stupid gopro

[BobNovas]

How the heck do you figure out if gopro video is running? When it's suction cupped to the windshield and you can't see the leds and it's too loud to hear the beeps? I lost video of Angela's run cause I turned the gopro on for her, and she thought she turned it on but actually turned if off. It needs better feedback!

[HoodPin]

How the heck do you figure out if gopro video is running? When it's suction cupped to the windshield and you can't see the leds and it's too loud to hear the beeps? I lost video of Angela's run cause I turned the gopro on for her, and she thought she turned it on but actually turned if off. It needs better feedback!

If its a GoPro3, it can be operated with a wireless remote, as well as a WiFi app on a Droid phone. But I agree, the earlier models do have some usability issues. With the WiFi app, you can even preview what the camera is viewing, which can greatly simplify setting it up in the car.

[Trak Ratt]

How the heck do you figure out if gopro video is running? When it's suction cupped to the windshield and you can't see the leds and it's too loud to hear the beeps? I lost video of Angela's run cause I turned the gopro on for her, and she thought she turned it on but actually turned if off. It needs better feedback!

Small mirror (like a dentis mirror) she prolly has one for work. We were looking at the remotes at wg. No indicators on them either.

[vranko]

If its a GoPro3, it can be operated with a wireless remote, as well as a WiFi app on a Droid phone. But I agree, the earlier models do have some usability issues. With the WiFi app, you can even preview what the camera is viewing, which can greatly simplify setting it up in the car.

Wow does the WiFi suck battery though! Both on the camera and the remote. Remote only lasts a few hours :bang::bang: I reverted back to the manual method last weekend. I finally got around to hooking up a permanent USB connection in the car to the GoPro so I don't need to recharge the battery. I've run out of battery so many time during runs in the past.

[Trak Ratt]

?.. I finally got around to hooking up a permanent USB connection in the car to the GoPro so I don't need to recharge the battery. I've run out of battery so many time during runs in the past.
I like to hear more about this.

[Dr K]

Not the answer to your question but something to consider. I was losing video constantly, and after a run would have about 50% of the session spread across 12 separate short clips. Tried changing SD card, no help. Lost video last year of my Mid-Ohio incident so the other guy (whom I think did it on purpose) did not get a 13/13. I'm running a Contour on car power using their adaptor, but with the battery charged, too. Turns out that the vibration in the car was enough to loosen the adaptor in cigarette lighter just enough to stop (and in rare cases corrupt) the video. I ran power wires (fused and on a switch) directly to the adaptor, did a really ghetto connection (between races), and it worked perfectly generating a nice, long 3+ GB file.

Lesson - in a race car, make certain power connections are VERY solid.

[Carrera51]

Bob:
The red light on the face of the camera will blink on and off when recording. Which model Go Pro do you have?

[vranko]

I like to hear more about this.

Be happy to show you anytime. Fairly simple actually. I moved my cigarette ligher to the switch panel I made and am just using a dual-USB, stubby, lighter adapter. I then ran a 10 foot USB cable to the camera. I switched to the GoPro Frame Mount (http://gopro.com/camera-mounts/the-frame) since it has an open USB port on the side. I thought about opening a hole in the case it came with but I didn't want to ruin it for outside/wet usage.

If I had had more time I would have bypassed the cigarette ligher plug, broke apart the adaptor and ran the USB power directly to the camera. I would have added a power switch so I could charge the camera when I wanted (if car was on or off). Right now I just unplug the USB cable. May make these changes later when time permits.

I know there's some bespoke pre-GoPro Hero 3 adaptors that have power and camera on-off switches that one can mount. I haven't seen anyone hack the Hero 3 yet to support this. :bang:

And, BTW, sorry to hear about your run-in with the bushes. The picks of you and the misses looked great though!

[Trak Ratt]

And thank you fo stepping up and running tech at the SC last weekend

[APKhaos]

Oen of the problems with generic sports cameras is exactly that - verifying that they have power, are on, and are recording.
A red flashing light is only useful if you can see it when strapped in, and in most cases when the camera is mounted close to the screen facing forward, or on a roll cage over the driver's shoulder, you cant see it.

