Does your dashcam lose settings after a few days?

speedlever

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I have an old G1W-C dashcam that still works well. I have it hardwired. If I don't drive my car at least every 3 days (or just switch on the ignition and let the dashcam power up), I lose my date and time settings. As long as I powerup the dashcam at least every 3 days, it keeps the settings. Do the newer capacitor dashcams have issues like this or is it just my old unit?
 
This issue are mostly related to the RCT battery in the camera, this is a small button cell battery that keep the timer ticking.
I would personally expect a camera to keep time for a week or so.

You can replace the little RCT batteries if you have a little tinkering skill, maybe even put in one that last longer.

Lipo battery or capacitor, those are only there to finalize last recording in case of a violent event where power might get cut, as i understand it those do not have anything to do with the little RCT battery inside.
 
Ok thanks. I have the G1W-C in a vehicle that gets driven infrequently. So there's a battery inside as well as the super capacitor?

Thinking about upgrading it and adding some dashcams to our other vehicles. Just considering my options right now.
 
Ok thanks. I have the G1W-C in a vehicle that gets driven infrequently. So there's a battery inside as well as the super capacitor?

Thinking about upgrading it and adding some dashcams to our other vehicles. Just considering my options right now.

You just mentioned in another post that your G1W-C is 4-5 years old, so yes your RTC battery is likely shot. And yes, cameras that have a RTC battery also will have a super-capacitor. In fact, the "C" in G1W-C means that it is a G1W model with a capacitor.
 
You just mentioned in another post that your G1W-C is 4-5 years old, so yes your RTC battery is likely shot. And yes, cameras that have a RTC battery also will have a super-capacitor. In fact, the "C" in G1W-C means that it is a G1W model with a capacitor.
Yes, I realize my G1W-C is a capacitor model. Just didn't realize it also has a battery in it. I'll have to google how to replace the battery. 3 days is a bit short and I find I either drive around with default date and times or take a few minutes to set it up every time it fails... so I end up driving around with default data a lot. ;)

Also, browsing around the site here, I found an updated firmware for it and brought it up to the 2015.1109 version. I think mine still had the 2013 FW on it. So far, so good with the new FW. But haven't noticed any real differences yet.
 
I don't think it has RTC battery. G1W-C likely using super capacitor to hold time.

If its use RTC battery to hold time and it died then it should reset time immediately not every 3 days.

So your cam is working fine, it's just the limit of super capacitor.

 
Yes, I realize my G1W-C is a capacitor model. Just didn't realize it also has a battery in it. I'll have to google how to replace the battery. 3 days is a bit short and I find I either drive around with default date and times or take a few minutes to set it up every time it fails... so I end up driving around with default data a lot. ;)

Also, browsing around the site here, I found an updated firmware for it and brought it up to the 2015.1109 version. I think mine still had the 2013 FW on it. So far, so good with the new FW. But haven't noticed any real differences yet.

The G1W-C was probably the best iteration of that class of camera. Those G1Ws usually don't last quite as long as yours, so apparently, you got a good one! :) This said, as @SuMMoN mentions, I'm now not 100% sure that the G1W-C has a RTC battery either after looking at some photos of the PCB. There are some disassembly photos on the DCT G1W review page and also on @niko's older review which includes photos of the G1W-C with the case opened up. Best to open your cam up and have a look for yourself.
 
from memory only the Viofo version of that camera had an RTC battery, think the no name ones were all without (50c cost saving) and just relied on the caps to keep the time
 
The G1W-C was probably the best iteration of that class of camera. Those G1Ws usually don't last quite as long as yours, so apparently, you got a good one! :) This said, as @SuMMoN mentions, I'm now not 100% sure that the G1W-C has a RTC battery either after looking at some photos of the PCB. There are some disassembly photos on the DCT G1W review page and also on @niko's older review which includes photos of the G1W-C with the case opened up. Best to open your cam up and have a look for yourself.
Oh, OK. Well, I did have a couple more of them but had to return them due to audio recording issues. This particular unit has performed quite well... and it may be older than I thought. I think I bought it in Sept 2014. Maybe. ;)

If/when I decide to replace it with something newer, I may be bold and try to open it up.
 
from memory only the Viofo version of that camera had an RTC battery, think the no name ones were all without (50c cost saving) and just relied on the caps to keep the time
So is 3 days about right for data retention for the capacitor model?
 
if the capacitors are starting to age then sounds about right, may have been around double that when new
I really can't complain then about the service from that old dash cam. Hope the new ones hold up equally well! Now to decide if I want the A129 Pro over the A119v3... but that's the subject of another thread.
 
And I see with some searching here that losing the date/time data is/was a common occurrence. I updated the firmware thinking that might help, but instead, I induced a problem where during recording, moving objects cause the screen to flash. Sadly, I cannot find the old firmware so I can back down the firmware on the unit.

Anyone know a repository where I can get different firmware versions for the G1W-C? Everything I've searched out is 2015.1109. My old firmware (that worked fine) was 2013.something or other.

Or perhaps this is a good excuse to get a new dashcam. :D
 
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