Custom firmware BlackVue DR550GW-2CH

[TEB]

TEB, this has been covered quite a few times.... have a search (on here) for 'guiformat' - this is what I used.

Thanks for the reply RacingSnake -

I am aware of the numerous utilities to format a 64GB microSD - My question is in regards to the exFAT and FAT32 selections within the custom software. Specifically exactly what is their purpose if not to format the microSD, then what is their purpose?

 

[RacingSnake]

ok got it.
well, I was on the understanding that the fat32 is there for you to use with the 64GB card, the exfat with 'all other' cards.

but in answer for clarity I'd have to point you towards google translate and the developers Russian forum to ask the specifics :|
http://car-dvr.info/forum/index.php?topic=221.new

 

[exhaustnote]

I am blown away by this custom firmware. I'm currently running a 64gb Sandisk Extreme Plus card and have my bitrate settings to 12mb/s front and 8mb/s rear. The quality improvement is unbelievable....it's night and day compared to what I was getting before. My commute goes through a section that is the worst for the blackvue cameras....lots of thin trees with light poking through them constantly. Before the custom firmware, the video was almost unwatchable...now with the increase in bitrate, it's crystal clear. Anyone who had any doubts about this camera, I highly recommend it now. The improvements that the custom firmware gives, makes this one of the best 2ch cameras on the market. I will post some comparison videos soon.

 

[Rebel]

I am blown away by this custom firmware. I'm currently running a 64gb Sandisk Extreme Plus card and have my bitrate settings to 12mb/s front and 8mb/s rear. The quality improvement is unbelievable....it's night and day compared to what I was getting before. My commute goes through a section that is the worst for the blackvue cameras....lots of thin trees with light poking through them constantly. Before the custom firmware, the video was almost unwatchable...now with the increase in bitrate, it's crystal clear. Anyone who had any doubts about this camera, I highly recommend it now. The improvements that the custom firmware gives, makes this one of the best 2ch cameras on the market. I will post some comparison videos soon.

I just bought the very same sandisk card. Im running 28mb front cam. 8mb rear.
Quality is amazing.
Thanks Alex for the cstom firmware its ace!!

 

[jokiin]

Before the custom firmware, the video was almost unwatchable...now with the increase in bitrate, it's crystal clear. Anyone who had any doubts about this camera, I highly recommend it now. The improvements that the custom firmware gives, makes this one of the best 2ch cameras on the market. I will post some comparison videos soon.

I don't think it's just the bitrate increase that is responsible, I believe they are using more of the functionality that the hardware is capable of than Blackvue were using

 

[Anthony566]

I just bought the very same sandisk card. Im running 28mb front cam. 8mb rear.
Quality is amazing.
Thanks Alex for the cstom firmware its ace!!

That's good news Rebel.... My 550 is on its way and they have already install the V2 firmware for me so converting to the custom one should be easy to do ...... Fingers crossed

 

[Rebel]

That's good news Rebel.... My 550 is on its way and they have already install the V2 firmware for me so converting to the custom one should be easy to do ...... Fingers crossed

If you get stuck give me a shout. Have you ordered a memory card for it yet?
And if anyone wants to sub. my future videps of idiot UK drivers will he uploaded here
www.youtube.com/user/gothicrebel

 

[BlackVue Australia]

I believe BlackVue are developing firmware for the DR550-2CH like they have with the DR500GW to allow the user to select a few custom bit rate options. No ETA has been given but it is differently in the works.

 

[RacingSnake]

I believe BlackVue are developing firmware for the DR550-2CH like they have with the DR500GW to allow the user to select a few custom bit rate options. No ETA has been given but it is differently in the works.

Too little too late.
They had ample warning, infact have replied to me twice telling me they were NOT going to do this.
Now someone else has 'cracked' it, they've suddenly found it IS possible? not good and a very poor show from Blackvue.

 

[Rebel]

Too little too late.
They had ample warning, infact have replied to me twice telling me they were NOT going to do this.
Now someone else has 'cracked' it, they've suddenly found it IS possible? not good and a very poor show from Blackvue.

