Tesla Model 3 Sentry Mode and camera- remote access

[OliverHus]

Hi All

Im still finding out new things on my Tesla and I have a query regarding the various cameras around the car.

Can they be accessed remotely ? And can the information stored on the USB drive also be accessed?

I know theres an app - which I don't mind paying for but I would like to be sure the information can be accessed?

I also read that I need to use a Sandik usb to enable access?

Can someone shed some light on this please?

Thanks

Grateful once again for any help.

UK TESLA MODEL 3 DRIVER

 

[Occar]

There is currently no way to do this without a custom solution (that would be writing to a mini PC that then provided the remote access for you which would need its own cellular connection to do so).

 

[Kennymb5384]

I have found a pretty cheap set up and app for viewing videos on my iPhone...fell in the app by accident.

what you need....

Micro SD card:
Samsung PRO Endurance 128GB 100MB/s (U1) MicroSDXC Memory Card with Adapter (MB-MJ128GA/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B984HJ5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-PO4Db2ZFK7GS

Rocketek USB adapter:
Rocketek Aluminum USB 3.0 Portable Memory Card Reader Adapter for Micro SD Card/TF Card Reader Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTQZS4F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iRO4Db719BYDF

SD card reader with Lightning output:
VIKASI SD Card Reader,Memory Micro SD Card Reader USB Type C Adapter Viewer Compatible with iPhone iPad Android Mac - with Lightning Micro USB Type C 4 in 1 (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MSD1L2D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.RO4Db8FBTXGK

iUSB Pro app (app the adapter recognizes on its own):
‎iUSB Pro

so all I did was format the micro SD card to fat32 and have it the TeslaCam folder. Pop the SD card in the USB adapter and let it record Sentry Mode. After I got a few videos I took out the USB adapter and removed the SD Card. I popped that into the Vikasi adapter and plugged it directly into my IPhone 11 Pro. I prompt came up on screen asking to download iUSB app (free) and I said okay to see what it was. Sure enough I saw my TeslaCam folder and a list of all my videos I could easily watch!

it’s not the prettiest set up as the files are not in groups of 4 but they all have dates and labels with (front right left back) and it’s an easy compact set up for on the go!

 

[Occar]

The poster asked if they could be viewed remotely. What you posted does not allow you to view them remotely.

 

[Kennymb5384]

Define remotely? This allows you to watch them on a mobile device anywhere....

Are you talking about watching them from the cars interior screen?

 

[Fredneck]

Hi All

Im still finding out new things on my Tesla and I have a query regarding the various cameras around the car.

Can they be accessed remotely ? And can the information stored on the USB drive also be accessed?

I know theres an app - which I don't mind paying for but I would like to be sure the information can be accessed?

I also read that I need to use a Sandik usb to enable access?

Can someone shed some light on this please?

Thanks

Grateful once again for any help.

UK TESLA MODEL 3 DRIVER

You don't need a Sandisk brand USB memory stick. Tesla says the memory stick must have a "
sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s". It has to be formatted as FAT32 or a few more obscure formats, but not anything a large drive can be formatted to under Windows. I use a program called RMPrepUSB and works fine. You have to create a root level directory called "TeslaCam". The manual says something about requiring USB 2.0 and make a point about a 3.0 compatible drive having to also support 2.0, but any 3.0 drive has to support 2.0 because they always come up in 2.0 mode and negotiate the transition to 3.0 if both ends support it. Odd requirement from Tesla since there is no way to not support it.

The speed rating is a bit nebulous since the speed varies with block size. You can test the memory stick speed with a program called FlashBench. It will test over a range of block sizes. The smallest block sizes generally provide the slowest transfer speeds. Not sure which one to focus on.

There is a rating for flash drives... or several. In SD cards, the writing speed rating shows up either as "class" with a number representing MB/s up to 10. There is also a UHS rating indicated by a "U" with a number in it 1 or 3 for 10 or 30 MB/s. These are sustained rates which should be what is needed by Tesla. Not sure if USB sticks use these same ratings.

 

[Fredneck]

Define remotely? This allows you to watch them on a mobile device anywhere....

Are you talking about watching them from the cars interior screen?

He is asking if the car makes the videos available over the Internet without removing the flash drive from the car.

 

[aubs]

Or if you can view a live feed from the cameras on your phone remotely. Ie see what the car is seeing in real time. That would be a handy feature.

 

[webbah]

Another reason why I love my Blackvue 900S with cloud connectivity. Can connect from anywhere and check the front and rear cameras. Brilliant! Only requirement was to also have a wifi hotspot in the car which I installed hidden using a Teltonika 4G auto mobile router.

 

[puckpurnell]

Easiest: Get a memory stick with WiFi.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZCFYFAO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Remove the stick, connect your phone via WiFi, use "Sentry View" app.

