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GoPro Hero 2 vs 3


FastEddieB

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I went ahead and ordered the larger battery pack, along with the tripod mount and some more adhesive mounts. Probably not hard to spend the cost of the camera on accessories over time!

 

To help with the "jello" effect, I added some "Super-Lok" velcro-like tape (available at Radio Shack and really handy) to the side of the housing and to a suction cup mount I had lying around*.

 

8435621072_afd7d19643.jpg

 

Someone posted a link to a fellow who recommended always having your support "triangulated", and this should help - the camera has a lot less play now. I will tether any add'l hardware - anything coming loose there would go back into the prop, which would not be good. It was too gusty to try it out yesterday, and I'm now doing my annual so more tests will have to wait.

 

 

* There's a place in Scottsboro, AL called the Unclaimed Baggage Center. Whenever we're in the area, we stop by. They usually have all sorts of suction cup mounts for just a dollar or two, and I usually stock up. Plus SO much more!

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In that location, Murphy dictates that something will go through your prop.

If it is not the unit, then it might just be debris from a flailing tethered unit.......

 

Just my opinion, but I did just experience a suction cup loss last week. :-(

Not tethered because I chose to spare the aircraft insuch a case.

.

Keep mounts away from any potentially critical areas.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the concern about the mounting - I'm Mr. Most Conservative Action and will try to ensure it can't happen.

 

I just finished my annual condition inspection and wanted to film the test flight. I wanted to see the panel, so I used a mount attached to a construction helmet I had. Just got through editing out the REALLY boring parts, though its still long:

 

http://youtu.be/fWHqMPRt9Fw

 

 

Not a bad camera location, though of course there's a lot of head movement (as there should be!)

 

Having the panel in the field-of-view cuts down just a little on the problem with the wide angle making the plane appear very wide in the pattern and very low on final. But on the second approach, in real life I was quite high and made a pretty aggressive slip to get down, and that doesn't really show at all.

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Here it is without the music:

 

http://

 

With the "music" video I got the same message that I did when I posted the video with "I'll Fly Away" - that the video might not be available in some areas. I assumed the US was not one of those areas. Apparently some users found it blocked.

 

The song was "Learning to Fly" by Pink Floyd.

 

I think for now Vimeo does not have the same restrictions - I may try it there later.

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Anyone else had trouble with the quick releases snapping?

 

I was removing the longer arm that came with the battery pack from a flat adhesive mount I had mounted to a RAM ball and one of the "fingers" snapped. Informed GoPro and they said they'd take care of it.

 

I reverted to the standard arm and the same thing just happened:

 

8495273117_32fb51e884.jpg

IMG_5011 by fasteddieb, on Flickr

 

Hard to imagine I'm doing anything wrong, and nothing looks defective in the flat adhesive mount.

 

Weird.

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Nice to have a quick resolution:

 

Hi Ed,

 

Thank you for providing the information we requested earlier.

 

After having a closer look at the mounts, it appears there may have been a manufacturing defects. We have created a sales order for the replacement parts.

(QR Low and QR J Hook)

 

Sorry for this inconvenience, but we'll get the replacements sent out as soon as possible.

 

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

 

Many Thanks,

 

Brian P

GoPro Support

 

BTW, both ears broke in exactly the same spot. One mount came with the camera, one with the Battery Pack, but I guess they may have both been from a defective batch.

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I have a boatload of RAM mounts and arms around, and as mentioned previously, I mounted a RAM ball to one of the flat mounts.

I see that RAM sells a dedicated mount for under $7, so that will eliminate the whole QR Hook apparent weak link.

http://www.rammount.com/newproducts/goprocameramount/tabid/3665/default.aspx

202gopro1a.jpg

I'm going to get one on the way later today.

I also have the tripod mount, so I'll have no dearth of mounting options!

