Gopro HD HERO user tips

    Since many people are using and more will be using the Gopro, I wanted one place to put all kinds of info pertaining to the Gopro.


    One of the first little problems I ran into is that the card reader of my PC wouldn't recognize the 8GB SD card that I bought. Turned out that my internal card reader which is about 5 years old didn't recognize the high capacity SD card which is normally labeled SDHC. This SDHC card looks and fits exactly like the older SD card which may cause confusion to some. I believe any SD card larger than 4GB is high capacity (SDHC). I bought and returned 3 new internal card readers before I found one that my PC recognized without a problem, and fit properly in my tower slot. The one I bought cost $20. Currently SDHC cards are available in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB. The 8GB I found to be a good compromise because it has good capacity yet is affordable at $25.


    SD card.



    SDHC card.


    The next thing I had a problem with is that none of my video editing programs could work with the high definition MP4 video file that the Gopro camera produces. I did some research online and found this comparison http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com I think the reviews are biased but at least you can see the available software in one place.


    I then tried three programs that were supposed to work well with HD video.
    1. Corel VideoStudio Pro X3
    2. Cyberlink PowerDirector 8 Ultra
    3. Pinnacle Studio 14 HD Ultimate


    The Corel program wouldn't even open the HD MP4 file. There may be a patch or update but I didn't like the very dark interface anyways so I didn't bother with it. PowerDirector opened the file, but again I didn't like the dark interface and the rather limited format options for exporting the video. Both the Corel and PowerDirector had a toyish interface which seems to be designed for really novice users, although this in no way makes the program more simple to use.


    Pinnacle Studio 14 HD was the best. I've been using version 12 until now but it couldn't handle the HD file. There was a patch for HD but I didn't want to bother with it since the new version was available. Pinnacle Studio 14 handled the file no problem and gave me all features that I'm already used to. The interface for all three programs was similar in that there's a drag and drop timeline where the editing takes place.


    There's probably a more professional program for editing HD video, maybe something from Adobe. But at the level I require for now Pinnacle Studio is enough.

    I had a little issue with a cheaper SDHC card, it was a 16gb and if I was using it for skateboarding it would record corrupt files by the end of the session..I read that it was a problem with the off brand card and high vibration activities. at first I was going to stay with it bc i figured diving is pretty smoooth and not rough, but then i realized that a few shots would translate into a lot of shock and i ordered the 8gb that Dan posted.



    so you know, the other card works as long as Itake it out and re-install it after a little while, unacceptable in my opinion...had no issue since switching to a scandisk card

    i like to spear fish


    I have used Windows Live Movie Maker http://download.live.com/moviemaker and it works quite well. Plus the price is right ~ free from Microsoft. I use it on my Windows 7 PC running 4GB RAM and it runs quick. Here is a list of requirements for it.



    As long as you have a genuine copy of either XP SP2 or newer you can download this product through Microsoft Live Essentials. Check it out...it might be the right one for you.

    Thanks Shawn. I read it's not supported on XP. I only have experience with the older Movie maker softwear, of course it was not nearly as rich in features as the paid software. This might have changed however with windows live movie maker. Just the fact that it can handle HD is a big plus.


    I'm going to give Adobe premier pro CS4 a try. CS5 only supports 64 bit. From my experience Adobe software is NOT intuitive.

    i thinking about getting a new underw.cam this summer. thought of buying a small canon powershot, one of the newer ones that can film in hd already. saw them in pricerange with housing at about 500.-us. i had good expirience with canon cams and housings, and with compatibility issues on editing the material. now i see everybody is talking bout gopro. any one who seen some of my pics/vids think i could get better quality material with the gopro?
    few questions: there is no screen on the gopro ?
    does the "magix15"editingprogram works for it ?
    i saw in another thread everyone talking about fixing the blurryproblem. so what is it finally now?
    can i buy a gopro and start filming with best results or do i need to modify and work on the cam first ?
    because i would not do that. thanks for info.

