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FAQ
We can't speak for Tesla — read your warranty terms if it matters. The Pi connects to a regular Tesla USB port the same way any USB drive does. It writes to itself, not to your car.
No. Sentry USB is a third-party open-source project, not affiliated with Tesla.
The Pi software itself is free and open source under the Polyform Noncommercial license. You only pay for the hardware (Pi + SD card + cable).
The optional Sentry Cloud service has a paid tier — see sentryusb.com for details.
Yes. Sentry USB only needs internet for:
- First-time setup (downloads the binary, installs system packages).
- Updates (auto-update checks).
- Cloud sync (if you use Sentry Cloud).
- Some archive backends (rclone to cloud storage).
All local archive methods (CIFS, NFS, rsync to a LAN server) work offline.
Sentry USB archives whenever the Pi connects to a known WiFi network. For most users, that means every time you park in your driveway or garage.
To trigger manually, open the web UI and click Drives → Archive Now.
Officially supported: Raspberry Pi 4B, Pi 5, Pi Zero 2 W, Pi 3 (A+/B/B+).
Community-tested: Radxa Rock Pi 4C+, Radxa Zero 3W. These work but we don't actively test on them.
Anything else is uncharted — community help on Discord is your best bet.
Nothing readable. Each route is encrypted on the Pi before it leaves your network. The cloud only ever sees ciphertext. Decryption happens in your browser when you sign in to view a drive — there's no key on the server.
See Sentry Cloud for the short version, or sentryusb.com for the full pitch.
No, Sentry USB is unable to decrypt your Tesla cam files. To continue using Sentry USB, we recommend disabling the encryption - which is enabled by default with update 2026.20.
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