Ambarella A2, A5, A7 and A9 Processors

[DashCamMan]

I have split the topic so that it is a discussion on Ambarella processors. Note that the A9 processor was announced this month at CES as well.

In case any one is interested here are the release dates for these processors:

Jan 2007 A2
Jan 2009 A5
Mar 2011 A7
Jan 2013 A9

 

[DashCamMan]

We have a rank for manufacturer. jokiin, would you consider yourself that? I could assign you that title.

 

[jokiin]

Re: 2013 Amberalla GS9000 Car Dash Camcorder

I am just an avalanche: just shake my interest and I will cover you with ideas (good, I hope).

enjoy,
Mtz

I'm genuinely interested in what you have to say, indeed anyone that has been using cams for a while and has some thought or feedback is valuable insight, I've been involved for a while and have been using them quite a lot but others may well look at things from a different perspective to what I do and the feedback is stimulating, particularly when we're in the development cycle of a product, I've been visiting the site for quite a while but only decided to join up the other day, there are some other forums I participate in where the discussion has been going on longer but some of the conversion here covers a wider scope than it does on the others

Also I appreciate so much because if he is (?) involved in dash cams production he did not come here to just present his product, make some free advertising for him, but giving a lot of information which is not available from places like Shenzen.
enjoy,
Mtz

there's a lot of information in Shenzhen, not that many people there that can converse too well, understand though that English is very much their second language and a lot of things don't translate well (read any generic instruction manual to know that) I have sold a couple of cams to people on the other forums I participate in but it's not something I advertise, the other forums are much larger (55,000 members and 545,000 members and I've been on both since they started) so a bit more active and I have sold a few on request, again I don't participate because I'm trying to make a buck, just believe is sharing knowledge which is beneficial for all, this forum though is obviously focussed just on cams so a good place for me to find some end user opinions, ideas etc

Ouch, sorry, you got me and you are right. I think there are some standards and if a product have some wireless area less than 15 meters for example, it is not necessary to have some wi-fi certification. If this is true, can you tell us the official distance area? This distance is small because of a setting in the firmware? Do you think the user can increase that distance after buying the product? Even hacking a little the firmware with some value? If the area is because of firmware I think any hardware mod will not help too much so my antenna ideea is not good.
Can you give some advice regarding increasing the area of wi-fi signal?


enjoy,
Mtz

yeah I'm not sure about wireless standards and transmission limits, plenty of suppliers don't worry too much about rules and standards and will tweak stuff to do what they want/need, without changing anything it meets the standards so not something we have looked too much at, if it does what we need then really there is no need (if it ain't broken don't fix it), sometimes the products that become successful are the ones that things can be tweaked by end users that get an enthusiast following, I've done other products in that past like this and know how beneficial that can be, what might be possible though I'm not sure at this stage

 

[krokozavr]

Re: 2013 Amberalla GS9000 Car Dash Camcorder

I also came across the HDW001 from Eeyelog China that has the A5S30 chip. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it for sale any where.

it IS on sale: alibaba

 

[jokiin]

Re: 2013 Amberalla GS9000 Car Dash Camcorder

I also came across the HDW001 from Eeyelog China that has the A5S30 chip. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it for sale any where.

it IS on sale: alibaba

this product still has a lot of software problems, the mount bracket connections are a design fault also

 

[krokozavr]

Re: 2013 Amberalla GS9000 Car Dash Camcorder

this product still has a lot of software problems, the mount bracket connections are a design fault also

also looks a little bit strange and it seems that all difference between A2 and A5 models is WiFi module.

I personally am choosing (right now) between GS8000 and GS9000 - any advise ?

 

[jokiin]

Re: 2013 Amberalla GS9000 Car Dash Camcorder

this product still has a lot of software problems, the mount bracket connections are a design fault also

also looks a little bit strange and it seems that all difference between A2 and A5 models is WiFi module.

I personally am choosing (right now) between GS8000 and GS9000 - any advise ?

