Chris
The modified firmware versions of the DR900S and DR750S series(see Compatible Firmwares at the end of this article) have enabled the camera system to detect a malfunctioning SD card and data-writing error. With the new "SD Card Failure Alert", your dashcam constantly monitors the microSD card to verify if it is properly recording videos If the microSD becomes write protected or commonly termed as "bricked", a “Check SD Card” voice notification will play from the dashcam.
What should you do if your dashcam prompts you to check the SD card?
First, try formatting the microSD card using the Format button on the side of the dashcam (Press and hold the WiFi button for about five seconds until a voice prompt plays. Then, press and hold for another five seconds to proceed with the format process).
If that does not fix the issue, try formatting using the BlackVue Viewer for Mac/Windows (fat32). If the issue persists, contact our Techincal Support at cs@pittasoft.com.
Note!
As part of the SD Card maintenance procedure, we recommend formatting your SD card once every two weeks or once a month, depending on how intensely you use the camera for recording.
Compatible Firmware Versions:
DR900S: v1.008 and up
DR750S: v1.013 and up
Please add the link to "try formatting using the BlackVue Viewer for Mac/Windows."
My SD card stopped recording 4 months ago - but the BlackVue DR900 never said anything about it.
When I took the card out today to check a recent video I noticed the last recording was from October 2018.
When I tried to format the SD card using the BlackVue Viewer on Mac it simply brings up the Mac DiskUtility - and that cannot format the card (unable to change partition map).
I tried a specialised SD Card Formatter tool and that kept saying the card was write protected.
To me it looks as if the card is bricked. Any other thing I can try ?
Same thing happens to me, Camera no longer speaks to me and SD Card Formatter showing that card is write protected.
Trying to reformat the card also keeps failing.
I have the same issue on my camera. I am unable to format the card. The last recordings on the card are from last year and every couple of weeks the camera repeats "Check SD Card". Not good enough for a high end product.
I have the same issue. Just realized it hasn't been saving videos since October 2018. Super annoying. Can't format no matter what I do.
I have the exact same problem. It occurred right after I updated to the new firmware version. Now the SD card is write protected and I am not able to format it. It constantly speaks to with "Check SD Card". I think there is an issue with the firmware upgrade. I am hoping Blackvue will send a new SD card.
I am having the same problem too. I've already had one 128GB card replaced. The second just bricked after about 2 weeks. I did just buy my camera in March and updated firmware as soon as I got it. I'm guessing that was a mistake.
Similar to those before me, I am having the exact same issue. My 128GB card didnt even last a week before it bricked. What do I do now?
@Chris contact support for replacement. In theory they should replace it if it's within 6 months of purchase.
At least you caught it. Mine happened on the old firmware that didn't tell you if you had an sd card problem, and I went 5 months before I realized it wasn't recording.
Very frustrating. It seems that you are NOW supposed to reformat the SD card every MONTH or otherwise it becomes "write-protected" or "bricked" - and nowhere does it tell you how to "un-brick it". The Blackview app for Mac only runs the Disk Utility, which is useless with the Blackvue SD card that is write-protected. This is the second time in less than 6 months this has happened. The first time there was no explanation, only send everything in and get a new one. Whoopee. This isn't rocket science, Blackvue, so step up to the plate because you are losing customers fast. WE NEED INSTRUCTIONS WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON.
Here is what you need to do when your card gets "bricked".
Blackvue either failed to instruct their users upon buying the system that you need to re-format the card often, i.e. every 1-2 weeks, so if you don't want your card "bricked" and therefore totally unusable (except to look at the videos), the re-format every 1-2 weeks right in the Blackvue cam itself. There is no need to format in in their viewer app, Windows or Mac. Ity will then continue to work fine.
Next, if you've "bricked" your card, that card is no longer re-formatable. You also DON'T need to pay the inflated prices to buy a new SD card from Blackvue. Instead, you can spend $25-30 on a high quality micro SD card that such as this one: Samsung Evo Plus Class 10 UHS-I microSDXC U3 with Adapter (128GB MB-MC128GA/APC). It has these specs: Read:up to 100MB/s with UHS-1 interface Write:up to 90MB/s with UHS-1 interface, UHS-I, compatible to HS interface, Grade 3, Class 10, 4K
Once you have the new card, format it in the Blackvue cam every week, saving any videos you want on their viewer app first. PROBLEM SOLVED!
That actually doesn't solve the problem, because if the card is bricked you CAN NOT format it. Either on desktop or in the camera. It's literally just trash and customer service will tell you it's straight up unfixable.
The "fix" is that the camera now tells you if you card is bricked. Instead of going months without recording.
That's what I said - if the card is bricked it's unusable. You need a new card. BUT, you don't need to buy it from Blackvue with their inflated prices. I gave the specs above to find a new card.
