Mobius requests

[Mtz]

In this first post I will update our requests for the dashcam developer of the Mobius ActionCam.
You can post your request and I will update the list. The numbers will be unique, so when the request is done that number will be not used for another request.
Firmware:
F01 - 1 min and 2 mins Video Clip Length
F02 - custom user text logo stamp
F03 - bitrate values (7000, 8000, 9000, 10000, 11000, 12000, 14000, 16000, 18000 kbps)
F04 - save actual video
F05 - option to modify the date format
F06 - low FPS recording (camera security mode)
F07 - start parking mode when power disconnected
F08 - remove 1 second overlap between video files

Regarding firmware requests, I know some things like white balance will come, so I will wait for them to appear and then make other request.

Hardware:
H01 - smaller windshield mount system
H02 - vent holes
H03 - another USB connection type for the AV Cable
For now, for the AV Cable we have an USB male, but the charger cable is ended with an Micro USB male. I was expecting to insert the MiniUSB which is at the end of a 3 meters cable in some female connector. Now we need to use something like this if we want to use the AV Cable for the camera connection:


H04 - black heatsink
H05 - smaller stoppers for the case holder
H06 - harder plastic for the case holder and screw nut holder
H07 - sun visor mount
H08 - rearview mirror clip
H09 - side (not frontal) lens
H10 - 90 degrees Left Angled and 90 degrees Up Angled Mini USB cable (3m)
H11 - Active mount (powered)
H12 - option to take the camera out from the case holder also from back side

Use your imagination for your needings.
When some user like some request from some post he can just press the Like button and I know somebody like that request. I expect some of them to be impossible and I hope to understand to not include them in the list.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[jokiin]

I think basically just an adaption of this model for the car cam folk. Perhaps the developer already has another model in mind?

I'm sure if they put their mind to it they could make a good car camera product

 

[Mtz]

The side idea I think is too much because it involves a new camera. Not only the case should be modified, but also the PCB. I can't add this to the features.
Regarding Velcro, my Mobius came with a velcro:


The clip for the sun visor sounds good, but I expect a lot of vibrations and the video will not look OK.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[Mtz]

I will show you a mount made by me tomorrow. Based on that mount I will think to the sun visor clip too and I will add it to the list.
Regarding clones and colors, you are right, somebody is very close.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[russ331]

A clip to attach to the sun visor as a mounting option may be pretty cool.

Not sure about using the sun visor, however, a detachable clip would be handy. Something like that on the SanDisk Clip+ MP3 Player (though it's not detachable)...

http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=122&pictureid=924

A Velcro mounting option to the the rear view mirror that can be adjusted would be good. Or another type of clip.

Mine is currently sitting on top of the rear view mirror. Secured by 3M Dual Lock Tape. Still looking for a better location / mount, but it's ok for now.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Mtz]

Yes, depending of the car, over the rearview mirror is a good option and I understand now why you want the lens on the side. I tested on some VW and is very close to be a good option too.

As for the lens, just another hole would work, it did on the one I modded. But then you have a hole to fill.

If there is space and the lens can be mounted on the side I will add it as a hardware request. Better is to upload pictures from your mod.
Regarding the empty hole, my Mobius came with a lens cap (I already lost it) but I thin you can use the sponge cover from some earphones.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[Mtz]

Regarding your sun visor mount: in that way you must take off the camera if you want to put down the visor agains the sun. In your mount I am not too afraid about the vibrations. First time I was thinking about some clip to use when the sun visor is down. I am driving only with the visors down and I was thinking that your idea is the same and when want to hide the camera to move up the sun visor. This is why I wrote about vibrations.
I added both requests as H07 and H08.
Added also the clip for rearview mirror as H09. The Velcro thing can be made by the user and is not too professional, but if the developer can invent some clip for the rearview mirror will be great. For most of the cars is not needed the side position of the lens.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[Necromancer]

- What do you need 'user stamp' for?
- The rear view mount/clip is an awesome idea.
- Plz make a request for 90 degrees / L shape connectors on the 3meters USB cable.

The RC group is not stronger, just more vocal then us.

 

[Mtz]

Some users like to have embedded on the video some nickname, or maybe their license plate?
H10 request will be for 90 degrees USB cables.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[Necromancer]

Watermark should be embedded using a dedicated software IMO.

 

[Mtz]

When embedding something over a video, a watermark or some permanent subtitle, the video must be reencoded. This means the user must to know what to do, to have the software, to waste some time and power for preparing and reencoding and if not lucky, to lose a lot of quality of the image just because he doesn't know what software to use or what settings to make to the encoder.
If the user doesn't want any logo there will be nothing on the video even the firmware will offer this option.
The logo can be good also for the developer. My 808 #26 videos were recording with 808 #26 as logo and this is advertising for the camera itself or even for our forum.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[Necromancer]

The next thing is adding effects: make it fade in and out, float around and resize magically.
The cam (software) needs to be small and clean. And its already possible to do with dedicated tools, so no real reason to waste devs time on it. But thats just my opinion.

