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Old 11th August 2016, 07:01   #1
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Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

My search for a discreet + reliable dashcam to go in the front, that delivers good quality day & night footage comes to fruition with the Street Guardian SG9665GC.

Here's a little recap of my Dashcam journey...

My first Dashcam was the Mini 0805, about which I've written enough. A little update though, it has magically come back to life from the freezing episodes just by sitting in the cupboard. The Mini produces good daytime video quality and decent night-time quality. Reliability for me is a miss. This lay in the cupboard for a few months and was replaced with the Viofo A118C.
Since the Mini started functioning again, I've temporarily mounted it back to do some video quality comparison.

The Viofo A118C was purchased after the Mini stopped working reliably and while I was still mulling over getting the SG9665GC due to its higher price and availability issues. The A118C's night-time video quality left a lot to be desired at the very first look. In the day it came quite close to the Mini 0805, minus the extra motion blur, rendering it useless for number plate identification. At night the video quality was considerably worse than the Mini and at times not legible.

With the A118C not performing adequately in the video quality department; especially at night. The search continued..


My requirements from the new dashcam were:
  1. Should be small & discreet
  2. Good quality footage during the daytime and night
  3. Reliability - No hanging, freezing, heating or locking up issues cropping up
  4. Capacitor based only - I fret even thinking about leaving a Chinese li-po battery in the car under extreme conditions
  5. CPL should be included or readily available (so I don't need to break out the neodymium magnets again.)

While still using the A118C, I looked at other options that were discreet from the currently available options. This time around setting the bar for night-time quality to be at par with, what I could see on youtube and RAW-file links on dashcamtalk from the SG9665GC.

With none of the competition belonging to the discreet variety coming even close when it came to night footage, plus the update about my friend traveling back from Perth, it was a no-brainer.

As per user reviews and youtube videos the SG9665GC fulfilled all the listed requirements.

The SG9665GC will be referred to as 'GC' for the remainder of this review.

You maybe thinking, why pay four times the cost for something that looks exactly like the A118C. Though they look the same at first glance, there are some minor differences on the outside. The adjustable lens housing is bigger on the GC and is a little raised but the lens doesn't protrude out like on the A118C.

The major difference between the two dashcams is inside the housing. Listed below are most of the differences.

The GC bears a 2MP Sony Exmor IMX322 CMOS sensor versus the A118C's 3MP Aptina AR0330.
The GC uses a Novatek NT96655 chipset versus the A118C's Novatek NT96650 chipset.
The GC has a 7 element all glass lens versus the A118C using a plastic lens.
The GC utilises a metal holder for the lens versus the A118C that employs a plastic holder for its lens.
Extras over the A118C include various adhesive pads for the mounts and EVA foam pads for cushioning the mounts, Micro SD card, card reader/ OTG adaptor, GPS module, additional thicker mount and a trim pry-tool in addition to the accessories supplied with the A118C.

The GC is manufactured and assembled in China for an Australian company that goes by the name - Street Guardian.

Instead of reinventing the wheel they replicated a design that was already popular and discreet with a solid mounting option.

What appeals to me is the super discreet wedge shaped design that hides neatly behind the IRVM, totally out of sight, thanks to the up-down adjustable lens. This lets you mount the camera on the dotted frit with just the lens visible from the outside.

The housing design as mentioned has been borrowed from the A118C, the GC's manufacturer claims that the plastic used in their housing is of better quality and more resistant to higher temperatures.

The video quality during the day is good. Night quality is good too, night footage is actually where the GC shines. Thanks to its all glass 7 element 2MP Sony Exmor IMX322 CMOS sensor + Novatek's NT96655 chipset.

A capacitor provides complete peace of mind due to its ability to perform stably at high temperatures, unlike li-po batteries which can puff or blow up under extreme conditions.

The GC misses out on a few features some may find useful e.g. parking mode, WiFi or bluetooth connectivity and a touch screen amongst other bells and whistles, which I was not looking for in a dashcam. I wanted something that reliably starts recording quality footage when the car is turned on and automatically shuts off when the ignition is turned off, the GC fulfills that requirement without ever acting up.

