Can't Play Videos on Phone or Laptop, and also Wifi Issues....

[Supagrunt]

I just bought a Thinkware U1000 and installed it over the past weekend. It appears to be recording, and it will play on Live View, but when I try to view the video files on the App on my Samsung S-20Plus, or on the viewer on my laptop, none of the files will play. It says they are not supported.

This is not the only problem I'm having.... Every time I start the vehicle, it starts bombarding me with notices that it's starting continuous record and wants me to connect my phone to Thinkware, then after I do that, it wants me to connect the camera to my wifi or something like that, which I do, then the next thing I know it has disconnected and it wants me to do it again. It just keeps doing this over and over. Sometimes it will stay for a bit and many times not.

I've already sent two messages to Thinkware concerning this, but no answer so far. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks

 

[kamkar]

Welcome to the forum Supagrunt.
If the files are not supported it could be a matter of a missing codec, so i would try to install a codec pack on the laptop at least. ( i assume you are trying to play from the memory card )

I use the K-lite codec pack myself. http://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm
Some 3 part players also come with codecs too, as i recall that is also the case with the player i use ( potplayer )


You have chosen a smart camera, so additional things to deal with and can go wrong, but sadly i am not able to help with those as i have yet to try my own first smart camera.
But i am sure other users of this model / brand will chime in soon.

 

[egonvdv]

Re Wifi;
If you don't want/need to use the cloud service then don't do anything
It's just a standard message the camera gives

 

[egonvdv]

and btw; you can set sound to "0" as well

 

[Supagrunt]

Thanks for the reply. I had installed the basic version of the k-lite, with no luck. I went ahead and tried the standard version since it had it own player. The player that came with it didn't work at all, but I managed to get the Thinkware Viewer on the laptop to play only some of the files for the front camera, and none of the files for the rear camera. Still can't play anything from the rear camera.
So I just tried the Pot Player too, and it is no different.
Now, I'm also finding that it's not even recording anything in parking mode. Even if I thump on the windshield really good.
Still haven't heard anything from Thinkware. I sent them a second message but still haven't heard anything from them.
Even if it will play on the laptop, if it won't play from my smartphone then it's pretty much useless in case I need to show the video to an officer if in an accident.
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm still searching....

 

[Supagrunt]

Re Wifi;
If you don't want/need to use the cloud service then don't do anything
It's just a standard message the camera gives

Thanks!

 

[egonvdv]

You do have the hardwire kit i take it and it's properly connected to
1 fuse always live
1 fuse that switches off with engine off

?

 

[Supagrunt]

You do have the hardwire kit i take it and it's properly connected to
1 fuse always live
1 fuse that switches off with engine off

?

Yes, thanks, that is the way I have it connected..

 

[egonvdv]

And the camera itself i set to parkmode as well ?

How's the car battery health ?

 

[Supagrunt]

And the camera itself i set to parkmode as well ?

How's the car battery health ?

My bad on the park mode. I thought I had set it on but apparently not.

 

[egonvdv]

make sure you check all settings:
cut of voltage
motion detection or time-laps
time on/off

 

[Supagrunt]

Well to sum it all up, the parking mode was off, and I turned it on and got videos. But they wouldn't play either on the laptop. I finally got some of the videos to play through the app on my phone, but none of the parking mode or rear camera vids would play at least on the laptop. And many front camera vids would not play either. I had tried reformatting but no change.
Then, all of a sudden the problem with the wifi connections through the phone escalated. Usually it would connect with some aggravation, cut off and reconnect, but no longer will connect because it says the Thinkware Cam is not supported.
I finally found a phone number for Thinkware and got through to someone last night. They said they were updating the apps because the latest update for my phone wouldn't work with it anymore, and said it would be 2-3 weeks before they have an update. I tried my wife's phone which is a different model and a friends iphone, and they wouldn't connect up with it either.
The only solutions they offered was getting the codecs package for the laptop, and I've installed 3 different sets of codecs and still can't play everything.
I appreciate all the suggestions from everyone.
I've wasted the past 5 days chasing one problem after another, so it's on it's way back for a refund. Anybody have any recommendations for something better? Thanks again.

 

[TKSX]

The cam records in a slightly different codec H265 (Read more about it here: https://www.blackboxmycar.ca/blogs/news/h265-the-good-the-catch-and-the-how) than many other dash cams. In short, the H265 offers a slightly higher compression rate compared to the H264 codec; however, you need "proper" hardware to view it. For phones, please use VLC player (orange / white stripe construction cone icon) for android or iphone. The build in players in your samsung phone will most likely not work (although I have not tried).

