4ch x 1080p/30fps/15mbps, 4 x A7LA50D / AR0330, Bluesonic BS-F010 "Спрут", "Octopus"

[niko]

it's one of those things that gets made with little thought about the practical application

If it's so, ... but it's looks like it is as you say, then I really don't understand who are behind R&D there ?
They have quite interesting and in some way practical approach with this system. They spent 100'000$ and up on this project. Why they did not spent just a tiny amount of time and money on researching of practicality of rear + side cameras mounting solution and how it will look like if installed in different cars. This could even do 10y old kiddo and make conclusions on practical design. Why they didn't do that ? Because of being lazy or without imagination ?

 

[jokiin]

A lot of designers are great doers but poor thinkers

 

[sludgeguts]

This could work if the lens, instead of being on a rotatable stalk, was on the end of a (for example) 12" lead. The 'box' portion could be mounted maybe on a door pillar, low down, with the lens being supported as per

A 12" lead would/should be long enough to loop & allow the door to swing open. In fact, the lens doesn't even need to be mounted on the door, as long as the bracket it is on is long enough to overhang & allow the lens a good view out of the window - but it would also need to be strong enough to counteract any vibration.
Obviously, front & rear mounting solutions would allow the box to be mounted out of sight of the glass.

 

[niko]

This could work if the lens, instead of being on a rotatable stalk, was on the end of a (for example) 12" lead. The 'box' portion could be mounted maybe on a door pillar, low down, with the lens being supported as per

A 12" lead would/should be long enough to loop & allow the door to swing open. In fact, the lens doesn't even need to be mounted on the door, as long as the bracket it is on is long enough to overhang & allow the lens a good view out of the window - but it would also need to be strong enough to counteract any vibration.
Obviously, front & rear mounting solutions would allow the box to be mounted out of sight of the glass.

This sample of reversing camera is my favourite one I am installing for locals here and it's also my favourite design of how should look perfect discrete solution for standalone systems. Only lens part and it's surrounding should be visible to outside by leaving minimal "footprint".
I have been doing this "propaganda" for nearly 2 years when communicating with dashcam manufacturers, but nobody wants to listen to me . Even the case is not in listening to me or someone else, - it's just pure practical logic, ... just need to open your mind and think practically about design and functionality of the product.
As @jokiin mentioned " A lot of designers are great doers but poor thinkers " .

 

[jokiin]

That could work if you're happy with SD resolutions, can't get that small and support HD resolutions using current technology, things change though so what's impossible today may not always be the case

 

[niko]

That could work if you're happy with SD resolutions, can't get that small and support HD resolutions using current technology, things change though so what's impossible today may not always be the case

I looked inside Innovv, Dimica and Mobius and seeing how compact things are built providing 1080p 30fps 18mbps then I am sure its possible. Maybe not 100% same size as that reversing camera which diameter is aroun 12-15mm but 25 x 50mm bullet-type solution is quite possible just by using same hardware elements like in mobius but redesigning and spreading them into 2-3 pcb parts. Or same size square one.

I had 3y ago Selfic Cube 7100 ( 27 x 27 x 54 mm )

http://bendix.ucoz.ru/index/selfic_cube_7100/0-27

I open it and see it had 4 x PCB-s around inner walls of shell all connected together. Also it had built in gps module. Size is 27 x 27 x 54.
If removing gps module and redesigning slightly internal pcb, + taking into account that it was 3y ago technology, then at i think these days 20 x 20 x 50mm is acievable.

 

[jokiin]

It's a lot more complex than it probably seems, maybe some SOC solution will come out at some stage which will simplify things, using current tech the side cameras are certainly the most difficult part of a 4 channel solution, it's not just the CMOS board but power and data that needs to be accommodated

 

[kamkar]

Yeah i am thinking, ditch the battery in the C1 or mobius, split the PCB in 2 and layer it + Loose the buttons, and it should be possible to make a housing 2/3 the size of what they are now.

