09Dec Gopro Hero 3 3.5mm microphone adapter
Right now I’m working on a version of the Noob advanced shock mount that will replace the shock mount with a gopro mount and give you cold shoe and 1/4 20 adapter points. Now I’ll have to add a cut out for the microphone adapter. I’ll post more info once I’ve had a chance to edit and update the prototype design. Hopefully I’ll have something complete by the end of the month. I’ll keep you posted.
December 10th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
DeeJay, I own a Black edition and the audio has an annoying noise. There’s a weird digital noise in the background. I thought the cable would help when hooked to a RODE Vid Mic Pro, but it didn’t help. You can set the RODE to +20dB to try to mask the noise, but it doesn’t help the noise floor.
You can hear the actual noise in my YT vid. I cranked up the gain to make it obvious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M2duOOIyrg&hd=1
I submitted a support call to GoPro and they are looking into it.
Let me know if you hear the same noise from your Black Edition. FYI – I’m using the latest firmware and 64GB Sandisk
Thanks
December 10th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
I haven’t had any problems with the internal microphone, but I have the cable adapter on the way. I’ll give it a try with the videomic pro once it shows up. The noise interference sounds like it follows a pattern, do you have pumps or motors running near by?
December 10th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
It’s definitely a pattern and happens everywhere and everytime. I shoot at 2.7k 24fps Protune, but I don’t think that matters. I thought about interference, but I’ve heard the same noise pattern on YT videos of other owners. I believe it is inherent to all HERO3’s black editions (cant speak for Silver/White). I disabled the LED’s, but it didn’t help.
Try it for yourself. Use the same settings (2.7k 24fps Protune). If you can find a dead silent room, record with the internal mic. Then crank the gain and listen with headphones. Option 2 (even better): plug in any mini-USB into the GoPro and it should defeat the sound, record a minute, then listen with headphones cranked up.
If you cannot hear this faint noise pattern, the only difference would be the card. If you are using a 32GB Sandisk instead of the 64GB, that could be the problem. I’ve heard of a similar issue with SD cards introducing noise.
Please let me know what you find. I would like to get to the bottom of this. I can always use the iPhone 4 mic (sounds way better anyway), but that’s a pain and I’m not sure I’ll be able to use the iPhone 4 mic simultaneously with the GoPro app.
Thanks again!
December 10th, 2012 at 4:15 pm
I’ve been shooting at 2.7k @ 29.97 with a 32gb card and I haven’t noticed it. But I haven’t tried monitoring from the headphone jack or cranking up low volume areas. I’ll run a few more tests tonight and let you know what I find. Right now I’m running a time lapse so I wont be able to play around with it for another hour or so.
December 10th, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Tonight, I tried every mode (4k to 1080, Protune on and off) and every mode has the noise. The pattern is consistent except for two modes where it is a slightly faster cycle (2.7k PT 29.97fps). For a moment I thought the cycle coincided with the fps, but it doesn’t.
December 11th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Deejay, let me know when you have had a chance to test the audio. if you plug in your GoPro miniUSB/USB cable leaving the large USB end hanging free, it should defeat the internal mic as it will think you have the mic cable attached. then record 30 seconds of video (any mode). then import into your NLE and increase the audio gain about +24dB. Crank up your headphones and listen for the noise pattern. if you don’t hear anything at all, i must have faulty hardware and I will do a return. the only other difference is the 64GB Sandisk. the other link i sent, the dude is also using a 64GB card. it would be crazy if it is the card causing this noise, but it would be an easy fix.
FYI – your webpage/ISP is extremely slow.
December 11th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
I ran a test at 1080 30fps and 2.7k 30fps last night standing in a padded room (carpet on all of the walls) and didn’t hear any noise on the final recording. I haven’t had a chance to import the wave forms into sound forage and look at the noise floor. I wouldn’t think the card would cause a problem like that but, I’ll e-mail you the test audio files tonight and you can take a listen.
The site server took a dump last night (2 a.m.) and just finally came back up around noon. I’ve been working on moving the site to another server but I’m having trouble the the SQL database.
December 10th, 2012 at 3:00 pm
FYI – Here is an example of the same noise pattern from another dude:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPos0BsV7Yc&hd=1
Thanks
December 12th, 2012 at 9:06 am
and another one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAkWAispliE&hd=1&feature=player_detailpage#t=10s
December 12th, 2012 at 12:37 pm
wow, this guy’s Black edition sounds even worse than mine. I didn’t think is was possible:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&hd=1&v=D9orEKXO18c#t=71s
December 12th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Just a heads up, I don’t think the noise floor on my unit is that great, it’s just much better then your results and apparently all of these others. I wouldn’t expect it to be amazing for such a small device but I’m guessing mine will be better once I have an external mic plugged in (still waiting on the cable). It sucks that so many of the early units had this problem. Seems like GoPro should do a recall on the first batch.
