Blackvue DR650GW-2CH Install

[hacer]

I thought about doing that, but I was concerned that the trim piece would be too "floppy" if I didn't put that clip back in. Is your trim pretty secure without the clip? I think leaving the middle clip out might be better since the trim would be supported at the front and back, just not in the middle...but it would be harder to fish the cable to the middle hole.

It's pretty secure. Firstly the trim piece actually snaps to the middle trim piece which provides support, and secondly as I said, I added some double-stick foam tape to tape what could be the "floppy" end to the body (you need thick tape, I just stuck two pieces together to double my tape thickness).

I thought about using the center hole too. I think it wouldn't be hard to fish it through that hole, but I'd already routed it through the other hole and decided if I ever hear a rattle I can go back and re-do it that way. Now that it's all back together I doubt that will ever be necessary.

 

[Fusion]

My question is seeing how you guys are just tucking wires in to get it in there. Are there any concerns for the side airbags?

 

[wilheldp]

My question is seeing how you guys are just tucking wires in to get it in there. Are there any concerns for the side airbags?

If you are talking about tucking the wire in the trim along the sides of the car from the front to the back, there is plenty of room for the small cable without interfering with anything. You don't even need to remove the trim...just slip a spudger in there to form a little gap, then stuff the wire in the gap.

Well, I finally got my cameras installed, but not without more problems. First of all, my replacement rear camera cable came with the two angled plugs instead of having a straight one for the rear camera. This certainly made it more difficult to get it though the rubber boot to the hatch, but I got it done. I also had to drill a slightly bigger hole than planned in the hatch, but I went ahead and did it.

I got the wire routed from the rubber boot to the new hole, but I was having trouble getting the angled connector through the hole (although the hole was big enough). In the process, I managed to separate the cable from the connector...AGAIN! At this point I was pissed. I didn't think I had put any excessive stress on the cable and it still separated. I also decided that I wasn't going to order another freakin' cable, just to have this happen again. So I decided to solder-splice my two broken cables together. It was certainly a pain in the rear since this is a shielded video cable, but I made it happen with plenty of shrink wrap and a piece of aluminum foil for added shielding. It's ugly as sin, but just like the siliconed-hole in my hatch, all the ugliness is tucked away in plastic trim.

So after many cuss words and several hours of work, I have the rear camera installed. I fire up the phone app to align the camera, and I realize that the image is upside down. I didn't think this was a big deal because my previous, sub-$100 dash cam had an option to invert the image in the software. Blackvue, however, seems to lack that option. Does anybody know if there is a way to flip the image, or am I going to have to flip the camera instead?

 

[f-stop]

[...]
So after many cuss words and several hours of work, I have the rear camera installed. I fire up the phone app to align the camera, and I realize that the image is upside down. I didn't think this was a big deal because my previous, sub-$100 dash cam had an option to invert the image in the software. Blackvue, however, seems to lack that option. Does anybody know if there is a way to flip the image, or am I going to have to flip the camera instead?

the Blackvue desktop viewer app has a button to rotate the image 180degrees when you've got your SD card plugged into your PC to view the recordings, but AFAIK there's no configuration setting in the dashcam itself.

however if your front camera is right-way up and rear camera is upside down, when you use the desktop viewer to watch both views together simultaneously picture-in-picture, the 180deg rotate button will flip BOTH, so they'll never be both rightside up at same time. If you're only viewing front or back camera videos separately of course then you'll be fine. But you might want to instead flip the mounting of the rear camera instead to have both views oriented the same

 

[hacer]

... Does anybody know if there is a way to flip the image, or am I going to have to flip the camera instead?

The phone app has a button to configure that. I think the phone app sets a flag in the camera itself because when I download the files they both have the right orientation and before I did that the rear was upside down.

 

[K-MTG]

My review of the DR650S-2CH will be out soon, had it installed on the X for a month. Should have it uploaded next week

 

[f-stop]

I notice the newer Blackvue DR650S-2CH does have 180degree rotation setting for the rear camera, as well as s/w control of the rear camera LED, among a few other new features.

However I assume most of us here have the older DR650GW-2CH which lacks those features. But I also see that the latest firmware v2.005 for the GW now supports 10Mbps front / 5Mbps rear (was 8Mbps/3Mbps)

DR650S Series vs DR650GW Series Comparison | BlackVue

 

[CuriousG]

I notice the newer Blackvue DR650S-2CH does have 180degree rotation setting for the rear camera, as well as s/w control of the rear camera LED, among a few other new features.

Are either of those features helpful in any way? Sure if you mounted your camera upside down. LED? I think most people prefer to have it off to be inconspicuous.

 

[f-stop]

Are either of those features helpful in any way? Sure if you mounted your camera upside down. LED? I think most people prefer to have it off to be inconspicuous.

I guess that's why they added those features to the newer 650S, subtle improvements that may be useful to some people e.g @wilheldp asked about the rotation a few posts upthread, seems his camera is mounted upside down. Re: LED I agree, I don't want an always-on rear LED either - a s/w controlled one would have been nice but since the LED can't be turned off with the 650GW, I simply put a piece of gaffers tape over mine.

 

[wilheldp]

Eh, no big deal. I just flipped the camera back over today. It's slightly off center since I taped the bracket on so that the lens was centered when the camera was upside down. But you can't really tell a difference in the image. The rear camera does have a defrost heating element running right through the center of the image which is pretty annoying, though. Oh well...don't see a way around that.

 

[Fusion]

Argg......... so I don't think I have the constant 12v in mine. I looked under there and nothing. Is it just taped to the mic area if you do have it? Wondering now if there is something in there I can tap to so I don't have to run wires down further to get some power.

 

[MGMDaware]

Argg......... so I don't think I have the constant 12v in mine. I looked under there and nothing. Is it just taped to the mic area if you do have it? Wondering now if there is something in there I can tap to so I don't have to run wires down further to get some power.

Do you mean you don't see the constant 12v by the mirror? You can always use the odb-II port below the driver side foot well.

 

[Fusion]

Do you mean you don't see the constant 12v by the mirror? You can always use the odb-II port below the driver side foot well.

Yes, I took off the mic area and nothing there, unless I have to look under the mirror cover (black part on window). I might have to use the OBD but was really hoping to use that extra port because it's soooooooo close.

 

[MGMDaware]

do you have the refresh?

 

[Fusion]

do you have the refresh?

2013 85, Vin in the 21XXX range.

 

[MGMDaware]

hmmmm, that's strange. Did you check under the tape in the housing?

 

[4SUPER9]

2013 85, Vin in the 21XXX range.

My 2013 did not have it either. I ran a cable up from the OBD. I little annoying, but not too difficult.
With my 2016, I have the port. I still use the OBD for my radar detector which is mounted right there

 

[Fusion]

My 2013 did not have it either. I ran a cable up from the OBD. I little annoying, but not too difficult.
With my 2016, I have the port. I still use the OBD for my radar detector which is mounted right there

Thanks for the reply. Only thing I hate about the OBD route is the uglyness of that thing sticking out from the bottom. I'm not worried about taking off panels and running wires. What other options I have to tap to inside the cabin? I don't wanna go through the fire wall to the battery either unless it's the last resort.

 

[Barry]

The extra power connector in the mic compartment appeared some time in 2014.

 

[auger]

Thanks for the reply. Only thing I hate about the OBD route is the uglyness of that thing sticking out from the bottom. . . .

This actually improves the look by covering up the OBD hole.

Amazon.com: Diageng Low Profile Right or Left Angle OBD 2 II Extension with Flat Ribbon Cable 1'/30cm CAN Bus Compatible: Automotive