My Mobius thread: initial contact, some questions and why I didn't keep it (read this before buying)

[Module 79L]

Thirteen working days after being sent, it arrived. Not bad, considering the time of the year and two weeks with only 3 working days each.
JooVuu's service was flawless. It was out of stock when I ordered it but he camera was "shipped" when Dan said it would, he always kept me posted on everything regarding the payment and answering any questions I had.

I was going to make an unbagging video but I thought "nah, it would never be as spectacular as an unboxing video", so I ditched the idea.
One can never realize how small these things are until one has them in one's hands. I mean, I had a pretty good idea about the G1W's size but it still surprised me when I had them in front of me. This one, however, is far smaller than I could ever imagined. The Allen key, for example, how is it even possible to make an hexagonal key that's as thin as a needle? I hope I'll never have to re-focus the lens because I think any little force applied to that key will bend it straight away!
The capacitor pack is so small that I thought they forgot to send it, until I decided to re-check inside the padded envelope the camera came in and there it was!

Card formatting, firmware update, setup, getting acquainted with the LED's colors and color codes, and indoor testing, it's all done. It works with VLC in webcam mode, so I'll have a go at aiming it with my 12" work laptop.


Things I didn't "like" so much, which lead to the question's part:

1. The camera has to be mounted upside down, which means the heat sinks won't dissipate heat efficiently and there's a good chance the camera will get hotter because the heat will rise and stay inside the casing. I only recorded less than 30sec at a time during testing, on battery power, and the heat sinks got a little warm. I thought of 2 possible solutions:
A. Drill some holes on the back of the casing and the craddle to allow the heat to come out;
B. Cut a magnetic metal plate to fit the size of the heat sink. That would be screwed to the suction cup mount or I can make some sort of a metallic arm that could be fixed to the RVM's stem. Not only it would help dissipating the heat but also would be easier to remove the camera, in case I needed to.

Questions:
A. I know the casing isn't weather proof but can some extra holes be a problem when you think of how moist the air can become inside a car on wet days? I'm thinking about the periods of time when the camera isn't working.
B. Can a strong magnetic field affect the camera's work, especially when it'd be situated right above the processor?


2. The folder's name. I noticed it's 100HDDVR, so it doesn't seem to have any indication regarding the date of the files it contains. My other cameras all create a new folder each day, called 100, followed by the date. For instance, if they're recording past midnight, there will be two folders in the card, one called 100xxxxx and the other called 101xxxxx.
3. The file's names. I also noticed they only have a sequential number, no date.

Questions:
2. Does the Mobius only have this one folder and it stores all the files inside, no matter from what days they are?
3. Since I empty the card every day, will the first file of the next day be number 0001 again? Is there any way of changing the way the files are named when they're created?

 

[Deleted member 46308]

I was going to make an unbagging video but I thought "nah, it would never be as spectacular as an unboxing video", so I ditched the idea.

Thank you

 

[9a6or]

Ad Question B: Magnets do not affect the Mobius, I have two strong neodymium magnets glued to the inside of the cover.

 

[russ331]

The Allen key, for example, how is it even possible to make an hexagonal key that's as thin as a needle? I hope I'll never have to re-focus the lens because I think any little force applied to that key will bend it straight away!

I suggest that you keep it bagged, labelled & stored so you can remember where you put it. You'll probably never need it, but...

The camera has to be mounted upside down, which means the heat sinks won't dissipate heat efficiently and there's a good chance the camera will get hotter because the heat will rise and stay inside the casing.

Mobius has been on sale since July 2013. Time has proven it to be reliable & durable in all climates. The heat sink gets warm. Don't touch it. Don't worry about it. No modifications are necessary, & only detract from the camera's discreetness.

2. Does the Mobius only have this one folder and it stores all the files inside, no matter from what days they are?
3. Since I empty the card every day, will the first file of the next day be number 0001 again? Is there any way of changing the way the files are named when they're created?

You can customise the first 4 characters of file names via the Miscellaneous Settings Tab in mSetup. When you format the card, the counter resets to 0001

 

[Module 79L]

Mobius has been on sale since July 2013. Time has proven it to be reliable & durable in all climates. The heat sink gets warm. Don't touch it. Don't worry about it. No modifications are necessary, & only detract from the camera's discreetness.

So, even mounted upside down it still dissipates enough heat through the heat sink plates to avoid heat build-up inside the casing?

