Solo gimbal noise/vibration

[Sampson]

I received my gimbal last night and installed it per the instructions. I kept all cables clear of contact with the gimbal. Everything looked good. I powered up on my coffee table, watched the gimbal do a bit of a calibration dance and was pleased to see it stabilize at 90 degrees.
About 5 seconds later I heard a whirring noise coming from the gimbal at the same 90 degree angle. With the noise was a considerable amount of vibration. I played with pitching the gimbal down to zero and back up to 90. The vibration/noise smoothed out at varying angles through the pitch.
I power cycled everything and did it again. This time the noise/vibration occurred somewhere between 75-30 degrees but was smooth at 90.
I emailed 3DR in which they replied and told me to power cycle on an even surface without touching the gimbal (which I had already done).
I looked through FB and forums to try to find fixes for this to no avail so I am reaching out through this thread. Any suggestion or is anyone also having this problem?

 

[Ian [P13]]

Which GoPro was on at the time?

 

[Earldgrayjr]

I received my gimbal last night and installed it per the instructions. I kept all cables clear of contact with the gimbal. Everything looked good. I powered up on my coffee table, watched the gimbal do a bit of a calibration dance and was pleased to see it stabilize at 90 degrees.
About 5 seconds later I heard a whirring noise coming from the gimbal at the same 90 degree angle. With the noise was a considerable amount of vibration. I played with rolling the gimbal down to zero and back up to 90. The vibration/noise smoothed out at varying angles through the roll.
I power cycled everything and did it again. This time the noise/vibration occurred somewhere between 75-30 degrees but was smooth at 90.
I emailed 3DR in which they replied and told me to power cycle on an even surface without touching the gimbal (which I had already done).
I looked through FB and forums to try to find fixes for this to no avail so I am reaching out through this thread. Any suggestion or is anyone also having this problem?

Haven't seen that here. Mine works like this (not my video).
https://video.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net...=bacc433232055fc972a805b6a523f090&oe=55E5F2F4

 

[Sampson]

I should've said that... Hero 4 black. The noise seemed to come specifically from the motor adjacent to the GoPro. I thought I read somewhere that someone also had this problem but couldn't find where I read that. I tried to do some research to prevent further gimbal "fear mongering".

 

[Ian [P13]]

Get a video of the behaviour and send that to support. There are a number of gimbal software fixes due, which may or may not solve your problem.

 

[Sampson]

Haven't seen that here. Mine works like this (not my video).
https://video.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net...=bacc433232055fc972a805b6a523f090&oe=55E5F2F4

Visually mine also starts/functions like that. I moved the solo around and it does what gimbals do. It just creates a lot more noise and vibration than I'm used to in gimbals (I have a zen muse and a feiyu tech handheld).
You can even feel the vibration of it through the coffee table. I will say that the shipping box it came in looked like it had been kicked and even damaged the gimbal box inside a little. Not sure if that could have anything to do with it as the gimbal appeared to be in good shape.

 

[Earldgrayjr]

Visually mine also starts/functions like that. I moved the solo around and it does what gimbals do. It just creates a lot more noise and vibration than I'm used to in gimbals (I have a zen muse and a feiyu tech handheld).
You can even feel the vibration of it through the coffee table. I will say that the shipping box it came in looked like it had been kicked and even damaged the gimbal box inside a little. Not sure if that could have anything to do with it as the gimbal appeared to be in good shape.

Yahhh... Not normal. My hearing isn't the greatest, but I can't here mine unlesss I put my ear close to it, and there is no vibration.

 

[erikgraham]

I will say that the shipping box it came in looked like it had been kicked and even damaged the gimbal box inside a little.

Ouch. As frustrating as it is, I'd jettison that gimbal as soon as you can. Tell 3DR about the box and see if they will send you a replacement. Do you have photos of the damaged packaging? That could help 3DR if they want to make a claim to their insurer.

 

[Sampson]

Ouch. As frustrating as it is, I'd jettison that gimbal as soon as you can. Tell 3DR about the box and see if they will send you a replacement. Do you have photos of the damaged packaging? That could help 3DR if they want to make a claim to their insurer.

