Since we have so very many idiots on our roads these days, I'm looking for some software that will allow me to use either my Android phone or tablet mounted on the dashboard as a sort of "in car camera" while I'm driving. I do realise I could simply use any standard camera software for this, but I'm wondering if there's perhaps something a bit more specialised out there that would handle this better. Out of all the possibilities, I'd say the most important feature would be a sort of buffered recording with an option to save the video afterwards.
This is how the scenario plays out in my mind:
Mount the device (phone or tablet) in the car holder
Tap a shortcut / widget on my homescreen to start recording (without needing to launch an app first)
Drive, drive, drive...
When I stop the recording, be presented with a "save video" prompt
End of story.
Beyond the manual initialisation idea, something that could trigger automatically (when the current speed goes over a set speed for example), run a quick analysis of the current video stream, then automatically start recording if the camera isn't seeing black (in a pocket) or a static video feed (in a cubby hole or lying on a seat), followed by an automatic "save video" prompt once I've stopped for more than a minute would be really nifty.. That might be a bit over the top though (or an opportunity for some creative developer to fill a void in the software world), who knows.
Obviously I wouldn't expect to get these sort of features for nothing, so either free or paid apps would be up for consideration. I've been searching Play Store and the 'net in general, but all I ever seem to find is straight up camera replacement software or the all too common "spy cam" software, neither of which do quite what I need... Anybody know of something like this for Android?
How long do your trips take, I dont know if a cell phone can record video for hours in a row without overheating.
Related
I have been trying to figure this out for like 2 years. I just want to be able to record video in the background. I am running Mobile 6.1 on an HTC S720. I have tried the latest coolcamera (it just starts and immediately shuts off). I have searched EVERYWHERE. It would seem that the program built into the phone could potentially keep recording if the trigger to stop recording once the program was exited was turned off.
Is there a known registry modification (or any modification) to make the camera program stay always recording?
Is there any other software people have had luck with other then coolcamera?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, even a link or keyword, anything is helpful at this point. This really seems like it should be easier then it is (or hopefully isn't).
dirtycanuck said:
I have been trying to figure this out for like 2 years. I just want to be able to record video in the background. I am running Mobile 6.1 on an HTC S720. I have tried the latest coolcamera (it just starts and immediately shuts off). I have searched EVERYWHERE. It would seem that the program built into the phone could potentially keep recording if the trigger to stop recording once the program was exited was turned off.
Is there a known registry modification (or any modification) to make the camera program stay always recording?
Is there any other software people have had luck with other then coolcamera?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, even a link or keyword, anything is helpful at this point. This really seems like it should be easier then it is (or hopefully isn't).
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Click to collapse
Hi,
Guess you'll need to find a way to minimize (or hide) the UI of your camera. I tried recording a video and then pressed the Win-button on my keyboard to get into the startmenu, but it just stopped recording. Looks like the cam takes over the phone completely.
Besides, if you want the phone to keep recording, you'll need a very BIG storagecard (19s vid = 2.8 MB on my phone) and an even BIGGER battery.
Dirk
Ya I have a 4 gig card in it. The camera program stays on because I can still see it in the process menu. I specifically want this for altercations with police whether in my car or on the street. I would like to start recording then lock the phone. I have had my phone recording while dealing with a cop and he saw the camera and his attitude changed. I'd rather them not know I am recording, and not be able to access the phone at the same time. I understand they could just pop out the card, but lengthwise I could pop out the card and slip it into my sock if they confiscate the phone. The phone can handle about 45 mins of straight recording so battery life shouldn't be an issue, plus it stays plugged in while in my car.
Thanks for the input as any is welcomed.
dirtycanuck said:
Ya I have a 4 gig card in it. The camera program stays on because I can still see it in the process menu. I specifically want this for altercations with police whether in my car or on the street. I would like to start recording then lock the phone. I have had my phone recording while dealing with a cop and he saw the camera and his attitude changed. I'd rather them not know I am recording, and not be able to access the phone at the same time. I understand they could just pop out the card, but lengthwise I could pop out the card and slip it into my sock if they confiscate the phone. The phone can handle about 45 mins of straight recording so battery life shouldn't be an issue, plus it stays plugged in while in my car.
Thanks for the input as any is welcomed.
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Click to collapse
So, why you need videorecording then ? Guess it'll be easier and faster to just start your voicerecorder with your phone in one of your pockets...
Dirk
Oh man, my X1 also cannot use Cool Camera either, And the default camera program can't been minimize....., I know that asus P565 default one could do so....looking for that program
I just received my TF about 5 days ago and I'm a little disappointed with some things. Maybe it's my fault for not doing enough research, but I thought I had. I spent about a month reading and watching reviews. Anyway, I read that honeycomb was so great at multitasking. Yet, I feel like I have a first generation IPhone when it comes to multitasking. I was using Skifta and Moboplayer to watch television from my windows media center. I thought maybe I could fire off some emails and just listen to the show in the background. As soon as I choose gmail my video stopped. I noticed that with a lot of programs. I choose one and the other stops. Is there a settings that I'm missing? Also, after play my video files using skifta and moboplayer I lose the sound after about 10 seconds. I thought it was completely gone, but when I had the bluetooth headset on last night I could hear the sound really breaking up, like the TF didn't have enough processing. Well, I really doubt that because I would suspect the video would go before the sound.
