Damn Microphones!

CalmBiker

CalmBiker

Roll on summer...
Been testing multiple microphones and I settled on a Purple Panda with my GoPro 10.

Had a weird one and it's happened twice, so hoping someone might have a solution. It's never happened with my other microphones (although it could be a new problem and just bad timing).

A few days ago I went for a ride for a day. I recorded in four goes. First one was two hours, second about three hours, third was an hour and fourth was about three hours. In each case, turning the camera on, starting recording and leaving it going (external power). Sections 1, 3 and 4 were perfect. Section 2 had no audio at all in any of the clips.

I hoped it was a glitch but after about ten hours riding today, I found I had audio for most of it but the last few hours, recorded after the camera had been switched off during refueling me and the bike, had no audio at all. 130GB of files, all silent. During that time, I did start and stop the recording multiple times but didn't switch it off.

The microphone was not adjusted in any way between the times when recording worked and times it didn't. There's no static, nothing from the GoPro/media mod microphones. Just perfect silence.
 
I imagine it was due to current draw. The GoPro does not like giving voltage or current to an external microphone. Normally this happens when you use the quick start "one touch record" feature if running a battery in the camera, but because you have removed that and now use a powerbank, I wonder if it had gone into a standby mode, so when you started recording again, the powerbank did not throw enough instantaneous current at the mic to power it up properly?
 
HippoDrone said:
I imagine it was due to current draw. The GoPro does not like giving voltage or current to an external microphone. Normally this happens when you use the quick start "one touch record" feature if running a battery in the camera, but because you have removed that and now use a powerbank, I wonder if it had gone into a standby mode, so when you started recording again, the powerbank did not throw enough instantaneous current at the mic to power it up properly?
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Dunno. It's never happened before the Purple Panda and never with the Purple Panda until this week. I'm hunting the interwebs and finding a few things where people are having similar (but not identical) issues. A lot of the answers seem to be to check that the volume meter is moving. Of course, I can't actually see that with my helmet on!

I tend to turn on the camera, then hit the record button a few seconds later. I'll start and stop the recording many times but only with a second or two between stopping and starting, so not enough time for the camera to go into standby. It tends to be because I want to save editing time later. Once I'm finished riding, I'll turn the camera off.

In each case, it's been the whole session between turning on and off that's been silent. I suspect you're right that the camera hasn't seen the mic. I'm surprised I get silence though, as others get the internal / media mod mic instead.

It turns out that GoPro is just as fristrating as Drift :D
 
The issue is the same as if I use the quick start one touch record, I get audio on the first recording, then nothing at all in subsequent. Maybe try waiting a little longer after turning on the GoPro before hitting record?
 
If I read correctly you say there is an external power bank?

On my 4 and 8 they will not record audio if they are hooked up to an external mic and power bank at the same time and the record button is pressed.

I have to start recording and then connect the external power bank. It could be the same bug has started popping up on your 10. Maybe GoPro tech support might have some insight.
 
R-Rated said:
If I read correctly you say there is an external power bank?

On my 4 and 8 they will not record audio if they are hooked up to an external mic and power bank at the same time and the record button is pressed.

I have to start recording and then connect the external power bank. It could be the same bug has started popping up on your 10. Maybe GoPro tech support might have some insight.
Click to expand...
Yes, i use the media mod and an external power bank. I'm using an older version of the firmware (1.6) so that it works with no battery. I doubt that GoPro will be interested because of the old firmware (though I doubt they are of any help anyway, given past experience and other people's testimonials!)
 
Curiouser and curiouser!

I thought I'd have a play with the camera during my last day of holiday. Here are the steps I followed and the slightly odd results.

1. I tried a test record. I used two different power banks, both delivering up to 3.0A. No complaints from the camera but no sound with any configuration. I used my Purple Panda mic.

2. I did a factory reset of the camera. After resetting, I started recording with media mod and external mic. No sound with my Purple Panda and Drift mics.

3. I tried a test record with the media mod mics. I tried front and back microphones and got no sound at all.

4. I had a little panic that my camera / media mod were broken because I'm skint!

5. I formatted the card on my PC, popped it back in the camera. Couldn't be bothered to set up with a power bank because it's in a different room so plugged into my drone charger, which was on hand. Recorded a test and I had lovely clear sound!

6. Scratched my noggin for a minute.

7. Went back to the external power banks and recorded test videos. No audio whatsoever.

8 Swore.

9. Switched the USB cable that I've used for over a year with one that charges my headphones for work. Recorded a test video and I have audio with both power banks.

I guess that either I've just had some odd coincidences with testing (time and lost vlogs will tell) or that the problem is actually with the USB cable. Very odd indeed though that it would still power the camera and record video perfectly but that sound would be the thing to go.

As always, would love any feedback that could shed light on this.
 
