Mobius support thread and Tech Guide (post all problems/help requests here) Read posts #1-8 first

[Alan Collinge]

My new Mobius finally arrived on the 22nd March. When I first received it I inserted a 32Gb Kingston Class 4 card, fitted the camera into the car and went for a short run to test image quality. Image quality was good and the camera worked fine without any issues.
So after proving that the camera worked O.K., I decided to change some of the configuration using mSetup.exe version 2.0.3.5.
Unfortunately I didn't note the firmware version that was on the camera when I received it but I downloaded and installed v1.20. I had no problems installing the firmware update, everything went according to the prompts on the GUI.
But after doing that I discovered that all further recordings made in my car were corrupt. The files were created on the card and each file was the correct size but none of them would play back. So I reformatted the card using the GUI and tried again. Same problem.
Eventually I realised that I could record OK as long as the SD card didn't have any corrupt files on it but if the card had any corrupt files on it then all future recordings would also be corrupt.
So I tried firmware v1.17 and firmware v1.13 but got exactly the same results. I have tried a 1 Gb Kingston Class 4 and a Sandisk 32 Gb Class 10. I have tried re-setting the camera and even tried unplugging the battery in the camera for 30 seconds but without success. Recording with the Mobius' own internal battery produces exactly the same results. Once it starts writing corrupt files, if I change the configuration settings to the default or if I format the card the camera will record OK again for a few minutes. Sometimes the camera will record a file half of which plays back OK but then playback stops, the audio track changes to a high volume white noise but the time counter continues to increment.

 

[BioHazarD]

Or just wait till you see the rear blinking red light start blinking, it's pretty fast.

@GJHS, I'm not sure I understand how can the read blinking led can help...it starts blinking when I first turn the key to ACC...

 

[GJHS]

@GJHS, I'm not sure I understand how can the read blinking led can help...it starts blinking when I first turn the key to ACC...

Yes three quick blinks to say the battery is charged then nothing for a few seconds. When the Mobius starts recording the rear led starts blinking again. At that point all of the startup checks are done and interrupting power temporarily won't turn it off.

 

[GJHS]

My new Mobius finally arrived on the 22nd March. When I first received it I inserted a 32Gb Kingston Class 4 card, fitted the camera into the car and went for a short run to test image quality. Image quality was good and the camera worked fine without any issues.
So after proving that the camera worked O.K., I decided to change some of the configuration using mSetup.exe version 2.0.3.5.
Unfortunately I didn't note the firmware version that was on the camera when I received it but I downloaded and installed v1.20. I had no problems installing the firmware update, everything went according to the prompts on the GUI.
But after doing that I discovered that all further recordings made in my car were corrupt. The files were created on the card and each file was the correct size but none of them would play back. So I reformatted the card using the GUI and tried again. Same problem.
Eventually I realised that I could record OK as long as the SD card didn't have any corrupt files on it but if the card had any corrupt files on it then all future recordings would also be corrupt.
So I tried firmware v1.17 and firmware v1.13 but got exactly the same results. I have tried a 1 Gb Kingston Class 4 and a Sandisk 32 Gb Class 10. I have tried re-setting the camera and even tried unplugging the battery in the camera for 30 seconds but without success. Recording with the Mobius' own internal battery produces exactly the same results. Once it starts writing corrupt files, if I change the configuration settings to the default or if I format the card the camera will record OK again for a few minutes. Sometimes the camera will record a file half of which plays back OK but then playback stops, the audio track changes to a high volume white noise but the time counter continues to increment.

Are you playing back through the camera or removing the card. Usually these problems are computer playback issues or the USB cable if you're playing through the camera. Let's start checking there. Have you tried another computer? VLC Player or Media Player Classic are good choices for slower computers.

Of course this may not be the answer yet a good start on our checklist.

 

[Alan Collinge]

Are you playing back through the camera or removing the card. Usually these problems are computer playback issues or the USB cable if you're playing through the camera. Let's start checking there. Have you tried another computer? VLC Player or Media Player Classic are good choices for slower computers.

