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

[huggs2]

Thanks Dashmellow, I will order that lens cap and go down the diy route.

 

[RippleTheRippler]

Hi folks,

is it normal for the lens to go out of focus over time? My videos use to be crystal clear but now they are so blurry it is unbearable to watch. I have not adjusted them lens since getting it.

Is this a normal occurrence?

 

[SawMaster]

I can't say if it happens much, but about halfway down the first page in this thread are instructions on how to focus the lens. Read and work carefully as the CMOS cable is quite delicate if abused! General advice on the forums here says to move the lens only about 1 mm at a time, then checking.

Phil

 

[RippleTheRippler]

I can't say if it happens much, but about halfway down the first page in this thread are instructions on how to focus the lens. Read and work carefully as the CMOS cable is quite delicate if abused! General advice on the forums here says to move the lens only about 1 mm at a time, then checking.

Phil

Thanks for the tip.

I refocused it and it is fine now. We shall see if it goes out of focus again..

Now I need yo find a 3d printed case for my ninja install .

 

[map]

Now I need yo find a 3d printed case for my ninja install .

Let us know what you find.

 

[9a6or]

Hi folks,

is it normal for the lens to go out of focus over time? My videos use to be crystal clear but now they are so blurry it is unbearable to watch. I have not adjusted them lens since getting it.

Is this a normal occurrence?

The focus shift may be due to change in temperature. The lens housing expands with heat and this moves the CMOS chip further away from the lens (similarly to how shortsighted eyes are longer but that's not due to heat ). You have to turn the lens in a touch (clockwise) to move it closer to the CMOS chip. Put two little white dots on the neck of the lens and the housing for reference, loosen the grub screw with the allen key and turn the lens. It can be very tight.

Edit: Sorry, I haven't read the full thread before replying...

 

[russ331]

Mobius became available to buy on 27 June 2013*. Two years old & still hard to beat in terms of video quality, reliability, durability, repairability, versatility, discreetness / stealth, mounting options, manufacturer support & value for money.

Mobius shows that it's well-developed blend of cpu, cmos, lens & firmware can match or exceed many rivals. Happy Second Birthday Mobius!

* http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=25386456&postcount=27

 

[MrCurry]

Wow, only two years old? Seems to have been around longer. It kinda puts into context the comments about it being long in the tooth and due a redesign. Having said that, new completion from the likes of Xiaomi Yi and the ripoff copies like runcamHD will no doubt take their toll on sales and I wonder if the Mobius will having a pricing adjustment later this year as initial development costs must've long since been recovered and the component cost would be expected to fall as the chipset matures and is no longer cutting edge.

 

[MrCurry]

@russ331 great post by the way, how did you remember this anniversary?!!

 

[Isoprop]

Wow, only two years old? Seems to have been around longer. It kinda puts into context the comments about it being long in the tooth and due a redesign. Having said that, new completion from the likes of Xiaomi Yi and the ripoff copies like runcamHD will no doubt take their toll on sales and I wonder if the Mobius will having a pricing adjustment later this year as initial development costs must've long since been recovered and the component cost would be expected to fall as the chipset matures and is no longer cutting edge.

I don't see the Xiaomi Yi as a competitor as such. It's heavier and not discrete, but it can do 1080p @60fps, which is an advantage. The runcam is a Mobius clone and the development team are really trying hard to get all the bugs ironed out. This will take time. I like the design because it's almost identical to the Mobius. The RF shielding is a positive, but the main components, lens, lens module, DSP. are inferior to the Mobius. The fact that the runcam is an almost perfect copy of the Mobius shows that the Mobius development team did something right!
The Mobius hardware (and firmware) is constantly being updated so it's incorrect to state that development costs have been recovered. For example, tooling costs for the new lens designs are high and the new lenses cost more than the previous models. Despite the rise in production costs the end-user price remains stable.
I'm sure there will be a new model one day, but certainly not until everything has been perfected. Remember the Mobius design was released much later than the competition - but when it was released it worked, and the firmware was stable and the support was excellent.

 

[SawMaster]

The RF shielding is a positive.....

We've seen several people here having RFI problems with various cams recently. My only encounter with this cam was today on an Amazon ad. Has anyone been inside this one to see how the shielding is being handled? I have some simple shielding ideas I'd like to try, and knowing how others do it will give me a head-start, perhaps only specific components need shielding which might make it a lot easier.

I also saw a Mobius rip-off on Amazon claiming RF shielding because of it's silver plastic case, a dubious claim at best unless there was more shielding hiding inside. At the price being asked I doubt that too. I think I counted 4 "almost Mobius" cams on Amazon when I searched for "Mobius" and they all spoke of it being a Mobius somewhere in the ads Plus there was another one which looked almost identical but the ad pics weren't too clear. The specs were all inferior to Mobius as you'd expect.

Imitation is a sincere form of flattery for sure, but for the price asked there is nobody getting very close to what the Mobius offers yet. I think it will see at least a few more birthdays being a good choice for a dashcam/action cam.

