GoPro Hero 4 Black record issue

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Tomek

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I'm assuming it works for most people, so i thought it should for me too.
I had hero 3 when i got the gimbal, found out that no controls are provided (actually i sent logs to 3DR a week ago, and they never got back with me). So i went ahead and bought Hero 4 black. Bench testing worked well, did all soft updates to go pro. First flight, record did not work at all, only stream was recorded in the iPad, actually GP manage to freeze. Second flight, it worked once (initial REC btn press), then on its own GP turned off recording, then record never worked afterwards.

Turning to the forum in hopes of some help. Should i exchange GP, call GP support, 3dr is not responding at all. Suggestions?

Thanks
 
Tomek said:
I'm assuming it works for most people, so i thought it should for me too.
I had hero 3 when i got the gimbal, found out that no controls are provided (actually i sent logs to 3DR a week ago, and they never got back with me). So i went ahead and bought Hero 4 black. Bench testing worked well, did all soft updates to go pro. First flight, record did not work at all, only stream was recorded in the iPad, actually GP manage to freeze. Second flight, it worked once (initial REC btn press), then on its own GP turned off recording, then record never worked afterwards.

Turning to the forum in hopes of some help. Should i exchange GP, call GP support, 3dr is not responding at all. Suggestions?

Thanks
Click to expand...

My first question relates to the card/media you're recording to. GP black is sensitive to media speed, and between speeds and counterfeit cards out there, the card would be the first place I'd look for answers.
 
There is also an auto shutdown on GP4. The default is 5min of no activity the GP shuts itself off. Check your GP settings using a phone or tablet.
 
chadgadget said:
There is also an auto shutdown on GP4. The default is 5min of no activity the GP shuts itself off. Check your GP settings using a phone or tablet.
Click to expand...

I should have put that info as well. I'm recording to SanDisk 64GB Extreme Class 10 UHS-1
 
chadgadget said:
There is also an auto shutdown on GP4. The default is 5min of no activity the GP shuts itself off. Check your GP settings using a phone or tablet.
Click to expand...

Shutdown is manual. GOPRO stays on, i have the preview, just no record functionality. Memory card is a good suggestion, mine might be too slow, since GP is setup to record 2.7K at 48 fps. This might be the issue, i will try to lower the recording specs and check again. Still why would it work when testing on table, but not during flight.
 
Tomek said:
Shutdown is manual. GOPRO stays on, i have the preview, just no record functionality. Memory card is a good suggestion, mine might be too slow, since GP is setup to record 2.7K at 48 fps. This might be the issue, i will try to lower the recording specs and check again. Still why would it work when testing on table, but not during flight.
Click to expand...
One thing to try is set it to record manually before you take off. In other words, take Solo out of the picture (for testing purposes). Does it stop recording then?
 
I've has some issues with my GP 4 Black as well. I contacted GP and they said I should do a manual software update and reformat my card. First thing they asked "what card are you using?" I have yet to do these things to see if it helps but thought I would offer what they told me.
 
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I had the same issue yesterday, flew 2 batteries but nothing from the first saved to my gopro. I'm thinking it's app related because I've nave had a problem before
 
Tomek said:
I do have one of the cards on the list, yet i have issues. I did ask 3DR to weigh in, will see what they say. Next step is GP support.
Click to expand...
The key is troubleshooting. The first step (as always) is to "cut your problem in half". The way to do that In this case is determine if the problem is in the GoPro or the Solo. The Solo starts/stops recordings in the GoPro and will turn it off.

One way is to start your setup and make sure the indicator lights for recording are set for your GoPro. Fly the Solo/GoPro and hover it in from to you. Start recording from the app or record button/paddle.

Currently the Solo/app doesn't tell you if you have a bad card, one that isn't inserted, or no card at all. The display on the GoPro however does.

Another way to see if you are recording is to enable OSD (On Screen Display) on the GoPro, the recording icon (red video camera) will pass through to the Solo app, and you can see if the GoPro thinks it is recording.

If that works, it is very likely your Solo is doing it's job. If the recording quits at some point, it is very likely on the GoPro end. There are several reasons that can happen. They range from card problems, to overheating, to scrambled firmware, to a bad battery, to a bad unit needing an RMA.

You can troubleshoot that problem, but it is best to start by defining which unit the problem lies in.

If the Solo/app/controller won't start/stop recording, then it can be either and can include old GoPro firmware or a problem with the app.

If the GoPro stops recording mid flight start the recording manually before placing the GoPro. Hover and test if the recording stops. If it does, it is almost certainly the GoPro/card
 
Last edited:
Jubalr said:
I ordered 3 last week. Haven't got them yet. But anxious to test to determine they are real or not. Great deal...
Click to expand...
I got some 6 months ago and those were legit. My guess is that through Groupon we should be OK. The catch is that "Groupon Goods" stuff is not always quick, especially if you (like me) are used to Amazon Prime
 
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Did you get any error messages? I had to reformat my Micro SD, I had used it in a chart plotter.
From GoPro: If your camera is freezing up, that usually means that you need to update the camera's software or there are some issues with the SD card.
 
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And one last note.... (again slightly off topic...sorry) if you have repeated problems with a GoPro freezing up, have tried the manual firmware update, and it "looks" good...

Try putting it in the refrigerator for an hour. Really.....

Just as a troubleshooting step, not as a permanent solution. But it will tell you if it is an electronic problem. I learned as a tech long ago that electronics (especially those on the way out) can get heat sensitive. I carried a heat gun and freeze spray with me. Electronic components often lose their ability to disipate heat when they are going bad, and this shows up more often in small compact units (like a GoPro) without specific cooling.

I have used this technique many times to diagnose an intermitent problem, including on a GoPro very recently. Worked great just out of the fridge, would reliably lock up after about 1/2 hour. I called GoPro and explained. They immediately gave me an RMA.

Same experience with several high end cameras, laptops, etc...
 
All these suggestions are good, but I and a number of other people are using best practices (fast GoPro recommended card, format in camera, stop recording before shutting down Solo, etc.) and have had numerous corrupt files that seem to be caused by something shutting down the recording in mid flight. I posted about this a week ago on the FB Solo group and a number of other people reported the same problem. In that thread Philip of 3DR said they were looking into it.

Log into Facebook | Facebook

I posted again today and more people chimed in. I do think this is a problem

Log into Facebook | Facebook
 
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Yes, I had many flights, beginning in June when I got my Solo, and then since August when I got my gimbal, with zero corrupted files. So either something has changed with my GoPro or SD card, or with the latest firmware.
 
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