If you end up liking it enough for a permanent install you can solve that wire excess by feeding it through one of those rubber cable organizers that's there for all the other wires. I believe most are removable grommet types that you can just slide out once you've fed the wire correctly. That way any excess wire needed is hidden behind a panel and concealed inside the rubber sleeve once the rear hatch is open.
Noah _ +1 on this idea, I did it myself but don't use it at the moment as the dash cam I wanted to use is the one that wipes out my DAB (it's not the power supply) and I never got round to getting another!
Hi there Techmoan! Thank you so much for providing us with actually helpful and honest reviews and other entertaining content! I own a business that helps seniors with computers, and using the knowledge I learned in your videos I was able to explain the features of a dashcam to an elderly customer in simple terms he understood!
Just take off the interior stuff on the hatch back and feed the cable through the already existing cable thingies there. Taking off those panels is fairly easy, they just click back in to place
I'm assuming the radio issue could be "fixed" by changing out the 20' usb cable with a higher quality, ie shielded better, cable. It seems they really went cheap on the cable itself.
Generic comment, not specifically about this video, but about TechMoan in general: I have started watching your videos just recently (a few months ago), and I actually refrain myself from 'binge watching' all of your videos in one 'marathon session'. Why? Because I love them so much, I keep them on hold for later viewing. It does not really matter what it is you are talking about, I just really love watching every single one of them. The calmness and professionalism with which it is all done, the humor, the content. It's almost soothing, and can really make my day. Thanks for what you are bringing to TH-cam. Keep doing it, as long as you can please ;)
Interesting! It never occurred to me that a dashcam could be a source of radio interference. Did you get a chance to find out where the radio's antenna lead was routed in the car? Did you by any chance route the rear dashcam's lead in the same path?
I drew a blank on my admittedly brief search to discover where the DAB radio is in a Mini however the dark video issue meant that it wasn’t something that I needed to pursue any further, as I’ll be better off testing another camera instead for a future review.
Ive suffered radio interference due to the rear cams being located just a few inches away frrom the dab antennae, I eventually fitted a thinkware f50 to the rear which although it still 'weakens' the signal, does not wipe it out altogether
Well in a Mini it is a lot like all modern cars, the radio antenna is the rear demister mesh, used as a flat antenna, with RF chokes on the supply lines each side to get a signal that is fed, via the rear hatch cable trunks into the vehicle, then down to the floor, to the front and then to a connector for the radio. They tend to use a very poor coax cable for this, and the RF interference from the unshielded dashcam, generally the main clock, as it has multiple harmonics of the base 12MHz that it radiates out along the cable and the normally unshielded case of the dashcam. Could be cured with some ferrite clamps on the cable, but likely will need a shield inside the case as well bonded to the cable shield as well to attenuate it enough.
In my experience with dashcams the radio problem is always caused by the 12V - 5V DC-DC switching converter in the power plug which broadcasts enough RF noise to kill the reception of weaker radio stations. Attaching ferrite clamps to the cable helps but doesn't completely cure the problem so I replaced both of mine with LM7805 5V linear regulators fitted to heatsinks consisting of a piece of square aluminium tube section which can then be hidden behind the glove box.
The DAB tuner block is *probably* in the boot with the aerial almost certainly the rear heater so it is possible that the rear camera is the culprit. FYI Mat you can visit www.realoem.com and put in your Mini's VIN/series/year to find parts including diagrams and exploded views.
I am the only one? The excitement of the alert of a new video from Techmoan - going to play it but then having to suffer the disappointment of it being a review of modern not retro tech - not saying Techmoan doesn't do a good job with these new tech reviews but come on, we all love the Retro Tech Videos - Best things on TH-cam I think! . .
AGHH oh wow! Blast from the past! I remember back when all you used to do were dashcam review videos with the occasional cool gadgets, and you once said you kept with the dashcam videos because they were more profitable. I'm glad you turned that ship around for the fans :D
I wish they would treat DashCams like a security system. Have the brains, power requirements and anything else mounted under a seat and just run a single wire up to the cameras. This way upgrading to better cameras, larger batteries and more cameras is possible. It would also look better in my opinion.
Hiya As you test quite a lot of dash-cams and now most seem to be affixed via 3M adhesive, you must have had to remove a couple of these by now i'm guessing. Would you please show how you go about removing one of these "permanent" fixings for when you upgrade/change dash-cams. Thanks
If you're still interested in DAB problems, then try using a different 12V to USB adapter. I have found this with my mini 0805. The cheap ones wipe out my DAB radio too, but a well designed one won't be a problem. Having said that, my old dash cam wipes out the DAB regardless of the power adapter used, so would be interesting to find out what causes the problem in this video!
Ive got a dual camera setup. I managed to run the wire under the hatch rubber seal which worked out well and prevents the wire drooping down when the hatch is closed. Also you need to mount the rear camera so it looks out of Clean glass. I.e within the rear Wiper sweep. So you get a reasonably clear picture all the time even if the windows are dirty.
When I routed my rear camera, I ran the usb through the existing cable loom like you have (at 6:14) to run the wires from the headliner to the hatch. This makes for a tidy install and prevents the wire from any accidental pinches when closing the hatch.
