Swann 130dcm Instruction Manual

CAPTURE

ACCIDENTS &

INCIDENTS ON

THE ROAD

FULL

HD

EN

Instruction Manual

READ ME

FIRST

Economy HD
Dash Camera

Portable Vehicle Recorder

About this Manual

FCC Statement

Disposal and Recycling Information

The content in this manual is for information purposes only and is subject to
change without notice. While every effort is made to ensure that this manual
is accurate and complete at the time of printing, no liability is assumed for
any errors and omissions that may have occurred. As we’re constantly making
improvements to our products, firmware, software and user manuals, we reserve
the right to change the information without prior notice. For the latest version of
this user manual, please visit: www.swann.com

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class B
digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to
correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.

FCC Caution: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this
equipment.

This symbol on the product or on the packaging indicates that this can
not be disposed of as a household waste. You must dispose of your waste
equipment and/or battery by handling it over to the applicable take-back
scheme for the recycling of electrical and electronic equipment and/or
battery. For more information about recycling of this equipment and/or
battery, please contact your city office, the shop where you purchased
the equipment or your household waste disposal service. The recycling
of materials will help to conserve natural resources and ensure that it is
recycled in a manner that protects human health and environment.

2

CE Regulatory Notice

Limited Warranty Terms & Conditions

Swann Communications warrants this product against defects in workmanship
and material for a period of one (1) year from it’s original purchase date. You
must present your receipt as proof of date of purchase for warranty validation.
Any unit which proves defective during the stated period will be repaired without
charge for parts or labour or replaced at the sole discretion of Swann. The end
user is responsible for all freight charges incurred to send the product to Swann’s
repair centres. The end user is responsible for all shipping costs incurred when
shipping from and to any country other than the country of origin.
The warranty does not cover any incidental, accidental or consequential
damages arising from the use of or the inability to use this product. Any costs
associated with the fitting or removal of this product by a tradesman or other
person or any other costs associated with its use are the responsibility of the
end user. This warranty applies to the original purchaser of the product only
and is not transferable to any third party. Unauthorized end user or third party
modifications to any component or evidence of misuse or abuse of the device will

render all warranties void.
By law some countries do not allow limitations on certain exclusions in this
warranty. Where applicable by local laws, regulations and legal rights will take
precedence.
For Australia: Our goods come with guarantees which cannot be excluded under
Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a
major failure and for compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or
damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods
fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to major failure.

This equipment complies with the requirements set out in the Council Directives
on the Approximation of the Laws of the Member States relating Electromagnetic
Compatibility of Radio and Telecom device (1995/5/EC); the Low Voltage Directive
(2006/95/EC); the Restriction of The Use of Certain Hazardous Substances
in Electrical And Electronic Equipment Directive (2002/95/EC), Turkish EEE
Directive; the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1275/2008 implementing Directive
2005/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to eco­design requirements for standby and off mode electric power consumption of
electrical and electronic household and office equipment, and the Directive
2009/125/EC of the European parliament and of the council establishing a
framework for the setting of eco-design requirements for energy-related
products.

3

4

GETTING STARTED

Camera
Lens

Lock button

Status

LED

Display

Infrared
LEDs for
night vision

Microphone

& Speaker

Bracket

slot

MicroSD

Card slot

Camera Overview

5

Mini USB port

Mini HDMI port

GETTING STARTED

Power button

Left button

MENU button

OK button

MODE button

Right button

Reset button

6

Insert a MicroSD memory card

1

Notes

• The camera supports microSD cards of up to 32GB in

capacity. To ensure smooth performance and plenty of
room for recording long journeys, we recommend using a
memory card rated class 6 or above, with at least 8GB in
capacity.

• We do not guarantee compatibility with microSD cards

from all manufacturers. Only use good quality microSD
cards from reliable sources.

• We recommend formatting the microSD card in the camera

before first using it. Go to System Settings > Format.
Formatting permanently deletes all data on the memory
card, so be sure to copy the data you want to keep to
another storage device before starting.

Camera Setup

GETTING STARTED

Before you can record and store videos and photos on the
camera, insert a MicroSD memory card into the MicroSD
slot as shown below.

7

Mount to vehicle

2

Notes

• Never install the camera in a location that will block your

view of the road, interfere with the mirror or controls, or
obstruct the airbag.

• To obtain the best open-field view, install the camera above

the center of the dashboard near the rear-view mirror.

• Clean the windshield area where you will be mounting the

camera with an alcohol/cleaning wipe before attaching the
suction mount.

• Remove the clear piece of film covering the camera lens.

• Do not touch the camera lens with your fingers. Finger

grease may be left on the lens and will result in unclear
videos or snapshots. Clean the lens on a regular basis.

• When adjusting viewing angle, aim the camera slightly

towards the ground with less sky in view to reduce lens
glare when your vehicle is facing the sun.