Sony's Exmor IMX322 is a 2MP CMOS sensor, which performs better in low light due to larger pixels being able to collect more light/detail at night, plus the overall quality of the lens as compared to say the OmniVision 4MP OV4689 or a 3MP AR0330 from Aptina.

The metal holder for the lens ensures that under extreme temperatures the holder doesn't get hot and warp like the plastic ones resulting in out-of-focus or focus-shift issues. (An issue widely prevalent on the Mini 0807 and Yi dashcam, amongst many others.)

There are a few other dashcams offering the Sony Exmor IMX322 + Novatek NT96655 combination at much lower prices, but I strongly suspect that any of the other vendors would have a as polished and glitch-free firmware or would listen to customer feedback and provide continuous improvements via updates.


Issue & resolution:

I received my GC about a couple of months back, unfortunately the unit received had a few hot pixels spread out across the frame, during the day the hot pixels weren't visible, wasn't bad either if there was ambient or street lighting during the night but as soon as light levels dropped, the hot pixels were quite distinct.

Being aware that the manufacturer/vendor was actively providing direct support on dashcamtalk, I started a thread describing my issue. Within seconds the US vendor for Street Guardian was on the thread with instructions to recalibrate the sensor in order to get rid of the hot pixels. The pixels disappeared after the calibration process.

I was quite miffed at having to perform this task after spending a premium for something that should work flawlessly out of the box.

The reasoning given for this anomaly was -

"The Sony Sensor is being pushed running at maximum sensitivity so it's pretty tough to get every single pixel 100% perfect without losing night performance."
"The challenge with calibration is you do them in the factory on a brand new sensor and not every bright pixel shows up in such a short time."

I was also informed that the hot pixels could also appear days after the calibration is verified at the factory.

After carrying out the calibration as described, I felt the videos had lost their sharpness, with focus being too short and motion blur increasing. A couple of raw videos were shared and a day later, was offered a replacement. Maybe it was a placebo effect knowing that proper calibration requires a specific lumens light-box, opposed to a mobile phone screen set to full brightness with a similar colour-temperature background as the light-box.

Costing a measly 750/- in comparison to couple of thousands the courier companies wanted, it took only 5 days for a hassel-free delivery to Australia via SpeedPost. Amazing!

The replacement unit was received in perfect condition via tracked AU post. The manufacturer sent me a complete brand-new retail box including the Micro SD, offsetting the shipping costs and then some. (I had sent back only the dashcam without the Micro SD card.) The high-quality power supply received in the new box, which now I'm using for my rear facing Mobius, is more than enough towards compensation.

The new unit performs as it should out-of-the-box and the video quality matches the clips that led me to get the GC. Many thanks to the manufacturer for not making me run pillar-to-post in order to get a speedy resolution.


What I like:
  • The wedge shape design and form factor. Very discreet, hides nicely behind the IRVM with just the lens peeking out below the dotted frit. With a CPL covering its lens, GC looks much more discreet from the outside.
  • Good daytime and night-time video quality
  • Suitable for high temperatures due to a capacitor and a metal holder for the lens
  • Quick GPS Lock. Data starts appearing within 30 seconds
  • Excellent after sales and customer support

What I don't like:
  • Some free 'play' or movement of the lens housing assembly in between the pre-defined lens adjustment clicks. (You shouldn't be able to move the lens up or down once it clicks into the pre-defined slot, a design flaw IMO)
  • The one second overlap from the previous video during playback or when joining two clips if editing (chipset limitation)
  • No option to embed/stamp GPS data in-video, vehicle speed shows up though (chipset limitation)
  • A complete kit minus an inclusive CPL + hardwire kit, at this price the CPL and hardwire kit should be included (probably nitpicking)

Cost:

SG9665GC - $235 AUD for the 32GB kit from 'strathfieldcarradios' on eBay Australia - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Street-Gu.../262407687705?

This is the cheapest you can get this dashcam for, only problem being that the seller doesn't ship internationally.

CPL - $49 AUD from Streetguardian.info - https://streetguardian.info/sggccpl-cpl-filter.html

Shipping was free as my friend carried it with him from Perth.

If it wasn't for availability issues, I'd never have gotten the A118C and had gone for the GC after the Mini 0805's episodes.

