Openai/6966eee6-8adc-800c-9df3-da92fe52e1f9
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Assistant: This is a really good question — and it highlights one of the biggest misunderstandings about how VIOFO implements Park…[edit | edit source]
This is a really good question — and it highlights one of the biggest misunderstandings about how VIOFO implements Parking Mode on the A229 Plus / A329 / T130 family.
I’ll answer it cleanly for your exact traffic-stop use case.
1️⃣ What the “90-second Parking Mode timer” actually does[edit | edit source]
It is not a delay before recording starts.
It is a delay before the camera switches from full-power Driving Mode into low-power Parking Mode.
Behavior:
| Setting | What happens when engine turns OFF | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Off | Immediately switches to Parking Mode (low-bitrate / timelapse / event mode) | | 30 / 60 / 90 sec | Camera stays in normal driving mode at full bitrate for that time, then switches to Parking Mode |
So if you stop the engine during a traffic stop:
- With 90 sec selected, the camera records normal driving video for 90 seconds
- Then it transitions into your configured parking mode (low-bitrate / timelapse / etc)
This is intentional: it captures you walking away, interactions near the car, etc.
2️⃣ Can you manually force recording once Parking Mode is active?[edit | edit source]
❌ No — not via voice command[edit | edit source]
❌ No — not via any button on the camera[edit | edit source]
❌ No — not via the Bluetooth remote[edit | edit source]
Once the A229 Plus enters Parking Mode, it becomes a passive device. The mic is still listening for impact events, not commands.
The following do not work in Parking Mode:
- “Start recording”
- “Turn on screen”
- “Lock video”
- Physical REC button
- Bluetooth button
They are all disabled to keep the camera in low-power state.
3️⃣ What happens if you try to press REC while parked?[edit | edit source]
Nothing. The button is ignored until the camera receives ACC voltage again.
4️⃣ Why VIOFO did this[edit | edit source]
Parking Mode is built around:
- Voltage protection
- Ultra-low current draw
- Always-on impact detection only
Allowing manual recording would:
- Force full SoC wake
- Spike current draw
- Bypass battery protection logic
So VIOFO hard-locks user control in Parking Mode at the firmware level.
5️⃣ How to configure it for traffic-stop recording (your scenario)[edit | edit source]
This is the optimal setup:
| Setting | Value | | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------- | | Parking Mode Timer | 90 sec | | Parking Mode Type | Low-Bitrate (not timelapse) | | G-Sensor | Medium | | Motion Detection | OFF (saves power, reduces false triggers) |
Result:[edit | edit source]
You pull over → engine off → You get 90 seconds of full-bitrate driving-mode recording automatically, no interaction needed.
If the stop goes longer, the camera then drops into low-bitrate continuous parking recording.
This is the only way to achieve what you want.
6️⃣ Can any VIOFO model override Parking Mode manually?[edit | edit source]
No. Not A229 Plus, A329, T130, A139 Pro — none allow manual wake from Parking Mode.
Final answer[edit | edit source]
- There is no voice command, button press, or Bluetooth remote function that can force recording once the A229 Plus is in Parking Mode.
- The only supported solution is using the Parking Mode Timer so the camera stays in full recording mode for 30–90 seconds after engine-off.
And for traffic stops — the 90-second delay is exactly what you want.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "VIOFO Parking Mode Explained". ChatGPT. Retrieved 2026-01-14.