Those flexible tubes running from the car body to the lift gate are where the factory runs the wiring to the lift gate. If you take the interior body panels down you should be able to feed the wiring through the tubes and back out for the camera.
3:25 - battery inside = not good idea. All modern dashcams should have super-capacitors 5:20 - good to see a camera which is not putting all cables on just one side 5:25 - good to see PIP directly when slave camera is connected 5:58 - bad idea to put Micro SD card at the top. You can see you can not take it out when camera is mounted on the windshield 6:55 - Novatek solved the ”jump” problem 2 years ago. First camera without overlapped videos was Viofo A119 or GitUp Git2, both are made by the same company, this means have good firmware engineers which can implement this feature. To have overlapped videos in 2018 is expected for $20 dashcams.
The company which sold to you the SJCam will be not happy to guarantee 2 years of warranty if you will use the SJCam as permanent dashcam. They will be not happy to give money back or another new camera after you used it 1 year and 11 months mounted under direct sun because the battery and maybe the PCB was destroyed by heat. A dashcam is supposed to work when you drive. If you want it more than you drive then connect it to a permanent fuse. Dashcam manufacturers which are offering warranty don't want returns because of exploded batteries.
Here's a video review of the same camera that I posted back in November 2017. I mentioned Techmoan in it and ironically he also does a review of it. Awesome!
I wonder who will be the first automotive manufacture to offer an integrated dashcam as an optional extra in their vehicles. All cars have a backup camera now, and of course, a screen to go along with that. Add some dashcam controls in the interface and make your backup camera wide-angle enough to also be a rear-facing dashcam, and then the only work to do for the extra is nicely integrate a front-firing camera. There are so many dashcam reviews, accident videos, and so on on youtube, reddit, etc, that obviously the market wants them-- so why are car companies asleep at the wheel with providing you one with your new car (and of course, charging you far too much for the privilege)?!
Everyone seems to be blaming the wiring or the power supply for the RFI. Because the camera is probably placed directly on top of the antenna (a portion of the defrost wire is used) filtering is incredibly difficult. Experimenting with camera placement would be nice, to see if it's a major problem or can be fixed with a few inches of separation.
For the cable routing problem: Put the rear camera in the center (otherwise it will not through the wiper cleaned area), and stick the cable on the other end really far away (in the corner, as you did), then there will not be such a long trap, as you can tension the cable pretty much). May sound strange, but works perfect at least on my VW.
I added a new 2CH dashcam to my car and aligned them to be positioned exact centre of the car so when viewing them, it shows you to be centre of a lane. When the front one was more to the right of the rear view mirror, it always made me look like I wasn't centre of the lane. Also, the advantage for the back, is the wiper would be able to clean the window where the camera is. This camera wasn't too bad if the price was right. I personally want to see some good discrete 4K dash cameras come out... hopefully this year :)
I have found that the color/darkness and saturation of my older cameras is highly effected by the angle through the glass. Tilting the camera lens down a little bit can improve the picture. The front camera may be a good place to experiment with attaching a polarized filter to make the image better.
Another excellent unbiased review. I still chuckle when the 'EVERYONE' clip pings up. I have seen most, if not all of your dash cam reviews and it was one of your reviews that inspired me to recently purchase a DOD LS500W two camera system. I know you didn't review that actual model, but your review of the DOD cam was promising. The reason for leaving a message is this: The rear camera on the DOD system, like on the review you have done here, shows more colour in the rear camera. I noticed your Mini has a slightly tinted rear window, my BMW has manufactured privacy glass, which means you can barely see inside the car from the outside and it's like seeing through sunglasses when looking out from inside. When i pointed the rear camera through the front window, the images were the same. Clearly it would appear that the tinted window is acting like some sort of CP filter, which could be why the camera system you have reviewed is doing the same. Just a thought. Regards..
You should make a video showing how bad cheap record players are for your records. Maybe do an experiment where you get two identical brand new records and play them on a cheap player and on a decent one and see how many times you can play them on each before they get worn out.
Just a thought, but if you trim the stikky tape to fit in BETWEEN the defroster wires, it'll be centered without causing damage to the defroster grid while being bonded enough to stay in position; essentially- you can have your back...and heat it too
I had the same DAB issue with the M6+ and fixed it by wrapping the usb cables in tin foil and the hardwired battery voltage monitor with fine metal gauze, basically a Faraday cage.
Great review! Thanks. When i replaced my Mio MiVu some time ago i also looked for a *good* front-and-rear cam. Could not find anything that suited my needs so now i have two Viofo A119S' in my car, front and rear. Both have GPS-module installed and the recordings match up just fine! Also, as a tip, try 'twisting' the USB-cable around the cable that holds your eeeh... we call it hoedenplank here in The Netherlands. The felted board that's over your trunk space. :) It tidies it up a bit... Buying 'softer' USB-cables is a great tip too.
Did somebody have the same problem like me? My Z-Edge S3 battery dont last 2 days when its powered off! That always resets time and so the delete process of old videos dont work properly. Because the time on the Videos changed...
