The Momento M6 smart dashcam continues the evolution of amazing features and performance that drivers have come to expect from Firstech. Equipped with a Wi-Fi hotspot that works with an app on your smartphone, downloading videos from the M6 is as easy as tapping a few icons. Read on to learn more about the features and technologies integrated into this impressive safety camera system.
Features of the Momento M6 Dashcam
The M6 is the smallest of the Momento dashcams, measuring a mere 89 x 43 x 29 mm (3.5 by 1.7 x 1.15 inches). This size reduction comes with the elimination of the LCD screen on the back of the camera (as found on the Momento M5 and M4). Instead of the screen, Momento includes a Wi-Fi hotspot and dedicated mobile applications for iOS and Android smartphones that allow you to view the camera image in real time, download and edit videos for direct upload to social media and configure the resolution, motion sensor and battery cutoff settings for parking mode. Even if you’ve parked your car or truck in the driveway, the Wi-Fi connection works as far as 10 meters away to allow you to download videos from inside your home.
Along with access to all the video files stored on the memory card in the camera, the app includes a driving data and travel log screen that shows mileage, trip time and impact event information.
An integrated GPS antenna captures vehicle location and speed information and stores that along with the video file. The adjustable impact/motion sensors can be set to trigger event recordings that start 15 seconds before the trigger and end 15 seconds after. Both cameras record in full-HD 1920×1080 resolution at 30 frames per second and provide excellent low-light performance and detail, thanks to the Sony Exmor R image sensors.
Momento backs the M6 (also known as the MD-6200) with a two-year warranty.
Momento includes a 32GB micro-SD memory card to get you going, and the system is compatible with Class 10 cards up to 256GB. It is worth nothing that you must use a specific formatting method with 128GB or 256GB cards for them to work with the M6. You can find information on the large-capacity card requirements at https://support.momentocam.com.
Rear-Facing and Optional Interior Cameras
The M6 (known formally as the MD-FC6200) includes a secondary camera called the MD-RC6200. Your installer can mount this camera in your rear window. Both the front and rear cameras include 135-degree wide-angle lenses to deliver an amazing 270 degrees of surveillance coverage.
If you operate a taxi or a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft, the optional MD-IC6 interior camera is a perfect upgrade. The IC6 replaces the rear-facing camera with a unit designed to record the interior of the vehicle. 
Integrated infrared LEDs provide illumination, so even on the darkest of nights, the recording is clear and easy to see. If you’re concerned about theft or vehicle damage from unruly clients, the IC6 is a great option.
Parking Mode
Just like the M5 and M4 cameras, the M6 includes a parking mode. Once you park your vehicle and turn off the ignition, the camera will continue to monitor the area in front of and behind your vehicle for motion. Should it see someone or something move into the image area, it saves a video file from 15 seconds before the trigger to 15 seconds after the event. Likewise, the onboard shock sensor can trigger a recording. If you want to see which pesky cat is walking on your car’s hood in the middle of the night, the Momento M6 is the answer.
As alluded to earlier, parking mode automatically shuts down when the vehicle battery voltage reaches a preset level, so you’ll never be left stranded.
Protect Yourself with a Momento Dashcam
Whether you’re concerned about staged accidents at stop signs and intersections or want to capture those “I can’t believe he just did that” driving events that happen almost every day, equip your vehicle with the Momento M6 dashcam system. Visit your local authorized Momento dealer to find out more about installing a dashcam system in your vehicle.
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Shopping for 
A discussion about online shopping opens a monumental can of worms. One of the biggest differences between buying from an online retailer and a local independent specialist will be the level of after-sales service and support. If you buy new speakers online and you have a problem with them, you can try contacting the supplier. About all they can do is offer to let you send the speakers back (at your cost) and they will send you another set. When you deal with a local retailer, someone can go to your car and listen to the problem. The issue may not be the speakers at all. It could be the 
Make no doubt, most of the installers, technicians and fabricators who work at mobile electronics retailers got their start working on their vehicles in their driveway. In some cases, this passion for working on cars and trucks grew to include their friends’ vehicles, while others sought out training from companies like 
When it comes to source unit upgrades, the first thing you need to find out is whether or not you can replace the factory radio in the vehicle at all. Vehicles such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Mazda and many new Nissan vehicles have source units that can’t be removed.
Perhaps the most important component in an audio system is the speakers. 
When you go shopping, bring one or two pieces of music that you know well. Before you leave your house, listen to that song on as many different sources as possible: your home theatre system, a portable Bluetooth speaker, headphones with your smartphone and your existing stereo. Think about what is different between each experience so you can listen for those elements as you audition new products.