If you're looking to get one online with shipping to India, the only option is to buy from the US vendor of Street Guardian via their website or eBay.

The price difference after conversion from USD in comparison to the AU rates and astronomical shipping charges made me wait and get the A118C as an interim replacement.


Specifications:

Processor: Novatek NT96655
Lens: 7 Element Metal body all Glass lens, 135° diagonal viewing angle
CMOS sensor: Sony Exmor IMX322
Video resolution: Full HD 1080P at 30fps @ 15Mbit/sec
Video format: H.264 compression, MOV format
LCD display: 1.5-inch HD TFT screen
Microphone: Built-in, on/off menu selectable
Speaker: Built in
Storage media: SDHC MicroSD card, 32GB Class10 recommended (included), 200GB maximum*
Gapless recording: Supported
Recording cycle: Menu selectable 1 min/3 min/5 min
Date stamped video: Supported
Custom user text: Supported
Motion detection: Supported
Soft shutdown: Supported, last file save and soft shutdown
Screen saver: Supported, menu selectable 3 minutes, 1 minute, off
Night mode: Wide dynamic range (WDR)
Built-in G-sensor: Yes, with adjustable sensitivity
Incident file protect: Automatic by G-Sensor/Manual emergency by button
GPS: Included (external)
Exposure compensation: Menu selectable -2.0 to 2.0
White balance: Auto
Language: English/Spanish/Russian/Portuguese /German/Italian/Japanese/French/ Simplified Chinese/Traditional Chinese
Output mode: mini USB 5-pin port and DC 5V
Power supply: Fail-safe Super Capacitor
RTC: (Real Time Clock) Supported
Dimensions/weight (LxWxH): 72 x 52 x 43mm(excluding the bracket)
Unit Net Weight: 74g
*Memory cards greater than 32GB must be formatted FAT32


Whats included:
  1. Street Guardian SG9665GC
  2. 2 x Adhesive mount
  3. Micro SD Card
  4. 12V cigarette adapter (4M/13')
  5. Carrying pouch
  6. Mount removal string
  7. External GPS module + extension cable
  8. Micro SD card reader & OTG adaptor
  9. English user manual
  10. Mounting clips for power cord
  11. Extra adhesive and EVA foam pads for the mount, GPS module and cable manager
  12. Wet & dry cleaning wipes
  13. Trim pry-tool
  14. Mount removal string

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SG9665GC

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Cable management attachment. I feel this adds bulk to the install and draws attention to the dashcam, not using it.

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Box

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Unboxed

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Last edited by Rehaan : 6th December 2016 at 16:54. Reason: Minor formatting change :)
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Old 11th August 2016, 07:43   #2
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re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

CPL, Included accessories and size comparison with other dashcams


CPL - SGGCCPL

At $50 AUD this is insanely expensive but totally worth every penny. (Costs just marginally lesser than my entire collection of filters for the DSLR.) They plan on releasing a mass produced version which'll be considerably cheaper but there's no ETA on that.

The SGGCCPL's optics are made in Germany, shell is 3D printed in the Netherlands and assembly done in France. The CPL's glass consists of 4 layers - protective glass + circular polarized glass + protective glass + UV glass. There is no rotary adjustment required as it comes set to the optimal polarised position. You can also attach it both ways, very convenient.

I've observed that this CPL doesn't cut too much light while being satisfactorily effective in cutting reflections and glare. The night performance hence is not dramatically reduced with this unique 4 layer CPL. It does take away just a tad bit in sharpness for daytime footage IMO. At night there is a discernible difference in brightness but not enough to warrant its removal. The cheaper quality CPL's, like the ones I've used with the Mini 0805 and A118C tend to darken the video to a great extent, making them unusable at night in most situations. I'm guessing about a single stop of light's being cut with the SGGCCPL in comparison to about 2-3 stops being cut by cheap CPL's.

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With and without CPL example

Without (compressed image)

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With (compressed image)

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Included accessories:

Quick start guide

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Mounts - one regular + one thick mount for near vertical windshields. I use the thick mount as it helps with clearance when the CPL is attached. Usually the CPL is left on.

