Blackvue DR400G-HD II

[KEVINSTEAMBUFF]

HI ALL, I am new to this forum, but have found all the comments very informative, so I will try to find out how to improve the software for my BlackVue DR400GII. Purchased via Ebay 2 weeks ago.
I have found the picture quality good,but the exposure keeps alternating from light to dark to very dark at about midday, depending on my car position. Doe's anyone else have this problem?. Could it be a software problem
My model is the Korean Pittasoft, no paperwork or English explanation supplied, and with the firmware I get 4.5 hours video from 16G micro card. Is all this info normal to anyone who is in the know. I am 68 and not that computer literate lol. Thanks in advance /i]

 

[Merkury]

1. You have to adjust camera position 1/3 sky and 2/3 road. It helps a lot.
2. Update your firmware to Russian version. It has better picture quality.
3. At list update it to English firmware. Go back to page 4

 

[KEVINSTEAMBUFF]

Hi Merkury, tried the Russian version, but settings would not recognise version / sd card not valid, So have gone back to English version,I have adjusted the cam to a lower setting and notice a lot less exposure movement.
Thanks for the tip mate

 

[boklsg]

Hi Merkury,

May I know how to change language from Russian version to English voice?
please help...thank..

 

[Merkury]

would you like to keep russian firmware but with English voice?

 

[Merkury]

Hi Merkury, tried the Russian version, but settings would not recognise version / sd card not valid, So have gone back to English version,I have adjusted the cam to a lower setting and notice a lot less exposure movement.
Thanks for the tip mate

To install Russian firmware you have to:
download soft to your computer
format SD card
start downloaded soft on your PC
insert SD card to your PC( computer will install new firmware on SD card)
insert SD card to your cam
Upgrade starts

Russian firmware almost the same with English. Only it has special file to adjust picture quality(bit rate). English and Korean versions don't have it.
For example English version has 5 000 000 bitrate Russian 10 000 000.

 

[boklsg]

would you like to keep russian firmware but with English voice?

Yes..i would like to use Russian firmware but change the voice to English..
Any way to change it?

 

[Merkury]

You have to install 1.011eng firmware first and after that v1.010-155(2012_1110)_RU
It should help if not change version:
[firmware]
version = 1.010 на version = 1.011
model = 400GII
language = Korea to language = English

[software]
version = 2.010
model = 400GII
language = Korea to language = English
[config]
version = 1.010
model = 400GII

save changes

 

[boklsg]

You have to install 1.011eng firmware first and after that v1.010-155(2012_1110)_RU
It should help if not change version:
[firmware]
version = 1.010 на version = 1.011
model = 400GII
language = Korea to language = English

[software]
version = 2.010
model = 400GII
language = Korea to language = English
[config]
version = 1.010
model = 400GII


Hi,

Do you know where can I download 1.011eng firmware ?

save changes

 

[Merkury]

Unforunatley I can't find it too

Here another way:
Go to \BlackVue\BlackVue\Config
and open config.ini
[Tab1]
TimeZone=256
ImageSetting=0
PROFILETYPE=1
Brightness=1
NormalRecord=0
VoiceRecord=0
DateDisplay=0
SpeedUnit=0
NormalRecordTime=1
EventRecordTime=1
StorageSetting=0
StorageRate=0
AutoParking=0
FileFormat=0
[Tab2]
NORMALSENSOR1=20
NORMALSENSOR2=30
NORMALSENSOR3=30
PARKINGSENSOR1=80
PARKINGSENSOR2=80
PARKINGSENSOR3=80
MOTIONSENSOR=40
[Tab3]
LED1=1
LED2=1
NORMALCOLOR=1
PARKINGCOLOR=1
STARTVOICE=1
NORMALSTARTVOICE=1
EVENTSTARTVOICE=0
CHANGERECORDMODEVOICE=1
PARKINGMODEVOICE=1
ENDVOICE=1
VOLUME=100
AVOUT=0

