SuperPro camera and software update

[woodsmoke]

This whole thing about me being able to go to the Bahamas and lecture from the dive boat using SKYPE continues to morph in totally unexpected ways.

I have been provided with a camera to use underwater by the diveschool. The agreement being that they will have access to all the video and pictures etc.

This is a very expensive item and I could not afford to purchase one, indeed, if it had not been for a friend giving me his already purchased ticket for a song I would not be going to the Bahamas in the first place! lol

However, this camera is what just about anybody should consider getting if they are going to buy an "expensive" camera....it does stunning video and stills and can be used underwater and is about one third the size of a candy bar.

Anyway, one has to do a software update before using the camera.

To cut to the chase, it is not intended to be done through a "Linux" system.

The only options are for Windblows and Mac.

One picks one button or the other, no typing options into a box or "choosing" a variant.

So, I chose Windows. There are several javascripts, popups, etc. but, it all went smoothly.

One is presented, after several non-interactive windows with, again, two options about where the update, contained in a zip file, are to be installed in the root partition of either Win or Mac.

A picture is provided for each.

They basically show the DCIM folder and a 'file" folder and one is to place the folder there.

One is NOT told whether to place the "files" there or the "folder of files", one has to assume dragging or copying the folder.

But, whereas there were DIRE warnings about how either Win or Mac might have to have multiple restarts of the camera or failure of the update, and that the process could take five minutes or more before failure notification.

It happened immediately, with no notifications at all.

Whether this was because I was working from a Linux system, or that the update decided to "just work" i have no clue.

But, the cut to the chase is that, even though, no notice was given about a Linux system, Kubuntu did, indeed, carry out the operation using the Win option.

I'll gladly answer questions, but don't know that I can provide much more insight.

woodsmoke

[woodsmoke]

Well....lol....
My lab assistant is in the newspapers... lol
Because of the "closed ecosystem" of the cell phones in the Bahamas, and it is CHEAP and WIDESPREAD for the Bahamaians which is GOOD.... I could not "do SKYPE"....but did do a "speakerphone lecture".... and the camera....it is just....

wellll if you are thinking about buying a "video camera"....go GoPRO...it is a video camera and a waterproof and a "regular" camera in one...

about half the size of a cigarette pack, so if volume is your thing forget it...

but the camera is...scary in its capabilities.

woodsmoke

[woodsmoke]

The camera uses one of the microsd cards for memory.

Due ONLY to the what used to be blazingly fast, now ploddingly slow processor, ONLY a 2.4 ghz...

It took a while for the massive number of files and massively sized video to download onto the Kubu machine using a tether.

But, it did, indeed, work.

Recommendation to self....NEXT TIME....use a much smaller image size!

The file sizes are SO massive that there is a noticeable render time lag for an image to display in Blackboard's announcement page.

http://gopro.com/support/articles/hero3-faqs

just for grins and giggles I also used a Bluetooth dongle to transfer ONE image to the machine.

Note to self, use a tether! lol

Recommendation for someone considering purchasing a video camera.

if you think that you can adapt yourself to dealing with the very small screen .... and possibly iffy sound, I have not completely tested it, but it seems adequate as of now.

You might consider getting this thing instead, and go with the latest, black, version.

woodsmoke

[woodsmoke]

I have tried, in vain, to get the "software to update" manualluy and by hooking the camera to the computer. It just doesn't happen.

I THOUGHT that it did, but apparenly it did not.

I wasted a LOT of time trying to get my cell phone and the remote to hook to it, but no go.

Finally, I got out the Vista laptop, and wasted a LOT of time trying too get it to install the updates, but Microsith just would not let me shut down the firewall, Mcaffee etc.

Finally, I had to uninstall the offending apps and then the update went in about....oh.....A MINUTE!!! :0



The updater says that it may take a long time, but...no!