    Tinu, as of right now, you would need to modify the housing to take videos that are as good as your current setup. once the housing is modified, you might be better off with the GoPro, but there is just not enough footage of modified housings to know yet.


    there is no screen on the camera, but it doesn't really matter as it is so small that you kind of dont notice it


    it should work with any editor that can handle large files...it will be more an issue of your computer than the program you use.

    i like to spear fish

    my implementation of Dan's mount on an Omer mask..here is the bandit..the nut is there because I got a 3/4" screw..for those doing this use a 1/2" as it fits perfectly.. Iwill be swapping it out as soon as I can get back to the hardware store







    i like to spear fish

    I just bought a gopro about two weeks ago and did some diving with it this past weekend. I came home and watched the footage on my tv. Everything looked good!! Then i put my sdhc card into my computer and imported the files onto my computer. Now all the videos that i imported onto my computer has a "glitch". Every second the video has a little pause, its almost like im watching the videos in slow motion. Can anyone tell me what i need to do to fix this problem!!


    mahalo

    Your cpu or video card is probably very slow. If you go to the gopro forums, there are a few things you can do to help run hd files smoother.


    Your sdhc card is fine.

    A heads up for Gopro users. I'm finding out through experience that SD cards that are not compatible with the Gopro can mess up the camera in ways that I never expected. I don't mean permanently damage the camera but to the point that it may require firmware to be reinstalled. I'm not %100 sure that this is the best way to kick the camera out of its stalled mode, but I didn't have time to do research on it so that's what I did and it worked. Another method that may work is removing the battery which shuts down the stalled camera, powering up without the SD card, then inserting a good/compatible SD card, in that order.


    Installing firmware is easy to do with the USB cable that comes with the camera and a file that you can download from the Gopro site. I suggest you download this file in any case and follow the instructions to upgrade the firmware of your camera if you're not sure it has the latest firmware. There are some nice new features which include the ability to film with the camera upside down with the footage coming out right side up. This allows mounting the camera upside down directly under the gun where it doesn't interfere with loading the bands. I'm attaching the instructions for the firmware install/upgrade. I'd attach the file itself as well, it's very small, but Gopro doesn't allow it.


    Back to the cards.. When you buy an SD card for the camera don't look at just the size and price. There are different classes which correspond to read/write speed and the Gopro requires a minimum class 4, there are higher classes than 4 too. Still if you get a cheap compatible class SD card you may have gotten a fake one and have problems.

    X2 on what Dan said. I had a funky card and it was supposedly a Kingston 16gb class 6. It rook me too long to realize the card was bad. I lost a LOT of good footage. Glad to have a camera I can count on again


    I recommend a scandisk or lexar. I have both and they both work. I now just use the lexar 8 gb high performance. It was forty on sale at target.

    i like to spear fish

    Currently, I have an Olympus Tough 8010 mounted on my speargun. I am considering buying the GoProHero HD to wear on my head. This will allow me to fillm from two angle continously.


    I am going to try the Window Movie Maker Live. The Movie Maker I am running on my computer does not work with MP4 files. I have to degrade them to edit. I have a few things on youtube that are degraded versions. If I can find a good editing suite, I will re-do the videos and post again.


    I want to get the Hero ASAP as I am planning a trip to Baja. I am thinking about picking up a couple extra batteries. Do you know how long they will hold a charge?


    Thanks!
    Darren

    South Bound.

    The batteries hold a charge for a long time. I have my personal Gopro sitting on a shelf for months without charging and today I turned it on to test someone's SD card and the battery indicator is still full. If your question is how long the battery lasts in operation I don't know the answer.


    I ship orders next day at the latest and sometimes the same day depending on what time the order was placed, with USPS priority (2-3 business days). Express next day service is available if you want to pay more.

    Quote from Dan

    The batteries hold a charge for a long time. I have my personal Gopro sitting on a shelf for months without charging and today I turned it on to test someone's SD card and the battery indicator is still full. If your question is how long the battery lasts in operation I don't know the answer.


    I ship orders next day at the latest and sometimes the same day depending on what time the order was placed, with USPS priority (2-3 business days). Express next day service is available if you want to pay more.


    Yes, I was asking how long a fully charged battery would hold it's charge while not in use. Basically, if I charged up 4 batteries before heading to Baja, would the hold the charge for a four day trip. Sounds like, by your experience, they will last much longer than that. Good to know.


    Thank you!

    South Bound.

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