insert VoiceType=1 under [Tab1]
here new file

[Tab1]
VoiceType=1
TimeZone=256
ImageSetting=0
PROFILETYPE=1
Brightness=1
NormalRecord=0
VoiceRecord=0
DateDisplay=0
SpeedUnit=0
NormalRecordTime=1
EventRecordTime=1
StorageSetting=0
StorageRate=0
AutoParking=0
FileFormat=0
[Tab2]
NORMALSENSOR1=20
NORMALSENSOR2=30
NORMALSENSOR3=30
PARKINGSENSOR1=80
PARKINGSENSOR2=80
PARKINGSENSOR3=80
MOTIONSENSOR=40
[Tab3]
LED1=1
LED2=1
NORMALCOLOR=1
PARKINGCOLOR=1
STARTVOICE=1
NORMALSTARTVOICE=1
EVENTSTARTVOICE=0
CHANGERECORDMODEVOICE=1
PARKINGMODEVOICE=1
ENDVOICE=1
VOLUME=100
AVOUT=0

Now you have speak English cam

 

[Merkury]

do you know how to use avserver.sh file?

 

[Merkury]

Hi Merkury, tried the Russian version, but settings would not recognise version / sd card not valid, So have gone back to English version,I have adjusted the cam to a lower setting and notice a lot less exposure movement.
Thanks for the tip mate

Do it step by step again. It must work!

 

[helper]

sorry for my english
if firmware with Russian av_server (1.010-155) replace a parameter in config.ini VoiceType = 1, will be English male voice

 

[Merkury]

Yes

 

[raychay]

I just got my DR400-HD2.
My firmware (voice prompt) is in English but the software (menu, settings, map) is in Korean.
How do I make it all English?
Thanks.

 

[Vue2VueYou]

hi all

received a BV 400 II from ebay and had the DR400G-HD-II_v1.010KR firmware on it, so im not sure if this is a Korean model?

fitted it to my car and for last 2 days the blackvue has been restarting it self every 4-5mins

ive reformatted the 32gb class 10 card twice and installed the blackvue DR400G-HD-II_v1.010KR firmware found here: http://led-car.ru/downloads/index.php?dir=blackvue%2F

also changed the voice to English using the New_Blackvue 1.010K to all English file and it works fine but the next day it starts to restart again. the footage during the restarts doesnt play back at all

is this a sd card issue?

all settings set to default apart from England/London location, and mph speed display

BV is is connected to switched live so turns off when my car if off.

thanks

 

[Bluerose]

If the dash camera warms is overheating then it is a good idea to find the source of the heat first. Instead drilling holes or, dismantling the cover, and adding cooling devices (heat exchangers), there is an option #2.
1- Open the camera
2 - Locate the battery. Inspect and find the source of the heat.
If the battery is going hot -> THEN:
1 - Buy a new battery with enough capacity to provide 0.5 C current in amps. C is capacity of the battery in mAh. If the camera source 400mA buy a Li ion Polymer 3.7V 800mah rechargeable battery.
Make sure that the battery is equipped with wires and a mini connector.
Buy sets of identical mini connectors with wires (male-female).
I bought in ebay two Li ion 3.7v 600mah batteries for $11, included $1.75 for the shipping, and a set of 4 connectors for $5 free shipping.
Connect in parallel, the wires of the female connector, with the old battery. Plug in the new battery to the connector. Cut off short the terminals of the old battery and now you have a dash cam with a specified replaceable battery instead with an unspecified internal battery.
And if you have a >$200 camera then you can buy a 3.7V 2840 mAh to 1200mAh Polymer Lithium Battery LiPo with protective circuit PCM from ebay $16 to $9 and have peace in your mind.
This is exactly what I'm duing with my two HD car DVR.