Agreed Bit late now. Im loving the custom firmware. It can only get better from the Russian lads.

 

[RichC]

Just want to say thanks to Alex and the Russian guys...

The custom firmware is great..
So much better than the backvie effort that they call firmware!

I'm currently running 12mb front and 8mb rear and the quality of video is great..

There are a couple of things I've noticed though .. not sure if these bugs have been reported elsewhere:

The "WiFi led" option in settings turns off WiFi and not just the led. It's then quite difficult to turn it back on again as you can no longer connect to it and there doesn't appear to be a config file on the sd card that contains this setting...

The firmware seems to take too long to shutdown if the camera looses power.. I get the blackvie shutting down message but it seem like it goes off before it's finished shutting down and it then wont start up again.
If I put the sd card into a pc it says that the card was not unmounted cleanly and needs to be checked for errors.. the only way to get it to work again is to reformat the card and copy all of the blackvue files back on.. everything then works fine again.

This is in no way a critisim of the firmware .. just reporting the bugs!

Thanks again Alex

Rich

 

[RacingSnake]

I've got an observation from today...

In truth, it's the first time I have needed to review the footage as some f***ing scum has scraped the corner of my bumper on my (pristine) evoque.

Anyway, that's a digression - I looked back through the footage and noticed no sound recorded??? And it is definitely set to 'on'.

Infact, I see that when I set off this morning it was indeed recording sound, then stopped recording for 20 seconds or so, and when it came back there was no sound???? Any ideas? Is it likely to be a card speed restriction? it's the only thing I can think of.
I'm running a 32GB sandisk ultra (10mb/s write) - the firmware is set to 8 front and 2 to the rear.

 

[Rebel]

Snake does the footage jump?
I've got a Sandisk extreme 64gb and it's meant to be 45mb write but I've had to drop down from 30 F and 8 R to 19 F 8 R and some times I'm getting recording lengths of 20 seconds rarely as well as sound drop outs from time to time. When I had higher values.

 

[RacingSnake]

I've got some missing sectors, but largely it's been ok. And the parking mode looks fine (albeit without sound).

 

[TurBIce]

from what i have read, this looks like a very good custom firmware. GJ!

just want to confirm that the time has still not been fixed yet?
if a user who often has the blackvue turn off and on, the time will still be out?

 

[Rebel]

from what i have read, this looks like a very good custom firmware. GJ!

just want to confirm that the time has still not been fixed yet?
if a user who often has the blackvue turn off and on, the time will still be out?

No the time has been fixed.
You set the hardware time -1 hr from current time. If in UK And leave the GPS to do the rest. Make sure you set the time zone to UK London or where ever you are.

It may take a day or two but this is the method I use every time I do an upgrade.

I've installed a switch on my dashboard and wired my dash cam to a fuse so I free up my cig lighter socket. And when I get to work I just switch it off. Works fine.

 

[RacingSnake]

You need to reset the timezone everytime you do a format too...
Or I do anyway! I see they have released a 1.2 version, so I'll need to get mine updated, see if that helps

Rebel, the latest version says it improves card speeds - so that might help the issue you've seen.

 

[Rebel]

Yeah im on 1.2 Snake. I dont get the other option for i think thr bit rate or what ever it is. As it says it dont work on all devices???
I do get the normal option tho.

 

[RacingSnake]

Ok, I've updated to 1.2, time will tell what quality we see.
My card is a big bottleneck, so definitely need to upgrade that.

I've set it to 'default' front and rear - (I know I'm not getting any new benefit out of that!!), and 4 & 2 in parking with 10fps. - just to try to keep the unit cooler, as it does kick out quite a lot of heat at he moment.

 

[RacingSnake]

Have just got my new 'extreme' 64GB card through - set the front bitrate to 15, rear to 8 - and the picture is just unbelievable!!
Very impressed!!
Will check it out in a day or so for missing/skipped frames etc.

Of course the downside to such a high(ish) bitrate is that a 1 minute file is 120mb!