File locking triggered with G-sensor set to off

akebono

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A119
This has been a problem for for a while now and still seems to be on v3.4 as well. Driving around the UK in a Civic Type R is pretty bumpy (because racecar) and I've noticed that this sometimes triggers the file lock function on both of my A119 dashcams (one's a V2). This is happening with the sensitivity for the G-sensor set to off so I wouldn't expect it to be triggered at all.

I'm still trying to reproduce the issue reliably as I think it's a little more complex than simply turning the camera on and giving it a whack! I suspect it's related to parking mode... (update: seems to happen after the camera has switched from parking mode. Maybe it enabled the g-sensor for this but doesn't disable it again when leaving parking mode?)

Has anyone else noticed the issue?
 
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I believe that is the case. Enabling Parking Mode will enable the G-Sensor as the Parking Mode needs it to function. I think it sets it to high as well. The issue has been reported that while enabling the Parking Mode turns on the G-Sensor, disabling Parking Mode does not default the G-Sensor setting back to where it was previously. I assume this will addressed in a future update.
 
I noticed this in my wife's car as well. Assumed it was because I was using the old pre-production evaluation unit and was still on 3.3. it's definitely related to parking mode as it only ever happens after it has been in parking mode.

Edit: tagging @viofo just in case he missed this thread.
 
I believe that is the case. Enabling Parking Mode will enable the G-Sensor as the Parking Mode needs it to function. I think it sets it to high as well. The issue has been reported that while enabling the Parking Mode turns on the G-Sensor, disabling Parking Mode does not default the G-Sensor setting back to where it was previously. I assume this will addressed in a future update.
If you are getting unwanted event (emergency) recordings activated by G-sensor while Parking Mode is enabled, check the G-sensor menu setting and reset it to the desired setting if it has changed to "High Sensitivity". {Edit: Ordinarily, the camera automatically switches the G-Sensor menu setting "High Sensitivity" sometime after the Parking Mode engages the Standby/Time-lapse sub-modes. The camera should switch the G-Sensor menu setting back to the original User setting shortly after the parking period ends and Normal recording resumes or when power is removed from the camera.}
 
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Just to clarify, some reproduction steps:
  1. From the menu, enable parking mode, set g sensor to off and exit menu.
  2. Verify camera is recording. Bang camera (no file lock triggered).
  3. Leave camera still so it enters parking mode (green LED).
  4. Move camera so it leaves parking mode and resumes normal recording.
  5. Bang camera (file lock triggered with symbol on screen and beeping).
 
Just to clarify, some reproduction steps:
  1. From the menu, enable parking mode, set g sensor to off and exit menu.
  2. Verify camera is recording. Bang camera (no file lock triggered).
  3. Leave camera still so it enters parking mode (green LED).
  4. Move camera so it leaves parking mode and resumes normal recording.
  5. Bang camera (file lock triggered with symbol on screen and beeping).
I verified the behavior you described in Parking Mode using an A119S with G-Sensor menu setting set to "OFF". Immediately after a parking period ends, such as after your step 4, just a shake of the camera was enough to induce a G-sensor activated event recording.

Again, I think this behavior is due to the Parking Mode switching the G-Sensor menu setting to "High Sensitivity" when the camera enters Standby mode (not recording, green Power button LED). Testing indicates the camera may not immediately switch the G-Sensor menu selection back to the User's selection after the parking period has ended (i.e., when Normal recording has resumed), but will usually do so within a couple of minutes. But the timing is not reliably predictable by me. Therefore, the criteria for switching the G-Sensor menu setting back to the User's original selection is not clearly understood by me and it is more complex than simply resuming Normal recording. So until the camera switches back to the User's original G-Sensor setting, the camera is vulnerable to bumps at "High Sensitivity" for activating G-Sensor event recordings, regardless of the User's original G-Sensor menu setting.

But I know from operational use, that the setting does revert to the User setting eventually and under ordinary operating conditions it has not been a problem for me. I leave Parking Mode enabled all the time, use the "Middle Sensitivity" G-sensor setting, and I don't get an excessive number of G-sensor activated event recordings.
 
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At least with 3.3 firmware, I disagree. I just went on a road trip (1100 miles each way) and I had the g sensor set to off and parking on. Several times, over an HOUR after making a stop that used parking mode, it triggered the g sensor lock from a bump in the road or weird road texture that caused a resonance in the car.
 
At least with 3.3 firmware, I disagree. I just went on a road trip (1100 miles each way) and I had the g sensor set to off and parking on. Several times, over an HOUR after making a stop that used parking mode, it triggered the g sensor lock from a bump in the road or weird road texture that caused a resonance in the car.
Thanks for the input. I haven't noticed such abnormal G-sensor event recordings, but then I don't drive with G-Sensor set to OFF so I may not have noticed even if they happened. However, I will set my G-Sensor to OFF for a while to see if I can capture any unexpected event recordings while driving in Parking Mode.

