Lots of Maxi Questions + Does the Maxi Lens extension have any bearing on Video quality?

sharpharp

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My Mobius 1 has been a nightmare since day 1 as a Dashcam, recordings never have the correct timestamp (have a supercapacitor), no warning if the camera is working (I have a stealth dashcam install) and lately the recording have a poloroid effect. The worst hassle is accessing the cam each time there is an issue, messing on with OTP cables and connecting to laptop etc etc.

So i'm gonna ditch it and replace with the Maxi... but I have a few questions:

1) Is it worth getting a Supercapacitor (again) - It will be used in the car
2) If I buy a Maxi Lens extender cable (it comes in 2, 4, 8-inch) does the length effect Video quality/lag?
3) Would it be good to use in full 2.7K all day round? Will night-time quality suffer at 2.7K?
4a) What are the best settings for combined day/night recording?
4b) Am I right in thinking this beeps when starting up and down? Is it an audible single beep or a tune like Gangnam Style?
5) Do u need a specific SD card to work with 2.7K recording? Can you recommend one?
6) In the UK here the roads are like a pothole plaza, does the Maxi have better stabilisation than the Mobius 1?
7) How hot does the Maxi get? I have the Mobius 1 in a hidden space, will the Maxi be ok in a confined space?
8) How is WiFi connectivity coming along?
9) Is their an App for IOS?
10) Is their any timeline of development on the Maxi?
11) What's the cheapest place to buy the Cam, Lens extender and Supercapacitor?
12) Does this have any advantages over the BlackVues cameras, which have no screen, but do not have lens extenders like the Mobius.
13) Should I give up on Mobius altogether and get a BlackVue, Thinkware, Nextbase etc?

Sorry for the questions, but I'm very thorough when buying kit like this.

Thanks
 
My Mobius 1 has been a nightmare since day 1 as a Dashcam, recordings never have the correct timestamp (have a supercapacitor), no warning if the camera is working (I have a stealth dashcam install) and lately the recording have a poloroid effect. The worst hassle is accessing the cam each time there is an issue, messing on with OTP cables and connecting to laptop etc etc.

So i'm gonna ditch it and replace with the Maxi... but I have a few questions:

1) Is it worth getting a Supercapacitor (again) - It will be used in the car
2) If I buy a Maxi Lens extender cable (it comes in 2, 4, 8-inch) does the length effect Video quality/lag?
3) Would it be good to use in full 2.7K all day round? Will night-time quality suffer at 2.7K?
4a) What are the best settings for combined day/night recording?
4b) Am I right in thinking this beeps when starting up and down? Is it an audible single beep or a tune like Gangnam Style?
5) Do u need a specific SD card to work with 2.7K recording? Can you recommend one?
6) In the UK here the roads are like a pothole plaza, does the Maxi have better stabilisation than the Mobius 1?
7) How hot does the Maxi get? I have the Mobius 1 in a hidden space, will the Maxi be ok in a confined space?
8) How is WiFi connectivity coming along?
9) Is their an App for IOS?
10) Is their any timeline of development on the Maxi?
11) What's the cheapest place to buy the Cam, Lens extender and Supercapacitor?
12) Does this have any advantages over the BlackVues cameras, which have no screen, but do not have lens extenders like the Mobius.
13) Should I give up on Mobius altogether and get a BlackVue, Thinkware, Nextbase etc?

Sorry for the questions, but I'm very thorough when buying kit like this.

Thanks
OK, that's quite a long list. I'll answer what I can. I'm sure others can chip in with their own knowledge and experience.

1) Yes, you should use a capacitor for dashcam use.
2) -
3) 2.7K is my preferred resolution, day and night.
4a) I use 2.7k30fps, highest bitrate (60Mbps), default image adjustment parameters for best performance. That uses up card space very quickly, so 1080p60 may be a decent alternative for longer recording duration.
4b) Beeps are optional - quite a few on shut-down. Mine is set to silent.
5) I use Samsung EVO+ U3 cards in my Maxi
6) The Mobius 1 does not have stabilisation. The Maxi stabilisation is not very effective, and not available at 2.7k anyway. However, stabilisation does not help with dashcam video - unless you're off-roading with a GoPro.
7) The Maxi does not get any hotter than a Mobius 1 in use.
8+9) Apps and WiFi function are being developed - both Android and iOS. You may need to access the camera to enable WiFi with a button press.
10) -
11) eletoponline365. Alternatively, buy local from https://minidvcameras.co.uk
12+13) I suppose that depends on whether you like the camera shape/format and it fits your stealthy installation. Other cameras with screens, GPS, parking modes etc may suit some people better. I run a Viofo A129 alongside my Maxi because it has GPS, lower bitrate (especially in parking mode) & CPL. The A129 lower bitrate means each microSD card records much longer than in the Maxi.
 
The M1 never had stabilization. Unless your caps are bad it should keep date and time for several days at least- mine can go a week. The Maxi is getting developed when they develop it, same as the M1. They are approximately equal regards heat generation and heat tolerance. It's possible that your "stealth" installation is affecting the cam's cooling- they do need some free airflow and should be in a cool location when possible. The M1 tends to be one of the most reliable cams out there, so I don't know why your experience isn't giving you that.

