K2S received

[Nigel]

So, basically, you want your dvr to know that it's at home -- yes?
That's what I've been hoping to find. But, the only way I've found is a switch (either a 'power switch', or like BlackVue has on its OBD plugs).
I want something automatic (I have a home automation system -- I love that kind of stuff!)
Maybe something like this could be implemented?

I would be happy with either a switch to turn parking mode on/off or a button to activate parking mode each time I want to use it.

For some people it would be good to be able to set a "home" position which would disable parking mode whenever parked within 100m of the GPS coordinates where you set "home".

 

[lacibaci]

I would be happy with either a switch to turn parking mode on/off or a button to activate parking mode each time I want to use it.

For some people it would be good to be able to set a "home" position which would disable parking mode whenever parked within 100m of the GPS coordinates where you set "home".

So, basically, you're saying you want Garmin 55 with parking accessory
I normally turn it off unless I park in a "shady" area where I just let the parking mode to kick in.

 

[kamkar]

It seem like most but not all last files in drive session don't get saved properly, at least my player in windows cant open them, i also have a singe #1 file thats no good, and i have a session start where first file are fine it just start a kilometer down the road from where i set off.
Will update bug report thread with video of the problems later tonight.
Using the provided power solution today still have the hizz in the audio, maybe a little lower but marginal,,,,,, i don't have this in other cameras plugged into the same 12 V power source.

 

[kholdstare]

Another option to set parking mode off would be to sense the home WLAN. You don't need a working wifi connection, as soon as the cam senses home wlan it knows we're home.

 

[Michael_K]

Another option to set parking mode off would be to sense the home WLAN. You don't need a working wifi connection, as soon as the cam senses home wlan it knows we're home.

Yes, I like that idea, too.
In fact, I mentioned it twice somewhere on this forum. But, I don't have any experience with this tech in car DVRs, so I don't know if it's possible. I don't know exactly how they connect to a phone, and there are 2 types of WIFI.
Can you confirm that it's possible?

 

[Michael_K]

Yes, I like that idea, too.
In fact, I mentioned it twice somewhere on this forum. But, I don't have any experience with this tech in car DVRs, so I don't know if it's possible. I don't know exactly how they connect to a phone, and there are 2 types of WIFI.
Can you confirm that it's possible?

This prompted me to look around a bit. I just found a review of another unit, which states that the dvr creates a 'hot-spot' (which a phone connects to). If all DVRs are like this, then no, it won't work

 

[lacibaci]

This prompted me to look around a bit. I just found a review of another unit, which states that the dvr creates a 'hot-spot' (which a phone connects to). If all DVRs are like this, then no, it won't work

The hardware certainly supports both modes (AP and Client) it is just a matter of software.

 

[SawMaster]

Just getting back here- wiork went crazy yesterday and had to work on a friends car after work today who had a 30 minute job turned into a 3 hour one. I picked up a USB extension cable so now I can get power to the cam

@lacibaci and @kamkar1 how are you powering yours? My plan is to use the 2.4A Anker ciggie adapter PS I've got so long as the shield of the connectors isn't grounded. Are you both using the GPS? I want to be sure not to damage the audio amp

Phil

 

[kamkar]

I am down to powering it with the provided adapter in a 12 V socket, the OBD dongle seem to have died on me today trying to test the parking modes.
I am using the GPS, its pretty snappy in getting a fix cold or hot boot, the camera in general also boot pretty fast. but i have not been able to get a sound out of the speaker that are supposed to hide in there.
Today i also tested the low audio setting, and it was indeed low, barely able to hear it over the traffic on the road beside me.
For the regular power i have also used a 2 A USB outlet on my 12 V splitter with 3 ports, atm i use the provided one in a 12 V socket in the other 12 V splitter ( the Rhundo one )

 

[lacibaci]

I am powering with a cigar adapter and a new USB A -> USB C cable plugged into DATA port.

 

[SawMaster]

OK and thanks. I'll stert with my Anker (if it's not grounding to shield) and switch to the supplied PS if it is. Will be tomorrow noon or later according to work. Also will be seeing mid-teen farenheit temps overnight in a day or two so I'm going to let it record that night and see what happens. It ain't been that cold here in over ten years

Phil

 

[kamkar]

Taking a chance today i took the OBD dongle with me on today's drive, and wouldn't you know it was not dead after all, though last night i tried several times and absolutely nothing happened on that power source.
So today i have been using ACC motion detect, i wanted to try the time lapse too but then the camera don't revert back to 1080p for normal driving i cant in good will do that.
I did for a short time get into 720p and one of the time lapse modes, and i found even if you change to a parking mode that do support 1080p and manual change resolution to 1080p the camera don't register that.
So to not be trapped in 720p resolution you have to revert to normal recording mode, then change resolution to 1080p and then you are out of the 720p lock.
Also again today i got the camera to get stuck in boot loop, even while using the regular power source, so for a while i was scared i could not get it back to working order again, but a few power off / on with the switch on the camera fixed that ( that did not work when i got boot locked yesterday as i tried that like 5-6 times before i saved it then by changing power source )

I cant tell how things have gone on the memory card as the car are now in parking mode ( ACC motion detect ) down in the back yard as i want to see for how long the 12.4 Volt cut off work.