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12V to 5V cigarette lighter socket charger - comes with a 12V to 5V step-down power supply in a separate box with a red LED indicator. A ferrite core towards the mini USB end of the cable eliminates radio interference. The male cigarette lighter socket adaptor can be chopped off to use the remains as a hardwire kit, thanks to the power supply being separate from the male cigarette lighter socket.

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GPS module - The GPS module needs to be mounted normally with the GPS logo facing skyward, hence users sticking it to the windshield usually flip the GPS chip inside the module. I've been using it stuck to the windshield on the dotted frit, with the GPS logo facing downward and haven't faced any problems with getting a GPS fix.

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GPS module extension

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OTG adaptor/card reader + Micro SD card & adaptor

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OTG adaptor/card reader - Accepts SD and Micro SD cards.

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Surface cleaning wet & dry wipes

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Extra adhesive pads for the camera mount, GPS module, EVA foam pads for the mount and A wire manager + wire management clips

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Carrying pouch + Stickers

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Pry-tool and adhesive mount removal string.

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All items from the box

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Size comparison shots

Mini 0805, SG9665GC and Mobius

The Mobius does very discreet duty in the back, facing outwards using a 3D printed tilt mount.

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A118C, SG9665GC, Mini 0805 and Mobius

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Back - A118C and SG9665GC

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Front - A118C and SG9665GC

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A118C, SG9665GC shades off

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A118C, SG9665GC shades on

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Last edited by harsh79 : 15th August 2016 at 13:18.
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Old 11th August 2016, 15:51   #3
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re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

DIY hardwire install

You could simply use the OEM 12V female cigarette lighter socket in your car's cabin and plug-in the supplied charger but that becomes inconvenient if your car doesn't have multiple 12V outlets. The Active has two supplied 12V outlets of which I can't sacrifice either to connect a permanent accessory, as one's used for the mobile phone charger and the other for the TPMS receiver. Only option left is to hardwire a 12V source to connect the dashcam.

The SG9665GC has been hardwired to the Active's internal fuse box using a 12V female cigarette lighter socket that comes crimped to a fuse tap. The supplied charger connects to the hardwired socket and is tucked away securely using zip ties above the fuse box. I plan on moving the socket and charger inside the glove box once I receive the 2 metre version of the kit used.

I decided against chopping off the supplied charger's male cigarette lighter socket, which if done would've converted the charger into a 12V to 5V hardwire kit.

I strongly suggest you to stay away from cheap quality hardwire kits which could damage your connected equipment if not worse. If one's doubtful about a separately purchased hardwire kit, this would be the safest route IMO. If the dashcam comes with a hardwire kit from the manufacturer, I would opt to solder a fuse tap to the positive (ACC - red wire) and add heat shrink tubing to strengthen and waterproof the connection, for the negative (ground/earth - black wire) a crimped ring terminal with heat shrink tubing works best.

You can't beat the reliability of solder + heat shrink tubing for a solid connection, if done correctly.

A soldered + heat shrink tubed connection for the auto-dimming IRVM with a 3A additional fuse and 15A original fuse. Note the position of the fuses, the additional fuse is in-line with the wire that connects to the device.

I prefer transparent heat shrink tubing as the joint is visible for later inspection, if required.

Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install-sg14-1.png

Items required:

1) Car Cigarette Cigar Lighter DC 12V Extension with Micro Fuse Tap Holder kit - http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1M-1-...272214179.html

A well assembled solution. Quality construction and proper crimping. I had ordered two and out of curiosity, sliced open the plastic insulation covering the crimped connectors on one of them. The connections were tightly crimped and the female socket's internals too passed with flying colours.

2) Self locking cable ties - I used the 30cm ones as they are easier to work with. - https://www.flipkart.com/tycab-12-in...me9y64agfjrq5k

3) Pry-tool (One piece is supplied with the SG9665GC. I have the linked kit too.) - http://www.aliexpress.com/item/4pcs-...594832067.html


Things to do and remember before the install

First and foremost you need to determine what kind of fuse your car's fuse box supports, in the Active its a low profile Micro APS/ATT type fuse. Best is to pull out an existing fuse and compare it to the different types available, this will decide the kind of fuse tap that comes connected to the kit from Aliexpress.

