ADVISORY - SanDisk SSD

[DJ70]

While querying SanDisk about the various reported issues with their SSD's & Viofo dashcams, I received the following response...

"I understand that you were informed that the SanDisk Extreme PSSD 1Tb has shown errors when used with Viofo A329 series dashcams.
It is true that several serial numbers had issues when connected to Mac or Windows devices.
The issue does not regard the SanDisk Extreme Portable 1TB (SDSSDE61-1T00) models."

"Additionally, it is very important to note that these drives are not designed for Dashcams and 24/07 usage. This kind of usage may damage the drive and void its warranty!"



So, make of this what you will 🤔

 

[anu0512]

Wow

 

[Augustus]

While querying SanDisk about the various reported issues with their SSD's & Viofo dashcams, I received the following response...

"I understand that you were informed that the SanDisk Extreme PSSD 1Tb has shown errors when used with Viofo A329 series dashcams.
It is true that several serial numbers had issues when connected to Mac or Windows devices.
The issue does not regard the SanDisk Extreme Portable 1TB (SDSSDE61-1T00) models."

"Additionally, it is very important to note that these drives are not designed for Dashcams and 24/07 usage. This kind of usage may damage the drive and void its warranty!"



So, make of this what you will 🤔

Lmao so if this is an official statement from a brand and written in it's documentation, then this just makes the whole SSD debacle worse

@lufa6977

 

[Finnegan]

Despite the positive reports from some testers and users, I am very glad I have not yet
purchased a PSSD/SSD device for my cam. 😳
@viofo
@VIOFO-Support

 

[LeeShadow]

Interestingly, that SanDisk SSD line also sees usage by Tesla owners for their camera systems. The expected reports exist of the general issues these SSDs had some years ago, but also some overheating and failures as well when used in the vehicles. Others have had a trouble-free experience. Some users have also pointed out that the SanDisk warranty specifically calls out usage for video recording including in dashcams as invalidating the warranty or at least did so at that time.

I checked the Samsung Portable SSD warranty here in the US and it doesn't seem to include specific exclusions and more simply states usage must be in accordance with the device's instructions. For my T7 Shield, there's no mention of it not being used for dashcams and the literature does reference it being ideal for onsite photo and video applications. Not the same thing as a dashcam, of course, but it doesn't seem Samsung rules out such usage as it seems SanDisk does for at least the model in discussion here. I see that Tesla owners also often recommend the T5/T7 SSDs.

I've not have had any issues with my T7 Shield to date, so it does seem that there are indeed likely a number of factors in play here controlling the SSD experience with compatible Viofo cams (already covered well in other related posts).

 

[mentadent]

Do they have published endurance figures i.e. Terrabytes Write before fail?

 

[Vortex Radar]

oof, that's a bummer. I love that SSD and use it daily for storing videos while editing, as well as while out on the road since the ruggedness helps. Disappointing about the dashcam usage though, especially given that the ruggedness would definitely be a huge plus for running in a vehicle.

 

[LeeShadow]

Do they have published endurance figures i.e. Terrabytes Write before fail?

No TBW specs published for the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD nor the Samsung T7 Shield. Both manufactures just point to their warranty. If the actual SSD being used in the enclosure could be identified and if it has a commercial counterpart, that would likely have a TBW rating.

 

[Augustus]

Despite the positive reports from some testers and users, I am very glad I have not yet
purchased a PSSD/SSD device for my cam. 😳
@viofo
@VIOFO-Support

Viofo won't say much, Vueroid has been the only one to acknowledge the issues and offer an explanation for what is going on with SSD implementations in dashcams

 

[lufa6977]

Lmao so if this is an official statement from a brand and written in it's documentation, then this just makes the whole SSD debacle worse

@lufa6977

Are we surprised by what was in the OP? 🙂

You and I have spoken much about all of this. In a thread somewhere here, I reminded folks that these SSDs are not designed to perform like a spinning-platter device capable of constant reads and writes. Granted, there are certainly devices that perform better due to memory quality and controller types.

SSD features like wear-leveling and its overhead could, in theory, make this even worse, with the seek times for file reads and writes, and, of course, there is the cache issue. SSDs are meant as storage devices, not server-side memory devices that constantly take in and serve up data.

Were I a manufacturer, I would look at a custom-designed enclosure. This memory device could be a module that attaches to the dashcam and has the ability to be located up to 3 meters from the dashcam. The module would be fed from the same dashcam 12-volt input cable with a 'Y', one side to the dashcam and one side to the memory enclosure. At the enclosure, the 12 volts is scaled to work with the memory type and power demands.

