Sentry Mode questions

[plasmo]

I would like to use Sentry Mode on my Model 3, but do not need the dashcam driving footage (I use a BlackVue instead).
Does Sentry Mode work standalone, without the need to activate the driving dashcam?
For some reason, I don't seem to get any recorded Sentry Mode footage (even though my car says X# events recorded) while the car was parked in a parking lot.

I have tried several different USB sticks (with TeslaCam folder etc etc), without any video recording showing up.
(The dashcam driving footage works, when I activate it just fine).

Anyone have any ideas? I have the latest public firmware updated. thanks

 

[Magnets!]

Do you have sentry mode turned on in the menu?

 

[MountainJedi]

Do you see two folders within the TeslaCam folder? The SentryMode recordings will be in the Saved folder. The Recent folder will just have the last hour of driving from the dash cam function.

 

[plasmo]

Do you have sentry mode turned on in the menu?

Yes, Sentry Mode is turned on, and I see the red Icon when Parked.

Do you see two folders within the TeslaCam folder? The SentryMode recordings will be in the Saved folder. The Recent folder will just have the last hour of driving from the dash cam function.

Yes, I have both Recent and Saved folders seen within the TeslaCam folder.
Driving video footage DO save into the Recent folder (If I turn on the dashcam feature, which I don't need), but I only want Sentry Mode footage.

 

[MountainJedi]

Yes, I have both Recent and Saved folders seen within the TeslaCam folder.
Driving video footage DO save into the Recent folder (If I turn on the dashcam feature, which I don't need), but I only want Sentry Mode footage.

I don't think you can have just Sentry and not dash cam, but as long you don't need to download the dash footage, just ignore the Recent folder.

I don't know why it wouldn't show any clips when you have events though. Maybe try a reboot and sleep cycle without the USB drive in and Sentry off?

 

[whatthe2]

Yes, Sentry Mode is turned on, and I see the red Icon when Parked.



Yes, I have both Recent and Saved folders seen within the TeslaCam folder.
Driving video footage DO save into the Recent folder (If I turn on the dashcam feature, which I don't need), but I only want Sentry Mode footage.

I don’t know of a way to turn off dashcam, but no reason you need to. It only records the recent footage and records to saved when you press the camera button. Doesn’t take much space. I’ve got a BlackVue I use as well. No harm in having both.

 

[plasmo]

I don’t know of a way to turn off dashcam, but no reason you need to. It only records the recent footage and records to saved when you press the camera button. Doesn’t take much space. I’ve got a BlackVue I use as well. No harm in having both.

I understand the USB dashcam records only 1 hour, and then it should record over itself, right? (in the recents folder).

However, do Sentry recordings continue to grow until the USB stick runs out of space in the Saved Folder? (unless the files are deleted)

The reason why I wanted to only turn on Sentry mode is to save the 1 hour of driving recording space that I didn't need, if this was possible.

 

[whatthe2]

I understand the USB dashcam records only 1 hour, and then it should record over itself, right? (in the recents folder).

However, do Sentry recordings continue to grow until the USB stick runs out of space in the Saved Folder? (unless the files are deleted)

The reason why I wanted to only turn on Sentry mode is to save the 1 hour of driving recording space that I didn't need, if this was possible.

Yep. Sentry will record to saved files until you delete. Not sure if dashcam will continue to record after the drive fills up.

 

[Knightshade]

I understand the USB dashcam records only 1 hour, and then it should record over itself, right? (in the recents folder).

Correct.

However, do Sentry recordings continue to grow until the USB stick runs out of space in the Saved Folder? (unless the files are deleted)

Also correct.

The reason why I wanted to only turn on Sentry mode is to save the 1 hour of driving recording space that I didn't need, if this was possible.

If you hold down the camera icon it'll change from red recording light and stop recording. I don't know if this resets when you turn the car off/on though if so you'd have to do it every time.

That said, the amount of space the 1 hour buffer takes up is pretty small (less than 6 GB) and you really ought be using a decently large storage device (128GB or larger ideally) so it's not much of an issue for space... and unless you're installing multiple blackvues it might provide useful footage in case of an accident at angles you otherwise can't capture.

 

[whatthe2]

Correct.




Also correct.




If you hold down the camera icon it'll change from red recording light and stop recording. I don't know if this resets when you turn the car off/on though if so you'd have to do it every time.

That said, the amount of space the 1 hour buffer takes up is pretty small (less than 6 GB) and you really ought be using a decently large storage device (128GB or larger ideally) so it's not much of an issue for space... and unless you're installing multiple blackvues it might provide useful footage in case of an accident at angles you otherwise can't capture.

Yep. I’ve got a 256 micro SD. It recorded over 2,000 Sentry events this week at the airport. And still didn’t fill up.

