Nextbase Dash Cams

[Hadrian1]

When we bought our Yaris in 2021 it came with front and rear Nextbase  380GWX cameras.  They work fine.

When we recently bought our Rav4, it already had the same dashcams fitted, either by the previous owner, or by the dealer when he bought it.

Checking through the videos I see that all files previous to us buying the car have been deleted.  With the remaining files there are none of the car being driven. 

There is a video of me buying petrol, but as soon as I drive away the video stops, then starts again as I back into my driveway. 

I have plenty of videos showing me parked, but none actually driving. I  suspect it's something the dealer has done for privacy..... Ideas anyone  ?

It is going back in tomorrow to have the Cam-Bus Shield fitted, so I'll get them to look at the camera at the same time.

[Parts-King]

90% of problems are caused by people not formatting the SD card, format it and see how you get on. Weird things happen if you don't regularly format it. From the Nextbase Handbook

[Roy124]

You may need to install firmware updates on the Cam.

[mpm235]

Both comments by Parts-King and Roy124 above are correct. The SD Card needs re-formatting about once a month. Its very very easy to do, just press and hold the yellow triangle shaped button on the front Dashcam, for 6 seconds. 

Firmware updates are a bit more complicated and time consumimg, but not still not to tricky, will probably only have to do it once.  The Nextbase website takes you through it step by step, or the dealer might even do it for you. Good luck with it, cheers, Mark

[Hadrian1]

Thanks for the replies. Although I won't have a chance to do this before the car goes in tomorrow.

The same camera has been in the Yaris for three years and I've never re-formated it, and it still

works fine. I'll get a better idea when I get the car back and can try it.

Thanks

[Parts-King]

23 minutes ago, Hadrian1 said:

 

The same camera has been in the Yaris for three years and I've never re-formated it, and it still

 

I have never HAD to do mine, but do so every few months, if you are having any issue at all, formatting is your first option 

[Cyker]

You'll usually need to format the card the first time, as most dashcams use the  FAT32 filesystem, but almost all higher-capacity micro/SDcards come formatted as exFAT by default, which is a Microsoft-encumbered format so many companies shun it to avoid getting sued by them.

Good quality dashcam-rated cards will never need reformatting after that though - I'm currently using a Sandisk Max Endurance card and it's lasted through 3 Yarisusesieesesuses and 2 Viofo dashcams so far; Previously I was using normal Sandisk Ultras and they'd last maybe 1.5-2 years before burning out.

[Hadrian1]

It gets stranger.

When I took the car in this morning, the chap I deal with came out to look at the Dashcam.   When he looked on his phone, all of the videos of me driving were there.

I wonder if it could be an issue on my PC, not seeing files over a certain size ?

Weird !!

[philip42h]

1 hour ago, Hadrian1 said:

It gets stranger.

When I took the car in this morning, the chap I deal with came out to look at the Dashcam.   When he looked on his phone, all of the videos of me driving were there.

I wonder if it could be an issue on my PC, not seeing files over a certain size ?

Weird !!

That is 'odd'. I assume that you are using the same PC and process to view the videos from your Yaris as you are using with the RAV? If so, they should work exactly the same ...

So, how are you trying to access the Dashcam video?

[Parts-King]

The easiest way to view them is via the app on a smartphone, it's called Cam Viewer, you can also change many settings via the app 

[Roy124]

I disagree with Parts-King.  I find getting a WiFi connection using Cam Viewer can take time.  If I want to view the images I find it easier to connect the camera to the PC.

I then use the computer to format the card.

I also the dash cam to download pothole and other road defect images that I then report on Fix My Street. 

[Hadrian1]

2 hours ago, philip42h said:

That is 'odd'. I assume that you are using the same PC and process to view the videos from your Yaris as you are using with the RAV? If so, they should work exactly the same ...

So, how are you trying to access the dashcam video?

I remove the mini SD card and plug it in to a USB port on the PC using an SD adapter. As Roy does. Maybe I should connect the camera directly to the PC  ?

[Mjolinor]

MicroSD card slots are fragile. It is much better to connect the camera and never take the card out, it will live longer.

 

[Hadrian1]

Yes you are probably right John.  It's just a habit I have for removing the memory card

from my mirrorless camera when I've been taking photos.

Anyway, I just checked the camera in the Yaris and all the videos are there to be seen.

When I access the card I get The DCIM folder plus the Nextbase.com and .info files.

In the DCIM Folder I have two sub folders. Protected and Video.

For some reason I have 4 videos from 2022 in the protected folder.  I've never pressed a button to

lock any videos.  In the Video sub folder I have a couple of month's worth of videos of me driving.

So it's not an issue with the PC.   I'll see what happens when I get my Rav back

The SD card is a Sandisk 128Gig,  I may get another one to replace the Nextbase 32Gig in the Rav

[philip42h]

42 minutes ago, Hadrian1 said:

Maybe I should connect the camera directly to the PC  ?

