*Note: This article addresses the VidFleet on-board cameras, which look like this.
For questions regarding camera type, please contact GPS Trackit.
VidFleet Camera showing as ‘offline’? Unable to pull up the Live View? No footage available in the Video tab?
Common problems can potentially be solved by following these straightforward steps:
*Note: Physical damage may necessitate camera replacement
1. Identify the Problem
This article will identify some of the more common problems that can occur regarding VidFleet Cameras.
- Camera Offline
- Live View Not Populating
- Camera Overheating
- No Snapshots Populating
- No Footage Available
2. Address the Problem
Scenario: Camera Offline
VidFleet Cameras should report (produce readings) every 60 seconds while the engine is on and every 4 hours when the engine is off. The camera is considered to be offline if no readings have been received for at least 12 hours. The two most common causes for an offline event are Power Issues and Loss of Communication. The following steps should be performed in the order listed. The system must be checked between each step to see if the problem has been resolved. If so, the remaining steps will not need to be undertaken.
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Power Issues
- Check the LED lights: Solid Blue when the vehicle is On & Idling, Solid Red when in motion and recording.
- Ensure that the constant power wire installation is correct
- Check the Vehicle Battery, ensure it has adequate power to provide a constant 13 volt power supply to the camera regardless of ignition status
- Check the connection between the camera head and base, make sure that this connection has not loosened. This can be tightened with a coin if necessary.
- If the camera is still failing to produce readings or Live View after the above steps, perform a hard reset by unplugging the camera’s power cable, wait 60 seconds then plug it back in. Turn the vehicle engine on for at least 5 minutes.
- Loss of Communication
If power to the camera has been confirmed, the next potential problem to rule out is loss of communication. The following steps should be performed in the order listed. The system must be checked between each step to see if the problem has been resolved. If so, the remaining steps will not need to be undertaken.
- Attempt a Manual Restart by pressing the ‘magic button’ for 4-5 seconds, then turn the vehicle on and off.
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Perform a Hard Reset by disconnecting and then reconnecting the power supply
- Keep the ‘magic button’ pushed
- Reconnect the power
- Continue pushing button for an additional 2 seconds
- Release button
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Update the MCU
- Disconnect Power
- Press the ‘Magic’ button on the camera dock
- Reconnect Power
- Press the button for 2 seconds, then release
- Quickly press the small square button again
- Wait 10 minutes, then check to see of camera has reconnected
- Remove the SIM card with a clip or key, then wipe with a clean cloth before reinstalling the card and powering up the camera.
If none of these steps bring the camera back online, please Contact GPS Trackit
Scenario: Live View Not Populating
While Live View should be available on demand, occasionally it may not populate. This should not be considered a problem until multiple sequential failures have occurred. The following steps should be performed in the order listed. The system must be checked between each step to see if the problem has been resolved. If so, the remaining steps will not need to be undertaken.
*Note: Once the Live View box has been opened, bars should be visible in the upper left corner. If no bars are displayed then the camera is Offline and troubleshooting should begin with the steps outlined in the Camera Offline section above.
Camera Is Online But No Live View Available
- Live View is triggered by an SMS message to the camera. If the camera is located in an area with poor cellular coverage, this message can be delayed or prevented from going through and therefore triggering the live view. The vehicle may need to be moved to a different area.
- Try to connect several times, giving a few minutes between each attempt
- Manually restart the camera by pressing the ‘magic button’ 3 times
- Perform a hard reset by disconnecting and then reconnecting the camera.
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Update the MCU
- Disconnect Power
- Press the ‘Magic’ button on the camera dock
- Reconnect Power
- Press the button for 2 seconds, then release
- Quickly press the small square button again
- Wait 10 minutes, then check to see of camera has reconnected
If these steps do not restore the Live View, please Contact GPS Trackit
Scenario: Camera Overheating
Overheated VidFleet cameras can cause hardware malfunctions along with disruptions in the live view and reporting. Overheating has two primary causes: Damaged Fan and Hyper Reporting.
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Damaged Fan
- Inspect the camera while the engine is running and verify power supply
- Listen for fan noise.
If no fan noises can be discerned, please Contact GPS Trackit
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Hyper Reporting
- If the camera fan is functioning but overheating is still occurring, especially when the engine is off, the root cause could potentially be an ignition detection problem.
- If using the Camera As GPS solution, review the raw data via the Detailed Report. Look for Idle events that take place when the engine is known to be off. These are indicators of improper ignition detection.
*Note: If using the paired hardware solution of a GPS Unit+Camera the Detailed report will reflect data from the GPS units, not the independent camera and cannot be used to diagnose hyper reporting.
- Hyper Reporting will need to be address by the GPS Trackit Care Team
Scenario: Snapshots Not Populating
VidFleet camera captures snapshots every 10 minutes while the engine is running. For AI+ models snapshots are also captured for specific automatic events (for example, no seatbelt).
Any scenario where Snapshots are not being captured should be reported to the GPS Trackit Care Team.
Scenario: No Footage Available
VidFleet Cameras capture video footage while the engine is running, saving it to a 128 GB SD card. The camera continuously records until the SD card is full and then overwrites the older footage with new content. Once overwritten the deleted footage cannot be recovered.
To search for and download video footage, ensure that the camera is online and that the desired footage exists.
Footage can also be searched and downloaded directly from the VidFleet by GPS Trackit app.
For AI cameras only, removal of the SD card for plugging directly into a computer is also an option.
Scenario: No SD Card Detected
If the VidFleet camera is unable to detect the SD card and is therefore unable to record video a banner will appear in the unit info box.
If the Camera-As-GPS solution is being used, the inability to detect the SD card will also impact location updates.
Once the SD card issues have been resolved, the banner will be removed.
If the problem persists despite these steps, please contact our dedicated Care team for assistance!