Phil
 
The lens module cable of your mobius 1 could be loose creating strange visual effects. Clicking the cable back in place could confirm or deny this possibility.

The maxi sounds 3 beeps when turning on and 5 beeps when turning off unless silenced via software options.
Batteries are well known to expand and create problems. A super capacitor is always a good idea in any dashcam.
I recorded in 2.7k at the highest possible setting. A 32gb card does not hold much footage (I think it is about an hour) before it gets filled.

I have used the samsung evo+ and the kingston canvas react with equal success in the mobius maxi. You should order a u3 rated micro-sd card. Since the maxi can create files at the rate of 60mbs the write speeds should also be 60mbs or higher. Many class 10 cards write at 10mbs not 60mbs or higher.

The kingston canvas line specifications shows the difference in write speeds.
Canvas Select Class 10 UHS-I speeds1 up to 80MB/s read. (10 MB's write)
Canvas Go: Class 10 UHS-I U3 speeds1 up to 90MB/s read, 45MB/s write.
Canvas React: Class 10 UHS-I U3 speeds1 up to 100MB/s read, 80MB/s write.

Of course, if you opt to save files at a lower bitrate the sd card speed can also be slower. The maxi is supposed to drop image quality to whatever speed the sd card will allow.

On ebay estore009 (a member here) has a supercapacitor equipped maxi at a good price.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...1.Xmobius+maxi.TRS0&_nkw=mobius+maxi&_sacat=0

This is a link to a supercapacitor equipped mobius maxi by the developer of the mobius maxi.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/153096162838
 
Thanks for the replies, great information and @country_hick thanks for the low down on the Memory card, very useful to know which one to go for. What Size card would you recommend if using 2.7k footage? Can the Maxi handle 256GB Cards?

Couple more questions:
Can we get the Mobius to work in Hybrid mode? Fully On when driving and auto Parking Mode as well when the engine is off? Perhaps connect it to a Powerbank (Not the normal power banks, the Phulsate ones) I've a good idea on how to do this, but it's a bit pricey for the battery.

How come the Maxi isn't well sold? Can it hold up to the dashcams like BlackVue and Thinkvue, Next?
How does night time footage compare to other dashcams at this time?

Does anyone have the lens extension cable and able to answer if there are any downsides to using the lens extension cable?
 
How come the Maxi isn't well sold? Can it hold up to the dashcams like BlackVue and Thinkvue

Blackvue and Thinkware are more user friendly as far as dashcam use goes, the Maxi (and most other cameras) will do better video

Available lens extensions for this model won't alter the video performance
 
The maxi is a fairly new camera. The manufacturer has given no press releases regarding its release. Many people have no idea a new mobius version is available.

There is another reason the maxi has not had big sales. The mobius 2 was problematic and many people now look at mobius products with suspicion. One member on here has said they will NOT buy a maxi until its firmware has matured. I took a gamble and bought a maxi. I will not buy duplicates until after the firmware is greatly improved. Both night vision and sound recording could be improved with some firmware tweaks.

A 3 minute recording on the maxi's highest quality setting creates a 1.26GB file. 32GB cards really hold about 29GB. therefore about 23 3 minute recordings can be taken at the highest setting before overwriting the old files.

You can record at different quality levels with different file sizes. Look at this link for more details.
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...video-resolution-and-frame-rate-option.36226/

I haven't tried it myself. I recall reading that if a dashcam is set to parking mode while driving it would record constantly because of the constant motion. When sitting still it would only capture what moves.
 
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Any all Maxi Dashcams genuine? Seen a few on ebay with the Brand: Boblov, any able to confirm?
Are they fakes around, or best stick with a genuine supplier? minddvcameras?

In terms of the sd-card, can the maxi handle more than 128GB?
 
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Any all Maxi Dashcams genuine? Seen a few on ebay with the Brand: Boblov, any able to confirm?
Are they fakes around, or best stick with a genuine supplier? minddvcameras?

In terms of the sd-card, can the maxi handle more than 128GB?
estore009 is an authorized reseller who for some unknown reason puts boblov on their mobius maxi's.
I find the boblov logo unwelcome. It takes away from the stealth aspect of being all black.
The advantage of estores boblov maxi package is they include a car kit with cable, charger, and mount.

Some other sellers of the mobius maxi on ebay I am unfamiliar with.
 
RE: stealth install

I've fitted my Maxi inside of a piece of trim with the bare PCB exposed. Since I've completely removed the case, I opted to stick a heatsink on top of the processor to provide some cooling. Depending on your install, perhaps you can do something similar to ensure the camera doesn't overheat. Personally, I scavenged a heatsink out of an old BT hub and cut it to size with a saw. Alternatively, you can look online for RaspberryPi or similar heatsinks, which are pretty cheap. 13x13mm is the size you want I believe, but measure just to be sure.

I turned the beeps on my Maxi off as I find them annoying. If you are unable to see the lights on the Maxi with your particular install, have you considered buying a short piece of 1mm optical fibre and drilling a 1mm hole to poke it through somewhere visible to you in car? You will obviously have to point the other end at the LEDs on the PCB. Then you can at least whether your cam is recording or not.

