[dipdawiz]

Originally Posted by raksrules

When it comes to CPL filter on 70mai Pro Plus+ A500S, can we remove the CPL filter as needed? I don't see why one would need to remove it though.

in 70Mai, you can remove the CPL, rotate, adjust as you need. Though it is sort of install and forget type of thing. It's not required, but it is just having an option in case you want to/need to/feel to remove it.

Originally Posted by raksrules

Also for people using dual channel dashcam, you have fitted the CPL filter only on the main front facing dashcam right? There is no need for the rear camera I guess.

Rear camera does not need it, specially in hatchbacks/SUVs has almost vertical rear glass, does not cast any reflection.

Originally Posted by RPM1706

1. One is the point on supercapacitor vs lithium batteries as asked above. Please share your thoughts on this as that will help me decide between the two.

2. The other point is on whether to go for hardwiring or not. I would like to avoid any warranty void issues. So, what's the workaround (if any) you have done on this? Is there a case for buying a dashcam battery pack? Or should we just use an alternative like connecting it to the cigarette lighter port etc.?

Look forward to some direction here. Thanks!

1. battery is so small in 70mai, it does not look like to cause any issue (fire or something similar). And before this used Transcend dashcam with larger battery in build; in 5 years in all sort of condition, nothing happened. So technically there might be advantage of using capacitor, but in real life may not be a must have for small appliances.

2. I use DIY hardwiring (Review: A Glacier White Pearl Kia Seltos GTX+ Diesel Automatic) as I needed a clean look and not to use center console's 12v cigarette lighter plug, it does not support parking monitor. I went through this route as it's fun to DIY, cheap and reuse old accessories and I do not need any parking monitor so far. If you want parking monitoring enabled, go for official hardwire kit. Use fuse tap to get power from fuse box, no striping or cutting wire. I checked with my service guy, they are fine with it.

Originally Posted by raksrules

Have the prices of the 70mai Pro Plus+ A500S Dual Channel Car Dash Cam increased recently? I see on amazon it is being sold for 12K and I am sure I have seen the same for 10.5K just a week or two back.
Even on nexdigitron, it is 11K now and I think I saw for 10K or below there.

I bought last year for 8499 from Amazon on some random lightening deal. Some day back friend bought for 9999 in Amazon sale while priced 10499. Now increased to 12K. Now a days everyone gives chip shortage as excuse and increase price, not sure how true that is anymore.

[Sushil Pingua]

Originally Posted by RPM1706

Thanks, Sushil. The reason i decided to go for the Z40 was i read somewhere that it uses supercapacitor instead of lithium batteries. Would you say that it is a feature worth considering. Otherwise, the 70mai Pro Plus+ was my initial choice.

The dashcams having small batteries would not be lethal, it is not a bigger threat as compared to capacitors- as mentioned by @Dipayan. I would suggest you to proceed with the purchase of 70mai Pro Plus+ dash cam.
Further, I have not hard-wired my dashcam because I have safe parking both at residence and place of work & I do not book hotels during vacations who do not have in-campus parking. So my dashcam is powered via the 12v cigarette lighter socket and it comes to life when i start the engine and stops recording when i switch off the engine.
Dashcam battery pack is available on nexdigitron for around Rs.4,500/-

Originally Posted by raksrules

Have the prices of the 70mai Pro Plus+ A500S Dual Channel Car Dash Cam increased recently? I see on amazon it is being sold for 12K and I am sure I have seen the same for 10.5K just a week or two back.
Even on nexdigitron, it is 11K now and I think I saw for 10K or below there.

Dashcam is a luxury item in India, so its price increases when there is increase in people going out on driving vacations. February marks and is the beginning of most people owning cars going out on driving-vacations till late June/July when people do not go out driving in rains. So the next season when there is drop in price of dashcam is monsoons, but as soon as Puja Vacations begins there will again be increase in price of dashcams in India.

[Sebring]

Actually do we have any reports of dash-cams catching fire? Or is it an urban legend. Why the fear?

Originally Posted by Sushil Pingua

The dashcams having small batteries would not be lethal

[Sushil Pingua]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Actually do we have any reports of dash-cams catching fire? Or is it an urban legend. Why the fear?

You are actually right in your words, I searched the google-news by entering the search word 'fire due to dashcam battery' and the first 5 pages did not show any such results.

Dashcam batteries are small and only meant to keep the dashcamera ON for a few seconds after you shut your car off and it is saving the video file.

Dashcam is a product bought before us by the Western automotive media, so we tend to believe their facts and suppositions, just like sunscreen lotion of which we literally copy what westerners say.

[thanixravindran]

Regarding the Super Capacitor Vs Battery in Dashcams, the technical explanation I can think of is

Super Capacitors will have a uniform performance characteristics over wide temperature range than Batteries (-25degC to 65degC). This is more pronounced for NA and Europe markets due to their weather conditions but not sure why this is a important parameter for Indian conditions.

Other plausible explanation is the longer life as Super Capacitors are suitable for complete/sudden discharges like the use case in Dashcam (Back-up memory at abrupt power loss) or Camera flash unlike batteries which are less suitable for deep/sudden discharges in long term.

There are other advantages like faster charging with Super Capacitors which does not fit the use case in Dashcams.

