Smallest Ambarella Car DVR a.k.a. Mini 0801

I wonder if we should pay closer attention to power source, quality, amperage, etc.

I noticed that when the mini 0801 is connected to my laptop, while recording the LED blinks a steady blue/red/blue/red (even cadence/patern)
When I use a 3rd party USB power adapter instead, the light blinks blue/flickers red/blue/flickers red
This 3rd party USB power adapter I have also has TWO ports. One is marked "A" (for Apple) and one is marked NA (for non-Apple) The "A" port has more amps to charge iPad's. https://www.amazon.com/gp/B0073FE1F0The "A" port starts the camera right up and begins recording. the NA port doesn't always work!
The LCD screen has noise lines while using this adapter. The LCD is clean/normal via laptop power.

I've noticed a non steady random cadence while using the auto power adapter included with the 0801 in my car.

Has anyone noticed the pattern of blinking? (is it steady or flickers random?)
 
jokiin said:
what's the output on the non Apple port?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure, I have a multi-meter, I'll try to poke in to probe. (might not reach) It would be helpful to compare all power sources. Stand by while I investigate. If it doesn't reach I'll have to take apart an old USB plug and use exposed wires to get access.
 
You might be on to something. I wouldn't use anything less than 1A for most 5V cams.
 
Bummer I can't find my Multi-Meter. I might have accidentally left it in one of my deep storage boxes when I moved.
 
What's the best deal on a Digital Multi-Meter takes Amp readings? I see several ones on eBay and amazon for around $10 that seem ok. (any suggestions?)
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xdigital multimeter amps&_nkw=digital multimeter amps&_sacat=0&_from=R40
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=electronics&field-keywords=digital multimeter&rh=n:172282,k:digital multimeter
My lost one was just some cheap Radio Shack thing, so not like it needs to be Fluke
 
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JazJon said:
I'm not sure, I have a multi-meter, I'll try to poke in to probe. (might not reach) It would be helpful to compare all power sources. Stand by while I investigate. If it doesn't reach I'll have to take apart an old USB plug and use exposed wires to get access.
Click to expand...

it's quite often written on the device somewhere ;)
 
Well it says 5.1V/2.1A but that's the "combined" amps, doesn't give me the break down of N vs NA. According to the Amazon reviews, A port delivers 2.1 amps while the NA port charges with 1.5 amps. total output is limited to 2.1 amps.
 
Gearhead82 said:
Ok I'm doing some testing to figure out when my camera crashes.

I'm using a Givoe GPS model without internal memory and running the 0903 firmware that it shipped with. Loop setting is at 1 minute. Video set at full hd. PNY 16gb class 10 card. I'm currently powering it in my house with an iPhone charger plugged directly into the camera body (not using the GPS mount). Here's what I've found so far:

- I can let the camera record overnight without any issues whatsoever.
- When it does crash, it so far has ALWAYS crashed at about the 1 minute mark (when it's saving the first 1 minute segment of a new recording). So when the camera is turned off, I plug it in, it starts recording, at the 1 minute mark it stops recording and gives me a "storage error" (or something like that). From this point I can push the OK button and it will start recording again.
- It does the same thing when mounted in the car and powered through the GPS mount so I don't think it has anything to do with the power supply or the GPS.
- It seems very random and only happens about 5-10% of the time (maybe less).

So basically if my camera makes it past the 1st minute without crashing, then it will record reliably until the end of that recording, even if it's 12 hours or more.

I'm thinking about changing the options to 3 or 5 minute loops and see if it either fixes it or starts crashing at the corresponding 3 or 5 minute mark. I also might try recording in 720p to see if that changes anything.
Click to expand...
Exactly what mine was doing, I put a 4gb class 4 in and it hasn't done it... Yet! I am currently trying a 32Gb class 4 card to see if that works but it will take a while to fill up.
 
I've had the (Givoe w/internal) recording to my 4GB Class 4 card from early afternoon until just after midnight now with no hangups. I even switched power sources a few times. Forget about the Amazon one I linked to a few posts back. It obviously has dirty power. I used an "official" Apple iPad charger and it's clean. (steady/even LED flashes) A good 6 hours were total non stop uninterrupted. (before I changed power sources)

It seems as if Class 4 makes all the difference based on my initial findings and the reports of others. We have to give the factory some credit for saying Class 10 was "too fast". If it wasn't important they wouldn't have included such alarming text in the instruction manual. This all makes sense now.

I'm ready to order a new 32GB Class 4 card at this point. I wonder why the internal 8GB card dropped out though? Maybe I'll replace the internal card with another 32GB Class 4 card as well. Should I get the Kingston or Sandisk? (or other?)
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=32gb class 4

We may be on to something folks! I should probably drive around a bit more with the 4GB test card I'm using now but I'm ready to rush to the next step of course.
 
JazJon said:
I've had the (Givoe w/internal) recording to my 4GB Class 4 card from early afternoon until just after midnight now with no hangups. I even switched power sources a few times. Forget about the Amazon one I linked to a few posts back. It obviously has dirty power. I used an "official" Apple iPad charger and it's clean. (steady/even LED flashes) A good 6 hours were total non stop uninterrupted. (before I changed power sources)

It seems as if Class 4 makes all the difference based on my initial findings and the reports of others. We have to give the factory some credit for saying Class 10 was "too fast". If it wasn't important they wouldn't have included such alarming text in the instruction manual. This all makes sense now.

