SG9663DC Lock Files Question

[triops44]

Hi, couldn't really find a clear answer to how the locked recording mode works. The manual says it only locks the current recording, which I assume is whatever the looped recording is set at (default 3 min).

Does this mean it only locks the current recording after you press the button? Not the files directly before and after? Is there any option to set this? I feel like it is logical to want to protect to the files immediately before and after the locked file.

 

[jokiin]

it will lock the current file, if the recording is less than half way through it will also lock the previous file, if it is more than half way though it will also lock the next file, it also takes a snapshot at the time the lock file is activated

 

[kamkar]

yes say you record in 3 minute files, and then press the button 1 minutes and 20 seconds into a segment, in that case the current and previous file will be saved.
On the other hand if you press the event button 2 minutes into a segment the current one + the next one will be saved, so if you record 3 minute files pressing the event button will land 2 X 3 minutes of video into the RO folder.

A much neater thing than in the old days where if you was lucky you had a 10 second buffer, and so had to hit the event button pretty fast after a "event"
With this new way of doing things you stand a much better chance to save a event.
And still if it is a longer duration event you can just use the 2 files in the RO folder as a time mark, and then find the footage before and after those in among the regular recordings ( providing you haven't been driving a lot after the event or have a silly small memory card.

 

[jokiin]

the time mark is easily identified by the photos it saves when the file save is triggered

 

[SawMaster]

it will lock the current file, if the recording is less than half way through it will also lock the previous file, if it is more than half way though it will also lock the next file, it also takes a snapshot at the time the lock file is activated

This seems like a very sane approach and should give you all you could need no matter what point the current recording file is at. You will always have at least a half-length file before and after this way and you're not using up space in that folder needlessly.

But then again, this is just usual stuff for Street Guardian cams where they think deeply about their products and designs

Phil

 

[kandrey89]

I do wish though that they would use dedicated space for storage of each video type though, for example 20% for events, 40% for parking and 40% for normal driving. Each space will then overwrite older files contained therein, once that space is full. This makes it so that you never have to pull your card out to delete event files because in the current mode they are locked and cannot be deleted. The need behind this is if you get a bunch of false alarm triggers from the g-force sensor to create events, eventually you won't realize that it's full and have a **** day.

 

[DT MI]

...This makes it so that you never have to pull your card out...

That would be a bad practice because you would never verify that things are working as they should and might never become aware of a failure until you actually need a video clip only to find out it's not there. Personally I never go longer than a week without checking all cards in all cameras just to make sure everything's OK - more often if I've made any changes (either hardware or firmware).

 

[kandrey89]

That would be a bad practice because you would never verify that things are working as they should and might never become aware of a failure until you actually need a video clip only to find out it's not there. Personally I never go longer than a week without checking all cards in all cameras just to make sure everything's OK - more often if I've made any changes (either hardware or firmware).

I never had issues with dashcams reporting to me whether they are recording or not without the need to check the cards, so I don't consider it to be an issue on high end dashcams. Never had lost footage unless the dashcam itself was frozen and not recording but that's what I'd check dashcam light to make sure it was ON and thus making sure that it was recording. If there was an issue the light would let me know or there'd also be a beep telling me there is an issue.

 

[DT MI]

...If there was an issue the light would let me know or there'd also be a beep telling me there is an issue.

That would be the case only if everything is working as it should. It's possible for the camera to write data to a failing card and the card controller returns a successful status to the camera yet fail to properly record. The camera doesn't indicate a problem because it's unaware of the problem. The only way to identify the problem is by actually looking at the contents of the card.

 

[kandrey89]

That would be the case only if everything is working as it should. It's possible for the camera to write data to a failing card and the card controller returns a successful status to the camera yet fail to properly record. The camera doesn't indicate a problem because it's unaware of the problem. The only way to identify the problem is by actually looking at the contents of the card.

Again, don't know what low end trash you're using, but I've never had writing problems that would go unnoticed. There are several ways for manuf. to check if video has been written correctly and report the issue.

