My New Mobius Dashcam

[Micro]

Been a bit busy but will get some footage tonight on my way home - hopefully be able to upload it tomorrow lunchtime when my internet has finally been installed!

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[Micro]

This is a quick snap - number plate at this distance is just about readable.

Slight bit of tailgating - he continued this distance at 60mph!

Few teething problems of the camera crashing at times but it'll be ok for what I want it for. Reset button is easily accessible.

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[jeebowhite]

Good and sufficient quality! not a bad investment!

[mixmasterlooney]

It's pretty good for the price tbh clear enough to make things out

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[jeebowhite]

Definatey not bad for the price!

[Micro]

Has anyone noticed that fine detail (i.e. numberplates) are blurry when you have a heated windscreen?

I've noticed over the 4 month period i've had my Focus that the videos are a lot more blurry than with my old car - which had a clear glass screen.

[mixmasterlooney]

That's depending on how close to the windscreen the camera is the cam may focus on the heating elements instead. I did notice this during my several days of video quality testing

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[tomroscoe]

@Micro. I'm the same - both my SJ1000 and SJ4000 lose resolution because of the heating wires in my Fiesta's screen. The cameras are fixed focus at about 2 foot so they don't focus on the wires, but it's a bit like having a scratched filter in front of the lens so definition is softened.

There's also the problem that you're shooting through a piece of curved laminated glass that's held at 45 degrees to the camera lens. So instead of shooting in fresh air, your dash cam is looking through two layers of glass, a sheet of plastic and a lot of wiggly wires. I'm amazed the footage looks as good as it does really.

tom.

[mixmasterlooney]

Incase you guys aren't aware there are now some really neat accessories available for the mobius, this kit is the ultimate hidden cam kit

There are also waterproof casings, batteries, usb cables

[stevegtuk]

Incase you guys aren't aware there are now some really neat accessories available for the mobius, this kit is the ultimate hidden cam kit

There are also waterproof casings, batteries, usb cables

Some nice extras there, although if I did go down the route of a mobius, you can guarantee i'd break it if I tried fiddling

I don't know too much about capacitors, would it really make any difference compared to a battery?

[jeebowhite]

capacitors store power more efficiently than batteries do, normally though they are used in parallel in some form.

[mixmasterlooney]

It won't make any difference apart from heat, once a capacitor is charged it's charged, battery on the other hand can carry on charging generating a lot of heat potential fire, the mobius is fitted with over charge protection once the battery is full it will stop charging.

A capacitor or in this case a super capacitor can only hold its charge for very short periods, it cannot be used like a battery to record without external power.

They do indeed store power more efficiently and with a constant voltage/Amp unlike batteries.

I was thinking about the whole hidden cam thing and well I want my camera to be hidden away but I also want it visible enough to put off people if I were to point it out or if tail gaiters spot it in the rear

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[Micro]

I do think of getting a Blackvue cam for the front - with event recording once power off, g sensor, etc, and move the mobius to the rear. But then I realise how much they cost and that goes out the window!

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[Hyrule]

It won't make any difference apart from heat, once a capacitor is charged it's charged, battery on the other hand can carry on charging generating a lot of heat potential fire, the mobius is fitted with over charge protection once the battery is full it will stop charging.

A capacitor or in this case a super capacitor can only hold its charge for very short periods, it cannot be used like a battery to record without external power.

They do indeed store power more efficiently and with a constant voltage/Amp unlike batteries.

I was thinking about the whole hidden cam thing and well I want my camera to be hidden away but I also want it visible enough to put off people if I were to point it out or if tail gaiters spot it in the rear

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My friend abroad has front and rear facing dash cams, and he also went one step further and put a sticker in his rear window to alert drives they were being recorded. He noted a marked reduction in tailgaters and aggressive drivers behind him. Not sure whether it would work over here, but what do you think about something like these LOL:

Not sure if Clive is watching this forum but from a police perspective your thoughts would be appreciated.

[stevegtuk]

It won't make any difference apart from heat, once a capacitor is charged it's charged, battery on the other hand can carry on charging generating a lot of heat potential fire, the mobius is fitted with over charge protection once the battery is full it will stop charging.

A capacitor or in this case a super capacitor can only hold its charge for very short periods, it cannot be used like a battery to record without external power.

They do indeed store power more efficiently and with a constant voltage/Amp unlike batteries.

Thanks Kurt, this and the post you did on the "Best Dash Cam For Mk2 Focus" has cleared the capacitor bit up for me. If I go for one I might as well just stick with the battery, as it sounds like it won't get too hot if it stops charging once full.

