My take on the CF-100

tomintx

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I had wanted to get an SG9665 but owing to a planned car trip and the lack of availability of the SG I snatched-up this CF-100 deal that I was alerted to here (from Amazon). Got the model with the GPS and rear camera, though I've not installed the rear camera yet (no time to do it). Anyway here's my 2 cent's worth on this cam:

1. The lack of a screen seems daunting at first to mount the unit, but it's got a very wide-angle lens so this is less tricky than I expected. I stuck mine behind the rearview mirror to left-of-center (driver's side here in US) and I can see the two blue LEDs and the Emergency button below the lower edge of the mirror. Works, though I think it's irresponsible of the mfr/distributor to not even offer the video cable for sale much less include it in the package--would greatly help the setup process for those of us with small video monitors to use with it. Oh and thankfully it came with latest 1.3 installed so I didn't have to add to my trepidation the firmware update process.

2. The LEDs are just a little bright for night driving. About halfway through my overnight driving we fashioned a piece of paper to hang-over the unit to block the lights! I will tape these as Gibson99 I think did.

3. The micro SD card is not the easiest to get into and out of the unit, but I haven't dropped/lost mine (yet) nor have I moved the cam position when inserting or removing the thing.

4. The .tmp file issue discussed in another thread here is alarming at first (to have deleted the files but then they come back somehow) but the thread explains this. Once one accepts that we're never going to save many hours of video from a long trip anyway, lack of memory becomes a non-issue.

5. The G-sensor saves all manner of road bumps. I set it to Low and only got about 3 or 4 bumps saved into the Events folder over 1400 miles. It's GREAT that the CF-100 beeps to advise you that it's saved a file owing to a bump. I do like its UI a lot (both LED and voice feedback).

6. The Events saved files/Emergency button feature is very cool. See something interesting, oh, I have a cam, pinch the Emergency button, there it is later.

7. The ball mounting is more robust than originally expected. As Gibson99 had advised me, I can pinch the Emergency button (and remove/reinstall the microSD card) without disturbing the "aim" of the cam.

8. The imagery is decent, but not great. At least I can read road signs which the other, supposedly HD cam I had for a while could not. I find the Viewer application to be very cool indeed, with the MPH and GPS/GoogleMaps display, and G-sensor XYZ axis thing. But the video quality is only good IMO for previewing. When I've found something I want to look at more closely, I open the file with VLC Player instead.

I think I'd prefer a 720 60p format instead of 1080 30p, but as another member here warned me there's only so much quality to be gotten out of a dashcam given vehicle speed and available light.

All in all I'm very pleased with my $99 CF-100, and I don't even use the Parking or Rear Camera features (yet)!
 
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the ball mount in mine seems to have loosened quite a bit, and i can't tighten the nut any further by hand or i risk breaking it. however, when i finally get time to add the parking mode wiring and rear cam to our new vehicle, i plan to also remove the ball mount and make a fixed metal bracket from some scrap sheet metal instead.
 
Mine remains secure but then I haven't removed the cam from the vehicle at all.

I might have guessed that some of that play-doh like sticky stuff for mounting things, might work with the ball to keep it tight.
 
thanks for the write up! i should be finishing my install this week (i always try to keep everything very clean and oem looking)
 
I only ever removed mine from the car 5 times, and one of those was when the windshield was being replaced. I think the heat had more of an effect on loosening the ball mount than anything else.

I made my bracket mount BTW. What do you think?

IMG_20150711_191040~01.jpg IMG_20150711_194004~01.jpg IMG_20150711_200410~01.jpg IMG_20150711_202246~01.jpg
Paint was still wet in the last shot. It dried dark gray with a flat finish. I may take the front plastic back off and spray the whole thing to have it all one color. Will also spray the lens ring and put it back on for a more finished look but also to cut some glare/haze I seem to be getting since removing the chrome ring.
 
I only ever removed mine from the car 5 times, and one of those was when the windshield was being replaced. I think the heat had more of an effect on loosening the ball mount than anything else.

I made my bracket mount BTW. What do you think?