Had the noise dropping out on the radio as well,it’s not the camera its self it’s the power feed point, wired mine up under the bonnet via the fuse box quiet as a mouse 🐭
Just a thought on the difference between the light and dark areas in the shot you were at the cash machine: I don't think the camera is "broken" as such, either. While I have no idea how the metering system in this camera works, I suspect it tries to balance the exposure in dark situations in a way that it exposes for midtones and highlights, with the balance tipped slightly more towards the highlights. This is probably why you get details in the very bright areas and midtones reasonably well, such as the area around the cashier as well as the lighting of the cash machine or the contents of the "home fuel" rack on the right hand side. I guess the camera then dials the exposure waaay down to accommodate for this, either by turning back the sensitivity of the sensor (otherwise known as ISO) internally or by increasing the equivalent of the shutter speed. If the camera was exposing for the shadows, you'd probably be able to get some more detail in those areas (albeit with quite a bit of noise in them - the camera does not have a huge sensor after all), but then the lighter areas would be completely blown out. This is all just conjecture based on my experience in still photography and I might be wrong, but I thought I'd make an attempt to clear this up. Anyway, I hope this helps. Apologies for this rather long-winded test ;-)
it's the power cable. That is what interferes with the radio. Maybe it's not, but I've found cheap power plugs and cables add a ton of radio interference. Never bothered me, but that's what I've been able to peg it down to.
Most likely the car uses the rear window heater as an antenna. Maybe you can get an RF choke to go inline with the heater/antenna which would stop the problem.
I try out rear dashcams using portable battery power so I can isolate where the interference originates. So far the vast majority of RFI is directly from the cam
I bought a Nextbase 612GW Elite and 512GW Elite. and I couldn't be happier! 612 forward facing in 4k, 512 rear facing in 1440P. I'd love to see you do a review on them if you get a chance!
I just went with two Viofo cameras buying a longer power lead for the rear and spliced in extra power plugs under the trim more work but for 60fps with 1080 and gps ...worth it
An alternative perspective on the contrast/exposure issue - On many consumer dashcams I find it's impossible to make out number plates in the dark. However, since this one will slightly under-expose the image, it becomes a lot easier to make them out. Still, that's why there's a lot of choice on the market, right?
In my experience it is the noise from the actual power supply which plugs into the lighter socket. I’ve had cheap ones which put out RF and better ones which don’t.
if I had one of these, I'd have the small camera in the front and the front I'd build a case for it to fit in and connect the case to the parcel shelf. This way you've got a small camera in the front windscreen, taking away the chance of thieves seeing it. This may also help the DAB receiver too
Great review, thanks! Might have to get me one of these! I think the option to use the rear camera applies if you are towing a caravan or large trailer or if you also own a van.
For the rear camera, maybe a simply coiled cable (like an old telephone cord) would solve the problem of the wire hanging down when the hatchback is closed.
This is 2018 and video quality should be better. I have a Marcus 4 and I’m unhappy with the night view quality. You can’t make out the tags of other vehicles and details are poor. Glad to see you doing dash cameras again 👍🏼
I have a G1WH based purely on your recommendation. I would like a camera facing backwards too, but for the prices of these dual camera systems I sometimes consider just getting another G1WH to put in the back. Thanks again for a great video!
interesting, but with me, I would need the type that has a suction cup clip mount, basically the type that has the suction cup and can remove the device from the suctoin cup of you want to keep the suction cup on the window.
You most likely will find that the 12v to 5v converter is the source of the interference to your digital radio, a friend had the same issue with his amateur radio equipment in that he could no longer hear any stations on FM, and his car radio stopped working as well.. removed the 5v power supply (installed a new different one and all was well again).
The cable that goes from the rear camera, on the camera with the LCD screen it says AV in. Is this standard composite video or some type of digital only connection? You could try a power bank to test if the power plug is what is blocking your radio. Most of mine are simply voltage regulators that allow nothing but 5V 1A to get through. You can run those from a 9V battery for emergency charge for your phone.
One thing on the DAB interference. I found it was the cheap dash cam power supplies that create this problem. I changed my factory supply to a Belkin USB supply and the radio came back. The cheap and nasty ones will cut the DAB.
Imho the cam works perfectly. The cam makes great decisions in terms of DR and on what to highlight regarding exposure. If the cam allows for altering metering you could adjust. Mind that exposure is: available light, shutter speed (30fps) and aperture.
I have a similar issue when I'm charging my phone in the car, the digital radio cuts off and the radio switches over to FM where possible, but I always thought that had something to do with the home-made antenna that I'm using for DAB radio reception.
My DAB radio wouldn’t find a station (unless it’s a really strong signal) when I was using a certain USB/Cigarette/12v charger in my car. I swapped the USB/Cigarette/12v thingy and the DAB radio worked again. You might want to check it with different 12v chargers in the Mini before abandoning the dash-cam. Appreciate that this comment may be too late!
The Ciagrette Adapter is the Issue, beacuse of the High Switching frequency of the Step down converter the harmony frequencies interrupt the DAB+. I suggest to use a bigger and fully metal encased Dc-Dc converter, they have a lower switching frequency and don't interrupt the DAB+.
Hey I am new to the channel but I think I've found a new comfort zone. My lazy boy, a bottle and tech moan makes for a great combination. Very awesome, keep the electronic crack coming. :) Oh by the way, i picked up a refurb sony hap-s1 and loving it. Thanks for the info video on this excellent piece of gear.
