List of problems & issues with the RC500S

very illogical reply considering it was only a firmware update that broke the functionality you already had previous to the update
I did a bit more troubleshooting and found that when I stream the file to my iPhone or iPad the speed is often not displayed which is good (I still find a few files here and there with the speed visible though but they are rare). However once I download the file to my device then the speed is displayed even with that video stamp option turned off. Due to that, maybe it's the App that has the issue and not the actual camera as the App version was also updated around the same time as the camera firmware. Doesn't really solve the problem though. Any Andriod users here having the same issue?

Previously I was using a mini 0805 and you could turn the GPS off completely so there was no speed or maps or anything. Shame you can't do that with the RC500S as all I want is the video. I don't need a map, I know where I went.

I'll wait until I hear back from DOD and will post their reply in case others are having the same problem.
 
I'm putting out a list of problems with the RC500S-2CH here for easier access in the hopes that other owners can join in the discussion and share temporary solutions for it. I can't believe I have to do this as a customer because this should have been DOD's job before releasing the product.

Feel free to add/comment.


Hardware; i.e. physical camera & connections
  • What are the different sounds and beeps telling us? NO mention of them at all in the user manual.What I can deduce so far:
    • 'Locking' sound – current recording is protected because a bump was detected
    • Short single/double/triple beeps – speed trap warnings
    • UPDATE: 9/5/2017 firmware added a female voiceover (see details below)
  • Straight connectors for rear camera instead of right-angle ones? Packaging on box clearly shows right-angle connectors. Makes installation especially on the windshield extremely unsightly and annoying for the driver. Workaround: shift entire camera off the left of mirror by 5cm or so, camera will record slightly off-center, but still acceptable results
Firmware; i.e. low-level settings saved on the camera hardware
  • Need to provide option to allow X/Y mirror flip on top of 180º rotation options. Cable connectors exit to the right of the camera which means right-hand drive users have to live with cables jutting out behind the mirror or mount the camera upside down. Latter option is not possible without X/Y mirror flip in firmware. 9/5/17 firmware update + app 2.0.4 does not resolve this
  • (After a month or so of usage): Parking Monitor mode: There is no way to set the sensitivity of the parking monitor i.e. how much movement detected on front/rear camera before it begins recording
  • (After a month or so of usage): Parking Monitor mode: I have noticed that the camera doesn't 'pre-roll' to record the beginning of the detected motion. Effectively, by the time the recording begins, the detected movement would already have been a few seconds back. If a fast-moving object went by, the camera won't record it.
Software; i.e. iOS/Android app or desktop application
  • Android (some, not all users affected?): start/stop record from app does not work – 'camera busy, stop recording on camera to change settings'. Camera needs to stop to change configuration settings. This is intermittent and sometimes I find myself able to change some of the settings before it locks out again. Workaround: turn off camera, pull out micro SD, turn on camera, connect WiFi, change configuration 9/5/17 firmware update + app 2.0.4: FIXED, although this technique can still be used if necessary
  • Android: you need to turn off wifi to enable parking mode (courtesy of @Proofbenny)
  • Android: screen does not go to sleep, ever. Battery drain is huge as a result. No option to disable this or set screen timeout. App 2.0.4 does not resolve this
  • The UI needs a lot of work to improve the visual consistency in general, the 4 or 5-screen tutorial to tell the user where to get to core configuration settings in the 'Camera List' page is not necessary if the interface design is cleaner and better organised App 2.0.4 does not resolve this
  • Since the dashcam is screenless, then all options as published in the manual should be made available to the app for the user to configure. There's absolutely no excuse for that. Not the app developer's fault if the firmware does not expose those options via the API, but come on, DOD! App 2.0.4 does not resolve this
Documentation, i.e. user manual
  • Incorrect information for mounting rear cameras? Causing them to be upside down which has to be corrected in firmware option
  • No information on how to decipher beep/sound codes
  • Not all options shown in manual are actually in the actual app – speed units, gps logging, time-lapse, plate stamp, speed cam warning?
  • Other parts of manual look like they were copied and pasted from a previous different DOD model?!
  • To date we still don't have access to an updated PDF manual

Latest firmware/app updates and feedback on what has changed – lists above have also been updated based on what's found below:

