Brand new Lukas 7900 ... does this on boot up

[fishbert]

Anyone see this behavior before with a Lukas dashcam?

Just got it a few days ago, and I'm using the included memory card. Most of the time when I turn it on it'll sit there and flash the firmware version on the display forever. Looks like maybe it's stuck in a boot-up loop? (wild guess)

It does start up properly maybe 1 out of every 4 or 5 attempts, so it's not completely useless...

Any advice?
Is this a known issue people have seen before?
Is it fix-able, or should I return this one? (ordered on Amazon)

 

[BOM]

Have you attempted altering the settings yet with the Lukas Ace software? I would try configuring the settings, clicking Save for the SD card and taking the device for a spin in your vehicle to get the GPS to kick in.

 

[jamesbcd]

maybe try flashing the firmware on it again?

 

[BOM]

maybe try flashing the firmware on it again?

That's an excellent suggestion. If that does not resolve your problem go ahead and send it back for an exchange. This model is excellent and the company that manufacturers it is really the only Korean manufacturer of blackbox DVR systems that listens to customer feedback and regularly updates it's firmware and Lukas Ace software.

 

[fishbert]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks.
I tried re-flashing the firmware, but it does the same thing -- works some times, but does the flashy bit most of the time.

Before I send this back, could one of you other Lukas 7900 owners do me a favor and go start your camera and wait for it to start recording, then use the power switch to turn off your camera, and right after the "see you" display turns off, flip the power switch to turn it back on. Does your camera do this flashy thing too? Try it a few times... does it always power up normally?

I don't want to go through the trouble of sending this back for a replacement unit on the off chance that this is "normal" behavior.
Maybe it just needs to be turned off for a while before it will power up again? (wild guess)

 

[Al Drake]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks.
I tried re-flashing the firmware, but it does the same thing -- works some times, but does the flashy bit most of the time.

Before I send this back, could one of you other Lukas 7900 owners do me a favor and go start your camera and wait for it to start recording, then use the power switch to turn off your camera, and right after the "see you" display turns off, flip the power switch to turn it back on. Does your camera do this flashy thing too? Try it a few times... does it always power up normally?

I don't want to go through the trouble of sending this back for a replacement unit on the off chance that this is "normal" behavior.
Maybe it just needs to be turned off for a while before it will power up again? (wild guess)

I don't believe your camera is acting normal. I get no such action from either of mine, the one in front or the one in the rear. If it were me I would be bench testing it to see if it indeed acts the same connected to an external power supply.

Good luck.

 

[fishbert]

Ok, I emailed Lukas last night about the problem. Had a reply when I woke up this morning... they said it behaves like that when the voltage it receives is low. Everything I had done with the camera so far has been in the house with a cigarette lighter wall adapter (wanted to get it all configured and such before installing it). Sure enough, when I took it out to my car and tried it there, it powered-up normally every time. (yay!)

So, looks like the root cause is the cigarette lighter wall adapter I was using in the house.
I feel a bit silly (but mostly relieved) for it being something so simple, but I'm quite happy with the support from Lukas, and hopefully this thread will help anyone else who runs into a similar issue down the road.

 

[Al Drake]

Ok, I emailed Lukas last night about the problem. Had a reply when I woke up this morning... they said it behaves like that when the voltage it receives is low. Everything I had done with the camera so far has been in the house with a cigarette lighter wall adapter (wanted to get it all configured and such before installing it). Sure enough, when I took it out to my car and tried it there, it powered-up normally every time. (yay!)

So, looks like the root cause is the cigarette lighter wall adapter I was using in the house.
I feel a bit silly (but mostly relieved) for it being something so simple, but I'm quite happy with the support from Lukas, and hopefully this thread will help anyone else who runs into a similar issue down the road.

:lol: Great news. I guess you will be getting a new power supply for those bench tests then. I have several that have been proven to work and are very handy. At least we all learned something here. We now know what a LUKAS does when it not getting the power it needs.