S1 Pro MAX

[kamkar]

No problem Jeff. Thats why i am here.

The APP say the connection to the LTE modem is always there, it is the waking up the system that seem to fail.
Also tried to use low bitrate parking guard mode, but then i was not at all able to connect, and the system was also getting waken up,,,,, which i find strange if it is on and doing low bitrate.
The modem is at the upper Right corner of my windscreen, it mostly show 2 green bars though when connected in the APP it say 4 bars there.

Some times trying to connect the APP just close too, but not that often.

 

[kamkar]

@Jeff_Vantrue

The wires are run like this.
No problems in ordinary operation, there the S1 pro MAX is performing really well.

First LTE connection attempt today ( to car still parked in back yard ) was a success, and this time giving me both cameras that are connected.
I did go over plugs ASO when i got to the car, but none seemed loose, the system always record both cameras of course.

The SIM card are the same i used in 70mai products where everything was perfect, so do not think it is a connection issue, i have good 4G ( fastest speed my Xiaomi MI9 phone support )

Sitting in parked car on the phone i get +200 Mbps download but of course just a meager 30 Mbps upload, but again in the 70 mai products there was never any issues with LTE

 

[Jeff_Vantrue]

@Jeff_Vantrue

The wires are run like this.
No problems in ordinary operation, there the S1 pro MAX is performing really well.

View attachment 83981


First LTE connection attempt today ( to car still parked in back yard ) was a success, and this time giving me both cameras that are connected.
I did go over plugs ASO when i got to the car, but none seemed loose, the system always record both cameras of course.

View attachment 83982

The SIM card are the same i used in 70mai products where everything was perfect, so do not think it is a connection issue, i have good 4G ( fastest speed my Xiaomi MI9 phone support )

Sitting in parked car on the phone i get +200 Mbps download but of course just a meager 30 Mbps upload, but again in the 70 mai products there was never any issues with LTE

Could you try placing the LTE module on the left side? Make sure no wires run above it, since the 4G antenna on top can be easily interfered with.

 

[kamkar]

I can try that, have been wanting to move it anyway as in the corner now i have no access to the SIM card

 

[kamkar]

Well dunno if it is better, but i do know that i am now looking for a new windscreen. 😴

 

[kamkar]

I have experimented a little with daytime recording, and i have to admit i think i would prefer to run the camera as is, so no HDR or PP on in the daytime.

 

[kamkar]

Finally got around to getting out there and film a cheater plate capture video with the Vantrue S1 Pro MAX

And of course as expected it passed with flying colors.

Normal running headlight and i get maybe 1 frame where i can read a plate, with the high beams dipped down and so a bit more light into the oncoming lane and BAM i have at least 5 chances of a plate capture.

This also recorded without CPL filter, i will say IF you are big on night time footage, maybe CUZ that is when you work, you should get / make a flat black dashmat and do without CPL filter CUZ they do eat some light.

Also a bit moist car, i took a bath before i went on the drive, and of course me being a man, well i did bring quite a bit of moisture into the car, and it showed CUZ i also did a 4G connection speed test with the Vantrue VS the 70mai T800 system.
And sitting still / moving SIM card around in modems in a stopped car and BAM my windscreen was blocked by condensation.

 

[kamkar]

Just did a little comparison with the T800 and the S1 Pro Max, there is no doubt the Vantrue platepix secret sauce is doing something good, CUZ there is a clear difference in the two systems.
This is just the S1 footage side of the two, did not want to complicate things mixing in another system, as i can see things already when a little sideways for me.

The footage do show, if i want to capture plates at night with my cars headlight geometry,,,,,,, i have to cheat, otherwise they are still illusive to me.

 

[EricSan]

Interesting difference with dipped high beams vs normal headlights. I don't do much night time driving , so I haven't compared much footage like this on my own.

 

[Augustus]

Interesting difference with dipped high beams vs normal headlights. I don't do much night time driving , so I haven't compared much footage like this on my own.

Correct me if wrong, but I think Kamkar has put aftermarket LED headlights in his, much like I have. I find that works ok for me at night time driving (I do a lot), but again depends on the car itself as he points out.

