DDPai Mini2 Review

Further finding which i omitted from the previous feedback - the Mini 2 user manual "taking a photo or record a video" indicates that once the remote button is paired with the camera you can click to capture a photo. You can also switch on the "10 second video" option by changing the camera settings. Well i paired the remote button and clicked the button. I heard a shutter noise and as I had the phone connected a download was trigged automatically. The download finished and a .jpg file appeared on the phone. I could also see a thumbnail of the photo on the apps file list. I checked the .jpg on the phone and the app and sure enough it's a photo. I then went to the camera change settings but could not find how to change or switch on or work out how to switch on the 10 second video. Am i missing something here. For example does this facility automatically store a 10 sec video regardless and where would the video be stored?
Finally, thanks for the CPL feedback and will follow up on this.
 
Dhool ........ just remembered that .jpg can also be a video file. So this time using the LG G4 phone, opened up the app, connected to the camera, clicked the remote button. The app automatically displayed the thumbnail under File list. Tapped the thumbnail and then tapped download. The jpg was then downloaded to the image folder on the phone. Tapped on the jpg file name in the phone and it opened, also there was a play button bottom right off of the photo. Tapped Play and the 10 sec video started to play on a loop. Solved.
 
Previous firmware parking mode/guard videos were 3 minutes long? My ddpai mini 2 running on 3.5.0.10 was 1 minute 30 second and file size ~230mb

Yes, but my firmware was 3.5.0.9, so looks like you got a unit with a firmware that wasn't released to the general public.
 
Update: Totally unsuccessful at parking mode time lapse at 1440P. Camera recorded for 8 1/2 minutes after parking (normal recording) and shut off. About 3 hours later it tuned back on in time laspe mode (nothing in-between) for a total of 1 second and turned off again. No response from DDPai on my original e-mail.

Going back to 1080P. Sigh.
 
Sorry to hear that. I wonder why the time-lapse issue with the Mini 2 but not with the M6+ (using 1440p res)? Perhaps it has something to do with being capacitor/no battery? Only minor time-lapse issue with the M6+. I still get some occasional ghosting and blocking, but usually only an hour or more into the video, presumably due to the car baking in the hot sun.

However, the recent new firmware reduced time-lapse segments by 1/2 (1:30 minutes instead of 3 minutes). So far, I haven't even noticed any ghosting/blocking. Maybe the weather is cooler, or the firmware is better, or the reduce segment size helped. It could be any one or combination of things...
 
Time lapse works fine in 1440p on the M6+, so that's very strange. It's all just software, right? You'd think it would be the same.
 
You'd think it'd be the same. My only guess is the M6+ dissipates heat better. Or I got a dud unit. I reached out to the seller as well for a reply, not that I'm expecting much from an E-Bay seller. I may try to open up the unit and have a look, maybe cut some vent holes in the housing to help with cooling. Maybe.
 
BTW, did anyone get the latest Dashcamviewer.com to work with the M6+ or Mini 2? It is suppose to officially support the M6+, but it only works if it is 1080p and not that well at that. I was ready to pay $25 for a registered version, but it doesn't work well with my M6+.

Coincidentally, the much older free Registration Viewer works almost perfectly with my M6+ (with GPS mapping, automatically linking 3-minutes segments together, etc.)

What viewer is everyone using? I know the Mini 2 doesn't have GPS, so I guess you don't need a dedicated GPS dashcam viewer.
 
I still use Registration Viewer to easily combine clips, works perfect with the Mini2. Also for my GPS with the SG9665GC up front. Using Pot Player to view files as well - I find it handles the timer lapse better, which Registration Viewer seems to lag at times. And VSDC to combine multiple videos into one.
 
BTW, did anyone get the latest Dashcamviewer.com to work with the M6+ or Mini 2? It is suppose to officially support the M6+, but it only works if it is 1080p and not that well at that. I was ready to pay $25 for a registered version, but it doesn't work well with my M6+.

Coincidentally, the much older free Registration Viewer works almost perfectly with my M6+ (with GPS mapping, automatically linking 3-minutes segments together, etc.)

What viewer is everyone using? I know the Mini 2 doesn't have GPS, so I guess you don't need a dedicated GPS dashcam viewer.
Dashcam Viewer works for me on Windows 10 on 1440p, but the GPS is delayed about 20 seconds. I use Registration Viewer (DataKam) on my Mac, but it doesn't read the GPS files. I wonder how you got it to do that?
 
@Paul Schmehl I am using Registration Viewer (latest version https://streetguardian.info/support) on Windows 7. It works perfectly with my M6+. Time-lapse has audio sync issue until the normal video starts, then audio catches up and syncs properly.

GPS and the Mapping is very accurate. It even know which lane I am driving on when zoomed in! The speedometer and compass is accurate as well.