The red flashing LED in the GPS antenna are quite faint, in the daytime you cant see it, and now that it is evening and pitch black i cant even see it from 10 - 15 M away,,,,,,,, it is nice it is not super bright cuz you can see it when you are up close to the car.

I will update this post with a phone recording from yesterday of the camera stuck in boot loop, this have now happned every time i have been into parking mode and one of the 720p modes,,,,,,,, it never happned using one of the parking modes that support 1080p.

 

[lacibaci]

I've seen the boot loop as well when I was trying OBD and cigar adapter at the same time. I know now not to do that It should clear if you leave camera unplugged for a few minutes.

 

[kamkar]

Yes seem like a cooling off period will do it, same for my "dead" OBD dongle.
I can see on my CCTV the red LED on the GPS antenna still flashing on my car, i parked it in the back yard around 17:30 and its now 20:54 here, temperature hovering just around freezing.
I am a little surprised it is still going as after all it is the original battery in my car that's from 2012, if cut voltages don't work i do have a charger, though if battery get bottomed out i am afraid i will have to ask my friend to go buy me a new battery and bring it to me, cuz i am not carrying a car battery the 1-2 miles from the nearest auto parts store.
In normal use i have not seen the boot look no matter how i have powered it, it is only when i have messed with the parking modes that default to a 720p resolution.
When it happened on regular power it was trying to recover from a boot-loop i got on OBD power, but i did not get the parking mode right and then it boot-looped on regular power too.

Unsure if changing this need for 720p in some modes, if the internals are what i suspect then 1080p should be fine for any form of parking mode.

 

[Nigel]

I can see on my CCTV the red LED on the GPS antenna still flashing on my car, i parked it in the back yard around 17:30 and its now 20:54 here, temperature hovering just around freezing.
I am a little surprised it is still going as after all it is the original battery in my car that's from 2012, if cut voltages don't work...

Might be a good idea to go and check the battery voltage before you go to bed, should be easy to check since it is displayed on the LCD from the ODB data...

 

[kamkar]

I can see that several places, and yes been thinking the exact same thing. i cant power / charge the car where it is as i don't have a + 25 M extension cable, but i can carry the battery up into my apartment if need be.

The red LED are still flashing. looking forward to see what it have captured.

 

[kamkar]

Okay something seem to have been fishy with my recordings from today.

The whole drive to my friends house are recorded just fine, but there was only 2 events while parked there, which i find strange as the rear of my car was pointed towards the highway that pass by my friends house.
But the 2 recordings seem to be me exiting the car, and then me passing buy rear camera ( no buffer so you just see my back as i pass out of frame.
Setting off from there the drive are recorded fine until i pull over and want to change to another parking mode, this where i again got the boot loop error and had to mess around until i assumes i was back with the same settings as my drive out, but as it turn out the camera only record for 1 minute precise then nothing before i set off just now at midnight after car have been parked with parking guard on ( ACC motion detect for 6 hours )
Which are strange cuz on the way home i did a stop at the pizza joint, but no footage of me arriving there / parking there or leaving there to drive the last few 100 M to my home.

The camera appear not to have made any parking recordings while parked here in the back yard, i would assume so as there are a little traffic back there and the front of the car was facing the buildings so rooms/ windows coming lit up and people moving around.
So i don't think motion detect are working that well, judging from previous experienced i think it is actually not sensitive enough ( rare in dashcams i think )
Tomorrow i think i will screw the camera going to 720 p for time lapse parking mode and try that out.

Regarding just now, well i found the battery was 12 volts, but it seem like i had not gotten the 2 DIP switches all the way up, so will investigate further on this tomorrow if i can get parking mode to work like on the drive to my friends house.

It seem like the parking guard section of the firmware could need some work, i cant say why the camera did not record most of my drive home today after i tried to make some parking guard changes - mess that up and then go for the same settings as on the drive out to my friend, but after i messed with it only the first minute are recorded, and the camera dident say or do anything to make me think it was not recording.

I have seen the camera say recording starting, but the little red dot don't come on.

 

[SawMaster]

On a short drive last night I've got missing and corrupted files, but it may be a problem with powering as the ciggie adapter is loose and being held in with duct tape. I also have't updated the firmware which could also have a role in that. If I can find time this weekend I'll break into the adapter and wire a better ciggie plug on it, or possibly tie it into my cam switch. Have to work today and maybe tomorrow so things are going slowly but so far there is a lot to like about this cam

Phil

 

[kamkar]

On my drive today ( normal recording / normal power from power grid in glove box ) the first file of the day was mislabeled due to camera time was off at the moment.
Other than that performance was as expected.
I had a total of 3 stops on my drive today, arriving at the gas station - arriving at my destination and then arriving back home, and every single last file was playable, so that was a surprise.

The 3 last files was all "larger" files with the smallest one being 134,xxx Kb, as i recall un-playable files have been small ones, though that also sound strange in my ears so will have to study this in the days to come as i only have a little footage on the memory card as i wiped it the day before yesterday.

 

[reverend]

Just picked up a K2S today so I'm late joining the party (thanks Rayman!) Are there any firmware updates yet since you guys started testing please?