Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Just got home with my Hero2. Haven't even unpacked it yet, but I have thousands of potential uses for it in my head .

What Im really interested is the wifi/remote add on.
GoPro Wi-Fi BacPac & Remote

I emailed gopro and even though their website says "April 2012" the only thing they would commit to is "EARLY" 2012.

Who else is looking forward to this?

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

I'm looking forward to being able to hang it at the end of a long pole and being able to monitor what's being shot as I swing the pole around! DIY jib...lol

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

yeah ive been waiting for it to I like the featured record button when im racing and i have it on my helmet i want to make sure its recording . plus the preview screen would be awesome. They started saying it would be released in feb.

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Was just talking with the wife on this subject last night...

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

The message has been now updated to Summer 2012.

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

I just picked up the Wifi Combo kit (BacPac and Remote). However, firmware updates are required, and that process is highly buggy. I can't even use it yet, as I'm in conversation with tech support about how to get the firmware update to happen. Frustrated.

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Oh, and how about this ... the more I read about the Wifi/Remote, the more upset I get. As of now, the only things you get out of the box with this are: 1) the ability to operate the shutter remotely, and 2) the ability to see the LCD info on the remote itself. That's it. No smartphone/tablet app for viewing and control, no bluetooth, no streaming. The exact reasons I bought this in the first place!

I'm extremely upset with GoPro right now. They promise all of this right on the packaging. What kind of company is this? They just got $99 out of me for the ability to start/stop recording remotely. What a ripoff!

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Hi Corey

I am using a slighly simply approach and just have a cable that plugs into a remote monitor. It's very easy to rig up and I can also use the montior on other cameras too!! I'm also not very confident about WiFi and decent connectivity after owning a Quadracoper (which the GoPro was going to ride on) and it spent more time on the ground than in the air!!

Maybe just take the WiFi back to Target and get a refund from them and then make up a little monitor cable. My Hero is on a light stand high up and the LCD back is useless so I just dangle the cable down the stand and plug into a 7" car LCD monitor so I can see what the camera is seeing. It's also neat to use the same monitor on my HMC cams too!!

Chris

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

From their web-site, "NOTE: A product update is REQUIRED before using your Wi-Fi BacPac or Remote. Click HERE for a free update download. The original HD HERO is only compatible with the Wi-Fi Remote. The original HD HERO does not support the GoPro App, video + photo preview / playback, or live streaming. Live video streaming to the web is available for the HD HERO2 with a free future downloadable product update."

If you don't have the HD HERO2, you're SOL.

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Hi Chris!

I'm definitivly lookling into returning the Wifi combo and investing into what you've recommended. I just felt so technological with the smartphone/tablet integration, it's sad that they haven't event delivered on it yet! :)

I am absolutely returning the Wifi-remote and getting a more economical monitor.

Thank you sir!

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Hi Corey

I must admit it would be neat to be able to grab your phone and be able to monitor the video from the camera up in the air...hope they get it right! I wonder if there is any restrictions or will there be an app for Android phones too??? If you go the cable route you need a 2.5mm 4 pole jack plug and the video out are the last two rings of the plug shaft closest to the cover..the top ring and tip are audio out. I just have an RCA plug on the other end that plugs into the monitor ...the resolution isn't good but it's fine for framing!

BTW: Love the samples on your website ...were those all shot with the HMC40??? I automatically have an interest as I have been shooting on the HMC80 for two years now and love the camera!

Chris

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Thanks Chris. I guess now I'll need the $39 skeleton housing for the GoPro (that's one expensive piece of plastic), and a monitor of some sort. I think I may be able to use my Galaxy Tab, if there's a way to adapt it for video input.

Thank you for the compliments about my samples! Actually, most of what you see was shot on the GH1. There is also a little HMC40 in there too, but most of the "eye candy" comes from the GH1.

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Great Corey

Let me know if you get the WiFi to work on your tablet?? I suspect you might need an app to work it. With my quadracopter I has no problems getting video on my Android phone from the WiFi connection.

I have a GH1 actually somewhere over the Pacific at present that my buddy Chip bought for me in the USA and put in the hacked formware so it shoots at a good bitrate and is PAL switchable too!!!

What lenses do you find useful ...the footage certainly mixes in nicely with the 40's too!!

UPDATE: GoPro say that the App will support Android devices from OS version 2.2 or newer ...Good!! My phone uses a 2.3 OS!! BUT the app is marked as (Coming Soon)

Chris

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

I returned the WiFi and Remote yesterday. The staff at Best Buy seemed baffled that most of the claims on the box are 100% false. In exchange, I picked up the battery backpack and some additional mounts.

Chris: I'm actually not looking to use the Galaxy Tab with wifi . . . I'm trying to see whether I could run a composite/HDMI into it from the GoPro, to use the tablet as a field monitor. That would be really sweet, but I'm not sure the Tab is capable of video input.

