Dashboard Camera for integration with SYNC 3 Part No. 2421817

[Enthuse]

Downloaded a video file to iPhone for first time and it won’t play. Airdropped file to iPad and same result (unsurprisingly). Suspect it must be due to video format (H.264)? Video plays OK on iPhone while still connected to dashcam, so might be able to resolve by activating screen recorder whilst replaying when still connected. But this would be a bit clumsy. Any suggestions? 

[Lumberjack]

On 6/12/2022 at 4:00 PM, Enthuse said:

... Any suggestions? 

The videos downloaded are available no matter if the dashcam is connected or not. The videos are available in local file also in the My dashcam album from My Albums in Photos.

Please see the video fro the link.

Let me know if it is something different on your side.

 

[Enthuse]

On 6/16/2022 at 10:31 AM, Lumberjack said:

 

I can download a video file to iPhone OK, but the file will not then play (nothing happens when pressing the play button). I’ve since played around a bit with it and found that if I select to edit the file it is playable whilst within the edit function. Similarly I can use the export function to save or forward the file etc. It will then play OK if saved. I think these functions convert the video to MPEG-4 format and that the issue is indeed due to the specific type of H.264 format the video is downloaded as (in that iOS doesn’t like it). So, I have a method of making it work as I need, slightly clumsy, but not too onerous. I do wonder though…..is there a setting to allow the video files to be saved on the device as MPEG-4 files, rather than H.264? Having said that H.264 has smaller file sizes (more compression) and preserves quality better than MPEG-4 so it’s probably best to stay as is!

 

[Lumberjack]

On 6/17/2022 at 3:10 PM, Enthuse said:

…..is there a setting to allow the video files to be saved on the device as MPEG-4 files?....

 

No settings for that. You should not have any issues with that tho. What kind of iPhone do you have?

Any chance to send me some screen recordings? (transfer or YouTube)

mobile.app@falcon.ro

Thanks.

[Enthuse]

Thanks. I was using an iPhone 13 Pro Max. I’ll see what I can do about screen recordings.

[Enthuse]

Actually there’s nothing to show as a screen recording. If the white play button (in the centre of the opening screen) is pressed the button just disappears. I’ve added a screenshot of the opening screen with ‘info’ displayed. This shows the video is H.264, but then you know this anyway. When I save the video into ‘files’ I can see that it is then a MPEG-4 movie. This plays fine.

[Enthuse]

Actually there’s nothing to show as a screen recording. If the white play button (in the centre of the opening screen) is pressed the button just disappears. I’ve added a screenshot of the opening screen with ‘info’ displayed. This shows the video is H.264, but then you know this anyway. When I save the video into ‘files’ I can see that it is then a MPEG-4 movie. This plays fine. I should add the effect I’ve just described (play button disappears) is what I’m now seeing on the video file airdropped to my iPad. As I’ve said before I much prefer iPad to iPhone for most tasks. Similarly I couldn’t play the video on my iPhone before airdropping it.

[Lumberjack]

Let me find a 13 Pro Max and see if it this is a general phone related issue or your phone issue.

I'll let you know.

[Lumberjack]

5 hours ago, Lumberjack said:

Let me find a 13 Pro Max...

I got a 13 Pro Max and works flawlessly...

Are you sure that you did grant all the needed permissions when you installed the app?

Please uninstall the app, install it and permit all access for the app. This app do not collect any data, only needs permissions to work.

[Enthuse]

OK thanks! It’s got to be some sort of settings issue therefore. I’ll investigate further.

[ratchetman]

I was very interested in this dashcam but although my 2018 C-Max has Cync3 the ford site said that my vehicle is not compatible. Why would this be?

[Lumberjack]

On 7/1/2022 at 10:07 PM, ratchetman said:

 Why would this be?

This means that the installation solution was not developed for your car. For that it need to be studied a number of things:

• Proper connections. For sure a +12V permanent, a ignition point and a ground connection can be found on your car, but needs to be the proper ones.
• Position on the windshield. The dashcam needs to be out of the driver field of view, to have proper access to buttons and SD Card and needs to have unrestricted field of view.
• Verify if the App is compatible whit your SYNC version.

