GoPro Rant

[enem178]

Let me start by saying my Hero 4 Blk takes amazing video.......WHEN IT WORKS! This has got to be one of the most frustrating things to deal with. This camera freezes constantly and I've missed important shots because of it. Ive owned the Hero 4 for almost a year and haven't had any problems until recently. The firmware is up to date and I'm using a recommended San Disk extreme card. BTW it froze with a previous card also. I read that if you put the camera in the freezer for a hour before you use it, it will freeze less....WTF! I cant return it because I bought it from my nephew who won it as a gift for a school project. At this point I wish someone would develop a gimbal that accepts other cameras, but I know that's highly unlikely because the solo was developed around the gopro.......oh well at least my SOLO is an absolute blast to fly!!! Ok rant over, Thx for listening!!

 

[SteveReno]

Let me start by saying my Hero 4 Blk takes amazing video.......WHEN IT WORKS! This has got to be one of the most frustrating things to deal with. This camera freezes constantly and I've missed important shots because of it. Ive owned the Hero 4 for almost a year and haven't had any problems until recently. The firmware is up to date and I'm using a recommended San Disk extreme card. BTW it froze with a previous card also. I read that if you put the camera in the freezer for a hour before you use it, it will freeze less....WTF! I cant return it because I bought it from my nephew who won it as a gift for a school project. At this point I wish someone would develop a gimbal that accepts other cameras, but I know that's highly unlikely because the solo was developed around the gopro.......oh well at least my SOLO is an absolute blast to fly!!! Ok rant over, Thx for listening!!

All Device's with Drives, Hard Drives, USB Drives, SSD drive Etc... All malfunctions once in a while. ROM is a good place for storing Data.
My GPH4B also "locks up "once in a while"
Reinstall Update that your GP worked best with. Simple thing to do.
I like Ver 3.0, but i also use Ver. 4.0 when ever i need extra features that only Ver. 4.0 has.
Locate you Ver of update, then read instructions how to manually update. Easy...

A Little more info:

Find and move the UPDATE file to your microSD card

Click on the 'Windows' icon on the lower left corner of your screen.

Click on the 'Computer' link in the right-hand list.

Then click on the 'Downloads' link on the left side to find the Update.zip file.

Right-click on the UPDATE.zip file, click "Extract All", and then Save.

Do not change the destination folder.

You will now see the UPDATE folder you just 'extracted' next to the original UPDATE.zip file you downloaded.

Now drag the UPDATE folder from your Downloads folder to your microSD Card (Removable Disk).

Do not drag the UPDATE.zip file.

Do not drag UPDATE folders with numbers added to the end like UPDATE(1), UPDATE(2), etc.

Safely remove the microSD Card from your computer.

Last Step: Start your camera update

Be sure your camera is powered OFF.
Power OFF camera manually if it doesn't automatically turn off.


Insert your microSD Card into your camera.
PRESS the card in firmly using a fingernail until it clicks into place.

Power your camera ON.

Your camera will cycle through a number of beeps and turn itself OFF and ON a number of times as it updates

• Your camera will finally flash an " UPDATING " message before it turns OFF
  
  
• As long as you don't get a " CAMERA UPDATE FAILED " message, your update is successful!

Problems?

If you get a “Camera Update Failed” message, remove and re-insert the battery, and then restart this process from the beginning.

 

[enem178]

Thx for this great reply!! I will try this update and report back. Thx again

 

[PPSSolo]

I installed Ver 4.xx and wish I had left Ver 3.xx on the GoPro Hero Black. Is there anyway to go backwards to the older Version. It appears the Solo was optimized and works best with the GoPro Hero 4 on Firmware 3.xx. Once firmware 4 was installed lost the auto on function and found it freezes quite often requiring a battery removal or a complete camera reset. Any thoughts on downgrading to the older 3.0 firmware??? Thanks

 

[enem178]

I installed Ver 4.xx and wish I had left Ver 3.xx on the GoPro Hero Black. Is there anyway to go backwards to the older Version. It appears the Solo was optimized and works best with the GoPro Hero 4 on Firmware 3.xx. Once firmware 4 was installed lost the auto on function and found it freezes quite often requiring a battery removal or a complete camera reset. Any thoughts on downgrading to the older 3.0 firmware??? Thanks

That would be a nice option also!

 

[healthyfatboy]

There is a thread somewhere where the 3.XX software can be found and how to downgrade is explained by someone that was at 3DR at the time. Having linear mode from the 5.XX firmware is great but I can see how some would rather stick with the older firmware for simplicity.

 

[Ed Beck]

All of these posts are excellent, I'd add one simple thing.

I make it a practice to remove and replace the battery on my GP before a flight. I can't tell you positively that this has prevented problems, but I've found that when I have a GP problem I'll trouble shoot it down until eventually I'll remove and replace the battery. This has worked enough times that I've added it to my preflight.