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Hi Corey

That would be sweet as it's a hi res display on most tablets!! I'm using a plain ole 7" LCD low res monitor that you find in car headrests so the kids can watch DVD's..it gives a good enough image to allow accurate framing of the Gopro and I guess I shouldn't expect an awful lot from a $30 monitor!! I also have the same monitor on my stedicam sled so I can power the portable one using the same CCTV 12v battery ..the portable one also has a cold shoe mount on it and inside Churches it allows me to see the framing on my static aisle camera from a distance. My system isn't very technically smart but it does work!!

Yeah I'm a mounts junkie on the Hero as well..my tiny camera has a huge aluminium case so everything fits in!! I find the handlebar mount is really useful to put the camera on a lighting stand.

Chris

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

I bought the wifi kit and gotta say even though it only works 75% since the app isn't out yet the remote is nice... i recently was on a trip where i had the go pro mounted on the back of a car but the problem was we were in a caravan on a 2 hour stretch i wanted to get video at different points during the trip. with out the remote i would have had to stop when ever i wanted to get video with the remote i could do it all from my seat. I cant wait for them to come out with the app

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

The remote will be valuable for me, even if I can't yet monitor the output remotely.

For example, I can have one on the "fly bridge" of a boat as well as another covering the "cockpit" area while I get footage with my handheld. The WiFi remote will allow me to know when the batteries are ready to be changed with either camera at a glance. And I will be able to trigger the flybridge camera without having to climb the ladder to get there.

It'll also help with filming kayak fishermen from a chase boat. Again, I'll know the battery status, and be able to trigger the camera from much farther away than we'd normally be.

Can't do that with any other camera that I know of.

Prior to this I had to rely on someone else to let me know. This way I can be less obtrusive and be assured of getting the additional coverage.

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Found this on Gopros website today GoPro App 1.0 is expected to be released late August.

Features available upon release:

Operate and control your GoPro HD HERO2 camera on your smartphone or tablet
See exactly what your camera is filming in real time - frame your footage exactly the way you want
The GoPro app provides instant remote access to your camera’s control settings and features
Monitor your HD HERO2 camera’s mode, resolution, frame rate setting, memory card capacity, battery life and Wi-Fi signal strength

Upcoming features in future GoPro App releases:

Access all content on your camera's SD card for preview, browsing, and file management
Multi-camera control
File sharing and live streaming to the cloud

Compatibility:

The GoPro app will be compatible with most smartphones and tablets:

iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S (iOS 4.3 & 5)
iPod Touch 4 (iOS 4.3 & 5)
iPad 1, 2 & 3 (iOS 4.3 & 5)
HTC Thunderbolt or other Android 2.2 devices
Motorola Droid X or other Android 2.2 devices
Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G or other Android 4.0 devices
Samsung Galaxy Tablet or other Android 3.1 devices

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Well Gopro is continuing its disappointing release of the wifi app the web site now just says Fall 2012...

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Just got a WiFi BacPac. Discovered that the recognition of the BacPac and the remote only occur via USB2 not USB3...wondered why nothing was appearing, so decided to switch plugs...and they appeared da da...

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Hi Renton

I was about to get one too but I also found out that due to the high bitrate of ProTune there is not enough processor memory left to be able to update the WiFi display ??? That's sounds a bit crazy to me???

Does that mean that it won't work in ProTune or it updates very slowly or what???? So far ProTune at weddings hasn't overly impressed me anyway so I would be happy to run in normal mode but I don't want to have to buy an Apple tablet just to get it to work!!! Andriod are much cheaper

Keep us up to date??? I don't want to have to have a fancy wifi and no app for it!!!

Chris

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Hi Chris

Well the Android App is not available yet but Ian on the Protune thread said it was almost here.

I don't understand all this stuff about protune and supposed advantages, and don't see how I would be helped by using it, so why do so? I imagine the control of the camera by the remote will be useful on occasions but will be interested to see how the android app goes...

I probably didn't need it but...

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Hi Renton

I probably don't need it either but....me too!! However at weddings I have a Hero on a light stand so being able to control it via remote would be very neat!!

I shot a wedding in Protune today..it didn't look much different to the normal, I must admit but it certainly eats up recording time..a 16GB card lasts only 40 mins!!!!

The GoPro website says that the app supports both Apple and Android 4 ..I guess they haven't released the Android app yet??? Problem is that you buy the WiFi and the app eventually only arrives in April 2013!!

Guess the remote might be useful??? I dropped my Android 4 tablet this week so it's a goner..just funny colours on the screen so that was a 10" one..I think a 7" one just might be more portable??

Chris

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

These guys seem to have worked out how to get Android functionality plus streaming before the official version is available:

GoProUser.freeforums.org • View topic - Howto Livestream to PC and view files on PC/Smartphone!

I'm going to wait since apparently the Android App is only about 10 days away and I only have two weddings in that period.

The Ipad App works fine for me but the Ipad is to large for my liking for weddings. The Samsung Galaxy SIII - now thats another matter and should be great.

Renton, ProTune's main advantage in normal lighting conditions would simply be a better result for fast moving subjects. For wedding purposes it should really come into its own when the lighting is low and less than ideal as you will have that much more data to push around. Apparently you can view the same "ProTune" clips both as "Flat" and as "Processed" using Cineform (I haven't tried it yet). In other words you can see the footage as shot with the ProTune flat profile and then flick over to see how it would appear had you used the original profile with in-camera processing. The ProTune flat profile should make it much easier to match other cams in multi-cam editing - which I do in Vegas Pro.

