My brand new SG9665GC V3 is not performing as expected!

[Moon]

Just wondering

As an example .. when you are driving towards the Sun for any length of time, to avoid direct Sunlight directly on your Camera, I would've thought having a heat guard, even if a tough cardboard fitted in front of the Camera with a circular hole in it .. to shade the Camera from the light and heat, especially on days over 25 deg C.

Another benefit would be that it covers the Camera from view from the front. It is a cheap solution to protect your Camera on 2 fronts.

On days of 25 Deg C and over .. I will have a small cloth to put over my Camera when parked outdoors exposed to the Sun.

Or am I barking up the wrong Tree here?

 

[jokiin]

heat when driving wouldn't be an issue, heat when parked and interior temps getting up to 90°c plus is the problem

 

[Moon]

So rather than leaving your Camera on the windscreen to fry when parked outside in the Sun .. take it off and put it in a micro esky (no ice req'd) sitting in the Glovebox or console.

What are the options? .. seems like do nothing and risking serious damage to your much loved Dash Cam isn't the solution?

 

[Q-BiC]

@Moon
- dashcams are supposed to be fire and forget. You shouldn't have to unhook cables, take them off the windshield or cover them up some other way or paying attention to the weather forecast or where the sun might be in a few hours while looking for a parking space...
- The cardboard with a hole in it wouldn't help, I think the sun hitting the lens (eventually sensor) is causing the most harm, with the increased heat in the car being secondary.
- Also, I've had the problems even when it was only 15-20°C outside, just less than at 25°C, but already very noticeable.

If I browse through this forum there are about 20 users having this issue, going back to spring 2016, so I'm not sure it's an isolated batch issue. My 2 replacements come from the same batch (serial number incremented by 1), but my original one does not.

Just took the liberty to go through some topics to get an overview of reports and serial numbers:

- laf, sn SGGC-B15450371 (V2), April '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/sg9665gc-v2-occasionally-recording-out-of-focus.18297/
- Dashmellow, sn unknown, April '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...cording-out-of-focus.18297/page-2#post-241201 & https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/sg9665gc-blurry.17883/page-2#post-240249
- THeBaNDiT, sn unknown, May '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...cording-out-of-focus.18297/page-3#post-248479
- Yooshaw, sn SB150500252 (V1), May '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...cording-out-of-focus.18297/page-4#post-251369
- Yooshaw again, sn unkown, but it's a V2 this time, August '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/this-is-what-happens-when-the-sg-overheats.20757/#post-271969
- fubduck, sn SGGC-B15531255, June '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...cording-out-of-focus.18297/page-4#post-253178
- azchrisf, sn unknown, August '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/this-is-what-happens-when-the-sg-overheats.20757/#post-271959
- CyberSalami, sn unknown, August '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...hen-the-sg-overheats.20757/page-2#post-275517
- Picard, sn unknown, August '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...hen-the-sg-overheats.20757/page-2#post-277700
>> resolved after replacement
- earlybirdDash, sn unknown, September '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...hen-the-sg-overheats.20757/page-2#post-279501
- lacibaci, sn unknown, September '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/focus-problem.21385/#post-282708
(got replaced and I don't know for sure but this might be his post-replacement, which indeed looks fixed/better: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/a119-vs-sg9665gc.22110/)
- Cameronbic, sn unknown, October '16
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/was-i-expecting-too-much.21738/
- jum, sn unknown, March '17
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/new-sg9665gc-v3-failed-recordings-and-blurry-videos.27974/
- JFitz, sn unknown, March '17
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/i-think-my-street-guardian-v3-is-blurry.28051/
- Deacon, sn unknown, March '17
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/i-think-my-street-guardian-v3-is-blurry.28051/#post-323605
- CRS 123, sn unknown, V3, 2 samples, April '17
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/v3-blurred-video-bad-exposure.28468/
- nephilim, sn unknown, May '17
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...gc-v3-some-questions.28048/page-3#post-334871
- Marc Onrust, sn unkown, V2, May '17
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...gc-v3-some-questions.28048/page-5#post-337054
- KorTex, sn unkown, but it's a V2, June '17
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/sg9665gc-v2-getting-blurry-when-hot.29356/
- Then there's this topic with cocacola and me. My serial numbers: 16490200, 2016510028 & 2016510029

All these mention heat and/or sun in their reports and the footage resembles each other: either a focus issue on one side or over the entire frame, with usually one area that stays in focus: the hood/interior at the bottom.

Others are reporting it "only going slighty soft in sunny conditions and quickly returning to normal" to "no issues at all even in Texas/Australia". So there's great variation it seems ...

(And exactly this variation between samples and reports of users not having the issue, or having it fixed after a replacement, makes counterarguments playing down the issue as having "too high expectations" and "nothing being able to withstand that kind of heat", "not even an SG with all metal lens housing", look kind of invalid I have to say :/)

 

[Moon]

Cheers ^ Q-BiC

I'm no expert on the effects of heat on electronic components .. only I'll stick my neck out on this one and say having your Dash Cam sitting a few cm behind a window in direct sunlight on a 40 deg C day is not going to be good for your Camera. The temp that the parts inside have to cope with must be astronomical.

It may be an inconvenience to move or cover up the Camera .. only leaving it there exposed to that sort of heat is a No No in my opinion. I certainly won't be leaving mine up there on anything above 25 deg C .. and yeah .. even that is probably too high .. to be on the safe side.

Bottom line - it either needs to be covered or removed and taken out of direct sunlight, especially on 30-40 degC days.

