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

[Jaranson]

I have a Sandisk 32GB Class 10, Sandisk 32GB Class 4, Unknown brand 4GB Class 4, and also tried the internal 8GB for the Givoe mini 0801 (my newest)

They ALL failed once it's full and recycle begins. I'd be happy to try a Samsung Class 6 card but they are over priced. The e-prance one I'm returning has dead pixels so that alone is enough reason to exchange it for a new one. After I get the replacement, I'll try all my cards once again. If it fails again, I'll order the Samsung Class 6 card. I'll also look into ordering the microSD card direct from the re-seller as well. (after they assure me they tested a full card in looped recycle mode)

Perhaps it's your 0801 cameras that are faulty? I had to exchange my 0801 4 times before getting one that had no manufacturing defect. They were all very minor defects, but defect no less. They included dead pixel(all 4), stuck button(1st and 4th), loose USB connector(1st), rattling sound inside, like a loose screw(2nd), bad card slot(4th)....

 

[bugelrex]

Thanks, to the engineers among us, the cycling issue really does sounds like firmware issue rather than a hardware issue. Ie the logic which controls whether to cycle, especially when it record no problem outside of the cycling issue. I also just ordered(nonGPS, no Internal Mem) from e-prance on amazon(US) and will be doing similar tests as you on 'real' sandisk cards

I have a Sandisk 32GB Class 10, Sandisk 32GB Class 4, Unknown brand 4GB Class 4, and also tried the internal 8GB for the Givoe mini 0801 (my newest)

They ALL failed once it's full and recycle begins. I'd be happy to try a Samsung Class 6 card but they are over priced. The e-prance one I'm returning has dead pixels so that alone is enough reason to exchange it for a new one. After I get the replacement, I'll try all my cards once again. If it fails again, I'll order the Samsung Class 6 card. I'll also look into ordering the microSD card direct from the re-seller as well. (after they assure me they tested a full card in looped recycle mode)

 

[Lunar]

Perhaps it's your 0801 cameras that are faulty? I had to exchange my 0801 4 times before getting one that had no manufacturing defect. They were all very minor defects, but defect no less. They included dead pixel(all 4), stuck button(1st and 4th), loose USB connector(1st), rattling sound inside, like a loose screw(2nd), bad card slot(4th)....

Having taken one apart to repair a button that did not work, due to the switch not being soldered one side.
The moulded buttons you press have a protruding round piece underneath which simply press down on the switches on the PCB, If the button is sticking its likely due to the switch being soldered slightly out of position, so when the button is pressed down on the switch, it is not pressing the top but going down the side of the switch. (IOW not lined up properly)

 

[Street Guardian USA]

Wow we have our OWN Mini 0801 section in the Forum as of today. This thread is getting out of control @ 72 pages long.

It's time everyone starts new Threads on specific questions etc.
http://dashcamtalk.com/forum/index.php?forums/mini-0801.37/

In other news, Demi from eBay e-prance just got back to me. If I understand her response correctly she will be reimburrsing me the return postage cost. I went ahead and send back my old 0801 and asked to make sure I have the freshest batch with absolute latest firmware. It cost $11 to ship back via First-Class Package International Service

"Dear Jon~

how is your weekend? yes, you can send back the DVR without the parts( charger, holder or cable...)and we will resend you a new DVR.
Is it ok for you? and i am sorry we can't offer the shipping lable, how about you send it back by a cheap post, like China post or epackage and we will bear the shipping cost for you.

Our address is:

XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Shenzhen Guangdong
CN

After your shipment, would you pls give me a notice, thanks,Jon
Waiting for your reply.

Regards,
Demi"

e-prance was nice enough to refund my return shipping costs. (nice!) I'm glad I have two 0801's so I'll at least have one to work with until the replacement arrives. Until then, I'm going for format the card any time I'm in the car to make sure it stays stable. (as a temporary solution)

"Dear Jon~

Thanks, you are so fast, when i received your DVR, i will resend you a new one and how about i refund you the shipping cost at the time i resend you, cause i need to fill out the order send to our manager for check, i want fill out the two case at the same time, is it ok for you?

