DashCams memory cards!

[Daffy D]

Have you checked your DashCam is actually recording anything lately?

I have 2 Cams both with SanDisk 64Gb SD cards. Some time ago I noticed on one of the Cams the little flashing light to indicate recording had stopped flashing.

Checking it out I discovered that the SanDisk SD64 Ultra memory card had failed. Would not record could not delete anything on it and would not even format.

Changed the card to a Kingston and everything was fine again.

I checked the other camera that still had the SanDisk card and as that was working alright let it be.

Regularly checked that the little flashing lights were working on both cameras and drove around quite happily believing the cameras were working correctly.

Just by chance I happened to check the camera with the SanDisk card and saw that it had not recorded anything for about a month even though the little light was flashing all this time indicating the camera was recording.

So both SanDisk cards had failed.

On checking with the cameras web site I see that they do not recommend SanDisk cards "because they have long term reliability issues when used with our cameras"

Here a list of recommended cards:- http://dod-tech.ca/supportcenter/recommended-memory-cards/

I know this is for DOD cameras but maybe same problems for other makes.

Anyway why not just check that your camera is actually still recording.

[taichiplanet]

perfect timing, i was just heading into town to buy a card for a G1W-C i bought online.

[IMHO]

In my experience, all 64GB micro SD's are all prone to failure. 32GB class 10 Transcend have not failed me yet. Had 1/4 Kingstons fail.

[kbelyeu]

I swear by the Sandisk cards and have loads.. so far I haven't had a single issue.

Kurt

[BBJ]

Yep, sandisk are a pain in action and dash cams. Always crashing in my GoPro and drift. Kingston no problem thus far.

[evadgib]

Hi All,

I have noticed a deterioration in the quality of my clips. Can this be improved by buying a more expensive/better grade of SD card or will it not make any difference? My dashcam is an expensive model from UK with GPS etc purchased in 2012. The card is 16GB Sandisk class4 & is probably due for a change as I think I've had this particular one for about a year. I have several spares but have forgotten to rotate them for a while.

What size/class would you techies recommend in order to be able to read number plates etc during normal use?

I captured a bad accident yesterday & was surprised at the deterioration when I analysed the footage this afternoon.

Edited February 7, 2016 by evadgib

[evadgib]

Blog - Guide to Dashcam Memory Cards | Car Camera Shop

[IMHO]

Hi All,

I have noticed a deterioration in the quality of my clips. Can this be improved by buying a more expensive/better grade of SD card or will it not make any difference? My dashcam is an expensive model from UK with GPS etc purchased in 2012. The card is 16GB Sandisk class4 & is probably due for a change as I think I've had this particular one for about a year. I have several spares but have forgotten to rotate them for a while.

What size/class would you techies recommend in order to be able to read number plates etc during normal use?

I captured a bad accident yesterday & was surprised at the deterioration when I analysed the footage this afternoon.

Deterioration in what way?

If it caused by the memory card it's going to be corrupt data, which will manifest as lost frames and maybe some 'digital blockiness'.

[Ace of Pop]

I bought one here ages months ago for 2500Bht it's run many hours and I'm finding the same.Cant be bothered with tings like that so it will join my pile of other good ideas eventually.One day I'll realize if it ain't O.E. It hates me.[emoji87]

[kkerry]

Hi All,

I have noticed a deterioration in the quality of my clips. Can this be improved by buying a more expensive/better grade of SD card or will it not make any difference? My dashcam is an expensive model from UK with GPS etc purchased in 2012. The card is 16GB Sandisk class4 & is probably due for a change as I think I've had this particular one for about a year. I have several spares but have forgotten to rotate them for a while.

What size/class would you techies recommend in order to be able to read number plates etc during normal use?

I captured a bad accident yesterday & was surprised at the deterioration when I analysed the footage this afternoon.

Class 10 was specifically recommended by the distributor when I got a new dashcam recently, even though the spec sheet says Class 6 will do. The price difference between Class 4 and Class 10 is insignificant now, so if your dashcam can handle it you may as well get a 10. The camera resolution e.g. Full HD, will also be important if you want a sharper picture. An expensive five year old dashcam might not have the high resolution of many $100 dashcams sold today. Dashcams are like most tech gear i.e 4 years can now be several generations old.

For a 2012 model maybe Class 4 is all it is designed to handle, but you should look up the specs if they have a website to see what the manufacturer recommends and go by that. Same goes for size. My new one takes up to 64GB but with many, 32GB is the largest size supported. I also have a new Transcend 200 (as low as 3500 baht now) waiting to be put in another car and the specs for that one says up to 32GB only, Class 6 or above.

When buying MicroSD cards do not buy online from China as so many amazing bargains are fakes. In Thailand buy from well known retailers such as JIB, Jet Computer etc. In Thailand SanDisk and Transcend have worked well for me. Using a Samsung Evo Class 10 32GB at the moment, no problems so far.

Last but not least, heat is the enemy of dashcams. Parking your car for long periods in the hot sun can be the cause of erratic cam performance or even failure.

Edited February 8, 2016 by kkerry

[evadgib]

Thanks for the replies. Mine is a 'Class 4 or above' dashcam therefore I think class 10 will be the answer. Re Heat; I use those black nylon stick-on screen things if parking in the sun. At all other times except when actually driving it's in shade or in the car port.

@IMHO: The deterioration to which I referred was that I can't read number plates etc. If I buy a class 10 & adjust the settings while formatting I think i'll be sorted

Edited February 8, 2016 by evadgib

[evadgib]

Here are the salient points from an online chat with the manufacturer:

Your camera will take up to a 32gb card offering a recording loop of circa 30 hours. The memory card will not affect the overall image quality, this is controlled via the recorder. As you are capturing 640x480 resolution video, you may struggle to identify number plates as 1080p resolution is normally required for this.