  • 9/5/2017 Firmware update (FWI5GEMI.bin, CB160513-1705020 69 A):
    • Grab the file & instructions from http://www.dashcamownersaus.com.au/support/do not use the one linked from mega.nz (Thanks @George Argus). You won't brick your camera uploading that corrupted file, but it won't operate either. Read included instructions for uploading firmware.
    • Firmware update resets camera to factory settings, so you have to redo all settings again.
    • If, like me, you have come across the strange issue of a renamed WiFi SSID/password not being reset when you press the reset button, do a firmware update to force-recover your camera
    • WHAT'S NEW:
      • Camera now has a female voice telling us helpful audio prompts:
        • "Recording now" "Recording disabled"
        • "WiFi ON" "WiFi OFF"
    • SOMEWHAT RESOLVED:
      • If you want to change or setup your camera's settings, the same problem remains – the camera immediately goes into recording mode upon startup, so the app connects and shows your camera recording. You will NOT be able to change settings until you stop the recording. This was impossible to stop before. In the 2.0.4 app, we now have a reliable way of stopping the recording via a camera button that you can toggle. Visually it looks like a camera icon with a play symbol in it, touch it to toggle between recording/stop. Voiceover now makes things easier. (Note: all this is assuming you can connect to the camera via the app, this is sometimes not possible, see next item below).
    • UNRESOLVED:
      • Still no way to mirror video feeds on front/back. You can only rotate. Therefore, you are still forced to have the wires sticking out the right side of the camera.
      • Unreliable app connections over the camera's WiFi:
        Camera starts up – "Recording now!"
        Press WiFi button – "WiFi ON!", then "Recording disabled!", THEN "Recording NOW"
        Connect to the WiFi via the app – "Error connecting (-2)"
  • DoD App - 2.0.4
    • Functionally, it seems everything is working ok now, EXCEPT for the inability to connect to the camera via WiFi. THIS NEEDS IMMEDIATE FIXING AND TESTING
    • It seems apparent by now that programmers were also tasked to handle the design of the app. The flow between the screens in the app is still horrendous. The buttons and layout of the camera feed/map/overlays are what we call in the software design & development field "programmer art" – i.e. non-final graphic elements that do not consider design guidelines to improve the legibility and harmony of the elements. I noticed some attempts to improve it, but a lot more can be done.
    • This in no way discounts the effort of the programmers, but app design is better left to app designers to handle. Same approach goes for your desktop application.
well said. people like you with detailed info. help push error correction. top marks have a nice dererved beer
 
I did a bit more troubleshooting and found that when I stream the file to my iPhone or iPad the speed is often not displayed which is good (I still find a few files here and there with the speed visible though but they are rare). However once I download the file to my device then the speed is displayed even with that video stamp option turned off. Due to that, maybe it's the App that has the issue and not the actual camera as the App version was also updated around the same time as the camera firmware. Doesn't really solve the problem though. Any Andriod users here having the same issue?

Previously I was using a mini 0805 and you could turn the GPS off completely so there was no speed or maps or anything. Shame you can't do that with the RC500S as all I want is the video. I don't need a map, I know where I went.

I'll wait until I hear back from DOD and will post their reply in case others are having the same problem.

how do i contact dod. any link ?
 
Hi.

Unfortunately I had to send my DOD RC500S back because I was not able to set it up without buying a new phone.
 
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I did a bit more troubleshooting and found that when I stream the file to my iPhone or iPad the speed is often not displayed which is good (I still find a few files here and there with the speed visible though but they are rare). However once I download the file to my device then the speed is displayed even with that video stamp option turned off. Due to that, maybe it's the App that has the issue and not the actual camera as the App version was also updated around the same time as the camera firmware. Doesn't really solve the problem though. Any Andriod users here having the same issue?

Previously I was using a mini 0805 and you could turn the GPS off completely so there was no speed or maps or anything. Shame you can't do that with the RC500S as all I want is the video. I don't need a map, I know where I went.

I'll wait until I hear back from DOD and will post their reply in case others are having the same problem.

