H D D A S H C A M E R A User Manual All trademarks are acknowledged as the property of their respective owners. Unless otherwise stated their use does not imply that the trademark owner is affiliated with Kitvision or endorses the products herein. Please recycle this packaging responsibly. JB. 4714 / Made in China. Kitvision 2016. Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 4FL, UK 1 1
Box contents Kitvision Observer Dash Camera 8 GB memory card Carry pouch In-car charger with USB port Window suction mount User manual USB REC 9 10 MIC RESET Functions 1. Micro USB input 2. LCD screen 3. LED indicator 4. Power on/off 5. Up (Toggle microphone on/ off during recording) 6. Menu button 7. Down (Save video loop during recording) 8. Record start/stop/ok 9. Microphone 10. Reset 11. Speaker 12. Micro SD card input 13. Camera lens 14. Window suction mount socket 3 11 4 5 6 7 1 8 12 14 2 13 2 3
Instructions for use Warning For your safety and the safety of others around you, the menu and setting choices of the camera must not be used whilst operating a vehicle. The camera will be setup and ready to use with the optimum settings for most situations. The camera will switch on and start recording when the power is connected and switch off when the power is disconnected. During this time it will record on a loop of 3 minutes and will only save the video clip to the SD card when the following happens. If you press the Power on/off button (4) once whilst recording There is an accident significant enough to trigger the built-in G sensor The camera is turned off whilst recording Note: you will see a key icon in the top left of the screen to indicate the video clip has been saved. Setting up the camera 1. Insert a micro SD card into the Micro SD card input (12) and connect the camera to your car s 12 V/24 V cigarette lighter using the included car charger USB cable with the other end plugged into the Micro USB input (1). 2. If required, assemble the suction mount by loosening the nut on the mount. Do not remove it entirely; instead, firmly push the ball joint adaptor into the socket, and then screw the bolt back to tighten. 3. Affix the camera to the windscreen using the now assembled suction mount, being careful not to obstruct your view of the road. 4. When car ignition is turned on, the camera will automatically start recording. When the car power is turned off the camera will automatically turn off and the chosen length of video will be saved to the micro SD card. (default setting 3 minutes) 4 [continued...] 5
[...continued] Setting up the camera Note: the camera will only operate when connected to power using the USB cable included. Note: in some vehicles, if you already have the car running when you plug the camera in then it may not start. You will need to turn off the ignition of your car and turn it back on again to start the camera. To stop/start the video recording whilst you are driving, press the Record start/stop/ok button (8) When the camera is recording in the Loop function and the micro SD card is full, the camera will overwrite previous recordings You can press and hold the Power on/off button (4) to switch the unit off manually whilst the car power is on Changing the mode of the camera There are three modes of the camera: video recording, still photo capture, and playback file viewer. To change mode, press and hold the Menu button (6) to cycle through the modes. The icon in the top left hand corner of the LCD screen (2) will change to show the chosen mode: Video Mode Photo Mode For recording video clips For taking still photos Video Playback Viewing recorded videos 6 [continued...] 7
[...continued] Changing the mode of the camera When the camera is set to video recording mode you can manually start or stop the recording by pressing the Record start/stop button (8) on the top of the camera When recording, the timer in the top right corner of the LCD screen (2) will be red and a red circle is visible on the top left. As default, the camera will begin recording automatically when it is connected to power through the USB cable, unless there is no micro SD card inserted into the camera When in still capture mode, it will allow you to press the Record start/stop button (8) at any time to capture a 12 megapixel photograph When in playback file viewer mode, press the Up (5) and Down (7) buttons to choose a video clip, and the Record start/stop button (8) to view the selected video. You can delete the selected clip by pressing the Menu button (6) and choosing the delete option by pressing the Record start/stop button (8) Menu and settings With the camera powered, you enter the menu by pressing the Menu button (6). The menu can then be navigated using the Up (5) and Down (7) buttons, using the Record start/stop/ok button (8) to confirm any selections, and the Menu button (6) to go back a step. 8 9
Video mode settings Setting Resolution Loop recording Information 1080i offers higher detail, the 720p offers smoother video. [1080i] / [720p] The camera will only save 1 video file per journey, saving significant space on the micro SD card. If the G Sensor feature is enabled you will notice a key logo appears on the LCD screen (2) when there is any significant impact/jolt to the video. The camera will save this file under a different name, and the recording will be protected from the loop recording feature. [1 min] / [3 min] / [5 min] Motion detection Record audio Date stamp Turn this feature on to use the dash camera as a security device. When turned on the camera will start recording as soon as it detects any motion and for 10 seconds after the motion has finished. Activate or disable the microphone [On] / [Off] When on, the camera will imprint the date and time on to the video file so it is visible when played back, providing a secure way of providing date and time evidence. When off, the camera will save the date and time into the information file of the recording. [On] / [Off] Exposure The exposure value can be raised or lowered to increase or decrease the brightness levels of the recordings. [+0.0] / [-1/3] / [-2/3] / [-1.0] / [-4/3] / [-5/3] / [-2.0] / [+2.0] / [+5/3] / [+4/3] / [+1.0] / [+2/3] / [+1/3] G Sensor When on the camera will automatically protect the current recording in the event of a significant impact. You can choose how strong the impact must be before the feature is active. 2G is the most sensitive setting. You may need to adjust this to suit your style of driving or the road conditions. [Off] / [2G] / [4G] /[8G] 10 11
