GoPro 10 Settings

[wake74]

I went to an actual store and bought a new camera (most know me as the frugal guy who always buys used) which is a bit shocking. But in my defense it’s not the latest GoPro and it was open box :-)

This thing has dozens of possible options, so I need some advice. It will be mounted on the roll bar of an RF81 via a RAM mount. I’m mostly going to be watching video on a fairly modern IPad Pro for trackside input from those who know, or in an ideal world merging it with data from my old TraqMate set-up. No one is going to be broadcasting this in 5k on their home cinema watching me run at the back of the pack. My 6 FB followers aren’t even that interested.

Main choices:

1. HEVC or H.264 compression?
2. Resolution? Does anyone really need 5k video? I don’t even own a 4k TV.
3. Frame Rate? I think this will shoot up to 120 fps at 1080, and 60 fps at 4k.
4. Stabilization Settings. Apparently there are 4 Hypersmooth settings, from none to Boost, which also crops the FOV.

Sessions are 25-60 minutes long if I run the whole VDCA enduro, which I generally don’t do, as I don’t want to refuel, so I quit at the 45 minute mark or so. Plus another 15 minutes by the time I turn camera on before I belt myself in and head to grid. Current memory card is 256 GB.

Anyone recommend a starting point?

Thanks!

[toolo4sno]

I went to an actual store and bought a new camera (most know me as the frugal guy who always buys used) which is a bit shocking. But in my defense it’s not the latest GoPro and it was open box :-)

This thing has dozens of possible options, so I need some advice. It will be mounted on the roll bar of an RF81 via a RAM mount. I’m mostly going to be watching video on a fairly modern IPad Pro for trackside input from those who know, or in an ideal world merging it with data from my old TraqMate set-up. No one is going to be broadcasting this in 5k on their home cinema watching me run at the back of the pack. My 6 FB followers aren’t even that interested.

Main choices:

1. HEVC or H.264 compression?
2. Resolution? Does anyone really need 5k video? I don’t even own a 4k TV.
3. Frame Rate? I think this will shoot up to 120 fps at 1080, and 60 fps at 4k.
4. Stabilization Settings. Apparently there are 4 Hypersmooth settings, from none to Boost, which also crops the FOV.

Sessions are 25-60 minutes long if I run the whole VDCA enduro, which I generally don’t do, as I don’t want to refuel, so I quit at the 45 minute mark or so. Plus another 15 minutes by the time I turn camera on before I belt myself in and head to grid. Current memory card is 256 GB.

Anyone recommend a starting point?

Thanks!

A GoPro can be the most wonderful and most hated racing accessory ever. When it works and shows you all the awesome stuff you did; you'll love it. The other 95% of the time it won't work right or you'll forget to pull data or charge.

1) I believe you need to use HEVC for 1080@120 (4K@60) or higher resolution/FPS combos. I think it comes down to playback device compatibility.
2) I shoot one camera at 5.3K because I rotate the image slightly which scrubs some resolution. If you'll never ever view on a 4K monitor then 1080 resolution will be fine and easier to work with. File sizes for 4K@60 can get a little crazy. I am pushing 125+GB per race day.
3) I recommend 60 FPS. You don't likely have a 120FPS monitor either. 120FPS would allow for some x2-4 slow speed with minimal stutter, but that is pretty rare to use.
4) Use as high a stabilization setting as possible. This impacts the overall image quality more than anything. Resolution doesn't mean much when it's always at full vibration. This feature has a large battery draw though.

If using battery power I double the time of the race session to determine battery life needed to pick the setting I can get away with. I recommend using USB power (look for GoPro USB door accessory and USB 12VDC device). It will be very tough to get a full 60 minutes at any decent resolution/FPS combo on one charge. Plus that is when the battery is new; realife battery life will drop over time. I also recommend GoPro Labs Firmware and the TUSB command. I am not sure if it applies to the Hero 10, but essentially it's a command that trusts more sources of USB power without rejecting it outright.

https://www.youtube.com/user/2lo4sno

[wake74]

toolo4sno - That's a quality response. Thanks for taking the time to type that out. That gives me a great place to start.

Yes, I know it won't be as effective as a properly integrated video / data system. That for sure is the easy button in terms of getting quick useful trackside video / data with-out screwing around with software systems, overlays, syncing, etc.

