GoPro audio at DVinfo.net

Dave Baker · September 2nd, 2015, 01:02 AM

Wifey bought herself a GoPro Hero 4 Silver on a whim and, as you would expect, the audio is pretty dire from the built-in mikes when used in its case with the open back on. Guess who is expected to edit the footage! :-(

Anyone know which is the better of the available accessory mikes (a deadcat is a must) and is it better to use the skeletal case or the open frame?

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

Dave

Jack Zhang · September 2nd, 2015, 01:51 AM

GoPro offers a 3.5mm audio cable that goes into the USB slot of the Hero cameras. The preamp is going to be crap regardless and AGC is on by default, but it's a better option than the built in mics.

Andrew Smith · September 2nd, 2015, 02:16 AM

Light a candle in your edit bay whilst she is there 'helping' with the edit. It will be romantic. :-P

Andrew

Dave Baker · September 2nd, 2015, 03:10 AM

I'm not sure I will ever understand the female mind. She's had an EOS 550D for a few years and we all know it can make a decent job of video, especially with Magic Lantern installed to control the audio, but never a sign of wanting to shoot video with it!

The GoPros may be useful in many circumstances, but almost always the audio is not used. What it isn't is a good, general use camcorder. Why, oh why.........?

Yes Jack, unfortunately you are right!

Nice idea Andrew, I could also add a bottle of wine and forget the edit. :-)

However the questions are still the same, which accessory mike is better and would you suggest skeleton case or bracket. Any one know?

Dave

Jim Andrada · September 2nd, 2015, 09:50 AM

I have mine in Red Rock cages so there's no case. I usually hang a couple on light stands and put them on stage for audience shots or instrument close-ups. But I wouldn't use the audio for anything but a sync track regardless of what mic I used.

If a $3k video cam uses $1.50 audio components, what must a GoPro use? Whatever audio chip didn't pass the test to be used in an iPhone? But you already knew that!

Maybe you could accidentally drop it into the glass of wine and claim the audio was now unusable.

Good luck!

Guy Cochran · September 2nd, 2015, 11:00 AM

Fellow forum member Chad Johnson did some nice tests on the GoPro 3 with a bunch of mics. Take a listen

Dave Baker · September 2nd, 2015, 11:17 AM

Thanks Jim, but unfortunately it's out of my hands, she's going to use it so I have to make sure the audio is as good as possible. But then again hanging it from somethiing like a Rode Videomic won't be an option!

I just spent a lot of hours in Cinelerra doing my best to match the audio to my SVM, it worked better than I dared hope but damn it was hard work. Yes, certainly it could be better!

Drop it into a glass of wine? Nah, it would spoil the wine! :-)

Dave

Jim Andrada · September 2nd, 2015, 02:05 PM

Of course you should press record before dropping it in.

Dave Baker · September 2nd, 2015, 11:43 PM

Thanks Guy, interesting stuff.

Dave

Renton Maclachlan · September 4th, 2015, 10:49 PM

The audio on my Hero 2 has stopped working...I would prefer bad audio to no audio...

Unfortunately Gopro NZ Support has not been able to help at all...

Dave Baker · September 5th, 2015, 04:15 AM

I found the MicW iGoMic XY kit. A neat little bracket to hold the mike on the GoPro case, shock mount, short cable although it needs looping around the case bracket to keep it tidy, X-Y capsule configuration and a foam windscreen (fur needed). It has a claimed 20Hz - 20kHz frequency response and the whole lot comes in a substantial waterproof case. It's not cheap at RRP £149.00, but I am quite impressed so far. It should make the next round of GoPro editing a bit more pleasant.

She can leave it fixed to the skeleton case she also had to buy (you didn't think I was going to buy this stuff did you?) :-) to allow a connection, or pack it away in its neat little case.

I sympathise Renton and agree with you, but if there's a choice..... As they say, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so on a two cam shoot where one is recording audio from a Rode SVM and the other from internal microphones within a case, even with the open back on, it's obvious which is going to be the weakest link.

The options are either try to correct the audio to match the SVM audio as I did this time, substitute with audio from the SVM, but that's not practical if we're shooting different things, or get an external mike with a decent spec.

Thanks all for your input.

Dave

September 2nd, 2015, 01:02 AM	#1
Dave Baker Major Player Join Date: May 2014 Location: Brandon, England Posts: 458	GoPro audio Wifey bought herself a GoPro Hero 4 Silver on a whim and, as you would expect, the audio is pretty dire from the built-in mikes when used in its case with the open back on. Guess who is expected to edit the footage! :-( Anyone know which is the better of the available accessory mikes (a deadcat is a must) and is it better to use the skeletal case or the open frame? Thanks for any insight you can offer. Dave

September 2nd, 2015, 01:51 AM	#2
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: GoPro audio GoPro offers a 3.5mm audio cable that goes into the USB slot of the Hero cameras. The preamp is going to be crap regardless and AGC is on by default, but it's a better option than the built in mics.

