Sentry and Camera Questions

[Wolfpacker83]

When I touch the camera icon on the screen and launch viewer, I am able to view the past hour or so of footage. I thought the camera only saved footage when I tapped the icon or pressed the horn (with that setting activated) and it would only be 10 minutes of footage. How am I able to view an hour of saved footage at any time?

I activated sentry mode from the security settings on the main screen. I notice the sentry mode icon on the screen has the red dot. When I press the icon, the red dot goes away. However, in the settings, sentry mode is still turned on. What is the point of pressing the icon to make the red dot go away?

 

[ATPMSD]

You really need to read the manual cover to cover. Your questions are covered on pages page 70 and 145.

 

[Wolfpacker83]

You really need to read the manual cover to cover. Your questions are covered on pages page 70 and 145.

I did read the manual before I posted.

It says that an hour of footage is recorded and constantly overwritten. However, I am able to view the entire hour like it is saved. Is this normal?

Also, it says that tapping the red dot icon will turn sentry on and off. However, it still says ON in the settings. Is this a temporary on/off?

 

[jcanoe]

Yes, this is normal. The Tesla cameras record 1 hour of video. After 1 hour, unless there has been a Sentry Mode event while the Tesla is parked, the video is over written. You can set exceptions for Home, Work and Favorites. (It is highly recommended that you have Sentry Mode off by default for your Home location (Set Home Location in the Navigation system.)

If you normally have Sentry Mode off at a Favorite location but want to turn Sentry mode on for just this time then tap the icon that looks like a sundial with the red dot in the center.

"To turn Sentry Mode on or off, touch the Sentry Mode icon at the top of your touchscreen. Alternatively, you can use voice commands, the mobile app, or you can touch Controls > Safety & Security > Sentry Mode. To activate Sentry Mode using voice commands, say "Keep Tesla safe", "Keep my car safe", "Sentry on", or "Enable Sentry" (for details using voice commands, see Using Voice Commands on page 144).

The red dot in the rectangle indicates that Dashcam is ready to record, recording while driving. If you press the rectangle when the red dot is on you can save the current Dashcam recording (You can also save the Dashcam recording by honking the horn (see Dashcam settings.)

 

[ATPMSD]

Sorry about that @Wolfpacker83, but far too many people ask questions that would be answered if only they read the manual. Hopefully @jcanoe answered your question.

 

[Wolfpacker83]

Sorry about that @Wolfpacker83, but far too many people ask questions that would be answered if only they read the manual. Hopefully @jcanoe answered your question.

No worries. I understand it now. I had looked at the manual but was overanalyzing it

 

[RickCRNA]

For some reason when I tap the camera icon I no longer get a drop down menu that allows me to choose launch viewer. Haven’t been able to view sentry events for the last couple of months at least. Currently on 2021.4.18.2. I think I understand this may be a software glitch and is corrected with a subsequent update. Am I on the right track here? Thanks.

 

[jcanoe]

For some reason when I tap the camera icon I no longer get a drop down menu that allows me to choose launch viewer. Haven’t been able to view sentry events for the last couple of months at least. Currently on 2021.4.18.2. I think I understand this may be a software glitch and is corrected with a subsequent update. Am I on the right track here? Thanks.

Try removing the USB memory stick, reinserting and then see if you can launch the viewer. Reformat the memory device if the option presents.

 

[RickCRNA]

Interesting...I had a Samsung SSD T7 attached to the center console USB port and a thumb drive for music only in the glovebox USB port. Music worked fine from this source, however no sentry or dashcam video could be accessed in the normal fashion. Switched out the music drive for the stock Tesla thumb drive in the glovebox and everything worked fine, proper icons showed up on screen and able to access video. Then I switched out the Tesla thumb drive for the SSD T7 in the glovebox and was instructed to reformat the SSD. Everything continues to work fine for accessing video from the T7.
Then I moved the music drive to the center console USB port and that works fine as well. Not sure why I can't have the SSD in the center console, but it appears I can't. This is a convoluted way to get to....everything seems to work ok now. Thank you!

 

[jcanoe]

The Tesla Dashcam/Sentry Mode software seems to want to have exclusive access to the USB-A data device (located inside the glove box in the Model Y vehicles with the redesigned console.) Good to know that you can play music from the two front USB-C ports. My Model Y has the original center console. The only option I have for playing music from a USB device is if I partition the storage device in the USB-A data port.

 

[RickCRNA]

My MY was delivered in December, 2020 and I believe i have the original center console design with one USB A and one USB C port located under the wireless phone charger. So I am able to use the console USB-A port for my music thumb drive and the USB-A port in the glovebox for my SSD T7. So far...so good.

 

[angus[Y]oung]

Not sure why I can't have the SSD in the center console, but it appears I can't. This is a convoluted way to get to....everything seems to work ok now. Thank you!

@RickCRNA I think they do this because your glovebox is more secure and you wouldn't want a thief to take off with your Sentry Mode clips of them breaking into your car. It's more secure in two ways: 1) many people don't even know how to open it to begin with, and 2) you can optionally set a PIN to open so that even if they know about the button/voice command, they'd still need your PIN to access the drive.