"Memory Card Error" ggggrrrrrr........

[twodogron]

I purchased my Thinkware F770 in Dec. 2017 and it run perfectly OK until around Jan 2019 when it started this annoying error message when first starting the engine. I'm currently using Samsung 32 Pro Endurance with the latest UK 08 Firmware update, on single front camera only, in desperation it's also running with Parking Mode "In-Active"... I've read so many posts on this subject but none seem to know of a definitive solution............ some people suffer from it, some people don't........ I would have thought with so many people complaining about the same issue that Thinkware might take more interest in the problem...... and this is a serious problem which makes the unit totally unreliable...... I for one will never again entertain buying another Thinkware product based on this single experience alone........... It's no good having the best picture, the most discreet Dual camera, fancy Parking mode choices etc.. etc...etc.. if the bloody thing is so unreliable because of a simple SD Card........ Some say that you HAVE to use a Thinkware branded SD Card but these cost over 120% more in the UK than the Samsung Endurance above (this equates to one 32Gb SD Card costing over 20% of the entire new cost of the camera...)
I've tried everything I can think of including the ridiculous suggestion of formatting the card to exFat in the PC........ nothing seems to work for me... the Thinkware F770 is a disgraceful failure which has never been acknowledged........
There appears to be a solution..... the F800 doesn't appear to suffer the same SD Card problems.....so why is the F770 so unreliable ??

 

[Maddog1974]

Is it the memory card error system restarting message you get? Is that happening all the time now? OR is it the 'Format memory card for data integrity' message?

 

[twodogron]

Hi, It's the "Memory Card Error, System Restarting".......... This happens probably 80% of the time when restarting the engine.

 

[Maddog1974]

I honestly think the card will have a fault with it, especially if it has worked fine for sometime before. I have come across cards over the years that will Format / Read / Write on a PC but when inserted to a camera they won't work correctly but a new card cures it. PM me your address please . I'm leaving the office now but will reply to you in the morning....

 

[twodogron]

I honestly think the card will have a fault with it, especially if it has worked fine for sometime before. I have come across cards over the years that will Format / Read / Write on a PC but when inserted to a camera they won't work correctly but a new card cures it. PM me your address please . I'm leaving the office now but will reply to you in the morning....

That's what I originally thought and that's why I bought a second identical sd card but both cards although they are relatively new they both act in the same way and have the same problems. Both Cards check out OK when system analysed on the PC.

 

[BlackboxMyCar]

If both microSD cards are experiencing this issue, it could be a bad dash cam. You've ensured you did the firmware reflash/update through the computer?

Granted Thinkware products are not perfect, they really are the most reliable out of everything that we sell.

 

[twodogron]

If both microSD cards are experiencing this issue, it could be a bad dash cam. You've ensured you did the firmware reflash/update through the computer?

Granted Thinkware products are not perfect, they really are the most reliable out of everything that we sell.

Thanks for the suggestion but it appears to be the non-Thinkware branded SD Cards that's the problem, the firmware update was OK.
With the kind help of Maddog1974 I've fitted a "Thinkware" branded SD Card and at the moment everything seems to be operating fine, however, It seems to strengthen my suspicion that Thinkware are making it very unreliable to attempt to use non branded "Thinkware" SD Cards in the F770.
This practice of somehow locking you into a particular SD Card (at double the price) to achieve reliability is very disturbing in terms of being an otherwise loyal Thinkware customer.
From various forum comments it would appear that the SD Card behaviour, in most cases, only seems to affect the F770 (I could be wrong on this point)............ the equipment itself is fine, always has been fine, it's the Marketing practice that is wrong, they don't need to stoop so low, they have a decent product..........(I ask myself, could they possibly have some kind of tie-up contract with the SD Card manufacturer, why else would they adopt this behaviour ??)............
I am currently evaluating other brands and may change if I can be sure I'm not going to experience this particular problem again.

 

[BlackboxMyCar]

Good to hear the dash cam is working.

SanDisk Ultra A1 and Samsung Pro Endurance have worked very well in Thinkware products. Thinkware's own cards definitely are good but nothing proprietary.

 

[bilalbpl]

I am facing same issue with same model of tinkware. I change 3 memory card same error. Update firmware but same error again and again. During driving suddenly will start work. Suddenly start error system restraining.

 

[JardaB]

An SD card doesn't have a permanent lifespan, it doesn't last forever. For such a small card, use the fat32 format.

The type you choose is nothing special for dasham ... you have to choose types with the necessary write speed, permanent overwrite resistance and heat resistance. The requirements are close to industry standards. Dashcam have very specific requirements for SD card quality !!!

I can recommend Sandisk Max edurance, Sandisk Extreme.

I'm sure there are other types, but you have to look for more of an industrial purpose