Another comprehensive review, thanks. Until the DAB radio issue I was thinking I’ll get one of these because I’m looking for a good dual view system as my current unit is a few years old with low res’ rear recording. I could tolerate the under exposure glitch but no point in losing radio function. So will hold back until it’s fixed. Great review - thanks again.
solution to hatchback mounting: don't mount it directly to the glass, mount it to the plastic trim on the headliner adjacent to the hatch. I did this with the koonlung and this hides 100% of the cable and also prevents the cable from breaking due to repeated open/close of the hatch. Just be sure your camera is focused on the environment outside and not on your glass/defroster grid
Enjoy your Vid. You were talking about the contrast between the front and the back cams.. are not most windows on cars tinted and curved at the top were there place? That would cause both to differ in there light intake? And if you move it around under tint of the window it will make a difference even at night? Glass angle will knock light off to. Almost need to place them outside the car! That won't work! Also on your radio check your antenna on your car lose or bad! They do wear out had to replace on my. When they get bad the radio pick-up goes down.
Interesting that you mentioned the camera interfered with your radio... I appreciate that. I have watched nearly all of your dash camera reviews and have seen some that I am interested in purchasing for myself, however I have a bit of an issue. I purchased a cheap dash camera some time back and when installed it interfered with the signal for my Garmin C550 GPS (you Europeans call them Satnav) I could not use the GPS while the camera was powered up. I sure wish there had been a way for you to test that on each of the units you reviewed.
i have read, and think i can concur, the usb 5v regulator could quite possible be the source of interference. in my range rover, if i leave the usb adapter in. my normal radio reception is diminished, so, when driving, and listening to radio 2 ( normal not dab ) and it seems like its fading for no reason, i reach into the cubby box and pull the usb adapter out. voila r2 back without hiss.. just wondering if you can perhaps try a different adapter? p.s. it was from your review i bought the ddpai m6. i have hard wired a micro usb adapter into the light cluster perm 12v. and am very happy. p.p.s. one of your other reviews you drove past my house (leyland). next time i am home and you are passing i'll put the kettle on.... lol
Hello Mat, will you please test a double camera setup with 2021 technology soon? I trust in your honest reviews and am planning to buy my first ever dashcam. Thx.
Can you do a review of the Holly Hop Drive from Red Dwarf? I mean seriously. The controls are pretty straight forward so it shouldn't take very long. It won't be internet gold but it will be gold to me.
You could try a different 12V to 5V USB Adapter. Some of them are known to interfere with the Radio Signal because of poor shielding. If I connect my Smartphone via USB to the Cars 12V plug, and then use a 3.5mm cable to connect the Smartphone to the Radio, I can hear every single electrical Items Noise via the cars Speakers. Just from the Noise I'd be able to determine if the Wipers are on or if the car is reving low or high.
Might not even be the dashcam itself though, maybe it's the 9 volt cigar usb thingy, I have one to charge my phone in my car and whenever it's plugged in the radio (not digital yet) will pick up a lot of hiss. So perhaps it's worth checking if switching out that fixes the issue.
Great Reveiw Techmoan! I would love to see a review of the Camsoy Cookycam C1. Which is a pretty budget 720p mini camera and IP camera and body/bike camera
Was it the camera causing the loss of DAB of the 12v power adapter? I've had several cameras where the supplied power adaptors have blitzed the FM radio in my car so I used better quality power adaptors and the problem disappeared. Liked the video.. thanks :)
It's always great when you wake up to some new Techmoan
I always view them as soon as the notification email arrives.
:) :D
If you end up liking it enough for a permanent install you can solve that wire excess by feeding it through one of those rubber cable organizers that's there for all the other wires. I believe most are removable grommet types that you can just slide out once you've fed the wire correctly. That way any excess wire needed is hidden behind a panel and concealed inside the rubber sleeve once the rear hatch is open.
Noah _ +1 on this idea, I did it myself but don't use it at the moment as the dash cam I wanted to use is the one that wipes out my DAB (it's not the power supply) and I never got round to getting another!
Yay! A new video from Techmoan, AND it’s about a dashcam! Double bonus!
Hi there Techmoan! Thank you so much for providing us with actually helpful and honest reviews and other entertaining content! I own a business that helps seniors with computers, and using the knowledge I learned in your videos I was able to explain the features of a dashcam to an elderly customer in simple terms he understood!
EVERRRRYYOOONNEE
(okay, that gave me a chuckle)
What is this from?
From the 1994 movie Léon: The Professional.
Just take off the interior stuff on the hatch back and feed the cable through the already existing cable thingies there. Taking off those panels is fairly easy, they just click back in to place
This guy is great. I brought my dashcam after one of his reviews. It was the transcend go pro 200 and its good.
I'm assuming the radio issue could be "fixed" by changing out the 20' usb cable with a higher quality, ie shielded better, cable. It seems they really went cheap on the cable itself.
Generic comment, not specifically about this video, but about TechMoan in general: I have started watching your videos just recently (a few months ago), and I actually refrain myself from 'binge watching' all of your videos in one 'marathon session'. Why? Because I love them so much, I keep them on hold for later viewing. It does not really matter what it is you are talking about, I just really love watching every single one of them. The calmness and professionalism with which it is all done, the humor, the content. It's almost soothing, and can really make my day. Thanks for what you are bringing to TH-cam. Keep doing it, as long as you can please ;)
Interesting! It never occurred to me that a dashcam could be a source of radio interference. Did you get a chance to find out where the radio's antenna lead was routed in the car? Did you by any chance route the rear dashcam's lead in the same path?