Identify a non-critical accessory fuse using a 12V fuse testing screwdriver or a multimeter, look for one only receiving power when the key is turned or the start-stop button is pressed to activate ACC mode, as you do not want to have the dashcam running 24/7 and drain your car's battery while connected to a permanently live fuse. Examples of an accessory (ACC) fuse would be the existing 12V power socket, radio/head-unit, power windows or the rear defogger fuse.

The fuse that you insert for the additional device into the fuse tap should NOT be of lower amperage than what your device will draw and also should NOT be greater than the tapped circuit's load carrying capacity or the original fuse's rating. This is very important if you don't want blown fuses or have to deal with bigger complications later.

Let's simplify this, say your dashcam draws 1A at max while it's running and you're tapping into a 15A fuse. The additional fuse you will add has to be above 1A and below 15A for the install to function reliably. Keeping this rule in mind, I use a 3A fuse along with the original fuse that's rated at 15A. This ensures that the 3A fuse will blow first if the camera draws more than 3A on the 15A circuit for any reason.

The fuses are there NOT to protect your dashcam but to protect the car's wiring and electronics from short circuiting or going up in smoke due to an overload.

I've noticed members posting about utilising the empty/unused fuses in the fuse box to hardwire their devices rather than piggybacking off a fuse that's in use. My logic and limited understanding is that the ECU is mapped as per the electronics, equipment and corresponding fuses that exist in your car, adding a fuse to an unmapped slot may/could cause errors, IMO. With the ever increasing amount of wiring and electronics in cars nowadays, I would rather tap off a mapped non-critical fuse, that's supposed to work. 12V gurus could chime-in with their inputs.

Do not ever piggyback using fuse taps off any critical fuses meant for things such as airbags, ABS or other safety related equipment.


Step-by-step install:

Start by removing the fuse box cover (excuse the fuse taps already connected)

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Fuse details are illustrated behind the fuse box's cover

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Remove the door rubber seals and using the pry-tool remove the trim panel exposing the dashboard's side
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Remove the A-pillar

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Run the charger cable starting above the IRVM , tucking it into the headliner till you reach the A-pillar

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The mini USB port should reach the mounting position of your dashcam. The GPS receiver's extra wire also needs to be tucked into the headliner. This is where the cables need to come out from the headliner and connect to the camera

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GPS module mounted top left on the dotted frit

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Stick the cable management clips on the exposed A-pillar area and route the charger cable through them till where the A- pillar ends

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Camera mount stuck at the desired location after a lot of trial and error

Used up all my extra adhesive pads

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Connect the charger's male cigarette lighter socket to the female cigarette lighter socket firmly

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I taped the sockets together using black electrical tape, just for good measure..

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Fold the excess wire, sockets and the step-down box together and tie them up using cable ties

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Route the remaining cable coming from the A-pillar through the dashboard's support openings so that the fuse tap end can comfortably reach the fuse box. Also ensure that the cable-tied charger + socket has enough wire length to be hidden behind the metal frame once cable-tied

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Insert the 3A fuse into the upper slot and the 20A fuse in the lower slot, your additional fuse will always be in-line with the wire going the the device

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Ensuring that the ignition is off, insert the fuse tap into the fuse slot from where the original fuse was pulled out, the one below the 30A fuse

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Fuse tap connected

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Connect the negative (ground/earth-black) wire that came crimped with a ring terminal to a grounding location like a metal nut that's in contact with the car's metal body. After inserting the bolt through the ring terminal, make sure that the bolt is tightened back well

The body mounted nut is where the bolt going through the ring terminals is screwed in. This is a good ground/earth point as the ring terminal comes in good contact with the steel plate that's welded to the body

Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install-sg9-1.png

These two screws are not a proper ground/earth point, they're just holding the plastic trim together

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Ring terminal attached to the bolt and tightened (note the weld spot)

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Turn on the ignition to see if everything works as expected. If the LED indicator turns on with the car in ACC mode and on cranking the engine, you've successfully hardwired your power source

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Charger + socket's hiding/mounting location identified, behind the steel plate with the holes

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Mounted using cable ties

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Note the mounting position, the red LED indicator is visible through the right hole

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Tuck the wires on the side so they do not obstruct the entry of the trim panel's clip

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After you've verified once again that the installation is working as it should, put back the A-pillar, dashboard side panel, rubber seals and the fuse box cover to conclude a successful DIY install.