 

[Bluerose]

Because this camera has inside a CMOS Button Battery there is no doubt that circuit works at around 5V. There might be a voltage regulator circuit to drop the voltage from 12V to 5V. I have found out:
First: the 7805 is a linear regulator that takes in DC electricity of at least 7V and outputs a constant 5V. The voltage that is shed (anything over 5V) is converted to heat.
Second: with the running engine, the voltage in my car is regulated at 14.2V.
So, to drop the Voltage from 14.2 to 5V then a lot of heat is generated inside the camera.
My camera, which is different, works internally at 5 volts too. For driving about 30 minutes the camera gets hot, but if the driving period is prolonged the camera overheats.
I removed the camera from the car, and tested with 10V, 11V, 12V, and 14V DC current at my home. At 10V to 11V the camera was not overheating.
I solved the problem dropping the sourcing voltage from 14.2V to 11.8V at the camera wires. I inserted in series (two in the positive wire, and two at negative wire) 4 diodes 1N4003 Micro 1-Amp Diode that a bought at Radio Shack. Watch out for the sense of the diodes and measure the sense with a mulltimeter.
The result: the source voltage is 11.8V instead the 14.2 V and I can drive up to one hour without overheating, because the heat generated by the camera is decreased. I’m still waiting for Li Ion Poly batteries, I have ordered from China with double capacity compared with the original one inside the camera. The last thing to do is to open the camera, and relocate the battery outside of the camera with wired mini connectors that a have ordered from China too.

 

[jokiin]

Because this camera has inside a CMOS Button Battery there is no doubt that circuit works at around 5V. There might be a voltage regulator circuit to drop the voltage from 12V to 5V. I have found out:
First: the 7805 is a linear regulator that takes in DC electricity of at least 7V and outputs a constant 5V. The voltage that is shed (anything over 5V) is converted to heat.
Second: with the running engine, the voltage in my car is regulated at 14.2V.
So, to drop the Voltage from 14.2 to 5V then a lot of heat is generated inside the camera.
My camera, which is different, works internally at 5 volts too. For driving about 30 minutes the camera gets hot, but if the driving period is prolonged the camera overheats.
I removed the camera from the car, and tested with 10V, 11V, 12V, and 14V DC current at my home. At 10V to 11V the camera was not overheating.
I solved the problem dropping the sourcing voltage from 14.2V to 11.8V at the camera wires.

interesting as I noticed the Blackview refer to their power magic product also as a voltage stabiliser which prevents random reboots http://www.blackvue.com/en/contents/sub1.asp?idx=13

 

[Bluerose]

@jokiing, I didn't know that this camera system has an adapter between the car harnesses and the camera. My apology. So, my case and your case are not similar.
I am using a Black Hero, a small $40 dash camera without H264 codec. I have overcome this using a 16GB class 10 SD Card. This gives me 2.5 hours history.
In my case the camera turns off when the voltage drops at 9V, and the max voltage is 16V. What I'm doing now is creating a crude adapter to decrease the input voltage to the camera from 14.2 V to 11.2 V, adding 6 diodes 1N4003 instead 1N4001. Both are rated for 1A but the Peak Inverse Voltage is 50V for the first one and 200V for the second. Because the price is the same I bought 1N4003 type. I have more room, to go down up to around 10V, adding two more diodes.
I didn't wire the camera lines directly to the car harnesses, but via a mini connector, so I can remove the camera and can switch from car to car at any time. To do so I have made some small aluminum brackets attached to the windshield with 3M double sided tapes.
All the tests I do inside my home, and not in the car. To improve the audio quality in my car, I added 3 capacitors to smooth up the possible Ripple or Voltage Spikes. Tomorrow a will put it back in the car, and I hope to get some improvements regarding overheating. I hope this camera will survive 6 to 7 month until the Dash camera market stabilized and I will have a chance to buy a good and reliable camera for day and night recording. Of course for much more than $40, but one that I can set and forget.
If I will have the other camera, then I would try to find out if it is there, any room in voltage range between the Adapter and camera. If yes I would decrease the voltage near to the lower threshold. This takes time and I'm not sure if it is worth it. In my case I have jumped to the water. The shore it isn't far and I am swimming to get out once and forever.