If you are not satisfied with the resolution then the only option would be to upgrade your camera to one with a higher resolution resulting in much clearer images

Edited February 8, 2016 by evadgib

[kkerry]

If your maximum current resolution is only 640x480 then definitely time for a new cam. Any good dashcam now should give you the option of recording in either HD (1280x720) or Full HD (1920x1080). You only need look at YouTube to see how poor anything low res looks today. If you take a walk around a Thai IT mall, Proof and Transcend are two brand names here with decent cameras and easy availability. There are plenty of cheap on-line options recommended in previous dashcam topics. BlackVue have a very good name but $$$

[IMHO]

1080P is old hat

If you want really high res, SJCAM make 2160P action cams with a dashcam function, for under 5,000 Baht from Thai vendors. It doesn't have a gyro sensor (so won't auto-protect crash files), and you'll probably need to replace the 200 Baht battery every 6 months if parking in the sun, but the PQ is very impressive, and the WiFi/app control features are very good for quick and easy playback on a phone or tablet.

If you don't have any lighter plug-to-mini USB cables laying about, you'll need to spend an extra 290 Baht for the car kit which includes one of these and a suction mount (which you don't need if permanently installing).

https://sjcamhd.com/compare-sj5000-series/

Edited February 8, 2016 by IMHO

[SoloFlyer]

^ IMHO, I need an old dashcam replaced. For the Pajero. I have the old wiring still in place. Its one of those things I haven't gotten around to researching which is most suitable. What would you recommend?

[IMHO]

^ IMHO, I need an old dashcam replaced. For the Pajero. I have the old wiring still in place. Its one of those things I haven't gotten around to researching which is most suitable. What would you recommend?

I have the SJCAM 5000x Elite (4K version) as the front cam in 2/4 of my cars, the others are now all using Transcend Drivepro 100's - replacing the Chinese/Korean ones I used previously as they all failed (and they all did)... All my rear cams are DP100's.

My first 3 Drivepro's are now almost 2 years old, all of them still going strong with no signs of degradation or failure to write. PQ is not best-in-class - there are other 1080P cams that still do better - but it's still in the top 90%'ish for PQ. Their reliability is unbeaten in my shed though.

The SJCAM 5000x Elite's shooting 4K video are only in the 3rd month of service now, so too early to comment on reliability. No issues so far though, and PQ is simply superb. I have to try and remember to clean the windshield in front of them more regularly though

Edited February 9, 2016 by IMHO

[Ace of Pop]

Just checked mine, its G-sensor 30fps,32Gb,HD1080. but will have to as T.A. how to post the Quality recording here,its outstanding compared to You Tube stuf.

[Gary A]

My Roadeyes cam came with only an eight GB card. Since that's what it came with, I haven't changed it. It only records for about two hours before it starts to overwrite old files. The warranty is two years. My cheap cam came with a sixteen GB Kingston class ten card. I haven't checked how long it takes to fill the card before it overwrites.

[SoloFlyer]

^ IMHO, I need an old dashcam replaced. For the Pajero. I have the old wiring still in place. Its one of those things I haven't gotten around to researching which is most suitable. What would you recommend?

I have the SJCAM 5000x Elite (4K version) as the front cam in 2/4 of my cars, the others are now all using Transcend Drivepro 100's - replacing the Chinese/Korean ones I used previously as they all failed (and they all did)... All my rear cams are DP100's.

My first 3 Drivepro's are now almost 2 years old, all of them still going strong with no signs of degradation or failure to write. PQ is not best-in-class - there are other 1080P cams that still do better - but it's still in the top 90%'ish for PQ. Their reliability is unbeaten in my shed though.

The SJCAM 5000x Elite's shooting 4K video are only in the 3rd month of service now, so too early to comment on reliability. No issues so far though, and PQ is simply superb. I have to try and remember to clean the windshield in front of them more regularly though

So your running 2 in each, one front and back? I'm not wired up for the back - my last one had that rear facing camera that caught a bit of rear action, and lots of the rearview mirror.

Is it tricky to set one up for the back? What do you recommend for both in one?

[IMHO]

^ IMHO, I need an old dashcam replaced. For the Pajero. I have the old wiring still in place. Its one of those things I haven't gotten around to researching which is most suitable. What would you recommend?

I have the SJCAM 5000x Elite (4K version) as the front cam in 2/4 of my cars, the others are now all using Transcend Drivepro 100's - replacing the Chinese/Korean ones I used previously as they all failed (and they all did)... All my rear cams are DP100's.

My first 3 Drivepro's are now almost 2 years old, all of them still going strong with no signs of degradation or failure to write. PQ is not best-in-class - there are other 1080P cams that still do better - but it's still in the top 90%'ish for PQ. Their reliability is unbeaten in my shed though.

The SJCAM 5000x Elite's shooting 4K video are only in the 3rd month of service now, so too early to comment on reliability. No issues so far though, and PQ is simply superb. I have to try and remember to clean the windshield in front of them more regularly though

So your running 2 in each, one front and back? I'm not wired up for the back - my last one had that rear facing camera that caught a bit of rear action, and lots of the rearview mirror.

Is it tricky to set one up for the back? What do you recommend for both in one?

My pickup is the only car w/out a rear camera.. In the others I was able to find ACC power from the trunk accessory socket / wiring in the rear already - it helps that the other 3 are SUV's though

The story I wrote about earlier in this thread (or was it the other one?) was all caught on the rear cam.. the only thing the front cam showed was a body flying by (they lived)

Edited February 9, 2016 by IMHO