C3 won't record or connect to computer (SOLVED)

Scruit

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When I apply power to my C3 I get a stable orange light for a few seconds, then a stable red light. It won't start recording automatically, nor will it start recording if I hit the record button.

The sd card is a class6 Samsung 32Gb, and I formatted it in the camera by holding down power and shutter at the same time until it blinked green.

Any ideas?

EDIT (SOLVED):
I have my answer. The camera cable has a loose connection about 4" away from the HDMI connector. I connected the output to the AV on my TV and kept getting the "No Image" message - then if I hold the cable in a certain way the image appears, but if I wiggle the cable about 4" from the HDMI connecter then the image stutters and then goes away. When the image goes away the camera crashes, needing the reset.

The replacement camera ("Lens") fixed the problem.
 
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Tried a different card and found it auto-started recording when power was applied, but now it will not stop recording. After waiting a minute for it to stop recording I hit the shutter button, held the power button down for 5 seconds, unplug the camera and removed the card. It still flashed red like it was recording.

I held down the power and shutter buttons for 5 seconds and it stopped. There was a video file on the card.

I tried the original card again and it did the same thing. (Started recording and refused to stop)

So I'm finding the behavior to be inconsistent.

Another thing I noticed was when I used the C3 configuration UI I entered the name "Dashcam" and the video files have the word "Daham" in the bottom right corner. This worries me, like I was using an incompatible configuration tool? Got the c3 configuration UI from the Innovv site. When i used the configuration UI the camera did not show up as a drive on the computer so I put the card in the computer separately and saved to this "camera", then put the card in the camera and powered it up - it took the time setting and the broken version of "dashcam", so I know it copied *some* config values. I'm worried that it might have messed up other config values and put me into parking mode or motion detect or soemthing.

I've been doing dashcams for 15 years - this is about as difficult an experience I've had trying to get a camera to work.
 
I would suggest that you download the GUI from 2KOOL4U.com it is much more user friendly. Then, with the cable with the lens on the end plugged into recording unit, plug it into your pc. The lens must be attached for the pc to see it as a drive. You can now check and/or reset your preferences. And while you are there you can click on the update C3 firmware. It will tell you if you have the latest firmware. Follow the procedure as noted on the GUI.

Cheers.

PS - The GUI for the C3 is grouped with the C1/C2 under the heading "Innovv C1 HD"
 
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The lens must be attached for the pc to see it as a drive.

Ah! Didn't know that! Had the camera wires run in the car already. Thanks!

I'll download from the site you listed and try again. Thank you!
 
When I apply power to my C3 I get a stable orange light for a few seconds, then a stable red light. It won't start recording automatically, nor will it start recording if I hit the record button.

The sd card is a class6 Samsung 32Gb, and I formatted it in the camera by holding down power and shutter at the same time until it blinked green.

Any ideas?


which version of firmware do you have?

short shutter button action could result in accidental off or recording..
 
I'm trying this again and I can't get it to recognize the camera as a disk. I have the SD card in, and the camera attached. I'm using the full USB cable, not the power-only cable. When I plug the usb in the camera light goes orange then flashed red/orange slowly. The power button does nothing - neither short or long presses. If I hold shutter & power for a few seconds the light goes to orange, then I can press power again and get it to go to solid red. At no point does it appear as a disk.

If I take the card out and plug it into my sd reader I can get it to appear as a disk.

How can I factory reset this thing?
 
I checked my device manager and found my SMBus and USB drivers are showing an error. I'm updating the BIOS and USB/chipset drivers...

Edit: Flashing the FW now

Edit: Didn't help. I can see the card if I plug it it to the computer directly, but I cannot see if I plug the camera in via the usb cable (the short one, not the long power-only cable)

Currently if I plug it in via USB the light goes orange for a few seconds, then goes red stable. The shutter button does nothing (light stays red stable), so I cannot record a short video.

Edit: Wow. That's was painful. Now I have the camera recording by using a new card (other card was a NIB Samsung 32Gb C6) Been on this for 2 hours now - and I'm a IT guy by trade!

I managed to get the configuration software running, and I was able to set things up as I wanted. Can't see any settings related to the parking mode, though.

Right now if I plug in vie the power-only cable the camera goes orange, then slow red flashing. I'm assuming this means it is recording.
 
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shutter button will not do anything
if use usb cpu cable (short) and plugged into a computer.
C3 is in disk mode and will not try to record.

try format your first with fat32 or sdformatter. to fat32 format in a computer..
then insert it in c3.
do a format if you want
now plug in c4 using usb cpu cable to a windows os computer..
 
And right back to square one. I had it record for a while, then when I took the power away it continued to slow flash red (orange went away) and does not respond to buttons. The only way to get it to do anything was to hold the shutter and power buttons to reset it. The computer no longer recognizes the card in the camera. It no longer records.

Is this normal for this kind of camera?

Edit: Reflashing the FW again to see if I can get it back to a status where I can see the card in the camera.

Edit: Nope. Can't see the card in the camera.. Starting from scratch again, trying a new computer. May wind up returning it.

Edit: Could the camera itself be bad? Bad connection? I tried plugging it into my TV using the AV cable and I get a "No Image" message.
 
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I have my answer. The camera has a loose connection about 4" away from the HDMI connector. I connected the output to the AV on my TV and kept getting the "No Image" message - then if I hold the cable in a certain way the image appears, but if I wiggle the cable about 4" from the HDMI connecter then the image stutters and then goes away. When the image goes away the camera crashes, needing the reset.

