Okay here is the deal. It took me and my Chinese co-worker and Google Translator APP a few minutes to figure out the parking mode.
The CYHY App itself has good detailed instructions but it is all in Chinese. So you will have to translate it like we did (I am working on typing up a translated instruction manual to help people buying this kit).
So this is what we got:
The CYHY camera is capable of the PARKING MODE - meaning the camera can come on while the car is parked and off and motion is detected.
The kicker is this mode ONLY works when you wire the camera's power to the fuse panel or wire the camera's power to an always-on-source in the car.
It will not work via the plug and play harness.
We are still unsure but it appears that you can possible modify the camera via the app to be ON all the time or turn on via the app on your phone or tablet once it is in wifi range with the camera. That part of the Chinese gets complicated to translate but it seems they are saying the camera can be turned on to record from outside the car thru wifi.
Now as for the PLUG and PLAY harness when the car is turned off the camera stays on and keeps recording for a minute or two unless you manually power it off by pressing the power button on the side of the camera. In my video towards the end you see the camera still recording to my iPad after the car is turned off.
In regards to this I do not think this is a function of the camera but rather the E90 power off fade out feature like where the P light on your Steptronic Shifter plate stays on after you lock up and walk away from the car.
So I think with the harness the camera still tried to keep recording until the final power in the car is killed.
Now this obvious suggest that you can easily have the camera record well past locking and turning off the car since things like dome lighting and the dash ambient lighting can remain on (an kill the battery) long after you leave the car locked.
As for me a dash cam while driving is all I need. A security camera set up outside the car, I think, would be better for parking surveillance.
I would look into modified small drone long-life recording camera (spy) technology.
Where you can fly the small drone and hang it off a tree or roof and point the camera at the car and either stream or loop record the video of your parked car
Quote:
Originally Posted by trjn
Great review delmarco.
The confusing part is, in the product description it says it can record with motion detection but in Q&A part they mention its wont work when the car is parked (off). If there is a constant source of power, I think the camera should work with motion detection when on car battery power.
I know its too much of asking, but if possible could you test with constant ON source when the car is off delmarco? Possibly in a controlled environment where you have access to jump the car or have a battery charger handy. Please dont kill your battery. I would not want to be blamed for leaving you stranded in parking lot.
Only reason I wont be getting this camera is the lack of parking mode(if it really doesnt work). I think I will go with the mobius cam which has that feature (there is a DIY in the forums). But I like the harness idea and wifi so I wont have to go to the fusebox and deal with extra USB cable. If I can find an always ON wire on the dome light and get hold of the harness (or the plug type for the said always ON connector), I will connect it to power magic pro (to stop draining the battery) and leaving that feature on. I am more concerned of people hitting the car when parked, happened to me twice already. 
PS: back up cam DIY is also there in the forums. I already got the parts, just waiting for a good time to finish the install. Installed the camera but havent connected it to CIC and get coded yet.  |