Mobius Remote Lens Tube Camera

Dashmellow

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A long time ago, I bought a 20cm Mobius lens extension cable but I never did anything with it. In the meantime I've been observing all the interesting, creative things people have done remote mounting the Mobius lens module in other objects like sensor housings, GPS housings, old VCRs and the like.

Remote mounting the lens module alone seems more challenging because the ribbon cable is so delicate and easily damaged. Some of the attempts I've seen to mount the module by itself have seemed sort of crude and sometimes a bit "iffy". Here and there a few people have created small housings that look fairly slick but the universal challenge I've noticed is that nobody has come up with a way to easily aim the module at will or to make something that can be easily mounted and unmounted.

I came up with a few unique ideas and here's my first try. I wanted something that would be self contained, secure and would be rugged enough to take some abuse if needed so the ribbon cable would be well protected. Obviously it needed to be difficult to see from outside a car. I also wanted to create something simple with only a few parts. Heat shrink tubing was a great solution.

The lens module I used for the project is an original metal one that came with an "A" lens but it's been refitted with a "C" optic.

(BTW, this project is kind of a companion to the DIY low profile mounts I posted about yesterday.)

tubecam2.jpg

sideview.jpg

I was able to briefly mount the cam in my vehicle (which is nearly impossible to do in freezing weather for a permanent grip) The camera presents such a small profile when seen from straight-on that it is essentially invisible from outside my vehicle. From the side, you can see it if you look hard enough but there is no way to tell what the heck it is, as it just doesn't register as a camera. Of course, stealth is the basic reason for doing a project like this.
straighton.jpg

I used a gel type epoxy to glue a 1/4-20 threaded T- stand to the module itself that I modified to fit using a one inch belt sander.

threadedbase2.jpg

Many of the Mobius remote cam projects I've seen don't give much attention the hole in the camera housing where the lens used to be but I wanted a tight seal that would also allow the camera case to be opened up easily. I used a rubber stopper from the hardware store that I drilled a hole in and cut down to size. When inserted it sits flush with the case opening and is a simple friction fit like the bottle stopper that it is. The color and finish even matches the Mobius case, so it was a great find since I had been looking around for a good solution for this.

stopper.jpg

The whole project required four basic parts as shown here. The fourth part of course, was the rubber stopper that didn't make it into the photo. I guess the extension cable would constitute a 5th part, but who's counting?

remoteparts2.jpg
 
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I also wanted to create something simple with only a few parts.

Are those parts you found from from your jars and cans ? ;)
Nice idea to use a part from the pen as rear where video cable ribbon comes out !
 
Are those parts you found from from your jars and cans ? ;)
Nice idea to use a part from the pen as rear where video cable ribbon comes out !

The heat shrink tubing I had on hand along with the "pen part" which is a nozzle from a toy balloon pump. The rubber stopper came from the local hardware store as well as the T-stand. Actually, I accidentally posted this thread before I was finished with it, so I still have a thing or two to add.
 
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The heat shrink tubing I had on hand as well as "pen part" which is a nozzle from a toy balloon pump. The rubber stopper I found at the local hardware store. Actually, I accidentally posted this thread before I was finished with it, so I still have a thing or two to add.
Ok. So there are more to come ? Great, looking forward @

P.S. tou may post few "reserved post" here below if you plan to continue with this project. This way everything will be on 1st page. At least I do this some time.
 
Ok. So there are more to come ? Great, looking forward @

P.S. tou may post few "reserved post" here below if you plan to continue with this project. This way everything will be on 1st page. At least I do this some time.

Thanks. It seems I basically just needed to add the photo of the rubber stopper and a few comments for now. I know what you mean about the "reserved posts". I meant to do that yesterday with my long thread about the low profile mounts but I forgot. I wanted to keep this post fairly brief.
 
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Thanks. It seems I basically just needed to add the photo of the rubber stopper and a few comments for now. I know what you mean about the "reserved posts". I meant to do that yesterday with my long thread about the low profile mounts but I forgot.
Ok. I can see the added pictures. Looks very neat !
 
How can I get a 10foot line to the back of my car so I can have the multi channel dashacams body's inside the glove box?
 