The google voice recognition on my HTC hero with Cyanogenmod nightly build 6/27/2011 (112) is just superb. On my TF I have to talk really slow and it is rare if it gets it right. I don't know if it has to relearn my voice or if the microphone isn't as good?
I purchased the keyboard for the TF. It is very slow with delays. Sometime it just flakes out. It causes my cursor to jump to different spots quite often. I thought maybe I was bumping the touch pad, so I started to peck type and it was still happening. It gets better if I shutdown the TF and restart it with the keyboard attached. Is this normal or do I have a defective keyboard? Also, It seems like I have to hit the keys extra hard to make sure it registers.
Video chat?? Where is it? I thought this was Google proud OS. I can't get Google voice, Google talk video to work? Why do we have two cameras on it?
Granted I'm new and many of these things I'll probably discover along the way or there will be fixes. I only mentioned a few, but there are other issues with this device.
Is there a better rom than the default one that someone would recommend that might resolve some of these issues?
Hey guys,
I recently got a new roomate for my apartment and I am leaving for the weekend. I have a strange feeling he isn't super trustworthy.
I have a Nexus 7 (2013) that I hardly use and plan on leaving here this weekend. I was wondering if there are any playstore apps or third party apk downloads for an app that does the following:
- Detects motion
- Once motion is detected, Video Records the area until movment is no longer detected, or can record for a certain length of time (like 60 secs)
- Get alerts and videos on my phone when I am away
I know there are a few apps on the play store but they all seem to only take pictures. If my roomate decides to do some snooping, I would like to see it all on camera.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jake
Three apps that I can think of off the top of my head are IP Webcam, tinyCam Monitor Pro, and Invideon
You could set up an older smartphone as the video source and then it will sit and wait to activate when it detects motion.
So I took delivery of my P20 Pro this afternoon. I'm reserving judgment on the camera but so far I'm pretty happy. There's one thing I'm completely flabbergasted by though
Huawei have replaced the stock 'double-tap power for camera' functionality with 'double-tap volume down'.
On the face of it this might not seem so bad, but it means a couple of things:
1 - you can't launch the camera quickly if you are actually using the phone. On other devices I would often be using an app when a photo opportunity arose, so with the Huawei I have to either go back to the home screen and click the camera app or press the power button and launch it from the lockscreen. This might not seem much but when a split second photo opportunity arises these couple of seconds can mean the difference between catching and missing a shot.
2 - you can't use the volume down method when you're playing anything. So if you're walking through the countryside playing your favourite album and suddenly a unicorn gallops past...again those couple of seconds mean you might miss the moment.
This might seem like nit picking but this is a *camera centric* phone. There's no advantage I can think of for the alternative camera shortcut method Huawei have adopted - the double-tapping power method serves no other conflicting purpose, and it's not even as if the volume down button is in a more convenient position.
I can't help but think this is a poorly conceived decision on Huawei's part - or worse still, change for change's sake.
I notice they've also turned the Oreo multimedia notifications into an exercise in excruciatingly unimaginative blandness - seemingly just to 'not be stock Androidy in any way'.
I'm not going to write off the phone as it seems like a nice bit of kit overall, but I really hope Huawei make some changes to the UI of this phone over its lifetime because I can't help but feel like some of their decisions (and they are very proactive decisions) are a little...shoddy.
You'll get used to it really quickly.
Also, it doesn't just open the camera, it takes a picture. Even tells you how quickly it has done it. I have found this really useful.. My kids sometimes do amusing things, but don't sit still for longer than a second,
It's impossible to get used to as I listen to podcasts and music on my phone all the time. How does it taking a picture make any difference anyway? Couldn't the same thing apply if they used the power button instead, or would that preclude this option?
Yeah there's literally no reason for them not to use the power button. It's just bad design all round.
It may be to keep functionality the same across all markets (IE too lazy) as it's a requirement in India that a triple press of the power button calls the emergency services. So they couldn't really leave in double press for camera in case of accidents.
Every other OEM destroys stock functions in one way or the other..
Did you try a button remapper app ?
Wouldn't it be easier to just press home and hit camera? Just saying. I've never used a quick launch and i've never missed a shot
Jonathan-H said:
Wouldn't it be easier to just press home and hit camera? Just saying. I've never used a quick launch and i've never missed a shot
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Click to collapse
How is that easier than double tapping the power button in literally any scenario - screen off, screen on, in an app, watching a video. If that scenario were just as easy then why would they (or anyone else) have a button shortcut at all?