It does solve one issue in that the newer cars with LED headlights from the factory, have a switch where you can adjust the angle at which it projects. Which can annoy oncoming vehicles cos you can blind them if you're not dipping your headlights down at the road lol

 

[kamkar]

No i run the factory spec 55 W H4 bulbs, aftermarket bulbs are illegal here.
Also the 55W H4 bulbs fry / crack the headlight "glass", my 2012 car is on its #3 set of headlights now.
With the high beams aimed at the ground in front of me i have yet to have any incoming car flash me, which is very normal if you forget you have your high beams on.
So i dont think it is due to me flooding the road but as can be seen it do get a bit more light in the other lane, and so i have several good capture frames.

I have noticed one funny thing, using the regular running lights, some times when a car get so close it is into the light reaching the other lane, and i will then often get 1 frame where parts of the plate are almost razor sharp, but the remaining 80 - 90 % of the plate are a mess and absolutely not readable.
I am confused that the camera will give me a partly readable plate like that, often i feel it is especially the bottom of the plate that is sharp and readable, so i am leaning on it being a side effect of the rolling shutter

One such capture could look like this, even better some times, and maybe a bit more of the R side of the plate captured well, but the rest a unusable blur.
Just funny the system will deliver the very bottom part of the plate like that.

In this frame you can also fairly well make out the "EU" / nation part of the L side of the plate ( optional if you want that on your plate )

 

[Augustus]

No i run the factory spec 55 W H4 bulbs, aftermarket bulbs are illegal here.
Also the 55W H4 bulbs fry / crack the headlight "glass", my 2012 car is on its #3 set of headlights now.
With the high beams aimed at the ground in front of me i have yet to have any incoming car flash me, which is very normal if you forget you have your high beams on.
So i dont think it is due to me flooding the road but as can be seen it do get a bit more light in the other lane, and so i have several good capture frames.

I have noticed one funny thing, using the regular running lights, some times when a car get so close it is into the light reaching the other lane, and i will then often get 1 frame where parts of the plate are almost razor sharp, but the remaining 80 - 90 % of the plate are a mess and absolutely not readable.
I am confused that the camera will give me a partly readable plate like that, often i feel it is especially the bottom of the plate that is sharp and readable, so i am leaning on it being a side effect of the rolling shutter

One such capture could look like this, even better some times, and maybe a bit more of the R side of the plate captured well, but the rest a unusable blur.
Just funny the system will deliver the very bottom part of the plate like that.

View attachment 86218

Oh yeah the white balance tricked me then, you are right it is halogen now looking at how far the beam spreads. LED spreads quite a bit wider than that. If you have cracked headlights then obviously it's running too hot, have you tried looking into resistors to help out?

I think with more and more cars having LED headlights, this is going to be less and less of an issue going forward in most developed markets, as the proportion of cars with older halogen headlights will decrease markedly.

 

[kamkar]

NO i have not, when i mentioned it to dealer they immediately asked if i run aftermarket bulbs, but i do not do that.

Yeah the old headlight style have the setup throw our far in your own lane, but the other side where oncoming traffic would be do not get thrown as far out ahead, and in my case also not very much to the side at least not further out than 10 M or so.
So you can have a kick ass night plate capture able dashcam, but just not have the lights on your car that make it possible.

I am often swearing over the modern LED light cars, CUZ many of them i feel like ,,,,, damn that poop cant be legal, but it is, bone stock factory.

Then of course there also is the fast & furry booster boys that do run aftermarket headlights, and aside for the biannual inspections here, i dont think it is much of a danger due to the inept police here, at least not if its not too bad setup you run

If it was not such a problem changing bulbs in my car i might try, but it is a major pain in the ass, and your arms after you have done it, if you had a #2 elbow between your wrist and the original elbow it would be nice to change bulbs in my car.

 

[Augustus]

NO i have not, when i mentioned it to dealer they immediately asked if i run aftermarket bulbs, but i do not do that.

