New Solo, some help with video feed pls

[Todd Kennedy]

Hello,

I've just started to power everything up and get going with my new Solo.
Im using a GoPro3 Hero Black.
All I get for a video feed is colourful horizontal lines.
I won the Solo from Dronestagram so I guess it's come from Europe? and I'm in Australia. My go pro is set to PAL standard but I can't see in the Solo where I can check that setting.
Any help appreciated. Let me know if more information helps diagnose.

Thanks,
Todd

 

[Hyper]

Hello,

I've just started to power everything up and get going with my new Solo.
Im using a GoPro3 Hero Black.
All I get for a video feed is colourful horizontal lines.
I won the Solo from Dronestagram so I guess it's come from Europe? and I'm in Australia. My go pro is set to PAL standard but I can't see in the Solo where I can check that setting.
Any help appreciated. Let me know if more information helps diagnose.

Thanks,
Todd

Todd,

Not sure your having the same issue I did, but here is a link GoPro issue to something I ran into. I traced it back to my GoPro Hero 3 Black over heating, and I'm still working with GoPro to resolve the issue. I most likely will just replace this unit. A link to some video would help us if you have any?

H-

 

[Maddog]

I'm not sure if the Solo app ever got support for PAL.
Does NTSC work?

 

[SteveReno]

Hello,

I've just started to power everything up and get going with my new Solo.
Im using a GoPro3 Hero Black.
All I get for a video feed is colourful horizontal lines.
I won the Solo from Dronestagram so I guess it's come from Europe? and I'm in Australia. My go pro is set to PAL standard but I can't see in the Solo where I can check that setting.
Any help appreciated. Let me know if more information helps diagnose.

Thanks,
Todd

Like MD says, try setting NTSC OR PAL from camera first, after you install it back in to Solo, then try to match your camera setting in the APP NTSC OR PAL.

If camera is fine & app working correctly, then check HDMI cable. Not hard to fix HDMI cable.
Check this if your having video feed problems"

Also Solex App for Solo does Full PAL, Solex for Solo
Good luck

 

[Todd Kennedy]

Todd,

Not sure your having the same issue I did, but here is a link GoPro issue to something I ran into. I traced it back to my GoPro Hero 3 Black over heating, and I'm still working with GoPro to resolve the issue. I most likely will just replace this unit. A link to some video would help us if you have any?

H-

Hi. Actually, now you mention it, it was very hot. I screen shot the feed.

 

[Todd Kennedy]

I'm not sure if the Solo app ever got support for PAL.
Does NTSC work?

Thanks. I will try NTSC.

 

[Todd Kennedy]

Also, if anyone is interested, mostly I'll be using this for still photography.
Here is some of my work from a Phantom and a BeBop that I mounted the GoPro to the belly of.

Drone

 

[SteveReno]

Is this the same GoPro that your having problems with on the Solo?

 

[Todd Kennedy]

Hi Steve. If you are referring to the screen shot above, yes. It's a GoPro Hero3 Black.
I also have a Hero3 silver. I could try that.

Also I should add I have never update the GoPro firmware as I have never needed to before. Is that necessary or useful?

Does anyone operate their solo without the battery in place? Maybe the battery is causing the heating?

 

[Hyper]

Hi Steve. If you are referring to the screen shot above, yes. It's a GoPro Hero3 Black.
I also have a Hero3 silver. I could try that.

Also I should add I have never update the GoPro firmware as I have never needed to before. Is that necessary or useful?

Does anyone operate their solo without the battery in place? Maybe the battery is causing the heating?

Make sure the foam retainer for the gimbal is removed before you power up the Solo. I also switched to my back up GoPro a Hero 3 silver the problem went away. Try the GoPro out side the solo my Hero 3 Black works fine out side the gimbal, but the video issues come back in any of the 3 gimbals I have.

 

[SteveReno]

Present GP Ver. 3.0 can be updated to GP Ver. 4.0, But doing so, Solo will lose the ability to turn camera on. This is the only disadvantage.
Also the update has a couple of new features, like disabling auto shutter & other settings.
Solo should work fine with GP Ver. 3.0 if you decide to keep it there/

 

[Mode-S]

Have you tried plugging the GoPro directly into a TV via HDMI just the check the GoPro HDMI out is OK? that way you can rule out the GoPro and focus on the Solo for trouble shooting.