I do / would ...

Also, I would always format the SD card on the device that was going to be used to write it. I don't know quite how relevant such precautions are these days with SD cards, but in the bad old days one couldn't guarantee that 'memory' formatted on one device could be read reliably on another.

[Parts-King]

23 minutes ago, Hadrian1 said:

 

For some reason I have 4 videos from 2022 in the protected folder.  I've never pressed a button to lock any videos. 

I suspect that those videos are protected, as recorded by the G force sensor, it does that if it thinks you have braked hard and possibly need to protect the recording in case of an accident. Check what the G force setting is set to. 

 

[Hadrian1]

I got the Rav back earlier, and I can now see all of the videos. Although the recordings seem to be rather erratic.  Everything going to Protected and Video. With  some of the videos only a few seconds long.

I've ordered a new SD card which I'll get Friday, hopefully that will sort things out.

 

Thanks for all of the help and suggestions.

[Hadrian1]

I now have the new SD card fitted, and all seems to be recording correctly....... Thank goodness.

I just need to fine tune the settings. It's a long time since I did it before.

All of the videos  are write protected on the Rav's camera, on the Yaris they aren't, is there a setting for this ?

 

[Cyker]

It's probably the protected thing people mentioned above - On mine if there is a high-g detected (Which is frequent due to all the speed humps and potholes everywhere here ), or if I hit the Keep Event button (Or whatever it's called), that video segment gets the Read-only flag set and it's moved into a RO folder.

 

[Hadrian1]

1 hour ago, Cyker said:

It's probably the protected thing people mentioned above - On mine if there is a high-g detected (Which is frequent due to all the speed humps and potholes everywhere here ), or if I hit the Keep Event button (Or whatever it's called), that video segment gets the Read-only flag set and it's moved into a RO folder.

 

At the moment, every file in the Protected and Video folders is write protected. I don't suppose it matters that much as when the card is full it will overwrite the oldest files

[Iain_M]

Hadrian1, not sure your assumption is true. iMHO, the protected files will fill your memory card and it will stop recording as I don’t think it will overwrite the right protected files automatically. 🤷‍♂️

[Roy124]

@Iain_M is correct.  I have a 28Gb card.  I formatted it the other day to delete the Protected files.  I checked yesterday and there was a significant number of Protected files already.

Four files, front and rear, current and previous minute, were Protected. 

As @Cyker surmised,  it was due to rapid braking.  My granddaughter was going to be sick and I had to make a quick stop.  Not an emergency stop but harder than usual.  

@Parts-King suggests,  tweaking the g force sensitivity might be necessary, but how?

With two cameras, one minute recording cycle,  you can soon get into an overwrite cycle,  especially with an excess of Protected files. 

Having files overwritten in 2-3 days deletes any evidence should you receive a NIP within the 14 day limit.

[Roy124]

From Nextbase:

With a capacity of 128GB, the microSD card will record up to approximately eighteen hours of HD footage before the Dash Cam overwrites the oldest recordings, or seven hours if using a rear-view module. This provides you with enough capacity to capture any incident and ensure you have the evidence you need.

You can see the default 28Gb card will last 4.5hrs or less than 2hrs if you have front and rear cams.

In March I drove for 36 hours.  With the largest card, no Protected files,  and one camera it would retain roughly 2 weeks worth.  With two cameras you get about a weeks worth.

Getting rid of unneeded Protected files is essential.   For the ultra cautious get the 128Gb card and swap or save every 10 days.

 

[Cyker]

FYI Sandisk (Western Digital) currently have an offer on their 256GB Max Endurance cards - These are really good for dashcams and get a 10 year warranty! I've had the same one for a good few years now and despite the hammering it gets it's lasted far longer than the Ultras I used to use (Which would typically stop working properly within 1-2 years! At which point I discovered the 'lifetime warranty' was voided if used in dashcams, unlike the Endurance series...)

https://www.westerndigital.com/en-gb/products/memory-cards/sandisk-max-endurance-uhs-i-microsd?sku=SDSQQVR-256G-GN6IA

 

[Corolly Poly]

19 minutes ago, Cyker said:

FYI Sandisk (Western Digital) currently have an offer on their 256GB Max Endurance cards - These are really good for dashcams and get a 10 year warranty! I've had the same one for a good few years now and despite the hammering it gets it's lasted far longer than the Ultras I used to use (Which would typically stop working properly within 1-2 years! At which point I discovered the 'lifetime warranty' was voided if used in dashcams, unlike the Endurance series...)

https://www.westerndigital.com/en-gb/products/memory-cards/sandisk-max-endurance-uhs-i-microsd?sku=SDSQQVR-256G-GN6IA

 

does the 380GWX support 256? Manual says 8-128