 

[lufa6977]

Viofo won't say much, Vueroid has been the only one to acknowledge the issues and offer an explanation for what is going on with SSD implementations in dashcams

This is correct. With the modified file system that VUEROID uses, they are best positioned to 'beat the system', so to speak. Their dashcams format and prepopulate the entire memory disk with empty files, so there is no wear leveling necessary, more or less. Because S1 4K users pick the Memory arrangement they want based on driving, parking, etc., those files and their predetermined file size are written to the memory disk. With this method, it is possible to achieve a first-in-first-out file write that mimics wear leveling without its overhead. However, I think VUEROID will not move to SSDs until all the issues are ironed out.

Even with that, I think Vueroid —or any manufacturer —would be better off to have an in-house designed external memory device guaranteed to work with its respective product. At present, using off-the-shelf memory devices is akin to playing poker and waiting for the cards to be dealt. You do not know what hand you will be dealt.

 

[EricSan]

This is a disappointing development after purchasing a 2TB SanDisk SSD. Since my driving is relatively sparse (I no longer commute for 2-3hrs/day like I used to), I suppose my use case will be fine. I suppose the real problem spot is using it for parking mode recording in a hot car during the summer for weeks/months on end.

I suppose both TBW and MTBF figures are irrelevant in the context of high heat environments.

 

[lufa6977]

This is a disappointing development after purchasing a 2TB SanDisk SSD. Since my driving is relatively sparse (I no longer commute for 2-3hrs/day like I used to), I suppose my use case will be fine. I suppose the real problem spot is using it for parking mode recording in a hot car during the summer for weeks/months on end.

I suppose both TBW and MTBF figures are irrelevant in the context of high heat environments.

Take a look at this SanDisk site. Also, look to the right of the screen for a link to download a tool to check a drive's remaining life. Of course, some of this may not apply to your devices.

SanDisk SSD Endurance and Warranty

A link for the SanDisk download page:

SanDisk Download

 

[mentadent]

Wow SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD has a really low maximum operating temperature of 45C (113 F).
WD NVME recommended operating temperature goes up to 85C (185 F).

 

[EricSan]

That's a pretty low temp limit for a device the generates a fair amount of self-heating as a result of writing data to it...

 

[speedingcheetah]

Had no issues, so far, with my Sandisk Extreme 1TB PSSD. Its the model they listed does not have issues. It has not been more than ~25% full though, as in my tests and as i update firmware, the PSSD gets formatted.
The only "issue" is one form the Viofo dash cam itself, where it does not finish writing the last 2 secs of video to the ssd when the cam has a power cut (not manually powered down), but this happens with any USB storage device connected to the camera.

 

[speedingcheetah]

"Additionally, it is very important to note that these drives are not designed for Dashcams and 24/07 usage. This kind of usage may damage the drive and void its warranty!"



So, make of this what you will 🤔

So says many other brands about ssds or sd cards...and yet, many cheap or even expensive wifi cams include cheap no name made cards that work fine for 24/7 DVR/camera use. Even name brand cards work fine for such uses, most of the time.
I personally been using the cheapest models Sandisk, and Samsung 32GB micro SD cards in several WYZE cams for several years now, they all still work fine, may be slow as dirt, but i can still scrub the 24/7 time line of the data stored on the card fine in the app.
I also have several sites running Ubiquiti Unifi Protect NVR, that record 24/7 and after 5yrs+ on one site, 1TB Samsung Evo 850 SSD Health is 70%.
YMMV of course. And, extreme conditions, high heat especially may cause early failure.
I did the math once, with the help of AI assistance, and the length of time of even excessive long drives each day, would take a very long time before one exceeded the typical TBW lifespan of a 1 or 2TB ssd. Well past the warranty length anyways.

Manufactures just have to cover their ass and have fine print to reject Warranty claims and blame the customer.
Having worked in a tech repair shop, and in data recovery, most often, when a ssd or sd card fails, it is dead dead. And takes specialized machinery and processes to even attempt to restore it.
U send in a dead ssd, they most likely not gonna take the time to resurrect it and do a forensic analysis as to why it failed or try to recover its SMART or usage data.
If u offer up the info that u used it in a dashcam or NVR, they will just use that against you to reject your RMA.

 

[DJ70]

Lmao so if this is an official statement from a brand and written in it's documentation, then this just makes the whole SSD debacle worse

@lufa6977

AFAIC, this is very much an official statement, provided in an email response from SanDisk Customer Service and Support. Whether they put it in their documentation I don't know.