Red light runners in Indiana

Video from a Mobius standard lens dash/action cam

XTL trailer 531405 I-71 Ohio 07-29-15

I'm not sure if he wasn't paying attention, or just doesn't give a damn?


This video is from a mobius, standard lens, dash/action cam.

Night video comparison A118-C vs Mobius standard lens, low light setting

If you are a trucker, chances are you operate at various times of the day, in varying lighitng conditions.       Most dash cams don't do very well at night.  Some high end dash cams do a little bettter than others, but I haven't seen a suitable 'bang for the buck' performance level to suggest buying one.

The two cams in this video are around $80, via various online retailers.   

I would not hold out much hope for reading license tags at night on any dash cam video I've seen online.     

These segments were taken on a pretty dark, rural road, the streetlights don't do much.


For a trucker, even video that doesn't show much of an incident at night, may help you establish fault.   You can usually see enough of road markings to determine your position in the lane.

You can also see the'other' vehicle, assuming it has lights.


Don't expect much, but don't dismiss what you may be able to capture.


Of the two, the A118-C is a little more user friendly.  It has a built in screen of modest usefulness, and an optional GPS module, again, a modest 'plus'.


The A118-C will also 'lock' selected videos with the press of one button, actually the largest button on the face of the unit.   Not so hard to find, even with the extended 'driver to cam' distances we have in big trucks.    Press the button, and that file is save in a special folder.  It won't be overwritten as the camera operates in 'loop' mode.  The file is there until you delete it.



The  A118-C uses two sided tape to attach a plastic mounting plate to your windshield.  It sticks pretty well, and it's easy to attach the body of the cam to the plate, and remove it. 

If you are not in the same truck every day, or week, you may not want this camera, but opt for a camera that can use a suction cup mount.    It's not impossible to remove the plastic plate, replace the tape, and re-attach it to a windshield, but it takes some time, and you will need to have spare tape.


I'm happy using my A118-C as my daily dash cam.   It's reliable, the day time video quality is good, and the camera is fairly discrete.



A118 HD 1080p Car Dash Camera - $79.95
from: Spy Tec

The other camera is a Mobius, standard lens version.   Small, discrete, pretty reliable, and good video quality.   The Mobius has a strong following in the RC plane and 'drone' community.   

There may be one over your head as you read this!

The Mobius is a little better suited for somebody a bit more 'hands on'.  

There is no screen.

The software and hardware are constantly upgraded.   You can easily update your Mobius via your laptop.

You can use a variety of mounts for the Mobius, there are plenty of aftermarket mounts that will work.   (Any mount using a standard 'tripod' mount thread)


The Mobius is a good dash cam for the OTR trucker in a sleeper operation, who has a laptop with them.     

Mobius 1080P HD Action Camera Wide-Angle
from: Spy Tec

 
Here is an earlier blog post with daytime video from both of these dash cams!



Below is some video taken with a Mobius, Wide Angle lens camera, during a trip to Pai, Thailand.    Please note: the darker section at the top of the video frame is the window tinting on the windshield.

Fun with 4 wheelers Big Truck Dash cam video

Impatient SUV passes truck on right, near miss Illinois

This is video from a Mobius, standard lens, dash cam.   The mobius is very small, discrete, and pretty reliable.    It's about the size of a match box, if you remember what those are?

Mobius Wide Angle Motion detection mode

I thought I'd play with the 'Motion Detection' mode on one of my spare Mobius, wide angle cams.



You have to configure this via the software program, and the sensitivity and video clip length are variable.



It works 'OK', but doesn't seem to pick up foot traffic.   These are just 3 clips of many.   The cam will continue to record as long as it has power, and will overwrite the oldest clip when full. This mode may be of some use if you park your truck in a remote area, unattended for a days. While it won't detect somebody moving around the truck on foot, it will pick up vehicles. In this use, the limits are card size, and power. Power should not be a problem in a big truck for a few days. You would probably fill the card up, and loop over the older files if you park for a few days in a busy area, like a truck stop.

Mississippi, I-55 White SUV in a hurry

Red Prostar, Tailgating Ohio I-71

I see this too often.   Big trucks, tailgating.   This trucker, and others will probably protest 'I ain't tailgating, I knows what I am doing', but there is no way this truck can stop safely if the car aheads brakes suddenly.       Want to face financial ruin, or maybe even prison?   Keep driving like this.   This applies to cars, also.  Back off.

Pai, Thailand, at night Mobius Wide Angle Dashcam

Most dash cams don't do very well at night.   The Mobius is 'OK'.   I was surprised this video  turned out so well.    
The Mobius is mounted in the top of the windshield, and the top of the video is darker due to the heavy windhshield tinting in the upper section.
 Pai is a small tourist city in NW Thailand, in the mountains near the Myanmar border.    

Thailand road traffic, trucks, buses, and other

Assorted highway video from my travels in Thailand, earlier this year.    Video is from a Mobius, wide angle dashcam.