There is one more possibility - it is possible for Standby mode/Time-lapse to engage while driving if stopped in traffic for 90 seconds or longer. It happened to @Harsh on one of his first videos using Parking Mode. The camera would then reset the G-Sensor setting to "High Sensitivity" and an event recording could occur shortly after car movement resumes if a bump is encountered. If you still have the videos from the trip, it might be helpful for you to review the circumstances prior to the event recordings.
 
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Thanks for the input. I haven't noticed such abnormal G-sensor event recordings, but then I don't drive with G-Sensor set to OFF so I may not have noticed even if they happened. However, I will set my G-Sensor to OFF for a while to see if I can capture any unexpected event recordings while driving in Parking Mode.

There is one more possibility - it is possible for Standby mode/Time-lapse to engage while driving if stopped in traffic for 90 seconds or longer. It happened to @Harsh on one of his first videos using Parking Mode. The camera would then reset the G-Sensor setting to "High Sensitivity" and an event recording could occur shortly after car movement resumes if a bump is encountered. If you still have the videos from the trip, it might be helpful for you to review the circumstances prior to the event recording.
I can guarantee it wasn't caused by stop n go traffic, as it usually triggered on the highway, with cruise control set at 55mph or higher. The bump to trigger was usually very small, like a normal crack in the road, expansion joint, or whatever.

One possibility is that it was just such a boring, straight, flat section of highway that it thought it was parked (no GPS mount on that one), and so maybe it went into parking mode while driving?

Even though I have a 128gb card in there, I'm sure the footage has cycled out by now - our return trip was Dec 31 - Jan 1.
 
One possibility is that it was just such a boring, straight, flat section of highway that it thought it was parked (no GPS mount on that one), and so maybe it went into parking mode while driving?
That might be the explanation as unlikely as it at first seems. Motion detection is pretty sensitive, but does not trigger on all motion, and a smooth, straight, and steady ride might fool the G-Sensor. Such an event should be evidenced by a shortened file duration of the previous file relative to the Loop Recording time, a time gap between video recordings while in Standby mode (not recording), and likely a Time-lapse recording (P suffix on the filename). {Edit: This sequence could be interrupted by the event recording itself since the G-sensor setting switches sometime after the camera goes into Standby mode.} By the way, the real-time LED indication that Standby mode has been engaged is that the red REC button light goes out and the green Power button light comes on. Not so easy to notice in the daytime. Also the LCD screen, if on, turns off. But there is no difference in LED indications between Time-lapse and Normal recording.

Edit: Deleted paragraph.
 
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If the REC button is pressed shortly after a parking period, for example to stop recording to change a menu setting, the G-Sensor setting may get stuck at "High Sensitivity" and must be manually reset to the setting desired by the user.
This statement now appears to be incorrect possibly due to the way the G-Sensor status was checked during the Parking Mode Beta testing upon which the statement was based. When checking the status of the G-sensor during or after a simulated parking period and it shows "High Sensitivity" as the current setting, pressing the "!" button to exit the selection does not change the current "High Sensitivity" setting but apparently does change the unseen original User setting to "High Sensitivity". This makes it appear like the G-sensor setting has become "stuck" at "High Sensitivity", because the camera will not switch back to the original User setting and must be reset by the User. I recently found that exiting the setting by pressing the "Menu" button produces a different result that apparently does not change the unseen original User selection, because subsequently the camera does eventually switch back to the original User setting without further intervention. Sorry for any confusion. I intend to correct (edit) any similar statements in previous posts.

The bottom line is that now I can find no test case where the A119/A119S Parking Mode causes the G-Sensor menu setting to become stuck at the "High Sensitivity" setting. But the general advice is still good I think, that being if you are getting excessive unwanted event recordings in Parking Mode while driving, check the G-Sensor menu setting when safe to do so and reset it to your desired setting.
 
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This has been a problem for for a while now and still seems to be on v3.4 as well. Driving around the UK in a Civic Type R is pretty bumpy (because racecar) and I've noticed that this sometimes triggers the file lock function on both of my A119 dashcams (one's a V2). This is happening with the sensitivity for the G-sensor set to off so I wouldn't expect it to be triggered at all.

I'm still trying to reproduce the issue reliably as I think it's a little more complex than simply turning the camera on and giving it a whack! I suspect it's related to parking mode... (update: seems to happen after the camera has switched from parking mode. Maybe it enabled the g-sensor for this but doesn't disable it again when leaving parking mode?)

Has anyone else noticed the issue?
Answered yes by @CaptureYourAction and @Gibson99. Also related -
I just went on a road trip (1100 miles each way) and I had the g sensor set to off and parking on. Several times, over an HOUR after making a stop that used parking mode, it triggered the g sensor lock from a bump in the road or weird road texture that caused a resonance in the car.

The fact that both the @benjanyan and @Gibson99 both experienced G-Sensor activated event recordings while driving with the G-Sensor set to "OFF" is interesting, with Parking Mode being suspected to be the cause by both posters.

