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

[miji2]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

Probably too early to ask this question, but anyone figured out yet how to make a firmware backup out of this thing? None of the previously discussed methods seem to work.

Edit: late night addition.
I think I found a reason for the auto-shutdown not working. V8Rocks was right on the ball back there on page 9 of this thread when he suggested it may be the GPS module. While I tested both power plugs (direct on the cam, as well as through the GPS) just as he suggested, I missed the part about "or without GPS mount at all" so both times the gps module itself was attached. Today I decided to play again, and I found that if I remove the GPS module, the camera shuts down properly each and every time :shock: . So kudos to V8Rocks and now I have to figure how to mount this thing to the windshield without using the GPS module...

Edit: one thing thing
I also found out my tried-and-true vendor Givoe on aliexpress started selling this DVR as well.

 

[ciuvak]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

Edit: one thing thing
I also found out my tried-and-true vendor Givoe on aliexpress started selling this DVR as well.

That's the vendor that I bought from, good to hear that they are reliable. So far at least the communication was pretty good. I had a chat with them and got an update on my order.
The bad news is that I need to wait another 2 weeks until they will ship the camera plus 4 weeks until it gets here...crazy
But there is good news too. They told me they will be shipping the updated model with better lens and the OV2710 CMOS (which is better than the one they used until now: OV5100). Seems in line with what the russian Procam announced a couple of weeks ago, I wrote about it here.

 

[jokiin]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

They told me they will be shipping the updated model with better lens and the OV2710 CMOS (which is better than the one they used until now: OV5100). Seems in line with what the russian Procam announced a couple of weeks ago, I wrote about it here.

the 2710 is better at night than the 5100, 5100 is better during the day, I wouldn't call it best in class for night but it does offer improved results over what they had previously, what lens and bitrate they use will determine the outcome

 

[ciuvak]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

the 2710 is better at night than the 5100, 5100 is better during the day, I wouldn't call it best in class for night but it does offer improved results over what they had previously, what lens and bitrate they use will determine the outcome

The waiting time is annoying.
I wish your camera would have a different design, I would've ordered right away. The video quality is amazing, but I wouldn't be able to fit it in my car, maybe only in the back very disappointed I can't buy your model.
For everyone else, the other seller has it now for $99, but only ships after May 25, so it's safe to assume it the upgraded model.

 

[jokiin]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

The waiting time is annoying.
I wish your camera would have a different design, I would've ordered right away. The video quality is amazing, but I wouldn't be able to fit it in my car, maybe only in the back very disappointed I can't buy your model.
For everyone else, the other seller has it now for $99, but only ships after May 25, so it's safe to assume it the upgraded model.

yeah it's a compromise, we're working on doing something smaller and more discrete with better performance, a few models actually, our remote cam model will be very small, our all in one (which some people I'm sure will still prefer) will be much smaller than current, maybe not quite as small as this one you've ordered as we can't fit everything we want in that size but smaller nonetheless, once we do an A7 all in one then we can get smaller as the mainboards are significantly smaller with that chipset than the A2

 

[ciuvak]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

yeah it's a compromise, we're working on doing something smaller and more discrete with better performance, a few models actually, our remote cam model will be very small, our all in one (which some people I'm sure will still prefer) will be much smaller than current, maybe not quite as small as this one you've ordered as we can't fit everything we want in that size but smaller nonetheless, once we do an A7 all in one then we can get smaller as the mainboards are significantly smaller with that chipset than the A2

If you make the all in one with the lens offset to the right or left, instead of center, plus even the slightly smaller dimensions than current, you'll have a great product. For me personally the problem is when the camera has the lens in the center, I can't position it discretely enough, I've already tried with a small digital P&S camera, just to see how it would fit. So I definitely need either a larger all in one unit (i.e. ITB-100 size) with an offset lens, or the smaller remote cam solution. If I think about it better, the remote cam would be my favorite design

 

