Multi Channel DashCams on Cars?

[Stu_C]

Hi All
I am looking at DashCams and I see Thinkware do a Multi Channel package with 2 Side cameras has anyone fitted this onto a car?

F790 32GB Front Rear & Side Multi-Camera Package - Thinkware Dash Cam UK

The F790 dash cam from Thinkware uses the CMOS Imaging sensor to allow the dash cam to record clean & crisp 1080p Full HD footage, even at nighttime via its Super Night Vision 3.0 technology. The F790 features an integrated mount and power supply, making the removal of the camera quick and...

thinkwaredashcam.eu

My car is a coupe and thinking of using the extra cameras for each side of the side windows looking out but not sure how good this would be or an i better just to go got the U3000 Front and Rear Cams?

Thanks in Advance

 

[rcg530]

BlackboxMyCar sent me a Thinkware F200 Pro 2-channel and the Thinkware MB-100 Multiplexer along with two side camera and interior camera. The main (front) camera does not know that it has that many cameras connected to it because the MB-100 plugs into the front camera's rear camera connection port. The front camera simply believes it has a rear camera connected. The video image from the cameras connected to the MB-100 are combined into a single 1080p image that is fed to the front camera and recorded as the "rear" camera video. I have not tested the MB-100 with a F790 front camera.

I have a video showing the F200 Pro 2-channel used with the MB-100 multiplexer.

 

[Stu_C]

Thank you for this, what is the highest quality camera that works with this setup? Shame the U3000 doesn't work with it

 

[rcg530]

Thank you for this, what is the highest quality camera that works with this setup? Shame the U3000 doesn't work with it

In the video, I show the Thinkware front dash cameras that are compatible with the MB-100 multiplexer.

F200 Pro FHD, F790 FHD, X700 FHD and X800 QHD

 

[ChristophGermany]

BlackboxMyCar sent me a Thinkware F200 Pro 2-channel and the Thinkware MB-100 Multiplexer along with two side camera and interior camera. The main (front) camera does not know that it has that many cameras connected to it because the MB-100 plugs into the front camera's rear camera connection port. The front camera simply believes it has a rear camera connected. The video image from the cameras connected to the MB-100 are combined into a single 1080p image that is fed to the front camera and recorded as the "rear" camera video. I have not tested the MB-100 with a F790 front camera.

I have a video showing the F200 Pro 2-channel used with the MB-100 multiplexer.

Thank you very much for you review

One question ... does ONLY the front camera recognize motion detection or also the rear camera, respectively f.e. the two sidecameras via the MB-100.

For example, if I have a front camera and two side cameras (without a rear camera) via the multiplexer and someone hits the side of my door while i´m parking forward, will the motion detection be activiated via the multiplexer video signal?

 

[rcg530]

Thank you very much for you review

One question ... does ONLY the front camera recognize motion detection or also the rear camera, respectively f.e. the two sidecameras via the MB-100.

For example, if I have a front camera and two side cameras (without a rear camera) via the multiplexer and someone hits the side of my door while i´m parking forward, will the motion detection be activiated via the multiplexer video signal?

From what I remember, the front camera doesn't know that it has a multiplexer connected to it. It looks at the multiplexed video from the MB-100 as if it were simply a rear camera. If there's any movement detected in the multiplexed image sent to the front camera, it should qualify for recording a motion based parking event.

 

[ChristophGermany]

From what I remember, the front camera doesn't know that it has a multiplexer connected to it. It looks at the multiplexed video from the MB-100 as if it were simply a rear camera. If there's any movement detected in the multiplexed image sent to the front camera, it should qualify for recording a motion based parking event.

Thank you for contacting Thinkware Customer Support. We would be happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have.

To clarify, only the X800 front has a sensor to detect a motion however the 3 ch should be recorded accordingly to its features so the rear camera can only record videos but it will not detect a motion or bumps.

THINKWARE Customer Support

 

[rcg530]

Thank you for contacting Thinkware Customer Support. We would be happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have.