An event recording might happen during and soon after a Parking period ends, but seems unlikely once the car is under way. I've done simulated parking tests that indicate that the camera switches the G-Sensor menu setting temporarily to "High Sensitivity" upon entering the Standby mode (not recording) but may not reset the G-sensor back to the original User setting for up to a couple of minutes or so after Normal recording resumes. During that period when the camera has reset the G-Sensor to "High Sensitivity", the camera is vulnerable to G-Sensor activated event recordings, regardless of the original User G-Sensor setting.

There is also this possibility -
One possibility is that it was just such a boring, straight, flat section of highway that it thought it was parked (no GPS mount on that one), and so maybe it went into parking mode while driving?
And this recent finding -
The bottom line is that now I can find no test case where the A119/A119S Parking Mode causes the G-Sensor menu setting to become stuck at the "High Sensitivity" setting.
seems to support this seemingly unlikely case where Parking Mode Standby/Time-lapse sub-modes may occasionally engage while the car is under way. If such is the case, then it seems likely that a G-Sensor activated event recording could occur while driving, even if the User's original G-Sensor setting is "OFF".

You should be able to prove or disprove this case by an analysis of the videos recorded just prior to the unexpected event recording(s). Look at the start and end times recorded on successive videos leading up to and including the event recording(s). Look for clues that might indicate that the Parking Mode Standby/Time-lapse recording sub-modes may have engaged such as:
  1. If Standby mode engages, the camera stops recording, so you would look for a recording gap of one or more seconds between successive videos. You would also likely see that the file prior to the gap was terminated early, before Loop Recording timed out.
  2. A "P" filename suffix on a file leading up to or included in an event recording would also signal that the Time-lapse recording sub-mode has engaged. Time-lapse recording won't engage until Standby mode has engaged and motion is detected in the field of view (FOV). A Time-lapse file may not be generated if the camera switches directly from Standby to Normal recording if camera movement is sensed (by G-sensor) before motion is sensed in the FOV.
  3. There will be a 2-3 second recording gap between a Time-lapse recording and a Normal recording following it.
  4. An event recording could occur at anytime during the period that the camera switches the G-Sensor menu to "High Sensitivity".
  5. {Edit: View the video to do a sanity check on any conclusions.}
 
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At least with 3.3 firmware, I disagree. I just went on a road trip (1100 miles each way) and I had the g sensor set to off and parking on. Several times, over an HOUR after making a stop that used parking mode, it triggered the g sensor lock from a bump in the road or weird road texture that caused a resonance in the car.
Thanks for the input. I haven't noticed such abnormal G-sensor event recordings, but then I don't drive with G-Sensor set to OFF so I may not have noticed even if they happened. However, I will set my G-Sensor to OFF for a while to see if I can capture any unexpected event recordings while driving in Parking Mode.
@Gibson99 - Reporting results as promised. Since Jan 14, 2018, I have operated with Parking Mode enabled and G-Sensor menu setting set to OFF on two cameras (A119 front, A119S rear). Results were that I was unable to capture any G-sensor activated event recordings similar to what you experienced. Event recordings experienced occurred mostly on the rear camera (mounted to the rear hatch door glass) whenever the hatch was opened or closed. One event occurred while reversing out of a parking spot after a parking period. I have to qualify these results by saying that the cameras were only powered continuously once or twice a week during local errand runs of 2-8 hours with multiple parking stops, and included no freeway drives more than 10 miles. Videos were checked to verify that Time-lapse recordings activated during parking periods. Each RO recording was reviewed to see the circumstances surrounding the event recording.

This does not nullify your observations, just saying I have not been able to confirm them.
 
Finally, on May 12th, my rear facing A119S had an anomalous G-sensor event recording while driving. It happened after the camera went into Standby/Time-lapse sub-modes of the Parking Mode while the car was stopped for a long 2 minute+ stoplight. I only became aware of this after reviewing files in the RO folder, which contained two successive files from the rear camera. The first RO file had the "P" suffix and was a short time-lapse file while stopped at the stoplight. The second file started 2 seconds after the first ended when normal recording resumed as I pulled away from the stoplight. The event recording happened during the second RO file recording and triggered the two files to be moved to the RO folder. I could clearly hear the 3 beeps at one second intervals on the audio recording beginning at 14 seconds into the second file, also indicating that an event recording occurred. Although other A119S files surrounding the event had been overwritten, I had videos from my A119 front camera to help determine the what happened. The A119 front camera did not go into Time-lapse probably due to the motion of cross traffic at the stoplight. I'm using "Middle Sensitivity" for my G-sensor now and it normally takes a pretty hard bump in the road to trigger an event recording. In the video and audio recordings after pulling away from the stoplight, I couldn't identify any particularly hard bumps along the way, just light bumps associated with patches in the asphalt. The front A119 camera did not record an event. In my opinion, the cause of this anomaly was that the rear camera G-sensor menu mode was still switched to "High Sensitivity" by the Parking Mode when a small bump triggered the event recording. For me this is rare occurrence (my first while driving) but is confirmed possible. I do get occasional G-sensor activated event recordings sometimes when opening/closing doors after a parking period (my rear camera is mounted to the rear hatch glass).
 
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