Card Full Overwrite Function

[Beachcomber]

My unit has been shutting down after only a few minutes of recording and I find that, having filled the 32Gb card, it will overwrite the last file only and shut down. The unit will again power up when the car is next started and repeat the single file (last written) overwrite and again shut down while driving. The loop setting was set by default at 1 minute.

My interpretation of overwrite was that the oldest files would be overwritten sequentially - the standard functionality of end-around buffer writing, where the buffer (card) is always full (after first filling from a format) and writing continues from the last file written and continuously overwriting the oldest file. This is how a security camera installation I have at home works.

Looking at the manual it seems to confirm what is happening:
2. When the Loop Setting mode is "1 min," "3min," or “5min"

a. When car ignition is on, the device will record automatically.
b. if the space is full, the previous saved file will be automatically cover and overwrite.​

The OJOCam manual is altogether better translated and formatted:

b. If the microSD card is out of available space, the previous saved file will be automatically overwritten.​

This implies that only the last 1 minute file written will be deleted and overwritten.

If the manual is correct and my unit is working to specification, which is hard to believe, then the functionality means constant formatting the SD card to never get near full capacity.

Any comments on this functionality and my interpretation would be appreciated.

 

[niko]

Whay brand and clasd misrosd card do you have?

 

[Beachcomber]

The current one is a Transcend 32Gb class 4. I was earlier having similar difficulties with a SanDisk 16Gb, also class 4.

 

[niko]

The current one is a Transcend 32Gb class 4. I was earlier having similar difficulties with a SanDisk 16Gb, also class 4.

Sandisk is fussy, but Transcend is more realiable.
Have you tried to re-flash firmware?

 

[Beachcomber]

I have twice before upgraded the firmware but that was because of inexplicable shutting down with the card only half full. The last was 20140308 referenced by Rayman.Chan in his post on this forum. I have just recently installed 20140414 from the Tobi@s site (thanks Tobi@s), which has yet to be used. The previous problems occurred with different micro-SD cards.

What interests me is whether the manual - and my experience - is the normal functionality, that only the final file is overwritten. Any logical application would suggest not - including your professional experience by your questions regarding other possible reasons.

Taking the manual literally, after a journey the full card would have only the final file from the entire trip, the last minute (or 3 or 5) while the rest of the card will be full of stale data. That just cannot be the case.

I forgot to add that my Mini 0801 is with no internal memory and with GPS, bought from ePrance.

 

[throrope]

How is it wired? I enjoyed similar experience with a unit powered through the mount. The foot was not completely seated and lost contact. It fired up long enough to realize it didn't have enough battery to run and shut down. After realizing that and giving it time to fully charge the near dead battery, it came back to life.

Why I do not know, but this unit must be operated with the provided power cable. The unit starts in menu mode with a standard usb cable.

On my first unit I set the g shock (?) threshold for preserving the file after an accident too low. I constantly found it locked up while driving. I had a 64 gb chip and after researching found the unit could only use a 32 gb. Swapped for a 4 gb and recorded the back yard perfectly. Put it back in the car and same thing. I thought it gave up the ghost until watching from the passenger seat I saw it stop recording after a pothole. I turned that function off and thereafter, all is well. I may set to the upper end of the scale.

If my significant other could patiently allow troubleshooting from the passenger seat, at least half my frustrations would be gone. These units require trial and error to understand set-up and stopping for every trial is, as the Brits say "very inconvenient!".

As dashcam popularity continues to grow, I anticipate instructions and manuals will improve.

 

[Beachcomber]

How is it wired? I enjoyed similar experience with a unit powered through the mount. The foot was not completely seated and lost contact. It fired up long enough to realize it didn't have enough battery to run and shut down. After realizing that and giving it time to fully charge the near dead battery, it came back to life.

Why I do not know, but this unit must be operated with the provided power cable. The unit starts in menu mode with a standard usb cable.

On my first unit I set the g shock (?) threshold for preserving the file after an accident too low. I constantly found it locked up while driving. I had a 64 gb chip and after researching found the unit could only use a 32 gb. Swapped for a 4 gb and recorded the back yard perfectly. Put it back in the car and same thing. I thought it gave up the ghost until watching from the passenger seat I saw it stop recording after a pothole. I turned that function off and thereafter, all is well. I may set to the upper end of the scale.

If my significant other could patiently allow troubleshooting from the passenger seat, at least half my frustrations would be gone. These units require trial and error to understand set-up and stopping for every trial is, as the Brits say "very inconvenient!".