Thanks JonD

Regards,
Demi
- e-prance"
_____________________

Hi Demi,

Thanks, that sounds perfect. You can either send a check I can deposit, or paypal works too. xxx AT xxxxxx DOT com

I'm looking forward to trying a new 0801! Hopefully it will have zero dead/stuck pixels. (and will stay stable recording in loop mode day after day)

Thanks again,
~Jon

 

[Lunar]

Good luck JazJon with that one they are sending you, hope it works okay for you. I ordered another one of them on Sunday, now being shipped from China, bit strange as the previous 2 were shipped from the UK, no big deal though, just means I have to wait a little longer for it to arrive. I'm considering buying one of the Mio 388 cams also, bit pricy for a dashcam but supposed to be good. At the moment I'm managing to control the urge to buy, but not sure how much longer I can hold out..lol

 

[Drewbo]

Hey all

New member here, have been reading this thread with great interest and purchased an 0801 based on your collective input.

Am patiently waiting for my 0801 to be delivered from e-prance. It was bundled with a 32GB card but the item description doesn't mention what class of card (which, going by what has been said, could greatly impact the effective operation of the cam).

Can anyone who has purchased from e-prance confirm what brand/class of card it was bundled with (if any)?

Thanks in advance!

Drew.

 

[efoo]

Bad sign being shown by my Mini 0801 today.

Have my Samsung 8GB class 4 card in loop recording mode now. Drove my car to work this morning, after about 20 minutes later the cam auto shutdown. I pressed the Power button to switch it back on and it went straight back to recoding mode. When I reached work and switched off my car engine, the cam auto shutdown again but won't switch back on whether I pressed the Power button or turned on the car engine again. I then changed the USB power cable from the mount to the cam itself, and started my car engine again and the cam came back alive. Weird.

When I got home this evening, I noted an error file not readable on the cam. When I plugged the microSD card into my card reader, I got an .idx file ( guess it means index file). Then when I played the video with RegistratorViewer, I noted a few minutes before the cam autoshut down by itself during the drive this morning, the picture has lots of static noise. The static noise remains all the way to my work, as well as the drive back home in the evening. When I got home I removed the cam and plugged into my bedroom's powerpoint with a USB cable, the video in my bedroom is clear and static-free again.

One possibility I think could be due to overheating of the cam in the car? Other possibility being some radio frequency interference? I will test out a bit more in next few days. Disappointingly I now also have problem with a class 4 card If problem persisting, I will have to ask Giveo for better firmware fix ASAP or I will demand a refund. I understand if it doesn't work well with class 10 cards, but if class 4 cards also show problem, they should stop selling this cam immediately.

 

[Lunar]

Hey all

Am patiently waiting for my 0801 to be delivered from e-prance. It was bundled with a 32GB card but the item description doesn't mention what class of card (which, going by what has been said, could greatly impact the effective operation of the cam).

Can anyone who has purchased from e-prance confirm what brand/class of card it was bundled with (if any)?

Thanks in advance! Drew.

I don't think many users have purchased the version which came with the 32gb card, but one might assume, it won't be a top-end branded card, but in view of the fact it's being bundled with the 0801 one should also assume it will work okay with it.
Anyone know what class of card they include? I think I did see a mention from a poster a while back who said his was a class 4. That being the case, it should work fine, but if buying any yourself later, I would choose class 6.

 

[Lunar]

Just a suggestion to mini 0801 users, when posting, just to mention their current firmware version in their comments, although they will likely have mentioned it in previous posts, some of us have a short memory..lol. + I think it may help to collate any pattern occuring with certain firmware versions. jmho.

efoo: Whats the temperatures over there at the moment ?, think it's your spring, so not quite summer yet. Certainly strange behaviour, let us know if you manage to find cause.

 

[efoo]

Sorry, my firmware version is 20130903. Only received mine from Giveo last week.

Yes you are right Lunar, it is spring right now in Australia. Weather has been a bit crazy in Sydney past few days, was 37C (99F) last Saturday, then it was 22C (72F) the next day. It wasn't hot this morning when I drove to work, outside temperature around mid-20s C.

 

[Rayman.Chan]

Bad sign being shown by my Mini 0801 today..

Mini 0801 has a wider temperature apply range than human.
probably some radio frequency interference; please check the video in and out of your car. if yes, you may need to check your GPS, DVD, and so on.

 

[Lunar]

Sorry, my firmware version is 20130903. Only received mine from Giveo last week.

Yes you are right Lunar, it is spring right now in Australia. Weather has been a bit crazy in Sydney past few days, was 37C (99F) last Saturday, then it was 22C (72F) the next day. It wasn't hot this morning when I drove to work, outside temperature around mid-20s C.