A5 with the right sensor and lens offers much improved night video over A2 solutions, indeed any model you choose the quality will be reliant on the quality of sensor and lens so whether 8000, 9000 or any other model it's what's inside the counts, a good A2 solution can still perform better than a bad A5 depending on what CMOS and Lens is used, not too many A5 based products out right now but expect that we'll see more this year

A5 can optionally support WiFi, it is not necessarily supported just because of A5 chipset, there is more possibilities with A5 solution though as the processor is more capable than A2

 

[Mtz]

Re: 2013 Amberalla GS9000 Car Dash Camcorder

A5 can optionally support WiFi, it is not necessarily supported just because of A5 chipset, there is more possibilities with A5 solution though as the processor is more capable than A2

What do you think about this Wi-Fi idea? I liked so much because is easy to implement it, easy to change the Wi-Fi, maybe a better wireless stick to be added by the user or manufacturer? I know this solution can be a little more expensive, but that dongle is possible to cost in China about just $4(?) and you don't have two PCB design, but that module and a connector.
Do you know which chipset is accepting for wireless the Ambarella A5? Maybe some Realtek? If yes, which model?

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[jokiin]

Re: 2013 Amberalla GS9000 Car Dash Camcorder

A5 can optionally support WiFi, it is not necessarily supported just because of A5 chipset, there is more possibilities with A5 solution though as the processor is more capable than A2

What do you think about this Wi-Fi idea? I liked so much because is easy to implement it, easy to change the Wi-Fi, maybe a better wireless stick to be added by the user or manufacturer? I know this solution can be a little more expensive, but that dongle is possible to cost in China about just $4(?) and you don't have two PCB design, but that module and a connector.
Do you know which chipset is accepting for wireless the Ambarella A5? Maybe some Realtek? If yes, which model?

enjoy,
Mtz

yes I'm not sure which WiFi chipsets are supported at this stage, it is something I will look at though as I have every intention of doing an A5 powered product with WiFi, will probably looking at this more closely when I'm back in China

 

[Mtz]

I just wonder how much can be the Wi-Fi dongle in Shenzen if on Amazon is $2.40.
But regarding the wireless option is another question for me: how much power will consume? I read on some sheet about 300mA, but I think is much or maybe when is connected and transferring data. The smart and logical use of these dash cams are always on, even in parking mode. But with the added wireless module the power consumption will increase. The question is how much. And this is another reason to include the UPC feature in the firmware: when the battery will go under 11.4V for example for more than 30-60 seconds, the camera will shut down. This firmware feature is better than trying to sell a Power Magic for the customers because it the customers will have dead batteries because of dash cam consumption the negative impact will be bigger than buying a Power Magic.

Someday because of Wi-Fi people will learn that:
- the camera don't need a display and because of this can be very small. More and more people have smartphones and this is the future.
- will forget taking out the SD card to transfer some interesting file. If the car is near their home they can do this from their room. Even they can upload some very interestnig footage to youtube, or sending the download link to some mail. Or even using some android application like live streaming.
- the smartphone application can remember you to format the card each week
- they can protect their recordings. If for example you are forced to give the recording to somebody like police, until they will take it, you can download the interseting recorder to your phone. You have a backup.
- setting the camera will be so easy like sending an email or SMS. So easy! Maybe will be possible to have the auto night time brightness from the phone application not from the firmware. That application is easy to update by the software team when have new ideas, not risking firmware upgrade.

And another original idea by me :roll: : using that type of wireless dongle because is so small, you can even make the camera with USB connector hole. User can buy the dongle after buying the camera if not already did it, he can use the dongle for some another gadget if he needs it, being outside maybe will have a better signal and no heat issues and the most important, if he want a lower power consumption or no wireless transmission at some moment he can take out the dongle.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[jokiin]

majority of cameras are 5 volt so building the smarts for power management into the DVR is not practical, building the power supply into the camera adds size, heat and potential interference, most power supplies used with these cams are also 12/24v so really are a simpler solution, I'd personally like to move away from cigarette lighter plug for power but there is also a level of convenience involved in that design, can't please everyone I guess but we're working on it

making the wireless adapter something that could be added after would be nice if it could be achieved with reliability (think software support) and be cosmetically pleasing (don't want to make an ugly product just to support an unknown device that may or may not be added)

there are other things being looked at right now for better handling of files on and off the camera, wireless, direct transfer etc