Phil

 

[map]

there was another one which looked almost identical but the ad pics weren't too clear. The specs were all inferior to Mobius as you'd expect.

Was that the melkin action cam? It looks identical to a Mobius but has melkin printed on the case, comes in a few different colours and the specs are different.

 

[germany]

I have a little problem. My mobius V3 is not using the SYSCFG file. It records but not as it should.

I believe it's not a mobius problem, I guess I'm the one who is doing something wrong. Is there well known mistake. I don't know what to do I put a new SYSCF txt file on the card a few time but it' won't work?

If that matters: I'm actually using a class 10 microSD card with 8GB but it worked fine alle the years. I'm not using the mobius configurator I just put a syscfg txt file in the directory of the TF card.

Date time=[2015/05/24-10:33:28];date time setting,format yyyy/mm/dd hh:mm:ss

Video Mode 1 resolution=[0];Movie resolution setting,0:1080p(Large AOV),1:1080p(Small AOV),2:720p(Large AOV),3:720p(Small AOV)
Video Mode 1 Frame Rate=[2];Movie frame rate setting,1:60fps (only for 720p small AOV), 2:30fps
Video Mode 2 resolution=[3];Movie resolution setting,0:1080p(Large AOV),1:1080p(Small AOV),2:720p(Large AOV),3:720p(Small AOV)
Video Mode 2 Frame Rate=[1];Movie frame rate setting,1:60fps (only for 720p small AOV), 2:30fps

Photo Mode Capture Size=[0];set photo size,0:2304x1536,1:1920x1080,2:1280x720
Set Time Lapse Shooting=[4],0ff,1:0.25s,2:0.5s,3:1s,4:2s,5:5s,6:10s,7:30s,8:60s
Photo Flip=[0];set Photo rotate,0ff,1:flip on

Movie cycle time=[1];movie cycle time,0:3 minutes,1:5 minutes,2:10 minutes,3:15 minutes,4:max to 4G byte,
Movie Loop Recording=[1];set loop recording on or off,0ff,1n,
Time stamp=[0];set date/time stamp on or off,0ff,1n,
Movie sound=[1];set movie sound,0:mute,1n,
Movie Flip=[1];set movie rotate,0:both off,1:mode 1 on and mode 2 off,2:mode 1 off and mode 2 on,3:both on,
Movie quality=[0];set movie quality,set movie data rate,0:Super,1:Standard,2:Low,
Movie high dynamic range=[0];set movie high dynamic range,0ff,1n,2:Enhanced Brightness.

Power on=[1];set system power on time,0:delay,1:fast
Power off=[1];set system auto power off time when system pending,0ff,1:30 seconds,2:1 minutes,3:2 minutes,
Auto Record with External Power=[0];set connect with power to start video recording automatically,0ff,1n,
One Power Button to Auto Record=[0];set press power key to start video recording automatically,0ff,1n,
Auto Off with External Power disconnected=[0],0:Immediately,1:delay 10s;2:record to low battery power off,
LED=[1];set LED flicker when recording,0ff,1n,
Charge from USB Host=[0]; when connecting with USB host, charge camera or not,0n,1ff
Lens option =[0];select lens,0:lens A,1:lens B
Light frequency =[1];set light source frequency,0:50 HZ,1:60 HZ

TV out=[0];set Tv out,0:NTSC,1AL,
TV Display Ratio=[0];set display ratio,0:4*3,1:16*9

Motion Detect=[0];set motion detect,0ff,1n
Motion Detect Timeout=[2];set motion detect timeout,0:5s,1:15s,2:30s,3:60s
Motion Detect Sensitivity=[0];set motion detect Sensitivity,0:high,1:nomal,2:low

White Balance=[7];Set White Balance,0:Auto,1:Sunny,2:Cloudy,3:Tungsten,4:Fluorescent,5:Custom WB1,6:Custom WB2,7:Custom WB3
Sunny(5000-6500K) used for sunny with clear sky(Rgain=301,Ggain=256,Bgain=368);
Cloudy(9000-10000K) used for shade or heavily overcast sky(Rgain=301,Ggain=256,Bgain=384);
Tungsten(2500-3500K) used for Tungsten bulb (or called Incandescent light)(Rgain=184,Ggain=256,Bgain=711);
Fluorescent(4000-5000K) used for fluorescent lamps(Rgain=333,Ggain=256,Bgain=525);
Customized White Balance 1 Red Gain=[310],Green Gain=[500],Blue Gain=[700];
Customized White Balance 2 Red Gain=[310],Green Gain=[500],Blue Gain=[700];
Customized White Balance 3 Red Gain=[310],Green Gain=[500],Blue Gain=[700];
Set red ,green,blue gain,256 is 1x gain,value from 100 to 999;

Color Effect=[0];Set Color Effect,0:Standard,1:Mono,2:Sepia,3:Cool,4:Cooler,5:Warm,6:Warmer,7:Vivid
Exposure Value= [0] ;Exposure compensation,values from -128 to +128,In 1 increments,default value is 0,
Contrast= [0] ;Set Contrast,values from -128 to +128,In 1 increments,default value is 0,
Saturation= [0] ;Set Image Saturation,values from -128 to +128,In 1 increments,default value is 0,
Sharpness= [0] ;Set Image Sharpness,values from -128 to +128,In 1 increments,default value is 0,

{TLCAM MOV:TLCAM Mobius ActionCam 2014/03/17 v1.20}
{LDTLCAM,v003}

 

[Isoprop]

I have a little problem. My mobius V3 is not using the SYSCFG file. It records but not as it should.