Yeah the old headlight style have the setup throw our far in your own lane, but the other side where oncoming traffic would be do not get thrown as far out ahead, and in my case also not very much to the side at least not further out than 10 M or so.
So you can have a kick ass night plate capture able dashcam, but just not have the lights on your car that make it possible.

I am often swearing over the modern LED light cars, CUZ many of them i feel like ,,,,, damn that poop cant be legal, but it is, bone stock factory.

Then of course there also is the fast & furry booster boys that do run aftermarket headlights, and aside for the biannual inspections here, i dont think it is much of a danger due to the inept police here, at least not if its not too bad setup you run

If it was not such a problem changing bulbs in my car i might try, but it is a major pain in the ass, and your arms after you have done it, if you had a #2 elbow between your wrist and the original elbow it would be nice to change bulbs in my car.

Don't go through a dealer, if you are sure people are running them and the police aren't picking them up on it - then go to a car service place and get them to install the headlights for you. That's what I did here, they'll charge you a little fee but at least you don't have to twist your arm just to be able to insert them.

LED i swear by, mine are pointing down at the road so it's no issue. Others where you can adjust the angle and blind oncoming drivers are annoying. The extra light you get from LEDs when spreading the beam onto the road, is quite helpful. Could help you out with your older eyes.

 

[kamkar]

Today for a few 100 M drive to do a little shopping the S1 Pro Max was funny doing this all the time, 5 minutes or so later the camera behaved just fine on the way home.
No other warnings or sounds during this period.

I have not looked at anything that might have been recorded on the system, but i will pull memory card tomorrow along with a card from another system to make sure i have not missed any other warnings.

 

[Jeff_Vantrue]

Today for a few 100 M drive to do a little shopping the S1 Pro Max was funny doing this all the time, 5 minutes or so later the camera behaved just fine on the way home.
No other warnings or sounds during this period.

I have not looked at anything that might have been recorded on the system, but i will pull memory card tomorrow along with a card from another system to make sure i have not missed any other warnings.

Sorry to hear about the issue you experienced. This appears to be a hidden bug that may be related to the HDR timer. Could you please let us know which firmware version your S1 Pro Max is currently running? We’ll arrange to re-test and correct it in the next update.

 

[kamkar]

Hi Jeff.
I am of course on the lastest firmware

This have so far not happened again.

I was also thinking it might have something to do with HDR timer, but this is at 18:10 and if i had set the timer that early ( i think it is set to 20:00 ) then it did not take me 10 minutes to drive the few 100 M to this shop.
So i do not think i might by chance have started the car right at a time on the HDR timer.
I sadly forgot to lok at the memory cards yesterday but i have retrieved them so will do that soon.
I will also take a look at the timer settings and firmware version when i get back into the car, i will take a little drive later.

 

[kamkar]

@Jeff_Vantrue

Just took a look at the memory card and all i have for the drive to the shop are 3 short ( second ) video clips.
Here i also notice there is nothing saved from the rear camera, both cameras have been working fine on trips after this one, but i will inspect connections also today.

BUT !
I also noticed from 18:07 to 18:17 the camera have done nothing but create event recordings ( G-sensor on default sensitivity setting )'
G-sensor should be off for driving, but even if on the roads here are not that bad so never seen so many events due to bumps with other systems.

I am currently using a Kingston select plus memory card in the camera, other than this there have been no issues that would make me think " this memory card is no good for this system "

 

[kamkar]

Okay the strange persist.

So today i looked at settings and HDR ON time is indeed 18:00, and i have turned off all 3 directions for G-sensor while driving.

But still the G-sensor is creating events, i saw the icon on the LCD as i pulled into the back yard today after my short drive.

There is nothing OTA update for me.

I am also thinking, i have lately had my SIM card in the T800, but moved it back to the S1 a week or so ago, i am wondering if i should do a restore to default and then set up system again

 

[EricSan]

i have lately had my SIM card in the T800, but moved it back to the S1 a week or so ago,

I've sometimes had some difficulty when moving cards among different branded cameras. Deleting the files and directory structures is sometimes not enough. It seems to be able to tell that you used the SD card somewhere else (wrong format: exfat vs fat32?) and it complains and tells me to reformat the card. Maybe there is something similar going on?