You can customise the first 4 characters of file names via the Miscellaneous Settings Tab in mSetup. When you format the card, the counter resets to 0001

Yes, I know that, but that's not what I asked. I'll just have to wait and see.

 

[sludgeguts]

So, even mounted upside down it still dissipates enough heat through the heat sink plates to avoid heat build-up inside the casing?



Yes, I know that, but that's not what I asked. I'll just have to wait and see.

Mine sits at the top of my screen (on a bus) all day long, mounted to a cycle helmet attachment. Because of where it is, it HAS to be upside-down & the software is set to auto rotate so the image is recorded the right way up. The time/date stamp is also stamped the correct way. My average working day is 9 - 10 hours & the only downtime is my 45min lunch break.
I've had this cam for ages (see my sig) and aside from a few glitches (cheapo SD card, dodgy power converter) and dropping the thing too many times, the footage today is as good as it ever was.
The only thing I've modified is the rear LED - too recessed to see properly so I added a blob of rubber solution glue. This has the effect of extending the lens of the LED.
BTW, not sure why you'd want to empty all the files off the card each day but I'm using a 128GB card, formatted once when I bought it & simply allow everything to be written over time & time again.
Even after a long motorway journey where I like to save all the footage (just in case), I simply put the card into my PC & drag/drop everything to a file, this simply copies everything.

 

[Module 79L]

BTW, not sure why you'd want to empty all the files off the card each day but I'm using a 128GB card, formatted once when I bought it & simply allow everything to be written over time & time again.

I've said it before but you probably didn't read that thread: I empty the card everyday because I want to save all the files for the compilations or for other purposes, so I don't want them to be overwriten. I also like to check if the camera has recorded properly, if there's some problem with the audio, if the video is shaky due to some mounting problem that's not apparent just by looking at the camera, etc. I've done it since the beginning and my other cameras all have a screen, so it was easier to check things out. The Mobius only have lights and I'm not too confident in trusting them yet.

 

[dash riposki]

If it's flashing, it's recording. You'll get used to what looks right, and what isn't.

If you installed the capacitor, I wouldn't worry about heat.
My 'A' has been running for over 2 years, mostly 24/7.
I swapped out the battery for a cap at about the one year point.

 

[Deleted member 46308]

If it's flashing, it's recording. You'll get used to what looks right, and what isn't.

+1

 

[Module 79L]

If it's flashing, it's recording.

I've read posts of people who said the lights flashed like they're supposed to but the camera wasn't recording...

If you installed the capacitor, I wouldn't worry about heat.

I'll only install the capacitor when the weather gets hot, if we get any this year. Things aren't looking good...

 

[Module 79L]

Installed it today, did a test drive and the first thing that stands out from the footage is that I have to get/make a different mount. On its mount the camera is positioned too far back and if I level it, the whole dashboard, including part of the steering wheel, is visible in the video.
I had to point the camera almost to the sky to catch only the base of the windshield. I have to move it closer to the windshield so that I can point it straight.
Another thing was that the camera shakes a bit when I drive through rough surfaces and there are some rattling noises in the audio, even though everything is well tight. I never liked these ball joint-type mounts but i didn't think it would be a problem because of the Mobius light weight.
I'll see if I can come up with something to adapt to the spare U-type mount I have.

 

[dash riposki]

I'm not sure what kind of vehicle you're using it in?
I've used various types of suction cup mounts, and the cheapest adhesive type mount with a ball adjustment thing, and not had any vibration issues in large trucks or cars.

I'd save the battery in case you want to use it for an action cam, but pop the capacitor in there now. The battery has a limited life span, anyway.
The mobius is firmly in the mounting cradle thing?

Not doubt you. Just curious. Not had any problems.

 

[russ331]

On its mount the camera is positioned too far back and if I level it, the whole dashboard, including part of the steering wheel, is visible in the video.

Try Narrow FOV Mode.

 

[sludgeguts]

The best mount for the Mobius (in my humble opinion) is the cheapo cycle helmet mount

With the backplate securely fixed (with the double sided sticky pads) to the dimpled sunscreen area of my windshield, it's an easy task to mount/unmounts the camera. Of course, these things are so dirt cheap, I've bought a few & stuck just the backplate into the vehicles I might use at work - really unobtrusive for anyone else that might drive the buses & simplifies things when I have to change.
Because there's so few moving parts, there's less chance of vibration etc.
I find that the best position for mounting is to have the 'arm' pointing inwards - in this picture, the lens would point down.
it mounts the camera back from the screen so less chance of being seen. With the mount on the dimpled sunscreen, it also affords a little protection for the lens.
I used the android app to help me get the right position for sticking the backplate & adjusting the tilt.
I dislike the suction mounts - they leave telltale marks, they are obvious in use, they are too bulky, affected by colder temps...