There are cameras that do work well in this situation:
- The POV models have a remote controller with a mini screen and power/recording leds that is small enough to mount on the console beside the driver.

http://vio-pov.com/media//vio_pov_hd.jpg

- The Replay XD1080 remote accessory gives you power on/off, record start/stop, and led confirmation of power and recording status.

http://replayxd.com/product/xd1080-hardwire-start-stop-4-meter/

I think Contour has a decent remote start switch too. There will be others, but this is a good start.

[vranko]

And thank you fo stepping up and running tech at the SC last weekend

Happy to! I did find one "half-width" serpentine belt during a late tech on a new Shelby Mustang (there were many late techs because of a road/bridge closure in MD). He said it was the second belt that failed. Told him something must be miss aligned and just replacing the belt again wasn't recommended. The belt must be trying to move sideways?? At least that was my uneducated guess. Did teach me a lesson though. Always check under the hood. Almost skipped it because I was in a hurry and had looked at it the day before. Peter T. was with me and asked if I was going to :oops:

[vranko]

SmartyCamGP looks nice also but is pricy.

http://www.aim-sportline.com/eng/products-car/smartycamgp/index.htm

Saw it at OG's SP store over the weekend.

[VaSteve]

Yes nice job on tech. I need to coordinate with you better since people kept asking me if I was tech.

[super90]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has problems with the GoPro its a constant source of irritation. How did this guy manage to get filthy rich with this POS.

[BlackTalon]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has problems with the GoPro its a constant source of irritation. How did this guy manage to get filthy rich with this POS.Easy -- he sells it cheap. People buy them because they are about the least expensive HD camera out there. Not unlike the Aptek. They work, but have limitations/ irritations.

[APKhaos]

Easy -- he sells it cheap. People buy them because they are about the least expensive HD camera out there. Not unlike the Aptek. They work, but have limitations/ irritations.

There are a ton of good HD cameras in the same price bracket as GoPro now. The secret to their success is that they were the only one in this space to spend large bank on retail marketing. I'll never forget the first time they turned up at the PRI show. Their booth was huge, with tons of cars, bikes, massive screens and babes by the dozen. Pure retail marketing spend. Its a good camera, but the cheapie form factor that made the price point possible is a real limitation.

[vranko]

Yes nice job on tech. I need to coordinate with you better since people kept asking me if I was tech.

Thanks. I was telling everyone it was you just in case something went wrong. :shock:

[BobNovas]

It's a gopro 3, the "silver" model. Dr K - how is it you get 3GB video's? Mine chops video's into 2GB files and I don't know how to splice them. A permanent USB connection sounds like a good fix. Maybe that with wifi control.

[vranko]

^

Check out this forum post:

2MB File Limit (http://www.goprofanatics.com/questions-problems-troubleshooting/1346-2gb-file-size-limit.html)

They must have kept this limitation in the Hero3 firmware also. My Hero 3 also rolls over to a new file after 2GBs.

[Roo]

I was so excited when Lisa gave me the GoPro 3 Black Edition for my birthday, but, I've been challenged by this Chinese produced, California surfer invented, digital nightmare for all first three events.
Three software updates later and it still chops files down to 11:38 time limited subfiles I haven't stitched together yet.
Also, the jumpy video with smooth audio is still a problem.
Read ALL the instructions, contacted tech, rebooted, cleared the cards, kept the battery charged, etc.
Case of your choice of beer to whoever gets mine working at SP in July....

[VaSteve]

Thanks. I was telling everyone it was you just in case something went wrong. :shock:

If something goes wrong they do end up seeing me and end up on the list. I almost ended up on the list myself when my tires wore out. Made some nice video of it...with my GoPro.

[Dr K]

It's a gopro 3, the "silver" model. Dr K - how is it you get 3GB video's? Mine chops video's into 2GB files and I don't know how to splice them. A permanent USB connection sounds like a good fix. Maybe that with wifi control.

Mine is a ContourHD, not a GoPro. But it's easy to stitch files together.

[Vicegrip]

Spend all the bucks on cars, tires, gear, gas, tow rig and then fumble around with and have a POS little video cam piss you off all weekend is a real fail.