I simply plug my SD Card in my computer, and then open up Registration Viewer. It automatically finds my files, and stitch them together if there is no gap between videos. If it finds a gap, it stitches a new segment and considers it a new journey. Pretty smart!
 
P.S. You are right, it has some GPS issues. Registration Viewer doesn't seem to see all the GPS files, only the latest ("Today's") GPS files. Maybe the M6+ deletes them? I don't know... I'll need to check.
 
I got a response from DDPai. Dissapointed in the response, probably lost in translation. DDPai response in blue.

I ended up purchasing a Mini 2 a few weeks ago, but I am having bad problems with time lapse parking mode. I am currently using the latest firmware (3.5.1.4). However, time lapse parking mode works inconsistently.

At times, it will wait up to 8 minutes after I have left the car (recording normal fps), and then shut down (not go into parking mode time lapse at all). Then, up to two hours later, will turn on briefly, record normally, enter time lapse for a few seconds, and then turn off again. Also, when time lapse does record, the picture can be garbled with artifacts of the image remaining in the picture. The attached picture is an example of this.

1.Yes, the latest firmware is 3.5.1.4, your attached picture is blurred screen, maybe the signal interence, put mobile phone close the camera, to test it.
2.Make the TF card format in computer.
3.redownload the APP,"Youmera"or "DDPAI"
try it again.


Things I have tried:

- Factory Reset using the reset button
- I am using class 10 SD cards. I have tried three different branded SD cards (Kingston, Samsung, and SanDisk), and the results are the same.

The camera seems to get really hot, and I am wondering if it is a heat related issue? When I switch from 1440P to 1080P, the issue goes away and the unit works as expected in parking mode/time lapse.

I am also curious why in time lapse, the video is recorded at around 20 Mbit/second, when normal recording is around 10Mbit/second. Seems that maybe the processor is being overworked in time lapse mode?
Yes, it is normal situation. when time lapse, the video is around 20Mbit/second, normal recording is around is 10Mbit/second

Didn't really address the question. The "Youmera" app suggestion is strange. I had a look at it in the play store, and it looks just like the DDPai app. Not sure what its about, didn't install it.

I can't recommend this camera if you want parking mode, it seems to run hot in 1440P causing shutdowns and rebooting issues, even in relatively mild conditions. Seems to work fine for normal driving, however.
 
Back from holiday / vacation and have been busy adapting a mini 806, 24mm dia magnetic CPL filter to fit the mini 2. Next thinking about using the parking mode. See some are using powerpacks instead of hard wiring to the cars electrics. Has anyone gone down this route and added a solar panel charger? i.e. spread the solar usb charger on the dash or fit it beneath the sunroof. Connect this to the powerpack input. Then disconect the mini 2 camera from the usb charger and connect it to the powerpacks output. PS acknowledge the 1440 heating issue so accept that i will need to switch to 1080.
 
Back from holiday / vacation and have been busy adapting a mini 806, 24mm dia magnetic CPL filter to fit the mini 2. Next thinking about using the parking mode. See some are using powerpacks instead of hard wiring to the cars electrics. Has anyone gone down this route and added a solar panel charger? i.e. spread the solar usb charger on the dash or fit it beneath the sunroof. Connect this to the powerpack input. Then disconect the mini 2 camera from the usb charger and connect it to the powerpacks output. PS acknowledge the 1440 heating issue so accept that i will need to switch to 1080.

Can't advise on the charger issue, but I'd recommend you give 1440P a try in parking mode to see how you fare. I'm starting to think my issue is not heat related, but some other hardware issue. I fitted a fan to mine, and I have no change in behavior, actually I would say it's worse when on 1440P. But you may have better luck with your unit.
 
Back from holiday / vacation and have been busy adapting a mini 806, 24mm dia magnetic CPL filter to fit the mini 2. Next thinking about using the parking mode. See some are using powerpacks instead of hard wiring to the cars electrics. Has anyone gone down this route and added a solar panel charger? i.e. spread the solar usb charger on the dash or fit it beneath the sunroof. Connect this to the powerpack input. Then disconect the mini 2 camera from the usb charger and connect it to the powerpacks output. PS acknowledge the 1440 heating issue so accept that i will need to switch to 1080.

I've tried the power bank method, but when the ddpai mini 2 reboots from it's random shut down, it won't turn back on, as most power banks (at least the 2 I've tried...), once a device is off and doesn't need to continue charging, it will automatically switch off the power bank, as the power bank thinks the camera is fully charged. So depending on how long you plan on parking, powering the mini 2 on power bank is not suggested, at least fro my experience.
 
Will bear your response in mind once i get the how to power the camera sorted when ignition is turned off.
 
Can you take the mini 2 off its mount once attached to the screen?
 
another one out the window then, thanks stephen
 
Back
Top