I am contacting Innovv directly (direct purchase) for a replacement.



I have done some thread cleanup to consolidate my many comments together and note that the problem is solved.
 
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@Scruit, We received your message about issues you faced and noticed the above.
Please be sure, we are responsible for any quality issue, Let's work together to see if can solve the issues, if not, you will get the replacement.

First of All, You need to enter 'DASHCAM' instead of 'Dashcam' to GUI for putting the words on videos. All words need to be Capital.

Second, From the above your discretion, Camera is recording after SD card changed, the hardware should has no issue.
We need to check on connection between camera unit and lens plug,
1. Can you tape the connection to be fixed without any loos for test?
2. Can you change to other SD card, the one you get from authorized reseller? I know you have changed 2 SD cards already.
3. After get the new SD card, please download FW for update from website.
4. Power on camera, to see what happen.

If still could not solve the issue, Please send it back.

Just try,

Rock
 
1. Can you tape the connection to be fixed without any loos for test?

If I hold the cable still then it will record and function normally. If I move the cable then it will cause the image to be lost and the camera crashes in whatever sttae it was already in (if crashed is standby, then the red light stays on until i reset it. If crashed in recording mode the in the red light flashes until I reset it)

I tried holding the cable steady and moving the HDMI plug but did not notice the problem. If I hold the HDMI plug steady and move the cable then the problem happens. Specifically, an area about 4" away from the plug. The rest of the cable can be moved with no problems.


2. Can you change to other SD card, the one you get from authorized reseller? I know you have changed 2 SD cards already.

I have actually tried 4 SD cards. The problem is with the cable, not the card.


3. After get the new SD card, please download FW for update from website.

I have run the firmware install 3 times on 3 different cards. The problem is not with the card.


4. Power on camera, to see what happen.

The basic symptom is that if I plug the AV cable into the TV then wiggle the HDMI cable the camera image will flicker and go away and be replaced by a "No Image" message from the camera. This is clearly a hardware problem. The SD card won't make the camera image flicker and disappear.


Do I have to send the camera back to China? You are aware that Chinese import laws say it is illegal to sends camera to China, right? Is there a US address I can send it to instead? The last two cameras I sent to china were lost in shipping and I lost everything - likely taken by customs. I'm nervous about that.

http://pe.usps.com/text/Imm/ce_009.htm
 
@Scruit, please be sure, you will not lost everything from us. we do take care of that.

I do agree, the fault is about cable, let us think if possible to send you the new lens cable or you send the camera and lens back for replacement.

Will update you by email.
 
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@Scruit, please be sure, you will lost everything from us. we do take care of that.

I do agree, the fault is about cable, let us think if possible to send you the new lens cable or you send the camera and lens back for replacement.

Will update you by email.


Thank you for taking care of this. If you could send me a new lens cable that'd be perfect. I'll package up the old lens and set it back labelled "Lens". You can give me the address via email.
 
Yes, that is what we are thinking so. :)

Will send you the new lens. and give you the address for sending the lens back.
 
When I apply power to my C3 I get a stable orange light for a few seconds, then a stable red light. It won't start recording automatically, nor will it start recording if I hit the record button.

The sd card is a class6 Samsung 32Gb, and I formatted it in the camera by holding down power and shutter at the same time until it blinked green.

Any ideas?

EDIT (SOLVED):
I have my answer. The camera cable has a loose connection about 4" away from the HDMI connector. I connected the output to the AV on my TV and kept getting the "No Image" message - then if I hold the cable in a certain way the image appears, but if I wiggle the cable about 4" from the HDMI connecter then the image stutters and then goes away. When the image goes away the camera crashes, needing the reset.

The replacement camera ("Lens") fixed the problem.

Hi Rock,

It seems I have the same problem, I bought on the 26/12/14 two C3's with 90' cameras to use on my bike and cars through Amazon. I received them both last Thursday and proceeded to configure both C3's. Today when I've gone to test the g-sensor I found that I could not connect the C3 to my PC, let alone start it recording. I tried the other and found that was fine, so I then went through the process of trouble shooting and found that the C3 camera cable was the culprit, by moving the cable near the head the camera the C3 would connect to the PC and also record. However this is not a reliable connection and the recorded video did have the occasional frame consisting of a blue flash. I originally configured both with the other camera, I will test that one tonight, but given I did not have any issues with that one I'm hoping that it will be fine.

After reviewing a large number of Dash Cam's and finding none suitable for the application in mind, I found the C3 would be perfect after reviewing Techmoan's review of the C3. I hope that this issue with the camera cables is a glitch in production and not the norm.

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Cheers . . . Mike
 
Hi Mike, well noted the issues you are facing, let's review together to see it into details,
  1. Without connection to computer, Power on Camera, to see how it works?
  2. Which SD card do you use? it would be class 10, 16gb or 32gb.
  3. Which version of Windows are you using? C3 works for Win 7, so far we did not test on Win 8.
  4. Connect camera to computer by the short data USB cable, and LENS CABLE SHOULD PLUG INTO CAMERA.
  5. Once connected,
    1. if camera does not power on, LED will be orange color for charging till battery got full charged and LED off,
    2. if camera power on, LED color will be solid RED, as we tested win 7, you need to wait for 10 to 30 seconds to see camera is connected, and camera CAN NOT RECORDING WHEN CONNECTED TO COMPUTER.
Please check your process against the above, to see if any different and keep update.

To check cable, you can shake and bend the cable while recording, if recordings all are good, cable should has no problem.

Just try.


 
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