Of course this may not be the answer yet a good start on our checklist.

Thanks for replying GJHS.

I've tried:
1) playing back directly from the camera
2) copying the files from camera to PC
3) inserting the card into a reader and playing back/copying the files

I've tried top play the files with my default player, which is VLC, and I've tried Windows Media Player. The only difference with these players is that VLC reports "No suitable decoder module:
VLC does not support the audio or video format "undf". Unfortunately there is no way for you to fix this." while Media Player makes a horendous screeching noise.
I've tried all of the above on a second PC even though my main PC is a video editing workstation which doesn't have a problem with 1080p.
And even though the camera creates corrupt files when powered from its internal battery, I've measured the voltage coming out of the 12v to 5v adapter in the car and it's stable at 5.12 volts and it can deliver 1 amp.
I've even tried the camera in my wife's car.

One thing which I didn't mention previously is that when I first configured the camera using mSetup.exe version 2.0.3.5., in addition to it prompting me to download and install the latest firmware it also prompted me to update the bootstrap loader, which I did.

I can get the camera to record a good file if I format the card first (and yes I've tried several cards), but it only creates one good file and then it gets screwed.

 

[GJHS]

I'm guessing you have tried the camera in webcam mode, attached via USB and without the SD card. This is to test all is right with the video. I'm sure it will be since you said you can get one good video.

My guess would be that boot loader update in connection to your firmware. I would say the next step is to contact your seller. Who did you buy the camera from?

 

[xreyuk]

My stuff from Banggood arrived today, ordered about a week ago.

Not bad considering it came from China.

 

[Byr0n]

My stuff from Banggood arrived today, ordered about a week ago.

Not bad considering it came from China.

Nice, what did you order? The owner of the site may sign up to the forums soon

 

[xreyuk]

Nice, what did you order? The owner of the site may sign up to the forums soon

It was only a couple of little things. Mobius lens cap, a 3 way adaptor for my car cigarette socket, and a spare 1A/5V USB Cigarette Socket plug.

I was surprised by the USB Socket, as it was Belkin branded. I was expecting something cheaper looking lol.

 

[Dashmellow]

It was only a couple of little things. Mobius lens cap, a 3 way adaptor for my car cigarette socket, and a spare 1A/5V USB Cigarette Socket plug.

I was surprised by the USB Socket, as it was Belkin branded. I was expecting something cheaper looking lol.

I'm not saying it is or it isn't really a Belkin or that it is or is not of decent quality but keep in mind that an enormous amount of authentic looking "branded" merchandise coming out of China isn't the real thing.

 

[Byr0n]

I'm not saying it is or it isn't really a Belkin or that it is or is not of decent quality but keep in mind that an enormous amount of authentic looking "branded" merchandise coming out of China isn't the real thing.

 

[Alan Collinge]

I'm guessing you have tried the camera in webcam mode, attached via USB and without the SD card. This is to test all is right with the video. I'm sure it will be since you said you can get one good video.

My guess would be that boot loader update in connection to your firmware. I would say the next step is to contact your seller. Who did you buy the camera from?

I bought the camera from eletoponline. I had already emailed them regarding the problem and they replied today suggesting that I use the 'in-camera' format procedure. I hadn't previously tried this as I thought formatting via the GUI was the preferred method. However, after following eletoponline's suggestion I am pleased to say that the camera is now working again. Fingers crossed!

 

[GJHS]

I bought the camera from eletoponline. I had already emailed them regarding the problem and they replied today suggesting that I use the 'in-camera' format procedure. I hadn't previously tried this as I thought formatting via the GUI was the preferred method. However, after following eletoponline's suggestion I am pleased to say that the camera is now working again. Fingers crossed!

