Vico Marcus 4. 2560p/Extreme HD, 1296p/30Fps, A7, HDR, Parking Mode, 7-l. optics

Hi all - this is my first post on dashcamtalk. Just wanted to throw in a few words on the latest Marcus 4 firmware (V4.7G), as it brings a pretty neat feature of Smart Parking Mode, which I reckon vastly improves camera's features/value ratio. I've had a chance to test it inside-out couple of weeks ago and I must say I'm quite impressed.

Basically, M4's Smart Parking Mode in the latest V4.7G firmware offers completely automatic and seamless way of switching between continuous/loop and motion detection recording modes. While driving, camera records video continuously in standard 5-minute cycles. However, the G-Sensor is constantly monitoring vehicle movement and once it detects the vehicle was standstill for 10 minutes it will automatically switch to motion detection mode. Once you hop back into the car and drive away - G-Sensor will detect it again and switch back to continuous loop recoding mode. All totally automatic, with no interaction from the user required whatsoever! But there's another trick up the sleeve - when the camera is in the motion detection mode, it actually is buffering the video and records approx. 4 seconds BEFORE actual movement within the field of view. That's pretty cool!

Obviously, you'll need the camera to be hooked up to the power source 24/7 in order to use this feature. Also, in the settings menu you can control motion detection's sensitivity and choose whether the LCD should lit up after detecting movement. Sadly, there's no option to disable the LED indicator above the screen completely.

I've also been told that similar feature is coming to Vico Marcus 5 soon - if that's the case, M5 would be a top seller in the dual-channel CarDVR market, methinks.

VicoMarcus4_DSC05633_800.JPG
 
If they've got prebuffered parking mode working on the A7 this could be a game changer for sure! Do you know how much power it uses please?

The M4 out performs the M5 anyway doesn't it? Maybe the next dual version will be using the OV4689 too or something new maybe?
 
reverend said:
If they've got prebuffered parking mode working on the A7 this could be a game changer for sure! Do you know how much power it uses please?
Click to expand...

No idea about the power consumption to be honest, guess that's something I'd need to double check with my electrician-dad. ;)

reverend said:
The M4 out performs the M5 anyway doesn't it? Maybe the next dual version will be using the OV4689 too or something new maybe?
Click to expand...

I haven't come across ANY dual-channel DVR set that would be as good as Marcus 4 or, say, LS360/460W. Marcus 5 is very good still, as for dual-channel set that is. I'm guessing we'd need to wait for better CPUs that could both handle 2x 1080p 30fps with bitrate of at least 12-15 Mbps AND be relatively neat with energy consumption/heat production at the same time.
 
reverend said:
If they've got prebuffered parking mode working on the A7 this could be a game changer for sure!
Click to expand...

Chipset has been capable all along, SDK has been pending updates, most don't use the right hardware to take advantage of this though
 
Glad to see an Ambarella camera with parking mode that uses buffering. While it is a great improvement for Vicovation, be aware that this feature has been available on Korean cameras for numerous years (BlackVue, FineVu, Itronics, BlackSys, Thinkware, Urive, Livue, etc).
 
M4 is known as one of the best in Vico line-up. Parking monitoring is a big progress, well done!

What about car battery discharge control ?
 
Hello @evad, maybe say something about Marcus 2 ? ;)
 
2560x1080p
adamus said:
Hello @evad, maybe say something about Marcus 2 ? ;)
Click to expand...

Haha, sure thing.. ;) Marcus 2 is going to be pretty much identical to Marcus 4 - both physically and functionally - with the only difference of 2304x1296p and 2560x1080p recording modes being stripped out in Marcus 2. The only other thing I've noticed it noticeably worse sound quality recorded by M2. All other aspects are exactly same as in M4.
 
Guys , I got some issues with my M4 , somehow it keeps restarting after a while. Anyone else with the same problem ? fw 4.7g
 
Kite, how long does it take for the M4 to restart? I was just about to post that there is a bug in 4.2 and I am pretty sure it's there in 4.7 too. If you have speed overlay switched on the my M4 restarts continuously. The problem seems to be when the GPS either acquires a lock or is about to and it restarts back to the Vicovation spash screen. Switch the speed overlay off and the camera records perfectly from engine / power on.

I had my camera replaced, as the company I bought it from though it might be a capacitor fault, but the replacement did the same. The original camera was flashed from 4.2 to 4.7, the current one is still on 4.2, hence my earlier comment about the bug sill being present in later releases.

I have also seen my M4 restart once during a journey (on 4.2), and I think that this might be when the card becomes full and it has to start deleting video files. Only happened the once though and it lost around 20 sec of footage.
 
I dont have the GPS receiver. My M4 restarts quickly , around 30 sec. I checked my memory card and its full. I will test your theory and delete some files to see if it still restarts.
ps: I got 2 log files on my memory card , if someone knows how to interpret them let me know. I ll do my best to understand them , see if something pops up.
ps2: The modified date on the logs is for 2014, so I dont think its something new, maybe some old stuff.
 
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I don't think it makes any difference if you have a GPS attached or not. It's the setting that causes (mine) to restart. I've got a video of it restarting, which I'll try to post a link to. Does yours restart just as the G appears on the screen, and / or shortly after? Did it always do this or just since you flashed to 4.7? I have a full list of my settings, which I can upload later, if you want to compare. I can bypass this cyclic rebooting, by entering the menu, before it starts recording, ie the green light is still on, and choose an option to look at, like the version, then use the orange button to take me back to the viewfinder, then it will record ok.

I would defo format the memory card in the camera, taking any files you want off first. This is a common problem with dashcams, having the card formatted by a computer, not the device. Is it a 32GB or less, or a 64GB and above? I am using a 32GB Sandisk Ultra, which is ok, but a bit on the small side, I also have a 128GB Sandisk Ultra, which seems to have issues being read back by my computer. I've not tried playback in the camera.
 
I got a Sandisk Ultra 64gb formatted inside the camera. The restarting started after the 4.7 update and only on bumpy roads, we got some awful roads here in Romania, so I think its G related. Yesterday I made around 130km on fine road and I dont recall any restarting but I wasnt paying to much attention. If you can post the video please give a link to it to see if it is the same thing.
 
I have uploaded the video to youtube.

It shows the Marcus4 restarting. It had restarted 3 times before I started filming, and continued until I changed the speed overlay setting. In the first restart, the G symbol appears and the M4 restarts, by the second restart, the GPS just showed a lock (blue arrow).

The first M4 I had would always do this behaviour when left unplugged overnight, but not always if the power was lost for an hour or so. The current M4 does this regardless of how short a period of time the power has been disconnected.
 
Thats how my M4 restarts too. I`ll check to see how often is does this and maybe return it if it bothers me too much.


Later: I just did 2 days of driving and tomorrow I ll be driving all day long , and no more restarts, dont really know yet if its about the bumpy roads from home or a full sd cards that triggers them.

Later2: Just did another day on the road, and no restarts though the sd card is full again.
 
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Oh...is that the same as the English version? Not showing up on their FB page nor the downloads page yet.
 
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