To avoid having your card become bricked again, re-format in the Blackvue cam it every 1-2 weeks to avoid bricking it, depending on usage.
This is crazy. I tried to format but it says that my 128 sd card is write protected. I have the latest version of the viewer and app. spent over an hour on this!!! As for the earlier post about formating ever week or two thats just crazy!!! If you pay this much for a dash cam, it should work smooth, without any issues!
Same issue with my 590 2 channel. Wondered why I'm going through many cards. Not very impressive for spending that much on a camera!
Has this issue been resolved yet? I do not like that I need to buy another SD card having bought the overpriced "BlackVue" card, but having to format it every few weeks makes this camera useless to me. Why can this camera not write over with a FILO (first in last out)?
Brad Anderson I switched to the Samsung high endurance 128gb and it's been working well for the last 3 months. You'll still have to reformat the card on the cam once a month though.
Just to pile on:
Bricked cards aside:
Why doesn't the camera warn when it can't write?
I just had a minor accident, and thought, no worries. I have full proof.
NOPE: no recordings for months. No warnings, nothing.
WTH?
I also noticed I seem to be able to delete images from the card, using the windows app. Very tedious to click with the enter key, hit the down arrow, repeat, a thousand times.
No select all, delete...
[Correction]
Although the app appears to delete files, and the app shows progress, the file count remains the same.
Same exact problem. Have gone through THREE 128 Gig EXPENSIVE BV SD cards.....and I format monthly.
Guys. You have a real problem with the micoSD cards/associated system integration. They are supposed to be quality you say. But how frustrating. I purchase THREE (3) DR900-2CH DashCams, one for each of our family members cars', each with 128gb Blackvue microSD card. ALL THREE of the blasted cards fail with the message. Reformat through the PC app, reformat in the camera itself; sometimes it comes right then fails again sometimes the blast things require more than one reformat. We can't keep pulling the blasted things out of the camera all the time if the reformat on the camera itself fails as over time it will damage the insertion pins/catch etc. It could be a problem with the cards or the firmware or the camera system architecture. These are expensive beasts and I expect to get what I pay for. Blackvue Support say to reformate them once a week. For goodness sake, that statement from Blackvue Support is a clear indication that there is something wrong with your product. A microSD card in a normal camera for example does not have to reformatted once a week (I know, not continual recording use) ... it works just about forever before it goes toes up. There is something wrong with it - please fix the problem before a good brand gets tarnished and people start to say don't buy Blackvue. I love the camera, don't get me wrong, I just hate with a passion all the work and fiddling around with the card you have to do and the real possibility of having a camera to capture an incident when the camera can’t because of the card. The whole blasted point of the camera is to record to a card - it's most basic required function and it has 'issues' doing just that.
Update (15 April 2020): I changed my x 3 DashCams to use ADATA Premier microSDXC/SDHC UHS-I Class10 (A1 V10) 128 GB capacity. https://www.adata.com/en/feature/451.
No problems since but in this Covid-19 lockdown I have been unable to give it a long test yet but all is now looking well on preliminary runs for all three DashCams. I will update this after we get back to normal driving habbits.
Beware if you swap to another card type away from Blackvue as you may void the warrently. I am covered OK because I dealt with this through my DashCam provider so warrenty is not an issue for me.
Update (13 June 2020): Not a single card problem since changing the mSD card to the above type and clearly other people have experienced the same issue and have employed the same resolution. Blackvue, you clearly have an issue with your mSD cards not coping with the access/write/read speeds for you 4K Daskcam. Please resolve this or your top of the line DashCam is going to suffer the fate of being labled as a poor quality device. I hope you care enough for your customers to resolve it .
So ends my discussion on this matter now that it is proved and resolved.
Just a comment on this. I went with a non Blackvue brand and have had zero issues since switching. This is the card I've been running since last May. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BDKTRAE
"As part of the SD Card maintenance procedure, we recommend to format your SD card once every two weeks or once a month, depending on how intense you use the camera for recording."
Depending on how "intense" you use the camera? Each time I hop into my car the camera works that's about as intense it needs to be. "Check SD Card" is a nonsense as everyone above agrees.
It´s very frustrating getting to know that a bunch of people are having the same issue than you and there is nothing you can do, other than throwing the sd card to the garbage. I bought a DR750S-2CH IR, after having the issue with the BV microSD card, I replaced it with a Lexar 633x of 256 GB (based on many forums and youtube videos) and the result was the same, now I get the same message "Check SD card". None of them can be formatted, so they are totaly useless. I really regret buying such an expensive dashcam! Pittasoft, forget about me buying a sd card 5x more expensive than the best branch in the market to get the same result!