Dear customer, thank you for choosing DOD. We are checking to see if your issue has been resolved or if DOD in Taiwan has been able to assist you? We are here to help any way we can and will relay and bug reports or concerns directly to the engineers in Taiwan. Thank you.
 
New version of the app v2.5 now works on my Moto G5 Plus with Android 7

Great to hear mexiwi, if you have any other concerns or suggestions regarding your system please let us know. We will make sure all suggestions are put forward to DOD directly in Taiwan.

Thank you again for choosing DOD!
 
Great to hear mexiwi, if you have any other concerns or suggestions regarding your system please let us know. We will make sure all suggestions are put forward to DOD directly in Taiwan.

Thank you again for choosing DOD!

I will be hardwiring it hopefully this weekend and testing out parking mode, this has had bad reports before so will see how that goes.
 
Hi all, thank you so much for this thread as it has helped me immensely. I really have regretted my purchase and wish I could take it back. I paid $495AUD to have it installed and can't back out now. Using Android, S8 Galaxy. The guys at the shops couldn't even really get it working.

I have updated to the latest firmware (no thanks to the manual or DOD's website), and also the latest app.

Basically I was getting the can't stop recording issue, so thanks to this thread I pulled out the SD card and turned off video loop so that I could start an stop recording. The main issues I have now is sometimes the wifi is not working at all, and also the wifi is very very slow. The device seems to revert to whatever the default settings are even though I changed them when I logged into the app. It seems I have to log in with the wifi each time to get the settings I'm after such as 10 min recording etc

One reason I bought DOD was the speed camera reporting but I noticed it's all wrong mentioning speed cameras that don't even exist, so that's another issue. Instead I have it turned off now so it's like false advertising a feature of the product that you can't use.

I really hope there are some major improvements to the app and the device firmware because for a $500AUD product these issues shouldn't really exist.
 
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Hi all, thank you so much for this thread as it has helped me immensely. I really have regretted my purchase and wish I could take it back. I paid $495AUD to have it installed and can't back out now. Using Android, S8 Galaxy. The guys at the shops couldn't even really get it working.

I have updated to the latest firmware (no thanks to the manual or DOD's website), and also the latest app.

Basically I was getting the can't stop recording issue, so thanks to this thread I pulled out the SD card and turned off video loop so that I could start an stop recording. The main issues I have now is sometimes the wifi is not working at all, and also the wifi is very very slow. The device seems to revert to whatever the default settings are even though I changed them when I logged into the app. It seems I have to log in with the wifi each time to get the settings I'm after such as 10 min recording etc

One reason I bought DOD was the speed camera reporting but I noticed it's all wrong mentioning speed cameras that don't even exist, so that's another issue. Instead I have it turned off now so it's like false advertising a feature of the product that you can't use.

I really hope there are some major improvements to the app and the device firmware because for a $500AUD product these issues shouldn't really exist.

Hi Robert,

We are here to help any way we can, and will try our best to resolve any issues you are facing.

Regarding the installation, you mentioned an installation cost of $495? Can you please confirm who you approached for the installation of this 2CH dash cam so we can investigate further.

We understand your feedback about the manual and the DOD website. The DOD Australia website is near completion and will provide a much easier way for customers to access the latest firmware, as well as access instructions on how to apply it.

Regarding the functionality issues you're currently experiencing. Can you please send us an email to support@dod-tech.com.au - and our staff will look into this further and perhaps organise an RMA for replacement.

Please email when you can with your name, place of purchase and contact details.

Your feedback has already been forwarded directly to DOD management in Taiwan, and your concerns won't go unheard.

Thanks for choosing DOD, and we aim to turn your experience around for you as soon as possible.
 
Hi Robert,

We are here to help any way we can, and will try our best to resolve any issues you are facing.

Regarding the installation, you mentioned an installation cost of $495? Can you please confirm who you approached for the installation of this 2CH dash cam so we can investigate further.

We understand your feedback about the manual and the DOD website. The DOD Australia website is near completion and will provide a much easier way for customers to access the latest firmware, as well as access instructions on how to apply it.

Regarding the functionality issues you're currently experiencing. Can you please send us an email to support@dod-tech.com.au - and our staff will look into this further and perhaps organise an RMA for replacement.

Please email when you can with your name, place of purchase and contact details.