CalmBiker said:
Curiouser and curiouser!

I thought I'd have a play with the camera during my last day of holiday. Here are the steps I followed and the slightly odd results.

1. I tried a test record. I used two different power banks, both delivering up to 3.0A. No complaints from the camera but no sound with any configuration. I used my Purple Panda mic.

2. I did a factory reset of the camera. After resetting, I started recording with media mod and external mic. No sound with my Purple Panda and Drift mics.

3. I tried a test record with the media mod mics. I tried front and back microphones and got no sound at all.

4. I had a little panic that my camera / media mod were broken because I'm skint!

5. I formatted the card on my PC, popped it back in the camera. Couldn't be bothered to set up with a power bank because it's in a different room so plugged into my drone charger, which was on hand. Recorded a test and I had lovely clear sound!

6. Scratched my noggin for a minute.

7. Went back to the external power banks and recorded test videos. No audio whatsoever.

8 Swore.

9. Switched the USB cable that I've used for over a year with one that charges my headphones for work. Recorded a test video and I have audio with both power banks.

I guess that either I've just had some odd coincidences with testing (time and lost vlogs will tell) or that the problem is actually with the USB cable. Very odd indeed though that it would still power the camera and record video perfectly but that sound would be the thing to go.

As always, would love any feedback that could shed light on this.
Click to expand...
That is some great testing you did. It very likely will help someone else for sure. Have you considered making a video about it?
 
I have a "go-to" lead I use on my bikes to charge my phone, used to work faultlessly, but now it only trickle charges, so maybe over time your leads have deteriorated and now the cable that carries the audio signal has broken down.
 
HippoDrone said:
I have a "go-to" lead I use on my bikes to charge my phone, used to work faultlessly, but now it only trickle charges, so maybe over time your leads have deteriorated and now the cable that carries the audio signal has broken down.
Click to expand...
I really hope that is the problem. I guess it is getting a bit of a beating from the wind blast.
 
I've experienced that issue with my Hero 10 lots of times, but not because of an external power bank. It all came down to switching modes from Video to Photo, for instance. If you do that, the camera will forget it's connected to a mic.

-John
 
Drakhen99 said:
I've experienced that issue with my Hero 10 lots of times, but not because of an external power bank. It all came down to switching modes from Video to Photo, for instance. If you do that, the camera will forget it's connected to a mic.

-John
Click to expand...
That explains my lack of audio last week when testing my Sena boom mic with my Hero 12 with Media Mod.
I'll have to watch that.
 
Yeah, I went through hell trying to figure out what was causing my issues with the Hero 10. Since I switched to using it as my 2nd camera and the Hero 12 as my main one, my only issue has been with the 12 and The Remote. GoPro will be on top again if they can make their stuff work right.

-John
 
Drakhen99 said:
I've experienced that issue with my Hero 10 lots of times, but not because of an external power bank. It all came down to switching modes from Video to Photo, for instance. If you do that, the camera will forget it's connected to a mic.

-John
Click to expand...

I found a few people saying about that problem. Funnily enough, mine doesn't do that.
 
CalmBiker said:
It really is. I wonder if they use a variety of parts instead of standardising or if their quality control is a bit poor.
Click to expand...

If I had to guess, I'd say you're right on non-standardization of parts. Different supplier, slightly different tolerances. It's gotta be in the circuit board somewhere. If not, it's just bugs in the firmware. Either way, it's frustrating as all get-out.

-John
 
Drakhen99 said:
If I had to guess, I'd say you're right on non-standardization of parts. Different supplier, slightly different tolerances. It's gotta be in the circuit board somewhere. If not, it's just bugs in the firmware. Either way, it's frustrating as all get-out.

-John
Click to expand...

Very much so. I really like the GoPro video quality but I wonder if I would bother to upgrade to a newer one that the 10. I don't use the latest firmware because they decided that the newer one would stop me from using an external power supply from a power bank (I can't be doing with swapping batteries every 45 minutes and found that with a battery in it favoured that over the external power, ran down the battery then switched off). It could be related to that too.
 
CalmBiker said:
Very much so. I really like the GoPro video quality but I wonder if I would bother to upgrade to a newer one that the 10. I don't use the latest firmware because they decided that the newer one would stop me from using an external power supply from a power bank (I can't be doing with swapping batteries every 45 minutes and found that with a battery in it favoured that over the external power, ran down the battery then switched off). It could be related to that too.
Click to expand...

I hear ya... the 10 [and 9, for that matter] were problematic. I skipped the 11, but bought the 12 - and other than not playing nice in Multicam setups with The Remote, it's been rock solid. I have backup copies of all the firmware versions in case of an issue, but haven't needed to use them with the 12.

I fully plan on buying a Hero 13 when it comes out... pending release of the actual specs, of course.

-John
 
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