How to access Sentry recordings on MS with HW 2.0 and MCU 1?

[ucmndd]

So, is someone going to tell me that my 2018 never had this ability too? Or is there a problem with the 2TB USB? Or?

2018 cars are all autopilot 2.5 so it would have worked before.

 

[grayguy]

Dropbox or something? I dunno.

It’s not so much viewing the videos… more that it’s been discussed ad nauseam on here that sentry/dashcam recording never worked with your hardware combo. I had the same HW2/MCU1 car - it was never functional for me and basically everyone else that has ever commented on this topic in the past several years.

What month in 2017 was your car produced?

I can't speak to what other people have claimed about my car, but it most certainly - 100% - had not only Sentry, but the ability to save DashCam footage while driving. It sounds like those two features are separate as well, right? Like some cars have Sentry but not DashCam?
Here's the TeslaCam footage I copied from the thumb drive that I previously had in there. Feel free to look at it. If you need it sent by some other means that lets you inspect the files or whatever, just let me know.

For the production date, from checking my VIN in the tesla-info.com VIN decoder, it looks like cars with similar VINs to mine were mid-to-late March 2017. Also, my battery warranty expires on March 26, 2025, so I'm guessing March 26 or 27, 2017 was the delivery date.

 

[ucmndd]

I can't speak to what other people have claimed about my car, but it most certainly - 100% - had not only Sentry, but the ability to save DashCam footage while driving. It sounds like those two features are separate as well, right? Like some cars have Sentry but not DashCam?
Here's the TeslaCam footage I copied from the thumb drive that I previously had in there. Feel free to look at it. If you need it sent by some other means that lets you inspect the files or whatever, just let me know.

For the production date, from checking my VIN in the tesla-info.com VIN decoder, it looks like cars with similar VINs to mine were mid-to-late March 2017. Also, my battery warranty expires on March 26, 2025, so I'm guessing March 26 or 27, 2017 was the delivery date.

Well, you’ve got a unicorn of some sort - one of one. You’re literally the only one reporting this ever worked.

One thing I notice with your clips is the video quality is not what I’d expect with actual AP 2.0 cameras. AP2 cameras (excluding the rear) have RCCC color filters and produce much more muted / red-toned videos. They look like this:

Yours are much closer to full color like you see in AP 2.5+ equipped cars that came with RCCB cameras.

Any chance there’s a second Tesla in the family?

 

[grayguy]

Well, you’ve got a unicorn of some sort - one of one. You’re literally the only one reporting this ever worked.

One thing I notice with your clips is the video quality is not what I’d expect with actual AP 2.0 cameras. AP2 cameras (excluding the rear) have RCCC color filters and produce much more muted / red-toned videos. They look like this:

Yours are much closer to full color like you see in AP 2.5+ equipped cars that came with RCCB cameras.

Any chance there’s a second Tesla in the family?

There is no 2nd Tesla in the family, although I have someone that very much wishes that to be the case. Also, I remember specifically grabbing these DashCam clips when I added the USB drive to the car to test it out when I received the feature update. I'm sure someone can go back and unpack what updates took place around that date, but I'm happy to take part in any investigation anyone wants in looking into this.

As far as the AP 2.0 vs 2.5 cameras, it sounds like you are suggesting my March 2017 car might have 2.5 hardware despite showing it has 2.0? These clips are from my car, and if there is a way to prove that I am happy to do it.

Occam's razor would suggest that the simplest explanation is that Tesla released this feature to at least a subset of cars with my hardware, and then later removed it after finding out that it did not work properly. I have not found that Tesla released any statements from before these clips were taken (Jan 16, 2020) that suggest HW 2.0 vehicles would not get these updates. Can someone point me to those statements from Tesla? Announcements or statements after that date would support my hypothesis.

 

[ucmndd]

As far as the AP 2.0 vs 2.5 cameras, it sounds like you are suggesting my March 2017 car might have 2.5 hardware despite showing it has 2.0?

I really don’t know. What does your car report for MCU and Autopilot computer under controls -> software -> additional vehicle info?

I have not found that Tesla released any statements from before these clips were taken (Jan 16, 2020) that suggest HW 2.0 vehicles would not get these updates. Can someone point me to those statements from Tesla? Announcements or statements after that date would support my hypothesis.

The original blog entry announcing sentry mode in Feb 2019 had the date cutoff:

Sentry Mode: Guarding Your Tesla | Tesla

www.tesla.com

“The feature will begin rolling out today to U.S. Model 3 vehicles, followed by Model S and Model X vehicles that were built after August 2017.”

August 2017 is when AP 2.5 computer started shipping.

 

[grayguy]

I really don’t know. What does your car report for MCU and Autopilot computer under controls -> software -> additional vehicle info?



The original blog entry announcing sentry mode in Feb 2019 had the date cutoff:

Sentry Mode: Guarding Your Tesla | Tesla

www.tesla.com

“The feature will begin rolling out today to U.S. Model 3 vehicles, followed by Model S and Model X vehicles that were built after August 2017.”

August 2017 is when AP 2.5 computer started shipping.

I'm pretty sure I've already looked and confirmed with Tesla that I have HW 2.0 and MCU 1, and given my production and delivery dates in March 2017, that would confirm it. I can't check at the moment because the car is in the body shop from an e-bike that crashed into it while parked in front of my house.

Thanks for sending the original blog post mentioning cars build after August 2017. I posted this similar question on r/teslamotors and before they took it down earlier today for apparently not being in the right sub-reddit, someone had replied stating, "AP 2.0 cars had issues maintaining throughput so they cancelled the feature."

That comment supports the fact that I had the feature, but they did not direct me to any official statements from the horse's mouth to verify the claim.

 

[grayguy]

@ucmndd and anyone else that was following this, I confirmed with Tesla that HW 2.0 / MCU 1 cars had Sentry and DashCam for a period, but it was [silently] "removed in a software update at some point."

 

[ucmndd]

@ucmndd and anyone else that was following this, I confirmed with Tesla that HW 2.0 / MCU 1 cars had Sentry and DashCam for a period, but it was [silently] "removed in a software update at some point."

Like I've said a couple times now you remain one of one that have ever reported this worked in the past. Personally I don't trust any Tesla service tech as far as I can throw them, but in this case I suppose it will remain one of life's great mysteries why you had this functionality when nobody else did.

Lord Elon works in mysterious ways...

 

[vcor]

Ok, a little more info. I had MCU1 and FSD with HW2.0. I had the AP upgraded to 3.0 (free with FSD). When the free Sentry mode feature was added, it allowed video recording on my MCU1 car. It was awful. MCU1 just couldn't keep up. Missing video or video that was badly distorted, and it was already limited to 3 cameras. It was clear the hardware was not up to the task. So I expect they removed the dashcam feature from MCU1 systems at some point as it just really didn't work.

I also used one of the fastest drives I could find, which didn't help. I also very much doubt the size of the drive has anything to do with it. Some owners have 2 TB without issues.

I later upgraded to MCU2 on the same car, which provided full video for 4 cameras without issues. Now the video color was weak on the front and side cameras, but quite usable. The rear was very good. HW2.5 cameras provide far better color on the cameras, but that's a minor issue. Tesla has (very slow) plans to replace all 7 of the HW2.0 cameras with upgraded ones for those that bought FSD. I've since sold that car and moved to MCU-Z in a 2022 S.

 

[scrumpto]

Actually, they're not the only one -- it happened to me as well. I got one great image off it and then the ability to record was gone the next day. Others have reported it as well. See here.

They've since upgraded me to HW3 so everything works fine now.