No Video on Phone with Solo App or with Solex

[Loner556]

Hello everyone.

I'm a 3DR newb but have been flying rc for over 20 years. Mostly fixed wing and some collective pitch heli (Blade CP). I've been really interested in a 3dr solo for a couple of years and was gifted a 3dr for Christmas from my brother in law. Was totally blown away.

Long story short, I'm having issues getting the video to show up on my connected phone. Ive got a 3 axis gimble and a gopro hero 4 black V3.0. Controller and Solo are running V 2.4.2.

I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and had to use Raccoon 3.7 to get the Solo App to install. I can control the camera settings and start stop recording but the video feed is black.

After fiddling with the Solo APP and no luck, I bought and downloaded Solex thinking that it may have been a software issue as my understanding is that the stock solo app is geared more for iOS. After buying and installing Solex, it isn't working either. Same symptoms, I can change camera settings, start and stop recording but have a completely black video feed.

I've tried bypassing the gimble and hooked the hero 4 black directly to the hdmi cable and am still getting a black feed. Doing this locked up my Gopro where I had to pull the battery to get it to turn off.

I've pulled the battery tray in the solo and board to make sure the hdmi was tight at the board connection end as well. All appears to be good.

Hero 4 black is V3.0 and I'm skeptical about upgrading as I though I read somewhere to not go past v3.4 for use on the Solo. Current gopro version update appears to be v5.0...

Not sure where to go from here but I'm thinking I either have a bad hdmi cable in the bird or need to update the gopro. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Chuck]

Welcome, Loner556. By chance did you hook your GoPro directly to a tv or other monitor to eliminate the problem being the camera itself? Just a thought.

 

[Ismael Bugarin]

Had the same problem with my second solo, turn out to be the HDMI
Having a bad contact, I opened solo unplug and reconnect and got
Feedback, soon after replaced with a ribbon cable. it drove me nuts.
Had to fit a foam noise earplug under plug to keep it from getting loose again, check connection at camera and the selection for H4 in app.

 

[SteveReno]

Not sure if this will help?
Check this if your having video feed problems"

 

[Loner556]

Thanks for the input gentlemen. I just went and bought a hdmi micro to hdmi cable and hooked the gopro directly to the tv. All is good there. It's outputting through the hdmi port as it should.

Apps both have H4 Black as camera selection.

Took the solo apart again and put some foam between the board and connector as I had seen the other thread showing this. Still the same result.

Just tried the hdmi from the Solo controller (already powered on) to the TV and received a "Please wait: booting..." message then a black screen. If I power everything up with the controller connected to the TV, I get a 3DR screen and then black screen once everything boots up.

This is driving me nuts.

I did order a second Solo today from Amazon. It'll be here Saturday so I'll have a second bird to try and narrow this down.

What do yall think about updating the Gopro software to V 5.0?

 

[pyrate]

Its a simple choice
if you need locked shutter and ISO, or Linier field of veiw in lower resolutions go for it.
Typically photographers like this bes
BUT you will have to power solo on manually before taking off.

If you want auto on, and dont care about manual shutter control and such dont upgrade
I did upgrade, and then retrograded since I do mostly video

 

[SARDG]

...What do yall think about updating the Gopro software to V 5.0?

I have three GPH4B (one with Peau 3.97 lens) and have not updated any of them. At any rate... that is not your video problem so no need to introduce an unknown to the equation.

 

[Ismael Bugarin]

The Video output from GoPro was tested with Solo HDMI with adapter.? I heard of bad cables and the only fix is replacement.

Thanks for the input gentlemen. I just went and bought a hdmi micro to hdmi cable and hooked the gopro directly to the tv. All is good there. It's outputting through the hdmi port as it should.

Apps both have H4 Black as camera selection.

Took the solo apart again and put some foam between the board and connector as I had seen the other thread showing this. Still the same result.

Just tried the hdmi from the Solo controller (already powered on) to the TV and received a "Please wait: booting..." message then a black screen. If I power everything up with the controller connected to the TV, I get a 3DR screen and then black screen once everything boots up.

This is driving me nuts.

I did order a second Solo today from Amazon. It'll be here Saturday so I'll have a second bird to try and narrow this down.

What do yall think about updating the Gopro software to V 5.0?

 

[Loner556]

The Video output from GoPro was tested with Solo HDMI with adapter.? I heard of bad cables and the only fix is replacement.

I don't have anything that has an HDMI micro input to test it on. The cable I purchase today is a micro (GPH4B end) to HDMI at the TV.

ETA: Don't think I have anything here that I can plug the solo HDMI cable in to test. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[Ismael Bugarin]

The Solo HDMI cable is the only thing I can think of, is nice to have 2 solos to swap parts. I had to custom order 2 ribon HDMI cables from a vendor in China and they work great. troubleshooting a bad connection Shouldn't be hard and if the original cable is good you should have Video by now.

