HOW-TO: Install the CUSTOM FIRMWARE 1.5 to DR650GW-2CH

[Alan-GTC-]

Moved this post from the original thread to its own dedicated thread for new users and saving them time searching.

UPDATED 24/02/2015
Section 4.0 - Added information from Alexsoll
Section 9.0 - New section added for WI-FI configuration

Updated 09/03/2015
Section 0.0 - New section added on how to register to get the custom code

Disclaimer: I am not a representative of Blackvue nor the team who has developed the custom firmware. I take no responsibility for damage caused by attempts to modify the dash camera using any methods below. These are the tools and methods I employed in modifying my own camera

0.0 How to register and download the code
0.1 Use Google Chrome, it will auto-translate from Russian to local language
0.2 Web browse to http://car-dvr.info/forum/index.php
0.3 Register an account
0.4 Wait confirmation of account activation from Alexsoll
0.5 Send Alexsol a Private Message (PM) after you register
0.6 Sign-in -> Donate using the "DONATE" button
0.7 Send Alexsoll a PM after you donate with the payment reference number
0.8 Wait for confirmation of access from Alexsoll
0.9 Access the hidden forum partition under the "DVR" section (see picture below of how hidden partition looks when displayed in English)

1.0 What you need
1.1. DR650GW-2CH with v1.03 installed
1.2. Micro SD card ( from the dash camera)
1.3. Micro SD card to USB adaptor
1.4. A laptop with wireless WIFI adaptor
1.5. A copy of the v1.03 OFFICIAL Blackvue code for DR650GW-2CH
1.6. The Alexsoll custom firmware.

2.0 Prepare the SD card for installation
2.1. Remove your Micro SD card from Dash CAM
2.2. Connect SD card to PC / laptop
2.3. Format your Micro SD, ideally as exFAT.
2.4. Install the Blackvue folder from v1.03
2.5. Delete contents in "SYSTEM" folder on SD card
2.6. Copy custom Firmare to SD card
2.7. Safely eject remove SD card from PC / laptop

3.0 Update the Blackvue
3.1. Install SD card to the camera and power on
3.2. Software will update automatically and you will get audio feedback
3.3. Upgrade complete after reboot

4.0 Your not done yet!
4.1. Turn on the Blackvue WIFI hotspot
4.2. Using a laptop connect to the Blackvue wireless (it will now be called "DR550GW-2CH")
4.3. In Firefox / Chrome or IE browse to http://192.168.8.1:8080/custom/index.php
4.4. Look at the reported time, it will be set to Moscow (we fix later in this post so ignore for moment)
4.5. Go through each tab and familiarise yourself with the interfaces
4.6. The most important tab is the "Settings"

NOTE the camera name is now a 550, change this as you prefer.
I use bottom box for Car registration and the top box I do not know what it does yet, but I added the cameras correct model number

4.7. Open the CUSTOM section and set your new bit-rates. I use 15 front and 4 rear
4.8. Select load ISP
4.9. Save changes, camera may reboot
4.10. Once rebooted reconnect and browse back to same page

4.11. Open the ISP settings and tick the top box to enable and also the MANUAL button

NOTE The settings on sliders are already preset to optimal by Alexsoll and team
Save changes (this will improve night time video quality)

UPDATE: See post #5 in this thread showing the visual differences with WDR enabled and the recommended default settings to achieve the same quality.

5.0 Time to fix the Time
5.1. Power off camera safely
5.2. Remove SD card and insert to PC / laptop
5.3. Open My Computer in Windows and open the SD card
5.4. Delete all contents in the folders RECORD and SYSTEM
5.5. Open the BLACKVUE viewing software
5.6. Open SETTINGS and select correct time zone and press SAVE & CLOSE

NOTE the software may show the correct time zone as it reads it from your computer. What the above steps do is it saves that information to your SD card to give instruction to the Camera

5.7. In settings change the WIFI SSID and passcode to something you will recognise and remember
NOTE the reason is when I tried to connect from iPhone app using the set SSID and password it would not connect. Only way round was to change the SSID and the passcode. This step is important to the next section as you need the phone app for quick verification.

5.8. Remove safely the SD CARD from computer and install to CAM

6.0 Let's check the results
6.1. You will need your android or iPhone with the Blackvue app installed and your laptop again
6.2. Turn on Blackvue WIFI
6.3. Connect to WIFI from phone
6.4. Connect via phone app
6.5. Open LIVE view
6.6. Check the time stamp
NOTE if time still wrong, then you must wait for the GPS to lock

6.7. Disconnect WIFI
6.8. Go for test drive

7.0 Nice cup of tea and a movie
7.1. Take card from Dashcam and insert to PC
7.2. Open the SD card in "MY COMPUTER" and browse to the "RECORD" folder
7.3. Find a FRONT camera file, it will have a letter combination with NF in the filename
NOTE NF = Normal Front, NR = Normal Rear, PF / PR = Parking front/rear and EF / ER = Event Front / Rear

7.4. Right-click file and select properties, then open the DETAILS tab
7.5. Check the DATA RATE = approximately 15000Kbps, confirms new bit-rate we set.
7.6. Do same step as 7.4. for the NR file and check the DATA RATE = approximately 4000Kbps

8.0 If you format your SD card after upgrade
General maintenance of your SD card is you should format it to keep it in good condition at least once a week. Doing a format of your card will restore the Moscow timezone back to your camera. To fix this repeat the steps in section 5.0

9.0 Change the WI-FI to N speeds
Before you apply this change please make sure your laptop and smart phone support 802.11n before you apply this change. If your device(s) do not then you may (I have not tested this, it is only a warning) lose the ability to connect to the custom WEB GUI or connect via the Android/IOS app.

