Mobius Firmware v0.53 Now posted for download

[Dashmellow]

Looks like you want a more solid release date. Unfortunatley nobody can point it.
Bugs that lock the Camera are pretty bad, i know i would take a little more time to test it as much as i could before releasing to avoid other potential bugs, especially a similar one.
I assume it will be released no further then two days from now. Well, not sure how weekends work in china though...make it business days then.

One way or another, I (we) have to appreciate the kind of attention the firmware for the Mobius gets. A few days or more for a fix is no big deal and I know of no other situation where firmware is updated this frequently.
You know, all the tinkering and updating is really part of the fun with the Mobius even when things are not working as optimally as we might like.

 

[jokiin]

I know of no other situation where firmware is updated this frequently.

how often do they update?

 

[Dashmellow]

how often do they update?

There is no set schedule but the updates come fast and steady. The camera was released in early June as I recall and the update history is as follows.

Firmware Revision History

v0.32 - release version
v0.34 - fixes 720p-60 fps bug (new compiler code caused 1080p AOV and frame doubled, not unique frames.
v0.35 - fixes an obscure bug that caused corrupted files when the audio was turned off.
v0.39 - fixes an obscure bug that prevented the time lapse images from being saved in a new folder when the last file name number reached 9999. The bug cause newly saved images to simply overwrite what was in file 9999. Also diminished obstruction of the image by video-out "card full" and "low battery" alerts.
v0.41 - fixes two bugs. One caused a random end-of-file termination irregularity that caused some files to end with an error message in WMP, and it also prevented the latest WMM from pre-processing the file so it could be edited. The second bug caused recording to stop rather than continue on from the internal battery when any external power source was removed. That function is now only active when the Auto Power On function is turned ON (for car recorder use, etc.).
v0.42 - fixes a bug that would delete the entire xxxHDDVR folder (located in the DCIM folder where the camera writes all of its video and photo files ) if the folder contained files which were ALL renamed to any name that did not match the standard name format the camera uses when it writes the files... i.e. "REC_xxxx.MOV" for video and "IMAGxxxx.JPG" for photos.
v0.44 - Adds further WB stabilization tweaks. Time lapse photo improvements increase detail and eliminate color banding at the lower delay settings. ALL photo frame sizes can now shoot with delays down to .25 sec. with good quality, though the time stamp will not be displayed at settings of 1 sec. or less.
v0.45 - Fixes Time Lapse Photo bug that caused memory card to be erased if the card filled up.
v0.47 - Fixes random recording termination in time lapse mode. Eliminates the black background in video-out alerts for low battery and full memory card. Fixes a rare date setting error when using the "?" symbol in lieu of numbers in the date/time toggle key when manually editing/installing the config file.
v0.53 - added 60Hz and 50Hz settings to eliminate flicker with some lighting caused by AC power line frequency.
- Global 180 deg. image rotation has been replaced with individual toggles for both video modes and photo mode.
- Lens A and Lens B auto WB correction options for Standard (Lens A) and Wide Angle (Lens B) lenses.
- Auto recording can now be toggled to start when power button is press and/or when external USB power is connceted (with no active data lines).
- Auto recording started with external USB power can now be toggled to stop/save immediately, continue for 10 min., or continue until internal battery power runs out.
- Battery Charge Indicator blinks the rear red LED only from 1 to 3 times when camera first boots to show approximate state of charge.

 

[jokiin]

mostly bug fixes but good that they are on it

 

[Dashmellow]

Yes, bug fixes but that's a good thing as other manufacturers don't always bother. I remember the initial issues with the DR32 were addressed very quickly but only partially by the developer leaving everyone anticipating a next firmware update but it never happened. Well, it was incorporated in later releases of the updated camera but not really made available to the first wave of buyers.

As I understand, this series of firmware updates for the Mobius is all part of a "Phase 1" foundation and is leading up to "Phase 2". Isoprop addressed the pending Mobius Phase 2 update back in Post #8.

 

[Gurkha9]

Release date was actually the end of June

 

[Isoprop]

That certainly sounds quite logical. It just seemed a little vague I guess to hear it was fixed without further indications of how the fix-it will be addressed. Maybe it was wishful thinking on my part to be hoping for v.53.1

First, version numbering for firmware files in the Mobius is in the format ##. ##. The digits before the decimal point indicate the major number, in this case the Step # or Phase # minus 1, the digits after the decimal point indicate the minor number. Each time the firmware is compiled as a release version (as opposed to an engineering version) the minor number is incremented. The release version is then tested and if bugs are found they will be corrected and the firmware recompiled and the minor number will be incremented again.
The lock-up bug was indeed quickly fixed in a test version, but there is still a follow-up issue which has to be fixed before the firmware is released. Without going into all the details, this is proving to be much more difficult to solve than expected.
From the start, the developer wanted to design an extremely user-friendly and simple to use camera. He didn't want to take the simple approach and use a non-standard 8-pin USB cable, but wanted to use a standard USB cable that is widely available. Using a standard USB 5-pin connector which can properly detect auto-start-connect, A/V, webcam and disk mode in different combinations is proving to be very challenging. Just testing all the possibilities of a 'simple' power connection is no easy task! Different cards and how they are filled also play a role.