Last edited by harsh79 : 15th August 2016 at 11:32.
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Old 14th August 2016, 20:12   #4
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re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

Result

GC mounted AND CPL attached

Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install-sg20-1.png

From my driving position the dashcams are hidden behind the IRVM

Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install-sg6-1.png

Under normal circumstances they are not so clearly visible from the outside, I'm using a CPL with the DSLR to cut the glare and reflections falling on the windshield

Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install-sg21-1.png

Closer look from the outside

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File information, Firmware, Playback software and Videos

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The SG9665GC records at 1080p 30fps, which's is the only setting available for video. Video bitrate is around 15mbps, audio is Mono at 512kbps. Each 3 minute clip averages about 375MB. I get a little over 8 hours of footage with a 64GB card.

The microphone in the SG9665GC does a much better job than both the Mini 0805 and Viofo A118C, all audio in the recordings is loud and clear.


Firmware

The latest firmware available from the manufacturer's website is - SG20160629.V2 (Update 3). There is also a Beta version (Beta 22) available, which has improved AE tables to address an issue some users have reported, the SG9665GC struggles during dynamic or high contrast, increased brightness and variable lighting situations leading to blown highlights and upper tonal range. The vendor has assured that his development team is working on fixing the issue completely in addition to other improvements with future updates.

SG9665GC Firmware update instructions:
  1. Extract the firmware file
  2. Delete any files from the memory card
  3. Copy the firmware bin file to the empty memory card
  4. Insert the card to camera
  5. Connect to constant USB power source, do not disconnect power at any time during update process
  6. Camera will power on, screen will remain blank while updating
  7. Once update has finished camera will startup as per normal
  8. Stop any active recording
  9. Enter settings menu and format the memory card
  10. Enter settings menu and reset default settings
Any personalised settings will need to be re-entered. Process is complete.


Playback software options:

Datkam Player (Mac) - free

http://datakam.ee/player

Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install-dascamv1.png

Dashcam Viewer (Mac) - paid

https://dashcamviewer.com

Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install-dashcamvr1.png

Registrator viewer (Windows) - free - The last available version looks like a repackaged Datkam Player but with enhanced functionality.

http://www.registratorviewer.com/download_en.html

Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install-rvr1.png

Or you could use VLC if you don't care much about seeing where you were driving, on the map. I don't..

Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install-vlc.png


Videos

All videos shot at the default setting: 1080p 30fps, WDR - on, metering - average (full frame)

Note: Youtube's encoding compresses the videos. Select 1080p HD in the video settings on Youtube. Original videos are a tad better.

Daytime, gloomy weather



Daytime with CPL, gloomy weather



Daytime, gloomy weather 2



Daytime with CPL, gloomy weather 2



Night, well lit market area, slow speed



Night with CPL, well lit market area, slow speed



Night, street lighting



Night, street lighting with CPL



Night, ambient and intermittent street lighting



Night with CPL, ambient and intermittent street lighting



Daytime, raining



Daytime with CPL, raining



Afternoon with CPL, raining




Weather permitting, I'll keep adding videos under different lighting and driving conditions.

Cheers.

Last edited by harsh79 : 15th August 2016 at 12:41.
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Old 15th August 2016, 13:44   #5
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re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing this very detailed thread!
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Old 15th August 2016, 20:54   #6
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re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

More daytime videos with a clearer sky

Daytime, sunny



Daytime with CPL, sunny



Daytime, sunny



Daytime with CPL, sunny



Edit:

Just went through the videos in this post again, horrible encoding by Youtube on these, original videos are much better.

Last edited by harsh79 : 15th August 2016 at 21:13.
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Old 16th August 2016, 12:40   #7
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Re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

Very interesting, I've been exploring the idea of getting an integrated dashcam for my 328i but the only thing I could find is http://www.bmw.de/de/topics/service-...ryId=9872.html and it's quite expensive.
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Old 16th August 2016, 13:56   #8
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Re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

I wanted to use the same method and ordered few Fuse Taps, Inline Fuse and Female lighter socket from Aliexpress. But the Fuse tap I received though of good quality wouldn't fit tight in the fuse box. It was very loose and would dislodge from the fuse socket even at slight vibration.

