Please tell me this will work...

robedney · Dec 23, 2017

Hi All,

Newly posting here but have read through many posts on this forum. Great community and information! I recently bought a Solo and at the same time ordered a cheap GoPro clone that was "known to work" with Solo. You know what's coming: I can't get video feed to Iphone or Ipad. I did manage to get it briefly, but as soon as I moved the camera I lost it. After much reading on the web -- lots of it here -- I opened up Solo and checked that the HDMI cable was seated well in the PC board. It was, but I reseated it just in case. No luck.

I've tried many various start-up sequences, factory reset, closing re-opening app, deleting re-installing app, etc. Even tried a generic micro HDMI cable, again with no luck. Messed with camera settings, app settings, etc.

So, I've got what's left of thirty days to love this Solo or exchange for another "factory refurbished unit". I bit the bullet and ordered a GoPro Hero 4 Black. My theory is that Solo may not play nice with anything other than a listed GoPro -- even just transmitting the video feed. Please tell me I'm right??? Any other suggestions???

By the way, no gimbal yet -- all of this is straight into Solo's HDMI cable. Once I've got video working I'll become one of the many Ebay folks bidding on gimbals.

Pedals2Paddles · Dec 23, 2017

You can't put any old cute rate chinese action camera that is sort of shaped like a GoPro in the gimbal. The gimbal will only mate up with a GoPro 3 or 4. Many cheap junk cameras are known to not have fully compatible HDMI outputs too, which could be why yours isn't working.

pyrate · Dec 23, 2017

you get people who have anecdotal luck post on here and somehow it is accepted that they "work"
At the price you can get gopro 4 Blacks for these days, why waste money on anything else

awp0 · Dec 23, 2017

I followed the same path as the OP, purchasing a cheap Eken camera for $40, based on the specs and a couple of fairly ambiguous comments on various forums indicating that it works with the Solo (without gimbal of course). Well, the live video through HDMI only worked sporadically, which made it useless. I spent more time on this camera than I care to admit, before buying a used GoPro Hero 4 Black on eBay for $130. This thing is great and it "just works". Should have done it sooner.

EZL · Dec 25, 2017

robedney said:
Hi All,

Newly posting here but have read through many posts on this forum. Great community and information! I recently bought a Solo and at the same time ordered a cheap GoPro clone that was "known to work" with Solo. You know what's coming: I can't get video feed to Iphone or Ipad. I did manage to get it briefly, but as soon as I moved the camera I lost it. After much reading on the web -- lots of it here -- I opened up Solo and checked that the HDMI cable was seated well in the PC board. It was, but I reseated it just in case. No luck.

I've tried many various start-up sequences, factory reset, closing re-opening app, deleting re-installing app, etc. Even tried a generic micro HDMI cable, again with no luck. Messed with camera settings, app settings, etc.

So, I've got what's left of thirty days to love this Solo or exchange for another "factory refurbished unit". I bit the bullet and ordered a GoPro Hero 4 Black. My theory is that Solo may not play nice with anything other than a listed GoPro -- even just transmitting the video feed. Please tell me I'm right??? Any other suggestions???

By the way, no gimbal yet -- all of this is straight into Solo's HDMI cable. Once I've got video working I'll become one of the many Ebay folks bidding on gimbals.

When I first acquired my Solo I watched several YouTube videos and one fella had a cheap $40 camera he claimed worked with the Solo on the factory
mount. I went ahead and ordered the one he recommended and found that the HDMI connection wasn't working on the camera by swapping it out
with a GitUp Git camera which worked. Not all cameras work with the HDMI connection on the Solo so don't waste your money on trying the cheap
cameras!

hydrocynus · Dec 26, 2017

Gitup git2 and git3 should work. They can also be triggered with PMW via HDMI. There are the cameras used by Mapir/peau production. I also have a lightdow camera that works with it. I however have two other cameras that do not work. It seems that it is hit or miss. Buy on Amazon and return if that does not work. Make sure the vendor is Amazon. Good deals on Amazon warehouse deals too (easy returns).

TonySloth · Dec 26, 2017

the gitup cameras work great, I also think the sjcam gopro clones work but haven't tried those. If you have a 3d printer you could print the mount that attaches to the gimbal which allows you to use the generic cameras. The files are on thingiverse under 3dr solo.

robedney · Dec 27, 2017

Problem solved! I ordered a GoPro Hero 4 Black factory refurb -- connected to Solo and it worked just fine. Just finished a test flight. So, the lesson is -- as often said on this forum -- Solo was made to work with GoPro. I may order a Git2 at some point to try it out and have a spare. In the meantime, if you're going to buy a Solo -- which is a very good idea -- skip the nonsense and get a compatible GoPro to avoid the grief.