GoPro hicups

[surfinJ]

Been having some problems with my camera and the tech help is a bit of a run around. Basically while using in the one button mode, occasionally when pressed I get a "file repair" icon in the screen.  Manual directs the pushing of any button to repair and continue.  But for me that doesn't work and the locks up and only responds to a battery removal.  Anybody else experience this?

Not nice when after an overview shot the subsequent activation in the water failed on the best day of the summer      Definitely a first world problem.

[SeaMe]

I haven't experienced the exact problem you're describing, but the last time my GoPro locked up the memory card was to blame. Have you checked yours for errors?

[surfinJ]

Not much of a techie I just make sure I delete it fully before each use. Is that the same as formatting?  When I first started to experience the problem I bought a new card, just like first one, fully equipped for action cameras. The same problem returned. It is almost as if the camera is damaging the cards.

[supsurf-tw]

Lots of glitches with Gopro. Hoping they iron things out

[SeaMe]

You don't have to be a techie to troubleshoot. Some things you can check:

- Make sure the card is listed on the GoPro site for the camera model AND shooting mode you're trying to use.

- Check the card using H2testw by Harald Bögeholz. His website is in German, but the program gives you an English option: http://www.heise.de/download/h2testw.html Format the card in the camera, then do the full "write/verify". It can take some time (over an hour) with large cards (64GB+), but it's worth it to rule out corruption/bad sectors as the culprit. The test can also tell you if a card is performing to specifications, but your card reader can skew results. Stick the latest and greatest card into an old/slow card reader, and the H2test results will read like you stuck a floppy disk in.

- As silly as this may sound, deleting the files on your computer and not formatting the card can cause errors. I don't know why, I just know that it happens once in a blue moon. It's best to copy files over to a drive, then format the card in the camera.

- Check the temperature of the camera when the error happens. GoPros are infamous for overheating, but that usually takes 30+ minutes continuous shooting at a high setting. If your GoPro is hot to the touch when the error occurs, it could be an indication of a hardware short.

- What I'm sure tech support will tell you when you call: Make sure the firmware is up-to-date.

[eastbound]

techie or not, sounds like the things arent exactly plug and plAY

[stoneaxe]

I've had similar problems. GoPro Silver I got last Christmas gets flaky. I do think it's more to do with the density of these tiny cards. This stuff seems pretty sensitive to the temperature fluctuations we tend to put them through.

[PonoBill]

the newest GoPros are touchy, lots of electronics in a dinky and not particularly forgiving form factor. They seem to be sticking with the box shape as a branding element. I can't think of another reason for it. Originally they just found a cheap Chinese camera and stuck it in a waterproof case.

The higher resolution sensors generate a lot of heat, and goPros have an internal plate that sinks heat from the sensor, but there's no where for it to go, so the plate heats up and it gets too toasty inside the little box. Even worse inside the waterproof case. Given the form factor, that isn't something with an easy fix. They get flakier with time. I suspect they have to use lead-free solder to sell in Europe, and that's infamous for getting brittle and cracking. The heat cycles shove things around and you start getting flaky connections. I've repaired a number of these things, they almost always show some kind of heat damage--discoloring of the circuit boards, loosened connectors, etc. They also don't anchor the connectors as well as you'd like to see for something that ham-fisted people are using. The micro USB connector is fixed only to the circuit board, which is fine for something with only a few connection cycles, but sucks for a design like this. Should be anchored to the case and wired to the board. Very difficult to repair a multilayer board like that with no schematic. If the traces are lifted when the USB connector gets dislodged it's kind of toast.

[surfinJ]

I appreciate all the tips. This last time was with a brand new top brand card, just deleted in the camera and still cool.

But the camera is 1 1/2 yrs old, banged about a lot and has shut down from heat during long sessions numerous times. 

I'm going to check the card on the site SeaMe recommended. But I think your right, camera might be toast.

Maybe wait for the 2nd gen session model.  Lotta money though. I guess a used gopro is not a great idea.