Compared it with one of the fuses from the car and found that the fuse pin in the fuse tap is a bit shorter and thinner than the fuse in the car.

So I utlised the Female lighter socket and inline fuse to hard wire the dash cam to the OEM Cigarette lighter socket. I din't cut any wires or skim it, just opened the socket and inserted the wires into the holder and pressed it.

Its working perfectly fine and its protected by my inline fuse and the original fuse for the cigarette lighter.

Regards
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Old 16th August 2016, 16:21   #9
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Re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

Quote:
Originally Posted by quickdraw View Post
Very interesting, I've been exploring the idea of getting an integrated dashcam for my 328i but the only thing I could find is http://www.bmw.de/de/topics/service-...ryId=9872.html and it's quite expensive.
That's as good as mounting a point & shoot camera that'll hang down off a suction mount, not to mention the mark-up BMW will charge for the accessory. Wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole. IMO a dashcam should be discreet to begin with.

Quote:
Originally Posted by chandrda View Post
I wanted to use the same method and ordered few Fuse Taps, Inline Fuse and Female lighter socket from Aliexpress. But the Fuse tap I received though of good quality wouldn't fit tight in the fuse box. It was very loose and would dislodge from the fuse socket even at slight vibration.

Compared it with one of the fuses from the car and found that the fuse pin in the fuse tap is a bit shorter and thinner than the fuse in the car.

So I utlised the Female lighter socket and inline fuse to hard wire the dash cam to the OEM Cigarette lighter socket. I din't cut any wires or skim it, just opened the socket and inserted the wires into the holder and pressed it.

Its working perfectly fine and its protected by my inline fuse and the original fuse for the cigarette lighter.

Regards
You were probably using a Low-Profile Mini-APS-ATT instead of a Mini-APM-ATM fuse/fusetap, as usually the fit is tight and should never come loose on its own.

The seller I got the socket kit from has all the types available and the quality is good too.
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Old 16th August 2016, 21:38   #10
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Re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

Couple of videos after updating to the latest firmware - Beta 26, released yesterday.

They've improved on the AE table for centre-cut metering along with enhancing the audio recording quality.



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Old 17th August 2016, 08:11   #11
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Re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

Quote:
Originally Posted by harsh79 View Post
You were probably using a Low-Profile Mini-APS-ATT instead of a Mini-APM-ATM fuse/fusetap, as usually the fit is tight and should never come loose on its own.

The seller I got the socket kit from has all the types available and the quality is good too.
You are right, after reading your reply I did look up and found that its Mini-APS-ATT. I will order Mini-APM-ATM fuse/fusetap and re-connect it.

My knowledge on these is very limited, thanks for the information

Regards
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Old 18th August 2016, 14:07   #12
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Re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

Couple of night quality comparison videos with the Mini 0805. Both have a CPL on.

Individual videos and then combined.

Mini 0805, night



SG9665GC, night



Combined



Mini 0805, night 2



SG9665GC, night 2



Combined

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Old 20th August 2016, 06:24   #13
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Re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

Night video quality + audio quality comparison videos with the Mini 0805 without CPL.

Individual videos and then combined.

Mini 0805, night




SG9665GC, night




Combined

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Old 23rd August 2016, 16:18   #14
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Re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

Thanks for the review, harsh79. I am currently using A118C in my car and willing to upgrade. SG is really cool since it looks exactly the same as my dashcam and should provide me better video quality.

Between Mini 0806 and SG9665, which one do you think is better overall?
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Old 23rd August 2016, 16:48   #15
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Re: Street Guardian SG9665GC v2 Dashcam: Review & Install

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ace F355 View Post
Thanks for the review, harsh79. I am currently using A118C in my car and willing to upgrade. SG is really cool since it looks exactly the same as my dashcam and should provide me better video quality.

Between Mini 0806 and SG9665, which one do you think is better overall?
The GC is definitely better than the 0805/0806, be it hardware or performance, not to forget reliability.

Update: The 0805 froze again while recording, it's back to its old self.
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