Why watch videos on a computer?
Watching recordings on a computer offers several advantages. First, the larger screen size and higher quality make it easier to review footage in detail. Additionally, sorting recordings in date order can make it easier to locate specific events. Finally, using our My Nextbase Player app allows you to access metadata like your speed, GPS information, and G-Sensor data, providing even more insight into the recorded events.
Why it's important to back up recordings
If your Dash Cam has captured important footage of an incident, it's crucial to back it up to another device as a precautionary measure. Saving a copy of the recording onto your computer ensures that the file is backed up and won't be overwritten by the Dash Cam, thus preventing loss of valuable footage.
Connecting your Dash Cam to your computer: A step-by-step guide
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Use the USB cable that came with your Dash Cam to connect it to your computer. Be sure to plug the cable into the Dash Cam and not the mount.
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Your camera should now display a "PC Connection" menu, select either "Access Files" or "Mass Storage," then tap"OK."
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Your Dash Cam will now appear as a removable drive on your computer, usually named "NEXTBASE". Double-click on the "NEXTBASE" drive to access the recordings.
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In the "DCIM" folder, you'll find sub-folders containing all of your files.
- Inside DCIM, the "Photo" folder stores any still photographs you've taken, the "Protected" folder stores files that are protected from being overwritten by the camera and the "Video" folder stores everything else.
- Go through the file list to find the files that you need, then double click on them to play the video. If you'd prefer to play them back inside MyNextbase Player, open the player, then select "Add Video", following the steps listed above.
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Copy and paste the files that you wish to save to a folder on your computer, or select the "Save" button inside MyNextbase Player to back up your videos.
Can't find what you need?
If you can't find the file from the incident, here are some things to consider:
- What size SD card do you have inside the camera? 128GB cards store around 18 hours of HD video.
- How much driving have you done since the incident? If you've done lots of driving, it's possible the file you need has been overwritten.
- Was the file protected at the time of the recording? Protected files take a lot longer to get overwritten than regular files, but do eventually get deleted.
Visit this help centre article if you would like to know more about how long it takes for files to get overwritten.
Problems playing files?
If you're having trouble playing back your dash cam recordings on your computer and the image is juddering or the video quality is poor, this might be because your computer is not powerful enough to handle the high-quality files. This is especially true if you're trying to play back Ultra HD (1440p) or 4K (3840p) videos. Older, less powerful computers may struggle to play these large video files. Additionally, if your computer only has a 1080p HD monitor, you won't be able to view 4K footage in full 4K resolution.
If any these videos do not play and are corrupt, this could be due to a fault with your SD card, or a Dash Cam battery that isn't sufficiently charged.