 

[Mtz]

User logo (in fact just some letters or numbers) is something very simple compared with your jokes. Many cameras have this option and if the 808 #26 have this option, why not Mobius which is a camera more firmware supported.



enjoy,
Mtz

 

[BobDiaz]

F03 - bitrate values (7000, 8000, 9000, 10000, 11000, 12000, 14000, 16000, 18000 kbps)

First a comment, you have too many values for the bit rate; 9 choices is too many. I suggest limiting it to a maximum of 5; 6000 kbps, 9000 kbps, 12000 kbps, 15000 kbps, & 18000 kbps.


My #1 request is to have a "Car Camera" version of the Mobius:

> With wide angle lens (116 deg HFOV).
> With Super Capacitor & the charge circuit must be able to charge the super capacitor. Ideal if the capacitor is able to run the real time clock for 1 week or more, but if not possible, at least 3 days.
> Better (larger) external heat sink added to unit.
> If possible, vent holes added to case for additional cooling.

If they must increase the thickness of the lower half of the case to fit a higher value super capacitor, that's OK. Adding 10mm of thickness (or more) to increase the time the unit keeps the real time clock running is worth it to me.

Cost: While it would be nice to see the cost the same, I would be willing to pay $5 to $20 (USA) more to get a camera designed for car use.

 

[Mtz]

I think the wide lens is almost ready and some user already posted a sample video in the main Mobius thread.
I expect the actual capacitors to keep the time more than 3 days. Bigger supercaps I expect to cost more. I don't know if users will easy pay $12 for actual supercaps.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[jokiin]

Bigger supercaps I expect to cost more. I don't know if users will easy pay $12 for actual supercaps.

enjoy,
Mtz

not just the components, they'd also need to enlarge the housing so there'd be retooling costs involved, if going to that length a small battery for the RTC would be a better option I would think and just leave the caps for shutdown purposes, if it didn't have a clock it wouldn't otherwise be a consideration

 

[Necromancer]

+1 for the dash cam edition. But with normal lens.
From JV video it seems the extra bending and distortion is not worth the extra detail/angle.
The normal lens is more then enough for me.

 

[BobDiaz]

I also have an interesting idea for a "parking mode". This will NOT work with a super capacitor, but would work with a battery....

When the USB power is off, the camera has the option to record in "parking mode". The camera takes a still image once every (1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, or 4 seconds, user selects) that is written to a 1080/30p video file (no audio). Because the camera is not doing much for most of the time, the power requirement should be reduced. Because it's just like any other video file, the file will be deleted if nothing happened while parking. However, if something happened, the file may contain an image of the person doing the damage.

Once USB power appears, the "parking mode" recording is stopped and the file is closed. A new file for regular driving is opened.

 

[Mtz]

The other camera of the same developer, the 808 #16, have an option to record the video (720p) at 5 FPS. But when playing that 5FPS video on PC, the video frame rate will be at 30FPS (I think the 30FPS is just wrote in the video header) so all video will be 6 times speed-up when watching. Of course when editing the video, the FPS will be the real 5FPS.

Unfortunately the camera doesn't have G-Sensor and is 5V instead of 12V to make the parking mode more simple.
But it will have Motion Detect. I used the 808 #16 and 808 #18 only in Motion Detect mode and the camera was always on. When driving, of course is a lot of motion and the camera is always recording. The disadvantage was because in this mode there was a delay for more than 2 seconds when the motion was detected. Also the 808 models have some small gaps between files.

I am thinking too also to some smart mode for the Parking Mode (using the supercaps), something like this: when is a lot of motion to record in normal mode selected by the user, for example 1080p@30fps. And when the car is parked, the Motion Detect to work in some other way, based on the lower motion in the front of camera which is supposed to be different than the motion provided when driving and to record at 5FPS and even at 720p. Of course the Motion Detect have some time-out, for example 30 seconds. If after 30 seconds there is no motion anymore the camera will not record, but this feature can be used to keep recording but at 5fps.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[Mtz]

F04 - save actual video
To be implemented for the M button. The M button is the Mode button, but also the M letter is from Memory. So user can easy remember to press the M to save the video containing an important event and not be deleted by the loop mode. I know can be some risks if the saving was made at the beginning of a new clip and the event was in the previous. But some smart mode can save also the old clip if pressing was made under 30 seconds.
F04 to be available only if the video clip length is under 5 minutes. I expect to be for the 3 and 2 minutes options, but maybe also for 5 minutes should be OK.
The number of saved videos should be about 10.

enjoy,
Mtz