Nalc, what did you do to get it working again?
Reading nalc's actions, I'm quite confident reviving the LB100 hasn't so much to do with reformatting the SD card (with or without a card, the LB100 should at least start up), but rather physically disconnecting the cam device its power source (in this case : car battery) and attaching it to another source (12V wall charger).
Currently, I am on my 4th (!) consecutive LB100 (of which only 1 is working reliably).
What I am observing (again) with the latest replacement :
- reboots during operation ;
- powering off, and failing to power on again : I guess this is what you guys are experiencing too.
The power-off sometimes happens mid-operation, but usually when starting the car.
My educated guess is that sometimes, when starting the car, the supplied voltage drops below the LB100 threshold.
Due to hardware/firmware bugs (I am inclined to suspect hardware manufacturing issues, see below), after the voltage dip, the LB100 fails to power essential internal circuits (others are powered, as the cam feels lukewarm to the touch).
I revive the LB100 by decoupling it from its power source for an extended amount of time (couple of hours, but minimum time has yet to be determined) and reconnecting again. This suggest the battery is involved.
I can emulate the failures with a variable voltage wall charger, so the (brand new) car's battery is not involved.
The fact that my other LB100 (I have a frontcam/backcam setup), which is connected to EXACTLY the same voltage distribution point in the car and carries the same firmware version, works more or less perfectly, leads me to believe this is a manufacturing issue.
I love the LB100's auto-parking mode and its motion detection (with 30 second buffer), but their unreliability and the need for disconnection in order to be reanimated, does render it quite useless as a car cam.
I will contact the vendor again for an inquiry about their point of view.
(sending back and forth these devices is getting expensive)