Vehicle Dashboard Camera User Manual

Vehicle Dashboard Camera User Manual#

Product: Vehicle Dashboard Camera
SKU: TG-DASH-DUAL-01
Hardware model: JC181 (dual-channel 4G dashcam)
Catalog slug: tg-vehicle-dash-camera
Category: Vehicle Dashboard Camera (dashboard-cameras)
Locale: en-NG
Manual version: 1
Based on: TechGuard app as shipped, plus JC181 Series Quick Start Guide V1.1 hardware facts

Import this file in Admin → Catalog → model workspace. Do not publish claims that are not in this document.

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1. What this product is#

The TechGuard Vehicle Dashboard Camera is a compact dual-channel 4G dashcam for private cars and light fleets in Nigeria. It mounts behind the rearview mirror and records:

• Front (road ahead) at up to 1920 × 1080
• Cabin (interior) at up to 640 × 360

It also acts as a vehicle GPS tracker: location, speed, trip history, geofences, and (where wired) remote engine cut/restore.

You add it in the TechGuard app by IMEI (type 15 digits or scan the device barcode).

In the TechGuard app you can:

• Watch live video (one channel at a time: front or cabin)
• Take a photo or start/stop device recording from Live View
• Browse Media Centre (local SD history and remote/cloud media)
• See map location, share location, track, trip playback, and geofences
• Open Command for engine immobilise / restore on supported installs
• Edit device name, SIM note, vehicle, and driver fields
• Unpair the camera from your account

This is not a home Wi-Fi security camera. It needs vehicle power, a Nano SIM with data, and a microSD card for continuous recording and local history.

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2. Product at a glance#

Item	Detail
Customer name	Vehicle Dashboard Camera
SKU	TG-DASH-DUAL-01
Hardware	JC181 series (4G Dashcam Lite)
Provider mapping	jimi / JC181 / {"jimiDeviceType":"dash_camera"}
Cameras	Front + cabin (no separate external camera required for dual view)
Network	4G LTE Cat.1 (bands depend on regional variant)
Positioning	GPS + BDS (GNSS)
Motion sensing	3-axis G-sensor (collision, hard brake / accel, sharp turn, etc.)
Local storage	microSD, FAT32, 16 GB–128 GB, Class 10 / A1 or better
SIM	Nano SIM with cellular data
Power	DC 9–33 V hard-wire: B+, ACC, GND (optional relay for immobilise)
Wi-Fi on device	2.4 GHz AP mode for local/setup use (not home Wi-Fi pairing)
App pairing	IMEI or barcode in TechGuard → Add → Vehicle Dashboard Camera

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3. What you need#

• TechGuard app on a native iOS or Android build (not Expo Go for full camera live)
• An active TechGuard account (phone sign-in)
• The camera’s 15-digit IMEI (label / barcode on the unit)
• Nano SIM with mobile data (and correct APN if your carrier requires it)
• microSD card (FAT32, 16–128 GB, Class 10 / A1+) if you want continuous recording and Local history
• Vehicle with 12 V / 24 V electrical system in the DC 9–33 V range
• Professional hard-wire install recommended (B+ / ACC / GND; relay kit if you use engine cut)

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4. Package contents (typical)#

Confirm against your box; contents can vary by kit:

Item	Notes
JC181 main unit	Front lens + cabin lens, mic, speaker, SOS key, indicators
Mount base	3M adhesive for windshield
Power cable	Hard-wire lead (B+ / ACC / GND; white for relay when equipped)
Card-slot protective cover
T6 Torx screwdriver / M2 screws	For mount / fastener
Warranty card	Keep with purchase receipt

Not always included (buy separately as needed): cigarette-lighter cable, OBD power cable, peripheral camera, immobiliser relay kit, microSD, Nano SIM.

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5. Hardware overview#

5.1 Parts on the unit#

Part	Function
Front camera (main)	Road ahead
Sub camera	Cabin / driver
Memory card / SIM slot	microSD + Nano SIM tray
Power supply port	Vehicle power cable
Mount base	Windshield mount
Microphone / speaker	Audio in recording and talk (where supported)
SOS key	Hardware SOS (platform-dependent; not the same as in-app phone SOS)
Upgrade / reset button	Device reset / upgrade
Status LEDs	Power (red), GNSS (green), cellular (blue)
Heat sink	Keep clear for cooling

5.2 Status lights#

LED	Off	Solid	Flashing
Red (power / record)	Off or sleep	ACC ON, recording normally	ACC ON but recording fault
Green (GNSS)	Off or sleep	ACC ON, first fix acquired	ACC ON, still searching for fix
Blue (cellular)	Off or sleep	ACC ON, network OK	ACC ON, network fail

5.3 Core behaviour (hardware)#

• Start: With power connected, the unit starts when the vehicle ignition goes ACC ON.
• Record: On ACC ON it records front + cabin (with audio) to the microSD using loop recording.
• Track: On ACC ON it starts GNSS and uploads location to the cloud.
• Sleep: On ACC OFF it stops recording/GNSS and sleeps to save power.
• Events: G-sensor / speed events can create alerts and short evidence clips when configured on the platform.

