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Sentry Mode recording

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Can you view the Sentry footage on a 2017 with MCU1 on a PC.?

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I cannot get a SD card to use in the usb port when I use a 32gb I get this message. I have formatted a 128gb card in to FAT32 and it will not show up on the head unit.?
 
So, on MCU 1 cars, you cant view the footage in the same way with MCU2 cars by accessing the footage direclty inside the tesla. instead, you have to remove the usb stored footage and move it to a computer for viewing..the LAUNCH VIEWER option just isnt there on ur MCU1.....its there on the MCU2
 
if you plug in a usb drive into the tesla usb ports, the drive must have a folder entitled "TESLACAM", I included link below, once you have that folder setup on the drive, the tesla will know where to store footage, without the folder, it wont work.

 
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I have formatted a 32gb memory stick with fat32 and created a sub-directory named "TaslaCam".

I triggered the sentry cam by looking in the window, the screen flashed up "Sentry" I walked around the car, then let it turn off. I have removed the stick and put it in my PC but there is nothing on it that can be viewed?
 
I have AP2 on the 2017 with MCU1
There you go, that's your answer!!!
AP2 doesn't have the computer power to record video to a USB drive.

Recording Sentry/DashCam features are ONLY available for AP2.5 and up.

Tesla just added Dumb Sentry to AP2 vehicles thinking no one standing outside of your Tesla could tell if they are actually being recorded or not, since your AP computer is not visible but the 8 cameras are...

You have 2 option if you want recording DashCam/Sentry features:

1.- Purchase FSD for your car. This way, Tesla will upgrade your AP2 computer to AP3 and you will be able to have Sentry and DashCam but this will slow down your MCU1 to almost a dead stop, making it nearly unusable due to the data load coming from the new AP3 computer.

2.- Get the Infotainment Upgrade. This will update your MCU to MCU2 but they will also update your AP computer to AP3. This is the most expensive route, but you get the best of both worlds. You also get the in-car video viewer to watch all the DashCam/Sentry videos without the need to remove the USB drive from the car, as well as Netflix and YouTube, etc but you will loose FM/AM radio, unless you buy the radio upgrade as well. It's all in the above website.

2b.- If you just want a DashCam (no Sentry though), you can get an aftermarket one like a Blackvue or an IRO for a more OEM look.

If you are planning on keeping your 2017 Model S for a few more years, I HIGHLY recommend option 2. Specially considering what Tesla you currently have. It's like driving a brand new car after you get the upgrade. Faster loading maps and navigation routes, an actual working web browser, you get the cool view of the rearview camera and the side cameras when you reverse. Netflix and YouTube for Supercharger stops, plus a faster AP computer even if you don't get the FSD software.
 
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There you go, that's your answer!!!
AP2 doesn't have the computer power to record video to a USB drive.

Recording Sentry/DashCam features are ONLY available for AP2.5 and up.

Tesla just added Dumb Sentry to AP2 vehicles thinking no one standing outside of your Tesla could tell if they are actually being recorded or not, since your AP computer is not visible but the 8 cameras are...

You have 2 option if you want recording DashCam/Sentry features:

1.- Purchase FSD for your car. This way, Tesla will upgrade your AP2 computer to AP3 and you will be able to have Sentry and DashCam but this will slow down your MCU1 to almost a dead stop, making it nearly unusable due to the data load coming from the new AP3 computer.

2.- Get the Infotainment Upgrade. This will update your MCU to MCU2 but they will also update your AP computer to AP3. This is the most expensive route, but you get the best of both worlds. You also get the in-car video viewer to watch all the DashCam/Sentry videos without the need to remove the USB drive from the car, as well as Netflix and YouTube, etc.

2b.- If you just want a DashCam (no Sentry though), you can get an aftermarket one like a Blackvue or an IRO for a more OEM look.
Thank you for the reply I just was not able to get a reason why I could not get the Sentry to record, I don't know who is the dumb one me thinking I could get Sentry mode or Tesla allowing it to be set up on the screen. I have just installed a dash cam so I am partly covered it would just have been nice to have sentry working, looks like I will just have to save up my pennies to pay for the MCU2 upgrade!!!!
 
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But your screenshot shows an error message about the dashcam USB being too small, so that implies you have dashcam capability. Maybe you have HW2.5 — use the Additional vehicle details link on the Controls > Software screen to check.
Yes I know thats whats so stange, here is a screen dump shows "Autopilot computer as 2.0 Computer"
 

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It's a software bug ☹️.

I drive a February 2017 Model S (so AP2 from the factory) and just got the Infotainment Upgrade done on November 2020. On July 2019 we got a brand new Raven Model X for my wife, so I went on Amazon and purchased two SanDisk 512GB USB drives for our Teslas.
Knowing that my Model S wouldn't record anything to it's thumb drive, I drove around with the USB plugged in for months, and maybe twice a week or sometimes more, I got that exact message on my MCU1, until it got on my nerves and decided to pull the USB drive off the car.

Thanks to the Infotainment Upgrade, on November 2020 the thumb drive got back in the car, and it's now doing it's job eating 1 minute videos from 4 cameras. :p