To clarify, only the X800 front has a sensor to detect a motion however the 3 ch should be recorded accordingly to its features so the rear camera can only record videos but it will not detect a motion or bumps.

THINKWARE Customer Support

While Thinkware customer support is correctly stating the rear camera does not detect bumps (g-sensor is in the front camera), I thought I tested motion based parking mode for the F200 Pro with the MB-100 acting as the "rear" camera and I thought the processor in the front camera detected movement from the front or rear (MB-100) camera feeds. I'll have to resurrect my F200 Pro / MB-100 configuration to test this again. I still have all of the items from that dash camera test, so I'll just have to find some time to put it back together on my test bench. Anytime the front camera is powered and operating in any of its supported parking modes, the MB-100 will be powering the cameras attached to its video input cables via its own power/ground connections. That's one of the downsides of that configuration since the power draw of MB-100 is constant (power for its own operations plus power to each of the up to four cameras connected to it). The MB-100 will detect when the front camera is fully powered down (via the cable between the MB-100 and the front camera) and it will stop sending power to the connected cameras and shut itself down. I'll see what I can do to test this over the weekend.

 

[rcg530]

I pulled the F200 Pro, MB-100 and four additional cameras (rear, interior and two side cameras) to connect to the MB-100 out of my storage cabinet. The Thinkware app wanted to upgrade the firmware on the F200 Pro, so I let it update the firmware to v2.00.01. I configured the F200 Pro for motion detection parking mode.

For this test, the F200 Pro was facing in the opposite direction of the four other cameras with a two foot gap in between the backside of the front camera and the backside of the four cameras connected to the MB-100. I turned off the accessory power and the F200 Pro entered motion detection parking mode ("Status" LED blinking slowly). My first test was to see if any of the five cameras could detect/see motion in the two foot gap mentioned above. The "Status" LED continued to blink slowly (meaning no motion was detected). That two foot area is a valid "dead zone" for all five cameras.

I moved an object in front of the front camera which resulted in the "Status" LED to start blinking faster. When the "Status" LED returned to its slow blinking mode, I ran six additional motion tests so only the cameras connected to the MB-100 could see that motion. The "Status" LED started blinking faster each time I moved an object within the field of view of the MB-100 cameras.

When I turned on the accessory power to the F200 Pro, the F200 Pro announced that "during parking mode, motion detection recording, 7 occurred". That's one from the front camera and six from the MB-100 connected cameras. Looking in the motion_timelapse_rec directory on the memory card, I found recordings for each of the 7 motion detection events.

This matches up with my memory of how the F200 Pro behaved in motion detection parking mode back when I created my MB-100 video. I have to disagree with the response received from Thinkware support saying the MB-100 connected cameras will not trigger motion recording events. My testing proves otherwise.

 

[ChristophGermany]

I pulled the F200 Pro, MB-100 and four additional cameras (rear, interior and two side cameras) to connect to the MB-100 out of my storage cabinet. The Thinkware app wanted to upgrade the firmware on the F200 Pro, so I let it update the firmware to v2.00.01. I configured the F200 Pro for motion detection parking mode.

For this test, the F200 Pro was facing in the opposite direction of the four other cameras with a two foot gap in between the backside of the front camera and the backside of the four cameras connected to the MB-100. I turned off the accessory power and the F200 Pro entered motion detection parking mode ("Status" LED blinking slowly). My first test was to see if any of the five cameras could detect/see motion in the two foot gap mentioned above. The "Status" LED continued to blink slowly (meaning no motion was detected). That two foot area is a valid "dead zone" for all five cameras.

I moved an object in front of the front camera which resulted in the "Status" LED to start blinking faster. When the "Status" LED returned to its slow blinking mode, I ran six additional motion tests so only the cameras connected to the MB-100 could see that motion. The "Status" LED started blinking faster each time I moved an object within the field of view of the MB-100 cameras.

When I turned on the accessory power to the F200 Pro, the F200 Pro announced that "during parking mode, motion detection recording, 7 occurred". That's one from the front camera and six from the MB-100 connected cameras. Looking in the motion_timelapse_rec directory on the memory card, I found recordings for each of the 7 motion detection events.