Getting Started

GETTING STARTED

Attach the camera to your vehicle’s windshield with the
included suction mount.

1. Slide the camera onto the suction mount tab.

2. Remove the clear protective film from the suction
cup and press the suction cup against the windshield,
flipping the locking lever up so the suction mount is
locked into place.

8

Connect to power

3

Plug the supplied car charger into the cigarette lighter
socket in your vehicle, and then connect to the mini USB
port on the camera.

Your camera turns on and off automatically with the start
and stop of your vehicle engine. See "Turning on and off" on
page 9.

Note: Use cable clips (not included) to secure the power

cable and keep it neatly tucked out of the way.

GETTING STARTED

9

OPERATING BASICS

Turning on and off

• Starting the engine will automatically turn on the camera
that is connected via the cigarette lighter socket.

• The camera goes into Video mode and starts recording
immediately after it powers up.

• Once you have reached your destination and the engine
stops, the camera will record for another 15 seconds
before powering off.

• The camera can also be manually powered using its
built-in rechargeable battery. Press the Power button
to turn the camera on. To turn the camera off manually,
press and hold the Power button for 2 seconds.

Accessing camera settings

• Press the Menu button to access Video Settings in Video

mode or Photo Settings in Photo mode. To access System
Settings, press the MENU button again.

• To move through settings, press the Left or Right button.

To adjust a setting, press the OK button. To exit the menu,
press the MODE button.

Note: Be sure to set the date and time before using the

camera for the first time. Go to System Settings > Date/Time.

Switching modes

• Press the MODE button to switch between Video, Photo
and Playback modes.

Note: You cannot access the menu or change modes while

the camera is recording. You will need to stop recording first
by pressing the OK button.

10

OPERATING BASICS

Connecting to a computer

Connecting to a TV

You can transfer your HD video recordings and photos on the
memory card to a computer. Use the short USB data cable
included with the camera to make the connection.

You can see your HD video recordings and photos on your HD
TV or monitor. Simply connect a compatible HDMI cable (not
included) from the HDMI port on the camera to the HDMI port
on your TV.

The first time you use a USB connection, your computer will
install the appropriate USB drivers. Once the camera has
successfully connected to your computer via the USB data
cable, you can select the appropriate USB mode from the
following options displayed on the camera screen:

• Mass Storage - Lets you use the camera as a USB mass
storage device, and transfer videos and photos from the
memory card folders to your computer.

• PC Camera - Lets you set up the camera as a webcam for
if you use a video conferencing app on your computer.

Note: Use a cable with a mini HDMI connector on one end

for the camera, and a standard HDMI connector on the other
end for your TV.

11

MODES

Loop recording

• By default, loop recording is enabled whereby the camera

continuously records video clips in 1 minute intervals and
automatically overwrites the oldest, non-protected video
files for new recordings when the memory card is full.

The

1

icon appears on the screen with the number in

the icon indicating the length of each video clip recording.

• You can change the length of each video clip or even turn

off loop recording completely. Go to Video Settings >
Loop recording.

• The icon appears on the screen and the camera status

LED starts blinking while the camera is recording.

• You can manually stop an ongoing recording by pressing

the OK button. Check the time label icon on the screen to
see how much recording time is available based on the
current video quality setting. To start a new recording,
press the OK button.

Video Mode

The camera automatically starts capturing HD (High-Definition)
quality videos onces it powers up in your vehicle.

12

Video protection

• If you have just captured something important on the

camera and want to immediately protect the current
video clip, simply press the LOCK button. The icon
appears on the screen, indicating the current video clip
recording has been locked.

• By default, the camera is set to detect collisions and hard

brakings using its integrated G-sensor, automatically
locking the current video clip in the loop recording in
the process if such event occurs. You can configure the
sensitivity level of the G-sensor. Go to Video Settings >

Gsensor.

Audio recording

• By default, ambient sounds are automatically recorded

through the camera's built-in microphone. You can turn
off audio recording by pressing the Left button. The

icon appears on the screen when audio recording is

disabled.

MODES

In addition to HD video recording, you can also use the
camera to capture super clear photos wherever you go.

Photo Mode

Taking photos

To take a photo, press the OK button. The status LED blinks.

13

MODES

In Playback mode, you can browse, view and manage video
clips and photos that the camera have stored on the memory
card.

• Use the Left and Right buttons to move through items

arranged in chronological order. Video clips are marked
with the icon, while photos are marked with the

icon. Any video clip that is protected will also display the

icon on the screen.

• To play a video clip, press the OK button. During

playback, you can pause the video by pressing the OK
button again.

• To delete video clips or photos, press the MENU button,

select Delete and choose one of the following options:
Delete Current
Delete All

• To protect or unprotect video clips, press the MENU

button, select Protect and choose one of the following
options:
Lock Current
Unlock Current
Lock All
Unlock all

Note:

• Protected video clips cannot be deleted. Remove file

protection from the video clip first.

