SG9663DR update

Like the DC, the DR also comes with just 1 CPL. The vast majority of customers won’t need a CPL in the rear so left it an option. It’s available as an additional accessory.
 
Like the DC, the DR also comes with just 1 CPL. The vast majority of customers won’t need a CPL in the rear so left it an option. It’s available as an additional accessory.
Ah, ok, that's what I figured but thought I'd ask. Thanks
 
just the one, i added one from a older SG camera, both it seem have ever so slightly vignetting in the corners.
 
New CPL’s are larger to accommodate the lens update from DCPRO and X2PRO+ onward. (DR uses the same lens). This new lens has been rock solid and holds focus perfect long term.
 
Yes i noticed the new CPL was / look larger a bit, but the old GC i think CPL i use on the rear camera dont seem to have more vignetting.

I will snag a couple of screen grabs and share.
 
No sorry my bad, just vignetting on the rear camera, which is no surprise then

corner.jpg
 
Yes i noticed the new CPL was / look larger a bit, but the old GC i think CPL i use on the rear camera dont seem to have more vignetting.

I will snag a couple of screen grabs and share.
yeah the old ones are different, when I send you your next camera I'll include some spares of the updated version for you
 
first day out with the DR and nearly had a wreck right in front of me. blind idiot driving a gray rav4 pulled out from a side street onto a freeway feeder and nearly took out a ford focus. vlcsnap-2020-06-26-20h10m11s060.png

very overcast/hazy today due to the saharan dust blowing through.
 
#1 Is there a delay when you turn off the car before it goes into parking mode? If not slamming the door shut would trigger an event and save that file?
#2 If you hit the file/event save button and it has only recorded say less than 20 or so seconds, does it save the previous file also? Same if there is say 20 or so seconds left on the current file will it save the next file with the current file?
#3 Does it have a capacitor to shut down on its own power if the 12v gets disconnected?
 
takes a few seconds before it changes modes, would take a decent hit to lock a file while parked, not just slamming the door

events we save file before or file after depending on how far through the recording it is when that happens

all our cameras have capacitors
 
Thank you for answering my questions. Yeah, duh, I know if you remove the power it will shut down. I was looking for the reply of "capacitors allow it to save the last file and turn off correctly" and I was not sure if it had a capacitor, after all that would be the reason to have one so it can shut down correctly. This is what I was assuming but as the saying goes never assume BC if one does.... assume = make an ass of you and me.
I really appreciate your customer contact with issues and questions. Mostly the reason why I picked SG over others.
 
Installed! I took lots of photos but will need to edit them down and then i'll post a new thread about the installation in our 2018 chrysler pacifica minivan.

initial thoughts playing w/ the camera in the garage:
  • Video is SHARP. look at the amount of detail in the texture of the garage door, and all the little screw holes in the vertical silver parts of the door!
  • GPS antenna is not picky and works quickly. even with my metal garage door closed and the gps antenna sitting sticky side up on the dashboard, it got a fix and auto-set the time/date in what i guess was probably under 1-2 minutes (i didn't sit there and time it). see photo below - you can see the red backing on the gps antenna's adhesive in the lower right. I still plan to stick it to the dash, but nice to know sticking it on the glass isn't out of the question, and may not even require you to flip the board inside the housing like some older models if you wanted to mount it on the glass.
  • "Little Red Button":
    • Driving mode: I don't like how it flashes slowly but constantly during normal driving mode. IMHO it should just be on solid to indicate normal operation so that it's not distracting, and then flash quickly (for only 10-15 seconds) when triggered by G-sensor or when pressed manually. Thankfully you can turn off the status LED in the menu, and even when it's set to off, it still flashes to indicate g-sensor trigger or manual file lock.
      • [edit] - after driving it, the button is not too bright at night, and should still be visible during the day as long as it's not in direct sunlight, but i still think i'd prefer it to just be on solid (no flashing) to indicate normal operation. that would also make it easier to find the button faster in the dark. flashing rapidly after being pressed is good since you can't hear beeps from the main unit at all.
    • Locking files: I like how it flashes rapidly after you press it to lock a file or g-sensor is triggered, since you can't really hear the beeps from the main unit. Even when it's NOT hidden behind a panel, the beeps from the main unit are really quiet.
    • Locking files: I DON'T like how long it flashes after pressing the button. I think 10 seconds would be plenty, but it seems to keep flashing for quite some time.
      • [edit] - after actually driving it and hitting the button a few times, it's not so bad. maybe it was in parking mode in the garage, thus the long flashing.
    • Parking mode: light flashes slowly just like in driving mode until G-sensor is triggered - then it starts flashing rapidly and it seems to keep flashing rapidly until you turn on the ignition and it switches into driving mode. This is GOOD - it lets you know that something happened while you were away.
  • Long camera cable was about 2 feet short of making it to the slots below the HVAC where I wanted to mount it, but it turns out i couldn't easily take apart the trim for those slots anyway, so the main unit ended up in the glovebox. this isn't an issue for me since the glovebox is so small as to be almost useless. we keep a tire gauge, some pens/pencils, insurance card, and a tiny "first aid" kit (just a few bandages, butterflies, alcohol pads and asprin) in there, and it's nearly full.
  • Shorter camera cable was MORE than long enough to get from behind mirror, down A-pillar, and into glovebox, with at least 3-4 feet to spare (i didn't measure).
  • Screw-on fasteners for cables are nice, and help make sure nothing will come loose when hidden. gps is the only plug that doesn't have a screw fastener, but the 3.5mm plug is a pretty solid snap when it goes together.
  • Might be nice to have the option to choose a date format. personally I prefer YYYY/MM/DD. also might be nice to add GPS coordinates (burned into the video like time/date/speed, not just embedded, so no extra software is required)
  • [edit] This is just a cosmetic thing - I find it a little odd that the Street Guardian logo on the end of each camera is sideways once the camera is installed. needs to be rotated 90 degrees so the writing is horizontal once installed. this could also act as a form of orientation so you can tell which way the camera should be mounted even easier. then again maybe this was intentional, since the cameras can be mounted either way up, then flipped in the menu if needed.

tomorrow and saturday's road trip should provide plenty of variety of weather - sunny, rainy, dusk, night, and i'll be sure to click save a lot to collect samples to share.

View attachment 52335

Any issues with tucking cables under the headliner?
 
yeah there are some devices out there that have 3 wire power supplies that do not use capacitors and rely on the B+ being constant to save the last file, that works great, until you lose power and lose your last file, and when is that likely, when you need it the most of course
 
  • Locking files: I DON'T like how long it flashes after pressing the button. I think 10 seconds would be plenty, but it seems to keep flashing for quite some time.
    • [edit] - after actually driving it and hitting the button a few times, it's not so bad. maybe it was in parking mode in the garage, thus the long flashing.
Maybe the duration of how long it flashes depends on how long until that file is done recording and being saved. Meaning if you have it set up to record in 5 min. segments and it has 1 1/2 minutes to finish that segment it blinks for 1 1/2 min. until it is done with that event being recorded and saved. If hitting the save button and it just started to record at the beginning of the 5 min segemnt it will blink for 5 full min? If this is true the blinking light will be telling you that the recording is still going on and it is being saved. When it stops blinking it is back to normal operation. Just a guess of mine.
 
good guess ;)
And I think you thought I thought that it will not shutdown if you remove power. LOL. I think a little deeper than that, but sometimes the simplest thing can go over my head.
 
Does anyone wrap cables in felt tape (e.g. tesa Adhesive Cloth Fabric Tape), before routing them under the panels?
 
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