My apologies I thought when you said GUI, I thought that meant 'in camera'. Glad everything is workin again

 

[Alan Collinge]

No, the GUI (mSetup.exe) has it's own formatting routine which I thought was the preferred method but obviously I was wrong. I'm over the moon now it's working again and I can now start to think about mounting it in my car properly.
Thanks again for your input.

 

[Isoprop]

No, the GUI (mSetup.exe) has it's own formatting routine which I thought was the preferred method but obviously I was wrong. I'm over the moon now it's working again and I can now start to think about mounting it in my car properly.
Thanks again for your input.

The formatting in the GUI should be EXACTLY the same as if you do it manually. All the GUI does is trigger the firmware's internal formatting routine. So I'm very . Maybe you were just lucky?

 

[Grimm]

I think the GUI is the preferred method. Its easier anyway. Glad it worked out for you Alan.

 

[Alan Collinge]

First response from eletoponline:

Thanks for your message. Sorry for the issue. Don't worry, we are responsible seller, I will help you. Do you do in-camera formatting? If not, could you kindly try to do that?

In-Camera Formatting
The Camera contains a built-in formatter which may be used to format the SD card. In-
Camera formatting is best done using mSetup.exe (see below) but can also be done as
follows:
· Connect the camera to an External USB power supply or to a PC as a
Removable disk (see above).
· Press and hold down the Mode button. DO NOT RELEASE the button until
after the next steps are completed.
· Disconnect the camera from the power supply or the computer.
· The yellow LED will blink for a few seconds followed by three blinks of the red
LED, after which the camera will turn off. You must wait until you see the red LED
blink three times.
· Release the Mode button.
►Cards with a capacity greater than 32GB will be formatted with exFAT. All other cards
will be formatted as FAT32. See the note about using exFAT in older operating systems
in the Description.

Regards,
Mandy

My reply:
Hi Mandy

Thanks for your fast reply.
In the first part of my email I said "So I reformatted the card using the GUI and tried again." This is the 'mSetup.exe version 2.0.3.5.'
When I first updated the firmware the GUI also installed a different bootstrap loader. Do you think this may be the problem. The GUI doesn't let me change back to the previous bootstrap loader, only previous firmware versions.
Kind regards

Alan

response from eletoponline:

Thanks for your reply. The GUI program was used to change the setting, could you kindly try to do the steps I advised? It is in-camera formatting, if no luck, would very appreciate you if you kindly try to do a new card, not the card you have now.

My interpretation of this was to try the in-camera formatting instead of the GUI. Since doing that the camera started working again.
One thing I haven't mentioned previously which may be relevant is that on 2 occasions when I've been trying different firmware versions, the camera has locked up midway with the blue LED permanently on. I was unable to switch the camera off and even using the reset button didn't fix it. I had to open up the case and disconnect the battery to do a hard reset.

 

[Isoprop]

....
My interpretation of this was to try the in-camera formatting instead of the GUI. Since doing that the camera started working again.
One thing I haven't mentioned previously which may be relevant is that on 2 occasions when I've been trying different firmware versions, the camera has locked up midway with the blue LED permanently on. I was unable to switch the camera off and even using the reset button didn't fix it. I had to open up the case and disconnect the battery to do a hard reset.

In-Camera formatting IS done by using the GUI....
I can't understand why the reset didn't work. The reset basically shorts the processor so it starts afresh. I have never seen a Mobius where the reset doesn't work, not even if the firmware is corrupted.
A lockup could very easily be due to your card / badly formatted card.

 

[Alan Collinge]

I am now beginning to suspect my card because even though it is now saving files without any corruption, it sometimes takes a long time to copy a file from the card to my PC. I've ordered a new card already, a Kingston 32 Gb Class 4, so I'll do a comparison when it arrives.

 

[Byr0n]

Is this possible? Can MD mode setting be part of the mode button sequence?

i.e Video mode 1 > video mode 2 > picture mode > Motion detect mode

If only 3 options can be programmed I'd be happy to loose video mode 2 option, does anyone use this?