USB Flash for Sentry, Dashcam and Music???

[JulienW]

I need to format as FAT32? It is a SanDisk 3.1 256GB. Do I need to add 3 Folders or just 2 Folders and are they Music and Dashcam and?????

 

[Tam]

I need to format as FAT32? It is a SanDisk 3.1 256GB. Do I need to add 3 Folders or just 2 Folders and are they Music and Dashcam and?????

There have been quite a few threads on this already.

For simplicity, yes, you need FAT32 although Tesla can also read Linux for music files but not for TeslaCam and Sentry.

Also, for simplicity, I would suggest using 2 separate flash drives:

1) FAT32 music files
2) FAT32 TeslaCam and Sentry. You need to create a folder called "TeslaCam".

If I need to charge my phone, I can get a USB cord that's long enough to stretch from the back of the central console.

If you don't like that setup, you can partition 1 FAT32 flash drive into 2: 1 for music and 1 for TeslaCam and Sentry. That way you have a spare USB outlet in front.

 

[JulienW]

Don't need music just have such a large Flash drive thought just to put some "backup" music just in case. So I need to Partition the flash drive then? Does it matter what I name the drive or the Partitions? Does the Partition for music need a Folder Named Music?

So is this correct: USB Flash Drive FAT32 named Model 3 - 2 Partitions named (1)Video and (2)Music - Video Partition with Folder named TeslaCam - Music Partition with folder named Music and containing music (MP3) files?

 

[Tam]

...Does the Partition for music need a Folder Named Music?...

No. You don't need any folder for music to work. If you want a folder, that would be fine. If you don't want any folder, it still works.

But for TeslaCam, you need to have a folder called "TeslaCam" for it to work.

 

[SMAlset]

Keep in mind that when your usb drive eventually crashes being a flash drive with limited life and heavy use with TeslaCam and Sentry Mode, you will probably lose your music files too.

 

[Rottenapplr]

Do you need to partition the usb drive? I can’t for the life of me figure out why I can partition a drive on my Mac. It’s a micro as card.

 

[JulienW]

Do you need to partition the usb drive? I can’t for the life of me figure out why I can partition a drive on my Mac. It’s a micro as card.

Looks like you are right and the Partition button is grayed out. No biggie I'll just use for Sentry and DashCam.

 

[PoitNarf]

Do you need to partition the usb drive? I can’t for the life of me figure out why I can partition a drive on my Mac. It’s a micro as card.

Looks like you are right and the Partition button is grayed out. No biggie I'll just use for Sentry and DashCam.

View attachment 405364

Here you go

[V9] How to Format USB into 2 Partitions for DashCam and Music [Windows]

Ignore that the thread title says “windows”. I posted Mac instructions there as well.

 

[ammulder]

Looks like you are right and the Partition button is grayed out. No biggie I'll just use for Sentry and DashCam.

There’s a thread on this with a detailed Mac procedure. But long story short, make sure disk utility is in show all mode not just show volumes. Select the usb/sd device and Erase with GPT and MacOS format. Then Partition and add the 2nd partition sized as you like and format as FAT. The select the first volume and Erase as FAT. That will leave you two FAT partitions. Then create a TeslaCam folder (capitalization allegedly matters) in the video partition.

 

[RB88]

If I need to charge my phone, I can get a USB cord that's long enough to stretch from the back of the central console.

You can just use a hub or a splitter and avoid trailing cables from the back.

 

[AltoM3]

Last time I had two folders in one USB - one for TeslaCam and other for music. When playing music, I often got momentarily pause (< 2 sec) for the song. I was not sure it was really related to certain version of Tesla Software or any performance issues of USB when accessing USB for recording video footage while playing music... After I put music file on other USB port, it seems running fine. Just want to share my experience. If someone out there do not have the "pause on music playing" together with cam folder, let us know

 

[sduck]

Are you sure it was folders, and not partitions? Because you can't actually use it that way - it needs to be partitions.

 

[AltoM3]

Yes, they are in different partitions. I mis-typed. Sorry!

 

[R1Bill]

Is this only for the Model 3 or for the S as well?

 

[Kwang0429]

I have the same problem as well, partition for 2 drives and music will be silent but kept on playing from time to time.

 

[ambient]

I'm a new owner and only drove my Tesla a few times so far. I have two partitions on a drive for teslacam and music. The first few times I did not notice any pauses in music -- it played continuously. However, after the latest upgrade two days ago (to 2019.40.50.5), I drove it twice and both times I noticed pauses in the music played from usb. I suppose I could use two separate drives, but that would occupy both usb ports and leaves no room for the phone to charge.

Anyone else noticed this problem recently? Any solution that works, without having to use two separate drives for teslacam and music?