 

[Mtz]

I think you didn't understand me about the Power Magic. Please consider my english is not native, I am not speaking it, just writing on forums.
But I wrote: "include the UPC feature in the firmware: "

I hope these two screenshots are better than my english:


This feature is very easy to implement in any firmware and software. And the other feature to shutdown at 11.8V can be firmware (and software if really someboy want). I saw on some dash cam displays the battery voltage on the screen, so the firmware knows when the camera receive 11.8V for continuous 1 minute and can easy shut it down.

I know you have more things to do to have a bug free camera, but if you have some idea from the beginning you will know the form factor.
Regarding the dongle, you can sell it included with the camera from the start, even exposed outside. It is just 5mm long outside. You can even write in the manual that user can buy another RTL8192CU dongle for example. And if you must to fight with the prices you can offer dash cams without the dongle.

And yes, because of Wi-Fi is needed smartphone support for Android and iPhone or maybe Windows 8.


enjoy,
Mtz

 

[jokiin]

This feature is very easy to implement in any firmware and software. And the other feature to shutdown at 11.8V can be firmware (and software if really someboy want). I saw on some dash cam displays the battery voltage on the screen, so the firmware knows when the camera receive 11.8V for continuous 1 minute and can easy shut it down.


enjoy,
Mtz

I would think not too hard in a 12v powered camera, most of what we are dealing with are not 12v, that's not to say that some others might be able to offer this feature though

 

[Marcus]

I can confirm my GS8000 has the Ambarella A2 in it btw.......just fwiw.

 

[DashCamMan]

Many of the Chinese based cameras (but not all) are 5v. Unlike the Korean cameras where virtually all of them are 12v. The Korean cameras are designed for "parking mode" hence the 12v preference.

You could still hardwire a 5v camera but you will need to either use the cigarette lighter adapter or use some sort of 12v to 5v convertor.

 

[Mtz]

Yes and I think the 12V parking mode is correlated also with the ACC wire which is more than +12V and Ground.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[jokiin]

Yes and I think the 12V parking mode is correlated also with the ACC wire which is more than +12V and Ground.

enjoy,
Mtz

yes, building the smarts into the camera for low voltage shut off would be reasonably straightforward in a 12v cam

 

[Mtz]

And because all cars are 12V or 24V I don't see any reason to use 5V input for a dash cam. 5V is expected to some portable cameras which can be charged using some USB connector.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[jokiin]

And because all cars are 12V or 24V I don't see any reason to use 5V input for a dash cam. 5V is expected to some portable cameras which can be charged using some USB connector.

enjoy,
Mtz

a lot of the cams are designed around working with USB and were born out of the DVC market which was 5 volt also, logical why they went that way, the Chinese cams have evolved out of the DVC business, I suspect the Koreans started clean sheet and took a different approach, in some cases though the higher voltage has been a problem as well with heat, nothing is ever completely straightforward

 

[Mtz]

jokiin, watching some Itronics videos I was thinking about their "white" sky, instead of blue. Many cameras have this problem with the grey sky.
And I have another idea about the Texas Instruments chipset used by korean cameras which can not handle some conditions like a cloudy day combined with trees on the left and right of the road.
I saw this problem at Blackvue, but is also for the Itronics and this is the reason I say TI have some problems. Of coure I should think to the CMOS sensor, but I am not sure if BlackVue is using the same CMOS, but I know the 100HD and 250HD have different CMOS but the "cloudy-trees" problem is the same for all.

Going back to the burned sky, my question is, why they don't put some filter in front of lens? The ideea is this:


Because of the camera purposes, there is no autofocus or something like that and the sky is never used, but can create problems.
If the bright sky is filtered than the problems will be smaller.
A amazing show, Top Gear, about cars is using this technique and I think they had the same problem with the sky and we must consider they are shooting in England and that stupid weather which is not California. Look at the sky from this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8YdH3Om0wU

Have you ever tested this idea? Even I know the dashcam lens are very small.

enjoy,
Mtz