A129 Hardwire Issue

[StrayCam]

hmmmm....my understanding is to use "parking mode" you need an "always on" circuit and an "accessory circuit" that only gives power when the ignition is on. - - If you have a lighter socket that turns off when the ignition turns off, you would have no power. And if you have an "always on" lighter circuit, your cam will be always on... - - You will not have the safety of the cut-off switch in the 3-wire kit that you can set to different levels so you don't accidentally drain your battery. - Perhaps I'm wrong on these details....?

 

[Airborne]

So for now just keep camera plugged in, any settings to use. I understand this is a personal thing, but just to get me started, the only thing I changed on the camera was the Hz. From 50 to 60. All the other settings are factory, I hope tonight I get update the camera using my computer

 

[StrayCam]

If you care about stuff that might happen to your car while you are parked, of course you will want to use "parking mode". And yes, you need to install the 3-wire kit to be able to us "parking mode". - Good luck.

Interesting....so let me ask you this. If you have our camera in low bitrate parking mode and you were to slam you car door or push down on the rear or front of your car, will that video end up in the RO file???

 

[Airborne]

Yea I am usually at my doctor appointments at the VA is 2 hours tops. This is where I am worried, the real old timers will not give 2 hoots if they scratch or dink your door. So until I can get the hard wire kit installed it is my cigarette lighter. I did not check if it is hot when the truck is off but will do that tonight, Thanks for the tips guys, I hope we are not high jacking the op post.

 

[Nigel]

hmmmm....my understanding is to use "parking mode" you need an "always on" circuit and an "accessory circuit" that only gives power when the ignition is on. - - If you have a lighter socket that turns off when the ignition turns off, you would have no power. And if you have an "always on" lighter circuit, your cam will be always on... - - You will not have the safety of the cut-off switch in the 3-wire kit that you can set to different levels so you don't accidentally drain your battery. - Perhaps I'm wrong on these details....?

You are correct, unless your accessory socket automatically turns off on low battery voltage, and many, probably most don't.
But the parking mode does work, another option is to power it from a USB powerbank, although don't leave the powerbank sitting in the heat of the sun.

 

[Nigel]

Interesting....so let me ask you this. If you have our camera in low bitrate parking mode and you were to slam you car door or push down on the rear or front of your car, will that video end up in the RO file???

It should do, I'm not sure if it does in the version people are complaining about though.

 

[StrayCam]

Okay, thanks for the clarification. So, unless someone is willing to invest in a powerbank,

It should do, I'm not sure if it does in the version people are complaining about though.

Well, whether the g-sensor events get sent to the RO file is a pretty important thing to know...It would take only about 20 minutes or so to determine that. - -

Incidentally, @viofo /Bill Zhou is not aware that g-sensor buffered mode events get sent to the RO file; he thinks they go into the regular file with all the "motion detected videos"...it's hard to figure out how he doesn't know this....???

 

[Nigel]

Okay, thanks for the clarification. So, unless someone is willing to invest in a powerbank,


Well, whether the g-sensor events get sent to the RO file is a pretty important thing to know...It would take only about 20 minutes or so to determine that. - -

Incidentally, @viofo /Bill Zhou is not aware that g-sensor buffered mode events get sent to the RO file; he thinks they go into the regular file with all the "motion detected videos"...it's hard to figure out how he doesn't know this....???

It may only take you 20 minutes!
I could test it, but being on firmware V1.08 I'm not sure my result would be valid!

 

[StrayCam]

1.08!!!! When was that from...??? Maybe you meant to say 1.8???

Yeah, changing firmware and re-changing back could take another 10 minutes or so... just a bit of a hassle. But, I'd at least want to know for sure if someone slammed my door or pushed down on my car that the g-sensor would get triggered and the video would get saved in my RO file.

 

[Airborne]

I think it is 1.9 now for update? I don,t even know what RO file is, so I am completely lost.lol I will get there once I start using the camera. I have to find a good location for the front one. I have that lane changing radar crap on my windshield, so it has to be below that and I may need to cut my sun screen also

 

[StrayCam]

I mentioned above that RO is Read Only file/directory. Crashes/bumps, etc... get stored there when a video gets created. To test this, while your car is running, take the dash cam off windshield and shake it a few times. You should see a Yellow Triangle Icon on the dashcam screen. - Then when you look at your videos on your PC the video with shaking will be in a file/ Movies/RO - - All other videos should be in Movies directory... What do you mean "cut your sunscreen"....You shouldn't have to cut anything.

 

[Harsh]

He has a pre-production unit. It can't run newer firmwares.

 

[StrayCam]

Harsh-

Thanks! - -Okay, so he's clearly limited on what he can do...but at the moment, if he gets g-sensored events funneled to his RO file, he's ahead of what most of us can do with the latest firmware of 1.9 a year later....

Perhaps I have misspoken.... Do you know if low bitrate parking mode sends g-sensored events to the RO file; more importantly, does G-sensor even work with low bitrate parking mode. - - It does not work with G-senor Auto-detect/buffered parking mode.

 

[Airborne]

I have a removable sun screen on my front windshield. It covers the entire windshield no gaps. I am guessing I will need to slip it in front of the 129,this way. it will be protected from that sun. I will figure it out, thanks for the explanation on the RO file and I will do what you said. I don’t drive much so I have not tried to mount the cameras yet. I will get with the program once this humidity breaks

 

[Airborne]

Tried the update, my computer is not seeing the camera???

 

[Airborne]

I should mention I am running windows 7 on this old guy

 

[StrayCam]

You should see an E: Drive on your PC (via Windows Explorer) which is the SD Reader slot that your card is plugged into. Open that Drive; go to DCIM/Movies and you should see any videos taken in there... btw, in that folder is another directory, RO (ReadOnly); Any g-sensor triggered events would be there.

You may want to look into buying Dashcam Viewer as it's a great program that shows front & rear video at the same time. I'm not sure of the limitatiions on your Windows 7 system; you obviously have 32-bit system rather than 64-bit. You can always drop a note to the owner (John or @traveler on this forum) if you aren't certain of compatibility issues.

 

[Airborne]

64 bit.... windows 7.... I checked e and f drive, nothing there

 

[StrayCam]

Let's get back to basics: Where did you put your SD Card? I assume your PC has a card reader, right? - - Wherever that reader/sd card shows up on your computer is where you want to go... Once you find one of the video files, clicking on it should bring up Windows Media Player for you to watch the video. - Also, I'm sure you know the little sd card has to be put in the larger card reader for your computer to be able to take it....

edit: Sometimes the sd card is not pushed in far enough for your PC to read it; just in case, pull the card out and reinsert it all the way in.

 

[Airborne]

I have the entire camera plugged in, I will remove the card and install it