 

[DT MI]

Again, don't know what low end trash you're using, but I've never had writing problems that would go unnoticed. There are several ways for manuf. to check if video has been written correctly and report the issue.

Well I've had it happen in a 'low end trash' dSLR costing 10 times what a high end dash cam costs so I know for a fact that it can and does happen even with quality products and components. You're free to do what you want, it matters not to me - but I know my equipment is working as it should because I verify it.

 

[jokiin]

Well I've had it happen in a 'low end trash' dSLR costing 10 times what a high end dash cam costs so I know for a fact that it can and does happen even with quality products and components.

camera can let you know when a card has failed, it won't let you know when it is failing or about to fail, inspecting files on some sort of recommended basis is always recommended so you can look for tell tale signs, glitches in the video etc

memory cards are not red wine, they don't get better with age

 

[kamkar]

Yeah.
As far as i know you will get warning if :
1: there are no memory card present, or the card there can not be written to by the camera.
But before you get to that place i think you will start to see files that are corrupted, and you do not want one of those at the wrong time.

So while i do sample files on my memory cards now and then, i might still miss some at the start of the going bad phase, and i can assure you when i find one bad file i will take a much closer look at that memory card.
And if i find more bad files i will retire that memory card all together.

As far as i know the camera can hand off a perfectly good file to the memory card where it will land in a bad place and so be corrupted or get corrupted shortly after the file have landed in that sector, i am not aware that there are any form of file write verification protocol in out little cameras.

 

[kandrey89]

Anyway, what I suggested does not preclude you from checking the state of your card, it does however save me the hassle of pulling the card and erasing the event files every so often.
The problem I have with SG's current method of locking files permanently is that if there are enough locked files then your normal driving won't have enough space to write or keep a long enough record and you don't really know when you approach that state without keeping track of how many events were saved to the card, necessitating you to pull the card and delete trash events that shouldn't have been locked.
Hence, the best approach in my opinion is to institute a % per storage video type, that allows the user to store enough footage of each type without worrying about the card running out of space because trash events saturated it. The user should only be asked to check the card if they need to pull the video, not to make sure there is enough space on the card to keep recording!!! Checking the card to make sure it's recording properly is a different matter, so it does not concern which method of storage is employed.

 

[kamkar]

I don't favor some % of the memory set aside for something special, i had that on my Lukas camera and i never liked it much personally.
I can accept the way of lukas having dual memory cards, that would work for me personally.
I would assume files in a RO folder get recycled too if / when those are the oldest ones on the memory card, which by my account should mean that you will still have a long time to backup your files in the RO folder.

And i strongly support people throwing ideas and opinions out there, some day something good happen from that.

 

[jokiin]

I would assume files in a RO folder get recycled too if / when those are the oldest ones on the memory card, which by my account should mean that you will still have a long time to backup your files in the RO folder.

correct, the RO folder has a limit already, otherwise the card could just eventually fill up and stop the camera working

 

[kamkar]

I am happy i have remembered to press the event button the last few "events" i have had, make it more easy for me to find the traffic violators for sharing.
It would seem in this winter darkness people are having a problem with the color of the light at intersections.
ATM the sun are over the horizon for just 6.5 hours every day, and the light level are at least 20 X lover than in the summer time.
But i have not seen the sun for days, day before yesterday was all rain all day.

 

[DT MI]

correct, the RO folder has a limit already, otherwise the card could just eventually fill up and stop the camera working

Has that always been the case with SG products?... or something fairly recent?

 

[jokiin]

Has that always been the case with SG products?... or something fairly recent?

can't remember exactly when we introduced it, have done a lot of firmware updates, gets a bit mind numbing sometimes

 

[DT MI]

...have done a lot of firmware updates, gets a bit mind numbing sometimes

I can totally understand and relate.

It's Christmas Eve over there, take the next couple of days off and have a great holiday.