zapwizard
New Member
I got my DR500 yesterday, and before I even installed it I took it apart.
I removed the chrome lens ring and the silver mount ring. I painted the two parts using spray-on PlastiDip which is a rubber-like matte black substance.
It was very difficult to take apart, first there is a screw hidden under the BlackVue/Wifi label that is impossible to get to without damaging that label. I didn't find this until after I have it 90% apart, I never removed the label, instead I cut away the plastic clip holding one of the sides of the shell to that screw, by doing this you have no visible flaws on the exterior, the assembly is so tight I don't think that screw is needed.
To take it apart you push the small tab that is opposite the product serial label. Even then it takes a lot of effort to get the plastic cap to come off. Do not push a screw-driver into any of the holes on the end of the unit, they are not plastic locking tabs. Pittasoft didn't cut corners on the assembly for sure.
While technically you can get the silver ring off of the mount without firt disassembling the mount, I think you would risk damaging the ring. So I took apart the mount and used the spare adhesive pad to replace the one I removed. Once the mount was apart I could start removing the silver ring by pussing it from the inside. Sorry, I don't have photos of the dis-assembly I was doing this late at night in my office.
I love that the DR500 was small enough to mount behind my rear view mirror, I ran the wire up along with the power to my dimming mirror and you can't tell that the camera isn't factory installed.
The camera seems to get the best view of the road from here too. I am amazed how wide-angle the lens really is. The toll tag on the glass is right next to the mount, yet it is still visible in the captured image. So far I am gladd I upgraded to the DR500. It worked flawlessly from the second I turned it on, which is more then I can say for the cheap DVR207 I first tried using.
I removed the chrome lens ring and the silver mount ring. I painted the two parts using spray-on PlastiDip which is a rubber-like matte black substance.
It was very difficult to take apart, first there is a screw hidden under the BlackVue/Wifi label that is impossible to get to without damaging that label. I didn't find this until after I have it 90% apart, I never removed the label, instead I cut away the plastic clip holding one of the sides of the shell to that screw, by doing this you have no visible flaws on the exterior, the assembly is so tight I don't think that screw is needed.
To take it apart you push the small tab that is opposite the product serial label. Even then it takes a lot of effort to get the plastic cap to come off. Do not push a screw-driver into any of the holes on the end of the unit, they are not plastic locking tabs. Pittasoft didn't cut corners on the assembly for sure.
While technically you can get the silver ring off of the mount without firt disassembling the mount, I think you would risk damaging the ring. So I took apart the mount and used the spare adhesive pad to replace the one I removed. Once the mount was apart I could start removing the silver ring by pussing it from the inside. Sorry, I don't have photos of the dis-assembly I was doing this late at night in my office.
I love that the DR500 was small enough to mount behind my rear view mirror, I ran the wire up along with the power to my dimming mirror and you can't tell that the camera isn't factory installed.
The camera seems to get the best view of the road from here too. I am amazed how wide-angle the lens really is. The toll tag on the glass is right next to the mount, yet it is still visible in the captured image. So far I am gladd I upgraded to the DR500. It worked flawlessly from the second I turned it on, which is more then I can say for the cheap DVR207 I first tried using.
