SENTRY MODE · PARKED CAR · BYD
Sentry mode for your BYD,
watching the parked car.
With the car parked and off, DashArc’s sentry mode keeps the BYD’s four cameras watching the surroundings and records what happens. You see the recordings and live cameras on your phone, from anywhere.
It uses the car’s factory cameras (plus a USB camera if you like) and works with the dashcam: when someone turns the head unit on, the dashcam takes over.
You choose when sentry mode runs
- Vehicle off and locked: records only when both are true.
- Vehicle off: records even when unlocked and stops when someone turns the head unit on.
- Safe places: mark places like your home garage and choose to pause sentry mode there.
With the car truly off
BYD cars shut the head unit down when the car is switched off. DashArc’s stay-awake mode keeps the system and internet running with the screen off, with no time limit, so sentry mode and live cameras stay available. DashArc watches the 12 V battery and stops before it gets low.
BYD unmounts the SD card when the car is off; DashArc mounts it again so sentry mode can record to it.
Light, organized recordings
Sentry mode comes with defaults made for a parked car: HD, H.265 when available and lower quality than the dashcam, so storage does not fill up. Videos go to the DashArc/Sentinela folder, organized by day, with all 4 cameras in a single file.
Watch on your phone
In Recordings → Sentry you see each event’s thumbnail, watch it on your phone and download it. To check right away, open the live cameras and, with remote audio, listen and talk to whoever is near the car.
Frequently asked questions
Does BYD have a factory sentry mode?
BYD cars with a DiLink head unit do not ship with a sentry mode that records all 4 cameras with phone access. DashArc adds it using the car’s own cameras.
Does sentry mode drain the battery?
Keeping the head unit awake uses the 12 V battery. DashArc monitors its voltage and ends stay-awake mode before the battery gets low.
Does it record to the SD card with the car off?
Yes. DashArc mounts the SD card again after BYD unmounts it, and sentry mode records to it.
Can I watch live cameras while sentry mode is on?
Yes. With stay-awake mode, live cameras stay available on your phone while sentry mode watches the car.
Tested on DiLink 3 head units running the 13.1.33 system family. Not every feature may be available on your vehicle; features depend on the head unit, firmware and model.
DashArc is an independent app. References to BYD, Waze and Android Auto identify the vehicle platform and integrations; they do not imply partnership or endorsement.
More DashArc features
- YouTube, Netflix, WhatsApp and more apps on the BYD head unit — install YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, WhatsApp, Instagram and any Google Play app from the DashArc store.
- BYD live cameras on your phone — watch the car’s 360° cameras live on your phone, with audio, even while the car is off.
- BYD dashcam and sentry mode — record all four car cameras in a single video, driving or parked, to an SD card, USB drive or the head unit.
- Full BYD telemetry on your phone — 100+ vehicle data points in real time: battery, battery health, fuel, 12 V, tires, power, consumption and more.
- BYD dashcam: the most advanced recording system — all 4 car cameras (plus a USB camera) in a single video, in H.265, with car data and everything on your phone.
- Dashcam and sentry recordings on your phone — watch, download and protect your BYD videos on your phone, organized by day and linked to each trip.
- Your whole BYD on your phone — car status, live cameras, recordings, commands, telemetry, trips, files and the head unit — all on your phone.
- Start and control your BYD from your phone — start the car and climate, open the trunk, control windows, sunroof, seats and lights from your phone.
- Install apps on the BYD head unit — unlock app installs on the DiLink head unit, use the DashArc store and send APKs from your phone.
- Remote access to the BYD head unit screen — see and control the car’s head unit screen from your phone or computer.
- BYD trip history and telemetry — every trip with a map, distance, real kWh and fuel use, charts and the recordings from that drive.
- Waze on the BYD instrument cluster — Waze turn-by-turn navigation on the display in front of the wheel, with maneuvering cameras and alerts.
- BYD head unit wallpaper (even animated) — change the head unit background to your own photo or an animated video, right from your phone.
- BYD automations — routines that react to the car: triggers, actions, waits and conditions, with BYD cloud commands.
- Extra USB camera on your BYD — plug a webcam into the head unit: watch it live on your phone and record it with the car’s 4 cameras.
- BYD head unit file manager — browse the head unit, SD card and USB drive folders from your phone; upload and download files.
- BYD head unit screen lock and valet mode — protect the head unit with a PIN, password or pattern; valet mode; cameras and A/C stay available.
- Speed camera alerts on the BYD cluster — fixed and red-light speed cameras shown on the instrument cluster, with distance and limit.
- CarPlay on the BYD instrument cluster — Apple CarPlay route on the instrument cluster, automatic iPhone connection and speed camera alerts.
- Android Auto on the BYD instrument cluster — Android Auto route on the instrument cluster, with lanes, turns, exits and speed cameras.
- Maneuvering cameras on the BYD cluster — side camera when you signal and reverse cameras on the instrument cluster, without leaving the route.
- What is the best app for BYD? — DashArc brings a free unlocker, an app store with YouTube and Netflix, live cameras, dashcam, Waze on the cluster and phone control into one app.