Gimbal question

[W5DUG]

Should the gimbal function with out a go pro camera attached? I order a gimbal and go pro 3+ and the gimbal showed up today. The go pro is still in the mail. I put the gimbal on the solo and all I get is a flashing red l.e.d. on the gimbal. The controller shows no gimbal attached. Is it required to have the Go Pro attached to the gimbal for the solo to recognize that it has a gimbal?? Solo app is up to date. (2.4.4) Gimbal firmware revision does not show up in app also.

Thanks
Doug
W5DUG

 

[andrew.baker.142]

You should only power the gimbal with a camera installed. It needs to weight to balance itself.
That being said, I would think the gimbal would try and work without a camera attached. I never tried without.

 

[just_bruce]

Mine powers up and gives a green light without a camera on board...

 

[just_bruce]

Sounds like your gimbal isn't communing with SOLO, else you would see the gimbal version in the app...

 

[tpsharkey]

You should only power the gimbal with a camera installed. It needs to weight to balance itself.
That being said, I would think the gimbal would try and work without a camera attached. I never tried without.

Try centering the gimbal, then powering on the Solo. I have done this without the camera and the gimbal powered up, wiggleg and went to a slow cycling green light. If the wiggles too much, steady it with your hand. The controller will show the gimbal if it is working, if not it may be defective.

 

[W5DUG]

I tried centering the gimbal and powering up the solo. Same problem. LED on gimble flashed red only with NO movement at all if it were not for the red led, I would think the gimbal isn't getting power.. I wonder if a reset of the Solo would help. Like a previous post said, it sounds like the Solo is never seeing the gimbal, and yes I triple checked the connections both to the gimbal control and the hdmi, I did hook up a cheap action cam to the hdmi and do get a picture on the solo app (upside down) since the hdmi plug is backward compared to the GoPro connection. Has anyone tried removing the GoPro and powering up the solo and see if the gimbal moves. Like I said this one seems to be dead except for the red led.

 

[David Boulanger]

That can't be good for the gimbal.

 

[W5DUG]

After borrowing a GoPro Hero 4 from a friend and putting it in the gimbal, it still did not work, so it's on it's way back to the seller and I ordered another one. (from another seller) I looked very close at the gimbal and discovered where the flat ribbon cable connects to the main board some of the fine gold colored wires were bent and possibly broken. Although the seller said it was like new, I suspect it was damaged in either a crash or possibly damaged when it was built. The box looked factory sealed, but I think it was a customer return and resealed. I noticed that the instruction manual was not in the box, but the round tape seal was intact. I guess the seals can be replaced, giving it a never opened look. I am sure the seller was on the up and up and didn't know that the gimbal was bad. He promptly started the refund process through E bay.
Any way thanks for the suggestions, but another "factory fresh" gimbal is on it's way. And the GoPro Hero4 I ordered should show up Tuesday. I'll let you know how the second gimbal works (or not)!