 

[sone983]

Cheers ^ Q-BiC

I'm no expert on the effects of heat on electronic components .. only I'll stick my neck out on this one and say having your Dash Cam sitting a few cm behind a window in direct sunlight on a 40 deg C day is not going to be good for your Camera. The temp that the parts inside have to cope with must be astronomical.

It may be an inconvenience to move or cover up the Camera .. only leaving it there exposed to that sort of heat is a No No in my opinion. I certainly won't be leaving mine up there on anything above 25 deg C .. and yeah .. even that is probably too high .. to be on the safe side.

Bottom line - it either needs to be covered or removed and taken out of direct sunlight, especially on 30-40 degC days.

I dont remove or cover my dashcam on same temperatures(Yi dashcam,much cheaper than yours),and nothing is working normal.

 

[Q-BiC]

Hi Moon,

- Actually those latest frames I posted were not at 40°C but 27°C outside. (This isn't Texas or Melbourne, this is Belgium . The average peak summer temperatures are 24°C in August. If it's 30°C outside for 2 days in a row, they already call it a heat wave over here.... )

- All these frames are at an outside temperature of only 15°C:
> https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...not-performing-as-expected.28375/#post-327423
> https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...rforming-as-expected.28375/page-2#post-327512
> https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...rforming-as-expected.28375/page-3#post-327663

- These ones using the replacement kit were at.... 12°C....
> https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...rforming-as-expected.28375/page-4#post-329917

- Also notice this user, 3 hours driving in direct sunlight at 43°C outside; sharp, so it is possible.
> https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...rforming-as-expected.28375/page-5#post-330100

- The Mini series of which I had one working just fine in the summer, for 2 years, sits pretty close to the windshield too.

 

[Leszek]

I will PM you instructions about RMA.

Sent from my LG-H962 using Tapatalk

Just received replacement. Thanks Niko! I was able to do single short testdrive in the morning, see comparison:
1 First unit
2 Replacement
Looks promising. Same place, same speed, similar time of the day (despite it says 5 p.m. on the second video; just didn't set the time) and easily noticeable difference in sharpness on the trees. Both videos made 20 minutes after starting the engine; AC on, so no heat issue; camera mounted shortly after engine started. The only significant difference is light (sunny day on first video). Will provide more test (also at night) next week earliest; much of traveling at the moment; unfortunately not by car. Hoping for good results, will keep you posted.

 

[jokiin]

thanks for the update, it's important for us to see your returned unit also so we can check it out, the only way we can address problems and improve things is by getting it back to our hardware engineer for analysis and evaluate what is wrong and what needs improving

 

[Leszek]

thanks for the update, it's important for us to see your returned unit also so we can check it out, the only way we can address problems and improve things is by getting it back to our hardware engineer for analysis and evaluate what is wrong and what needs improving

Of course. We agreed with Niko to send it back after decent testing, which means end of next week. Hope this is not an issue.

 

[jokiin]

Of course. We agreed with Niko to send it back after decent testing, which means end of next week. Hope this is not an issue.

no problem, just the longer it takes to get it back the slower the process is for us, we have never not helped anyone with a problem, we support our products 100% regardless of what it takes to get things fixed, just hope people understand that it can take some time to go through the process and this can make things a bit slower than what we would like

 

[lacibaci]

Remember to always check to make sure conditions are within specs:

Perfect! (Average sunny day in cloudy Pittsburgh)

 

[jokiin]

Remember to always check to make sure conditions are within specs:
View attachment 31538 View attachment 31539
Perfect! (Average sunny day in cloudy Pittsburgh)

don't know what that is in Celsius but I've measured 72°c at the camera on a 22°c day when parked in full afternoon sun facing west, the CMOS sensor is only rated to 60°c stable and 70°c operating temps, can't underestimate what sort of impact it can have

 

[lacibaci]

don't know what that is in Celsius but I've measured 72°c at the camera on a 22°c day when parked in full afternoon sun facing west, the CMOS sensor is only rated to 60°c stable and 70°c operating temps, can't underestimate what sort of impact it can have

Just tells you how powerful a little bit of sunshine is.

Also, this means that virtually all dashcams operate outside of their spec...

 

[jokiin]

Also, this means that virtually all dashcams operate outside of their spec...

more often than is ideal, one of the many challenges to deal with

 

[nephilim]

I understand that temperatures might exceed the rating of the CMOS. But what I don't understand is that (at least in my recordings) the foreground is still tack sharp. For me that is a clear indicator that the issue is the lens assembly or the way it is attached to the CMOS, resulting in a movement and hence focus shift. I would expect that an overheated CMOS would show image quality degradation is visible across the full image.

 

[jokiin]

I understand that temperatures might exceed the rating of the CMOS. But what I don't understand is that (at least in my recordings) the foreground is still tack sharp. For me that is a clear indicator that the issue is the lens assembly or the way it is attached to the CMOS, resulting in a movement and hence focus shift. I would expect that an overheated CMOS would show image quality degradation is visible across the full image.

when it's the CMOS the results can vary depending how hot, it can affect it overall, sometimes the picture will be ok for sharpness but will get glitches in the recording, in your case I don't think it's the CMOS issue but whatever the case we'll get it sorted, engineers are looking at it now

 

[thancam]

weird. Because my country's climate is very hot. Last week, the outside' temp is above 50 oC and everything's fine.
my car always parks in garage avoid directing heat from sun.

Because of pollution, i think my city becomes one the hotest cities in the world.
real temp last 2 week in my city:

screenshot from this news:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1397751913606774

and my GC had working fine without any issue because it parked in garage with cover from direct sun ray.

 

[jokiin]

we had high 40's in February and it was shocking

 

[DT MI]

we had high 40's in February and it was shocking

If I had high 40's in February I'd love it.