Gopro and nanoflash at DVinfo.net

Cees van Kempen · June 17th, 2012, 10:44 AM

I tried today to connect my nanoflash with the gopro by hdmi. And it worked. Is the output of the gopro over hdmi before or after compression? In other words, do I get a higher quality of footage when using an external recording device?

Ron Little · June 17th, 2012, 11:34 AM

I have tried to connect the GoPro to my NanoFlash but had no luck. Can you tell me how you have the gopro set that it will send a signal to the NanoFlash.

Dan Keaton · June 17th, 2012, 12:17 PM

Dear Ron,

Do you have the System|Source| set to HDMI?

Please feel freel to call me directly, I will try to assist.

My phone numbers are listed at the bottom of this link:

Support | Convergent Design

And yes, you may call me on the weekends and/or at night.

Cees van Kempen · June 17th, 2012, 02:51 PM

Indeed, that's all it takes. Set the source to hdmi. No need to set anything in the gopro. No need to trigger the start button. Even no need to put a sd card in the gopro. Just run your nano. I hava a gopro hd 2 by the way, don't know about the first edition.

But still remains my question, is the output compressed or not. Any idea about that, Dan?

Dan Keaton · June 17th, 2012, 04:43 PM

Dear Cees,

I can tell you that the data coming over HDMI is always uncompressed.

But, the above is a very technical answer, there is more to this.

In almost all cameras, the data goes from the sensor, through the processor on board the camera, out over HDMI without being compressed, as far as I know.

However, a very knowledgeable nanoFlash user, asked this question to a Sony support center, for the Sony V1U.

The answer she got was, in this camera, the V1U, the data is compressed in the camera, then uncompressed, before it goes out the HDMI.

While the person at the Sony support center insisted that this was the case, I find this doubtful.

The reason is that it takes a lot of electronics to compress the image, and a lot of electronics to uncompress it.

In our nanoFlash we use a very sophisticed Sony Codec module. This module can be configured for record or playback (compress or decompress), but not both at the same time.

Thus, it would take a dedicated compressor and dedicated separate electronics to decompress the signal.

I highly doubt that duplicate electronics would be present in the GoPro, so I feel that the signal you get out of the GoPro would be a "never compressed" signal.

Justin Kuhn · June 17th, 2012, 09:59 PM

could you tell the difference by eye? Did you do any side-by-side tests? What application do you have in mind, if it's worth the extra rigging?

Cees van Kempen · June 18th, 2012, 01:31 AM

I did not do a side by side test. Just tried to connect both devices yesterday, succesfully. I have a very specific situation of filming a kestrel at the gutter of the house, where it would be possible to have the gopro outside, connected to the mains and to a nanoflash inside and being able to start recording any time of the day. And probably have a better image as well.

June 17th, 2012, 10:44 AM	#1
Cees van Kempen Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Nieuw-Vossemeer, The Netherlands Posts: 455	Gopro and nanoflash I tried today to connect my nanoflash with the gopro by hdmi. And it worked. Is the output of the gopro over hdmi before or after compression? In other words, do I get a higher quality of footage when using an external recording device?

June 17th, 2012, 11:34 AM	#2
Ron Little Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pensacola Fl. Posts: 627	Re: Gopro and nanoflash I have tried to connect the GoPro to my NanoFlash but had no luck. Can you tell me how you have the gopro set that it will send a signal to the NanoFlash.

June 17th, 2012, 12:17 PM	#3
Dan Keaton Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Augusta Georgia Posts: 5,421	Re: Gopro and nanoflash Dear Ron, Do you have the System\|Source\| set to HDMI? Please feel freel to call me directly, I will try to assist. My phone numbers are listed at the bottom of this link: Support \| Convergent Design And yes, you may call me on the weekends and/or at night. __________________ Dan Keaton Augusta Georgia

June 17th, 2012, 02:51 PM	#4
Cees van Kempen Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Nieuw-Vossemeer, The Netherlands Posts: 455	Re: Gopro and nanoflash Indeed, that's all it takes. Set the source to hdmi. No need to set anything in the gopro. No need to trigger the start button. Even no need to put a sd card in the gopro. Just run your nano. I hava a gopro hd 2 by the way, don't know about the first edition. But still remains my question, is the output compressed or not. Any idea about that, Dan?

June 17th, 2012, 04:43 PM	#5
Dan Keaton Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Augusta Georgia Posts: 5,421	Re: Gopro and nanoflash Dear Cees, I can tell you that the data coming over HDMI is always uncompressed. But, the above is a very technical answer, there is more to this. In almost all cameras, the data goes from the sensor, through the processor on board the camera, out over HDMI without being compressed, as far as I know. However, a very knowledgeable nanoFlash user, asked this question to a Sony support center, for the Sony V1U. The answer she got was, in this camera, the V1U, the data is compressed in the camera, then uncompressed, before it goes out the HDMI. While the person at the Sony support center insisted that this was the case, I find this doubtful. The reason is that it takes a lot of electronics to compress the image, and a lot of electronics to uncompress it. In our nanoFlash we use a very sophisticed Sony Codec module. This module can be configured for record or playback (compress or decompress), but not both at the same time. Thus, it would take a dedicated compressor and dedicated separate electronics to decompress the signal. I highly doubt that duplicate electronics would be present in the GoPro, so I feel that the signal you get out of the GoPro would be a "never compressed" signal. __________________ Dan Keaton Augusta Georgia

June 17th, 2012, 09:59 PM	#6
Justin Kuhn Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 26	Re: Gopro and nanoflash could you tell the difference by eye? Did you do any side-by-side tests? What application do you have in mind, if it's worth the extra rigging?

June 18th, 2012, 01:31 AM	#7
Cees van Kempen Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Nieuw-Vossemeer, The Netherlands Posts: 455	Re: Gopro and nanoflash I did not do a side by side test. Just tried to connect both devices yesterday, succesfully. I have a very specific situation of filming a kestrel at the gutter of the house, where it would be possible to have the gopro outside, connected to the mains and to a nanoflash inside and being able to start recording any time of the day. And probably have a better image as well.