Photo mode settings Setting Resolution Information Change the size of the image depending on use intended. 12 megapixel is the best quality and is the largest files size; VGA is the lowest quality and is the smallest file size. [12M] / [10M] / [8M] / [5M] / [3M] / [2M] / [1.3M] / [VGA] ISO Exposure Higher ISO settings would be used in darker situations. [Auto] / [100] / [200] The exposure value can be raised or lowered to increase or decrease the brightness of the photos. [+0.0] / [-1/3] / [-2/3] / [-1.0] / [-4/3] / [-5/3] / [-2.0] / [+2.0] / [+5/3] / [+4/3] / [+1.0] / [+2/3] / [+1/3] Sequence Quality When on, the camera will take 3 photographs in quick succession after a single press of the Record start/ stop/ok button (8). [On] / [Off] Adjust the photo detail and file sizes. [Fine] / [Normal] / [Economy] Stabilisation Quick review The stabiliser will try to compensate for unwanted motion blur. [On] / [Off] Choose a length of time for your photograph to display on the LCD screen after it has been taken. [2Seconds] / [5Seconds] Sharpness White balance Adjust the sharpness of the images. [Strong] / [Normal] / [Soft] When on the camera will correct colours under different lighting conditions. [Auto] / [Daylight] / [Cloudy] / [Incandescent] / [Fluorescent] Date/time stamp When on, the camera will imprint the date and time on to the video file so it is visible when played back, providing a secure way of providing date and time evidence. When off, the camera will save the date and time into the information file of the recording. [Off] / [Date] / [Date/Time] 12 13
Playback mode settings You can use the Delete option to delete the current image displayed in the background or delete all of the images on the micro SD card. Setting Date/time Screen saver Information Date, time and formats can be adjusted. Select the amount of time before the LCD turns off. The camera will continue to record. [Off] / [3 Minutes] / [5 Minutes] / [10 Minutes] Frequency Format Default setting Version Typically UK/Europe would be 50 Hz, whereas America would typically be 60 Hz. [50Hz] / [60Hz] Use this option to format your memory card. Formatting the memory card is recommended for first use in the camera. Please note that formatting will erase all previous data from the card. Choose OK to reset the menu options back to their original defaults. View the software version on the camera. Beep sound Language Turns on or off the audio beep sound upon key presses. [On] / [Off] Choose your language. [English] / [Spanish] / [Chinese Traditional] File download To download the files to a computer, simply remove the micro SD card from the camera s Micro SD card input (12) and plug it into a laptop, computer, or tablet card reader. Video and photo files should be available to view on most media playback software. 14 15
Care for your Observer Dash Camera Please don t: Drop or throw the Observer Dash Camera Subject the Observer Dash Camera to strong magnetic fields Dismantle the Observer Dash Camera Get the Observer Dash Camera wet Drop the Observer Dash Camera as this will invalidate your warranty Open up the Observer Dash Camera. There are no user serviceable parts inside Expose the Observer Dash Camera to extreme temperatures or rapid changes of hot to cold or vice versa Specification Video resolutions (.MOV) Photo image Video Format G-Sensor Motion detection Microphone Display Storage Battery Power consumption Operating conditions Input/output Dimensions (mm) Weight Accessories 1280 x 720 @ 30fps 1920 x 1080i @ 30fps 12 MP JPEG AVI Yes Yes Yes 2.4" TFT LCD Micro SD card up to 32 GB (Recommend class 4 speed and 8 GB or above in size) Built-in rechargeable 3.7 V 95 mah Li-Poly 250 ma 10 to 60 degrees Micro USB port H67 x W58 x D34 60 g +/ 5g Window suction mount, charger, USB connection cable, user manual 16 17
Troubleshooting Please insert SD Card/Card error Blank screen/no response Check the micro SD card compatibility, as we recommend formatting a micro SD card for use only in the camera. Check your power supply connection. Without power there will be no LED indicator (3), or the LCD screen (2) will not operate for very long. Try a new connection with the car charger and with a PC USB connection, and then try holding the Power on/off button (4) to see if the Observer dash camera powers up and operates correctly again. Please do not attempt to open this product. There are no user serviceable parts inside, in particular if your product has an embedded, non-replaceable battery, do not attempt to access or remove the battery as this may cause personal injury and will damage the product. Making any attempt to open the product or carry out repair voids any and all warranties We hope you ve now got all the information you need to get started, but if you re having problems with anything, please feel free to contact us at: support@kitvision.co.uk or visit www.kitvision.co.uk We apologise for any inconvenience caused by minor inconsistencies in these instructions, which may occur as a result of product improvement and development. 18 19