Your feedback has already been forwarded directly to DOD management in Taiwan, and your concerns won't go unheard.

Thanks for choosing DOD, and we aim to turn your experience around for you as soon as possible.

Hi DOD Tech Australia,

Thank you for responding. It's great to have someone representing the company here to take on board feedback and improve.

-Re installation, I approached a couple of auto electricians/dash cam installers mainly because I do not have the confidence to install a hardwired dash cam myself/hide wires etc into the car myself especially as I saw feedback in forums about the manual guiding an upside down installation. I certainly don't see the installation cost as a DOD issue. I paid that much as these guys had a lifetime warranty for their work. Other installers were cheaper but only warranty of 12 months as they don't carry the DOD product.
-Good to hear about the DOD Australia website and easier instructions etc.
-I am not sure if I have a faulty device. It could be that I don't have the instructions as the manual doesn't explain much. Specifically I would like to know how I can set the device up to change the default settings to 10 min recording because it seems unless I connect with it via wifi each time to enable that that it'll revert to 3 min recording. I shall send an email to support@dod-tech.com.au which the issues I'm still having in case it is a faulty device or an issue with the S8 Galaxy interface into the device.

Thank you,
Robert
 
Hi DOD Tech Australia,

Thank you for responding. It's great to have someone representing the company here to take on board feedback and improve.

-Re installation, I approached a couple of auto electricians/dash cam installers mainly because I do not have the confidence to install a hardwired dash cam myself/hide wires etc into the car myself especially as I saw feedback in forums about the manual guiding an upside down installation. I certainly don't see the installation cost as a DOD issue. I paid that much as these guys had a lifetime warranty for their work. Other installers were cheaper but only warranty of 12 months as they don't carry the DOD product.
-Good to hear about the DOD Australia website and easier instructions etc.
-I am not sure if I have a faulty device. It could be that I don't have the instructions as the manual doesn't explain much. Specifically I would like to know how I can set the device up to change the default settings to 10 min recording because it seems unless I connect with it via wifi each time to enable that that it'll revert to 3 min recording. I shall send an email to support@dod-tech.com.au which the issues I'm still having in case it is a faulty device or an issue with the S8 Galaxy interface into the device.

Thank you,
Robert

Hi Robert,

Thanks for your message, we look forward to hearing from you via email soon.

We would still like to know where you had this installed as well if possible.

Cheers,
 
I used to have a Blackview DR650GW in my old car but wasn't happy with image quality, so I went for a RC-500S on my new car. Teh image quality is excellent in comparison, but gee the DOD is miles behind in quality of its software/firmware. I also have a few problems -

- The bracket for the front camera has a push button that's supposed to lock it in place - it doesn't hold the camera properly on mine and if I plug in the power or memory card the camera gets pushed out of the bracket. The lock tab in the bracket goes in and out, it just doesn't engage in the indents around the camera. Anyone else have this problem?
- The DOD windows and Mac viewers are really poorly designed and don't work properly at all. The PIP function doesn't work, I can't get the front and rear cameras to display at the same time, you can't step forward/back through one frame at a time and the screen capture only captures the first frame of the video no matter where you pause it. Compared to Blackvue, DOD doesn't even compare - I doubt I'll ever use the DOD viewer and would rather view each video using the windows inbuilt viewer until they can improve it
- There is a great dashcam viewer from https://dashcamviewer.com/ but it can't decode teh GPS info embedded in teh video file - The guy who writes it has been trying without luck to get a response from DOD on if it's possible from them to document how to extract the GPS information that's embedded in the video - DOD haven't responded to any of his emails, maybe they want to keep it secret however since their dashcam viewer is unusable, you'd think they would be happy for a respected developer to offer his program to view DOD dashcams. Blackview and most other dashcam manufacturers don't put the GPS data into a proprietary format.
- Why isn't there a sensitivity for motion detect in Parking mode? I don't want to capture the tree moving the the distance, I only want to record when someone walks past the so I want sensitivity to be as low as possible (trigger only on major movement)
 
I used to have a Blackview DR650GW in my old car but wasn't happy with image quality, so I went for a RC-500S on my new car. Teh image quality is excellent in comparison, but gee the DOD is miles behind in quality of its software/firmware. I also have a few problems -