I can see round housings beeing a problem as there will be a lot of Waste Space inside, but IMO a small Square housing should be just as good.
Somthing in the lines of 22x22x55 mm will be fine, maybe even smaller if there is no onbord Sd card

Sidecams are hard to place in new cars with curtain airbags above the door/windows.

 

[niko]

Yeah i am thinking, ditch the battery in the C1 or mobius, split the PCB in 2 and layer it + Loose the buttons, and it should be possible to make a housing 2/3 the size of what they are now.

I can see round housings beeing a problem as there will be a lot of Waste Space inside, but IMO a small Square housing should be just as good.
Somthing in the lines of 22x22x55 mm will be fine, maybe even smaller if there is no onbord Sd card

Sidecams are hard to place in new cars with curtain airbags above the door/windows.

I still have Selfic Cube 7100 despite its 3y old, I keep almost all my favourite dashcams kinda part of "my family" .
When I get chance, I will open it again and make step by step photos to share on forum for Bluesonic or other manufacturers to show that their ( Selfic ) approach / idea is quite possible to use even with new generation hardware like A7 CPU + Aptina or Sony Exmor to build ultra-compact high end dashcam.
I suggested this concept to few manufacturers in the past, but of course they have their own visions to produce bulcky "bling-bling" devices targeting their own markets interest only

Like @kamkar1 mentioned, there are a lot of space wasted in Mobius, Innovv or Dimika and its only need to re-design shell and make PCB multilayer, thats it. Its kinda playing Tetris, - my favourite game of all time and which I still play every day for over 25 years. Tetris is must-be "accessory" in my WC . No 1 is Tetris, then comes toilet paper

 

[niko]

Here are photos I promised. I think "Octopus" could use similar approach of rear and side cameras solution and most important SIZE.
Ultimate Ultra-MINI size dashcam ( 27×27×54mm, 35gr) w Built IN GPS+SuperCap

 

[Alexander]

Bluesonic 'Live' @ Consumer Electronics Expo 10-13 April 2014

 

[niko]

Bluesonic 'Live' @ Consumer Electronics Expo 10-13 April 2014

As I understand you are at the show. Could you please ask them if in some stage in future they plan to change size / style of rear and side cameras ?

 

[niko]

Few hours ago visited HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair and saw OEM product from KOME Technology.

 

[niko]

OEM www.kome.hk


They do two models:

- CR900: GPS logger, A7LA50 + OV4689, Max. 1080p / 45fps

- CR900S: NT96650 + AR0330, Max. 1080p/30fps.

 

[sludgeguts]

Further to my previous remark, If mobius can come up with a way of mounting their lens - which is 1080p? - away from the unit, this company could also do it...

This would now need some sort of mounting solution for the lens (not sure how large this lens box is, but it'd still provide a more discrete solution than most cams on the market). Maybe just a simple L- shaped bracket which would allow for up/down movement (like the 0801 cam). The cable would also be rear-entry.
The rest of the gubbins - the top box & GPS box could then be mounted away from the screen

 

[jokiin]

what you want is more involved than it seems, coming soon though

 

[sludgeguts]

In what respect?
The original lens is already 'remotely' mounted from the control box since it is on a short stalk.
Therefore, it already has a short cable running to it.
Is there some sort of problem with using a lens extension cable? (I note the mobius only provides a maximum 8" whereas the #16 can go up to 15" - mobius is 1080 & the #16 is only 720)

 

[jokiin]

you can't extend the lens very far at all without interference becoming an issue, to get greater distance there is a transmit and receive chip required each end, you'll see solutions very shortly where the lens can be several meters from recorder and still deliver 1080p resolution without a problem, a couple of models will release over the next few months

 

[phy6]

So, can this be bought anywhere yet?

 

[spotnz]

you can't extend the lens very far at all without interference becoming an issue, to get greater distance there is a transmit and receive chip required each end, you'll see solutions very shortly where the lens can be several meters from recorder and still deliver 1080p resolution without a problem, a couple of models will release over the next few months

I'd also like to see ( if possible ) it capable of saving videos to an external hard drive. Because for $ per Gb, they're mildly cheaper than cards.

david