GO PRO Cameras

texasag93

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texasag93
Anyone have them and how do you mount them with airplanes?
 
I have one, and have had experience with a variety of other pov cameras as well. Where/how to mount depends entirely on what you are trying to capture. If you have an idea of what you want to capture, I'm sure we'll have some mounting suggestions for you.
 
We have a suction cup mount for one camera on the inside one side window pointed sideways, a clamp for one of the headrest posts to point at the pilot/panel with a tall flexible extension to get it up near the ceiling, and one just goes on the glareshield.

Lots of options. Anything on the outside of the aircraft gets into some gray areas... folks can discuss, but there's been threads on it before. Fire up the search in the top right and type in cameras, and video, etc... you'll find a bunch of prior threads on the topic.
 
Steve Tupper and Dave Allen did a talk at OSH about this very topic! Are you planning to mount them inside an airplane, or outside a chair? (A joke arising from the fact that some claim that a 337 is required to affix something outside an aircraft, but they will happily show you how to affix one to a tubular aluminum chair, with the understanding that should you decide to extrapolate that knowledge to an aircraft, you would die an immediate and horrible death, despite the assertion that many have done it in the past.)

Steve and Will Hawkins gave a similar presentation via webinar on oshkosh365: http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=1558841000001

If your Google-fu is good, you can also find the PDF of their slides out there.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...fQX4jv7yOLcecLL6A&sig2=teeYp3ZlqqAszCtznzaFgA
 
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I have a go pro hero.. without the external mic input.

I was thinking i'd take an earbud and tape it to the top of the camera case where the microphone is (for intercom). Is anyone using this setup, and how does it work?

Thanks
 
I have a go pro hero.. without the external mic input.

I was thinking i'd take an earbud and tape it to the top of the camera case where the microphone is (for intercom). Is anyone using this setup, and how does it work?

Thanks

If you're a DIY type, add a mic input via the Bus connector on the back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Em_bIzc9sQ

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1379872

Others have also opened their Hero case, de-soldered the internal mic, and in its place, soldered on a 1/8" input pigtail.
 
Does anyone have experience with the strutcam system? http://www.aerovideo.net/

I like the system. What I worry about it is that you're putting clamping pressure on the strut. I know so many little stupid things can make a part fail in 20 years, does that happen here?
 
I have a go pro hero.. without the external mic input.

I was thinking i'd take an earbud and tape it to the top of the camera case where the microphone is (for intercom). Is anyone using this setup, and how does it work?

Thanks

Steve was recommending a separate mic, dropped in the ear up of the headset, and then synchronized with the video during editing. Use a clapper or just clap your hands a few times slowly on camera to get a sync point, and then do it again before shutting off the cameras.
 
Does anyone have experience with the strutcam system? http://www.aerovideo.net/

I like the system. What I worry about it is that you're putting clamping pressure on the strut. I know so many little stupid things can make a part fail in 20 years, does that happen here?

that looks like a sharp little system

I don't see how you could damage the strut with that little wingnut, unless you take a pair of vise grips to it. The curvature of the clamp spreads the force out over a wide area. Get it hand tight, not bubba tight!
 
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that looks like a sharp little system

I don't see how you could damage the strut with that little wingnut, unless you take a pair of vise grips. Get hand tight, not bubba tight!

Steve always wraps everything in lots of gaffer tape and creates a fairing that way too. He also braces the camera against another surface that he covers with closed cell foam pipe insulation to minimize vibration.
 
You could always remove a tie-down ring under your wing, counter sink a few screw holes in the mount and put it there. Should be fine up to ~160 knots or so. ;)
 
I use 2 GoPro's when I fly. Both are the HDHero2's that have the mic input. For the inside I use a RAM mount. Audio is captured with using the Barnstormer Audio stereo patch cable. On the outside I use a corner bracket that you find in the lumber section of your home depot or lowes. Holding that bracket I use hose clamps and also an old rubber bicycle tube from my son's bicycle. Probably spend $10 in materials compared to that StrutCam. Thank's to Oliver who gave me the details and also supplied pics on his mount. Works great for cheap too!

http://vimeo.com/18855219
 
You could always remove a tie-down ring under your wing, counter sink a few screw holes in the mount and put it there. Should be fine up to ~160 knots or so. ;)

IANAL but the general consensus seems to be that if it requires tools to install, it'll need a 337. Thus, all the mounts with wing nuts. No tools required.

I've seen stuff mounted to inspection plates and the plate swapped out and then the original put back, as long as there isn't any mechanical interference above the inside of the plate. YMMV.
 
My GoPro1 is mounted with a suction cup inside the cockpit and the video is excellent. For audio I use a Sony digital recorder connected to a passenger headset jack with an adapter.

This is the recorder I have but just about any one will work:
http://www.circuitcity.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7335566&CatId=2472

This is the adapter:
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/patchcord.php

Here is a video we made while flying from Houston to Cameron County Texas testing this setup. We did the editing with the free video editor included in Windows 7.

http://youtu.be/8F62SuPtz98

It works quite well.
 
I have the "roll bar mount" that very nicely fits the step on the Navion.
 
Has anyway had success using the WIFI function of the remote and smartphone and Go Pro 3? Does it work as advertised?
 
