A118C questions

[moa_chaser]

Hi all, new to the site... I have been researching dashcams and I'm pretty sure I'm going with the A118C.

I had a few questions, though, before I order.

What is the "Loop" feature, of 1, 3, 5 minutes? That's not how long you can record, right? I'm guessing that is the length of each file segment? The manual isn't very clear on that.

Does the capacitor model save the date/time/etc when you shut down the vehicle for hours or days, or do you have to reset it often?

Has anyone set a camera like this up to be in "sleep" mode but wake up and record if the car is bumped... say, like in a parking lot?

Also, I followed the link from the review page to Amazon for the capacitor version... but it doesn't look like it's the capacitor version. Is there another link to Amazon for the A118C?

 

[CheckYourLights]

What is the "Loop" feature, of 1, 3, 5 minutes? That's not how long you can record, right? I'm guessing that is the length of each file segment? The manual isn't very clear on that.

Yes
a new file will be created on the card every 1,3, or 5 mins depending on what you select.

Does the capacitor model save the date/time/etc when you shut down the vehicle for hours or days, or do you have to reset it often?

It should not be an issues as long as it's not weeks or so. I have had a Marcus 3 loose time after not using it for awhile.

Has anyone set a camera like this up to be in "sleep" mode but wake up and record if the car is bumped... say, like in a parking lot?

I think you are talking about motion detection. The camera needs to be on and will record once it sees something move in front of it.
The bump will cause the currently recording file to become locked so it can not be over written by the loop function.

The motion detection does not work well on most cameras save for a few high end ones so most people leave it turned off and just let the camera record all the time when parked up away from home. By the time the motion detection in most cameras will start recording you will most likely miss what you wanted to catch.

 

[moa_chaser]

Thank you. I just ordered the A118C.

If I would want protection from hit and run while parked (I live in a rural area, so I'm talking a couple hours at a time, max), I should buy something like the Blackvue Power Magic Pro or the Lukas 290? From what I understand, if I turn these devices "off" the camera(s) will only have power when the car is on. But if I switch the power management unit "on", it will run direct from the battery so it will record while parked. Correct?

I'm not TOO concerned about the battery protection, but being able to switch between having it on or off while parked would be a great feature.

 

[jokiin]

Correct

 

[moa_chaser]

What amperage is required to run the A118? I will likely order a second camera in the future, and would have them both wired into power management. Would a 1A output be enough for both, or would I need two power management units?

 

[jokiin]

Needs 1A supply

 

[slave0418]

Hi all, new to the site... I have been researching dashcams and I'm pretty sure I'm going with the A118C.

I had a few questions, though, before I order.

What is the "Loop" feature, of 1, 3, 5 minutes? That's not how long you can record, right? I'm guessing that is the length of each file segment? The manual isn't very clear on that.

Does the capacitor model save the date/time/etc when you shut down the vehicle for hours or days, or do you have to reset it often?

Has anyone set a camera like this up to be in "sleep" mode but wake up and record if the car is bumped... say, like in a parking lot?

Also, I followed the link from the review page to Amazon for the capacitor version... but it doesn't look like it's the capacitor version. Is there another link to Amazon for the A118C?

Cam has a small battery inside for keeping up with settings.

 

[DoomY]

Hy All
Will the A118C work with a normal USB charger ? I have one stamped at 5V 2.1mAh , is it to much for the camera ? Or is it a must to have only 5v1A?

Thanks

 

[jokiin]

will work

 

[Bibish]

Quick question regarding the motion detection function. Since it runs without a battery, when the car is off it wouldn't be getting any power from the 12v socket. In that case would the motion detection feature even work?

Would I need to hardwire it to have at least some protection when parked?

 

[Street Guardian USA]

Yes you'll need to hard wire it to constant power. You can use the CELL POWER CPUSB01 or equivalent. Be aware Motion Detection is not pre-buffered and not very effective at night with the Aptina sensor model.

 

[Schnickelfritz]

You can run the camera from an external (rechargeable) battery that is used for powering or recharging cellphones and tablets. It connects through the USB cable. Depending on the capacity of the external battery, your camera might run continuously for a few hours to a few days.

That's the only way I run my A118c and other dashcams.