 

[mr_milo]

I've said it before but you probably didn't read that thread: I empty the card everyday because I want to save all the files for the compilations or for other purposes, so I don't want them to be overwriten. I also like to check if the camera has recorded properly, if there's some problem with the audio, if the video is shaky due to some mounting problem that's not apparent just by looking at the camera, etc. I've done it since the beginning and my other cameras all have a screen, so it was easier to check things out. The Mobius only have lights and I'm not too confident in trusting them yet.

Boy I wish I had that kind of time on my hands! I'm lucky if I get to view the video even when I have some jerk do something crazy. Kids = Time suckers (but worth it).

 

[Module 79L]

I'm not sure what kind of vehicle you're using it in?
I've used various types of suction cup mounts, and the cheapest adhesive type mount with a ball adjustment thing, and not had any vibration issues in large trucks or cars.

It's a 1997 Opel Astra Caravan and the Mobius is mounted in the exact same place as the G1W-H in the following picture:

I'd save the battery in case you want to use it for an action cam, but pop the capacitor in there now. The battery has a limited life span, anyway.

Limited? How limited? Don't tell me it won't last until May! I still have to do some testing with battery power to see if any of the audio noises comes from the USB connector or the power adapter, or if they are related to the mount.

The mobius is firmly in the mounting cradle thing?

Yes. I had to take it out of the cradle one time before I installed it and it wasn't easy. It has some type of rubbery coating that makes it grip very hard. The problem with the ball-joint mount is that the stem that connects the ball to the screw is very flexible. The weird thing is that it flexes more sideways and the shakiness is vertical, not horizontal.

I'll upload two clips, one of the shakiness and the other of the audio noises, but only later on because now it's time to go to bed. It's almost 01:00 A.M.

 

[Module 79L]

Try Narrow FOV Mode.

I've been thinking about that since I put the At11DA next to the Mobius and the front of both lenses sit at the same distance from the windshield. I'm going to try that tomorrow. If the Mobius Wide AOV is THAT wide, then it's even wider that the AT11DA's, so I hope the Narrow AOV won't be too narrow.

 

[Module 79L]

The best mount for the Mobius (in my humble opinion) is the cheapo cycle helmet mount

With the backplate securely fixed (with the double sided sticky pads) to the dimpled sunscreen area of my windshield, it's an easy task to mount/unmounts the camera. Of course, these things are so dirt cheap, I've bought a few & stuck just the backplate into the vehicles I might use at work - really unobtrusive for anyone else that might drive the buses & simplifies things when I have to change.
Because there's so few moving parts, there's less chance of vibration etc.
I find that the best position for mounting is to have the 'arm' pointing inwards - in this picture, the lens would point down.
it mounts the camera back from the screen so less chance of being seen. With the mount on the dimpled sunscreen, it also affords a little protection for the lens.
I used the android app to help me get the right position for sticking the backplate & adjusting the tilt.
I dislike the suction mounts - they leave telltale marks, they are obvious in use, they are too bulky, affected by colder temps...

I prefer to use the suction cup mounts because I can't have the camera permanently installed in this car, but with a mount like that I wouldn't mind sticking it permanently to the windshield. The only thing that matters to me is that I can be able to take the camera out of the car whenever is needed.
I've seen those mounts in the Mobius mounting solution's thread. What's the mount's name? Or if you'd be so kind as to post a link to an European seller, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

I thought the Android app no longer worked with the Mobius.

 

[jokiin]

I thought the Android app no longer worked with the Mobius.

there's a new one https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.chladek.mobiusactioncam&hl=en

 

[sludgeguts]

Yes. I had to take it out of the craddle one time before I installed it and it wasn't easy. It has some type of rubbery coating that makes it grip very hard. The problem with the ball-joint mount is that the stem that connects the ball to the screw is very flexible. The weird thing is that it flexes more sideways and the shakiness is vertical, not horizontal.

At the front edge of the cradle, there's two, small, locating lugs on the end of springy/flexi arms. I used a sharp craft knife to trim these lugs a little so that they hold the cam in place but with a bit of pressure on the back, the cam can slide forwards & out