September 2nd, 2015, 02:16 AM	#3
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,016	Re: GoPro audio Light a candle in your edit bay whilst she is there 'helping' with the edit. It will be romantic. :-P Andrew

September 2nd, 2015, 03:10 AM	#4
Dave Baker Major Player Join Date: May 2014 Location: Brandon, England Posts: 458	Re: GoPro audio I'm not sure I will ever understand the female mind. She's had an EOS 550D for a few years and we all know it can make a decent job of video, especially with Magic Lantern installed to control the audio, but never a sign of wanting to shoot video with it! The GoPros may be useful in many circumstances, but almost always the audio is not used. What it isn't is a good, general use camcorder. Why, oh why.........? Yes Jack, unfortunately you are right! Nice idea Andrew, I could also add a bottle of wine and forget the edit. :-) However the questions are still the same, which accessory mike is better and would you suggest skeleton case or bracket. Any one know? Dave Last edited by Dave Baker; September 2nd, 2015 at 04:52 AM.

September 2nd, 2015, 09:50 AM	#5
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Re: GoPro audio I have mine in Red Rock cages so there's no case. I usually hang a couple on light stands and put them on stage for audience shots or instrument close-ups. But I wouldn't use the audio for anything but a sync track regardless of what mic I used. If a $3k video cam uses $1.50 audio components, what must a GoPro use? Whatever audio chip didn't pass the test to be used in an iPhone? But you already knew that! Maybe you could accidentally drop it into the glass of wine and claim the audio was now unusable. Good luck!

September 2nd, 2015, 11:00 AM	#6
Guy Cochran DVCreators.Net Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 892	Re: GoPro audio Fellow forum member Chad Johnson did some nice tests on the GoPro 3 with a bunch of mics. Take a listen The Great GoPro Hero3 Audio Test - YouTube __________________ Guy Cochran DVinfo Sponsor, Cool Gear - DVeStore!

September 2nd, 2015, 11:17 AM	#7
Dave Baker Major Player Join Date: May 2014 Location: Brandon, England Posts: 458	Re: GoPro audio Thanks Jim, but unfortunately it's out of my hands, she's going to use it so I have to make sure the audio is as good as possible. But then again hanging it from somethiing like a Rode Videomic won't be an option! I just spent a lot of hours in Cinelerra doing my best to match the audio to my SVM, it worked better than I dared hope but damn it was hard work. Yes, certainly it could be better! Drop it into a glass of wine? Nah, it would spoil the wine! :-) Dave

September 2nd, 2015, 02:05 PM	#8
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Re: GoPro audio Of course you should press record before dropping it in.

September 2nd, 2015, 11:43 PM	#9
Dave Baker Major Player Join Date: May 2014 Location: Brandon, England Posts: 458	Re: GoPro audio Thanks Guy, interesting stuff. Dave

September 4th, 2015, 10:49 PM	#10
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	Re: GoPro audio The audio on my Hero 2 has stopped working...I would prefer bad audio to no audio... Unfortunately Gopro NZ Support has not been able to help at all...

September 5th, 2015, 04:15 AM	#11
Dave Baker Major Player Join Date: May 2014 Location: Brandon, England Posts: 458	Re: GoPro audio I found the MicW iGoMic XY kit. A neat little bracket to hold the mike on the GoPro case, shock mount, short cable although it needs looping around the case bracket to keep it tidy, X-Y capsule configuration and a foam windscreen (fur needed). It has a claimed 20Hz - 20kHz frequency response and the whole lot comes in a substantial waterproof case. It's not cheap at RRP £149.00, but I am quite impressed so far. It should make the next round of GoPro editing a bit more pleasant. She can leave it fixed to the skeleton case she also had to buy (you didn't think I was going to buy this stuff did you?) :-) to allow a connection, or pack it away in its neat little case. I sympathise Renton and agree with you, but if there's a choice..... As they say, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so on a two cam shoot where one is recording audio from a Rode SVM and the other from internal microphones within a case, even with the open back on, it's obvious which is going to be the weakest link. The options are either try to correct the audio to match the SVM audio as I did this time, substitute with audio from the SVM, but that's not practical if we're shooting different things, or get an external mike with a decent spec. Thanks all for your input. Dave