Hero 4 Black.. Results?

[dumpsterDiver]

I am by no means an accomplished videographer, photographer and my understanding of technology is not near what my 16 yr old kid's is, but I have owned every Go-Pro Model made. I had the Hero HD, Hero 2, Hero 3, Hero 3 plus and now the Hero 4.

At least those are what I recall. I have purchased the most expensive model of each version, which is the Black.. I think that came out with the Hero 3, but I am not even sure about that.

Anyway, I have shot a lot of underwater video with the cameras and each version provided a noticeable improvement- at least until now. Did one trip with the Hero 4, I don't even know the video settings I selected, but they were well down from the highest, and the results seem disappointing. No better than the Hero 3 plus, maybe worse and the darn videos won't play in the free MS Movie Maker Software.

I know anyone who is serious would laugh at my use of the Movie Maker app. but it seems to have been satisfactory to me. I would like to continue using it if possible.

I normally can view the Hero 3 plus videos perfectly from the MS video player.. the default one, whatever that is called.

I can watch a few seconds of the start of a video and then it just skips around and really just posts a few sequential images.

As best I can tell this is the processor and Drive I have and I don't even know how to tell what video driver card I have...

AMD Phenom II X4 945 Processor..

WDC WD30EFRX-68E unzo disk drive

Anyone have any advice for me from these tidbits of info? different lower settings for the Go-Pro video? better computer, different software? Get a clue about technology, so I can at least ask useful questions?

Thanks for any help...I've only used the camera for one trip, but so far.. the Hero 3+ black is MUCH more useful to me than the Hero 4..

The photos came out OK.

 

[Egkid]

I had similar problems on my old computer, every time I tried to play a video from my gopro hero 2 in media player it would start getting really choppy the audio was fine but I would just see a few seconds of video then it would freeze. Turns out my video card couldn't handle it, a new computer fixed the problem for me.

I now have the Hero 4 silver and have no problems, try to mess with the settings on the gopro set it back to 1080 30fps and see if it gets better. If it does go 1 step up to 1080 60fps, then 120fps, then 2.7k, then 4k and see where it starts to fail.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I changed some setting and it seems to work, but I am not sure it is an improvement over the hero 3 plus.

 

[deeper thoughts]

hopefully using ours(hero 4 black) for the first time tomorrow
will post

 

[tomfcrist]

For the choppy video, I have to start playing the video, pause it to let it load/buffer and then play it. It seems to take the chop out of my videos.

The most likely reason that it doesn't look any better than the old 1080p video is that your monitor isn't capable of showing 2.7 or 4k video at its full potential...most monitors/tv's arent.

Realize that 4k is designed for theater size projection. You aren't going to see a huge difference on the laptop.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

But in the end is 4K the right setting for the Hero 4? I guess I could tie it into the HD TV and it should work/display better?

 

[Lefty17]

You won't notice a difference unless your TV and output device support 4k resolution. Otherwise it will most likely be 720 or 1080.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I had it set for 90 fps thinking it would be really good to allow slow motion video. We had an overcast day and the video was not good. Changed the settings and it now works... Still not sure it is any better than the 3 plus for underwater stuff. Took a few photos.. they may have been better..

 

[Zer0Zer0]

Please post more updates.
I am looking to buy a GoPro before February and any feedback would be great.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Please post more updates.
I am looking to buy a GoPro before February and any feedback would be great.

What information are you looking for?

---------- Post added January 15th, 2015 at 02:23 PM ----------

The most likely reason that it doesn't look any better than the old 1080p video is that your monitor isn't capable of showing 2.7 or 4k video at its full potential...most monitors/tv's arent.

You are correct - I thought because I had an HD TV it would make a difference - it does not - I looked up the specs on the TV.

So I did a test - I filmed in my kitchen at 2.7 and 1080 Super with 60fps. I then pulled a "photo" from each - hands down the 1080S was a better photo... So from here on out I will run with 1080S at 60fps until I hear different. I know this is not scientific but it made it more clear in my mind.