Criminal case: Help me guard my car from all angles please!

[Gibcast]

You can power each camera using an external power pack such as the TeckNet Power Bank 12000mAh external battery power bank, though there are smaller and cheaper battery options available, I purchased mine from Amazon.co.uk which cost just under £17 GBP including delivery. I fitted a Mobius Action Cam to my car and used this power pack which lasts for two days in work hours before needing to be recharged. I also installed a Sandisk class 10 128GB micro SD card which records for days before overwriting the oldest video footage depending upon how long the Mobius is powered up for.

The beauty of the Mobius is that it is so small, so compact, (smaller than a packet of cigarettes) and it's so reliable. You can even buy direct from the manufacturer on Ebay, and they do have a good reputation for after-sales service which is quite outstanding.

I just checked out the Mobius. Looks like a clever and quite stealthy camera. If I can make it run just like a DOD dash camera, connected to the 12V (guess it doesn't pull as much power as a DOD cam?), and have it record for at least 24 hours in a go, this could be the solution to bust the bad guy.
Or do I have to use external power only to power the Mobius?

You say it records for days.. Guess the resolution is very low then? I need continuous filming.

 

[Gibcast]

Mobius is darn near tiny compares to most other cams- I read the specs but I was still pleasantly shocked when I saw mine come out of the box. And the lens is easily remotable for even better concealment. Still, the best solution is to see the car from the outside instead. You can do this at home where the likelihood of it happening is higher. And you might be able to rig a trail-cam for places like work if you can park in the same spot.

Should you catch this guy and they get convicted, you have a claim for damages. Make that hurt. You have a brand new car painted at the factory so accept no less a repair- demand that your car be sent back to the factory for a new factory paint job and that you be supplied with an equal rental until it comes back good as new. That will bring the cost to many tens of thousands of dollars and ruin the fool who thinks keying cars is fun. The courts there may deny the claim but it's worth trying for.

Phil

I like the way you´re thinking Phil. I do plan to go for a big payback. But I really need to get the evidence first. For my own good, and on behalf of all the other neighbours whose cars are also getting keyed by the same person. I am the only one doing anything to try to get some evidence. People are so weird.

 

[Gibcast]

If low resolution is fine for you, then there are 4ch x D1 resolution car DVR systems out there with 500Gb hard-drive. There are plenty very good D1 discrete low Lux cameras out there and D1 will do job in parking especially recording close "walking objects". Second car battery connected via Dual battery isolator solenoid to main battery for charging, all this will be your complete set-up for needs you described. You probably need to ask specialist to install all this. I guess all together will cost you 1-2 K $ depending what quality dvr and lens / cameras you buy and who will be installing it.

Ill check it out. I nearly paid $1K for my two DOD dash cams already so...

 

[Sunny]

Yeah I hear people talk about this! But then I have to charge this pack externally? Or can I wire it to the car so the car charges it when I drive? There are no simple solutions.. This is a lot of work! So many choices to make.

That's why I said couple of them.
Charge one at home and swap every other day or so depending upon how long it lasts.
It's only a lot of work until you get that a$$hole.

 

[Gibcast]

That's why I said couple of them.
Charge one at home and swap every other day or so depending upon how long it lasts.
It's only a lot of work until you get that a$$hole.

Yeah thats right.. Swapping of batteries! Ok cool! Ill check it out. Agreed. Hope Ill be able to celebrate my victory one day!!

 

[Gibcast]

I figured a DOD in the front and a DOD in the back would be good. Except.. Its not stealthy. So if the DODs are there, the key crazed person won't do anything to my car. Which is not what I want. I want to get this person!

 

[Gibcast]

If low resolution is fine for you, then there are 4ch x D1 resolution car DVR systems out there with 500Gb hard-drive. There are plenty very good D1 discrete low Lux cameras out there and D1 will do job in parking especially recording close "walking objects". Second car battery connected via Dual battery isolator solenoid to main battery for charging, all this will be your complete set-up for needs you described. You probably need to ask specialist to install all this. I guess all together will cost you 1-2 K $ depending what quality dvr and lens / cameras you buy and who will be installing it.