You have some nice Drone photos, you may want to review Civil Aviation Safety Regulations Part 101 and height restrictions on model aircraft, also I think Sydney harbor is restricted airspace down to ground (all aircraft have to be under air traffic control)

 

[Todd Kennedy]

Hi. Some progress and some puzzlement. The GoPro Hero 3 silver works, but the H3Black does not. With regards to the Silver, the feed is perfect (nothing intermittent or weird), but the hit rate of getting it running is 50/50. I think it might be the sequence of powering drone, app, remote, go pro that makes it work or not and I haven't quite sorted that out yet.

To record, does everyone just start the GP up externally then slot it into the gimbal housing? I couldn't work out how to switch on one it is in there.

I took it outside for the maiden flight. All went pretty well.

ModeS, thanks for the suggestion. I don't seem to be able to find a HDMI cable that fits the GP so can't test that, but since the GP silver works fine I believe that the issue if most likely the compatibility of the GP black and the solo.
Regarding Syd Harbour flights, up to 120m is OK. Yes the harbour is controlled airspace but 120m is allowed in controlled airspace as stated in the reg you linked. Choppers & seaplanes min height is 500ft, Aircraft 1500ft for the Harbour Scenic 1 or 2 flight paths. I've heard a lot of BS about flying drones over Sydney harbour, massive fines etc. It's fine as long as your under 400ft. The Opera House and a few other sites are designated anti terrorism areas and have their own rules. Also some parks had bans like the botanic gardens. There are maps of disallowed areas on the CASA site which is around the airports.

Here he is on the maiden test flight. Just a little hovering around my local park. Compared to my Phantom 3, the Solo is louder, heavier, more powerful and makes quite a breeze. I'm looking forwards to attaching some lights to him and doing some light painting.

 

[Maddog]

Todd, put the GoPro in the gimbal and press the power button on the front. Then turn Solo on.

Or does the Hero 3 not have a switch on the front?

 

[Todd Kennedy]

Hi Maddog. I worded that badly. Yes the power switch is at the front, but the record function is the one I couldn't work out. Pressing the white circle on the app had no effect, and I can't access the record button at the top one the GoPro is installed into the gimbal housing.

 

[Maddog]

Hi Maddog. I worded that badly. Yes the power switch is at the front, but the record function is the one I couldn't work out. Pressing the white circle on the app had no effect, and I can't access the record button at the top one the GoPro is installed into the gimbal housing.

Ok, got it. Don't have an answer for that.

 

[Mode-S]

...
ModeS, thanks for the suggestion. I don't seem to be able to find a HDMI cable that fits the GP so can't test that, but since the GP silver works fine I believe that the issue if most likely the compatibility of the GP black and the solo.
Regarding Syd Harbour flights, up to 120m is OK. Yes the harbour is controlled airspace but 120m is allowed in controlled airspace as stated in the reg you linked. Choppers & seaplanes min height is 500ft, Aircraft 1500ft for the Harbour Scenic 1 or 2 flight paths. I've heard a lot of BS about flying drones over Sydney harbour, massive fines etc. It's fine as long as your under 400ft. The Opera House and a few other sites are designated anti terrorism areas and have their own rules. Also some parks had bans like the botanic gardens. There are maps of disallowed areas on the CASA site which is around the airports.

I would not call it BS. Yes flighting below 400ft AGL is allowed generally speaking for most classes of airspace but what about sector R405A (SFC to 500ft) and sector R405B (SFC to 1000ft) which are classified as restricted, falling under section 101.065 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulation 1998 act requiring written permission.

Back on subject, if you do need help or want to try things out on another Solo, I live in Sydney so feel free to contact me via PM

 

[Hyper]

Hi Maddog. I worded that badly. Yes the power switch is at the front, but the record function is the one I couldn't work out. Pressing the white circle on the app had no effect, and I can't access the record button at the top one the GoPro is installed into the gimbal housing.

Set the GoPro to record when powered on. The great thing about that is that your GoPro will power on when you power on the Solo.

 

[Todd Kennedy]

Set the GoPro to record when powered on. The great thing about that is that your GoPro will power on when you power on the Solo.

Thanks. I'll give that a go. Cheers.

 

[Todd Kennedy]

I would not call it BS. Yes flighting below 400ft AGL is allowed generally speaking for most classes of airspace but what about sector R405A (SFC to 500ft) and sector R405B (SFC to 1000ft) which are classified as restricted, falling under section 101.065 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulation 1998 act requiring written permission.

Back on subject, if you do need help or want to try things out on another Solo, I live in Sydney so feel free to contact me via PM

Thanks Mode-S. That's very kind of you. Ill try and puzzle it out first. As you may guess from my site visit frequency, it's a hobby I pick up and put back down a bit. I have some shots in mind to capture up in Qld around Xmas so I need to get it sorted out in that time frame. Will post pics assuming it works out.