Prk Camera Mode: Understanding The Boxes

Parking mode is a feature of some dash cams that allows them to monitor your car when it is parked and the engine is off. This can be useful in the case of vandalism or hit-and-runs, helping you to identify and catch the perpetrator. There are several types of parking modes, including simple parking mode, buffered parking mode, time-lapse mode, low bit rate mode, and radar parking mode. Simple parking mode is triggered by an impact or motion detection and is the most energy-efficient option. Buffered parking mode records continuously and saves footage when an impact or motion is detected. Time-lapse mode captures a still picture every second, allowing you to watch a time-lapse of what happened while your car was parked. Low bit rate mode records at a lower video quality or resolution, which is not recommended for identifying license plates. Radar parking mode is the newest and most advanced mode, using less energy than buffered parking mode.

Impact detection: The camera is woken up by an impact and records a clip of the incident

The camera's G-sensor is an accelerometer that registers information based on the amount of force delivered when an impact is detected. Users can adjust the sensitivity of the G-sensor to ensure that it only records significant impacts. When a predetermined value is reached by the G-sensor, the dashcam footage automatically gets saved and relocated to a special folder for safekeeping, bookmarked for later.

When the camera detects an impact, it wakes up and starts recording. This type of parking mode is one of the most energy-efficient, but because it takes time for the camera to wake up and start recording, it can sometimes be tough to catch the perpetrator in the act. This specific parking mode is great if you tend to park in a quiet area with little to no action and want to have audio in all circumstances.

Buffered recording is another mode that can be used in conjunction with impact detection. In buffered recording, dashcams record a video sequence (typically starting 15 seconds before the event and finishing 30 seconds after the event) so you get the full picture of what happened.

Motion detection: The camera detects motion and starts recording

Motion detection is a feature in modern security cameras that allows them to monitor their field of view for movement and alert the user of any suspicious activity. This is done through various technologies, such as light pulses, thermal measurements, and radio waves, but the two most common methods are Passive Infrared (PIR) and Computer Vision (CV).

Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors monitor the ambient heat emitted by all living beings, which is why it is sometimes referred to as "heat vision". When a PIR sensor detects sufficient movement of these warm objects and/or a significant temperature differential between the object and the background scene, it signals the camera to start recording and sends an alert to the user. PIR is often used in battery-powered cameras as it is power-efficient, keeping the camera in a low-power non-recording state until motion is detected. However, PIR-based cameras can take longer to wake up and start recording, which may result in missing part of the action that triggered the alert.

Computer Vision (CV) is a broader approach where the camera's software analyzes sequential frames of live video for differences and registers a motion event when a big enough change is detected. CV allows for greater analysis of the scene and can be used to identify the shape of the moving object. More advanced methods can be added to classify the object, such as determining if it is a person, animal, or vehicle. However, many of these algorithms require significant computational power and are often computed on remote servers in the cloud, which can add to the cost of the camera.

CV-based cameras offer more options for reducing false alerts, such as setting motion detection zones to mask out parts of the camera's field of view. CV can also make quick judgments based on the geometric properties of a moving object, such as its size and distance from the camera.

While PIR sensors are generally more reliable at filtering out inconsequential activity and are more power-efficient, CV-based motion detection offers greater flexibility and the potential for more advanced features.

Time-lapse mode: The camera shoots a still image every second, creating a time-lapse video

Time-lapse mode is a creative filming and video editing technique that manipulates how frame rate is captured. Frame rate, or frames per second (FPS), is the number of images, or frames, that appear in a second of video. In most videos, the frame rate and playback speed are the same. In a time-lapse video, the frame rate is stretched out far more: when played back at average speed, time appears to be sped up.

In time-lapse mode, the camera shoots a still image every second, creating a time-lapse video. This means that the camera captures one frame per second. When played back at a standard speed of 30 frames per second, the video appears to be moving 30 times faster than in real-time. This technique is particularly useful for capturing subtle and slow processes that would normally be imperceptible to the human eye, such as the movement of the sun and stars, the growth of plants, or the flow of traffic.

To achieve the time-lapse effect, the camera's shutter speed should be twice the frame rate. For example, if the camera is set to capture 30 frames per second, the shutter speed should be maintained at 1/60 seconds. Additionally, it is important to ensure camera stability during shoots, which can be achieved using a tripod or any stable surface.

Time-lapse mode is particularly useful when filming in busy areas with lots of vehicle and foot traffic. It allows for a quick overview of everything that happens in a given timeframe, without filling up the memory card with useless files where nothing is going on.

Low bit rate mode: The camera runs continuously but records at a lower quality

Low bit rate mode is a setting available in some dash cams that allows the camera to run continuously and record at a lower video quality or resolution than usual. This mode is useful when you want to record video footage while your car is parked, also known as parking mode.

In low bit rate mode, the camera's bitrate, or the amount of data processed per second, is reduced. A lower bitrate means that there is less video information being recorded, resulting in a lower-quality video. This can be beneficial in certain situations, such as when you want to record for an extended period of time and don't need extremely high-quality footage. For example, if you're going on a long trip and want to record your journey, low bit rate mode can help you save storage space.

However, it's important to note that using low bit rate mode may make it difficult to identify license plates in case of a hit-and-run, as the video quality may not be sufficient to capture clear and detailed images. Therefore, it is generally not recommended for parking mode, especially if you're parked in a busy area with lots of vehicle and foot traffic. In such cases, other parking modes, such as buffered parking mode or time-lapse mode, may be more suitable.

To use low bit rate mode effectively, it's important to understand its limitations and adjust your camera settings accordingly. For instance, you may need to lower the resolution or frame rate to maintain a stable recording. Additionally, you might want to ensure that your memory card has enough storage space, as even at a lower bitrate, continuously recording video can fill up your card quickly.

Overall, while low bit rate mode can be useful in certain scenarios, it's important to consider the trade-off between video quality and storage efficiency when deciding whether to use this mode.

Radar parking mode: The camera only records when motion is detected, using less energy

Radar parking mode is an advanced feature of some dash cams that allows for ultra-high-frequency motion detection and buffered recording in the event of an impact. This mode is exclusive to Thinkware dash cams and is currently only available for Q1000 and U1000 models, while being built-in to the U3000.

Radar parking mode is comparable to buffered parking mode but requires much less energy. Instead of being in an "always-on" passive recording state, this parking mode option reduces power consumption, providing 3X longer recording time than motion detection by regular motion sensors. Radar modules will allow the camera to last for 1-2 days of parking mode off of an average car battery, and 5+ days off a battery pack.

The Thinkware RADAR Module is an optional accessory compatible with the U1000, X1000, and Q1000 Dash Cams. It increases the recording duration of impact video files in Energy Saving Mode 2.0. The RADAR Module will detect the motion of a vehicle-sized object and allow the dash cam to prepare to save an event clip. If an impact is detected, a 20-second video (10 seconds before and 10 seconds after the impact) is saved in a dedicated folder on the MicroSD card. When no impacts are detected, the dash cam does not save the footage and resumes Energy Saving Mode 2.0.

Radar parking mode is ideal for those who plan on parking their vehicle for an extended period.

Frequently asked questions