Wow I must say.. There are a LOT of competent people on this forum. Much respect to you guys for knowing so much about these things!

I don't put resolution very high, but I must be able to see what happens in the dark... That's one of the things that made me buy the LS430 in the first place; it's great in the dark!

For me.. What maters the most.. Is to secure my car from the inside with stealthy cameras.. And I would prefer a solution that doesn't run on my car battery. External power banks is the way to go. How many Mobius cams can I run at the same time on one 20.000 mah pack? And for how long will the record?

I am learning new stuff every day. Thanks to this forum. Thanks again guys!!

 

[kamkar]

LS 430 like many good dashcams are okay in little light, but in darkness they will not record anything but darkness.

You can buy a cheap SD cctv camera with IR light, but most have 840 Nm IR light which can be seen by the human eye as a faint red glow.
If you can get a cctv camera with 940 Nm light it will be invisible or at least the light in the camera will, recording footage from that you can get a cheap 1 channed DVR and that along with the camera can be powered off one 12 V source.

Somthing like this.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171220906466
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400930899078
But word of warning you will get no good footage of that camera from inside your car, the IR light will reflect off the car window and blind the camera.

But i was thinking you might be able to put the small camera and DVR inside somthing that the offender will pass when he is there to do his evil deed, maybe a lawn figure or somthing else that dont draw attention.
you can power both from a car battery, and it should provide a fair ammount of recording time, or you can have a 12V - 5 A psu in the garage to feed both and then have a wire out to the thing with the camera and DVR inside.

PS. the camera in the link have a 3.6 mm lens which is fairly wide angle and not super much IR light, so you would like to have the dude walk close by it, by close i mean within 3-4 M to get a good recording of this evil person.

 

[richcam]

LS 430 like many good dashcams are okay in little light, but in darkness they will not record anything but darkness.

You can buy a cheap SD cctv camera with IR light, but most have 840 Nm IR light which can be seen by the human eye as a faint red glow.
If you can get a cctv camera with 940 Nm light it will be invisible or at least the light in the camera will, recording footage from that you can get a cheap 1 channed DVR and that along with the camera can be powered off one 12 V source.

Somthing like this.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171220906466
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400930899078
But word of warning you will get no good footage of that camera from inside your car, the IR light will reflect off the car window and blind the camera.

But i was thinking you might be able to put the small camera and DVR inside somthing that the offender will pass when he is there to do his evil deed, maybe a lawn figure or somthing else that dont draw attention.
you can power both from a car battery, and it should provide a fair ammount of recording time, or you can have a 12V - 5 A psu in the garage to feed both and then have a wire out to the thing with the camera and DVR inside.

PS. the camera in the link have a 3.6 mm lens which is fairly wide angle and not super much IR light, so you would like to have the dude walk close by it, by close i mean within 3-4 M to get a good recording of this evil person.

I like this idea if the vandalism is occurring outside your house, though to expand on the night-time vision, you don't have to buy a dedicated CCTV camera with IR illumination because you could install a infrared illuminator which would turn night into day for virtually any CCTV or dash cam, these units are commonly available, something like http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...luminator+infrared+lamp+night+vision&_sacat=0 and with it bathing an 80 metre area would probably be sufficient, though there are of course larger and smaller IR units available.

Further thought is many domestic CCTV camera systems have clever 'motion detect' features, whereby they write a few minutes before and after the 'event', so you would catch mr yobbo walking up to the car before he did anything and afterwards when he walks away, is much better than having to trawl through hours of nothingness. You can even buy camera systems with detectors on them which allow motorised cameras to swing round and record approaching people. All clever stuff, only drawback is it all costs money. The car dash cams aren't quite so clever and may miss the vandalism before they boot up and start recording.

I just checked out the Mobius. Looks like a clever and quite stealthy camera. If I can make it run just like a DOD dash camera, connected to the 12V (guess it doesn't pull as much power as a DOD cam?), and have it record for at least 24 hours in a go, this could be the solution to bust the bad guy.
Or do I have to use external power only to power the Mobius?