• Deleted video clips and photos cannot be recovered. Copy

important files to a computer or other storage device
before deleting them. See "Connecting to a computer"
on page 10.

Playback Mode

14

MENU SETTINGS

Options

Resolution Select the quality of the video clips.

Higher resolution videos show more
detail, but take up more memory space.

Loop recording Select the length of each video clip in loop

recording.

Exposure Change the exposure value. In low-light

road conditions, use a higher exposure to
improve video brightness.

Motion Detection Turn on or off Motion Detection recording.

When enabled, the

F

icon appears on
the screen. The camera will automatically
record a 10-second video clip each time
any movement is visible.

To deactivate Motion Detection recording,
press the OK button.

Record Audio Turn on or off audio recording. You can

also do this by pressing the Left button in
Video mode. The icon appears on the

screen when audio recording is disabled.

Date Stamp Select whether to embed the current date

and time in the video clips.

Video Settings

15

MENU SETTINGS

Options

Gsensor The G-sensor in the camera tracks motion

and is designed to respond to sudden
movements such as collisions and hard
brakings by prompting the camera to
automatically lock the current video clip
of an ongoing recording.

The lower the level, the more sensitive the
camera is to movement.

The G-sensor is enabled by default, but
can also be turned "OFF", if necessary.

LDW Lane Departure Warning feature. When

enabled, the camera monitors lane
markings on the road and will beep to let
you know if you drift too close to these
markings.

16

MENU SETTINGS

Options

Resolution Select the size of the captured photos in

megapixels.

Sequence When this feature is enabled, the camera

captures a sequence of 5 continuous
photos each time you press the OK button.

Quality Relates to the level of compression in the

captured photos. For best quality photos,
the "Fine" setting is recommended.

Sharpness Select the clarity of detail and edges in

the captured photos.

White Balance Choose from a selection of preset white

balance options to adjust screen color
and help you obtain the most accurate
reproduction of color tone in the scene.

ISO Select the camera's sensitivity to light.

In general, use a higher ISO setting when
taking photos in a low-light scene.

Exposure Change the exposure value. In low-light

scenes, use a higher exposure to improve
photo brightness.

Anti-Shaking Turn on or off the Anti-Shaking feature.

Anti-Shaking helps reduce image blur in
low-light scenes caused by hand shaking.

Quick Review Select how long to display a photo on the

screen after it is taken.

Date Stamp Select whether to embed the date and

time or only the date in the photos so that
you know when they were taken.

Photo Settings

17

MENU SETTINGS

Options

Park mode Select the sensitivity level of the G-sensor

that is used to trigger Park Mode (P)
recording. This feature is handy when you
want to keep your vehicle protected while
it's parked and the camera is off.

Note: Depending on how long your
vehicle will be parked, you may need
a backup power bank and a separate
USB charging cable to keep the camera
ready to record throughout the time your
vehicle is parked.

In Park Mode, the camera will
automatically turn on and record a
20-second video clip if any movement is
detected based on the G-sensor sensitivity
level selected.

Date/Time Set the current date and time, and the

date format.

Auto power off Select whether you want the camera to

turn off automatically when not being
used. The default setting is 3 minutes.

Screen Saver Select how long the screen remains

on after you press any button. To turn
screen back on after it goes off, press the

Right button.

Beep Sound Turn on or off the sound that is heard

when pressing the camera buttons.

Language Select the menu language.

System Settings

18

MENU SETTINGS

Options

TV Mode If you are outputting the camera display

to your TV via the HDMI port, you will
need to select the video standard (PAL or
NTSC) in your location.

Frequency If you are outputting the camera display

to your TV via the HDMI port, you will
need to select the frequency of AC power
in your location to prevent your TV from
flickering.

Flash Activate or deactivate the infrared LEDs

on the front of the camera. You can also
do this by pressing the Power button in

either Video or Photo mode. The icon
appears on the screen when the infrared
LEDs are active.

The 6 infrared LEDs may help short
distance objects look clearer during
night time recording or photography.
When there is little or no ambient light,
the picture will appear in black and
white.

Format Format the microSD memory card

in the camera. When you format a
memory card, all files on the card will be
permanently deleted.

Default Setting Restore camera settings back to factory

default values.

Version Display the camera firmware version.

19

NOTES

M130DCM150715E

© Swann Communications 2015

Helpdesk / Technical Support Details

Swann Technical Support

All Countries E-mail: [e-mail]

Telephone Helpdesk

USA 1800 627 2799

USA Parts & Warranty 1800 627 2799

(M-F, 9am-5pm US PT)

AUSTRALIA 1800 788 210

NEW ZEALAND 0800 479 266

UK 0808 168 9031