I've been running dashcams for a few years in a tractor trailer, and they will sometimes fail, or lock up.
Make sure your cam is mounted where you can easily determine it's working, and functioning properly. You may even want to download some video segments occasionally just to make sure. (weekly, monthly?)
With a small camera like the mobius, there is a very small LED that flashes, and it can be a bit hard to see in daylight, depending on where you mount the cam. You need to be able to readily see whatever indicator your cam has that it is functioning normally.
On some cams with a digital screen, there may be flashing indicator on that screen. If this indicator is on an LCD screen that may wash out in sunlight, or blank out under heat, you can't easily tell it's still functioning.
(One reason I like the Mobius.....simple, small, and even if it locks up, easy to re-set)
You will also want to consider buying a super capacitor to replace the Mobius battery, if you are using the Mobius as a Dashcam.
I have had memory cards fail, as well as cameras shut down or lock up in the heat of the windshield.
I've also begun re-formatting my memory cards occasionally. (when there is no video you need to save on that card.)
Most of us use these cams for protection. Don't ignore them, even the best cam can let you down!
EVERY dashcam I have owned, and there have been maybe a dozen, have failed at some point, or shut down briefly.
The mobius is more reliable with some occasional maintenance. (Flash settings, format, etc)
Don't ignore your cam! The video you want, or need, may not be there, when you really need it.
The most common failure I have had with dashcams is card failure.
Avoid Sandisk cards in a dashcam, they're not bad cards, but have a high failure rate in dashcams.
Format your card on a regular basis. This seems to help the card survive longer.
In over 30 years of driving a truck, I've been hit many times by other trucks, while parked in truck stops. Too often the other driver will take off if he thinks he has not been seen. Often it happens when a truck is trying to back into a parking space next to you. In this situation, it's daylight, the parked truck is not exactly sitting in an official parking space, but there is plenty of room to get around it.
Watch as the Quality Carried tanker hits the trailer of the parked truck as it attempts to drive around it. The Driver of the truck did not get out of the truck to check on the damage to the other truck, or to try to contact the driver of that truck.
The tanker driver drove off to a back row of the truck stop, parked, then walked back to the truck he hit to look at the damage, and pick up a piece of his trailer fender that fell off in the accident. He took this piece of fender back to his parked truck, and placed it on the ground next to the damage he did to his trailer. (Two destroyed rims and tires, and a fender.)
Again, he never attempted to contact the driver of the parked truck he hit, who turned out to be in the cab, sleeping.
I was busy trying to find the dashcam video of the truck. I had video, as well as witnessing this mess.
A second driver who witnessed the accident, knocked on the door of the parked truck, waking the driver up.
(How he slept through that jolt, I don't know, but he claims he thought it was a nightmare.)
I don't remember if the driver of the tanker then wandered up, or if they walked over to where he was parked. The tanker driver did appear at the back of the trailer to look at the damage, and had some discussion with the driver of the parked truck.
The tanker driver was not going anywhere, due to two flat tires, which must have hit the edge of the DOT bumper on the parked Van trailer.
Making a mistake is kind of normal. This, of course is not excusable. It appears the tanker driver had no intention of checking with the driver of the parked truck he hit. This sucks.
With more dashcams in trucks, the chances JERKS like this are more likely to get caught.
This footage is from a Hewlett Packard F-200 dashcam.
Get a decent dashcam, for your own protection!
Along with my dashcams, I usually carry an 'action' cam in my truck when I travel.
Most action cams will easily attach to your windshield with available suction cup type mounts.
They do not replace dedicated 'dashcams'!
Most action cams will not 'loop' video files, and do not have the ability to be powered continuously during use.
My current favorite is my old Contour Roam HD. It's simple to use, rugged, and produces good 1080p video.
Once attached in the windshield, you only need to use one button to start or stop recording. Simple.
Another handy feature is the ability to rotate the lens, altering the orientation of the produced video, or expanding mounting possibilities.
The Contour does have ONE standard tripod mount thread hole on the bottom.
Here's some fresh sample video from the Contour Roam HD, at night, and during the day.
The current model is the Roam2, and I recommend it!
Recently I picked up a JVC Adixxion GC-XA1. I like it, also. The video is good. It does have many more features than the Roam HD. It's also small and appears rugged.
It's not as simple to operate, and I find the various buttons you need to push to operate the camera, or navigate the menu, have a vague feel. You'll need to press two buttons to start initial recording, as opposed to one large slide switch on the Contour.
I've yet to explore the many features of the JVC. I do like the camera, it's just not as easy to use as the Contour, when mounted in a big truck. The LCD screen is a minor convenience. You canv't really do much with it when you are using the camera on a suction cup mount in the windshield
. It's primarily useful for reviewing video when you don't have access to a laptop, or want to connect to one. There are also apps available to review videos via a smartphone, and the built in wifi, but I have not had luck configuring these apps.
The Adixxion has two standard tripod type mount holes, one on the bottom, one on the side. I'm still trying to find a small suction cup mount that will work well in the bottom mounting position, when attached to inside of the truck windshield. (Ideally getting the camera as high up in the windshield as possible.)
I'm using the side attachment thread with a suction cup type mount, currently.
One downside to the Adixxion which surfaced during my normal use. The battery life is not great.
Maybe an hour of continuous use.
I usually stick either the JVC or Adixxion up in the windshield only when anticipating passing through a scenic area, or if the opportunity presents itself in traffic backups. Sometimes I'll leave an action cam mounted in the windshield during the day, flipping it on periodically.
The Contour roam does better in this usage, easier to turn on, and the battery life seems much better.
Amazon does sell a charger battery pack combo that works well, is inexpensive, and works with both Adixxion models. You will want a spare battery if you buy an Adixxion, the battery life is pretty modest.
Here's some video from the JVC Adixxion.
Amazon also sells the Adixxion2, a newer, more expensive model, with more features.
Overall, for occasional use in a truck, the Contour Roam2 wins out. It's much simpler, easy to use.
I've been an Over the Road trucker for over 30 years, and a mild gadget freak. A dashcam can save your bacon if you get into an accident when the other vehicle is at fault, but the driver is not so honest, or it's not so obvious who screwed up.
You also see a lot of strange and neat things while driving. A dashcam allows you to capture some of these things.
I won't drive any vehicle without one!
I've used a handful of cams over the last 3 years. I'm not impressed or swayed by hype. I am impressed with reliability, ease of use, and a reasonable image quality.
Most of the dashcams sold at truckstops are overpriced junk.
(some are OK)
I'll be posting some low tech reviews on cams, and some tips, and some videos on this blog.
Stay safe, and you never know who is watching you, and recording!
