Review of the Thinkware F750-2CH?

[Gael]

Ok, cool, thanks! Yeah, window does make sense, now that I'm thinking about it.. I might see about adding a tint strip to my windshield that way the camera pokes out just under it.

 

[Dee_82]

That's an idea, something subtle tho! From inside it actually doesn't look bad at all, its barely noticeable, from outside what is letting it down is the grey sticky pad! Stupid idea that was, black or green would have been better.

I've brought a couple of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321727998529
It should now exit the camera and run up with the power line, its a small jiggle but the loop for the USB is a little annoying, just hope its long enough to get above the head liner!

 

[Gael]

That's an idea, something subtle tho! From inside it actually doesn't look bad at all, its barely noticeable, from outside what is letting it down is the grey sticky pad! Stupid idea that was, black or green would have been better.

I've brought a couple of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321727998529
It should now exit the camera and run up with the power line, its a small jiggle but the loop for the USB is a little annoying, just hope its long enough to get above the head liner!

That should work perfectly.. I'm trying to figure out if I'd need a left angle or right angle for the front camera.. haven't ordered the rear camera yet, so I'm not sure what will be needed on that end, either. Is the connector on the rear camera USB, or microUSB?

 

[Dee_82]

Yeah, just a micro USB, it took me a while to work out the angles, but I'm 99% sure its left we need, out and up to the left, when viewing the USB port with the large side on top, its as you face it

.                        USB socket as you look at it
.                                    Out up
.              Out to Left            _____        out to right
.                                    \ __  /
.                                    Out down
.

 

[TwistedSpirit]

I am right by saying that, after reading all this thread it seems to me that the main reason for people to switch from the DR650 was the DAB issue.
If that wasn't an issue would you have switched?

I'm still wondering whether to go with the DR650 or the F750. The reviews seems pretty mixed on Amazon.com... and most of all I really wanted to hook this up to a backup battery like the T-Power or the Cellink... and since the F750 seems to really rely for park mode on the fact that the "ignition is off (instead of using the gps like the DR650)" it seems impossible to me you either have to choose to use a backup battery or none depending if you care about parking mode. Unless someone managed to make it work?

 

[bronze84]

Depends how important the rear can is for you... The F750 records 1080p 30 at the rear where as the DR650 only records 720p

 

[TwistedSpirit]

Depends how important the rear can is for you... The F750 records 1080p 30 at the rear where as the DR650 only records 720p

Well it's not just a matter of that in fact there are other important differences mentioned by others...

• Parking Mode w/ battery
• App availability (WP/Win store app not available from Thinkware)
• Speed not available in recording for the Thinkware

 

[TwistedSpirit]

Nice one mate, the 650 is all over the place with colour balance and white point, it looks more colourful on the 650 but only because its oversaturated, the rear camera actually looks crap! Happy I chose the 750

Did you guys notice if the little blue LED on the rear cam turns off? If you catch it straight on at night that LED is super bright, turning the security LEDs off on the front doesn't appear to affect the rear.

My only issues with it relate to function, not quality,

No Windows phone support,
No Web service built in to allow any device to change settings. (id settle for this if WP support wasn't going to happen)
The rears cam should have a couple of 4in extensions that allow the USB cable to come out at right angles rather long sweeping loops
Rear LED wont turn off
Having issues with play back on my surface pro 2, for some reason the rear stream wont play with the dash cam software, it will play with VLC or WMP and both play using dashcam software on another computer, I suspect some conflict between the Intel GPU driver and the dashcam software.
Could do with some finer level changes for the sensitivity of various things, after playing about I think my ideal settings are lower than 1, my 0 turns it to practically nothing.

Here's their answer regarding WP support to no surprise even if it's easier to develop and with W10 coming it'd be so easy. Anyway.

Hi Maxime,


Thank you for your interest in Thinkware. Unfortunately, we do not have plans to release the F750 mobile app on the Windows Phone in the near future as we are focused on improving and maintaining the iOS and Android apps. However, we will make announcements on our social media channels if we have any updates.


If you have other questions regarding our products, please send us another message!



Customer Support

THINKWARE Dash Cam™

 

[bobby14]

Well it's not just a matter of that in fact there are other important differences mentioned by others...

• Parking Mode w/ battery
• App availability (WP/Win store app not available from Thinkware)
• Speed not available in recording for the Thinkware

BlackVue 650 and Thinkware F750 both can run parking mode.