I watched and listended to the gripes most were having and had my own with an aptec that never did produce any good video. I now use a POV HD. Mounted the cam eye level on the seat halo, mounted the remote to the wheel and the recorder with mon screen where I can see it. On / off, start / stop, is it on? Is it recording? Buckel up and then think to start the cam I can't reach. All that stuff all zeroed out. I also use the shore power setup so no battery issues and stuck a good size card in so I can get a couple days of video in. I leave the cam set to go on and off with the main power so I can leave it on all day and simply hit Record and Stop via the wheel mounted remote. While it is recording you can also hit record again and it will set a tag so you can more easly fast forward to something you want to. Hit a corner well or watch a buddy loop T1? Tap the button on the wheel and you don't need to go looking for the moment later.

The POV HD is a bit more intended for the "Hold my power drink and watch this" gang but I have found that it works very well in cars. Set it for 60 fps and the image is dead smooth with no shutter flutter. YMMV

[HoodPin]

Spend all the bucks on cars, tires, gear, gas, tow rig and then fumble around with and have a POS little video cam piss you off all weekend is a real fail.

I watched and listended to the gripes most were having and had my own with an aptec that never did produce any good video. I now use a POV HD. Mounted the cam eye level on the seat halo, mounted the remote to the wheel and the recorder with mon screen where I can see it. On / off, start / stop, is it on? Is it recording? Buckel up and then think to start the cam I can't reach. All that stuff all zeroed out. I also use the shore power setup so no battery issues and stuck a good size card in so I can get a couple days of video in. I leave the cam set to go on and off with the main power so I can leave it on all day and simply hit Record and Stop via the wheel mounted remote. While it is recording you can also hit record again and it will set a tag so you can more easly fast forward to something you want to. Hit a corner well or watch a buddy loop T1? Tap the button on the wheel and you don't need to go looking for the moment later.

The POV HD is a bit more intended for the "Hold my power drink and watch this" gang but I have found that it works very well in cars. Set it for 60 fps and the image is dead smooth with no shutter flutter. YMMV

But of course!.....why didn't I think of that. :bang:

I'm always amazed about how well you analyze and solve even the simplest of problems. You da man!

[Vicegrip]

Trust me I ddi not go to greant effort looking into all the systems. I was pissed at the crap I had, saw the POV HD system just as it became availble and pulled the trigger. It is not the best answer for automotive use and costs a good bit more that an aptec or Ohnogopro. There are in car systems that work very well that are made for the task and more but are even more expensive than the POV HD. One aspect that it has over all the all in one units is the recorder with screen. This is handy not just to see if it is on and working as intended, you can see what the cam view is while pointing it. Don't get to go back later and find that the run group sticker or R view mirror was dead in the middle of view or you mostly recorded the right side a pillar and or everything was white balanced into a snow ball of inconprehensable road view a black ring of car cockpit around it. The vimeo example below is a greatly compressed with much loos of detail clip. The original videos are sharp and clear.

[VaSteve]

Don't get to go back later and find that the run group sticker or R view mirror was dead in the middle of view or you mostly recorded the right side a pillar and or everything was white balanced into a snow ball of inconprehensable road view a black ring of car cockpit around it.


Reading one of Vice's posts requires you to slow down and bask in the poetic way it's written.

[Vicegrip]

"Poetic" = Real poor form, spellin', syntax and structure. I cringe after looking back at the some of the blather I spill. In my next life I plan to finish high school.

[FrankyV]

- The POV models have a remote controller with a mini screen and power/recording leds that is small enough to mount on the console beside the driver.

I have the less expensive Race Optics version of the Vio POV with the control unit mounted on the dash knee pad where I can monitor the view and recording status as well as reach the controls without using the remote. It works very well when I remember to charge the battery, turn it on, and put in an SD card.

[HoodPin]

"Poetic" = Real poor form, spellin', syntax and structure. I cringe after looking back at the some of the blather I spill. In my next life I plan to finish high school.

Don't.....it'll just ruin you!

[BobNovas]

Do a MOOC course. Try edx.org. Cheaper (as in free), quicker and better.