Zenfox T3 Triple channel dash cams free test invitation, limited quantity

[HonestReview]

It is an old glue I had and it doest't have the plastic with the name on it anymore but I think it was the loctite epoxy clear.View attachment 52633

View attachment 52634

Thank you. Just needed an idea of what to look for in an epoxy. I like electronics but never gone so far as to fabricate my own copper shield (good job btw) or trying to piece parts together. So this information is useful.

Tomorrow I'll take pictures of the shims and see how things look on my end.

 

[EGS]

You have the advantage that you can buy the epoxy at the local walmart or hardware store, so you don't have to order online and wait longer.

 

[EGS]

Thank you. Just needed an idea of what to look for in an epoxy. I like electronics but never gone so far as to fabricate my own copper shield (good job btw) or trying to piece parts together. So this information is useful.

Tomorrow I'll take pictures of the shims and see how things look on my end.

How is your project going?

 

[HonestReview]

How is your project going?

Fu3king package didn't arrive. Will call and raise hell tomorrow. Sh1t got delayed 3 days out from when I ordered already. Said it'd arrive today never showed.

 

[EGS]

Fu3king package didn't arrive. Will call and raise hell tomorrow. Sh1t got delayed 3 days out from when I ordered already. Said it'd arrive today never showed.

I hate when stuff like that happens but with so much going on right now, it's not unusual.

 

[HonestReview]

I hate when stuff like that happens but with so much going on right now, it's not unusual.

Damn my compulsive nature to "Make Things Right". My neighbor ended up having the shims - delivered to wrong house. So I worked on camera. I had everything assembled but couldn't figure out why the interior camera wasn't clicking properly when adjusted all the way downward downward. So I decided to check things out. Well I guess I didn't have the metal arm slotted right and some teeth were crooked, so I tried fixing, slotting arm better, and let's say the teeth on the interior cam didn't fair well from before. I should have simply left it alone and been happy, as it was working except on bottom downward slot.

Problem with not really having good lighting in area I was doing things....

Now the silver lining, I have a second camera. Live and Learn. None the less, everything still works. I can still adjust interior camera, just doesn't have the arm locking it in place. Point is to see if what I did solves heat issue. If it does, I can always carry out what I learned to "Good Camera" and be far far far more careful.

What I did do is put thermal paste on the SOC and then affix shim directly to the SOC after cutting it down. I then mounted EMI shield to the shim. Mx-4 seems pretty tacky. Now I simply used the MX-4 for the Heatsink to the EMI. Intending to see if what I did didn't work so I could make adjustments. Without having it epoxied in place permanently. As I said, the MX-4 thermal paste is pretty tacky.

Bright side, I can still take the camera that I have and run the tests. Hopefully even though arm won't lock interior in place, it will still be stable enough. We shall see Late as hell now, stayed up as I had to do this.. ya i get that way...Bit me in the ass.

Will report back on if camera in afternoon after some sleep. Sh*t Happens.

Bottom Photo... You can see teeth issue. Metal arm does nothing at this point.

 

[EGS]

Did you remove all the tape and old glue that was between the emi shield and heatsink?
I still see some portions of it in the edge

 

[DrekiTech]

Interestingly, the Micro SD Card reader that came with my camera said VIOFO on it.

 

[EGS]

Interestingly, the Micro SD Card reader that came with my camera said VIOFO on it.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are the same people behind it. Someone said something about the firmware linked to Viofo as well earlier when the beta update was launched.

 

[Nigel]

Interestingly, the Micro SD Card reader that came with my camera said VIOFO on it.

Mine says "Zenfox", maybe the factory ran out of Zenfox ones. They are identical apart from the name, so you are not missing out on anything!

Of course not everything is the same inside, the camera plastic case is shared by other companies but with different internals.

 

[SawMaster]

Could be they both use the same factory to build their cams?
When I first saw the T3 I immediately recognized the similarity to an existing Junsun model

Phil

 

[Harsh]

Choosing not to answer whether they are associated with Viofo (or not) only brings up more questions/speculation. Don't understand the reason why they wouldn't want to answer a simple question. Is it detrimental to their image or Viofo's, little confused.

 

[HonestReview]

Did you remove all the tape and old glue that was between the emi shield and heatsink? I still see some portions of it in the edgeView attachment 52639

Did you remove all the tape and old glue that was between the emi shield and heatsink?
I still see some portions of it in the edge

All tape and glue was removed. That tape was probably a piece of fiber that fell from when I cut a sliver to place over the Supercapacitor and took photo.

I have car sitting outside just got time to place it. Seems even without locking arm and teeth, the interior lens is still stable. Drove over speedbumps and waht not didn't notice it's position moving. Of course, without locking arm it isn't as secure, and will probably move if car is impacted in an accident. However, it'd catch everything before that happened.

Will use this camera as guinea pig. If everything works, I'll modify my other one. What ended up happening is the interior camera came loose and I adjusted the arm a bit, and I guess it wasn't seated well on closing everything up. So it killed the teeth.