Anyway, I've asked our colleagues at Ford to see if there are any impediments for your car.

Thanks!

 

[ratchetman]

Lumberjack. Thank you for that.

[Lumberjack]

@ratchetman you're welcome!

[Lumberjack]

@ratchetmanthis is what you can do about your car:

• We would not expect any issues with the SYNC compatibility;
• Since is no wire routing established for C-Max, the connections can be made at your own risk. A good electrician should be able to connect that DVR (there's only a +12V, a ignition and a GND connection). Be careful at airbags and moving parts when routing the harness.
• The dashcam would be positioned also at your own risk. This is some guiding lines to position it correctly:
  • Should be behind the rear view mirror,
  • On the passenger side,
  • With enough clearance for SD Card and buttons, 
  • Should be behind a zone where the wipers are operating
  • The line of sight should not be obstructed by anything - power up the dashcam and after check the correct position,
  • The image should be centered.

[ratchetman]

@LumberjackThanks very much. 

[Stephen Cairns]

I had this dashcam fitted today at my local Ford garage.

It looks great - discreet on the one hand, but attractive as well.

The accompanying paper instructions were not particularly helpful, so this thread has been INVALUABLE to me. Thank you to everyone who has contributed, and special thanks to Lumberjack for answering people's questions with patience and great clarity.

To be honest, I am a bit bewildered by the device, but I am sure I will get used to it. As someone who is not the best with technology, it is comforting to me that I can come here and ask a question if need be. The Ford salesman at my local garage took pity on me and set it up with my phone - he was a good lad!

Please can I just ask two questions for now:

1) Am I right in saying, as long as I have my mobile phone (with the app), when I start the ignition I need do nothing further to get the device working - i.e. does it start automatically?

2) The video with the man throwing the snowball at the car was particularly useful for me, as that is how I learn... can I clarify that you only need do only one of the three options on the screen (Ford blue button on device / press button on SYNC display screen / SYNC voice command) to capture an 'Event'? The other day, I was driving home when a woman deliberately threw over a bag of rubbish from a bridge onto a railway line below. It was on the opposite carriageway, but I remember wishing I had the dashcam. If I had pressed the Ford button on the device, am I right in saying I could have captured this event (and it would have been saved) assuming it was in the camera's line of vision?

Thank you so much. What a find this thread has been to me! 🙂       

[Enthuse]

Hi Stephen. Your dashcam will work irrespective of whether you have your phone with you or not. It sits there ready to record a ‘Park’ event even without the ignition on. Once the ignition is on, you can simply press the “Ford’ button to record a protected video file (a prang would automatically trigger a protected recording). Without this being pressed the cam is recording short duration video files anyway, but these will be overwritten eventually. As I understand it you need your phone and app. connected to the cam in order to do voice commands etc. I’ve decided my easiest option is just to use the  “Ford’ button if I want to record and preserve a specific event. The only other thing I would say is to remember to occasionally delete ‘Park’ events that occur if the ignition is not switched on within thirty seconds of rocking the car (E.g. getting in, unloading shopping etc.) as these are also protected files, and will eventually fill up your SD card.

[Stephen Cairns]

On 8/27/2022 at 8:54 PM, Enthuse said:

Hi Stephen. Your dashcam will work irrespective of whether you have your phone with you or not. It sits there ready to record a ‘Park’ event even without the ignition on. Once the ignition is on, you can simply press the “Ford’ button to record a protected video file (a prang would automatically trigger a protected recording). Without this being pressed the cam is recording short duration video files anyway, but these will be overwritten eventually. As I understand it you need your phone and app. connected to the cam in order to do voice commands etc. I’ve decided my easiest option is just to use the  “Ford’ button if I want to record and preserve a specific event. The only other thing I would say is to remember to occasionally delete ‘Park’ events that occur if the ignition is not switched on within thirty seconds of rocking the car (E.g. getting in, unloading shopping etc.) as these are also protected files, and will eventually fill up your SD card.