 

[Dashmellow]

First, version numbering for firmware files in the Mobius is in the format ##. ##. The digits before the decimal point indicate the major number, in this case the Step # or Phase # minus 1, the digits after the decimal point indicate the minor number. Each time the firmware is compiled as a release version (as opposed to an engineering version) the minor number is incremented. The release version is then tested and if bugs are found they will be corrected and the firmware recompiled and the minor number will be incremented again.
The lock-up bug was indeed quickly fixed in a test version, but there is still a follow-up issue which has to be fixed before the firmware is released. Without going into all the details, this is proving to be much more difficult to solve than expected.
From the start, the developer wanted to design an extremely user-friendly and simple to use camera. He didn't want to take the simple approach and use a non-standard 8-pin USB cable, but wanted to use a standard USB cable that is widely available. Using a standard USB 5-pin connector which can properly detect auto-start-connect, A/V, webcam and disk mode in different combinations is proving to be very challenging. Just testing all the possibilities of a 'simple' power connection is no easy task! Different cards and how they are filled also play a role.

Isoprop, Thank you so much for this explanation. The firmware numbering convention info is especially useful going forward.

 

[russ331]

Hi Russ

Can I ask your advice from one Mobius user to another please....

Whats the new 0.57 firmware like for the B lens Mobius?

More importantly how does it compare at night to the A lens?

Im hovering over the purchase button for the B lens with my mouse, but dont have any info on nighttime footage. The blue appearance of the lens makes me wonder if its a bit worse for nighttime footage.


Cheers.

I currently have v0.53. Will install v0.57 but cannot be bothered to remove Mobius from the car until this weekend.

Personally, I liked the colour hue with 0.47 as much as with 0.53.

I only have the B lens, so cannot objectively compare A vs B in relation to use at night. It's a pity that JooVuu's comparison didn't include any night footage. I'm satisfied with low-light performance, however, I haven't done any recent driving on unlit roads.


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[JooVuu]

I currently have v0.53. Will install v0.57 but cannot be bothered to remove Mobius from the car until this weekend.

Personally, I liked the colour hue with 0.47 as much as with 0.53.

I only have the B lens, so cannot objectively compare A vs B in relation to use at night. It's a pity that JooVuu's comparison didn't include any night footage. I'm satisfied with low-light performance, however, I haven't done any recent driving on unlit roads.


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Hi Russ331,
We are actually going to do one tonight haha and hopefully post later tonight or early tomorrow.

Kind regards,

Dan

 

[russ331]

Thanks, will give it a go.

I guess we are ok leaving our Mobius in the car at the moment, but Im not really sure what a hard frost will do to it, so will prob not take the risk.

Locally, we had temperatures down to about -12 deg C last Winter. My car stays overnight in an unheated garage, however, residual engine heat should keep the garage warmer than outside.

I'll be leaving mine in the car this Winter.

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[Usually Unfocused]

I guess we are ok leaving our Mobius in the car at the moment, but Im not really sure what a hard frost will do to it, so will prob not take the risk.

I might be worried at say -30C, but other than that, I'd laugh it off.

 

[Dashmellow]

Living in Northern New England things get awfully cold here during the winter months and I've never had any problems with any of the dash cams I used in the last two years, electronically or with the battery. An older, lower quality AT20 cam I used to use (my first dash cam) did have a focus problem now and again when the lens would go out of focus when the mount would contract and expand with the temperature extremes. I worry more about heat than cold with these things. While it may not be an apples to apples comparison I consider how the radio/CD player in my vehicle and various other electronic components survive years of extreme temperatures and other abuse, like vibration.

 

[avneet]

Am I the only one not getting 10 minutes until shut off like the revision history for v0.53 states? Seems more like the camera turns off 10 seconds after I turn off the car instead of 10 minutes.

 

[Isoprop]

Am I the only one not getting 10 minutes until shut off like the revision history for v0.53 states? Seems more like the camera turns off 10 seconds after I turn off the car instead of 10 minutes.

That's a typo. 10 seconds is the correct value which is shown in the GUI and Android app.

 

[russ331]

That's a typo. 10 seconds is the correct value which is shown in the GUI and Android app.

Post #1 now updated.


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[Usually Unfocused]

I wonder if a frost glaze could cover the lens also. I guess we may find out.

That is perhaps possible; I interpreted the question to be about permanent damage.

 

[Dashmellow]

If I put on sunglasses I've left out in my vehicle all night they will fog up with condensation until they warm up. I guess it would be the same with a dash cam lens but the warm up would probably be a lot less sudden. Generally speaking, I've found that even if there might be a little condensation on the lens on a very cold day, the slowly warming air flowing up the windshield from the defroster usually takes care of it in short order. Unless repeated condensation damages the components on the PCB a little condensation is unlikely to do much harm and in this case the heat generated by the dash cam is a good thing for once because it will dry out any moisture that forms inside the case.

 

[Usually Unfocused]

Permanent damage was my worry, but a frosty lens with a working device wouldn't be much use either on an icy day.

As warm as the cameras get, the lens won't be fogged for long....