Automakers constantly strive to make new cars, trucks and SUVs as safe as possible. The design and materials used in new vehicle chassis make them stronger, more rigid and safer than ever before. Technologies like backup cameras, blind spot monitoring, active lane keep assist, multi-view camera systems, rear cross traffic alerts and autonomous braking dramatically reduce the chance of having an accident. Up until only a few years ago, you had to buy all of these technologies that are now already on your new vehicle. Thankfully, your local mobile enhancement retailer can now retrofit some of these 
The simplest of safety systems is a 
Aftermarket blind spot monitoring systems are just entering their second generation. These systems include a pair of radar sensors that are mounted behind the rear bumper cover to monitor the space on either side of your vehicle for another car or truck. The exact function of these systems varies from one brand to another. Make sure that the solution you choose can detect a vehicle that has entered your blind spot from the side or that you have passed. Many will only alert you if the vehicle enters your blind spot from the rear.
Most of the radar-based blind spot monitoring systems on the market switch to a rear cross traffic alert system when you are backing up. These systems extend the radar signal to as much as 100 feet on either side of your vehicle to watch for oncoming cars or trucks. When they detect something, the same LED indicators that warn you about a vehicle in your blind spot will flash to let you know what side the vehicle is approaching from. Many systems include an audible alarm to make sure you know something is approaching.
Though still in their infancy in the aftermarket, “surround view” camera solutions are offered by several companies. This technology uses four cameras mounted around your vehicle to create a virtual aerial view of your car or truck. The camera image is akin to looking down at your vehicle from about 30 feet above the roof. You can see parking lines, curbs and the presence of other vehicle or obstacles.
Aftermarket safety systems that will apply your brakes or move the steering wheel are not currently available. Those technologies require careful calibration that is specific to each application. One technology that is available is a forward-facing collision warning system. MobileEye is the company responsible for the original autopilot technology used on Tesla vehicles. They offer several aftermarket solutions that use a camera and an advanced image processing computer to warn the driver if someone is approaching from the side or if he or she is approaching a stopped vehicle too quickly. A small display on the dash provides visual alerts to give you extra time to slow down.
Though not a 
It’s the middle of the summer, and 
We can’t even fathom the number of audio system upgrades we see installed at big meets and rallies like Daytona, Sturgis, Laconia and Myrtle Beach. While leaving your pride and joy with the guys in a booth or trailer to upgrade your stereo while you grab lunch or dinner sounds incredibly convenient, occasionally long-term issues dramatically reduce the value of this purchasing option.
When you pull up to a shop to have your motorcycle audio system upgraded, you can be assured that the bike will be treated like royalty when it’s in their possession. A quality shop will have a storage rack covered in carpet or a blanket for your fairing, saddlebags, windshield or any other delicate parts that need to be removed to upgrade the bike. Many shops apply protective films over painted surfaces like fuel tanks and bumpers. We’ve heard stories where a scratch on a CVO Harley gas tank cost more than $1,000 to repair. Working outdoors doesn’t always provide the space to protect your bike from damage.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration systems are extremely popular features found in aftermarket source units from all the key brands. The technology behind CarPlay and Android Auto continue to evolve, and in the summer of 2017, the aftermarket industry saw the introduction of wireless CarPlay connectivity. Android followed suit in 2018 with a comparable solution that didn’t require cables. Let’s take a look at how wireless smartphone integration works and why it might be the perfect solution for the busy road warrior.
These infotainment solutions require two components to provide you with Internet-connected voice recognition access to your music, navigation and communication functions. First and foremost, the source unit in the vehicle needs to have the software built in. Including 
Up until recently, the connection between your phone and the radio for CarPlay and Android Auto has used a USB cable. With the introduction of wireless connectivity, things have changed. A Wi-Fi connection between your source unit and your smartphone replaces the wired connection for reliable, high-speed communication. Initially, a little more setup is required to get your smartphone and radio talking, but once configured, everything operates intuitively.
In November 2017, Google announced the ability for devices running Android to run Android Auto as a stand-alone app without the need for an aftermarket source unit. At CES 2018, several aftermarket manufacturers announced they would include wireless Android Auto connectivity on their new source units.
There are have been many discussions about the benefits and drawbacks of wireless connectivity. The biggest point of debate is around phone charging. In most cases, drivers take advantage of the ability to charge their phones when they get in their vehicles as they travel. For most people, this requires that the USB cable is connected to their phone. With that said, the Apple iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X include wireless charging. On the Android side, recent devices from Samsung, LG, Google, Microsoft and Blackberry include wireless charging.
Flipping back to the cons side of the debate, you need a wireless charging base in your vehicle to take advantage of the wireless charging feature. Vehicles from Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo include Qi compatible charging solutions. Qi is the standard for wireless charging for Apple devices.