This matches up with my memory of how the F200 Pro behaved in motion detection parking mode back when I created my MB-100 video. I have to disagree with the response received from Thinkware support saying the MB-100 connected cameras will not trigger motion recording events. My testing proves otherwise.

Wow, that's incredible... thank you for your test. I'll check with Thinkware again to see if the difference is in the X800 and F200 Pro. I'll let you know here when I receive an answer.

Have you tested other dashcams (other brands) in the past that have the option of connecting side cameras?

 

[ChristophGermany]

We're talking about the X800 front dash cam, another dash cam model is not included.

THINKWARE Customer Support

 

[rcg530]

Have you tested other dashcams (other brands) in the past that have the option of connecting side cameras?

No, I have not. Most of the other multi-channel dash cameras that I've tested have maxed out at 3-channels and 4-channels for the Vantrue N5 (front, rear, two interior).

 

[Panzer Platform]

Have you tested other dashcams (other brands) in the past that have the option of connecting side cameras?

This is not what you’re looking for but here’s my latest experiment with using “rear” cameras as “side” cameras.
Skip to 0:28 for Passenger Side
Skip to 1:17 for Driver Side

Here’s what it looks like at night;

Skip to 0:49 for Driver Side
Skip to 3:38 for Passenger Side

 

[ChristophGermany]

This is not what you’re looking for but here’s my latest experiment with using “rear” cameras as “side” cameras.
Skip to 0:28 for Passenger Side
Skip to 1:17 for Driver Side

Here’s what it looks like at night;

Skip to 0:49 for Driver Side
Skip to 3:38 for Passenger Side

Thank you very much, i have already seen this videos on my research

I have a BMW G20 M340i, which has on the red lines airbags, so it´s critical for me to install there cams.

 

[Panzer Platform]

I have a BMW G20 M340i, which has on the red lines airbags, so it´s critical for me to install there cams.

Let me see what I can come up with.

 

[Panzer Platform]

I have a BMW G20 M340i, which has on the red lines airbags, so it´s critical for me to install there cams.

It is possible to mount the side cameras on the rear door fixed windows.
Here is how I did it on my other car.
Installation is not difficult but it is time consuming because you have to remove the door panel, and run the camera cable in the door, and through the waterproof “door jam rubber elbow”.




Skip to 1:27 to see the installation;

Here is test footage to show what it looks like;

 

[ChristophGermany]

It is possible to mount the side cameras on the rear door fixed windows.
Here is how I did it on my other car.
Installation is not difficult but it is time consuming because you have to remove the door panel, and run the camera cable in the door, and through the waterproof “door jam rubber elbow”.

Would be maybe possible, but the area i want to protect is lower than inside cameras can record.
I probably can't avoid installing the cameras, which also have motion detection, below the exterior mirrors.

 

[Panzer Platform]

Would be maybe possible, but the area i want to protect is lower than inside cameras can record.
I probably can't avoid installing the cameras, which also have motion detection, below the exterior mirrors.

It sounds like the POV you want will require the cameras to be mounted externally?
If so, we will soon have waterproof remote cameras for the A229 Pro, similar to the A129 Plus.

VIOFO RWC100 A129 Plus Outside Waterproof HDR Rear Camera with Sony Starvis Sensor

【Full HD Resolution】Built-in Sony STARVIS image sensor provides high quality videos day and night in full HD resolution @30fps, safeguarding the way that you leave behind. 【IP67 Waterproof】Unlike regular dash cams, the RWC100 is designed to be waterproof with an IP67 rating, allowing you to...

viofo.com

When these become available I want to install one on each side mirror looking rearward capturing a portion of the side of the car similar to the external side cameras of the Thinkware 5-CH system;

 

[DT MI]

...we will soon have waterproof remote cameras...

'We"? When did you go on the Viofo payroll?

 

[Panzer Platform]

'We"? When did you go on the Viofo payroll?

I’m using “we” as in consumers & testers will soon have access to waterproof remote cameras.
I guess I will stop saying “we” from now on. lol