FitcamX - SD Card issue?

Okay, so I'm not sure if this issue is with the SD card or the Fitcam dashcam. But I'm pretty sure it's the SD card.

Here's what's happening and what I did to resolve the issue:

I upgraded the SD card not long after I got the dashcam. It comes with a 64gig, which is fine. But I wanted more, so I got a 256gig. I have mine set to loop record for 5mins @ 4k. That means the file size for a 5 min video is about 880MB.

Depending on how long the drive is, a 64gig card could get filled up in 3 - 5 days. I guess it isn't a big deal now that I think about it, because I only need the data from the moment BEFORE I get into an accident.

So this is what happened to me; twice: I bought this

$28 SAMSUNG PRO Endurance 256GB MicroSDXC Memory Card with Adapter for Dash Cam, Body Cam, and security camera, Class 10, U3, V30 (‎MB-MJ256KA/AM)

Samsung SD card from Amazon. When I popped it in, the Fitcam app detected it, and I was able to view/access video files. Then one day it randomly stopped recognizing the card. I even plugged into my laptop and it wouldn't read. No biggie. Hard drives go bad, so I replaced it with the exact same one. Again, the app instantly recognized it and it started recording videos in 4k.

I decided to spot check it this morning and discovered that it stopped LOOPING! I've been driving around for over a month without a working dashcam. Well, it was working but the SD card crapped out yet again. It recorded video's but stopped when the hard drive got filled up.

To solve this problem (I hope?) I have put the original SD card from Fitcam back in. I had the original in for 2 months when I first bought the dashcam, and it looped just fine.

Summary: The dashcam hardware & quality is still excellent. But if you decide to upgrade, I would not recommend the Samsung SD card. Fitcam has a 128gig card on their site for only $15. I think for now I'll leave well enough alone. I don't need to hoard weeks or months of driving videos.

 

More and more I am becoming suspicious of vendors for certain items on Amazon. Amazon is the new Ebay regarding counterfeit or junk items. Since you might have to rely on a properly functioning SD card in the event of an insurance claim, I would be more careful about where I purchase the card as well as brand.

At work over the years, we have used SD cards to record flight information on certain aircraft. For obvious reasons we need to use reliable brand of cards. There are also certain databases such as Navigation, Flight Charts and Obstacle information that gets updated periodically. These cards fly with the aircraft and need to be reliable. I'm not saying that the cards never fail, once in a great while they do. I have always only used SanDisk branded cards for reliability.

 

Yeah, I read that certain types of SD's are best for Video recording and re-writing. I did my research and found the Samsung Pro Endurance highly rated and recommended for dashcams/video cameras and drones. Maybe the FitCam hardware doesn't like it because it's to good or to new?

When I installed the first 256gig card it didn't recognize it right away. The app showed a new card, but only showed it as a 64gig card. I know that some dash cams won't support SD's beyond 64 or 128. Maybe I tried to make it do too much?

 

I ran in to something like that on a thumb drive. I bought a cheap one on Amazon that did something similar - plugged it in and it said 128GB but used compression to make it a 256GB. Caused me all kinds of problems on a computer.
Maybe the owner manual for your FitCam has a size limit for the SD card?

 

I should have admitted to that earlier. When I first got the Fitcam, I Googled the question "FitCam SD card limitations" and got this:




But when I popped in the 256 card, it worked. So I thought "Ha! I'm smarter than Fitcam and the fuckers on the internet!" But apparently I was wrong, and I'm an idiot for believing in myself. My punishment now will be staying with a 64gig SD card.


Side note: If anyone wants a free 256 gig card, lemme know! You can have it if you pay for shipping.

 

Hey, I would have tried the 128GB card too! It's not going to hurt anything, and like you said, if it works, it works!

 

Doesn't fitcam give any audio warning when it's not recording/ memory card problem?

Not sure if brand matters, I use Scandisk high endurance cards on my Viofo and and Blackvue cameras. One in Viofo is now 5years old. The one on Blackvue I think I upgraded last year from factory Blackvue one.

 

I don't think it gives any audible alert that it isn't recording. The issue isn't or wasn't with the SD card or brand. The issue was the hardware wouldn't support the card size. The problem was (is) me. I'm an idiot who read the manual and ignored it.

Next time I'll practice some humility and check my ego at the door. If the manual says 128 is the max, then I won't try to go bigger than that.

 

Doesn't hurt to try. Sometimes it may work. Why I love shopping at Amazon. If it doesn't work I just need to drop it at Kohls store near my house.