It's been a long time coming for many users of the popular GoPro HD HERO2, but the Protune firmware update first announced at NAB 2012 is finally being released. This free upgrade provides a number of features necessary for matching higher quality cameras in a cinema application, like 24p, a 35mbps recording mode, and a flat color profile. GoPro is also releasing their iOS app, which will allow remote control of all of the camera's settings and give you a live preview of the image, as well as a number of other features. Click through for more details on the release.
Here's a little preview of the app:
Video is no longer available: www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RTYouZhepSU
The app isn't completely functional in the first version, here's a little bit about what's not working (from engadget):
Still, it is a v1 release and while our reader Khena reports it's stable, it does have some rough edges. Currently you can't access or view any recordings already stored on the camera or control more than one camera, although GoPro says those features are coming, while other gripes include delay between the camera and the app's "live" viewfinder that can be as much as five seconds and the inability to preview the ProTune settings while recording.
These are the features of the Protune firmware upgrade for the HERO2:
- 35mbps data rate and 24fps
- Neutral Color Profile -- Log Curve captures more detail in shadows/highlights
- Frame rates available using the firmware: 1080p 30, 25, 24 | 960p 48 | 720p 60, 50
Many have been asking about when the firmware update would be available, and that question has been answered. Finally being able to match camera frame rates for movie shooting means no conversions have to be made in post, and the footage should be able to go right on the timeline without an issue. With higher bitrates (35mbps to be exact), the HERO2 should have a lot less artifacts caused by extreme motion, and the flat profile means you'll actually be able to color grade the footage, rather than dealing with an image that already has clipped highlights or shadows.
You can find links to both the app and the firmware upgrade below.
What do you guys think about the firmware upgrade? Do you think the HERO2 can now be incorporated into your cinema footage a lot more seamlessly with this update?
Links:
- GoPro HD HERO2 Protune Firmware Update
- GoPro Update Instructions
- GoPro iPhone App -- iTunes
- GoPro iPad App -- iTunes
- GoPro App -- GoPro Website
[via engadget]
Your Comment
34 Comments
This is pretty incredible. Kudos to GoPro. This is what a kickass firmware update looks like.
October 10, 2012 at 11:49AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Love it.
October 10, 2012 at 11:54AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Just waiting on the android version of the app to go live, then I'm definitely ordering the wifi plate
October 10, 2012 at 12:01PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Just go into the MORE options on your GoPro menu after you have done the update. Make sure PROTUNE is turned ON. That will active the 24p frame rate. Not sure if this was mentioned on the GoPro site, but I didn't see it.
October 10, 2012 at 1:14PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
They took way to long with this update. I sold my GoPros and moved on. Mabye they will start picking up soon since alot of people I deal with in the Action Sports Media world are getting tried of GoPro and how they take forever to get things done.
October 10, 2012 at 1:37PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
What camera do you use for action sports instead? Just started shooting lowbudg surfstuff. What is better than go pro?
October 10, 2012 at 4:04PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
My Comoany is moving on to the new Sony Action Cam at the current moment, In our early testing they are great and small. the 120p in 720 works great.
October 11, 2012 at 2:20PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Yup. I sold my go pros 2 weeks ago while waiting forever for protune... Got the Sony action cam. Not much better but cheaper.
October 10, 2012 at 6:13PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Well, that was a bit silly, no?
October 10, 2012 at 7:37PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Reports of a two second delay with the wifi pack and it also goes blank when you hit record. Interesting. Hopefully an update from GoPro will correct this in the near future.
October 10, 2012 at 3:32PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
FINALLY!!! I've been waiting for this. Thanks for the heads up Joe
October 10, 2012 at 3:38PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Definitely, and thanks for all of the GoPro tutorial videos you've done - definitely opening up new options for the "little camera that could".
October 10, 2012 at 4:00PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Kudos to GoPro. Hopefully they will continue this success with many more updates.
October 10, 2012 at 5:51PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
I updated to the Protune firmware and when turned on I get WAY too much more noise than without protune, anyone knows why this happens?
October 10, 2012 at 6:01PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
I'm gonna answer my own comment... read somewhere else that this is caused because the gopro's protune doesn't crush blacks as normal mode does, thus, releaving the weird color noise in lowlight created by the tiny sensor these cameras have.