9.1. Connect to http://192.168.8.1:8080/custom/index.php
9.2. Open the SETTINGS tab
9.3. Under the WI-FI Settings tick/enable "Turn on IEEE 802.11n"
9.4. Save the settings and reboot the Camera.

NOTE: After changing to 802.11N the GUI on the INFORMATION tab will report the WI-FI RATE without any values. This is normal and confirmed by Alexsoll


Hopefully this should setup your now modified Blackvue DR650 with the custom firmware and also have the recording information correct for quality and also local time.

If there is anything I missed please let me know and I will edit it in to the post. If this proves useful for all then I may open it as a new thread and ask Moderators to STICKY the post to the forum for future users.

 

[alexsoll]

THANK you, added on http://car-dvr.info

 

[lala]

May someone please post a screenshot of the default IPS settings?

Edit:
I have extracted the following from the custom firmware, is that correct? I am not sure about the strength.

isp_const.php                   | config-isp.ini                                        | Config page -> index.php
                                | Address  | Value                                      | Range | Step | Value | Slider
$wdr_enable      = "0x20660700"; 0x20660700:0x00004628  $wdr_enable_off = "0x00004628";
$wdr_manual      = "0x88700220"; 0x88700220:0x00000500  $wdr_manual_off = "0x00000500";
$wdr_strength    = "0x88700218"; 0x88700218:0x0000243d & 0xFF                             0-255     1 ->    61 -> 23,9%   ????
$wdr_variance    = "0x20660708"; 0x20660708:0x0000000e                                    0-15      1 ->    14 -> 93,333%
$wdr_slope_max   = "0x2066070c"; 0x2066070c:0x0000005b                                    0-255     1 ->    91 -> 35,7%
$wdr_slope_min   = "0x20660710"; 0x20660710:0x00000000                                    0-255     1 ->     0 -> 0%
$wdr_black_level = "0x20660714"; 0x20660714:0x0000000a                                    0-4095    1 ->    10 -> 0,2%
$wdr_white_level = "0x20660718"; 0x20660718:0x00000750                                    0-4095    1 ->  1872 -> 45,7%

 

[Alan-GTC-]

They look like the default values. I will have a dig around on the forums to find a source reference post later on for you.

 

[Alan-GTC-]

Option 3 recommended settings from Alexsoll. http://car-dvr.info/forum/index.php?topic=221.msg33002#msg33002 see Post 1829


Settings ISP / WDR for custom_1.5 (550/650)

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 1 - Mode ISP / WDR is not activated


Option 2

Option 3

Your options:
Option 3 (three jackdaws displayed)

Strength Target - 61
Variance Space- 14
Variance Intensity - 0
Slope Max - 91
Slope Min - 0
Black Level - 10
White Level - 1872

 

[jokiin]

3 looks a lot better

 

[lala]

I dont have a slider for "Variance Intensity" on my settings page, but i have one slider at the buttom without lable?

 

[chrisnoy]

8.0 If you format your SD card after upgrade
General maintenance of your SD card is you should format it to keep it in good condition at least once a week. Doing a format of your card will restore the Moscow timezone back to your camera. To fix this repeat the steps in section 5.0

I am trying to avoid keep removing the SD as it's only a matter of time before the plug connections get damaged. I see there is an option to format via the WIFI interface, can we use this? and can we set the time via this method to save following 5.0 and having to remove the SD?

Thanks

 

[Alan-GTC-]

Nope, the time issue is caused because the custom firmware defaults to Russian. The solution is to delete the files in REC and SYSTEM folder and that can only be done by removing the Micro SD card from the camera and do the task in the PC.

 

[lala]

In case you are using your PC to format your SD card you only need to run step 5 (from Alan-GTC-) once.

1. Complete istallation step 5 successfully
2. Copy the SD card content to your HDD.
3. On HDD: Delete all files from record, but one set of *.3gf, *.gps, *_NF.mp4 and *_NR.mp4. Just to keep your copy small.
4. On HDD: Do NOT delete any files from the System folder.
5. Fromat your SD card
6. Copy the old "cleared" content from your HDD folder to the SD card
7. Plugin into the cam
8. Check that time settings are still the same

After your usual SD card format interval just continue at 5.

Maybe some one has the time to analyse the file that is necessary to keep in detail. I would gues that the timezone is stored in a file in the record folder or in any log files, that will be read back on cam startup. For example the file "temp.txt" which seems to be the temerature log, stores its data like this "Fri Mar 6 18:56:32 CET 2015 63C".