This is what it looks like after integrating the fibre into the heatsink so its nice and secure (and hovering only ~3mm above the LEDs):

Fibre Install.PNG
 
RE: stealth install

I've fitted my Maxi inside of a piece of trim with the bare PCB exposed. Since I've completely removed the case, I opted to stick a heatsink on top of the processor to provide some cooling. Depending on your install, perhaps you can do something similar to ensure the camera doesn't overheat. Personally, I scavenged a heatsink out of an old BT hub and cut it to size with a saw. Alternatively, you can look online for RaspberryPi or similar heatsinks, which are pretty cheap. 13x13mm is the size you want I believe, but measure just to be sure.

I turned the beeps on my Maxi off as I find them annoying. If you are unable to see the lights on the Maxi with your particular install, have you considered buying a short piece of 1mm optical fibre and drilling a 1mm hole to poke it through somewhere visible to you in car? You will obviously have to point the other end at the LEDs on the PCB. Then you can at least whether your cam is recording or not.

This is what it looks like after integrating the fibre into the heatsink so its nice and secure (and hovering only ~3mm above the LEDs):

View attachment 42789

Thanks all for the contributions.
Tempviewer - you have the same attitude to stealth installations as me.
Good suggestion with the optical fibre idea, I was thinking more along the lines of an LED light extender cable, but i'll see if I can get some optical fibre from somewhere. Can you get an Optical fibre part that clips to the LED ready-made?

I would also rather not have the Sound beeps on, as my Mobius is completely hidden away and I use the lens extender only to expose the camera, but then the LED is hidden.
Just waiting on a deal on the items and then purchase.

I'm also gonna look into parking mode and using Car-rated Powerbanks to keep the camera going while parked. Has anyone done this?

Is it possible to swap the lens out with a totally different one from a different manufacturer with an Exmor type lens or not?
 
I was thinking more along the lines of an LED light extender cable, but i'll see if I can get some optical fibre from somewhere.
Placing a piece of clear plastic in front of the led will suffice. The light will go through clear or light amber plastic well enough to be seen on the other side. If the clear plastic is chamfered which leaves a shallow shelf on one edge you should be able to see the colored light better in that section when it is dark enough.
 
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One of the common methods of "transposing" LED light is by using what is called a "light-pipe". It's just a moulded piece of clear plastic, and there are some used in the Maxi already - for both the LED indicators.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find any light-pipes that would clip on the LED's on the PCB. These things are usually designed specifically for the application, so finding one off-the-shelf is a nightmare. The LED's on the PCB are also incredibly tiny and packed close together, making it ever so fragile.

The optical fibre also made it possible to vary the length to whatever I want, and bend it around quite a distance - something you can't really do with a moulded light-pipe. Personally I've bought the optical fibre from this Ebay listing. Considering how cheap it was for a 20cm piece, I just gave it a punt and it's worked for me.

The best way to affix the fibre is by using some superglue. Just be aware though of the fact that CA glue will haze the fibre if you get the glue close to the core. It can be fixed however by sanding/polishing the end (600+ grit). Perhaps you can use the original case and simply drill a tiny hole in it to poke the fibre through, and glue it from the outside.

Out of curiousity, where are you planning to install your Maxi?
 
I have some 3 mm or so fiber optic plastic cable, the kind used to make "star" ceilings, works just fine for transmitting light, i have used on a RC car body as i dident want to put in 4 LED's for the side marker lights, so i put in 1one 5 mm LED and had it shine into 4 pieces of that cable that i then installed instead of LED's in the front and rear fenders.
Easier and installing 4 little LED's and not least get the power down to a voltage they can handle.
 
Out of curiousity, where are you planning to install your Maxi?

It will go in the same place the Current Gen1 Mobius is, just above the rear view mirror on my current car there is a panel that clips off, there is literally just enough room to squeeze the Mobius in, then run the lens extender below a Rain sensor and in front of the Rear view mirror. Body is hidden, lens only minimal on show. -Hence the reason for a Light indicator/sound to know when its on. The 12V cigarette lighter socket is in an easily knockable area, hence why I don't trust the camera being on.
 
It will go in the same place the Current Gen1 Mobius is, just above the rear view mirror on my current car there is a panel that clips off, there is literally just enough room to squeeze the Mobius in, then run the lens extender below a Rain sensor and in front of the Rear view mirror. Body is hidden, lens only minimal on show. -Hence the reason for a Light indicator/sound to know when its on. The 12V cigarette lighter socket is in an easily knockable area, hence why I don't trust the camera being on.

Cool, pretty much the same as me.

Just be warned, if you have your car's GPS antenna in the same location (my car did), then you will likely have interference issues. As in, your car's GPS signal might become very poor.

Since you're up near the center console anyway, why don't you run the power feed through the headlining, down the A-pillar and into the fuse box? One less wire to dangle around.
 
Bit the bullet and purchased the one with the Capacitor today and some other bits for the camera.
For anyone else considering to buy this... ebay UK have 15% off today till 8pm
 
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