I believe it's not a mobius problem, I guess I'm the one who is doing something wrong. Is there well known mistake. I don't know what to do I put a new SYSCF txt file on the card a few time but it' won't work?

If that matters: I'm actually using a class 10 microSD card with 8GB but it worked fine alle the years. I'm not using the mobius configurator I just put a syscfg txt file in the directory of the TF card.

The Mobius will not read the SYSCFG.TXT file in the root folder unless you tell it to!
From the user manual:

1. Disconnect the camera from the PC and turn it off.
2. Press and Hold Down the Mode button. DO NOT RELEASE the button until step 4.
3. Press and Hold Down the Power button until the RED LED blinks 3 times and the camera turns off. This will take about 5 seconds. During the process, the blue and yellow LEDs may blink.
4. Release the Mode and Power buttons.

or, from the German manual:

1. Trennen Sie die Kamera vom PC und schalten Sie sie aus.
2. Drücken und halten Sie die Mode-Taste. Nicht loslassen, bis Schritt 4. erfolgt ist!
3. Drücken und halten Sie den Netzschalter, bis die rote LED 3 mal blinkt und die Kamera sich ausschaltet. Dies wird etwa 5 Sekunden dauern. Während dieses Prozesses, können die blaue und die gelbe LED blinken.
4. Lassen Sie die Modus taste und den Netzschalter nun los.

The Mobius uses the exact same button presses to generate and read the SYSCFG.TXT file, so if you want to generate a file with the current settings make sure there is no SYSCFG.TXT file on your card.

If possible, you should always use the appropriate PC or Android setup program. They make setting the parameters much easier and will avoid errors resulting from conflicting parameter settings. Both programs will also ensure your camera has the correct date and time. The Mac configuration utility should also be used in preference to setting the parameters manually. If you're on linux or use an iPhone, then I'm afraid the only way to set the parameters is the manual method .

And important - if you use linux, make sure the SYSCFG.TXT is written all in capitals!!

 

[germany]

@Isoprop
Thanks a million!

I wonder that I can't remember that I have ever done that before but then apparently I must have used the setup program without remembering it.

Temporarily I only have a mac and a windows computer at work but there I can't install a program without administrator rights.

 

[germany]

double post, I'm sorry

 

[biggles]

@Isoprop
Thanks a million!

I wonder that I can't remember that I have ever done that before but then apparently I must have used the setup program without remembering it.

Temporarily I only have a mac and a windows computer at work but there I can't install a program without administrator rights.

No need to use the Windows setup program, you can just use text edit on your Mac if you want or the Mac software which does the same thing with GUI.

You can tell whether the changes have taken as the Mobius will delete the SYSCFG file when it is finished updating.

 

[Isoprop]

New C2 lens will replace previous C lens

The current C lens is no longer produced and is being replaced by a new C2 lens.

In his stride to only offer the very best quality lens possible the developer has designed a new C lens which has a better overall resolution and corner-to-corner sharpness than the current C lens. Production costs are slightly higher but these will not be passed on to the end-user.

The new C2 lens has a slightly smaller diameter than the current C lens so will need a different lens cap. These are also available thru the normal reseller channels.

The C2 lens uses the same design circuit board back plate holding the CMOS imager with the added ribbon cable clamping socket, so it will not fit into older cases that were not designed for this new lens module style. A new case is needed.

The original C lens has been out of stock for quite some time so it’s expected that all resellers will soon have the new C2 in stock.

The C2 has very slightly different characteristics to the C lens and these may affect the profiles used by ProDad ProDrenalin software. This is the reasoning behind the new name.

More info can be found here.

 

[country_hick]

New C2 lens will replace previous C lens

The current C lens is no longer produced and is being replaced by a new C2 lens.

In his stride to only offer the very best quality lens possible the developer has designed a new C lens which has a better overall resolution and corner-to-corner sharpness than the current C lens. Production costs are slightly higher but these will not be passed on to the end-user..

Will the lens base be going back to metal or will it remain FRP?

I think it safe to say that many will not buy a FRP based camera after the problems they have caused for mobius and other cheaper cams. For me having a FRP base is a sign not to buy.

 

[Johny]

Metal would of been nice, but something tells me they are convinced that plastic holder is not the problem. Since beginning of 2015 they kept revising the holder and adding size to it but problem of focus shift was not completely resolved. Now we had two types of C lens revealed.

Someone should updated the info on Mobius description about all these new changes and new problems such as focus shift, using plastic holder vs metal. People will have a hard time finding this information or they will have to read all the pages of topics mixed together in Mobius support section. This is definitely a different Mobius than the one described on the front page of this website.