As dashcam popularity continues to grow, I anticipate instructions and manuals will improve.

Thanks for your input. I had originally taken the power from a USB socket for the media centre in the glove compartment with a 3m USB to micro-USB cable run up the door pillar and headlining to the base. That had too much voltage drop and so I had to have a 12V socket installed to plug the supplied adapter and cable into; that seems to provide a satisfactory and constant supply. The evidence of the card being full and only the last file currently written, then a shut-down, is not indicative of power loss, I think.

I have the G-Shock disabled so no effect from that.

 

[Lauren]

I too, am having this issuing. Using 32 GB Samsung Class 10. Seems to occur at semi-regular ten minute intervals. Not sure what is going on! My device is powered via cigarette lighter, and plugged into the cam (not the mount). Wondering if that could be the issue?

 

[Beachcomber]

Lauren - if you mean you have the same card full overwrite problem - that is, only the last file overwrites (leaving the previous x files intact, which is the subject of the thread - then I think your power configuration has nothing to do with it.

To reiterate the original problem. My unit starts recording when the car starts and provides power through a new 12V socket from the ignition switch into which is plugged the supplied adapter. After a short period the shut-down chime is heard and the unit is no longer recording. Checking the card shows one file has been recorded leaving no more space on the card - only the final file is new, the card is filled by others that are old data from previous trips.

The loop factor is set to one of the three values and so recording should continue by overwriting the old data when the card is full. However, the manual says:

2. When the Loop Setting mode is "1 min," "3min," or “5min"

b. if the space is full, the previous saved file will be automatically cover and overwrite.

- which, in more coherent English from another manual for the device reads:​

b. If the microSD card is out of available space, the previous saved file will be automatically overwritten.​

And that is exactly what is happening for me, only the last file is overwritten and then the system shuts down. That is a useless functionality as the only logical operation with a full card is for the oldest files to be continuously overwritten in an end-around functionality.

I have updated the software to 20140414, formatted the card and all is working properly again - while the card is not yet full. If when it is full (and it almost is), we shall see if it can sensibly end-around overwrite the old data. If so, then the firmware listed on the thread from Rayman.Chan was the problem - also the manual needs clarification. Watch this space.

 

[Lauren]

I'll double check what actual clips are being overwritten and see if we are having the same issue.
More so I was referring to the hearing the shut-down chime and the device is no longer recording whilst fully powered, and available space on the card. It's definitely harder for me to troubleshoot...as I'm always driving.

I ask about where the unit is plugged in again, as throrope mentions its powered via mount whereas I have mine attached to the actual dash cam itself. If that could cause issues with power draw, or the device not behaving as intended?

 

[Street Guardian USA]

These shut-down/full problems have been plaguing the Mini 0801 since mid-2013. Good luck getting it to work reliability. I gave up on mine a long time ago after many firmware updates and RMA replacements.

 

[Jagmanmick]

I had a similar problem with mine until I updated to 20140414, With GPS without internal memory, since then I've tested mine with a Samsung 32Gb Class 6 and Class 10 card continuously recording over several days with no problem on either card.

 

[Beachcomber]

I have re-analysed the contents of my card and must make a correction to my last post, written after a tiring day when I was not at my best.

The card was, in effect, full - only circa 600Mb of free space on a 32Gb card. Checking the files was simplified by the fact all were of a long journey I made on Sunday 27th July from NE Italy to my home in Switzerland, some 700km and 8 hours duration.

I had started the journey after upgrading the firmware (to 20140414) and formatting the card. The contained files correctly showed arrival at home and the first file was of a section that was about 30 minutes after the start. The rest of the file contents were of the entire trip. This means the unit correctly recorded 7.5 hours of the latter part of the journey, overwriting the first 30 minutes. This is the first time the unit has worked properly since purchase in January, 2014.

However ... the time set on the file data was wrong. It was, from the very first file, plus 7.5 hours. I checked the menu and the time was indeed advanced from actual time by that amount. I am sure I entered the correct time in the menu settings after upgrading the firmware - but perhaps not, I shall have to keep monitoring that point. I remember previously a similar error of the time being advanced from what I believed I had set. This is a more trivial error - if indeed it is an error - but could prove a problem in substantiating blame in a traffic incident.

Many thanks to you all for contributing, your input was valuable - especially yours RoadCam, it was interesting to know that others had experienced similar problems.