 

[bobby14]

the F750 seems to really rely for park mode on the fact that the "ignition is off (instead of using the gps like the DR650)"

The BlackVue uses the ignition off detection for parking mode too. That's why there is the ACC wire when hooking it up. Think of how the DR3500 can do parking mode without GPS.

 

[TwistedSpirit]

BlackVue 650 and Thinkware F750 both can run parking mode.

I know they do. That's not what I was saying. I was saying that it wouldn't work on a battery like the T-Power (see earlier message in the thread another person is mentioning it)

The BlackVue uses the ignition off detection for parking mode too. That's why there is the ACC wire when hooking it up. Think of how the DR3500 can do parking mode without GPS.

The Blackvue, based on what I've seen, uses the GPS too to consider being in park mode. If there is no movement after a certain times it enters in parking mode.

 

[bobby14]

I have BlackVue 3500 no gps and parking mode works fine. Maybe movement is by the G sensor. I also have installed Power Magic Pro and T-Power battery pack if you have any question about it. Also have Dr600 and DR650 too.

 

[TwistedSpirit]

I have BlackVue 3500 no gps and parking mode works fine. Maybe movement is by the G sensor. I also have installed Power Magic Pro and T-Power battery pack if you have any question about it. Also have Dr600 and DR650 too.

That's what I was saying it's fine with the BlackVue, but using a battery pack with the Thinkware seems a whole other story.

 

[djsteve]

using a battery pack with the Thinkware seems a whole other story.

I don't see why a battery pack like the T-power wouldn't work. To use parking mode with the F750 you need the optional harness which has a three wire input: Battery (+12v), Ignition (+12v switched), and ground. Power is always drawn from the battery connection, and the F750 uses the ignition wire to sense parking. To use a T-power pack you would simply wire it in-line between the Battery input of the F750 harness and your desired power source. As long as you also connect the ignition cable for sense the F750 will detect park and draw its power from the T-power in both modes.

 

[bobby14]

^^Exactly. That is how I would wire it as well. Note the T-power battery pack uses a female cigarette lighter adapter for output. So you would have to splice the wire or buy one of those male cig pigtails and solder/crimp onto the F750 hardwiring harness.

 

[humansoul]

New to the forum and jumping into the dashcam game with the Thinkware F750 2CH. The unit seems to be top notched and I wanted to get a unit that wouldn't need to be upgraded in the near future. From this thread and a few others I've read, I would like to install the unit with parking mode enabled. I wanted to inquire what would be the best way to do this? As some have mentioned, I can install a UPS, but was more incline to using a power safety device such as the Lukas 350. But because this unit(Lukas 350) is using a cigarette socket, would the parking mode not function as I would have to physically use the hardwire kit from Thinkware to the fusebox? From what I've read from bobby14, would I do the same procedure as that; cut the socket and use the wiring to connect the black and yellow wires from the hardwire kit? (F750 -> Thinkware hardwire kit -> Lukas 350(cut cigarette socket) -> Add a fuse/circuit wire to fusebox)

***I just noticed that the Thinkware app has a device auto timer and voltage meter...so I think I may have just solved my issues with this option? I thought to leave my note above in case this is not the case***

 

[bobby14]

May I ask why you want to use Lukas hardwiring kit vs the Thinkware hardwiring kit? The F750 voltage detection/timer is built into the cam I believe. Btw if you are in Canada, Best Buy has the F750 front and rear for $349.99 until July 30. Not sure if the rear cam come with the updated L shape cable or not though. The harwiring cable can be bought for $39.99 at London Drugs.

 

[djsteve]

I just noticed that the Thinkware app has a device auto timer and voltage meter...so I think I may have just solved my issues with this option? I thought to leave my note above in case this is not the case***

You beat me to it. Unless you are adamant about having zero drain on your car battery when not running, there is no need to add an external device. The F750 has both a max timer (up to 48 hours) and an adjustable low voltage detect to safeguard against draining your battery. I've left my car at the airport for over a week and started it right up with no problems.

 

[humansoul]

I was under the impression that I would need some device to cut the power from the dashcam before it drains my battery on longer periods of non-use. I did not know until I investigated the manual of the Thinkware that it is built in the F750; I actually just got off the phone with their tech support to inquire of the numbers for the timer and voltage(12.3V), which appear to be all usable!

Thanks for the heads up bobby14, I actually did purchase from Bestbuy as the price was decent compared to brands that can only be ordered overseas. I have not opened the unit yet, I will confirm if the rear cam cable is an L shape or not.

 

[djsteve]

I actually just got off the phone with their tech support to inquire of the numbers for the timer and voltage(12.3V), which appear to be all usable!

Both are adjustable.