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6. Specifications#

6.1 Media and sensors#

Spec	Value
Front camera	1920 × 1080
Cabin camera	640 × 360
Microphone / speaker	Supported
GNSS	GPS & BDS
G-sensor	3-axis
CPU	ARM Cortex-A7
Cellular	4G Cat.1
Device Wi-Fi	2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n AP
microSD	FAT32, 16–128 GB

6.2 Electrical and environment#

Spec	Value
Operating voltage	DC 9–33 V
Undervoltage / overvoltage / reverse protection	Supported (per OEM)
Operating temperature	−20 °C to 70 °C
Storage temperature	−30 °C to 85 °C
Flame retardant	UL94 V-0 (housing)

6.3 Frequency bands (vary by regional SKU)#

Variant (OEM naming)	Typical bands
JC181-LA style	4G FDD: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B28 · 2G: B2/B3/B5/B8
JC181-EU style	4G FDD: B1/B3/B5/B7/B8/B20/B28 · TDD: B38/B40/B41 · 2G: B2/B3/B5/B8

Use a SIM and band plan that match the unit sold for Nigeria / your market. Confirm the sticker on your unit if unsure.

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7. SIM and memory card#

Do this before mounting when possible. Prefer ACC OFF when inserting or removing the SIM tray.

7.1 Nano SIM#

1. Use a Nano SIM with an active data plan.
2. Use the supplied tray and ejector pin.
3. Do not put the SIM in the microSD slot.
4. For long daily use in heat, ceramic SIMs are preferred (OEM guidance).
5. If the blue LED keeps flashing, check activation, data balance, and APN (IoT SIMs often need a manual APN).

7.2 microSD#

1. One microSD only; FAT32; 16–128 GB; Class 10 or A1+.
2. Insert in the direction marked; press in to eject.
3. Format on a computer to FAT32 if the card is not already FAT32.
4. Cards wear out: test quarterly; replace periodically for fleet use.
5. For all-day fleet use in hot climates, prefer industrial-grade cards.

Without a healthy card you may still get live view and GPS when online, but local loop recording and Local history will fail.

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8. Installation#

OEM notice: this hardware is described for gasoline-powered vehicles with DC 9–33 V. Do not use outside that range. Incorrect polarity can damage the vehicle or the unit. Prefer a qualified installer.

8.1 Safety and prep#

1. Check the pack list and tools (tape, trim tools, multimeter).
2. Confirm vehicle electrics are healthy before you cut into harnesses.
3. Clean and protect interior trim.
4. Insert SIM + microSD before final mount.
5. Remove the lens protective film after install.

8.2 Wiring (standard hard-wire)#

Typical lead colours (confirm against your cable label):

Wire	Connect to
Red (B+)	Constant battery positive (fused)
Yellow (ACC)	Ignition ACC
Black (GND)	Chassis / battery ground
White (RELAY)	Immobiliser relay kit (optional, for engine cut)

Steps:

1. Fuse-box / harness: connect B+, ACC, GND correctly.
2. Route the cable up the A-pillar to the top centre of the windscreen (behind headliner / trim).
3. Tighten the power-port fastener screw so the plug cannot vibrate loose.
4. If using immobilise, install the compatible relay kit on the fuel/power circuit per the relay instructions. Only use this where lawful and on vehicles you own or manage.

8.3 Mount position#

1. Recommended: left side behind the rearview mirror (driver side in LHD markets), so the driver’s view stays clear.
2. Clean glass thoroughly (dust/grease kill 3M adhesion).
3. Stick the mount base; press firmly to remove air bubbles.
4. Click the camera onto the base; aim the front lens forward and level.
5. Aim the cabin lens at the driver / cabin as needed.
6. Tighten the base adjustment / tamper screw after aiming.

8.4 Post-install test (hardware)#

With ignition ACC ON:

1. Red LED solid → power / recording path OK. Flashing red → check microSD / format.
2. Green LED flashes then goes solid outdoors in ~1 minute → GNSS OK.
3. Blue LED flashes then solid in good coverage → cellular OK.
4. In TechGuard, open Live View and flip front / cabin.

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9. Add the camera in the TechGuard app#

9.1 Pair by IMEI#

1. Power the camera (ACC ON) and wait until it is online (blue LED solid when possible).
2. Open TechGuard → Add → Vehicle Dashboard Camera (method: IMEI).
3. Enter the 15-digit IMEI, or tap scan and point at the IMEI barcode on the label.
4. Confirm and wait for pairing to finish.
5. The camera appears on Home as a dash camera.

9.2 If pairing fails#

What you see	What to do
IMEI not 15 digits	Re-type digits only; scan the device label, not a random QR.
Device not found / offline	ACC ON; check SIM data and blue LED; wait for network.
Already bound	Device may belong to another account. Contact support to release, then pair again.
Scan finds no IMEI	Aim at the 15-digit barcode; or type IMEI manually.

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10. Device home (Dash Camera detail)#

Open the camera from Home. Header shows DASH CAMERA and the display name.

10.1 Status summary#

Field	Meaning
Online / Offline	Cloud connection
Moving / Stopped	Based on reported speed when online
ACC	Ignition ACC on/off when reported
Speed	Last reported speed
Address	Resolved from coordinates when available
Location time / Latest update	How fresh the fix is
IMEI	Device identity

Map preview opens full tracking when tapped.

10.2 Action grid (as shipped)#

Action	Opens
LIVE VIEW	Live FLV video + map panel
MEDIA CENTER	Local SD + remote/cloud media
SHARE	Share current location
TRACKING	Live map with route
COMMAND	Engine immobilise / restore (and related instructions)
PLAYBACK	Trip / track playback
DETAIL	Device, location, driver, vehicle fields
GEO FENCE	Circular geofences + enter/exit alerts

Temporarily hidden in current app builds (code present, not shown): dedicated History tile, Hotspot tile, Buy Data tile. Local history is still reached from Media Centre → Local. Hotspot help may return in a later build.

10.3 Edit and remove#

• Edit: display name, alarm message, SIM number note, vehicle info, driver info.
• Remove: unpairs / archives the device from your TechGuard account (confirm in the dialog).

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11. Live View#

Open LIVE VIEW. The app requests a short-lived stream URL and plays it in-app.

11.1 Channels#

Channel in app	Hardware
Front	Road camera (1)
Rear / cabin	Interior camera (2)

Rules:

• Only one channel streams at a time.
• Flip closes the previous stream, then opens the other.
• Leaving the screen closes the stream. If recording was started from Live View, stop it before you leave when prompted by behaviour.

11.2 Controls#

Control	What it does
Front / cabin tabs	Switch channel
Mute / speaker	Silence or hear live audio
Photo	Sends a remote capture command
Record	Starts/stops device-side continuous record on the active channel. HUD shows REC + timer
Expand / layout	Prefer video vs split with map
Map panel	Live GPS when a fix exists

11.3 Connecting and errors#

• Expect Connecting… / Starting video… for several seconds on 4G.
• If it stays on Connecting: quit any other live session, wait ~15 seconds, open Live View again.
• Front may use H.265; cabin is often H.264. Use a current TechGuard build for the bundled player.
• User-facing errors should refer to the device or cloud, not a supplier name.

11.4 Important limits (current platform)#

• Remote photo / short clip commands may succeed on the device while the resulting file is not yet listed in TechGuard Media Centre (Open API retrieval pending). The app may tell you the capture was sent; browse Local SD history after continuous Record for footage written to card.
• Do not expect simultaneous dual live streams in one frame.

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12. Media Centre#

Open MEDIA CENTER.

Storage	Contents
LOCAL (DEVICE)	Clips from the microSD (history listing). Continuous Record from Live View lands here after the device indexes the file.
REMOTE (CLOUD)	Cloud photos/videos and event-related media when the platform has uploaded them.

Tabs: PHOTO / VIDEO. Pick a date, refresh, open preview, share or download when a URL is available.

Notes:

• Cloud delete is not supported by the device cloud API; the app should show unsupported rather than pretend delete worked.
• Empty lists usually mean: wrong date, no card, no events, or the device has not finished uploading.

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13. Tracking, playback, and geofences#

These work like the TechGuard GPS tracker vertical, because the dashcam includes GNSS.

13.1 Tracking#

• Live map with latest position, speed, ACC, and freshness.
• Share sends a location summary from the phone share sheet.

13.2 Playback#

• Replay historical track for a selected period (trip path on the map).

13.3 Geofences#

• Create circular zones (radius about 50 m–50 km).
• Choose alert on enter and/or exit.
• Enter/exit can push notifications when the device reports GPS and evaluation runs.
• Edit geometry resets presence state so you do not get a false enter/exit immediately after moving a fence.

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14. Command (engine immobilise / restore)#

COMMAND sends high-risk vehicle instructions (immobilise / restore) when the optional relay is installed and the model supports it.

OEM guidance: cut is intended for low-speed recovery scenarios (commonly described around under ~20 km/h). Always:

1. Confirm you own or are authorised to control the vehicle.
2. Confirm the vehicle is in a safe place.
3. Read the in-app confirmation carefully before sending.
4. Prefer restore only after the situation is under control.

Without a correctly wired relay, immobilise will not stop the vehicle.

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15. Device Detail screen#

DETAIL shows read-only and editable metadata, for example:

• Device name, type (dash camera), IMEI, expiration (platform service window if present)
• SIM note, status, ACC, location time, speed, lat/long, address
• Driver name / number / contact
• Plate, VIN, vehicle brand / model

Use Edit on the detail header to change the fields the app allows.

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16. Alerts and driving events (hardware + app)#

When enabled on the platform, the unit can report events such as:

• Collision / shock
• Hard braking or hard acceleration
• Sharp cornering
• Speeding
• Other exception alerts with location and, when available, clip evidence

In TechGuard these appear through device events / Media Centre remote items when the cloud has ingested them. Keep push notifications enabled on the phone if you want timely alerts.

The physical SOS key on the camera is hardware SOS to the telematics platform. It is separate from TechGuard’s in-app phone Emergency SOS feature.

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17. Everyday use#

1. Keep a topped-up data SIM in the unit.
2. Keep a healthy FAT32 microSD inserted for loop recording.
3. Drive with a clear windscreen; wipe the lenses periodically.
4. After night parking (ACC OFF), expect sleep; live view needs the unit awake / online (usually ACC ON, or wake behaviour per firmware).
5. For fleets: name devices by plate or vehicle; fill driver/vehicle fields; set geofences around depot and customer zones.
6. After an incident: note time and location, then check Media Centre → Local for that date, and Playback for the route.

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18. What the app does not do (this model / current build)#

• Pair over home 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi like a Tuya lock or smoke alarm (pairing is IMEI)
• Show front + cabin live at the same time
• Guarantee that every remote Photo appears in Media Centre yet (platform retrieval gap)
• Delete cloud media via API
• Replace professional install or legal compliance for recording audio/cabin video in your jurisdiction
• Act as a consumer “always recording to phone gallery” app; primary archive is microSD (+ cloud event media when uploaded)

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19. Troubleshooting#

Symptom	Checks
All LEDs off	Ignition ACC; B+/ACC/GND; fuse
Red LED flashing	microSD seated; FAT32; try another Class 10 card
Blue LED flashing	SIM seated; data plan; APN; coverage
Green LED keeps flashing	Move outdoors; avoid underground / tunnels for first fix
Offline in app	ACC ON; blue solid; wait; pull to refresh Home
Live View stuck Connecting	Close other live sessions; wait 15 s; retry; confirm data
Front blank, cabin works	Update app; retry front; check cellular bandwidth
No Local history	Insert/format card; record with ACC ON; pick correct date
Pairing fails	Verify 15-digit IMEI; unit online; not bound elsewhere
Mount falls off	Reclean glass; new 3M base; firm pressure
Camera angle drifts	Retighten tamper / adjustment screw

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20. Care and safety#

• Keep the heat sink unobstructed.
• Do not block the driver’s view; mount behind the mirror.
• Use only the specified voltage range.
• Memory cards and SIMs are consumables in heat; schedule replacement.
• Cabin audio/video may be regulated; inform drivers/passengers as required by local law.
• Immobilise only with a proper relay and lawful authority.
• Keep the warranty card and purchase receipt.

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21. Catalog publish checklist (internal)#

Field	Value
Manufacturer	TechGuard (techguard)
Category	Vehicle Dashboard Camera (dashboard-cameras)
Model name	Vehicle Dashboard Camera
SKU	TG-DASH-DUAL-01
Slug	tg-vehicle-dash-camera
Manual title	Vehicle Dashboard Camera User Manual
Locale	en-NG
Version	1
Provider mapping	jimi · JC181 · {"jimiDeviceType":"dash_camera"}
Public URL (after publish)	/docs/manuals/tg-vehicle-dash-camera

Publish the manual version, then publish the model. QR downloads only work after the model is published.

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22. Related TechGuard engineering docs (not for customers)#

• Techguard-Mobile-App/docs/CAMERA-LIVE-REQUIREMENTS.md — live, flip, record, media acceptance
• Techguard-Mobile-App/FRONTEND-API-GUIDE.md § Jimi dash camera
• local/PRODUCT_MANAGEMENT.md — catalog / mapping sheet
• OEM: JC181 Series Quick Start Guide V1.1

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Note on branding#

Customer manuals and the public site should say TechGuard Vehicle Dashboard Camera. JC181 is the hardware model / provider product ID. Do not put supplier marketing metrics or “Made with AI” on any surface.