You say it records for days.. Guess the resolution is very low then? I need continuous filming.

I'm pretty sure I managed to record continuously for 22 hours using the external battery pack I mentioned previously, though there are larger packs available. The video quality of the Mobius is extremely good in normal sunlight, have set mine to record at 1920 x 1080p.

Please find enclosed a couple of snapshots of video I recorded a few days ago whilst being viewed on the VLC media player to give you some idea of the video quality, though bear in mind I do need to fine-tune the focus of the lens so the quality could probably be further improved.

 

[SawMaster]

I am the only one doing anything to try to get some evidence. People are so weird.

LOL on the last sentence- you are SO right. I still think external cams would be best at home; perhaps you could find a wifi based system with several IR cams and take that idea to your closest neighbors? That way their property would be covered too, they could see what the cams show in their own home, and their files would back up yours. But most importantly maybe that would convince them to help you pay for it!

Unless, that is, your neighbors are as weird as mine are...
Phil

 

[kamkar]

All dashcams worth mentioning have IR cut filter so they wont see any IR light, but you can remove the ir cut lens and replace it with a IR pass lens like i have on my G1W.

And even then the dashcam are by no means as light ( IR ) sensetive like my true PTZ camera i have aimed at my car where it is parked.
And i can prove that with footagge i have made with a IR modified toshiba camcorder - the IR modified G1W dashcam and my 1080P IP camera.

First footage from my IP camera, filmed at a distance of 15 - 20 M ( zoomed in )

Second footage from the other 2 cameras, and please note when i film my car down below you can just make out its licence plate, and thats with a stronger ( 10 W ) IR source than there is on my IP camera.

As it can be seen there is a clear difference between a dedicated CCTV camera, and other solutions with the IR filter removed.

PS. For the footage recorded in my living room i use a 7.5W IR ermitter, a littl less than the one in my kitchen window.

This last clip is a 700 TVL SD cctv camera filming thru all the glass in my rifle scope, and the IR light source is the 10 W one, distance to target is about 20 M or so.
Allso much better than the modified G1W which i did plan for use in this way, but its simply not light sensetive enuff, especially not filming thru all that glass in my scope.

 

[Cedar1]

Instead of a discrete setup, i'd go the other way: even a fake camera with a visible blinking red led would be enough to deter anyone with a key.

 

[kamkar]

That too, but some ppl are monumental stupid and can overlook a cop standing right behind them with his CB blasting.

I am not sure if CCTV is okay for public use in Norway, it isent here, you can film inside your house and your own ground, but heaven help you if you film public ground,,,, or some one bother to enforce that low cuz ppl ( like me ) just do as they please.

 

[Gibcast]

You can power each camera using an external power pack such as the TeckNet Power Bank 12000mAh external battery power bank, though there are smaller and cheaper battery options available, I purchased mine from Amazon.co.uk which cost just under £17 GBP including delivery. I fitted a Mobius Action Cam to my car and used this power pack which lasts for two days in work hours before needing to be recharged. I also installed a Sandisk class 10 128GB micro SD card which records for days before overwriting the oldest video footage depending upon how long the Mobius is powered up for.

The beauty of the Mobius is that it is so small, so compact, (smaller than a packet of cigarettes) and it's so reliable. You can even buy direct from the manufacturer on Ebay, and they do have a good reputation for after-sales service which is quite outstanding.

Hey,

I was looking at power banks and found out that I can get 20.000mah for less the price than the one you got. I don't know if the quality or lifespan of this pack is good, but.. Have a look:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00A0NALHE
VS.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00R522M4I
It would be cool to see how much is left of the battery.. So a more expensive power bank might be the best for me.. But is it worth the price difference?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00M6VA7OU
I also found the Vinsic 20.000mah power bank on ebay.. Shipped out from China.. I guess that could be a counterfeit/fake version of it? Its cheaper...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/181784516128
I need four power banks, 2 running in my car at all times with my two DOD dash cams, and two that would be charing inside my house daily to be able to swap with the ones in the car when they are getting low on power.