Pete

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

You have a good point Peter!
You don't really want to lug around two cameras and try to juggle a 10" tablet..My Smartphone is in my pocket anyway so that would be a logical thing to use. I really only want it for framing anyway. At the moment I have to plug in a monitor BUT I still have to lower the light stand to start the camera as it's 8' high and then try to raise it without moving/turning it. The remote control will work a treat here!!

Yeah I can wait 10 days or so..I have a wedding the next 3 weekends so I'll do it the manual way until the app arrives!! Would the app be on Google Apps ???? Any idea??

Chris

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Yes Chris the Android App is expected in the Google Play store. There is also a greyed out icon ready for clicking through to it on the main GoPro website.

Pete

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

No sign of the Android version as yet ..... no surprises there :- (

But there is a working App that I have installed and used with the Hero 2.

Search the Google Play Store for RemoteGo. Its free. It needs another App called Vplayer which is £5.

I've installed it on my Galaxy S3 and its working fine. Hugely convenient for framing etc and no more of that awkward cycling through the menus on the device itself.

RemoteGo and Vplayer do run separately whereas on my Ipad3 everything is of course integrated via the official Gopro App but thats no big problem.

Vplayer seems quirky. I played some existing videos on it and had the audio out of sync with the video. So I won't be using that as a default video player :- )

Pete

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Thanks Peter

I had an issue with my remote..it failed the update and there was no way to reload the update thru Cineform so support told me to return the kit and there is a new one on the way.

While I had contact with the support guys I asked about the official Android App which was supposed to be already out (the quoted 10 days was gone already) and he said "a couple of weeks" which could mean anything from mid November to next year!!

So if you want to frame the video on your phone, do you run both apps at the same time or can you just frame with the Vplayer....I normally only need to do an initial frame set up and then I will just use the Hero remote to stop the camera at the end of the ceremony.

I normally forget about the GoPro so it only gets turned off when I go back in the Church to collect the main camera so I have lots of footage of an empty Church!!

Chris

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

I suspect that we won't now see the Android version until the official Hero 3 version which apparently is due "winter 2012". Seems that Hero 3's have been shipping without user manuals as well, so Gopro's policy appears to be to get products out the door and earning for them before all the loose ends are tied up. I can live with that but it must be frustrating for new users who just buy one off the shelf in Walmart.

The RemotGo App has a button on the touch screen which takes you straight to Vplayer where you then see the preview. It doesn't in the process shut down RemoteGo so you can toggle between the two no problem. Very usable.

I haven't tried using it in conjunction with the Gopro remote as yet. To be honest I'm nevous about having the remote around me when juggling all the other wedding stuff in case I accidentally change something just by pressure on it. Also its battery life may be short, I'm not sure.

As with yourself I'm only really interested in initial framing and composition, and maybe the occasional check to ensure a guest has not jogged it off target. Not bothered about streaming. There is the slight delay in the preview updating as with the official Ios6 App.

I used the Ipad version for the first time a few days ago. The rings were being deliveed by hawk so it was vital to get the framing correct and the App is ideal for that. However it was a real pain to have to handle then stash the Ipad rather than a much smaller smartphone.

I plan to use Protune for all shooting so the days of just leaving the Gopro to do its own thing are probably numbered. ... too big file sizes. I'll probably stop and restart several times, including taking high resolution stills using RemoteGo.

Pete

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

I was playing around with two of my GoPro Hero 2 cameras and discovered that I can control only one camera via WiFi and an iPhone. I'll have to try to see if it will link to more than one camera like a "switcher".

The iPhone has to "logon" to a GoPro's specific WiFi connection, and each GoPro will have a unique WiFi ID. To switch to another GoPro you have to get into the iPhone's WiFi setup and switch from one camera to the next.

The WiFi app is handy for initial setup. It will allow you to see what the camera's framing. There's a five-second delay so it won't give you a real-time feed. You can also use the WiFi line to set date and time and other parameters of the camera, much more easily than using the two buttons on the GoPro.

If you want to be able to quickly start and stop multiple GoPros via WiFi you'll have to do it with the GoPro remotes. To operate each camera independenly requires multiple remotes.

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Just tried "remoteGO" on my Android - works like a charm.
You can find it in the Playstore.

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

That's not supposed to be the case, Dean. You are supposed to be able to remotely control up to 50 GoPro cameras from a single remote. They were demonstrating this set up in the booth at NAB.

I don't know if that's true for the IOS app, but the key fob style remote should work on multiple cams. Of course you have to have a separate wifi bacpac for each camera, which is why they sell the bacpac as a separate unit.

-gb-

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

The GoPro remote can trigger a lot of cameras simultaneously, but if you want to trigger a specific camera you will need a separate remote for each one.

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

Ok Dean, that clears it up for me. I can see how that would become a mess.

-gb-

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

I put two on a wristband. The number of remotes you can operate at once depends on how long your arm is. :-)

Re: Wifi back pack and remote ??
 

or your...

well, let's not go there. ;}