DR400 II excessive light + not shutting down properly

[Messerschmitt]

I have 2 problems with my DR400 II.

First is that it takes in too much light, and this is especially nasty during the night from all the street lights and cars headlights. See my video here:

I have set the brightness to Normal (the lowest it goes) so not sure what else to do.

Second is that it no longer shuts off properly. When the power goes out it no longer says "The Blackvue is now shutting down". This also results in the last recording being corrupted.

I have formatted my SD card, hoping it would fix both problems, but it did not. What's more peculiar is that it still remembered my settings. Is there a way to do a factory reset? I thought the settings were stored in the SD card and once formatted it should have been reset, but the options were still remembered somehow.

 

[Hillbilly]

Which version firmware are you running and have you turned off the audible notifications

Which settings are retained

Point the camera down a bit You don't need so much sky

By the look of your video your windscreen needs a good clean to stop the lights flaring so much.

Do you smoke

 

[Messerschmitt]

It says Software ver. 2.021-HD-E, Firmware ver. G: 1.011-400GII-E

Voice alarms are all on except Starting event recording (beep sound).

The settings I am talking are the ones found under the Set-up. After I formatted the SD card, I inserted back into the cam and somehow all my settings in the Set-up were the same prior to formatting (so not displaying speed, G-sensors, etc. settings).

Do you think the lights flaring is because of my car windshield? The windshield is clean, not sure what you meant by it. And I don't smoke.

 

[Hillbilly]

The inside possibly needs a clean as emissions from the plastics coat it like smoke.

Amazing how much different it can look after doing it.

Either that or it is pitted with use as lights shouldn't flare like that

 

[kuoh]

Yup, flaring like that is often indicative of a dirty / fogging windshield or lens. What does the daytime image look like? Try wiping both with a little windex and see if the image quality improves. If not, then it may be inside the lens as Hillbilly suggests.

KuoH

The inside possibly needs a clean as emissions from the plastics coat it like smoke.

 

[Hillbilly]

Yup, flaring like that is often indicative of a dirty / fogging windshield or lens. What does the daytime image look like? Try wiping both with a little windex and see if the image quality improves. If not, then it may be inside the lens as Hillbilly suggests.

KuoH

I was actually referring to the windscreen but a clean of the lens wouldnt hurt My Brother inlaws camera video looked a lot better after I cleaned the outside of the lens

 

[Messerschmitt]

Ok I will do that and wipe out the lens. I also seen a youtube movie how to clean the inside lens as well. Hopefully that will alleviate the problems with the intense flaring. During the day it doesn't really seem foggy, but then again I might just not tell the difference

 

[Merkury]

I had exactly same issues.

"fog issue" - image not clear especially in the night time. Solution: cleaned lens inside the camera. To do this you have to open camera and disconnect lens from main board( two screws) clan lens and image sensor with small amount of Windex.
Turn off incorrectly, last video file damaged. Solution: 1. Open camera and unplug Li-ion battery/ Check voltage It should be 3.7-3.8V 2. Replace Li-ion battery if it has less then 3.7v.

 

[jokiin]

I had exactly same issues.

"fog issue" - image not clear especially in the night time. Solution: cleaned lens inside the camera. To do this you have to open camera and disconnect lens from main board( two screws) clan lens and image sensor with small amount of Windex.
Turn off incorrectly, last video file damaged. Solution: 1. Open camera and unplug Li-ion battery/ Check voltage It should be 3.7-3.8V 2. Replace Li-ion battery if it has less then 3.7v.

better just to clean it with a dry cue tip, Windex has it's own fog issues also

 

[Messerschmitt]

I had exactly same issues.

"fog issue" - image not clear especially in the night time. Solution: cleaned lens inside the camera. To do this you have to open camera and disconnect lens from main board( two screws) clan lens and image sensor with small amount of Windex.
Turn off incorrectly, last video file damaged. Solution: 1. Open camera and unplug Li-ion battery/ Check voltage It should be 3.7-3.8V 2. Replace Li-ion battery if it has less then 3.7v.

Any link for the required battery? So I know what to look for?

Also it seem my camera is stuck inside the holding tube. I'm pressing the button but it doesn't really helping. Should I just yank it as hard as I can?

 

[Hillbilly]

Google Replacing battery in Blackvue cameras. Which holding tube do you mean Push it in a bit and press the button you may have jammed it they usually just come out reasonably easily Its about $30 to smash the bracket

 

[Messerschmitt]

Oh, never tried to push it in first and then pull. I'l try that. I thought you just press the button and pull. I'l give it a shot tomorrow

 

[Merkury]

Any link for the required battery? So I know what to look for?

Also it seem my camera is stuck inside the holding tube. I'm pressing the button but it doesn't really helping. Should I just yank it as hard as I can?

I took battery from my RC Helicopter. Latter I found it on ebay for $3 only!
Look here: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/2X-3-7V-150m..._Parts_Accessories&hash=item2c797b62ce&_uhb=1

Run a some kind of wedge through the crease between the two pieces of plastic to open it

 

[Messerschmitt]

Cool, so that's the battery I need yes?

I will open it tomorrow, I managed to take it out of the bracket

 

[Merkury]

Cool, so that's the battery I need yes?

I will open it tomorrow, I managed to take it out of the bracket

Yes

 

[Messerschmitt]

Hey guys, thanks a lot for all the input. Cleaned the interior lens and now the picture is a lot more clearer, and especially, no more flaring.
Cleaned it with 99% alcohol and deerskin

Now regarding the battery, all the pictures I see on ebay does not show the battery comes with the connector. Am I suppose to know to do soldering? Do they usually not come with the 3 pin connector?

 

[jokiin]

a generic battery won't just plug in, no

 

[smyles]

Now regarding the battery, all the pictures I see on ebay does not show the battery comes with the connector. Am I suppose to know to do soldering? Do they usually not come with the 3 pin connector?

Yes, just cut wires off the original battery and solder it a new one. There are two wires - black and red, - so it's close to impossible to mess it up. Also, LiPo batteries come in variety of capacitities and accordingly differ in thickness, so if you get lower/thinner ones, just solder two in parallel.

 

[Messerschmitt]

I'm curious. By not having a battery in the camera, does it in any way negatively affect my camera/sd card life expectancy, other than the last recording being corrupted?

I'm actually thinking of not even bothering with the battery. The blackvue application actually fixes the last recording, and I also have a power magic. Therefore the only time when my last recording would be corrupt is when I'm back home and I un-plug the camera from the power magic.

If there are no downsides except the last recording being corrupt, I think I would just leave it without a battery. Considering that the battery barely lasted a year, I'm somehow hesitant to keep buying these batteries when the only downside is the last video to be corrupted (and then can be repaired via the application launcher)

 

[smyles]

I replaced batteries only because I already had a stash and few spare minutes to kill. I wouldn't bother otherwise.