Loop Recording, G-Sensor and Locked Videos: How Your Dash Cam Saves Footage

Quick answer: Yes, a dash cam records over its oldest videos. That's loop recording: the camera saves short clips (1 minute by default on ROVE dash cams) and, when the memory card is nearly full, deletes the oldest normal clip to make room for the newest one. Videos you need are protected by locking them: the G-sensor locks the current clip automatically when it detects an impact, or you can lock it yourself with the Emergency Lock button. Locked videos are kept in a separate events folder, but that folder has a limit, so after an accident, download or copy the video as soon as you can.

A dash cam is designed to run every time you drive without you ever touching it. To do that, it has to manage its own memory card: keep recording, make room for new footage, and hold on to the clips that matter. Three features do that work: loop recording, the G-sensor and locked videos. Understanding how they fit together is the difference between having the clip you need after an incident and finding it was recorded over.

What is loop recording?

Loop recording means the dash cam records continuously in short clips and, once the card is full, deletes the oldest clip to make room for the newest. Think of it like a security guard's notebook with a fixed number of pages: when the last page is full, the guard tears out the oldest page, adds new blank sheets and keeps writing. You always have the most recent stretch of driving, and you never have to clear the card yourself.

On ROVE dash cams, you choose the clip length in the camera's Video Settings or in the ROVE app:

Which length should you use? Leave it for 1 minute unless you have a reason to change it. Shorter clips are smaller, faster to download to your phone and easier to find. When a clip is locked, only that clip is protected, so a short clip means less unrelated footage taking up locked space.

Don't turn the loop recording off. With it off, the camera stops recording when the card fills up, and you won't have footage until you clear the card.

What does the G-sensor do?

The G-sensor is a 3-axis impact sensor, the same kind of motion sensor that lets your phone know which way up it is. It feels sudden forces on the camera, like a collision, hard braking or a big pothole.

When the G-sensor detects an impact while you're driving, it locks the clip that's being recorded, so loop recording won't delete it. You don't have to press anything: if you're in an accident, the clip is protected automatically.

You can adjust how sensitive it is:

• Too sensitive (a low setting): the camera locks clips for normal bumps, potholes and speed bumps, and fills up the locked space with clips you don't need.
• Not sensitive enough (a high setting): a minor bump may not lock the clip.

If you notice lots of locked videos after normal drives, raise the G-sensor setting one step at a time. The right level depends on your car's suspension and the roads you drive. On the R3, the Video Recording G-Sensor can also be set to Auto (default), Always ON or Always OFF.

How to lock a video yourself

The G-sensor only reacts to force. If you see something you want to keep, like a near miss, a road rage incident or a crash in front of you, lock the clip yourself:

A short press locks the video. On the R2-4K, R2-4K DUAL and R2-4K DUAL PRO, pressing and holding the same button for 2 seconds turns WiFi on or off instead, so press it quickly.

You can also lock or unlock saved videos later in the camera's Playback Settings, under Protect (Lock Current, Unlock Current, Lock All, Unlock All).

Where do locked videos go?

Locked videos are saved separately from normal clips:

• In the ROVE app: normal clips and locked clips are listed separately. Locked clips are under Events.
• On a computer: locked videos are in a read-only Protect folder on the memory card, next to the normal video folder.

Parking mode clips work the same way. When parking mode is on (with the hardwire kit) and the G-sensor detects an impact, the camera records a 1-minute clip and locks it in the events folder. Time-lapse parking videos are saved with the normal clips, not in the events folder.

Locked videos aren't kept forever

This is the part most people don't know. ROVE dash cams split the memory card between normal and locked footage:

Here's how it works in practice:

• If you have only a few locked videos, normal clips can use the unused locked space, up to 90% of the card. Then loop recording starts deleting the oldest normal clips.
• Locked videos can use up to 30% of the card. If they fill that space, the camera deletes the oldest locked video to make room for the newest one.

So you can't lock unlimited videos. On a 128GB card, for example, locked videos get up to about 38GB. If your G-sensor is set too sensitive and locks clips on every pothole, an important video from last month can be pushed out by bumps from this week.

What to do after an accident

1. Lock the video if the G-sensor didn't already. Press Emergency Lock (R2-4K, R2-4K DUAL, R2-4K DUAL PRO) or tap the lock icon (R3).
2. Get the footage off the camera before you drive again. A minor bump may not have triggered the G-sensor, and loop recording keeps deleting the oldest clips while the camera runs.
3. Download it to your phone with the free ROVE app. Read how to connect your ROVE dash cam to your phone.
4. Or copy it to a computer. Turn the camera off, take out the memory card and use a card reader. The R2-4K, R2-4K DUAL and R3 can also connect to a computer with the included USB-C data cable.
5. Keep a backup somewhere other than the dash cam, such as your phone, a computer or cloud storage, before you share it with your insurer or the police.

Keep your memory card healthy

Loop recording writes to the memory card constantly, which wears it out over time. A healthy card is what makes all of the above work.

• Format the card in the camera before first use. ROVE requires this to prevent errors.
• Format it again every 3 months from the camera's System Settings. Back up anything you need first: formatting deletes everything, including locked videos.
• Use a high-endurance card made for constant recording: a genuine Class 10, U3 or faster card. ROVE recommends ROVE PRO, ROVE Ultimate or ROVE Industrial cards.
• Use the right size: up to 512GB on the R2-4K and R3, and up to 1TB on the R2-4K DUAL and R2-4K DUAL PRO (both include a 128GB card).
• Turn the camera off before you take the card out or put it in.
• Replace the card if you start seeing "Memory Card Error" or missing files after formatting. Cards have a limited life.

Troubleshooting

• "Card Full" message: loop recording is probably off. Format the card, then set Loop Recording to 1, 3, 5 or 10 minutes.
• My oldest videos are missing: that's loop recording working as designed. Lock or download anything you want to keep.
• The camera locks lots of videos on normal drives: raise the G-sensor setting.
• A locked video disappeared: the locked space (30% of the card) filled up, so the oldest locked video was replaced. Download important clips right away.
• "Memory Card Error": use a genuine Class 10, U3 card, format it in the camera, then power the camera off and on.

FAQ

Does a dash cam record over old footage?
Yes. With loop recording on, the dash cam deletes the oldest normal clip to make room for the newest when the card is nearly full. Locked videos are kept separately.

How do I stop my dash cam from deleting a video?
Lock it. Press the Emergency Lock button once (R2-4K, R2-4K DUAL, R2-4K DUAL PRO) or tap the lock icon (R3). The G-sensor also locks the current clip automatically when it detects an impact.

Are locked videos kept forever?
No. Locked videos can use up to 30% of the memory card. When that space is full, the oldest locked video is replaced by the newest one, so download important clips as soon as you can.

What loop recording length should I use?
1 minute, the ROVE default. Short clips are smaller, faster to download and easier to find.

What is the G-sensor on a dash cam?
A 3-axis impact sensor that detects sudden forces, such as a collision. When it's triggered, the camera locks the current video so loop recording won't delete it.

Why does my dash cam lock so many videos?
The G-sensor is set too sensitive for your car and roads. Raise the setting one step at a time until normal bumps no longer lock clips.

Does formatting delete locked videos?
Yes. Formatting erases everything on the card, including locked videos. Back up anything you need first.