If you plan to play the videos on your computer, you "might" be able to view H265 videos smoothly using your PC if you have a decent video card that offers hardware based H265 decoding support. Most video cards > $200 purchased within the last 2 years "should" work. If you have a dianosaur card (Nvidia G-force 750ti) then it will be very choppy even if you have a 2018 i5-8600 processor. (I have to upgrade my video card so that my PC can look at videos in my U1000).

Instead of using WIFI, I would just pull the SD card out and use a USB C to USB A OTG adaptor. Plug the micro SD card into the included USB A reader and plug the USB A reader to a USB A to USB C OTG adaptor and pull the videos off the camera that way.

Keep in mind that if you opt for 4K "premium" dash cam, you might run into the video compression issue if you don't have the necessary hardware on your computer. Of course other 4K camera (front) I can recomend is the Viofo A129 Pro Duo (4K front, 1080P back), but you will miss some parking mode funcitons. Blackvue cameras are very good too if you are into Wifi / cloud access.

 

[Supagrunt]

Very interesting. Thank you for this info. I am actually looking at the Viofo A129 Pro Duo at the moment. I will look into the Blackvue also. I'll look at the OTG adaptors too!

 

[egonvdv]

for me Thinkware is one of the best (stable) cameras out there.

i used to be a blackvue fan but they overheated quickly . maybe that's changed now
they do look nicer than TW ..

 

[Supagrunt]

Well, the reason I got the thinkware was excellent reviews and even a friend of mine has had one for the last 10 years or so. I really wish my experience had been the same.

 

[Uncle64]

I just bought a Thinkware U1000 and installed it over the past weekend. It appears to be recording, and it will play on Live View, but when I try to view the video files on the App on my Samsung S-20Plus, or on the viewer on my laptop, none of the files will play. It says they are not supported.

This is not the only problem I'm having.... Every time I start the vehicle, it starts bombarding me with notices that it's starting continuous record and wants me to connect my phone to Thinkware, then after I do that, it wants me to connect the camera to my wifi or something like that, which I do, then the next thing I know it has disconnected and it wants me to do it again. It just keeps doing this over and over. Sometimes it will stay for a bit and many times not.

I've already sent two messages to Thinkware concerning this, but no answer so far. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks

I have also have the U1000 2ch and the Note 20 Ultra. In the app click the file list and all your file from the camera should be there depending on the size of your memory card. If there are files that can't be read, you might need to update your firmware and use the camera to reformat your card.

 

[Supagrunt]

Ok, I have gotten the refund for the Thinkware U1000. Apparantly

I have also have the U1000 2ch and the Note 20 Ultra. In the app click the file list and all your file from the camera should be there depending on the size of your memory card. If there are files that can't be read, you might need to update your firmware and use the camera to reformat your card.

Thanks! Great suggestions. I did both and still no difference. I think it was mostly to do with the file formats and codecs. I tried several codecs. In fact even though I sent the dash cam back yesterday for a refund, I still had my sd card with the files on it and even tried some more codecs and player that I found and after that the videos were even worse. When the dash cam was being recognized on my phone in the beginning, as long as I could keep the connection going without dropping, I could play the Live Video of either camera on the phone as they were being created just fine. Just couldn't play the files after they were created for the most part. Not even half of them would play on the computer. Crazy.
I just included a print screen that I cropped out to show how many will play. The blue files won't play......

 

[Uncle64]

Yes, that's odd. It's possible the camera was defective.

 

[Supagrunt]

The Thinkware is gone. I sent it back yesterday and have already been refunded for it. After the fact speculation, I don't know if there was a problem with the system not recording right to begin with, or what. I really think it's the h.265 bit myself. Maybe their software? I wasn't too impressed with that either. I don't understand it. I have a pretty much new msi gaming laptop that is super fast, and later model phones which would play the live views but not the recorded files.
I am looking at the IRoad X11 QHD for one, and the VIOFO A129 Pro Duo 4k 2-Channel Dash Cams. I don't want anything to do with h.265. Looks like the A129 Pro will do the h.265 with a secret setting, but it is supposed to be set for h.264. Or maybe I should stay away from the 4k completely? The IRoad X11 QHD looks interesting. Basically any dash cam is worthless if you can't play back the files for whatever reason....
Any comments on these?