I drew a blank on my admittedly brief search to discover where the DAB radio is in a Mini however the dark video issue meant that it wasn’t something that I needed to pursue any further, as I’ll be better off testing another camera instead for a future review.
Ive suffered radio interference due to the rear cams being located just a few inches away frrom the dab antennae, I eventually fitted a thinkware f50 to the rear which although it still 'weakens' the signal, does not wipe it out altogether
Well in a Mini it is a lot like all modern cars, the radio antenna is the rear demister mesh, used as a flat antenna, with RF chokes on the supply lines each side to get a signal that is fed, via the rear hatch cable trunks into the vehicle, then down to the floor, to the front and then to a connector for the radio. They tend to use a very poor coax cable for this, and the RF interference from the unshielded dashcam, generally the main clock, as it has multiple harmonics of the base 12MHz that it radiates out along the cable and the normally unshielded case of the dashcam. Could be cured with some ferrite clamps on the cable, but likely will need a shield inside the case as well bonded to the cable shield as well to attenuate it enough.
In my experience with dashcams the radio problem is always caused by the 12V - 5V DC-DC switching converter in the power plug which broadcasts enough RF noise to kill the reception of weaker radio stations. Attaching ferrite clamps to the cable helps but doesn't completely cure the problem so I replaced both of mine with LM7805 5V linear regulators fitted to heatsinks consisting of a piece of square aluminium tube section which can then be hidden behind the glove box.
The DAB tuner block is *probably* in the boot with the aerial almost certainly the rear heater so it is possible that the rear camera is the culprit.
FYI Mat you can visit www.realoem.com and put in your Mini's VIN/series/year to find parts including diagrams and exploded views.
I am the only one? The excitement of the alert of a new video from Techmoan - going to play it but then having to suffer the disappointment of it being a review of modern not retro tech - not saying Techmoan doesn't do a good job with these new tech reviews but come on, we all love the Retro Tech Videos - Best things on TH-cam I think! . .
AGHH oh wow! Blast from the past! I remember back when all you used to do were dashcam review videos with the occasional cool gadgets, and you once said you kept with the dashcam videos because they were more profitable. I'm glad you turned that ship around for the fans :D
WE LIVE FOR THE PUPPETS!
We're all puppets, Alex.
We're trapped here.
We'll never escape this turmoil...
(This was a good video, by the way.)
th-cam.com/video/iAykOz1gWi4/w-d-xo.html
I wish they would treat DashCams like a security system. Have the brains, power requirements and anything else mounted under a seat and just run a single wire up to the cameras. This way upgrading to better cameras, larger batteries and more cameras is possible. It would also look better in my opinion.
Hiya
As you test quite a lot of dash-cams and now most seem to be affixed via 3M adhesive, you must have had to remove a couple of these by now i'm guessing.
Would you please show how you go about removing one of these "permanent" fixings for when you upgrade/change dash-cams.
Thanks
th-cam.com/video/Z1bOM8IJOfI/w-d-xo.html
Thankoo very much
Excellent! A new dashcam test from Techmoan! Always enjoy it. Thanks.
If you're still interested in DAB problems, then try using a different 12V to USB adapter. I have found this with my mini 0805. The cheap ones wipe out my DAB radio too, but a well designed one won't be a problem. Having said that, my old dash cam wipes out the DAB regardless of the power adapter used, so would be interesting to find out what causes the problem in this video!
Léon was a brilliant movie...
Love the fact that you used a segment of Leon (the film) there. Handy review, thnx
Ive got a dual camera setup. I managed to run the wire under the hatch rubber seal which worked out well and prevents the wire drooping down when the hatch is closed. Also you need to mount the rear camera so it looks out of Clean glass. I.e within the rear Wiper sweep. So you get a reasonably clear picture all the time even if the windows are dirty.
When I routed my rear camera, I ran the usb through the existing cable loom like you have (at 6:14) to run the wires from the headliner to the hatch. This makes for a tidy install and prevents the wire from any accidental pinches when closing the hatch.
Those flexible tubes running from the car body to the lift gate are where the factory runs the wiring to the lift gate. If you take the interior body panels down you should be able to feed the wiring through the tubes and back out for the camera.
3:25 - battery inside = not good idea. All modern dashcams should have super-capacitors
5:20 - good to see a camera which is not putting all cables on just one side
5:25 - good to see PIP directly when slave camera is connected
5:58 - bad idea to put Micro SD card at the top. You can see you can not take it out when camera is mounted on the windshield
6:55 - Novatek solved the ”jump” problem 2 years ago. First camera without overlapped videos was Viofo A119 or GitUp Git2, both are made by the same company, this means have good firmware engineers which can implement this feature. To have overlapped videos in 2018 is expected for $20 dashcams.
Battery inside: good idea. I use my SJCAM as a dashcam and pop the camera out of its holder to use as an action cam at my destination.
The company which sold to you the SJCam will be not happy to guarantee 2 years of warranty if you will use the SJCam as permanent dashcam. They will be not happy to give money back or another new camera after you used it 1 year and 11 months mounted under direct sun because the battery and maybe the PCB was destroyed by heat.