The point is that no matter what I'm doing - whether the screen is off or not - I can double tap the power button and the phone vibrates and instantly opens the camera app, ready for a shot - so let's say I'm browsing Reddit sat on a park bench and a man dressed as Elvis runs past me pursued by a gaggle of geese - no problem - I won't miss that shot.
You might never have missed a shot and you might not use this feature but my point is not to force the feature on anyone - it's to ask why Huawei chose a worse methodology for quick launching the camera than the stock Android one - such as the one on my Nokia - and the one implemented by Samsung and LG (in their newest G7). The power button is not only separate from the volume buttons (and therefore easier to find 'blind') but has a ridge on it.
leoni1980 said:
So I took delivery of my P20 Pro this afternoon. I'm reserving judgment on the camera but so far I'm pretty happy. There's one thing I'm completely flabbergasted by though
Huawei have replaced the stock 'double-tap power for camera' functionality with 'double-tap volume down'.
On the face of it this might not seem so bad, but it means a couple of things:
1 - you can't launch the camera quickly if you are actually using the phone. On other devices I would often be using an app when a photo opportunity arose, so with the Huawei I have to either go back to the home screen and click the camera app or press the power button and launch it from the lockscreen. This might not seem much but when a split second photo opportunity arises these couple of seconds can mean the difference between catching and missing a shot.
2 - you can't use the volume down method when you're playing anything. So if you're walking through the countryside playing your favourite album and suddenly a unicorn gallops past...again those couple of seconds mean you might miss the moment.
This might seem like nit picking but this is a *camera centric* phone. There's no advantage I can think of for the alternative camera shortcut method Huawei have adopted - the double-tapping power method serves no other conflicting purpose, and it's not even as if the volume down button is in a more convenient position.
I can't help but think this is a poorly conceived decision on Huawei's part - or worse still, change for change's sake.
I notice they've also turned the Oreo multimedia notifications into an exercise in excruciatingly unimaginative blandness - seemingly just to 'not be stock Androidy in any way'.
I'm not going to write off the phone as it seems like a nice bit of kit overall, but I really hope Huawei make some changes to the UI of this phone over its lifetime because I can't help but feel like some of their decisions (and they are very proactive decisions) are a little...shoddy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My 2 cents: the Huawei P20 pro is not a "camera-centric" phone.
If it where, like the Nokia 808, the Lumia 1020, the Lumia 950, and some Sony, it would have a camera specific hardware button, period.
No way that anyone would think of a Camera with no shutter button.
Same for a "camera-centric" phone. 2 stages shutter button is part of the definition of it.
Look, The chinese know how to make great hardware because the western world outsource the product making to countries like china so after year s and years they learn from doing a copy. So now it comes down to software which is the other half of what makes a great phone and this is where i see many problems.
Huawei is poor in terms of software developping. Simply look at the launcher for exp and you ll see, gallery app, video player, video editor and more
As my previous device (LG V20) uses the same method (double-click volume down) to open camera, I has got no issue regarding the action. Only funny thing is that, at first, I didn't realize that the default mode take a picture when I double-click. I was so used to the way double-clicking while bringing up the camera. In that way, the camera is ready when the phone is in position and i can take photos. But later, I realized that there are so many blur pictures in my gallery. Only then I realized that it took picture by default. Quite easy to change the action in the camera setting though.
I'm on Resurrection Remix.
Double tap power key opens the camera from any screen no matter what.
If you're lucky enough to have unlocked your bootloader then give it a shot.
It is using the p20 pro camera too.
Wasnt this feature available under gestures in emui
I currently have the Rog phone 5s Pro, 512/18 and I love it to no end, but I just had a crazy stupid thought, what if Asus or a developer created an app to have even more control of the 64x256 pixel rear screen. Now I know it is pretty low resolution, but what if you could set it to play certain animations when opening a certain app or in a specific performance mode, or even at a specific time. I also wish there was an option to keep the rear panel on when the phone's main screen off. I also had some really weird thoughts that are probably to crazy to come true, but when you open the camera, there would be a setting to have it kinda mirror to the back of the phone so you can use the 8k lens and still have a rough idea where you are in frame, and just to name a few more is to show what song/track is playing and use the rear touch triggers to go between tracks, and use an air trigger as pause/play, and also to cast your screen to the rear (now hear me out) when you do, then you could show off to everybody how good you are at games and stuff, and another really far reach is to cast a YouTube/web video to the rear screen (like a Chromecast kinda, but built in) And yes, I know it would be EXTREMELY LOW RESOLUTION, but it would just be so nice to have these features, just for show, and that's what I think this phone should be capable of at the price point of 1500+ US dollars. Just think it would be cool.
Pls respond if u think this would be a cool idea and or if you know if this is even possible on an unrooted phone like this one, and also contrary to common belief, Verizon works just fine in every aspect I have tested except Verizon Video Calling, but comment if you want to know how I did that to, or if you know how to program an app to do some of this. I also thought it could be a mod to the armory crate and the game genie, but ik it's probably impossible without rooting it, but just a thought.