[donniemcm]

Oki let's see what do we have in here

I'll begin with mine which is the Korean made Caidrox CD3000 took with my shouldn't be so crappy korean phone

The front view from outside :


A closer view :

Like most of good black box, it will switched on once the car is started or when the car is "opened" as its powered by the car cigarete lighter (for the easy installation)

An inside view of the thing :


Same but with a clumsy flash revealing a pile of cable. It actually comes from the rear camera cable, I will need to think later on how to hide more cleanly


The cables are running through the side "gutters". So it shouldn't be seen except here at the rear left seat :


Here the carpet view that also needs to be rethink of


And then going to the rear seat cigarete. Actually I could have put it in the front but as you know, the front lighter need the cover to be lift up to access it. So I prefered having the choice to keep it close for aesthetic and plug the setup behind.


Here is the view of the right side column where you can see the black cable passing in between the grey and black "wall". And then it goes down though the plastic gutter


This is the rear upper corner where you can see the cable, it can be cleaner but will do later


And then we arrive at the rear camera and idem cable can be inserted in the gutter though here same quick and dirty job, it still can be seen

Note for people who wants to DIY : stick the rear camera on the black plastic so that the white sticker can't be seen from outside

Further review of the video quality to come

[RC3]

great write up. wait for your video quality review.

[mit]

"...Like most of good black box, it will switched on once the car is started or when the car is "opened" as its powered by the car cigarete lighter (for the easy installation)
..."
I'm using the Korean SIV H7 blackbox...but my 10' F10's 12V remains always on even after turning off the engine and having the car locked( that's strange if your socket turned off with the engine switch?!). I know how to solder a bit and can make a switch along the wire....but I'm afraid I'm bound to forget to switch off the blackbox one day and drain the battery to death...So just make myself a battery using 4 li-ion batteries connected in series to power it. Have to charge it at home every 3-4 days, troublesome isn't it?

[donniemcm]

Originally Posted by mit

"...Like most of good black box, it will switched on once the car is started or when the car is "opened" as its powered by the car cigarete lighter (for the easy installation)
..."
I'm using the Korean SIV H7 blackbox...but my 10' F10's 12V remains always on even after turning off the engine and having the car locked( that's strange if your socket turned off with the engine switch?!). I know how to solder a bit and can make a switch along the wire....but I'm afraid I'm bound to forget to switch off the blackbox one day and drain the battery to death...So just make myself a battery using 4 li-ion batteries connected in series to power it. Have to charge it at home every 3-4 days, troublesome isn't it?

Does your blackbox have a park in feature? Some do have it an allow "offline" recording.
But if yours is connected to the cigarette lighter plug, switching off your car should cut the power too. Or maybe it means your car is not correctly switched off
My device was coming with this power pack thingy http://www.caidrox.com/eng/Powerpack.pdf
It allows to do what I mentioned above and it can apparently avoid to empty your battery.


As for my videos, I need to find the time to get relevant-with no interesting passenger talks-with day & night ones.
And then to upload them

[mit]

"..But if yours is connected to the cigarette lighter plug, switching off your car should cut the power too. Or maybe it means your car is not correctly switched off .."

I supposed the socket in the F10 is "always-on", I can see the light stay on in my SIV H7 even after locking the car. Are you a 10' or 11' car? or is it software related

[grimlock]

Originally Posted by mit

"..But if yours is connected to the cigarette lighter plug, switching off your car should cut the power too. Or maybe it means your car is not correctly switched off .."

I supposed the socket in the F10 is "always-on", I can see the light stay on in my SIV H7 even after locking the car. Are you a 10' or 11' car? or is it software related

The cig port should switch off after a while. Just lock you car with it on and go back in 30mins/1hr and check..
If you hook it to the Bat. it will stay on for sure

[grimlock]

Originally Posted by donniemcm

As for my videos, I need to find the time to get relevant-with no interesting passenger talks-with day & night ones.
And then to upload them

Are you going to bust some ppl by posting it on youtube? "Crazy Bmw driver.. etc. " ..I hope I dun appear..

[hksl]

What's the purpose for fitting a camera?

[donniemcm]

Originally Posted by mit

"..But if yours is connected to the cigarette lighter plug, switching off your car should cut the power too. Or maybe it means your car is not correctly switched off .."