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I set things up for the first time yesterday and did a 1.5 hr or so flight - a couple of touch and goes at a different airport and return. I started the camera before startup. When I got the camera home, I found out that it had recorded twice for about 15 minutes. I suspect it was a heat issue since I had it suctioned to the windscreen, it was a sunny day and I had the camera in the waterproof case with the full back. I still had battery power and card space.

The video taken was good except for the propeller distortion. I had the camera set for 1440 at 24 fps. Is there a better setting to avoid the prop distortion? Any other hints for the best video?

I am using a digital recorder for cockpit video. It will be easy enough to combine it if I want to. My digital recorder can do high quality for nearly six hours and I don't have to buy another cord to convert to the mini USB input on the 3. The audio is mostly for my use anyway.

Thanks for any help you can give.

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a polarizer filter helps with the prop distortion.

I ordered mine from Polar Pro.

they are a bit finicky to properly align and fall out easily when you take the camera out of the case.

GoPro would be better with a quality, built for purpose, filter.

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Many computers depending on age of course and TV sets don't support super high definition and high FPS speeds. My wife's new computer does well, but its new and has a high end graphics card. It seems to support most any thing on the GOPRO. My TV is new and high end, but it will only support 30fps. So now I only record in 1080 - 30fps. I don't think most people's normal vision can see the difference between 1080 and 1440, nor do they have the high end equipment so see or support the difference. The higher the FPS it seems to help the prop distortion, but it won't go away. Unless I'm filming the entire plane I usually aim it away from the prop area.

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Thanks Roger, no problem with the computer - that's been my thing since the late 1960s. I ordered a polar filter. I am looking in part to film takeoffs and landings so it will be aimed out the front. When I start doing stuff for YouTube I'll try something different. My software will support 1440 and I can convert it fromt there. I think the main reason for the 1440 is to allow better editing without hurting resolution. I will try using a higher frame rate though and see if that helps.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Inspired by a thread on the Cirrus Owner's site, I tried out the RAM ball and mount on the tail skid of the Sky Arrow today. Single screw attaching a RAM ball to an existing hole in my tail skid mount.

8541068056_13ed4d56c4_z.jpg

IMG_5051 by fasteddieb, on Flickr

Here's the video:

 

 

Select HD for best results.

Observations:

1) Not a great location on the Sky Arrow, but still an interesting perspective.

2) I did not go for full stall landings as I REALLY did not want to drag the GoPro.

3) I'd have to beef up or triangulate the mounting to get rid of the "jello" effect, though I think that was exaggerated by my narrow field of view.

4) I knew my left brake was dragging just a bit - you can really see the left wheel stop spinning long before the right - I have to look into it.

5) The narrow field of view is much more realistic, and, yes, I really do like to come in that high.

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  • 2 months later...

CT, I don't believe there is a youtube channel for the roku. On mine I use Twonky and Twonky beam app to send from my Android phone and tablet. It works quite well. Don't know why YouTube hasn't come out with a Roku channel yet.

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I have an older ROKU downstairs and there's definitely a YouTube channel on it.

 

Wait...

 

Google is leading me to believe YouTube is not available as a ROKU channel.

 

I know somehow I got it on mine - we'd put together a playlist of music videos for when we rode our stationary bikes.

 

Let me try to recall how we did it.

 

In any case, Apple TV does have it and I highly recommend it.

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Say hello to the awkwardly-named Twonky.

With this setup, you won't be browsing videos on Roku, but instead, you'll be able to choose YouTube videos on your phone and "beam" them to your TV. And, guess what? It works impressively well.

All it requires is the installation of a Roku channel, and an app for your phone or tablet.

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Hmmm...didn't I say that. :) Eddie, if you have something else, let me know because I have been trying to access YouTube for quite a while on my Roku. Twonky works very well, but it take an extra step or two. I wish there was simply a good browser for Roku, or an easy way to display my screen via blutooth.

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Plex works too, but I believe you have to pay for the app to use your phone to beam directly to roku. I guess there are workarounds for that, but Twonky (it has been around in one form or another for a long time) works great for my tablet and phone. Try them both.

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