I'm going to document a video of the gimbal and photos of the packaging tonight. I should have been smarter and taken the photos of it before I opened it. I actually opened it through the already made hole in the side.
@erikgraham did you get an answer about 4k and solo legs for your sticky? I can confirm the legs weren't in my shots at all pitch angles but can't speak to the props.

 

[Sampson]

Correction to this thread - anytime I said "roll" I meant pitch.

 

[erikgraham]

@erikgraham did you get an answer about 4k and solo legs for your sticky? I can confirm the legs weren't in my shots at all pitch angles but can't speak to the props.

No I haven't gotten an answer. Not a direct answer anyway. Are you saying that in 4K you don't see the legs?

 

[Sampson]

No I haven't gotten an answer. Not a direct answer anyway. Are you saying that in 4K you don't see the legs?

Yes, I am saying that. I wasn't flying, but sitting on my coffee table and going through the full camera pitch in 4k I didn't have legs in the shot.

 

[erikgraham]

Yes, I am saying that. I wasn't flying, but sitting on my coffee table and going through the full camera pitch in 4k I didn't have legs in the shot.

That really surprises me. I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but can you double triple confirm that. Maybe even post a quick video or some screen grabs (if its not a hassle).

 

[Earldgrayjr]

That really surprises me. I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but can you double triple confirm that. Maybe even post a quick video or some screen grabs (if its not a hassle).

Mine has no legs, but it is a 5.44 lens with narrower FOV. I would also be surprised not seeing legs with 4K and a stock GP lens.

 

[Sampson]

I will post a screenshot when I get home tonight. Unless my live feed wasn't displaying the whole shot, I couldn't see legs. I too was surprised by this but then thought about 3drs collaboration with GoPro and how it would seem silly not to have addressed that issue.

 

[erikgraham]

I will post a screenshot when I get home tonight. Unless my live feed wasn't displaying the whole shot, I couldn't see legs. I too was surprised by this but then thought about 3drs collaboration with GoPro and how it would seem silly not to have addressed that issue.

Good point about the live feed. Lets see how the GoPro footage comes out. Thank you!

 

[Earldgrayjr]

Good point about the live feed. Lets see how the GoPro footage comes out. Thank you!

Well I'll be dipped...

I don't have Solo1 w/gimbal here, but I do have Solo2 W/O gimbal and a stock GoPro 4 Silver. I just hooked it up and no legs. I had to tweak the camera to the right in the frame just a hair, but am surprized that it works!!! The silver only does 15 FPS rather than 24/30, but that doesn't change the FOV.

4K stock. No legs...

 

[erikgraham]

Well I'll be dipped...

I don't have Solo1 w/gimbal here, but I do have Solo2 W/O gimbal and a stock GoPro 4 Silver. I just hooked it up and no legs. I had to tweak the camera to the right in the frame just a hair, but am surprized that it works!!! The silver only does 15 FPS rather than 24/30, but that doesn't change the FOV.

4K stock. No legs...

OK, now I'm really confused. I DO get the legs in 4K without the gimbal (4 Black with stock lens).... but I have to admit I'm only basing that off the live feed. I haven't bothered to look at footage off the GoPro itself because I'm waiting for the gimbal.

To really test this, I suppose we also need to see what happens with the gimbal when we yaw. It might be fine straight ahead, but the legs might encroach the frame when yawing or even just trying to stay in place during wind.

 

[Sampson]

I'll do a quick video test tonight and post my results off the camera. I'll move solo around a bit to replicate flight movements.

 

[erikgraham]

I will post a screenshot when I get home tonight. Unless my live feed wasn't displaying the whole shot, I couldn't see legs. I too was surprised by this but then thought about 3drs collaboration with GoPro and how it would seem silly not to have addressed that issue.

If you don't mind, when you test it out tonight, try picking up the Solo to twist it around a bit. The idea is to simulate yaw turns and banking side to side. Even if the legs don't show up when the camera is pointed straight ahead, the legs might encroach when you yaw, or if its banking to try to fight the wind.