Camera Killing Cards?

2000rpm

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Dash Cam
Many, including JooVuu, Mobius, Street Guardian.
Are some dashcams capable of repeatedly killing memory cards?

Here's the situation:

I have a couple of dozen dashcams, most of them duplicates or sometimes even several cams of the same type.

I keep an Excel spreadsheet record of periodic/random spot checks on cams and where I have multiples of any particular type the cam has a sticker with a number on it to differentiate it from other identical cams. I make any necessary notes on the spreadsheet if the cam has been misbehaving (often memory card failure or power supply issues - or my own stupidity with incorrect settings).
One thing that has come to my attention is that one cam in particular has suffered three quality Micro SD card failures so far this year, all different brands (32GB PNY, Sandisk and Transcend) which is very unusual - average would probably be something like one card failure every two years in any given cam.

Interestingly, I have a couple of other cams that are identical to the card-killer and they've never killed a card in the couple of years I've had them.

Do you guys think the cam might be the problem or is it just a run of bad luck?
 
I have a DOD LS460W which I stopped using after it it killed 3 consecutive cards, so it's possible.
 
I have a DOD LS460W which I stopped using after it it killed 3 consecutive cards, so it's possible.
Are you getting All of your cards from the same place? Were the 3 that went bad from another place? It really does make a difference, they are a big counter fit item, just a thought. I am personally not a believer in coincidences, things happen for a reason, 3 in a row is pushing things kind of hard, if you can eliminate the quality of the cards, the only thing left would be the camera/SD slot.
When you say the cards failed, do you mean they flat out don't work any more, or you had glitches with that particular camera? Also could be due to the firmware in some way, or the hardware as Jokiin suggested.
 
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Don't know if a working cam can kill a card, but a malfunctioning one can. My second G1W-C (a warranty replacement) went wonky shortly after I got it then it died. In the process it killed a Transcend 64GB card. I tried a Samsung 32GB card to no avail. Testing with h2testw and cam#3 (another warranty replacement) showed the Samsung still good but the Transcend was toast.

Transcend cards can be verified real through a link on their main website and they are my preferred brand, however everyone makes a dud now and then. 2 duds would be my normal luck, but even I would question 3 duds in a row. There is definitely something wrong happening here and it is most likely the cam or it's PS which is bad ;)

Phil
 
I would speculate that an otherwise working camera that seems to be killing memory cards may be applying out of spec over-voltages to the cards thereby shortening their lifespan and eventually frying them.
 
Are you getting All of your cards from the same place? Were the 3 that went bad from another place? It really does make a difference, they are a big counter fit item, just a thought. I am personally not a believer in coincidences, things happen for a reason, 3 in a row is pushing things kind of hard, if you can eliminate the quality of the cards, the only thing left would be the camera/SD slot.
When you say the cards failed, do you mean they flat out don't work any more, or you had glitches with that particular camera? Also could be due to the firmware in some way, or the hardware as Jokiin suggested.
They were 3 different cards from different manufacturers that were working before I put them in the camera. I think it was a black Transcend a Samsung Evo and (*sigh*) the card that I got with my BlackVue. Camera promptly went in the drawer after the 3rd card stopped working.
 
They were 3 different cards from different manufacturers that were working before I put them in the camera. I think it was a black Transcend a Samsung Evo and (*sigh*) the card that I got with my BlackVue. Camera promptly went in the drawer after the 3rd card stopped working.

If all that is the case, and to be very frank with you, I would send it back to the manufacture with a letter explaining everything, even a copy of what everyone here has said would be helpful. I would do this even if the warrantee is out of date. Explaining all the things you did should justify a new camera to you from them, if they are a reliable/honest company. That way you (and every one here) would know what to expect from that company and act accordingly if considering buying their products. After all, it is evidently a "Lemon", which does happen and the company should make it right for you.

I wish you good luck in dealing with them, after all the camera is of no use to you as it is!
 
YES it most definitely is in my experience.
 
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