Sad thing is, we still haven't heard a word from @Zenfox_Official in weeks. Hope he returns. Maybe he'd be willing to send out spare metal arm and interior camera down road if he ever does.

 

[EGS]

They have decided to snub us. I guess they got mad at us because we exposed a major issue and they didn't know how to handle it? I know they are active in other places as I see them replaying to feedback to other people but not us. I saw in another place (can't remember which) where they said a new firmware revision is going to be released this week. When you see that kind of attitude from a company, specially when they are starting from the ground and wanting to grow, it makes you wonder. In my opinion that is the kind of attitude that makes people mad and turn against you (the business) and do the best to prevent others to fall in to it. They should be able to handle the heat better than this cameras and come back to continue working together with people as many of their new customers will end up here eventually...

 

[HonestReview]

They have decided to snub us. I guess they got mad at us because we exposed a major issue and they didn't know how to handle it? I know they are active in other places as I see them replaying to feedback to other people but not us. I saw in another place (can't remember which) where they said a new firmware revision is going to be released this week. When you see that kind of attitude from a company, specially when they are starting from the ground and wanting to grow, it makes you wonder. In my opinion that is the kind of attitude that makes people mad and turn against you (the business) and do the best to prevent others to fall in to it. They should be able to handle the heat better than this cameras and come back to continue working together with people as many of their new customers will end up here eventually...

Shows @Zenfox_Official having logged on as of Monday. I hope you are wrong, but I do think is absence is worrisome. He is a new company and the product has a major design flaw. I know it isn't what anyone wants to hear, but better to catch problems before worldwide launch, than having the product get into the hands of customers who plagued by problems. You never get a second chance at FIRST IMPRESSIONS.

Where is @Zenfox_Official active? Link?

 

[EGS]

All tape and glue was removed. That tape was probably a piece of fiber that fell from when I cut a sliver to place over the Supercapacitor and took photo.

I have car sitting outside just got time to place it. Seems even without locking arm and teeth, the interior lens is still stable. Drove over speedbumps and waht not didn't notice it's position moving. Of course, without locking arm it isn't as secure, and will probably move if car is impacted in an accident. However, it'd catch everything before that happened.

Will use this camera as guinea pig. If everything works, I'll modify my other one. What ended up happening is the interior camera came loose and I adjusted the arm a bit, and I guess it wasn't seated well on closing everything up. So it killed the teeth.

Sad thing is, we still haven't heard a word from @Zenfox_Official in weeks. Hope he returns. Maybe he'd be willing to send out spare metal arm and interior camera down road if he ever does.

I also noticed my lens barrel not clicking as good as it did before.

I feel you will notice a big improvement as I did.
Yes, I do hope Zenfox comes back as it is in their best interest.

 

[HonestReview]

I also noticed my lens barrel not clicking as good as it did before.

I feel you will notice a big improvement as I did.
Yes, I do hope Zenfox comes back as it is in their best interest.

Ya damn my compulsiveness. It worked just didn't hold tight at last click. When I hoped and looked again it had damaged teeth. I tried to gently adjust but just didn't go right. I suggest not messing with arm and interior camera as much as possible or you'll end up having my problem. Again, I have another camera, as I took my mom's as a guinea pig. But still would like parts if @Zenfox_Official is willing to do so.

After all, we are testing methods that will hopefully resolve his issues. Again, I'd be happy and encouraging to the community that wishes to find ways to get things fixed.

 

[Nigel]

When I hoped and looked again it had damaged teeth.

Use one of your spare pieces of copper and a file to make a new copper cog, then stick it on the end of the original, there is a nice space there to fit it and the arm is wide enough to engage. Or easier, just stick a piece of foam rubber on the end and convert it to a friction adjust, then you get infinite adjustment positions instead of having to go in clicks!

 

[HonestReview]

Use one of your spare pieces of copper and a file to make a new copper cog, then stick it on the end of the original, there is a nice space there to fit it and the arm is wide enough to engage. Or easier, just stick a piece of foam rubber on the end and convert it to a friction adjust, then you get infinite adjustment positions instead of having to go in clicks!

Several teeth are missing on the plastic housing. About 3 or 4 teeth came off after trying to adjust and fix. So the issue isn't the arm alone. it's the plastic teeth are now absent on the cog itself. While not showing them missing in this photo, they were all bent and when I tried to gently push forward they just fell off. So there's no way that I can think of to get this resolved without a new interior camera or new housing. (Obviously new camera would be far easier).

 

[EGS]

Several teeth are missing on the plastic housing. About 3 or 4 teeth came off after trying to adjust and fix. So the issue isn't the arm alone. it's the plastic teeth are now absent on the cog itself. While not showing them missing in this photo, they were all bent and when I tried to gently push forward they just fell off. So there's no way that I can think of to get this resolved without a new interior camera or new housing. (Obviously new camera would be far easier).

I have noticed that. I don't know how that could be fixed at the moment other than keeping the spring keeping pressure against it to reduce motion for the moment.