My question is, how should I hook up power? Get an obd power unit and splice the wires to the K2's power unit? Is anyone hooking up the K2 to something else other than directly to the battery?
Seems the K2 has been replaced by the K3 in the Innovv shop. Well...you could also use the K3. But if you desperately want a K2, you could check the various shop. The K2 should be still in stock at some shops.
@Frostie The US. I'm not particularly keen on ordering internationally for a $400 cam. I think I will use another product instead. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
Of course you could use such adapters to power. You only need to find a spot to connect the black cable to.
Also, would it be possible to push the firmware of the K2 of the front camera to a 30+ bitrate? I won't be connecting the rear camera.
The maximum combined bitrate is 39,6MBit. So with the rear cam running at its default bitrate, the frontcam can be boosted up to 28 MBit. I never tested if it is possible to decrease the bitrate for the rear cam to get more at the front cam.
Like 6MBit at the rear cam and 34MBit at the front cam.
But in my eyes this isn't necessary either. At 28MBit, there will be no compression artifacts at all. Increasing the bitrate any further would be of no benefit.
Thanks for the info! I just have a couple more questions1. Are there extension cables for the cameras?2. Are you still able to create custom firmwares?
With the adapter set to "parking mode", it would provide power to the K2 after the ignition is switched off. But there are other ODB II adapters, which would do the same (get power at ODB II port) and are much cheaper. Like this one.
Either way, you would still need a switched power source for the yellow cable of the K2, so it knows when to shut down. In most cars the ligher does only work with ignition switched on. So maybe you could connect the yellow cable there.
@Frostie I was thinking of an inline fuse adapter for that.
https://www.blackboxmycar.com/products/add-a-fuseAlso, would it be possible to push the firmware of the K2 of the front camera to a 30+ bitrate? I won't be connecting the rear camera. I know this will significantly increase the file size.
I want it for my car because there's much less chance of theft, and having a heat issue. I don't want people walking by and looking at a $450 unit in the window, if it somehow continues to stick and operate in the summer.
Is anyone hooking up the K2 to something else other than directly to the battery?
The dashcams for cars have an extra buffer battery or capacitor to allow them to shut down properly when the ignition is switched off. The K2 does not have such a buffer, so it needs to be connected to a constant power source and a switched power source.
The only way to operate the K2 without a direct connection to a constant power source would be to use a external buffer, which gets charged when the ignition is switched on and powers the K2 for at least 20 sec when the ignition is switched off.
Not impossible to do, but buying a dedicated dashcam fors cars would be much easier.
You could ask the guys at OCDtronic if they still have some K2 in stock.
Well I was going to buy this today but I can't find it anywhere :(
Thank you. I might go with this option if the camera cable is long enough. Do you know just how long it is?
Are there extension cables for the cameras?
No. May be that an USB-C cable will do the job, but I never tested it.
Are you still able to create custom firmwares?
Of course.
@Frostie I was thinking of an inline fuse adapter for that. https://www.blackboxmycar.com/products/add-a-fuse
Of course you could use such adapters to power. You only need to find a spot to connect the black cable to.
Also, would it be possible to push the firmware of the K2 of the front camera to a 30+ bitrate? I won't be connecting the rear camera.
The maximum combined bitrate is 39,6MBit. So with the rear cam running at its default bitrate, the frontcam can be boosted up to 28 MBit. I never tested if it is possible to decrease the bitrate for the rear cam to get more at the front cam.
Like 6MBit at the rear cam and 34MBit at the front cam.
But in my eyes this isn't necessary either. At 28MBit, there will be no compression artifacts at all. Increasing the bitrate any further would be of no benefit.
Would this work? I'm hoping I could splice the K2 to this cable.
I want it for my car because there's much less chance of theft, and having a heat issue. I don't want people walking by and looking at a $450 unit in the window, if it somehow continues to stick and operate in the summer.
Not sure it is the best for cars. There are systems that are cheaper and easier to install.