[jokiin]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

yeah it's a compromise, we're working on doing something smaller and more discrete with better performance, a few models actually, our remote cam model will be very small, our all in one (which some people I'm sure will still prefer) will be much smaller than current, maybe not quite as small as this one you've ordered as we can't fit everything we want in that size but smaller nonetheless, once we do an A7 all in one then we can get smaller as the mainboards are significantly smaller with that chipset than the A2

If you make the all in one with the lens offset to the right or left, instead of center, plus even the slightly smaller dimensions than current, you'll have a great product. For me personally the problem is when the camera has the lens in the center, I can't position it discretely enough, I've already tried with a small digital P&S camera, just to see how it would fit. So I definitely need either a larger all in one unit (i.e. ITB-100 size) with an offset lens, or the smaller remote cam solution. If I think about it better, the remote cam would be my favorite design

any way we go there's going to be compromises, that's why we're going to need to do a few different models really so that at least we can suit a wider demographic, I'm sure I'll never be able to satisfy everyone but if I can offer something that is a closer fit to a customers needs and give good quality then I think I'll have achieved a lot, there's so many designs out there that I look at and can't really work out what the designer of the product was thinking, I worked for a long time in a business that did electronics for cars and I think sometimes people designed products without thinking how the products were actually going to be used, the end user experience was often very poor, even brand name manufacturers could be guilty of that

 

[ciuvak]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

any way we go there's going to be compromises, that's why we're going to need to do a few different models really so that at least we can suit a wider demographic, I'm sure I'll never be able to satisfy everyone but if I can offer something that is a closer fit to a customers needs and give good quality then I think I'll have achieved a lot, there's so many designs out there that I look at and can't really work out what the designer of the product was thinking, I worked for a long time in a business that did electronics for cars and I think sometimes people designed products without thinking how the products were actually going to be used, the end user experience was often very poor, even brand name manufacturers could be guilty of that

That's exactly what I mean. Think of utility and design around that. Kind of like the old Thinkpad
Forget about bling or coolness, that's what the big manufacturers are focused on :lol:
Instead design it so it's functional, discrete, has good hot/cold tolerance, and of course deliver great video quality. And if you can borrow some good ideas from any existing models (hint: for ex. "hot shoe" connection like the camera in the OP), then even better.

 

[jokiin]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

any way we go there's going to be compromises, that's why we're going to need to do a few different models really so that at least we can suit a wider demographic, I'm sure I'll never be able to satisfy everyone but if I can offer something that is a closer fit to a customers needs and give good quality then I think I'll have achieved a lot, there's so many designs out there that I look at and can't really work out what the designer of the product was thinking, I worked for a long time in a business that did electronics for cars and I think sometimes people designed products without thinking how the products were actually going to be used, the end user experience was often very poor, even brand name manufacturers could be guilty of that

That's exactly what I mean. Think of utility and design around that. Kind of like the old Thinkpad
Forget about bling or coolness, that's what the big manufacturers are focused on :lol:
Instead design it so it's functional, discrete, has good hot/cold tolerance, and of course deliver great video quality. And if you can borrow some good ideas from any existing models (hint: for ex. "hot shoe" connection like the camera in the OP), then even better.

that's pretty much our thinking

 

[Mtz]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

So the new version which will be in stores in two weeks again, then again after another one month, will receive
- 8GB internal memory
- OV2710 CMOS sensor.
FoxOffer will have too this camera. So we can search more for the best price.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[ciuvak]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

So the new version which will be in stores in two weeks again, then again after another one month, will receive
- 8GB internal memory
- OV2710 CMOS sensor.
FoxOffer will have too this camera. So we can search more for the best price.
enjoy,
Mtz

I'm a bit confused. Are you saying the updated version (v2) is coming in two weeks, and then there is v3 after one month?
The retailer I bought from told me that the new v2 is coming on May 25. This version will have the OV2710 CMOS sensor and better lens. Regarding on-board internal memory, the cheapest v2 will not have any (remember the previous version had 512MB). But the manufacturer can also produce a more expensive version which will include 8GB internal memory, but of course will cost more money.

