Abeo Dash Cam

[JakeBlade]

Ok, so my choice is made.  Mobius it is.  The more expensive rear-view mirror dashcam (the Shadow SeeZeus GL8000) in the post above ^ ^ ^ ticked all of the boxes for me, except one: for RHD cars, the lens cannot be adjusted.  So there would have been a high probability of filming the pavement, but at c.£100 delivered after duties I didn't want to take the risk.

 

Plan is to get the sticker mount onto the black shaded area by the rain sensor (or the "centre sun visor" as the marketers like to call it), and then have the mobius peeping out just below that.  The official mobius mounts are a bit unwieldy, so going to order a couple of different sticker mounts to see which fits best - but I will have to wait a while for these to come on the slow boat from China.

 

Hopefully should be a relatively discrete install by the time I've finished with it.

[Damo]

Looking forward to this Jake, and may end up following your lead

[JakeBlade]

I wonder what the mrs will say when all these parcels turn up with "bang good" written on them...?

[WaveyDavey]

Looking forward to this Jake, and may end up following your lead

What he said.....

Keep us updated Jake I'm also starting looking at these and it defo needs to be good night time quality seeing as I spend about 4 months a year commuting to and from work in the dark.

Then the research into which insurance companies give discounts for dashcam installation.

Cheers

Dave.

[JakeBlade]

I spent quite a lot of time flicking through the dash cam talk forums. I wanted something discrete, with really good day and night time footage. Wasn't too fussed about gps, but wanted something with a reliable firmware, and build.

That got me to a short list of:

1. Mini 0803, but finally decided against this as owners report that it's in desperate need of a firmware update, and there are issues with overheating - although the manufacturer seems to have fixed this with a new heat sink. The updated units just need to find their way through the supply chain.

2. Shadow GL8000, which the reseller - foxoffer - told me had night time quality similar to the 0803 and the mobius, in other words pretty darned good. I thought this rearview unit would be the one as it would also take a 12V input, which opens up the possibility of a very stealthy instal, but then they told me that the lens is fixed in place. Great for LHD, but no good for those of us that drive on the correct side of the road.

3. Mobius, which I have obviously gone for. I will mod with the super capacitor so that I can avoid battery expansion, and it will have the "B" version wide-angle lens fitted as well. There is a great support community, and lots of firmware updates. Can also be use as an action cam, and the attachments are very cheap - provided you can wait for it to turn up from the Far East. Bang Good are a genuine reseller, and they hold stock in a UK warehouse - they currently have a wide angle unit on its way to me at £45 delivered. Then I've spent another £20 or so on a variety of mounts, cables and leads. I also have some thoughts on putting a lens hood shade on it, to reduce glare.

So I hope to have a decent install for for £65-70. Then when it's up and running I will think about a hardware instal.

Swinton are offering 10% insurance discount for dash cams. Adrian Flux also offer discounts, but from what I could work out the discounts are only for dash cams from a very small list of potentials.

Will keep you posted when all the stuff turns up.

[WaveyDavey]

Just saved the möbius to my wish list on Amazon. Camera is £68.71 from Amazon themselves and a sticker windscreen mount is £4.89.

I'll await your review with interest as looking at youtube footage the night quality seems good too.

Cheers

Dave.

[JakeBlade]

For future ref:

Genuine reseller (select UK warehouse): http://www.banggood.com/Mobius-Action-Camera-1080P-HD-Mini-Sports-Camera-Wide-Angle-Edition-p-917817.html

Genuine direct seller on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/181173830861

[JakeBlade]

For future ref:

Genuine reseller (select UK warehouse): http://www.banggood.com/Mobius-Action-Camera-1080P-HD-Mini-Sports-Camera-Wide-Angle-Edition-p-917817.html

Genuine direct seller on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/181173830861

(you'd only use the sticker mount, and bin the strap)

[JakeBlade]

This turned up today:

Need to wait for my different mounts to turn up from China and from HK, but I'm pretty sure it will fit perfectly behind the rear-view mirror on the passenger side. Just need to order a right-angle/left-angle mini USB connector, which will allow me to channel the cable up along the mirror mount housing and then tuck in the headliner.

[WaveyDavey]

How are you planning on powering the camera Jake? Are you going with a spare switched position in the fuse box?

Cheers

Dave.

[JakeBlade]

For the interim it will be by USB cable plugged into 12V socket whilst I test the thing out, until I can free up a couple of daylight hours one weekend. Then it will be a hardwire job.

For £45 it's really well made. Nice rubberised tactile finish.

Edited 22 August, 2014 by JakeBlade

[SuperbIRL142]

I would appreciate if you can post pictures of the camera mounted and details and pictures of the way you hard wire the camera? I assume you are fitting a UPS (battery power supply) type device?

[WaveyDavey]

Don't forget to unplug it and plug it back in each time you get out / get in.

Cheers

Dave.