 

[plasmo]

Yep. I’ve got a 256 micro SD. It recorded over 2,000 Sentry events this week at the airport. And still didn’t fill up.

Do you also have the dashcam footage on as well? I heard that microSD is a better method to keep in the car than standard USB due to heat issues... is this true?

also, how often do you do a memory dump/delete with the 256gb space? I assume you just delete the footage without viewing, unless you found some damage to your car or iphone warning...

 

[MountainJedi]

Do you also have the dashcam footage on as well? I heard that microSD is a better method to keep in the car than standard USB due to heat issues... is this true?

It doesn't record the dash cam when the car is parked. Just Sentry events. The hour long dash cam is only when the car is running and just writes over itself. If you tap the camera while driving, it will move the last 10 minutes to the Saved folder.

 

[whatthe2]

Do you also have the dashcam footage on as well? I heard that microSD is a better method to keep in the car than standard USB due to heat issues... is this true?

also, how often do you do a memory dump/delete with the 256gb space? I assume you just delete the footage without viewing, unless you found some damage to your car or iphone warning...

Not sure if MicroSD is better. I use it becuase it was cheap and easy. I don’t look through the footage unless I see damage.

 

[Knightshade]

Do you also have the dashcam footage on as well? I heard that microSD is a better method to keep in the car than standard USB due to heat issues... is this true?

No.

Both use literally the same memory technology, but in a different physical form factor.

Both sell versions specifically rated for use in hot operating conditions.

 

[davewill]

If you think about it, you'll realize that it doesn't make any sense to have sentry without dash cam. When sentry trips, it moves the last 10 minutes of dash cam footage to the savedclips folder. If the dashcam isn't running, then there would be nothing to save. Besides dash cam isn't the part that uses lots of storage, it's all the savedclips that sentry generates.

Also, if you use a small drive, you're likely to wear out the flash in months. Better to use something in the 64G+ range, which is cheap anyway. Personally, I use a 128G endurance SD Card for TeslaCam, and an regular 128G SD Card for music.

 

[bigroo42]

really basic question here about sentry mode...do i just need to buy a regular ol' 128G memory stick and just simply stick it in one of the front USB slots and enable sentry mode and i'm good to go?

and then, lets say, i'm in an accident...i can immediately hit the camera icon which will automatically save the 10 minutes of dash cam footage to that usb drive, right?

Thanks for the help with sentry mode!

 

[Saghost]

really basic question here about sentry mode...do i just need to buy a regular ol' 128G memory stick and just simply stick it in one of the front USB slots and enable sentry mode and i'm good to go?

and then, lets say, i'm in an accident...i can immediately hit the camera icon which will automatically save the 10 minutes of dash cam footage to that usb drive, right?

Thanks for the help with sentry mode!

You need to format FAT32 and include a TeslaCam folder in the root, but otherwise yes. I went with an SSD (still pretty cheap) because of the repeated overwriting, but a regular stick will work.

If you're in an accident the car will save footage automatically. You only need to push the button for thing you want to save that don't involve airbags or extreme braking. You also want to wait a minute or so after it happened to be sure it doesn't cut off the part you want when it switches to recording.

 

[SMAlset]

It doesn't record the dash cam when the car is parked. Just Sentry events. The hour long dash cam is only when the car is running and just writes over itself. If you tap the camera while driving, it will move the last 10 minutes to the Saved folder.

Correction: TeslaCam does keep recording after driving when you are parked. It's on all the time as long as you have TeslaCam active (camera icon with the red recording dot). I just checked my hour's buffer to confirm. Lots of minutes of my car parked at a restaurant while dining in the RecentClips folder. I think this might not have always been the case when it first came out but it most certainly is now.

You might want to turn off the TeslaCam for example if you have parked your car in your garage with the door closed otherwise you would get a buffered hour of darkness unless you had windows in your garage. It does use up some battery. Just remember to turn it back on when you are ready to pull out or you might regret forgetting to do that.

 

[bigroo42]

You need to format FAT32 and include a TeslaCam folder in the root, but otherwise yes. I went with an SSD (still pretty cheap) because of the repeated overwriting, but a regular stick will work.

If you're in an accident the car will save footage automatically. You only need to push the button for thing you want to save that don't involve airbags or extreme braking. You also want to wait a minute or so after it happened to be sure it doesn't cut off the part you want when it switches to recording.

Thank you for the information. Is there a guide on how to format it? I have never heard of fat32. Lol

 

[SMAlset]

Thank you for the information. Is there a guide on how to format it? I have never heard of fat32. Lol

To help you we’ll need to know what OS your computer uses. Different methods for different computer types (Mac, Android-based, Windows-based). It does need to be formatted using a computer.