A dashcam is supposed to work when you drive. If you want it more than you drive then connect it to a permanent fuse. Dashcam manufacturers which are offering warranty don't want returns because of exploded batteries.
Here's a video review of the same camera that I posted back in November 2017. I mentioned Techmoan in it and ironically he also does a review of it. Awesome!
Pileggi Technical Services, LLC where
I wonder who will be the first automotive manufacture to offer an integrated dashcam as an optional extra in their vehicles. All cars have a backup camera now, and of course, a screen to go along with that. Add some dashcam controls in the interface and make your backup camera wide-angle enough to also be a rear-facing dashcam, and then the only work to do for the extra is nicely integrate a front-firing camera. There are so many dashcam reviews, accident videos, and so on on youtube, reddit, etc, that obviously the market wants them-- so why are car companies asleep at the wheel with providing you one with your new car (and of course, charging you far too much for the privilege)?!
They could at least put a micro USB port where people will normally mount a dashcam.
Citroën (calls it ConnectedCAM)
th-cam.com/video/ZNuuSsxKtqo/w-d-xo.html
HAHAHA Gary Oldman screaming EVERYONE was the highlight of this video.
Everyone seems to be blaming the wiring or the power supply for the RFI. Because the camera is probably placed directly on top of the antenna (a portion of the defrost wire is used) filtering is incredibly difficult.
Experimenting with camera placement would be nice, to see if it's a major problem or can be fixed with a few inches of separation.
For the cable routing problem: Put the rear camera in the center (otherwise it will not through the wiper cleaned area), and stick the cable on the other end really far away (in the corner, as you did), then there will not be such a long trap, as you can tension the cable pretty much). May sound strange, but works perfect at least on my VW.
Interesting that you can see the PWM on the brake light of the car in front on the camera. I have wondered how they make led car light work.
I added a new 2CH dashcam to my car and aligned them to be positioned exact centre of the car so when viewing them, it shows you to be centre of a lane. When the front one was more to the right of the rear view mirror, it always made me look like I wasn't centre of the lane. Also, the advantage for the back, is the wiper would be able to clean the window where the camera is. This camera wasn't too bad if the price was right. I personally want to see some good discrete 4K dash cameras come out... hopefully this year :)
I have found that the color/darkness and saturation of my older cameras is highly effected by the angle through the glass. Tilting the camera lens down a little bit can improve the picture. The front camera may be a good place to experiment with attaching a polarized filter to make the image better.
Another excellent unbiased review. I still chuckle when the 'EVERYONE' clip pings up. I have seen most, if not all of your dash cam reviews and it was one of your reviews that inspired me to recently purchase a DOD LS500W two camera system. I know you didn't review that actual model, but your review of the DOD cam was promising.
The reason for leaving a message is this:
The rear camera on the DOD system, like on the review you have done here, shows more colour in the rear camera. I noticed your Mini has a slightly tinted rear window, my BMW has manufactured privacy glass, which means you can barely see inside the car from the outside and it's like seeing through sunglasses when looking out from inside. When i pointed the rear camera through the front window, the images were the same. Clearly it would appear that the tinted window is acting like some sort of CP filter, which could be why the camera system you have reviewed is doing the same. Just a thought. Regards..
Alright but can you turn off the LCD screen? I don't want it bothering me while driving at night.
You should make a video showing how bad cheap record players are for your records. Maybe do an experiment where you get two identical brand new records and play them on a cheap player and on a decent one and see how many times you can play them on each before they get worn out.
Someone has already made a video like that. They play a new record 100 times on a cheap deck and than play a new record on a super oem 100 times
th-cam.com/video/357L0SbUuME/w-d-xo.html
6:07 thats why you route it throught one of your 2 rubber cable holders in the middle, it's a mission to do but looks much better.
Just a thought, but if you trim the stikky tape to fit in BETWEEN the defroster wires, it'll be centered without causing damage to the defroster grid while being bonded enough to stay in position; essentially- you can have your back...and heat it too
I had the same DAB issue with the M6+ and fixed it by wrapping the usb cables in tin foil and the hardwired battery voltage monitor with fine metal gauze, basically a Faraday cage.
Great review! Thanks. When i replaced my Mio MiVu some time ago i also looked for a *good* front-and-rear cam. Could not find anything that suited my needs so now i have two Viofo A119S' in my car, front and rear. Both have GPS-module installed and the recordings match up just fine!
Also, as a tip, try 'twisting' the USB-cable around the cable that holds your eeeh... we call it hoedenplank here in The Netherlands. The felted board that's over your trunk space. :) It tidies it up a bit... Buying 'softer' USB-cables is a great tip too.
Did somebody have the same problem like me? My Z-Edge S3 battery dont last 2 days when its powered off! That always resets time and so the delete process of old videos dont work properly. Because the time on the Videos changed...
Had the noise dropping out on the radio as well,it’s not the camera its self it’s the power feed point, wired mine up under the bonnet via the fuse box quiet as a mouse 🐭
Just a thought on the difference between the light and dark areas in the shot you were at the cash machine:
I don't think the camera is "broken" as such, either.