Would something similar to this monitor (link below) work as a screen for the camera, for things like aligning it correctly, as I have a spare one due to changing my home made reversing cam system for one of those rear view mirrors with a screen built in.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-3-TFT-LCD-Car-Monitor-Reverse-Rearview-Color-Camera-DVD-VCR-CCTV-BT-/111295540386?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item19e9bb2ca2

[jeebowhite]

From a police perspective (or should I say from my personal experience of recent events with the police) they are extremely grateful for dashcam footage.

Its still all new, the police who are investigating my car "theft" have only dealt with a dash cam once before. On this ocassion, a motorcyclist dangerously jumped a red light, and as he went through the light and confronted the dashcam driver, he looked at him and stuck two fingers at the camera, his license plate of course was recorded as to was his distinctive jacket. He played dumb when the police pulled him in "no sir couldnt have been me" ordinarily the police would then have to go out and get other evidence, but they put the DVD on, he was wearing the same distinctive jacket and helmet as was on camera that day, with a clear shot of his face (all that was needed anyway).

Needless to say there investigations where reduced.

now on the case of my "theft" the police have everything they need, the guy on camera in front of my car, his address, his agressive driving, his clear ignorance of what he could do under care of duty of the vehicle with the deliberateabuse of this. Needless to say, the police told me they have been saved many weeks of investigation having the evidence here!

As to the highlighting of the camera, I would personally prefer not to have it publicised. Theft is bad enough, but I suspect that if you highlight in this country you have a dashcam it will only entice theft further. Walking in the dark past a car you can barely see a camera unless your looking for it, stick a sticker in the windows saying "look I have a camera in here" means they will look for it and then entice them to do further damage. Also last time I had a confrontation with a guy over their driving, I called his bluff. I was driving a courtesy car, he pulled out and in the queue off traffic got out and started being a pratt. I told him I have a dashcam in the car recording him and he stuck his head throgh my window trying to find it threatening to "rip it out and shove it [somewhere]". In that case I pushed his head out my car and told him if he doesnt get back in his own the police would be using my camera as evidence against me for staving his head in with an extendable wrench. he was offering me out of the car so I lent back as if I was pulling it from behind me and he legged it back to his car.

To be honest, I have learned that discression is the best means of having these camera's. to prevent theft, abuse and all the rest of it, needless to say if the pratts at the garage new I had a camera, they would have probably disabled it before taking the mick with my car and I would have had nothing to go on.

[Hyrule]

From a police perspective (or should I say from my personal experience of recent events with the police) they are extremely grateful for dashcam footage.

Its still all new, the police who are investigating my car "theft" have only dealt with a dash cam once before. On this ocassion, a motorcyclist dangerously jumped a red light, and as he went through the light and confronted the dashcam driver, he looked at him and stuck two fingers at the camera, his license plate of course was recorded as to was his distinctive jacket. He played dumb when the police pulled him in "no sir couldnt have been me" ordinarily the police would then have to go out and get other evidence, but they put the DVD on, he was wearing the same distinctive jacket and helmet as was on camera that day, with a clear shot of his face (all that was needed anyway).

Needless to say there investigations where reduced.

now on the case of my "theft" the police have everything they need, the guy on camera in front of my car, his address, his agressive driving, his clear ignorance of what he could do under care of duty of the vehicle with the deliberateabuse of this. Needless to say, the police told me they have been saved many weeks of investigation having the evidence here!

As to the highlighting of the camera, I would personally prefer not to have it publicised. Theft is bad enough, but I suspect that if you highlight in this country you have a dashcam it will only entice theft further. Walking in the dark past a car you can barely see a camera unless your looking for it, stick a sticker in the windows saying "look I have a camera in here" means they will look for it and then entice them to do further damage. Also last time I had a confrontation with a guy over their driving, I called his bluff. I was driving a courtesy car, he pulled out and in the queue off traffic got out and started being a pratt. I told him I have a dashcam in the car recording him and he stuck his head throgh my window trying to find it threatening to "rip it out and shove it [somewhere]". In that case I pushed his head out my car and told him if he doesnt get back in his own the police would be using my camera as evidence against me for staving his head in with an extendable wrench. he was offering me out of the car so I lent back as if I was pulling it from behind me and he legged it back to his car.

To be honest, I have learned that discression is the best means of having these camera's. to prevent theft, abuse and all the rest of it, needless to say if the pratts at the garage new I had a camera, they would have probably disabled it before taking the mick with my car and I would have had nothing to go on.

Yeah that was my thinking with regards to these stickers. It will more than likely provoke rather than deter tailgaters etc.

I can't wait to fit a mobius in the rear as well.

[mixmasterlooney]

Yes I too can't wait to set up my rear cam :D I agree with the stickers it would provoke abuse or theft when used in a car. When used on commercial vehicles however I think it makes a big difference to reduce theft because vans are trucks are major targets.