I may start a gofundme, and call it Glenn would suck less with better data :-)

[toolo4sno]

toolo4sno - That's a quality response. Thanks for taking the time to type that out. That gives me a great place to start.

Yes, I know it won't be as effective as a properly integrated video / data system. That for sure is the easy button in terms of getting quick useful trackside video / data with-out screwing around with software systems, overlays, syncing, etc.

I may start a gofundme, and call it Glenn would suck less with better data :-)

Don't get me wrong I love the video that the GoPros make, but I have also had many a postrace impound where I find out I had a camera failure. Or the dreaded double forward camera failure. I have also heard plenty of stories where the one-button systems don't work very well either. The AiM Smarty Cams for instance have been picky for a few racer's I know SD Cards.

Unfortunately there is no completely user friendly option where you can use the largest SD cards available and forget about it for a few race weekends. I have tried to make my x3 Mini 11 system as close to set it and forget it as possible, but it hasn't worked that way. It's taken me almost all of '23 to even get close to that. Then the cameras started really failing.

I have sent one in under warranty that started tinting green. The last race at Mid Ohio my #1 camera wouldn't charge and wouldn't let me do a full reset until the battery was next to nothing. They always decide to fail a half hour before grid roll out. By that point it was too late and I had to swap a Hero 8 out in the rear camera. Ironically that camera worked almost flawlessly with USB power. I prioritized FPS over stabilization (the older cameras don't do 60FPS and stabilization on) and it was shakey.

[JoshuaJustice]

1. If your camera supports it, HEVC is better than H264. There's just not really any arguing here, unless your at-track SD card reading device doesn't support HEVC video. VLC and MPC-HC can handle it just fine on a laptop; I don't know about iPad software. (Does an iPad even have a SD card slot or do you need a USB device?)
2. 1080p is fine. Hell, 720p is fine. 4k and 5k are largely just going to eat up space on your SD card faster. My vintage racing videos are in some older gopro which Bigger Hammer has that records at 1280x960 and they look fine even after crunched for Youtubing. Here's the playlist, decide if this video quality is acceptable to you. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...P_dqpm09C-4AtJ My SCCA races are recorded with an AIM SmartyCam in 720p at 30 frames per second: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...TwV0_AfAFDCRxC Again, take a look and see what that video quality looks like in practice. (Remember that youtube compression crunches the video a bit, my local copies are slightly better looking.)
3. Framerate: the more, the better, but unless you have a display that can render above 60, anything above 60 is a waste. Again, the more frames, the more you're eating up your SD card space.
4. Stabilization: you want a reasonably high setting, but be warned - there's some setting on newer gopros which does crazy stuff to gyro-level video while people doing extreme sports do flips and stuff, and this behaves super wonky when cars turn - it's not what they're made for. You'll need to try the settings out to figure out which is best. Just do it in a practice session on each level.

256 GB will be plenty good enough for a weekend at 1080p 60FPS, just check it at the end of day one to be sure. You'll definitely want to clear stuff out between weekends no matter what.

Battery/charge is the real killer on gopros, you need a good way to charge it up between sessions, and if you're doing that then you've got the ability to fiddle with the SD card anyway. Bring a spare (smaller is fine) SD card in case of corruption on the primary one or the contacts getting wet when you take it out in the rain or the stewards take your SD card because of a crash and don't get it back to you before the next session or whatever.

[Larry H]

What is the best way to pick up the best audio? There is a white-noise filter setting on the GP that supposedly cuts down the wind noise but I haven't tried that yet.

Yeah to GP failing, I have 2 or 3 month unit that doesn't work perfectly anymore but it still records.

[wake74]

(Does an iPad even have a SD card slot or do you need a USB device?)


4. Stabilization: you want a reasonably high setting, but be warned - there's some setting on newer gopros which does crazy stuff to gyro-level video while people doing extreme sports do flips and stuff, and this behaves super wonky when cars turn - it's not what they're made for. You'll need to try the settings out to figure out which is best. Just do it in a practice session on each level.

Battery/charge is the real killer on gopros, you need a good way to charge it up between sessions, and if you're doing that then you've got the ability to fiddle with the SD card anyway.