It won't be firmware related as it's been working fine, it could well be interference of some kind as Rayman Chan suggests, could be anything really. Typical of a lot of electronic gadgets, a good bang with a hammer or resetting cures 99.99% of problems..lol. temps over there not too bad at the moment by the sound of it, its about 13c outside today in Herefordshire.UK, and no doubt it will start to get more cooler as we start to go into our winter. I recently bought a VW Tiguan 4WD so hope that will help a little with the snow, when it arrives.

 

[Street Guardian USA]

Sorry, my firmware version is 20130903. Only received mine from Giveo last week.

Yes you are right Lunar, it is spring right now in Australia. Weather has been a bit crazy in Sydney past few days, was 37C (99F) last Saturday, then it was 22C (72F) the next day. It wasn't hot this morning when I drove to work, outside temperature around mid-20s C.

My Givoe arrived with 0903 if I recall and it wasn't stable on 3 different microSD cards. (once they were full)
Try to get 0913 or 0922 (forgot which one is for which type of 0801) You might need to send it back to be swapped for the newest batch.
____________________________

On a more fun note,
Here's a Time lapse video of a friend borrowing my car for the day. Confirmed safe driver
(he get's lost at the end) I formatted the 32GB card before he borrowed it to ensure it was empty and never in recycle mode.

(created with RegistratorViewer)
http://www.registratorviewer.com/index_en.html

 

[Lunar]

I believe the 20130913 is the latest for the GPS version, and 20130922 is the latest for the GPS 8gb version. At least that's what one of my recent emails from E-Prance stated... Assuming I understood it properly. It seems the 20130924 was an update for the older .TS models to bring them up to date and enable the .mov files on those camera's.

Be honest JazJon.. You were really checking out your friends driving...lol

 

[DDP]

Help!

I got a basic 0801,
No internal storage
No GPS
Using Kingston 32GB Class 4
Using FW0902

0801 has been working OK with no issues. Today I noticed that the LOCK symbol is on the screen, and does NOT go off after 3 mins, when I press the Down button the symbol flashes but remains ON.
All the files on the SD card have the LOCK symbol.

Even when the 0801 is sat on the desk and not being moved, when it is switched on and starts to record, it has the LOCK symbol.

I have changed the G sensor setting to 2G and then also 5G, I am unable to get the LOCK symbol to go off.
IF I switch OFF the G Sensor, I am able to manually protect the file :Lock and Unlock.

I have recalibrated the G-Sensor, the problem remains.
I have defaulted the settings, again problem remains.
I have done the Long press reset, again problem remains.
Concern is if all the files are locked then nothing will get overwritten as there will be no storage for new files, or files being protected when needed ie impact.

Whats going on, any advice would be appreciated. I have spoken to Lia at Givoe, who's awating a response from factory.

Thanks
D.

 

[Will De]

Hey guys, there appears to be a much cheaper version of this camera:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/E-PRANCE-Recorder-G-sensor-Megapixel-Detection/dp/B00FKTQ3NE/
The model is called GS608. It uses the Novatek processor. And it has a suction mount instead of the adhesive mount. Has anyone tried this one, what is the video quality like? Worth buying to save some money? (sorry if it was already discussed, I skimmed thru the last few pages of this huge topic but didn't see anything)

That is exactly why I came to this forum this morning, I bought a "Mini 0801 Ambarella A2S60 Chip Car DVR" from them it's about a day away now. When the fake D900's came out they weren't that much cheaper ... just enough to enhance buyers. I'd wait until someone posts a you tube a video. Nah at $45.03 USD there is something wrong.

 

[jokiin]

Nah at $45.03 USD there is something wrong.

it's a new low cost rubbish version

 

[Rayman.Chan]

Help!D.

Hello D, please playback your video in TF on RegistratorViewer and check out the G value at bottom left.
that will help to dig out the problem.

 

[Rayman.Chan]

I'd wait until someone posts a you tube a video. Nah at $45.03 USD there is something wrong.

ok i will upload a video from another device with 96220 chip for your guys. Please keep patience and pardon the Chinese Telecom Uploading Rate Limit.

 

[Rayman.Chan]

preview screenshot first: (GS8000L model, NT96220 chip, please ignore my dirty windshield........)