Although agreeing with the above about stickers I do feel that having the cam slightly visible helps, because once they've spotted it at that point it's too late and they will back off with no arguments.

I'm now considering 2 more cams for side view but this depends on how well I get on with a rear cam.

This morning I had a biker trying to smack my mirror off. Crawling along in traffic on my left is a cyclist lane and being rush hour it was surely busy, of course I left good amount of room for cyclist. As oncoming traffic was crawling aswell a biker started approaching my right, there wasn't enough space for him to safely overtake he then started honking his horn, took a look in my mirror and saw a cyclist approaching on the left so I maintained my position rather than go into the cyclist lane, the mug then started raving his engine whilst squeezing past as he got by he whacked my driver side mirror, luckily he didn't get a good hit, my mirror folded slightly. Will see what the mobius got although very doubtful anything good

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[mixmasterlooney]

I underestimated the mobius... got some decent footage, although it doesn't look at dramatic on cam (Accidents never do tbh) I'm sure james know this after being rear ended by some bloke lol

Got the dude number plate, LJ59 YUT here is a screenshot i took after zooming in on the image

Video here, 10 seconds in it happens and you can see his hand moving back onto the handlebar as he appear on screen, i don't think it's the first time this guy done something like this, he seemed very confident and smooth about it all.

http://youtu.be/4IP4OZAW-oA?list=UU5IsMSk-iK3EgH6IX9d6Vwg

Does anyone know how the police go about dealing with things like this? this guy needs a warning atleast, can't go around trying to overtake when it isn't safe to do so then raging at others when he doesn't get his own way

BTW since tonight i have sinced disabled WDR, i recently turned it on but as you can see the video looks over exposed in daylight compared to my other video in direct sunlight

[b1g_dav3]

I might pick one up with a ribbon cable extension if I can find a decent cable, then possibly mount the box a good distance away.

[higgsy]

I prefer stealth mode ie not advertising you have one, think it will just draw attention to you. On another note I have decided to take mine out of the car when not in use in the coming days while we have this heatwave, concerned the heat in the car could be very high if parked in direct sunlight

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[Hyrule]

I underestimated the mobius... got some decent footage, although it doesn't look at dramatic on cam (Accidents never do tbh) I'm sure james know this after being rear ended by some bloke lol

Got the dude number plate, LJ59 YUT here is a screenshot i took after zooming in on the image

Screenshot 2014-07-16 21.45.05.png

Video here, 10 seconds in it happens and you can see his hand moving back onto the handlebar as he appear on screen, i don't think it's the first time this guy done something like this, he seemed very confident and smooth about it all.

http://youtu.be/4IP4OZAW-oA?list=UU5IsMSk-iK3EgH6IX9d6Vwg

Does anyone know how the police go about dealing with things like this? this guy needs a warning atleast, can't go around trying to overtake when it isn't safe to do so then raging at others when he doesn't get his own way

BTW since tonight i have sinced disabled WDR, i recently turned it on but as you can see the video looks over exposed in daylight compared to my other video in direct sunlight

You're a good man Kurt, I would have snapped something of that biker's. Can't remember if I told you about the one along Purely Way. As you come over the overpass just before Mercedes Garage, he tried to squeeze through the gap between my car and the metal railings and got stuck. It was hilarious because you could see it happening a mile away. He then proceeded to swear and curse and get stressed. In the end he had to reverse back as there was literally nowhere for him to go but he tried that engine revving nonsense with me as well.

You could take the footage to police and they might send him one of the road awareness letter things or whatever they are called. I got one last year a cyclist complained I drove to close to him and put his dashcam footage on youtube. What was ironic is the letter said we found no evidence of bad driving or driving too close but we are sending the letter anyway and in the video you can clearly see me give him plenty of room. But he seems to be a notorious croydon cyclist who just seems to go looking for trouble so he can upload it to youtube and attempt to be an internet celebrity for 5mins.

[mixmasterlooney]

Thanks bud. I didn't care to give him any attention until he whacked my mirror.

Sounds hilarious about him being stuck though had my laughing

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[jeebowhite]

Hi Kurt,

Yeah I know what you mean on the rear ending! at least I have a cam facing that way too!

Anyways....

As for the footage, your cam has a microphone so what you have will prove your story is accurate, you can contact the police and see what they say, ordinarily I think that if he hit your car in any way shape or form, they could have strong words about criminal damage, or perhaps aggrevated driving. Either way, with the dashcam and the footage, and the relatively clear appearance of the biker, he would at least get a stern ticking off, if not a bit more trouble for his efforts!

[jeebowhite]

Having rechecked the footage, I think you would be out of luck, I missed that there were 3 bikers who passed you around that time. Due to that, the argument could be "how could you prove it was that one" so you would probably be told there is nothing they could do.