I've been using a USB C card reader on the IPAD to pull in files. This latest GoPro will transfer the files wirelessly as well I think via their app but haven't tried that yet to figure out how painful the transfer rate is.

I installed a switched 12VDC to USB power supply already in the car for the previous system. I'm planning to charge the GoPro while on track so I don't have to worry about battery dying. I'm currently planning to run it in a aluminum skeleton case with a pass through door for the USB C cable. The camera itself is waterproof, although I've read the passthrough doors are not, so if it's full monsoon, I'll pop the solid waterproof side door back on.

This camera does advertise the horizon lock feature for extreme sports. I'll have to see what options there are to turn that off, in the various stability settings.

[jtaphorn]

I have been using GoPros for several years. I stick to the Hero models that have the smaller frontal area. My learnings

1) Initially, I tried a frame mount and vibration compromised the picture. I now use a helmet mount and the picture is smooth. Even at full speed on COTA back straight, I do not feel it affecting my helmet. My rear mounted camera is attached to the rear wing mount and performs fine.

2) They shut off when they get hot. I bought aluminum cases to better avoid fatigue mounting failure. Unfortunately, many of the case designs covered a portion of the camera keeping in heat. Inevitably, the GoPro would shut down.

JT

[toolo4sno]

When I made the switch to Mini 11s these are the things I felt I needed to do to make the system work and give me recording capability for a 40 minute session in all conditions. Your results may vary, but battery life and heat will be your biggest challenges. Recording at 1080-60p may not produce much heat nor stress the battery, but 4K and up will. I wanted to take advantage of the dual mounting fingers on the Mini 11 since I had a camera fall off at PIRC last year. The Hero 6 survived and was recovered, but this spawned my move to newer gear.

Camera's installed in use on track


Camera #1 Mount (Overshoulder)


Camera #2/3 Mount (Roll Hoop/Rear)


Franken-Grommet over USB. This helps against water intrusion. I have gone through really bad rain with this setup and did not have any water intrusion issues. IIRC it's a 3/8" ID grommet with one side's flange cut off and some filing to get the fit right.


Franken-Grommet going into the USB door.




Heat shields for false grid and some paddock use. Fan is used when camera is running to pull heat out.

[wake74]

So far I have been woefully unsuccessful with this GoPro 10. At ViR currently, 75 and sunny. I can’t get more than 20-30 minutes of recording, and since I am solo that barely gets me a lap or two when you count grid time. It’s shutting off randomly due to heat, presumably. Lots of battery life, and modern fast 256gb card. . Trying 1080p/60, low stabilization, nothing fancy. Currently in an aluminum cage type case, so you would think it was getting decent airflow.

Google says this is common with the 10. I have read suggestion to go to 4K/30 as that is what it is shooting to avoid the power 2 heat draw to convert down to 1080 but I have read to lower the settings. I have read that’s its a futile battle and just give up.

I may just get rid of the case and try that tomorrow on the stock camera mount.. I got the Extended Warranty from Best Buy. We can see what damage they will cover :-)

[jtaphorn]

I run two GoPro heros and always experienced shut done when using an aluminum case. Retains too much heat. Went back to more open plastic case and that problem resolved. Just be certain to tether the GoPro. I manage it with small zip ties. I had a case failure on my rear mount only two weeks ago and the camera was saved by the zip tie.

[toolo4sno]

So far I have been woefully unsuccessful with this GoPro 10. At ViR currently, 75 and sunny. I can’t get more than 20-30 minutes of recording, and since I am solo that barely gets me a lap or two when you count grid time. It’s shutting off randomly due to heat, presumably. Lots of battery life, and modern fast 256gb card. . Trying 1080p/60, low stabilization, nothing fancy. Currently in an aluminum cage type case, so you would think it was getting decent airflow.

Google says this is common with the 10. I have read suggestion to go to 4K/30 as that is what it is shooting to avoid the power 2 heat draw to convert down to 1080 but I have read to lower the settings. I have read that’s its a futile battle and just give up.

I may just get rid of the case and try that tomorrow on the stock camera mount.. I got the Extended Warranty from Best Buy. We can see what damage they will cover :-)

Use as minimal a case as possible. The 10 IIRC has built in finger mounts below. I'd just used those and tether something up just in case. Keep lowering performance settings until you get the time/heat control you need. I would not remove stabilization until the last resort.