View attachment 15478 View attachment 15479 View attachment 15480 View attachment 15481
Paint was still wet in the last shot. It dried dark gray with a flat finish. I may take the front plastic back off and spray the whole thing to have it all one color. Will also spray the lens ring and put it back on for a more finished look but also to cut some glare/haze I seem to be getting since removing the chrome ring.
That's some cool modification. My cam ball is still fine, even though I removed the cam many many times (I was removing it daily for at least a year)and still tight enough to keep the cam from shaking. The only "shaky" part is re-closable fasteners, that allow some movement under some conditions due to their design.
 
mine wasn't shaky, but it was REALLY easy to accidentaly bump out of aim, whether pressing the emergency button or simply putting the sun shade up in the windshield. now the only way it's getting knocked out of aim is if the 3m tape comes off the glass. :D

unfortunately it didn't solve the problem where the sun shade gets put in front of the camera, blocking it completely for parking mode. :( not sure how i can fix that other than "user retraining" since it's my wife's car. ;)
 
Have you considered modifying the sunshade? Perhaps she won't notice a few missing square inches around where the camera lens would be?

KuoH

unfortunately it didn't solve the problem where the sun shade gets put in front of the camera, blocking it completely for parking mode. :( not sure how i can fix that other than "user retraining" since it's my wife's car. ;)
 
Have you considered modifying the sunshade? Perhaps she won't notice a few missing square inches around where the camera lens would be?

KuoH
won't work on this type. it's made of thin fabric with a metal spring ring around the edge, so that you can sort of twist it, and it snaps folded to something the size of a dinner plate.
 
I saw a video on youtube for a clip-on mount for this camera. Was only able to find it for sale on a russian website though.

http://gpsmeistras.lt/lt/product/bl...tinimas-vaizdo-registratoriui-blacksys-cf-100
Man that thing is exactly what I'd want for my CF-100. Easy-on, easy-off, switch between two vehicles...

Still I guess it would require a little fiddling to make sure it was aimed properly. For now it would be nice to at least be able to order the stick-on part for another vehicle. I'll surf on that (been away from this board for 3 months) but in the meantime if anyone has a source please tell!
 
I had wanted to get an SG9665 but owing to a planned car trip and the lack of availability of the SG I snatched-up this CF-100 deal that I was alerted to here (from Amazon). Got the model with the GPS and rear camera, though I've not installed the rear camera yet (no time to do it). Anyway here's my 2 cent's worth on this cam:

1. The lack of a screen seems daunting at first to mount the unit, but it's got a very wide-angle lens so this is less tricky than I expected. I stuck mine behind the rearview mirror to left-of-center (driver's side here in US) and I can see the two blue LEDs and the Emergency button below the lower edge of the mirror. Works, though I think it's irresponsible of the mfr/distributor to not even offer the video cable for sale much less include it in the package--would greatly help the setup process for those of us with small video monitors to use with it. Oh and thankfully it came with latest 1.3 installed so I didn't have to add to my trepidation the firmware update process.

2. The LEDs are just a little bright for night driving. About halfway through my overnight driving we fashioned a piece of paper to hang-over the unit to block the lights! I will tape these as Gibson99 I think did.

3. The micro SD card is not the easiest to get into and out of the unit, but I haven't dropped/lost mine (yet) nor have I moved the cam position when inserting or removing the thing.

4. The .tmp file issue discussed in another thread here is alarming at first (to have deleted the files but then they come back somehow) but the thread explains this. Once one accepts that we're never going to save many hours of video from a long trip anyway, lack of memory becomes a non-issue.

5. The G-sensor saves all manner of road bumps. I set it to Low and only got about 3 or 4 bumps saved into the Events folder over 1400 miles. It's GREAT that the CF-100 beeps to advise you that it's saved a file owing to a bump. I do like its UI a lot (both LED and voice feedback).

6. The Events saved files/Emergency button feature is very cool. See something interesting, oh, I have a cam, pinch the Emergency button, there it is later.

7. The ball mounting is more robust than originally expected. As Gibson99 had advised me, I can pinch the Emergency button (and remove/reinstall the microSD card) without disturbing the "aim" of the cam.

8. The imagery is decent, but not great. At least I can read road signs which the other, supposedly HD cam I had for a while could not. I find the Viewer application to be very cool indeed, with the MPH and GPS/GoogleMaps display, and G-sensor XYZ axis thing. But the video quality is only good IMO for previewing. When I've found something I want to look at more closely, I open the file with VLC Player instead.

I think I'd prefer a 720 60p format instead of 1080 30p, but as another member here warned me there's only so much quality to be gotten out of a dashcam given vehicle speed and available light.

All in all I'm very pleased with my $99 CF-100, and I don't even use the Parking or Rear Camera features (yet)!

How did you get the camera to recognise the changes you made in pc viewer?
 
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