Best camera (DR900S, U1000, other) for API/developer access

[skythediver]

From what I've read the Blackvue product has a more mature and/or reliable cloud service than Thinkware. I was originally more attracted to the U1000 for image quality reasons but am concerned about Thinkware's software quality, particularly for getting stored and live video from the device. My aim is to be able to add access to the videos and live feed to my own custom web dashboard that runs in my van to control electric, solar, heating, water, etc. I'd like to be able to interface directly to avoid reliability issues with a particular cloud service and to unify my vehicle's various functions.

Blackvue seems to have a lot of folks writing custom integrations and APIs to interface with the camera directly via WIFI as well as via the cloud service here on Github, whereas a similar search for Thinkware doesn't come up with anything relevant. Additionally in a live chat with Thinkware the support individual I spoke with didn't have any information on APIs or custom access.

Does anyone have experience with grabbing camera feeds or files from their camera setup with any manufacturer? Any recommendations on going about this?

Thanks!

 

[skythediver]

Looks like the Viofo platform may be even better due to findings in this post by @clicketyclack : https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/how-to-access-the-a129-over-wi-fi-without-the-viofo-app.37279/

 

[helg]

Does anyone have experience with grabbing camera feeds or files from their camera setup with any manufacturer?

If you are familiar with arm-linux, you can look at DDPai dashcams. IMHO, they provide the most powerful programmable general purpose compute hardware like raspberry pi.

 

[skythediver]

If you are familiar with arm-linux, you can look at DDPai dashcams. IMHO, they provide the most powerful programmable general purpose compute hardware like raspberry pi.

I'd not heard of DDPai! I gave them a look but am not finding resources indicating that they're programmable. Have any links? FWIW, I control my vehicle via a Raspberry Pi Elixir/Nerves server with a web dashboard.

 

[helg]

I'd not heard of DDPai! I gave them a look but am not finding resources indicating that they're programmable. Have any links?

I have successfully rooted all my 3 dashcams running ARM-Linux, check the respective forum threads if you need more assistance.
Installing some kind of openWRT distribution or even the full-fledged Debian-ARM can be done with minor effort,
it's just not ready for a normal dashcam user, who may brick the device in process.

 

[SirVival0001]

I have successfully rooted all my 3 dashcams running ARM-Linux, check the respective forum threads if you need more assistance.
Installing some kind of openWRT distribution or even the full-fledged Debian-ARM can be done with minor effort,
it's just not ready for a normal dashcam user, who may brick the device in process.

Are you kidding? I already own two DDPai's.

ok, I've found your thread (quite old) https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/rooting-your-m6-m4.33041/

Have any new recources regarding DDPai API?

 

[helg]

Are you kidding? I already own two DDPai's.

I have three, all run Linux with root access over telnet without any modificatons. molaN3 (64MB RAM) is in the best shape now, video streaming over USB & ethernet,
external USB GPS and full USB (manual switching)OTG with self-compiled kernel 4.9.37 modules.
mini5 (512MB RAM) is a similar setup with better hardware (accelerometer+gyroscope,bluetooth,4K camera), but the GPIO switching between 2 USB host ports is not yet well understood
(if it works at all, since DDPAI is using the first port only in the device mode, and the second port needs a special magnetic bracket connector, which is sold only in China).

Have any new recources regarding DDPai API?

The HTTP API is partially documented here https://www.eionix.co.in/2019/10/10/reverse-engineer-ddpai-firmware.html but IMHO it is very limited in scope, and more spyware oriented.

 

[helg]

GPIO switching between 2 USB host ports is not yet well understood
(if it works at all, since DDPAI is using the first port only in the device mode, and the second port needs a special magnetic bracket connector, which is sold only in China).

Got the USB-C port working in the USB host mode also on mini5!