- The bracket for the front camera has a push button that's supposed to lock it in place - it doesn't hold the camera properly on mine and if I plug in the power or memory card the camera gets pushed out of the bracket. The lock tab in the bracket goes in and out, it just doesn't engage in the indents around the camera. Anyone else have this problem?
- The DOD windows and Mac viewers are really poorly designed and don't work properly at all. The PIP function doesn't work, I can't get the front and rear cameras to display at the same time, you can't step forward/back through one frame at a time and the screen capture only captures the first frame of the video no matter where you pause it. Compared to Blackvue, DOD doesn't even compare - I doubt I'll ever use the DOD viewer and would rather view each video using the windows inbuilt viewer until they can improve it
- There is a great dashcam viewer from https://dashcamviewer.com/ but it can't decode teh GPS info embedded in teh video file - The guy who writes it has been trying without luck to get a response from DOD on if it's possible from them to document how to extract the GPS information that's embedded in the video - DOD haven't responded to any of his emails, maybe they want to keep it secret however since their dashcam viewer is unusable, you'd think they would be happy for a respected developer to offer his program to view DOD dashcams. Blackview and most other dashcam manufacturers don't put the GPS data into a proprietary format.
- Why isn't there a sensitivity for motion detect in Parking mode? I don't want to capture the tree moving the the distance, I only want to record when someone walks past the so I want sensitivity to be as low as possible (trigger only on major movement)

Hello Ian,

Thank you for your feedback,

We have relayed your concerns directly to the manufacturer and it will be followed up.

Regarding the bracket, we have not found this issue with the RC500 systems - so we would like to get this unit back for RMA so we can take a closer look as it may be a small manufacturing defect with the locking mechanism.

For PIP help please refer to this video:

Parking mode: It is difficult to find the most optimal balance for Parking Mode, the camera detects pixel movement and is then told to record the files, it could be from tree branches moving or someone snooping around. But we will relay this feedback as well as there is always room for improvement further.

For instructions on our RMA procedure please visit our website: https://www.dod-tech.com.au/support/warranty

You can also contact us at support@dod-tech.com.au.

We really appreciate you taking the time to share these concerns, and in assisting us in making the product better :)

Thank you.
 
Regarding the bracket, we have not found this issue with the RC500 systems - so we would like to get this unit back for RMA so we can take a closer look as it may be a small manufacturing defect with the locking mechanism.

Many thanks for your assistance - it's great to have local support here in Australia - I'll try those suggestions.

Rather than return the entire camera, can you please send me a new bracket with a return envelope and I'll send you the faulty one? That way I can still continue to use the camera instead of being without it for over a week due to postage?

Regards
Ian
 
I spoke too soon....

With the new firmware update and latest app, I now no longer have the ability to get reliable app connections over the camera's WiFi.

Camera starts up – "Recording now!"
Press WiFi button – "WiFi ON!", then "Recording disabled!", THEN "Recording NOW"
Try to connect to the WiFi via the app – Error connecting (-2).



Cannot agree more. Based on my experience so far, it sounds to me like the entire dashcam industry is filled with dodgy folks trying to get away with false advertising, and discounting each other's reputation as well.

is there anyway to get the camera to automatically connect to the iphone without having to hit the wifi button each time? Everything else works fine (at the minute), except for wifi connectivity between the iphone 7 and the camera (havn't installed the wiring kit to enable the parking feature though).
 
Many thanks for your assistance - it's great to have local support here in Australia - I'll try those suggestions.

Rather than return the entire camera, can you please send me a new bracket with a return envelope and I'll send you the faulty one? That way I can still continue to use the camera instead of being without it for over a week due to postage?

Regards
Ian

Hi Ian,

you should receive the replacement bracket soon :).


is there anyway to get the camera to automatically connect to the iphone without having to hit the wifi button each time? Everything else works fine (at the minute), except for wifi connectivity between the iphone 7 and the camera (havn't installed the wiring kit to enable the parking feature though).


Hi Simon,

We've sent you a private message reply to you regarding what could be causing this.

Looking forward to hearing from you!



Regards,
DOD Australia Team.
 
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