Just wondering about the quality differences of these different power banks.

 

[Gibcast]

That too, but some ppl are monumental stupid and can overlook a cop standing right behind them with his CB blasting.

I am not sure if CCTV is okay for public use in Norway, it isent here, you can film inside your house and your own ground, but heaven help you if you film public ground,,,, or some one bother to enforce that low cuz ppl ( like me ) just do as they please.

Hey Danish brother. Its about the same with laws here. HOWEVER, I dont know if Denmark got this little loophole in the law like we do but I found out last year that a dash cam isn't a "steadily mounted cam" as its moving in a car, and therefore its legal. Not only to use in the car while its moving but also when the car is parked. Cause its not mounted on a building. Smart, huh? I checked this with the laws. And its a fact!! Check it yourself! Maybe Denmarks got the same laws? Of course people around me react in very negative ways to my dash cams, telling me they believe I "film them". Hahahaha like I wanna film ugly 70-80 year old obese women. FOR WHAT. Im not into that anyway. Hahaha. I am protecting my car, period. So screw those who believe anything else. Im doing this legally as well!

 

[Sunny]

@Gibcast
Most cheap ones are fake battery packs unless good brands are on sale.
I reviewed two here:
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...tery-pack-power-bank-by-vantrue-review.11781/
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...tery-pack-power-bank-by-vantrue-review.11950/

 

[richcam]

Hey,

I was looking at power banks and found out that I can get 20.000mah for less the price than the one you got. I don't know if the quality or lifespan of this pack is good, but.. Have a look:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00A0NALHE
VS.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00R522M4I
It would be cool to see how much is left of the battery.. So a more expensive power bank might be the best for me.. But is it worth the price difference?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00M6VA7OU
I also found the Vinsic 20.000mah power bank on ebay.. Shipped out from China.. I guess that could be a counterfeit/fake version of it? Its cheaper...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/181784516128
I need four power banks, 2 running in my car at all times with my two DOD dash cams, and two that would be charing inside my house daily to be able to swap with the ones in the car when they are getting low on power.

Just wondering about the quality differences of these different power banks.

Hi Gibcast,

You might be better asking advice from some of the more knowledgeable users on here such as Dashmellow and reverend because these power banks are also new to me.

There are also 50,000 mAh packs on the market but some of the claims might be considered as a bit 'suspect' if you know what I mean!

There is a really good thread on Dashcamtalk with some excellent information on it regarding power packs, the link is: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/powerbank-battery-for-a-dashcam.7579/ alternatively take a look at the forum: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/forums/batteries-and-capacitors.87/

 

[richcam]

All dashcams worth mentioning have IR cut filter so they wont see any IR light, but you can remove the ir cut lens and replace it with a IR pass lens like i have on my G1W

Sorry for stating the obvious, but why do all dashcams 'worth mentioning' have an infra red cut filter so they don't see any infra red light, when most domestic and industrial CCTV cameras work perfectly well without this filter which improves their low light abilities when an external IR illuminator is installed?

 

[jokiin]

you'd never get the camera to work well during the day with no IR cut filter

 

[kamkar]

Dashcams sit right up against a windscreen, so the IR light just bounce off that and right back into the dashcam.

But, if some one would make a dashcam with active IR filter in it and allso active night B&W mode assisted by IR i would buy it in a heartbeat and fit my car with 2 IR ermitters where fog lights would go on my car.
And then i would fit a 7" screen to my car so i could drive it with all the lights ( beside the IR ones ) off, even though its damm hard to drive via footage you see from a camera ( tried that with RC cars and quadcopters FPV ) depth perception go out the door, but you can sort of live without if you train for it.

I use to have 4 cctv cameras in the car and ther output on my 7" headunit, but it do take some time getting used to drive your car looking at a small screen, but it can be done, i just wouldent do it in traffic.
But with the car blacked out on a small forrest gravel road with 20-30 km/h i would be good i think.

Allso if you dont have IR filter the colors of daytime recordings would be off.

I just love IR i use it for securety and for fun, but there must be a reason as to only cheap Chinese dashcams are made with the things.