FYI Blackvue Dashcam frequent rebooting

[Neal]

I own two Blackvue 4K dashcams, a 1-channel for the RV and a 2-channel for the toad with powermagic. The RV dashcam has been flawless and running continuously since installed. The toad however I constantly here audio that signifies a reboot (welcome message). I googled it and figured it may be an incompatible SD card (I have a Samsung installed). Of course Blackvue promotes their cards which are insanely overpriced. What I did learn is that their SD cards are only warrantied for 6 months, not that it matters, but it tells me that these SD cards may not last. I then found that Blackvue recommends formatting your SD card monthly. You won't lose your settings, it will remove saved pictures/videos but essentially factory resets it. I did the format procedure and sure enough not a single reboot since. When I get back to the RV I'll format it as well and start doing so maybe quarterly as I remember. For those that have a Blackvue dashcam all you do it press in and hold the button on the side where the power plugs in for 10 seconds. Release and you'll get a prompt with options, hold in for 5 seconds now and it will format. That's all there is to it.

What I learned in this process also was that the Blackvue DR900's support 256 GB SD cards. I have 128's as I thought that was the largest. Nope. I'm all for using the highest capacity card to capture and maintain as much history as possible even more important when my toad is recording two cameras (front and rear). So I ordered a Samsung 256 GB SD card which is very cheap! I threw the 128 GB card in my glove box as backup.

In summary, consider formatting your blackvue SD card at some interval to keep it running in ship shape. Again, just hold the button on the end for 10 seconds, listen to prompts, hold again for 5 seconds to format.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0887P21Z2/?tag=rvf01-20

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Thanks, @Neal. Now, if I could only understand what that computerized female voice is saying. Even at full volume, I can't make out what she's saying. It would probably help if I took if down from the mount up behind the front overhead cabinet.

So, as I understand it, formatting involves holding in the button until I get "voice prompts" (Is there more than one option?), release button, wait for voice prompts to finish, and hold button in again for five seconds. Izzatright?

TJ

 

[Neal]

How to format the micro SD card?

Before formatting the SD card, please take extra note on the following: Formatting the microSD card will delete all the recordings on the card, so make sure to back up the necessary files by savin...

helpcenter.blackvue.com

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

How to format the micro SD card?

Before formatting the SD card, please take extra note on the following: Formatting the microSD card will delete all the recordings on the card, so make sure to back up the necessary files by savin...

helpcenter.blackvue.com

OK...read that. Where does the "voice prompts" and "5 seconds" you mentioned come in? Seems like the procedure above just says hold the button in for 10 seconds and you're done. What did I miss here?

TJ

 

[Neal]

You will hear voice prompts when you hold the button down at about the 10 second point. If you used velcro pull the camera off and hold it closer to your ear. In the firmware settings is also a place where you configure voice prompts but not sure you could affect these types of prompts.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Since our BlackVue DR-900S 4K has only been up and running (with a SanDisk 128GB Micro SD card) for about a week, I think I will wait until we get back to the sticks-and-bricks next week to format it. And, with the price of the 256GB Micro SD card, I will be ordering one of those as well.

TJ

 

[Neal]

@TJ&LadyDi I had the same issue as I went to get the RV out of storage and changed out the 128 GB card for a 256 GB card - no audio. I had it silenced as it could/would wake me. Here is what you need to do:

1. Connect your phone to your Blackvue WiFi
2. Open the Blackvue app and tap WiFi to connect to your Blackvue via your connected WiFi network per above
3. Go to the Firmware settings of the camera
4. Go to the System settings
5. In the middle is a volume slider, move it all the way to the right
6. Back out of the firmware settings and SAVE where it will reboot
7. Wait for it to power back on and come online (give it 1-2 minutes)
8. Now you can do the procedure of holding the button for 10 seconds, it will beep and give you prompts. Hold for 5 seconds and it will beep again.
9. Follow the steps above to move the slider to the left to silence it and you're done.