a 10-minute clip from one camera is about 2GB. With a 512GB card that is around 40 hours of total footage. Since both the front and rear cameras record at once, you get about 20 hours of looped recordings, more than enough for long road trips. You can size a card to your own driving with the dash cam storage calculator.
Absolutely. The optional circular polarizing (CPL) filter dramatically reduces dashboard reflections and glare, especially in bright sunlight. Without it, reflections can wash out the image and reduce plate readability. It is disappointing that VIOFO does not include it, but it is highly recommended for the best video quality.
Installation is fairly straightforward, though it does involve tucking cables behind trim panels. In many cars you will need to remove the glove box to route the power cable cleanly. The rear camera should be mounted between the defroster lines on the back window to avoid obstructing the view. VIOFO includes adhesive mounts, but cable clips are sold separately, which can make the job a bit trickier.
Yes, the A229 Plus supports parking-mode recording when paired with the optional hardwiring kit. That lets the camera record while your vehicle is parked, triggered by motion or impact detection. Without the hardwire kit, the camera only records while the car is running.
VIOFO recommends high-endurance microSD cards up to 512GB, at least Class 10 or UHS-1 speed. Brands like Samsung Pro Endurance and SanDisk High Endurance are ideal. Regular consumer cards may wear out faster under constant recording.
The Aukey DRS2 and DR02 were reliable and durable, but they are discontinued 1080p dashcams with older tech. The A229 Plus moves up to 2K 1440p front and rear, 60 FPS instead of 30, the STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor instead of the older IMX323, cleaner and more legible night footage, and dual-band Wi-Fi with app support. It is a clear upgrade in almost every category.
Yes. VIOFO uses the IMX675 STARVIS 2 sensor across several models: the VS1 Mini (compact 2K HDR front-only), the A119 Mini 2 (slim front-only 2K with HDR, Wi-Fi, and voice), the A229 Plus (dual 2K front and rear), the A229 Pro (IMX678 front, IMX675 rear), and the A329 series (multi-channel setups with IMX678 up front). So you can find the IMX675 in both compact single-channel cameras and higher-end multi-camera systems.