Well trumped for a New Dual channel Dash cam. Its the K1S Spy Tec. First Impressions.

[Peter Wilson]

Well after having a listen to TechMoan. and bought this...

Keep watching for test driving videos. I will post direct files and any updates.
After not having a dual camera since the dreadful Blackvue DR550GW, I wanted to get back in the game.

My first impressions were great. it arrived next day because I forgot to cancel my Amazon Prime subscription again this year. Free Next day is handy mind.

I opened the very professional looking box. and the Unit looks great.

The main recorder is very light, also the cameras are really small making them especially hard to spot from the outside. I have temporarily installed them into my MG just because I am still waiting for my Beloved 4x4 to have the transmission replaced. The Speedo function is great. Its set in MPH in the UK. I have recorded the box opening and some of the functions. However I may redo this now I have had a play.

It has a very handy parking mode function that would be handy were it not for a slight issue most people will have. When you turn the ignition on in most cars it provides power to the 12 volt acc socket. when you turn to the start position it cuts this power out for just a second. The problem is that the power turning on puts the system into record very quickly, and takes it out of park mode. Then the short loss of power while the starter cuts the acc power off switches the camera into park mode again. It then stay there until the power is cut long enough then reconnected. This takes about a second. I will fix this by using my alternator running signal and a relay for my ACC socket. but most people would not want to do this.

The Video Quality at night seems good I have not had a chance to use it during the day time yet. The best bit is the Speed sensor and additional button I can mount this into an easy to reach location and press it when something interesting happens. no more fumbling for button while driving.

I do have a slight issue with the wires sticking out of the side it will be easy to knock them if they dont have a cover over them. I may buy right angle connectors to make them go straight into the dash or make a patch box to hide the wires.

 

[Peter Wilson]

I hope to also be creating UK Speed camera text files for this very soon as the ones on the website don't seem to have them.

 

[petepete]

I hope to also be creating UK Speed camera text files for this very soon as the ones on the website don't seem to have them.

Hope you are capable of doing this as I have 2 cameras I would love to install them on and hav nt a clue myself

 

[Peter Wilson]

Oh another problem I have found is the player. It displays the videos okay front and rear for each journey but it somtimes changes to the rear camera when watching the front at the same time the front camera when the rar should be playing. This is due to the software working with alternative files so sometimes the files swap over wg front ins after rear in the windows file list. I will investigate.

 

[Gibson99]

Oh another problem I have found is the player. It displays the videos okay front and rear for each journey but it somtimes changes to the rear camera when watching the front at the same time the front camera when the rar should be playing. This is due to the software working with alternative files so sometimes the files swap over wg front ins after rear in the windows file list. I will investigate.

I thought it recorded separate files for front and rear? I watched the techmoan review too but it's been a few weeks so I don't remember all the details.

 

[Peter Wilson]

The trouble seems to be when the files go out of sync as in the attached image...
Note CAM1 then CAM1 then CAM2 CAM2... at that point the camera switches from the front to the rear, then after that it stays on the rear camera until a later when it has the same again then it swaps back to the front camera.

Another Note...
The Audio seems to be okay a little quiet but its a lot better then the videos I have been watching...

My control box is right in front of my gear stick. I wonder if the camera does not have the mic in it and it may be in the main record unit i will be testing this theory when I get time to fix my locked brakes. ... yes another car with problems.

 

[petepete]

Lets be frank about the K1s..

the plugs where the camera fit are prone to open circuit which raps the camera into restart mode and should not have any pressure put on them at any time.
the audio is pathetic.
it uses an ov2.... sensor and does not provide the best pictures.
you seem to have found it has a problem with the file system as indeed I had.

It is a neat physical solution but you pay a high price for that if you consider the potential problems above , indeed a high monetary price too at up to and above £200 for a uk supplier you know you can return it to if there are problems.

Buy one of these from china with no possibility of practical return at your own peril ..

 

[Peter Wilson]

Lets be frank about the K1s..

the plugs where the camera fit are prone to open circuit which raps the camera into restart mode and should not have any pressure put on them at any time.
the audio is pathetic.
it uses an ov2.... sensor and does not provide the best pictures.
you seem to have found it has a problem with the file system as indeed I had.

It is a neat physical solution but you pay a high price for that if you consider the potential problems above , indeed a high monetary price too at up to and above £200 for a uk supplier you know you can return it to if there are problems.

Buy one of these from china with no possibility of practical return at your own peril ..

Well I bought mine from Amazon.co.uk £179 including delivery next day and the 64gb SD card so returns shouldn't be a problem as they are handled by Amazon...

My audio seems to be picking my voice up fine I can easily hear my engine noises and voice when I play the footage back without having to ranp the volume up.

I am going to have a look at a solution for the wires as they will be prone to open circuits if its left with the cables exposed to knocks and bangs... Once it's installed in my Frontera it should be much better as there's a safe place to put the cables into the dash...

Compared to my blackvue dash camera the footage is much better but a little bit more grainy on the nighttime... I can read reg numbers at dusk and behind me even though the reflections off my dash. The dash and spoiler on my mgzs is right in the way thus I have to have a lot of sky or record my boot full of tools and shiny plastic dash...

 

[petepete]

I thought I read somewhere it has a microphone in the supply cable or has the option of ?

 

[Peter Wilson]

I thought I read somewhere it has a microphone in the supply cable or has the option of ?

I am going to investigate where the mic is I don't think it's on the camera I think it's on the unit or maybe the power cable.

 

[rsmck]

I am going to investigate where the mic is I don't think it's on the camera I think it's on the unit or maybe the power cable.

The Techmoan review suggests it's in the front camera - at least one supplier of parts suggests it's in the power supply cable. The audio is very poor on mine, but as the power supply cable is hidden behind the dash - that might make sense for it to be there.

If it is in the front facing camera, I'd have expected (slightly) better audio recording.

 

[petepete]

can confirm the one i sold had a microphone built into the supply cable but maybe that is an upgrade option although i would have thought every kis would need the same.