I'm ready to order a new 32GB Class 4 card at this point. I wonder why the internal 8GB card dropped out though? Maybe I'll replace the internal card with another 32GB Class 4 card as well. Should I get the Kingston or Sandisk? (or other?)
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=32gb class 4

We may be on to something folks! I should probably drive around a bit more with the 4GB test card I'm using now but I'm ready to rush to the next step of course.
Click to expand...

My 4Gb and 32Gb card are sandisk. Still testing the 32Gb one, but signs are all good so far.

I will post the exact model later.
 
JazJon said:
I've had the (Givoe w/internal) recording to my 4GB Class 4 card from early afternoon until just after midnight now with no hangups. I even switched power sources a few times. Forget about the Amazon one I linked to a few posts back. It obviously has dirty power. I used an "official" Apple iPad charger and it's clean. (steady/even LED flashes) A good 6 hours were total non stop uninterrupted. (before I changed power sources)

It seems as if Class 4 makes all the difference based on my initial findings and the reports of others. We have to give the factory some credit for saying Class 10 was "too fast". If it wasn't important they wouldn't have included such alarming text in the instruction manual. This all makes sense now.

I'm ready to order a new 32GB Class 4 card at this point. I wonder why the internal 8GB card dropped out though? Maybe I'll replace the internal card with another 32GB Class 4 card as well. Should I get the Kingston or Sandisk? (or other?)
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=32gb class 4

We may be on to something folks! I should probably drive around a bit more with the 4GB test card I'm using now but I'm ready to rush to the next step of course.
Click to expand...

I've had the same results with the 5 year old 2gb card I tested. I cycled the camera on/off at least 50-60 times, letting it record for a couple minutes each time and there were no hang-ups. This same test on my class 10 made it freeze several times. I then let it record overnight for almost 10 hours with no hang ups (my class 10 didn't hang during this test either though).

I'm thinking about getting a 16 or 32gb class 10 card too
 
trancen said:
So far I haven't noticed any problems with hangups. I'm running the following Class 10 card.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B00BW6KCTU
Click to expand...

Mine never locks, just comes up with "storage error" and sits there. The only way I noticed it wasnt working all the time was the blue LED stopped flashing after a while so I pulled over to check it and sure enough it had stopped, it only happened by pure chance I noticed it again one day while watching it power up.

It may be worth checking yours and seeing if all your journeys are on it.
 
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Actually I did have that message once but that was on my first day playing around with the cam. I assumed it was something I did wrong. I will keep an eye on my setup. I have only had it for almost a week now. So far I haven't seen that error again.

cranky said:
Mine never locks, just comes up with "storage error" and sits there. The only way I noticed it wasnt working all the time was the blue LED stopped flashing after a while so I pulled over to check it and sure enough it had stopped, it only happened by pure chance I noticed it again one day while watching it power up.

It may be worth checking yours and seeing if all your journeys are on it.
Click to expand...
 
Probaby a few of us watching this thread, esspecially your experiences regarding memory cards, so please keep the posts coming :)

I have 2x 32gb class 10 cards on the way to me which I ordered, both are Samsung, so will have to see how they perform when my 2 camera's eventually arrive, but to be on safe side I've also bought a couple of 16gb cards one is a class 6 and the other a class 4, both are Sandisk, will always be handy as spare cards anyway, but hopefully I'll get one or more that'll work without any problems. Well thats the idea anyway..lol.

It does make one wonder in view of the comments in the manual regarding their suggestion to avoid using class 10 cards, whether we should actually heed their advice, especially as I found in some tests I did, that a couple of branded class 10 microSD were actually slower than some class 6 and even 2 class 4 cards I tried.

Obviously this was only applicable to the cards I had purchased, and it was a few months ago when I did those read and write tests, but it does make you wonder ? I do suspect that class 10 cards are a little more fussy, as one of the class 10 cards was not recognised in my PC's card reader, though it did work okay in a USB microSD adapter, but ironically ALL 4 of the slower class cards were okay in my PC's card reader, it's not the first time I've come across this. So maybe better off sticking with class4 or class 6 cards perhaps.
 
I think think the 0801 is the dash cam I'm going to buy. I currently use my smartphone as a dash cam and it's not very convenient. :)

I have some questions for folks who already own the 0801:

(1) if you take the 0801 with you to a rental car, how do you mount it? can extra docks be purchased?

(2) can the camera be rotate 180 degrees? (aimed towards the rear window of the car)

(3) how long does the built-in battery usually last?

(4) does the 0801 get power from the built-in USB connector as well as the dock?

(5) does it have a built-in speaker when playing back videos?

(6) there is not parking mode, correct?


Thanks in advance for all replies. :)
 
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:)Ho YES!!!!Victory!!!!:D
I saved my dashcam! And under windows seven.
I had to sacrifice an usb cable but it was totaly worth it!
You have to shortcut pin 4 and 5 of mini usb and then it is detected as an ambarella dev board.
I forced the installation of the driver.
I then used elf usb flashing without problem under windows seven (but launched as an administrator).
Big thanks to giveo for supplying me instructions (not easy to understand) and jokkin for his help and will to test on his side to help me.
When i have some time i'll do a proper tutorial to do it (i think next week end).
 
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