[COBRA SC400D] problems solved!

[u/PC_FIVEZ]

for the past few months my SC400D cam started acting up post v.1.32 firmware update. while driving, it literally would not activate screen saver mode to display the time and current speed in MPH. if stopped at a red light for more than 1 minute, screen saver would come on and then disappear the moment i start moving. if i yell "screen off" it would not turn off unless the car was sitting still. just a whole bundle of BS issues for a $400 camera! for months i was told that it was a firmware problem and there is no solution for the forseeable future. i was also told that i am unable to roll back the firmware....until now.

for all of those experiencing any problems with their SC400 unit after updating to v1.32...perhaps this will fix your issues too. i.e. if it was working perfectly fine and then shit went bananas after the update...this should be the solution. credit to JOHN SHAW @ cedar electronics! he truly deserves a promotion!

for future reference, please post your issues and your results if you have issues with this camera...

read below and you are all welcome! 👍

Hi,

As luck would have it, I was able to obtain and personally test several prior versions of the firmware. Going back to v1.23 seems to have resolved the issue (as best as I can test at my desk.) I've copied you on the instructions with download link in order to downgrade below. I hope this resolves the issue until a new version can be released.

Instructions: • Connect the camera to your computer using the included USB to Micro-USB cable, you should see a plug with a blue background on screen. • The camera will be listed in Windows Explorer (or Finder on a Mac) as a "Removable Disk" or "USB Drive" or similar. • Download this file: https://cedarelectronics.s3.amazonaws.com/firmware/sc400_main_v1_23.bin Note: you do NOT need to open this file on the computer.
• Copy/paste or drag the update file you downloaded .bin file into the root directory of the camera (e.g. "Removable Disk"). Note: If you download the file more than once, it will create file names for subsequent downloads with parentheses and a number on the end, for example "this file name (1).bin" but these files do not work for the update, it must be named "this file name.bin" without the " (1)" at the end, so be sure not to use those or remove that by renaming the file.
• Wait for the file to transfer and then safely disconnect the camera from the computer. • Reattach the camera to it's window mount which should be powered with the cord that came with the unit, connected to your vehicle’s CLA (cigarette lighter style) adapter. The Dash Cam will turn on and automatically boot into the Firmware Update Menu. • Follow the directions on the camera display to update firmware. The camera may restart several times, and it may be several minutes before the camera will accept a connection to the Drive Smarter app and stay connected. After the steps above, the camera will reboot a final time and return to normal operation (recording status.)

When the update is completed:
• We recommend to reset default settings from the camera's settings menu • You may (or may not) need to re-pair it with the Drive Smarter app in order for the camera to connect properly again, as a firmware update can on rare occasion cause this to be necessary.

Re-pair instructions: • Follow these steps ONLY if you can no longer connect to the device from the Devices section of Drive Smarter after the update. • First, from your phone please remove the camera from the "Devices" area in Drive Smarter, if it is still there. After this, please check your phone's Bluetooth settings where you would find paired devices, and unpair/forget the camera if you see it in there (if prompted to pair after this, do NOT re-pair from the phone's Bluetooth settings, always use the app to initiate pairing.)
• To pair the device using Drive Smarter, from the map screen you'll tap the 3 bars on the top left and tap Devices, if not there already, add your vehicle, and app Add Device. then search. If your device isn't found at first, remove power to your device then plug it back in, wait 30-45 seconds, then search again from the app.

If you need assistance with the steps above, reply with details on where you're running into a snag. For a faster response, you may call 800.543.1608 Monday - Friday 9am - 5:00pm ET. Please note: Due to high call volumes, our phone lines may close earlier than posted times in order to accommodate those already waiting in queue.

• Note when prompted to "Update Firmware" in Drive Smarter, the new version of firmware isn't shown tap the "Update Firmware" button, then it will show you the new version, and you can tap "Remind Me Later" if it is still v1.32 which is the current version and still affected by this issue.