MORAL TO THE STORY.....IF ONE ONLY USES LINUX, FIND A FRIEND, OR GO TO A HACKER COMPUTER STORE, OR MAYBE WORK, AND USE A WINDOWS MACHINE TO UPDATE THE THING IT IS SO QUICK, AND GO FOR IT!

I had installed four of the leading third party controllers on the phone and the Hero app.

All I had to do was enter the name for the camera and the password on one of them, apparently they may all have the same "engine"...don't know, but then all of the apps immediately found the camera and the remote worked immediately.

Now the real use of the cell phone as a remote, for me, is that I can put it on a tripod or something pointed at the thing which I want to discuss, such as a tree, stand between the camera and object and see myself to position myself, and "casually glancing" I can with the touch of the virtual button start the camera and discuss the tree.

There are several "backplates" for the device to go onto the waterproof housing, so that the camera is protected, but the there is a specific backplate that allows the onboard mic to pick up what I say.

I've taken video manually, underwater, using the viewplate, but get only about maybe a half hour of use. The camera function will let one work longer but one takes a lot of pics it gets down to the half hour.

If one uses the external battery backpack one can run the camera for an hour or more, with time left.

The assumption is that one is going to be filming "broad areas" in the hope of hitting "something".
A WONDERFUL feature is that with this version of the camera there is a setting to take video and also intermittentantly take a photo.

It is advised by one and all to not "just let the camera run" or one has to watch the whole video.

One can easily hear the beeps of the camera, the default is to video, the second beep to a still, .

It is best to take short films and the, if one knows there was nothing in the first four then delete them and go to the fifth.

If one does not adjust the settings, if one takes a picture "up close" of something like a boat raling the railing is curved. So one should adjust the settings .

This really is an amazing camera and well worth the price.

An example of a "family use" is the thousands of vids on the web. One being putting the head band on a child in a stroller thing, tuirn it on remotely as the child skitters around the house.

Just an amazing device.

If anyone has questions please ask.

I just hope that they eventually provide a Linux installer for the software updates.

woodsmoke

[Teunis]

Hey woodsmoke, so nice to read about the things you're up to!

Regarding big photo's, my main camera is a Nikon D800 that takes 36.4 Mega Pixel photo's, that's over 3x as big as what your very nice GoPro does and I wouldn't dream of transferring them off the 64 GB SF and SD cards using the tether. HD Video's in the several GB range are obviously so much worse to transfer.
As far as I am concerned the only way to transfer is by taking out the card and putting it into a USB3 reader.

I checked the manual for this camera and it was rather lacking so I can't say how easy, if at all!, it is to take the card out.

Now these camera's are instead of plain old USB mass storage using the mtp protocol for tethering and it's probably no surprise MS is pushing it's adoption.
The Linux implementation of mtp is suffering from bad documentation and can be very frustrating to use.
But:
Although mtp works like sh*t between my Kubuntu laptop and this camera and also to my Nexus 7 tablet, it works brilliantly to the Nexus 4 phone...
Meaning problems cannot only be blamed on Linux/ Kubuntu.

[woodsmoke]

Hi

Sounds like a kewl camera!

And I guess I didn't come across well, I don't "blame" Linux, it is just that the proprietary companies don't open their code and "Linux" volunteers can only work on so many projects.

Again, thanks for the compliment, don't know that it is greatly deserved, I'm only the old woodsmoker....but again...kewl camera! lol

However.....you really must have a strong neck to put that on a head mount! lol


woodsmoke

[jpenguin]

Now these camera's are instead of plain old USB mass storage using the mtp protocol for tethering and it's probably no surprise MS is pushing it's adoption.
The Linux implementation of mtp is suffering from bad documentation and can be very frustrating to use.
But:
Although mtp works like sh*t between my Kubuntu laptop and this camera and also to my Nexus 7 tablet, it works brilliantly to the Nexus 4 phone...
Meaning problems cannot only be blamed on Linux/ Kubuntu.

You ever tried MTP on a mac... Isn't there at all!