October 10, 2012 at 6:06PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Yup, it doesn't crush and then compress strongly, you get a softer, flatter, noisier (in the shadows) image, but as it's a higher bitrate you can denoise the image MUCH better than you could before, as well as sharpen it if you want, you definitely get a better image if you play with it properly in post.
October 11, 2012 at 8:07AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Plus less aliasing it looks like, impressive.
October 11, 2012 at 8:39AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Still waiting for GoPro HERO 3, surely 1080 60p.
October 10, 2012 at 8:25PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
I'm waiting for a rectilinear wide angle for gopro, will I wait forever ? (maybe yes)
October 10, 2012 at 11:57PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
You can use After Effects to remove the distortion. It'll lose a bit on the furthest corners and edges, but it comes out nearly straight as far as distortion removal goes.
October 11, 2012 at 12:55PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
everything seems to be pretty amazing, but the tutorial video and narrator were a little to boring, things that im not used to when i watch gopro video of the day or when i go out and shoot my own action sports video......... I thought it was going to be more fun and hyped up
October 10, 2012 at 9:46PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
And what about battery life? I'm not happy about it now (manage to get only about 1-1,5 hours of recording time out of it +only 3-4 hours in timelapse mode) and with WiFi backpack I think it's going to be even less. (?)
October 10, 2012 at 11:57PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Well, the Wifi backpack's have their own battery, so I don't if it deplete's the camera's own at all though.
October 11, 2012 at 12:37AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
If you're not shooting in a wet/dusty environment, just get the Skeleton Case and power everything through a USB battery instead.
October 11, 2012 at 1:01PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Still no white balance control nor exposure control...
October 10, 2012 at 11:58PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
I just got the the two today.
Even though I just got them I had to to update both the GoPro and the wifi backpack, and download GoPro's "Cineform" software.
Verdict: Pretty cool, I just did some tests in my room so I didn't check the range, and there was about a 3 second lag. I'm easily entertained by technology however and just the fact that it was working on my phone was pretty sick. I look forward to when you'll be able to control multiple cameras like the skate video they have posted shows.
Now I couldn't get the remote control device (not the app the actual remote) to work. I have two GoPro's and not only would it now sync with both, I couldn't even get one to work... I'll try again later.
October 11, 2012 at 12:41AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Don't know if anyone else has experienced this, gopro is now stuck with v 198 on the LCD screen when running protune update. Tried a few different options I found online, no luck
October 11, 2012 at 2:16AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
last night mine was stuck with "v78" or something, I took the battery and memory card out and it seemed to fixed it.
October 11, 2012 at 8:52AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Mine did, took out the battery and then reboot.
October 11, 2012 at 9:05PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
no android app yet, send email to go pro
Hi Klaus,
We do apologize and understand your frustration. We do not have any beta versions available. I am truly sorry once again. I know that the team is working as hard and as fast as they can. A lot of customers are waiting for this to be released and it is just a matter of time.
Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Many Thanks,
Jessica M
GoPro Support
www.gopro.com/support
October 12, 2012 at 9:02AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
I just returned from Kauai with the GoPro suction mount on the window of the rental convertible. Every day I had numerous locals and visitors smile and call out, "GO PRO!!!" While turning on/off the GoPro wasn't too much of a hassle with the top down (standing up, reaching over the window), now I can remotely activate recording while in the car (passenger, but of course). Also the remote view is an awesome addition to ensure you've properly framed the scene. However I wonder if anyone has had success using the remote underwater - is the Wi-Fi video signal attenuated by the water? I used the chest mount with an adapter in the upside-down mode but without access to the viewfinder I'm never sure if I'm framing the subject...
Happy Trails,
Michael
October 15, 2012 at 2:22PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Damn. I wish I had a a hero2 now...it wasn't originally better enough to warrant me upgrading. Maybe it's time now. 35mbps and 24p.
October 17, 2012 at 5:26PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Um...woah...stuff changes fast. Wo cares? This is already old news. GoPro three just came out. 1080p 60fps 45mbps.
October 17, 2012 at 5:34PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Anyone know how to upgrade the firmware without buying Windows or a Mac ? GoPro support were unhelpful in the extreme when I asked about upgrading with the camera connected to a Linux machine...
November 29, 2012 at 2:00PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM