Dashcam footage recovery in Calgary.
A dashcam records in a loop, deleting the oldest footage to make room for new. So the clip you need is always on a countdown. Get the card out as soon as you can. Footage that has truly been recorded over is gone, but loop recording often leaves more behind than people expect.
Typical situations.
The collision clip is not on the card
The loop may not have reached it yet.
A locked event file disappeared
Protected clips can still be lost to a card error.
Files will not play
Often H.265 video with a damaged index. Usually repairable.
The camera lost power in the collision
The last clip was never finished and can usually be rebuilt.
You need it for insurance or court
Call first so handling is documented from the start.
How we handle it.
- 01
Copy first
The card is imaged before anything else, and all work is done on the copy. For legal matters, every step is logged.
- 02
Find the clips
Footage is located from the camera's own recording structures, including clips the file system has lost.
- 03
Rebuild
Clips are repaired so they play, keeping their recorded times where the data allows.
- 04
Report
For insurance or legal use, you get a written report of what was recovered and how.
From the bench.
Most dashcams juggle several kinds of recording on one small card: normal loop clips, locked event clips and sometimes parking-mode recordings, often in separate folders. A card error can wipe the folder structure while leaving the video intact, which is why "it is not on the card" is often not the end of it.
We published a free recovery tool for WolfBox dashcams that works directly from the card, without needing a working file system. The same approach, reading the camera's own recording structures, is what we use on other brands in the lab.
Before you bring it in.
Helpful next steps
- Take the card out as soon as you can.
- Write down the date and time of the incident.
- Keep the camera too; some models also store clips internally.
Best avoided for now
- Put the card back in the camera.
- Keep driving with the camera recording.
- Format the card from the camera or its phone app.
What clients said.
I had a 5TB Hard Drive with 3.75 TB of 4k camera footage… all of which was irreplaceable. All of the data was recovered!
Our terms, in plain numbers.
- Who does the work
- iCube Development (Calgary) Ltd., recovering data since 2005.
- Where
- One address, and it is our lab: #610 - 11012 Macleod Trail SE. Recovery is done here by our own staff and is not outsourced. No drop-off depots, no appointment needed.
- Evaluation
- Free standard evaluation within 72 hours, for one device per client. Priority (24 hours) and same-day evaluations, multi-drive arrays and devices another company has opened are quoted before we start.
- Your quote
- In writing, before any recovery work. Nothing extra is done or billed without your approval.
- If we cannot recover your files
- You pay nothing for the recovery, parts included. Any exception, such as a paid diagnostic for a device another company has opened, is agreed with you in writing first.
- Success rate
- We do not publish one. A percentage cannot describe your device; your evaluation tells you what is actually recoverable.
- Your recovered files
- Returned on new media or, with your permission, by secure download. Our working copy is deleted seven days after completion unless you ask in writing to keep it longer.
- Privacy
- Your device and files are handled only by our own staff, who are bound by confidentiality, unless the law requires otherwise.
- Your device
- Please collect it within 30 days. Photo ID is required at pickup.
Questions we get asked.
Can you get back footage that was recorded over?
Not the overwritten part. Loop recording often leaves older clips or fragments from around the incident, though.
Can you give my insurer or lawyer a report?
Yes. The recovery is documented with chain-of-custody records and a written report of what was recovered and how.
Who will see the footage?
Only our staff, who are bound by confidentiality, unless the law requires otherwise. Recovered files are not sent digitally without your permission.
Tell us what happened.
Send the details or call (587) 387-2346. We will tell you what to do with the device in the meantime.
Drop-off: Southcentre Executive Tower, #610 - 11012 Macleod Trail SE, Calgary. Monday to Thursday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.