[Sparkly]

Very tempted by an 0803 dash cam, seems to get awesome reviews

[Toxicvrs]

Does an Abeo or an 803 have GPS and speed?

[Sparkly]

Does an Abeo or an 803 have GPS and speed?

0803 from prance has a GPS logger version, presuming speed too.

Awesome track cam!

[Toxicvrs]

0803 from prance has a GPS logger version, presuming speed too.

Awesome track cam!

I might have to try that sometime!

[JakeBlade]

0803 is just being updated with a heat sink. So just make sure you get the new stock.

[JakeBlade]

Whilst I wait for my array of mobius mounts to arrive from the Orient, I'm starting to think about how I would hardwire it.

Does anyone know if the Columbus GPS receiver is located somewhere around the windscreen? The mobius can interfere with GPS which I obviously want to avoid.

Can anyone advise which is the best low current (3A) switched-live fuse to piggy-back off? For "best" read: interior lights or something non-essential like that, rather than exterior lights, airbag, abs, traction control, etc.

That just leaves the best place to hide the 12V/5V step-down transformer. Was thinking of maybe sticking it in the glove box, in which case I could get a hardwire kit with 2 female USB ports. USB1 would go to the camera, and USB2 would be free for phone charging duties.

I have the diagrams for A-pillar trim removal from wokwon http://www.briskoda.net/forums/index.php?/topic/278146-Fitting-a-camera%2E%2Ehow-to-pick-up-12v-supply-on-dash%3F/page__view__findpost__p__3292704, so I'm almost ready to roll.

Edited 26 August, 2014 by JakeBlade

[WaveyDavey]

Isn't the GPS receiver in the sharkfin at the back?

 

Had the end panel off the end of the dashboard today where the fusebox is.... Wondering if the step down transformer could be placed in with the fusebox somewhere as there seems to be a bit of space in that area? Then just a power lead up to the camera... Having not seen the size of the power supply i can't say for sure. Do you have a picture of it so as to see how big it is Jake? I'll go take a picture of the space above the fuse panel at the end of the dash now and post it up.... If the transformer could be positioned here it would mean an pretty easy method of running the lead direct from here up the drivers A pillar then across the top of the windscreen to the rear view mirror location.

 

Fuse wise looking at the fuse layout the smallest is a few 5A positions.... Two that stand out as not being used in my own car are positions 20 & 21 which are labeled as KESSY & KESSY ELV.... Are they still wired on the rear of the fuse panel though???? If it's something that does actually need to be installed in the car so as for that fuse position to be connected to the 12v supply then the other 5A possibly non-essential position is position 29 (Preparation for the aftermarket radio).

 

Another question..... Positions that are labeled on the fuse layout as being spare or not used on the layout..... Are they wired up/conencted to the 12v supply on the back of the fuse panel as if so easiest thing is obviously just to use one of these unused positions.

[WaveyDavey]

Ok here we go.....

Fuse layout....

And then a couple of pics of the space above the fuse panel at the end of the dashboard. Room for the power supply???

[WaveyDavey]

And just found this which may help as it shows it doesn't have to be a 5A position but anything using the specified little adapter.....

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/265343-dash-cam-12v-multi-adaptor-hidden-install-driver-storage-compartment/

 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Dave.

[JakeBlade]

Thanks Dave, you are a star.

These are my current thoughts about 12v/5v boxes.

1. With 2 USB ports: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321481371580

2. With right-angle mini USB: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130978719862

3. With left-angle mini USB and low voltage detection (for permanent live): http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351073614007

1. I would plug a USB mini extension into for the mobius, and keep the other USB port in the driver cubby, or glove box - depending which side fuse box I ho into..

2. Output line is only 20cm, so the box would need to go into the headlining somehow.

3. Has 3.2m cable before the box and 1.75m after, so I think could site the box in that void that you've highlighted in the fuse box, or could look at siting in the headliner. Also possible to tap into a permanent live circuit, as the box shuts down at 11.6V.

I'd be looking to use the piggy back fuse idea.

Edited 31 August, 2014 by JakeBlade

[WaveyDavey]

Ok..... So as standard if you bought a Mobious how are you supposed to power it? Do you have to buy the 12v/5v supply??? I assumed it came with a power supply etc... for use in the car?

 

Also in 2 you mention the box needs putting inside the headlining as it's only 20cm from Mobious but then in 3 you say leads are 3.2m and 1.75m either side of box so why would box need to be 20cm from Mobious?

 

 

I was just assuming it came with a cig lighter style power supply with a lead that then went to the camera.... My idea would have been for the cig lighter style adapter to be placed in with fuse box and then just a lead to the camera?

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Dave.

[WaveyDavey]

Ah just googled and realised it doesn't come with power leads for in car use.....

 

With regard to the box being in the headlining i think i'd rather keep it within the fuse panel area so it's a case of finding a 12v-5v supply which has an output lead of about 2-3m long.... Or one with a short lead like the ones you have found and then just using a longer seperate mini USB extension lead out to the camera.

 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Dave.