While I have no idea how the metering system in this camera works, I suspect it tries to balance the exposure in dark situations in a way that it exposes for midtones and highlights, with the balance tipped slightly more towards the highlights. This is probably why you get details in the very bright areas and midtones reasonably well, such as the area around the cashier as well as the lighting of the cash machine or the contents of the "home fuel" rack on the right hand side.
I guess the camera then dials the exposure waaay down to accommodate for this, either by turning back the sensitivity of the sensor (otherwise known as ISO) internally or by increasing the equivalent of the shutter speed. If the camera was exposing for the shadows, you'd probably be able to get some more detail in those areas (albeit with quite a bit of noise in them - the camera does not have a huge sensor after all), but then the lighter areas would be completely blown out.
This is all just conjecture based on my experience in still photography and I might be wrong, but I thought I'd make an attempt to clear this up. Anyway, I hope this helps. Apologies for this rather long-winded test ;-)
it's the power cable. That is what interferes with the radio. Maybe it's not, but I've found cheap power plugs and cables add a ton of radio interference. Never bothered me, but that's what I've been able to peg it down to.
Most likely the car uses the rear window heater as an antenna. Maybe you can get an RF choke to go inline with the heater/antenna which would stop the problem.
Use a different car USB charger, I've found cheap USB charges knockout my car radio.
I try out rear dashcams using portable battery power so I can isolate where the interference originates. So far the vast majority of RFI is directly from the cam
I bought a Nextbase 612GW Elite and 512GW Elite. and I couldn't be happier! 612 forward facing in 4k, 512 rear facing in 1440P. I'd love to see you do a review on them if you get a chance!
I just went with two Viofo cameras buying a longer power lead for the rear and spliced in extra power plugs under the trim more work but for 60fps with 1080 and gps ...worth it
An alternative perspective on the contrast/exposure issue - On many consumer dashcams I find it's impossible to make out number plates in the dark. However, since this one will slightly under-expose the image, it becomes a lot easier to make them out. Still, that's why there's a lot of choice on the market, right?
In my experience it is the noise from the actual power supply which plugs into the lighter socket. I’ve had cheap ones which put out RF and better ones which don’t.
i belive if you point the rear camera down more , to have more of the darker road in the frame ,it will set the exposer right .
Thanks reporting on this Dash, Im looking forward to more of your reviews down the line!
if I had one of these, I'd have the small camera in the front and the front I'd build a case for it to fit in and connect the case to the parcel shelf. This way you've got a small camera in the front windscreen, taking away the chance of thieves seeing it. This may also help the DAB receiver too
Brilliant video - again. I love my VIOFO A119S, thanks to your review of the A119.
Great review, thanks! Might have to get me one of these! I think the option to use the rear camera applies if you are towing a caravan or large trailer or if you also own a van.
Always great to see a new vid Mat!
Techmoan driving round my stomping grounds!
For the rear camera, maybe a simply coiled cable (like an old telephone cord) would solve the problem of the wire hanging down when the hatchback is closed.
This is 2018 and video quality should be better. I have a Marcus 4 and I’m unhappy with the night view quality. You can’t make out the tags of other vehicles and details are poor. Glad to see you doing dash cameras again 👍🏼
I have a G1WH based purely on your recommendation. I would like a camera facing backwards too, but for the prices of these dual camera systems I sometimes consider just getting another G1WH to put in the back. Thanks again for a great video!
Nice clear picture. What are the zig zag lines on the road?
You should try the VAVA dashcam.
interesting, but with me, I would need the type that has a suction cup clip mount, basically the type that has the suction cup and can remove the device from the suctoin cup of you want to keep the suction cup on the window.
Laughed pretty hard @ 3:07, gotta love your sense of humor!!
You most likely will find that the 12v to 5v converter is the source of the interference to your digital radio, a friend had the same issue with his amateur radio equipment in that he could no longer hear any stations on FM, and his car radio stopped working as well.. removed the 5v power supply (installed a new different one and all was well again).
The cable that goes from the rear camera, on the camera with the LCD screen it says AV in. Is this standard composite video or some type of digital only connection?
You could try a power bank to test if the power plug is what is blocking your radio.
Most of mine are simply voltage regulators that allow nothing but 5V 1A to get through. You can run those from a 9V battery for emergency charge for your phone.
BMW likes to put their radio antennas in the back window heaters, so the cable routing along there probably interferes with it
One thing on the DAB interference. I found it was the cheap dash cam power supplies that create this problem. I changed my factory supply to a Belkin USB supply and the radio came back. The cheap and nasty ones will cut the DAB.
Agreed but I don't know why it would affect your radio? 1080 looked very nice but it's not low light. Doesn't deal with light well as you have stated.
Imho the cam works perfectly.
The cam makes great decisions in terms of DR and on what to highlight regarding exposure.
If the cam allows for altering metering you could adjust.
Mind that exposure is: available light, shutter speed (30fps) and aperture.
I have a similar issue when I'm charging my phone in the car, the digital radio cuts off and the radio switches over to FM where possible, but I always thought that had something to do with the home-made antenna that I'm using for DAB radio reception.
With the back camera installed, can you use the display up front to temporarily view the rear while you are backing up? Oh and nice cameo by Oldman!
Excellent, balanced and quite helpful review. Many thanks!
Excellent review as usual. Thanks.