For a remote setup you need there to be a transmit chip using some protocol in the lens/sensor unit and a receiver chip in the camera to decode, if you dont have that, then what you see here are the maximum you will be able to move the lens module from the camera.
The original signal that come off the sensors or lens modules are pretty weak and prone to noise too, so a good handful of inches are about as good as it get with that signal.

If you have that transmit booster then you can go as far as 5-6 meters from the camera to the main unit, but you need that signal to be boosted a lot as it is otherwise quite weak as it is only intended to go to the next PCB over inside a little camera.
 
Since my hatchback doesn't have fixed A-pillar or C-pillar windows, makes mounting a camera looking out the sides a lot more challenging. Probably my fifth attempt at a discreet install, I think this one might just work.

Plan on covering the extension cable in a similar manner once the 40mm heat shrink tubing reaches. Was wondering if I stand to benefit from covering the entire lens extension cable and other connected bits first with aluminium foil.

FPV lens holder - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2pc...se-for-FPV-Racing-Quadcopter/32749109276.html

The holder wasn't exactly snug around the D lens module, added 3 layers of EVA foam. The nut is reasonably tight, once aimed I don't think the lens should move on its own.

IMG_0590.png

If this works, need to get two more C2's.
 
That looks great! That FPV holder seems like a great find.

I would suggest trying it temporarily without any aluminum foil before the final install to get an idea if any sort of shielding is really needed.
 
BTW, I wonder if some layers of the heat shrink tubing itself could possibly be used instead of EV foam?
 
That looks great! That FPV holder seems like a great find.

I would suggest trying it temporarily without any aluminum foil before the final install to get an idea if any sort of shielding is really needed.

Plan on trying it out over the weekend, don't think the heat shrink tubing is going to reach before Monday. Even if it does, I'll have a metre to play with.


BTW, I wonder if some layers of the heat shrink tubing itself could possibly be used instead of EV foam?

The gap is about a millimetre or two, will take a few layers of tubing to get it as thick as the EVA. Will see whatever works best.
 
Plan on trying it out over the weekend, don't think the heat shrink tubing is going to reach before Monday. Even if it does, I'll have a metre to play with.

Yikes!, a meter of heat shrink tubing! :joyful: You could mess up the project several times and still have enough left over. :smuggrin:

The gap is about a millimetre or two, will take a few layers of tubing to get it as thick as the EVA. Will see whatever works best.[/QUOTE]

I see what you mean. I'm thinking that you really need to cover that part of the module with tubing anyway so maybe you can work with that in some way. Either way it looks fine with EV foam the way it is.
I'm looking forward to seeing a photo when this is installed in your car. :snaphappy:
 
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I have a couple of mounting locations in mind, let's see which one works. Looking forward to finally having a camera looking out the sides, even if just one side for now. :)

I'm totally addicted to having side cams now and would feel uncomfortable without them, especially when I leave my vehicle parked.

A couple of days ago a couple parked next to me at the supermarket and this fellow had a peculiar way of exiting his car. :playful: Then for some reason he decided to stand unusually close to my vehicle waiting for his wife to extract herself from their car. Really, this guy did absolutely nothing wrong, but I love that I can capture such high quality footage with a hidden side facing Mobius in case someone did actually mess with my truck or cause some damage when I'm away from my vehicle.

After various experiments, I recommend the C2 lens for lateral coverage, which is actually the main reason I went to the trouble of posting these photos. As you probably already know from my other posts, the C2 overlaps the front and rear lens coverage.

(These images are through dark tinted glass.)

parking1.jpg

parking2.jpg
 
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Since my hatchback doesn't have fixed A-pillar or C-pillar windows, makes mounting a camera looking out the sides a lot more challenging. Probably my fifth attempt at a discreet install, I think this one might just work.

Plan on covering the extension cable in a similar manner once the 40mm heat shrink tubing reaches. Was wondering if I stand to benefit from covering the entire lens extension cable and other connected bits first with aluminium foil.

FPV lens holder - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2pc...se-for-FPV-Racing-Quadcopter/32749109276.html

The holder wasn't exactly snug around the D lens module, added 3 layers of EVA foam. The nut is reasonably tight, once aimed I don't think the lens should move on its own.

View attachment 36338

If this works, need to get two more C2's.
I like the simple idea of this mount. I'm curious about the notch in the loop. Is that a hole for a set screw?
 
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