 

[Mtz]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

In "that" next two weeks will be not a V3, but another stock. I think he can't order from the factory too many units.
From the time they started selling this cam I always saw just few units in their ebay stock, under 10.
The other seller said the price will remain the same. Strange, because it should be an improved camera.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[ciuvak]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

In "that" next two weeks will be not a V3, but another stock. I think he can't order from the factory too many units.
From the time they started selling this cam I always saw just few units in their ebay stock, under 10.
The other seller said the price will remain the same. Strange, because it should be an improved camera.
enjoy,
Mtz

OK, I understand what you mean. He will get more stock later.
Interesting, if this model is only made in one factory and they have to produce enough to supply the Russians and the rest of Chinese retailers. This would explain why they ration their deliveries at such low quantities.
The $100 price can still change because of upgrades, the retailers don't have much control (just like it happened with DR32), but if they keep it at that price, it could be a really good seller because of the discrete design. Hopefully the image quality will be good.
Mine hasn't shipped yet

 

[Mtz]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

Will be shipped in about two weeks from now, I think. But will be better for you because you will have a better camera. (If no bugs added too).

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[Street Guardian USA]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

I just learned about the Ambarella for the first time thanks to another thread.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1025&start=30#p13927

So far my interest has wandered from the DVR-207GS to the BluckVue DR500GW to the LS300W and now the pending Ambarella.

The innovation and upgrades are non stop this year it seems. I'm looking forward to the review so I can pick the perfect dashcam in the next few months.

 

[ciuvak]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

I want to buy a new 32GB microsd for this camera, but found this info in the manual:

Please use high-speed TF card meeting the specification of TFHC.（CLASS 4 or above, Class 10 may cause some problem because the speed of card is too fast, it is better not use class 10 card )

Does anyone know if this is true? Should I buy a class 4 or class 6 (very rare in store) card, or should I risk it and get a class 10 card?
I think MTZ had some experience with this issue before, right?

 

[jokiin]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

I want to buy a new 32GB microsd for this camera, but found this info in the manual:

Please use high-speed TF card meeting the specification of TFHC.（CLASS 4 or above, Class 10 may cause some problem because the speed of card is too fast, it is better not use class 10 card )

Does anyone know if this is true? Should I buy a class 4 or class 6 (very rare in store) card, or sould I risk and get a class 10 card?
I think MTZ had some experience with this issue before, right?

the cards are backward compatible so it sounds like they have some firmware issues if they can't support Class10, you should find a Class4 card will work fine though, cheaper too

 

[Mtz]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

Some 32GB cards have a different technology compared with Class 4 or 6 and the technology they are using in some cameras is not prepared. Some problems I heard with some SanDisk the cards.
So, is not about the speed.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[ciuvak]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

the cards are backward compatible so it sounds like they have some firmware issues if they can't support Class10, you should find a Class4 card will work fine though, cheaper too

Both class 10 and class 4 cards go for about $20-25 here, I just want to make sure I pick a card that will work well in this camera.
I've also noticed that at the moment class 4 cards selection is rather limited and those don't go on sale as often as class 10 cards. There is a sale on a class 10 almost every week.

Some 32GB cards have a different technology compared with Class 4 or 6 and the technology they are using in some cameras is not prepared. Some problems I heard with some SanDisk the cards.
So, is not about the speed.
enjoy,
Mtz

That sounds interesting. Could it be specifically SanDisk Ultra UHS-I? Maybe that UHS-I technology is not compatible with the cheaper Chinese cams? That would mean that if I get a regular class 10 from any other manufacturer, it should work fine with this camera, right?

 

[Mtz]

Re: Smallest Ambarella Car DVR

Yes, I think you are right about SanDisk. But I can't advice exactly what to buy.

enjoy,
Mtz