I don't have anything that has an HDMI micro input to test it on. The cable I purchase today is a micro (GPH4B end) to HDMI at the TV.

ETA: Don't think I have anything here that I can plug the solo HDMI cable in to test. Thanks for the suggestion though.

I







QUOTE="Loner556, post: 87158, member: 8520"]I don't have anything that has an HDMI micro input to test it on. The cable I purchase today is a micro (GPH4B end) to HDMI at the TV.

ETA: Don't think I have anything here that I can plug the solo HDMI cable in to test. Thanks for the suggestion though.[/QUOTE]
Is the only thing

 

[Frank Foster]

Loner556, I've been fighting the same problem, but I think I got it solved! I also had to use the racoon thing to get the Solo app on my Nexus7 (2015) model, as it would not let me load it from the Google store. It loaded up OK, and seemed to work, but went to a black screen. This was with a GoPro 3+ silver. Last night, I received my new GoPro4 silver, updated firmware to 5.0 and gave it a try....... "black screen" soooo, I thought I'd try my cheap Trac Phone (Alcatel) and Wow! It is alive! I can controll all the camera settings, turn it on or off, etc. etc. I will try some outdoor tests later today. I guess there is a reason that 3DR would not allow the app to load on some devices. The whole problem seems to be with the wi-fi connection. My Nexus kept loosing the signal, then giving me a wi-fi connection error.
As a side note, I'll bet "IF" 3DR had sold the Solo as a complete kit, (gimble, GoPro, tablet, all setup and working) for say $2000/$2500, they might still be in business. JMO

 

[Frank Foster]

OK, just did a test flight in my back yard, under heavy tree cover. Flew manual mode. NEVER lost wi-fi connection. And I changed the settings of the GoPro, while in the air. I did notice that I do have to turn on the GoPro manually first, then everything is controlled by the app, turning record on and off, etc. etc. I'm pretty happy with my Solo !!!!!!

 

[SARDG]

...My Nexus kept loosing the signal, then giving me a wi-fi connection error...

I don't have this problem, but going by memory of a post on here... if you go to settings and disable the 'feature' that automatically connects to a remembered Wi-Fi signal and tell your device to forget your Wi-Fi (as in local router perhaps), then it won't keep trying to connect to the outside Wi-Fi and dropping connection.

If that doesn't make sense to you, you'll have to do your own search here for details.

 

[Frank Foster]

Yes, I tried all that stuff. The Nexus would detect the solo signal, showing full strength, then the little strength meter would drop to only about 1/4 signal, then maybe connect, only to loose connection a minute or two later. I think there is a way to better setup the wi-fi on the Nexus, but the Alcatel phone that I used Racoon to load up the solo app, works GREAT! Shows full strength wi-fi to Solo. I have a cheap ($79) Galaxy Tablet waiting at the post office. When I pick it up, I'll see how well it works, or not?

 

[Loner556]

Well, just went and picked up a Galaxy Tab A. Sure hope I can transfer Solex from my phone to my tablet without having to buy it again...

Tablet is charging now. I'll keep you guys posted.

Edited for spelling

 

[Loner556]

Good news and bad news. Bad news is with the new tablet, still a black screen.

Good news is new Solo arrived a day early. Swapped the gimble to the new solo, did the updates and everythng is workingn as it should. Something in the 1st one is bad, either the cable or board.

 

[S Hallahan]

I had the same problem with no video on my app or output to a monitor in the field but could control camera settings. My fix was to simply reset the go pro while on the bird and ready for takeoff. After the usual pre-flight check and at least 10 sats(personal preference) and no other errors, lift solo (try as best you can to lift it just off the ground) and hold the power button to turn off the go pro (ensure it shuts down completely) and then power the go pro back on. This should only take about 10 seconds. Each time I did this I have video and full control of the go pro. This part is actually in my pre-flight check list. BTW, GP Hero 3 silver.

Scott

 

[BigTulsa]

And THIS is exactly why I bought a second gimbal for my Solo.

 

[yt lee]

Good news and bad news. Bad news is with the new tablet, still a black screen.

Good news is new Solo arrived a day early. Swapped the gimble to the new solo, did the updates and everythng is workingn as it should. Something in the 1st one is bad, either the cable or board.

In your case, looks like the problem is the gimbal, if your can't return it, best buy has new gimbal for 40 bucks.

 

[Loner556]

In your case, looks like the problem is the gimbal, if your can't return it, best buy has new gimbal for 40 bucks.

Not undersanding how it would be the gimble if the gimble works properly on one drone and not the other. If its working on one, wouldn't that mean that something else was wrong with the drone it's not working on (bad cable or board)? Guess I'm not following your reasoning.

I do want to thank everyone for taking the time to respond.