My DAB radio wouldn’t find a station (unless it’s a really strong signal) when I was using a certain USB/Cigarette/12v charger in my car. I swapped the USB/Cigarette/12v thingy and the DAB radio worked again. You might want to check it with different 12v chargers in the Mini before abandoning the dash-cam. Appreciate that this comment may be too late!
What’s with all the dash cams? Great video but I have never known anyone to use / have one. Is it just to catch a shot of a wreck?
The Ciagrette Adapter is the Issue, beacuse of the High Switching frequency of the Step down converter the harmony frequencies interrupt the DAB+. I suggest to use a bigger and fully metal encased Dc-Dc converter, they have a lower switching frequency and don't interrupt the DAB+.
Thank you! Thank you, for this review. Keep looking and posting videos about your findings.
Hey I am new to the channel but I think I've found a new comfort zone. My lazy boy, a bottle and tech moan makes for a great combination. Very awesome, keep the electronic crack coming. :) Oh by the way, i picked up a refurb sony hap-s1 and loving it. Thanks for the info video on this excellent piece of gear.
Another comprehensive review, thanks. Until the DAB radio issue I was thinking I’ll get one of these because I’m looking for a good dual view system as my current unit is a few years old with low res’ rear recording. I could tolerate the under exposure glitch but no point in losing radio function. So will hold back until it’s fixed. Great review - thanks again.
Dont know why but I effing love your intro!
solution to hatchback mounting: don't mount it directly to the glass, mount it to the plastic trim on the headliner adjacent to the hatch. I did this with the koonlung and this hides 100% of the cable and also prevents the cable from breaking due to repeated open/close of the hatch. Just be sure your camera is focused on the environment outside and not on your glass/defroster grid
I wonder what the thinking process was leading to the decision to make a shiny chrome lens ring on a camera advertised as 'stealth'...
The sena 10c evo helmet cam would interest me when it comes out
Enjoy your Vid. You were talking about the contrast between the front and the back cams.. are not most windows on cars tinted and curved at the top were there place? That would cause both to differ in there light intake? And if you move it around under tint of the window it will make a difference even at night? Glass angle will knock light off to. Almost need to place them outside the car! That won't work! Also on your radio check your antenna on your car lose or bad! They do wear out had to replace on my. When they get bad the radio pick-up goes down.
instant like ....before video starts to buffer...
6:51 I am sure I have been in that Bakers when I was up that way working in the 90's
But does it have an option to turn the screen off?
Interesting that you mentioned the camera interfered with your radio... I appreciate that. I have watched nearly all of your dash camera reviews and have seen some that I am interested in purchasing for myself, however I have a bit of an issue. I purchased a cheap dash camera some time back and when installed it interfered with the signal for my Garmin C550 GPS (you Europeans call them Satnav) I could not use the GPS while the camera was powered up. I sure wish there had been a way for you to test that on each of the units you reviewed.
Does the screen turn off when you're driving along though? Honestly, I'd find the screen image really distracting.
EV-RY-OOONNNEEEE!!!
I'M on time LOL btw great VIDEOS always!
i have read, and think i can concur, the usb 5v regulator could quite possible be the source of interference. in my range rover, if i leave the usb adapter in. my normal radio reception is diminished, so, when driving, and listening to radio 2 ( normal not dab ) and it seems like its fading for no reason, i reach into the cubby box and pull the usb adapter out. voila r2 back without hiss.. just wondering if you can perhaps try a different adapter?
p.s. it was from your review i bought the ddpai m6. i have hard wired a micro usb adapter into the light cluster perm 12v. and am very happy.
p.p.s. one of your other reviews you drove past my house (leyland). next time i am home and you are passing i'll put the kettle on.... lol
I'm considering a dual camera solution as well. Have a look at Thinkware F800 Pro :)
Hello Mat, will you please test a double camera setup with 2021 technology soon? I trust in your honest reviews and am planning to buy my first ever dashcam. Thx.
Can you do a review of the Holly Hop Drive from Red Dwarf? I mean seriously. The controls are pretty straight forward so it shouldn't take very long. It won't be internet gold but it will be gold to me.
You could try a different 12V to 5V USB Adapter. Some of them are known to interfere with the Radio Signal because of poor shielding.
If I connect my Smartphone via USB to the Cars 12V plug, and then use a 3.5mm cable to connect the Smartphone to the Radio, I can hear every single electrical Items Noise via the cars Speakers. Just from the Noise I'd be able to determine if the Wipers are on or if the car is reving low or high.
Might not even be the dashcam itself though, maybe it's the 9 volt cigar usb thingy, I have one to charge my phone in my car and whenever it's plugged in the radio (not digital yet) will pick up a lot of hiss. So perhaps it's worth checking if switching out that fixes the issue.
Great Reveiw Techmoan! I would love to see a review of the Camsoy Cookycam C1. Which is a pretty budget 720p mini camera and IP camera and body/bike camera
A commendable lack of barrel distortion Mat, but does it see as wide as the SJCAM models?
My favourite TH-camr. Wish you could upload every day, great videos and content, keep up the top work 👍👍👍
Was it the camera causing the loss of DAB of the 12v power adapter?
I've had several cameras where the supplied power adaptors have blitzed the FM radio in my car so I used better quality power adaptors and the problem disappeared.
Liked the video.. thanks :)
Thanks! Good review....Can you please do a review for the Apeman Dual in car cam?