Then again, I may just be placing chicken bones in a circle because it worked before.

 

[Ron380]

"If it sounds silly, but it works, it's not silly."

 

[enem178]

Great advice ! Thx

 

[SPP]

Removing Hero4 battery ( or almost all camera battery ) is a good "reset".
GoPro ON-OFF switch is a software one, not real mechanical ON-OFF with total power disconnect like say a house light bulb.
So removing battery for say 30 seconds, that is a true OFF.

 

[enem178]

Removing Hero4 battery ( or almost all camera battery ) is a good "reset".
GoPro ON-OFF switch is a software one, not real mechanical ON-OFF with total power disconnect like say a house light bulb.
So removing battery for say 30 seconds, that is a true OFF.

Actually when it freezes that was the ONLY way to get the thing to turn off and reset. Unfortunately it would do the same thing time after time. I haven't gotten a chance to play with it since I posted but when I do I will report back. Thx !

 

[yt lee]

How do you avoid the condensation issue when you freeze and unfreeze your GoPro?

 

[LEERED]

I didn't experience the GoPro "freeze" issue with a H4Silver, even after upgrading to latest firmware (v5). I do however have this issue with v5 on a H4 Black. I'll try downgrading to v4 and report back.Tx!

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[enem178]

The condensation really isn't an issue after a couple of mins of being out of the feezer. I will admit it does seem to freeze less frequently after being on the freezer but it's usually short lived....maybe a day or two. That has been my experience.

 

[SPP]

How do you avoid the condensation issue when you freeze and unfreeze your GoPro?

It is software freeze YT, not refrigerator temperature thingy

 

[SPP]

Actually when it freezes that was the ONLY way to get the thing to turn off and reset. Unfortunately it would do the same thing time after time. I haven't gotten a chance to play with it since I posted but when I do I will report back. Thx !

GoPro been sensitive to anything external connected to it which is not made by GoPro.
In Solo case its the rear expansion port of GoPro cams to the gimbal.
Sometime when I do long time lapse and assist to power camera with power-bank, USB into camera may cause freeze.
Not all power-bank is suitable for GoPro. USB connection to a GoPro will make the GP cam try to see if that is a USB-Data or charging-only connection.
A true charging-only USB cable is OK, but many power-bank need to "act" like a PC in order to fool smartphones which like Apple or Blackberry where if charger is not
original, charging wont happen. In this case I will power-ON the GoPro first, then I connect it to a power bank.

A USB2.0 has 4 pins ( 5 with ground of the connector ).

#4 and #1 connection is longer ( ahead ) of 3 & 2.
So 4 & 1 make connection first and then 3 & 2.
A charging only USB cable only need pin 4 & 1, but if you want to fool smartphones to think the charging is from a PC or an approved wall charger/power-bank
pin 3 & 2 is needed as this is the data pins.

In Solo case, I get freeze/hang very rarely. When I forget to choose the correct Silver4 or Black4 camera in Solo Apps, freezing can occur, otherwise its OK.
GoPro firmware v3.0 its stable for Solo use.

You are incorrect to say :"Actually when it freezes that was the ONLY way to get the thing to turn off and reset"
If you use a GoPro often, you will remove battery for 30 seconds or use fully charged battery ( meaning you change to a new battery ) before using on Solo and will avoid most freeze/hang. I don't like Solo to charge my GoPro, I don't mind Solo is parallel powering...yes.

I dont like charging in camera too, I use the dual charger from GoPro.

One more thing. Hero4 USB port on camera is not a true USB2.0 pin out. GP uses 10 pins
USB connector not 5 pins.The 5 extra pins is not USB2.0 standard but the first 5 pins are.
So using USB2.0 cable to a GoPro is OK and so is using their special combo cable or mic adapter cable, which access the extra 5 pins.

 

[enem178]

My GoPro froze long before I even bought a Solo. Unfortunately it's a pretty common issue and incredibly frustrating, so much so that I'm going to give another action camer company a go and pass on the hero 5.

 

[SPP]

Agree, GoPro freeze issue is quite common. But along with updated firmware it gets better and better.
If you mess enough with action/activity cams, it will freeze.

 

[yt lee]

It is software freeze YT, not refrigerator temperature thingy

Please read his post. He said he put the camera in a freezer for an hour or so.

 

[enem178]

Yeah I'm going to do the firmware updates as they come out but I don't rely on it anymore for my professional work. Luckily I have several other cameras so I'm not at a lose there, it's just I love the form factor and the video it produces in good light. I think I'll give the garmin verb a try. I have other compatible garmin devices, so I'll see how that works out. It's funny, my wife saved the GoPro's life a couple of weeks ago because I was 10 seconds away from throwing it on the subway tracks! As soon as I could get my card out it was toast, but I'm happy she talked me down because I bought my solo a few weeks later and got some stunning video. Hopefully with the advice posted on this thread, I can get it to be reliable. Thx again !