 

[buddhafist24]

Tesla Raj posted a video on a product that allows you to view clips on your phone through an app. Looks like it might be a good solution.

Buy Roadie — Roadie for Tesla

 

[Occar]

You guys are still missing the point. Remote access means when you are elsewhere (across town, across the country, half a mile away, etc). You all just keep providing ways to watch it on your phone when you physically have access to your car.

 

[Knightshade]

You guys are still missing the point. Remote access means when you are elsewhere (across town, across the country, half a mile away, etc). You all just keep providing ways to watch it on your phone when you physically have access to your car.

At a glance it looks like the Roadie product posted right above your post, if you leave a wifi hotspot in the car, would provide that.

As obviously would the build-your-own Raspi Wifi solution discussed in other threads at probably a bit lower price and added configurability (but also a bit of added complexity to initially set up)

 

[Occar]

At a glance it looks like the Roadie product posted right above your post, if you leave a wifi hotspot in the car, would provide that.

As obviously would the build-your-own Raspi Wifi solution discussed in other threads at probably a bit lower price and added configurability (but also a bit of added complexity to initially set up)

No, leaving a "wifi hotspot" in your car wouldn't work with this system

You would need to

a) have a cellular device sitting in the car that connects to this thing's wifi network (in other words, something not off the shelf) since it is an AP, not a wifi client (unless the incredibly bare bones website doesn't bother listing all this thing is programmed to do, best I can tell it's an AP that you much connect to).
b) be able to remotely connect to that device that you've bridged this thing's wifi and the internet with
c) secure that solution.
d) be ok with the power drain from that system

The linked item is one piece of a solution (sort of), but only a single piece. That it is an AP that you must connect to works against it for this.

 

[Knightshade]

No, leaving a "wifi hotspot" in your car wouldn't work with this system

You would need to

a) have a cellular device sitting in the car that connects to this thing's wifi network (in other words, something not off the shelf) since it is an AP, not a wifi client (unless the incredibly bare bones website doesn't bother listing all this thing is programmed to do, best I can tell it's an AP that you much connect to).

It can absolutely be a wifi client. Says so right in the FAQ for the device. That's why I said you could do it that way.

FAQ — Roadie for Tesla

In order to access the Roadie you need to be within WiFi distance of the device, or connect the device to your home WiFi (under app settings)

Port forward on the hot spot, and voila- you can access it from anywhere over the internet.

Yes it'd use some power- but if you know how to set up remote network connectivity someplace that does not use any power I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[Occar]

It can absolutely be a wifi client. Says so right in the FAQ for the device. That's why I said you could do it that way.

FAQ — Roadie for Tesla




Port forward on the hot spot, and voila- you can access it from anywhere over the internet.

Yes it'd use some power- but if you know how to set up remote network connectivity someplace that does not use any power I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

So what you're still saying is that this device can grant local access to the videos (just like the rasperry pi builds can), but you have to supply your own remote access still?

 

[Knightshade]

So what you're still saying is that this device can grant local access to the videos (just like the rasperry pi builds can), but you have to supply your own remote access still?

Not sure what you're confused on here?

What I'm saying is the same thing I said originally that you mistakenly thought was not correct because you hadn't realized the roadie could be a wifi client.

Here it is again if you forgot-

At a glance it looks like the Roadie product posted right above your post, if you leave a wifi hotspot in the car, would provide that.

As obviously would the build-your-own Raspi Wifi solution discussed in other threads at probably a bit lower price and added configurability (but also a bit of added complexity to initially set up)

Either of those, with a wifi hot spot, will provide remote access to the videos.

Which is the thing the OP is asking for the ability to do- and said he doesn't mind paying to be able to do it.

The roadie/hotspot method will likely be a little more expensive, but a little simpler, than the DIY Raspi/Hotspot one.

 

[Kevy Baby]

The roadie/hotspot method will likely be a little more expensive, but a little simpler, than the DIY Raspi/Hotspot one.

Just as an FYI, the Roadie IS a Raspberry Pi setup. The developer is considering an app-only setup where you can provide your own Raspi,

It looks like an interesting product either way.

 

[Knightshade]

Just as an FYI, the Roadie IS a Raspberry Pi setup.

I'm aware- that's why I said easier compared to a DIY one- since all he's doing (besides pretty packaging) is doing the DIY part of setting up the OS for you.

DIY will be cheaper compared to buying from him, but buying from him is simpler if you don't want to buy your own Pi and try your hand at installing an OS to a flash card yourself (though there's several threads how on here now and it's pretty easy)

 

[Roadie]

Just to be clear the roadie isn’t something you can build from Tesla usb. The only parts in common with it is the usb gadget drivers which comes with raspbian. The Tesla usb project doesn’t live refresh when new videos are written nor generate thumbnails of videos or have a api with an app. Etc.

I just want to be sure folks aren’t thinking I’m simply repackaging Tesla usb.