Intermittent lockups / corrupt files

[SenorClean]

so there is or is not any pattern?
does it freeze only during engine start or it freezes in a middle of a trip?

Seems to always be at startup (Dashcam startup that is). I have had it happen when I don't even start the engine - just turn to 'ACC'.

What I mean by no pattern is I can't predict when it'll make it past that step and when it won't.

I'm not sure why it's bad all of a sudden when it worked fine for a year leading up to this.

 

[borik]

Seems to always be at startup (Dashcam startup that is). I have had it happen when I don't even start the engine - just turn to 'ACC'.

What I mean by no pattern is I can't predict when it'll make it past that step and when it won't.

I'm not sure why it's bad all of a sudden when it worked fine for a year leading up to this.

and when you shut the engine down your last file of a trip saved properly?

 

[SenorClean]

and when you shut the engine down your last file of a trip saved properly?

Yes - unless it is frozen - I only get a small, corrupt file in that case.
When it's operating normally, it shuts down gracefully and saves the last file.

 

[borik]

Yes - unless it is frozen - I only get a small, corrupt file in that case.
When it's operating normally, it shuts down gracefully and saves the last file.

don't give up on a camera. is it mounted on a windshield?
try to clean the contacts on a memory card with an eraser.
get a new like this 22AWG Cable - A-Male to A-Female.
run a "h2testw" utility on SD card if you use Windows OS.
do you have set a Boot Delay?
set the screen saver to minimum.
keep the camera connected through a multimeter and watch it during engine / camera start, you may catch the moment the camera freezes, it may happen if the voltage drops below 4.9v, for example. how old is your car / car's battery?

 

[SenorClean]

don't give up on a camera. is it mounted on a windshield?
try to clean the contacts on a memory card with an eraser.
get a new like this 22AWG Cable - A-Male to A-Female.
run a "h2testw" utility on SD card if you use Windows OS.
do you have set a Boot Delay?
set the screen saver to minimum.
keep the camera connected through a multimeter and watch it during engine / camera start, you may catch the moment the camera freezes, it may happen if the voltage drops below 4.9v, for example. how old is your car / car's battery?

A bit of an update on this:

It is mounted on the windshield (on a GPS mount)
I've tried 3 cards (2 brand new) - I think we can rule out that angle
I've used two cables - both behave the same
h2testw OK on all 3 cards
I have tried longer boot delays - it still crashes.
I've set the screensaver to minimum - The 1 second is from when recording starts - if mine crashes, it does it before recording starts (it seems to be doing some sort of initialisation process). So I'm still getting crashes with the screen stuck on.
Car battery is about 1 year old - car is a 2007 Forester - no sign of weak cranking etc. & It's summer time in Australia - no cold battery issues!

On Viofo's request - I've tried using TS format - still crashes - when it is locked up nothing is saved at all.

So I'm more or less in the same situation. I might try disabling GPS - it seems to crash around when the GPS seems to start up - maybe there's a loose ribbon cable or something?

 

[borik]

A bit of an update on this:

It is mounted on the windshield (on a GPS mount)
I've tried 3 cards (2 brand new) - I think we can rule out that angle
I've used two cables - both behave the same
h2testw OK on all 3 cards
I have tried longer boot delays - it still crashes.
I've set the screensaver to minimum - The 1 second is from when recording starts - if mine crashes, it does it before recording starts (it seems to be doing some sort of initialisation process). So I'm still getting crashes with the screen stuck on.
Car battery is about 1 year old - car is a 2007 Forester - no sign of weak cranking etc. & It's summer time in Australia - no cold battery issues!

On Viofo's request - I've tried using TS format - still crashes - when it is locked up nothing is saved at all.

So I'm more or less in the same situation. I might try disabling GPS - it seems to crash around when the GPS seems to start up - maybe there's a loose ribbon cable or something?

do you have a non-GPS mount?

 

[SenorClean]

do you have a non-GPS mount?

I do packed away somewhere - plan 'a' is to put some electrical tape over the contacts.

 

[SenorClean]

OK so it has been a few weeks now and no lockups since disabling GPS in settings - maybe I've got a loose ribbon cable?

 

[Readthebook]

OK so it has been a few weeks now and no lockups since disabling GPS in settings - maybe I've got a loose ribbon cable?

Hi, do you still feel GPS is the issue? I’ve been experiencing precisely the same issues since about mid-December here in California with my a119.

Totally random when it happens, but typically happens if my car has been off a short while, like if I’ve gone inside to drop my kid off at school, I come back out to start it and go to work and I notice it will have the frozen image on the screen.

It’s the first gen a119 camera with GPS mount that has the flexible prongs, rather than pins, as connection point. It’s about 2 years old. I’m also hardwired, have tried other power sources/memory cards without luck in resolving.

I run power to the camera, not passed through the GPS module. I’m very interested to hear what you’ve found after a few more weeks since your last post.

Thanks.

 

[SenorClean]

Hi, do you still feel GPS is the issue? I’ve been experiencing precisely the same issues since about mid-December here in California with my a119.

Totally random when it happens, but typically happens if my car has been off a short while, like if I’ve gone inside to drop my kid off at school, I come back out to start it and go to work and I notice it will have the frozen image on the screen.

It’s the first gen a119 camera with GPS mount that has the flexible prongs, rather than pins, as connection point. It’s about 2 years old. I’m also hardwired, have tried other power sources/memory cards without luck in resolving.

I run power to the camera, not passed through the GPS module. I’m very interested to hear what you’ve found after a few more weeks since your last post.

Thanks.

Sounds like we are in a similar situation - mine is the v2 a119 with the upgraded pogo pins though.

I still haven't had it crash since disabling gps (just in settings). I haven't been home much though (I'm in California now actually) but I think I would have seen a lockup by now if it was still an issue.

Try disabling gps and see it it helps - I'll post back if I learn any more. I'm glad I'm not the only one!

 

[Readthebook]

Sounds like we are in a similar situation - mine is the v2 a119 with the upgraded pogo pins though.

I still haven't had it crash since disabling gps (just in settings). I haven't been home much though (I'm in California now actually) but I think I would have seen a lockup by now if it was still an issue.

Try disabling gps and see it it helps - I'll post back if I learn any more. I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Well it seems you’re not the only one, it does seem that you and I might be a couple of the very very very few who are experiencing this. In fact you are the only other report I have been able to find that exactly matches all of my symptoms. I just re-flashed firmware and loader yesterday as well as reset defaults on the camera after doing so and reformatting my card. I am going to see how long it takes to fail and if it does I will certainly disable GPS and see what happens

I like the idea of having GPS and speed in the recording, but I’m not exactly sure it matters in any situation outside of trying to prove my innocence for something like speeding if I were to be given a ticket for it. If it ends up being this GPS module that is causing the issue I will simply remove it and remount the camera Without it, which will give it a lower profile anyway

 

[SenorClean]

I am going to see how long it takes to fail and if it does I will certainly disable GPS and see what happens

Have you got any updates to report on your unit?
Still no crashes for me since disabling GPS. Maybe the GPS ribbon is loose inside the main camera?

 

[Readthebook]

Have you got any updates to report on your unit?
Still no crashes for me since disabling GPS. Maybe the GPS ribbon is loose inside the main camera?

Seems we have narrowed it down. I‘ve had no lockups since switching off the GPS setting.

Not sure I want to bother finding a way to fix it, but I have to wonder why this is happening.