Has anyway had success using the WIFI function of the remote and smartphone and Go Pro 3? Does it work as advertised?

There is a 5ish second lag with the video but as a remote control unit it works great
 
There is a 5ish second lag with the video but as a remote control unit it works great



Have you tried the app to watch the video as it is taken on a smart phone or tablet? I've heard it eats up the battery pretty fast.

Thanks for the PIREP!
 
Has anyway had success using the WIFI function of the remote and smartphone and Go Pro 3? Does it work as advertised?

Sometimes you have to disconnect the Cel mode on the iPhone. 99% of the time works great. It shows you a live preview so you can use it as a monitor also. I have one glued to the ceiling external mic.... nice videos..
 
Sometimes you have to disconnect the Cel mode on the iPhone. 99% of the time works great. It shows you a live preview so you can use it as a monitor also. I have one glued to the ceiling external mic.... nice videos..

How do you edit the video and add music and captions?

Geico Productions has begun!
 
Sometimes you have to disconnect the Cel mode on the iPhone. 99% of the time works great. It shows you a live preview so you can use it as a monitor also. I have one glued to the ceiling external mic.... nice videos..

Sweet!
 
How do you edit the video and add music and captions?

Geico Productions has begun!

Honestly I use Microsoft movie maker. It is free, surprisingly easy to use, and seems to be compatible with everything.

I use CineForm studio that you can download for free from gopro to do the initial conversion and use the Microsoft software for editing and sound.
 
Honestly I use Microsoft movie maker. It is free, surprisingly easy to use, and seems to be compatible with everything.

I use CineForm studio that you can download for free from gopro to do the initial conversion and use the Microsoft software for editing and sound.

Thanks Chris. :D
 
There is a 5ish second lag with the video but as a remote control unit it works great

Have you tried the app to watch the video as it is taken on a smart phone or tablet? I've heard it eats up the battery pretty fast.

Thanks for the PIREP!

Looks like you already basically got your answer, but it works great as a preview--not really as a live view of what you're seeing while you're filming. It's not really meant for that.
 
Looks like you already basically got your answer, but it works great as a preview--not really as a live view of what you're seeing while you're filming. It's not really meant for that.

For alignment then?
 
For alignment then?
Yes. Move and wait 5 seconds :)

You can also change the camera mode and start / stop, which is nice if, say, you want full video for takeoff and landing but delayed photos for the trip.
 
My main complaint is that the image is about the size of a postage stamp on my cellphone and I haven't found a way to make it larger. The image delay is annoying but not a showstopper. I have found that the GoPro battery seems to last about half as long with wiFi turned on whether this is for iPhone control or to connect with the supplied (no image) remote.
 
Of the camera or mobile device?

There are blogs out there that break down the life of the camera, but it is based on the type of recording. I'm out of the house at the moment but if you don't find a reference by the time I get back I will dig one up.
 
My main complaint is that the image is about the size of a postage stamp on my cellphone and I haven't found a way to make it larger. The image delay is annoying but not a showstopper. I have found that the GoPro battery seems to last about half as long with wiFi turned on whether this is for iPhone control or to connect with the supplied (no image) remote.

Once set up, do you recommend shutting off the wifi thingy? ( technical term I know :lol:)
 
For alignment then?

Yup!

Once set up, do you recommend shutting off the wifi thingy? ( technical term I know :lol:)

I do...I don't know how much battery it sucks up. Though if I wanted to control the camera if it was outside the plane, I guess I would have to leave it on. I might want to experiment to see how much battery life that drains before I did, though.
 
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnTXJXJWXrk

GoPro suction mount shown

p968385053-5.jpg








Mounted hanging down from the overhead using the RAM suction mount

http://youtu.be/JlbxACIKwNg


p1370472758-5.jpg







In a Decathlon using the GoPro headstrap mount. You can see part of it reflected in the mirror.

http://youtu.be/yVVx4SsW9G0

p1458433418-5.jpg



.
 
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Has anyway had success using the WIFI function of the remote and smartphone and Go Pro 3? Does it work as advertised?

I use the app on my Nexus 7 to control my GoPro 3. One of these days I'll actually have time to take some videos, but the Nexus 7 makes changing the settings on the GoPro 3 really easy.
 
My main complaint is that the image is about the size of a postage stamp on my cellphone and I haven't found a way to make it larger. The image delay is annoying but not a showstopper. I have found that the GoPro battery seems to last about half as long with wiFi turned on whether this is for iPhone control or to connect with the supplied (no image) remote.

Click on the small image,it should change to full screen.
You are right about the battery.
 
That's where the GoPro Hero 2 had it nice, the Wifi bacpac has it's own internal battery so your not using the camera and wifi off one source. Little bulkier than the Hero 3 though.

I use the wifi to setup the shot linking it to my nexus. While the preview has a little lag, the settings change almost instantly when you click on them. Nice to set the camera up using this wifi feature rather than clicking the buttons thru each item on the camera.
 
I received my Go Pro 3 today. What an amazing camera. :yes:

Got most of the stuff figured out wifi remote, app remote, settings, up side down , ect. Can't wait to strap it to the RV and go!
 
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