[Kaus2002]

Originally Posted by Dharmen

I recently purchased and got installed SafeCam Y3S model. This is Pune based company and claimed to be Made In India

Thank you Dharmen for sharing this, where can I find it in Pune. Can you please share the location from where you got it installed .

[Kaus2002]

Hi RPM1706,
You already received good responses on your questions, and I am also in same dilemma that you have..

Please see me response below :

Originally Posted by RPM1706

1. One is the point on supercapacitor vs lithium batteries as asked above. Please share your thoughts on this as that will help me decide between the two.

70mai pro plus contains Li-Polymer battery and not Li-ion-(which is mostly used in mobile phones).
Li-Polymer uses a polymer electrolyte (gel like) rather than a liquid electrolyte which is used in Li-ion. So it makes Li-Po more effective and safer for use. It has less chances of catching fire compared to Li-ion. This is based on my internet searches, but 70mai has not specified its operating temperature range in its user manual ..
They have just mentioned do not operate it under high temperature and low pressure..
where as DDPai has given temperature range of -20 to 70 C.

2. The other point is on whether to go for hardwiring or not. I would like to avoid any warranty void issues. So, what's the workaround (if any) you have done on this? Is there a case for buying a dashcam battery pack? Or should we just use an alternative like connecting it to the cigarette lighter port etc.?

Look forward to some direction here. Thanks!

When I asked this question to SA of Skoda he said don’t hardwire it, in case if they found presence of an after market accessories has caused any electrical problem in the car, then they may void the Warranty.

If you have a need of 24/7 surveillance security then discuss with your own SA and get it done in the authorised service Centre , if they agree.

And if there is no such need then connecting with cigarette lighter will do the job.

[Sebring]

Its -10 to 60 C. Nexdigitron site had that info

Originally Posted by Kaus2002

but 70mai has not specified its operating temperature range in its user manual.They have just mentioned do not operate it under high temperature and low pressure.where as DDPai has given temperature range of -20 to 70 C.

[Kaus2002]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Its -10 to 60 C. Nexdigitron site had that info

I saw that in a picture of DDPai description where Super capacitor is compared with lithium battery.

But the same I couldn’t find it in specification of 70mai A500s dashcam.

[PetrolRider]

Being a fence sitter on dash cam for long, finally decided to jump in. Initial thought is to get a basic one to get myself accustomed to the idea overall.
Really helpful if the pros can help me clarify few things:

• I am not planning to hard wire it. What would be a better place to position it, on dash or on the windshield? Verna has this huge blackout area behind IRVM; hence if placed on windshield camera position could not be in the center.
• Did anyone faced any issues with dash cam while driving through military or any restricted areas? Our roads are dotted with such areas without any proper marking.
• How much duration of videos can be stored in let's say HD format in a 64GB memory card? Do these cameras give any notification when then go for loop and start replacing older file?
• Any review of 70mai M300?

[raksrules]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

• I am not planning to hard wire it. What would be a better place to position it, on dash or on the windshield? Verna has this huge blackout area behind IRVM; hence if placed on windshield camera position could not be in the center.
• Did anyone faced any issues with dash cam while driving through military or any restricted areas? Our roads are dotted with such areas without any proper marking.
• How much duration of videos can be stored in let's say HD format in a 64GB memory card? Do these cameras give any notification when then go for loop and start replacing older file?

I will only try to answer what I can.
1. Windshield will be better than dashboard as it will give slightly elevated view. You can probably place below the black area of your car.
2. I have never driven or been in any restricted area so no idea but if it is general public area where all sorts of vehicles are freely allowed, then I don't see it as a problem.
3. I am not sure of duration but I highly doubt that any camera gives any notification when it start deleting older files and over writing with new files. I would recommend getting max capacity card that the dashcam supports. Also, sometimes, manufacturer may have recommended 64GB Max but the camera may be able to support even 128GB so read about them on reddit and forums and such.

[adisan]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

• I am not planning to hard wire it. What would be a better place to position it, on dash or on the windshield? Verna has this huge blackout area behind IRVM; hence if placed on windshield camera position could not be in the center.
• How much duration of videos can be stored in let's say HD format in a 64GB memory card? Do these cameras give any notification when then go for loop and start replacing older file?

• I had a cellphone holder placed on the windshield earlier. When driving facing the sun, it used to absorb heat and transmit to the phone, which eventually would switch off. So when I got the dashcam I placed it on the dashboard, a bit away from the windshield. No issues so far, after over 2 years.
• In a 16 GB card,with medium resolution,I get just under 4 hours of footage. No notifications, when the memory is full it just overwrites the earliest footage.

[Sebring]

Better to install front UV film to avoid dash getting heated up. Protects from plastic fade too

Originally Posted by adisan

used to absorb heat and transmit to the phone, which eventually would switch off.

[AjinkyaP]

Looking for a minimalistic dashcam and planning to install 70mai M300 + CPL filter using suction mount for better flexibility, only worry is how the suction mount will hold up in long term due to continuous exposure to harsh sunlight.

Please post the feedback if anyone is using the bracket already.

[Sebring]

Suction mount wont hold in direct sun, when the glass heats up. Look for a suction mount for the dash board

Originally Posted by AjinkyaP

how the suction mount will hold up in long term due to continuous exposure to harsh sunlight