Thank you for replying. Please can I just clarify a couple of things. When I switch on the ignition, a green light (I think it's green - I am colour-blind!) comes on for a few seconds and then that goes off and a blue light comes on again for a few seconds before going off. Is that normal? I tried recording an 'event' by pressing the Ford button but nothing appeared in the 'Events' folder on the phone app. Do you have to hold it down for a set length of time? Can I also check if you need to do anything to get the device to start working once the engine is running, or does it just start automatically?   

[Lumberjack]

Thanks for your appreciation, Stephen! Since I'm part of this device/ app development team, my knowledge could help. So, I'm helping 😁.

Anyway, a lot of explanations can be found in the user guide within the app:

8 hours ago, Stephen Cairns said:

When I switch on the ignition, a green light (I think it's green - I am colour-blind!) comes on for a few seconds and then that goes off and a blue light comes on again for a few seconds before going off. Is that normal?

Yes, it is.

• Green means the DVR is powering up
• Blue means the DVR starts recording

Here's the LED color code for this DVR:

9 hours ago, Stephen Cairns said:

I tried recording an 'event' by pressing the Ford button but nothing appeared in the 'Events' folder on the phone app. Do you have to hold it down for a set length of time?

Every time you press (short press - under 1 second ) the Ford logo button, an Event type file is recorded - the LED turn Blue for 3 seconds.

If you press the Ford logo button longer than 3 seconds, you will switch off the DVR - you can see 3 short Blue flashes. Do that again to switch it back on or it will be done automatically next time when you switch off then on the ignition.

Here's the buttons functions:

The Event videos can be found in the SD Card files section:

9 hours ago, Stephen Cairns said:

 Can I also check if you need to do anything to get the device to start working once the engine is running, or does it just start automatically?   

As long as the Continuous Recording is switched on, the dashcam will record automatically every time you switch on the ignition:

Cheers!

[Stephen Cairns]

8 hours ago, Lumberjack said:

Thanks for your appreciation, Stephen! Since I'm part of this device/ app development team, my knowledge could help. So, I'm helping 😁.

Anyway, a lot of explanations can be found in the user guide within the app:

Yes, it is.

• Green means the DVR is powering up
• Blue means the DVR starts recording

Here's the LED color code for this DVR:

Every time you press (short press - under 1 second ) the Ford logo button, an Event type file is recorded - the LED turn Blue for 3 seconds.

If you press the Ford logo button longer than 3 seconds, you will switch off the DVR - you can see 3 short Blue flashes. Do that again to switch it back on or it will be done automatically next time when you switch off then on the ignition.

Here's the buttons functions:

The Event videos can be found in the SD Card files section:

As long as the Continuous Recording is switched on, the DashCam will record automatically every time you switch on the ignition:

Cheers!

What a great help you've been - thank you so much. I have now found the instructions on the app (which I originally couldn't find at all). It's all starting to make sense.

It's not important, but out of interest, why is 'Park' set to 'off' by default?

Thank you again 🙂

[Lumberjack]

14 hours ago, Stephen Cairns said:

... why is 'Park' set to 'off' by default?

There are situations when the car is parked inside a garage or on a private propriety where do not need to be protected and is left unlocked. Any door slam will generate a Park video and pretty soon the SD Card will be filled with Parks. That type of video is not overwritten automatically and needs to be deleted manually.

[Stephen Cairns]

7 hours ago, Lumberjack said:

There are situations when the car is parked inside a garage or on a private propriety where do not need to be protected and is left unlocked. Any door slam will generate a Park video and pretty soon the SD Card will be filled with Parks. That type of video is not overwritten automatically and needs to be deleted manually.

Thank you, Lumberjack. Makes perfect sense!

[Lumberjack]

You're welcome!

[Cliff richard]

I have just bought this dash cam and fitted it to my new 10/2022 ford kuga st line x 4x4 automatic  I found the instruction easy to follow in wiring it into the body control module under the glove box . After ford was asked to fit this from new but forgot and they forgot the wireless charging pad . But I found the one from the Ford Focus plugs into the cig light plug and with no wiring troubles . They also forgot the tailgate foot control chip in the bod control module . Fourth new kuga in 12 years and it’s the first time I have had any trouble with Ford cars not being built to the right spec.