I supposed the socket in the F10 is "always-on", I can see the light stay on in my SIV H7 even after locking the car. Are you a 10' or 11' car? or is it software related

I have a 11' car, though shouldn't be always on as far as I know

[donniemcm]

Originally Posted by grimlock

Are you going to bust some ppl by posting it on youtube? "Crazy Bmw driver.. etc. " ..I hope I dun appear..

I will apply a blur filter on any 5er

[mit]

Originally Posted by grimlock

The cig port should switch off after a while. Just lock you car with it on and go back in 30mins/1hr and check..
If you hook it to the Bat. it will stay on for sure

Just checked it today...you're right. When I returned to my car ~20-30 mins after I locked it up, the socket got turned off automatically. And once I unlocked the car with the remote the power came back right away

This is how I have my wire routed

[donniemcm]

Originally Posted by mit

Just checked it today...you're right. When I returned to my car ~20-30 mins after I locked it up, the socket got turned off automatically. And once I unlocked the car with the remote the power came back right away

This is how I have my wire routed

Oh interesting way
I didn't check yet but can you hide the cable inside the plastic "gutter" ? or you just lay it?
Same question for the glove box!

[mit]

Yeah all wires got hiddened,include the part routing thr the glovebox.
But the trick is..I change the wires that come with the blackbox to much thinner one (~1mm x2, one for the positive, and one for the negative pole)

[M_528i]

Originally Posted by hksl

What's the purpose for fitting a camera?

it is becoming a trend now to install a black box.
In HK if you have a crash and it not your fault then you can take the video to the court or insurance for proof.
I will install a cam too but don't know which 1 yet so many on the market now.

[M_528i]

Originally Posted by donniemcm

Oki let's see what do we have in here

Further review of the video quality to come

Nice write up I will get 1 too so any video of the quality?
Can you still see the number plate at night?

[donniemcm]

Globally quality is good. Though one time there was a taxi getting out of a parking entrance and while getting on the first line, turn his wheels very sloppily and bitting the second line where I was. Almost hit me
And when I wanted to check the recording, it was a bit blur but i am thinking of the state of my car which was (and is now too) very dirty
Hence I couldn't check correctly is car plate to complain. Also I guess that I was going forward and he was, I think, trying not to follow me and avoid the recording to snap his car plate. Actually the few times I avoided an accident, the taxi (yes guess why always) slowed down and changed line to avoid the cam. They are quite smart as*, they can see the mounted cam and keep low profile when they are jack-as*ing on the road ...

But as time flies i guess new stuff are out with better quality.
Also something that your camera quality can't beat is the dirtiness of the glass, the weather condition and the time of the day (I checked samples during heavy sunlight and can't see a thing with the reflection and direct sunlight)

Sorry forgot completely of the video review, so lazy to post and describe each different situation.
As lot of people say, the mounted cam is like a cop in your car, once people see it, they will try to avoid you. Except sometimes they don't have the time to see it, or should I say when they drive without seeing what there is around them

[M_528i]

Originally Posted by donniemcm

Globally quality is good. Though one time there was a taxi getting out of a parking entrance and while getting on the first line, turn his wheels very sloppily and bitting the second line where I was. Almost hit me
And when I wanted to check the recording, it was a bit blur but i am thinking of the state of my car which was (and is now too) very dirty
Hence I couldn't check correctly is car plate to complain. Also I guess that I was going forward and he was, I think, trying not to follow me and avoid the recording to snap his car plate. Actually the few times I avoided an accident, the taxi (yes guess why always) slowed down and changed line to avoid the cam. They are quite smart as*, they can see the mounted cam and keep low profile when they are jack-as*ing on the road ...

But as time flies i guess new stuff are out with better quality.
Also something that your camera quality can't beat is the dirtiness of the glass, the weather condition and the time of the day (I checked samples during heavy sunlight and can't see a thing with the reflection and direct sunlight)

Sorry forgot completely of the video review, so lazy to post and describe each different situation.
As lot of people say, the mounted cam is like a cop in your car, once people see it, they will try to avoid you. Except sometimes they don't have the time to see it, or should I say when they drive without seeing what there is around them

this is why I am planning to upgrade my old 1 to a Full HD cam