December 11th, 2012 at 1:47 am
You know GoPro makes a “Frame” mount with cutouts, right?
http://gopro.com/hd-hero-accessories/the-frame
December 11th, 2012 at 7:22 am
The gopro mount is $40 and it doesn’t have any 1/4 20 or cold shoe adapter points. The unit I’m working on will have both cold shoe and 1/4 20 adapters and probably clock in at around $12.
December 11th, 2012 at 12:22 pm
Very cool.
The frame+tripod mount comes out to like $47 with no additional adaptor options, so that definitely sounds like a better deal!
December 11th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
yes, please send me the audio test, I would like to hear for myself. may be too big for email? i presume you are using the latest firmware (HD3.03.01.09) as am I. My settings: LEDs=on, Beeps=off, Power off=Manual, Wifi=RC (but radio is disabled for tests).
FYI – i rigged up a mini igus slider with handles and neck strap. it also holds a mini LED and iphone. it works great for stabilization while on the move and it’s ultra small and lightweight. looks sort of futuristic.
You may want one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301/dp/B00AAIPT76/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355258972&sr=8-1&keywords=gopro+hero3+wasabi
December 11th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Ordered that same set of batteries. Showed up this morning, I’ve also been using a PowerGen Juice Pack
for extended time laps (5+ hours) and it seems to do the trick.
December 11th, 2012 at 9:05 pm
2 sample clips are on there way to you right now. One at 1080p and another at 2.7k. Although both have a high noise floor -45db or so, neither have the same repeating sound you’ve mentioned. The clips should be in your e-mail and ready to download in about 20 min.
December 11th, 2012 at 9:47 pm
your file must be too big for yahoo email. it didn’t show up. i did more tests tonight, but nothing seems to help. are you certain about the noise floor of -45dB? when i open my audio test file (mic defeated), i get -30dB in the left channel and -26 in the right. the noise floor levels are consistent in SoundForge, AE CS6, and PP CS6. the levels fluctuate less than +1dB when the noise pattern is evident. amazing how easily the ears can pick up such small changes in levels.
FYI – disregard my earlier statement about using the microUSB power/data cable to defeat the mic, it doesn’t work, only the microUSB external mic cable works for this.
if you really don’t have any noise pattern and your floor is 20dB lower than mine, then either the 64GB card is causing noise or GoPro has changed something in the hardware. I bought my GoPro back in Oct.24th, so it was one of the earlier batches. i will continue to weed through other user videos to find more examples, maybe then i can find a pattern to this problem. otherwise i’ll have GoPro exchange it, but you know how that goes…tick tock refurb.
FYI – my GoPro support guy today said the app/firmware will be released Dec.14th, so it doesn’t appear it will be delayed past that date. i’ll keep my fingers crossed.
sorry for wasting so much of your time…
December 11th, 2012 at 10:00 pm
No problem you peaked my interest, I’ve been working on the review for this little guy so when you brought it up I wanted to make sure my unit didn’t have an issues. The file was sent via yousendit so it’ll show up as a download link.
December 11th, 2012 at 9:49 pm
just got the file. thanks, i’ll check it out!
December 18th, 2012 at 10:39 pm
Deejay, great review on the GoPro app, by far the best i’ve seen!
I bought a second Black to do audio comparison tests. What I found is interesting and will surely piss you off. With the newer Black and internal mic, I get the same noise floor as you (-46dB), but as soon as I plug in the mic dongle (no mic), the noise floor (or levels) increase by about +18dB and any noise artifacts become much more apparent (at least on my AudioTechnica M50 headphones).
Unfortunately when I plug in my RODE VM Pro (at -10, 0, and +20dB), the noise floor does not change. +20dB was the worst as the levels are already too high. Now if there was a way to lower the levels below any noise artifacts and use +20dB on the RODE, it would surely sound fine.
I’ll be curious to see if you experience the same levels boost once you receive your mic cable.
I plan to return the $20 mic cable as it is worthless to me without any levels control.
At least the annoying noise pattern is no longer there! I’ll be returning my original Black.
Thanks
December 30th, 2012 at 6:08 pm
Hi, i have same looping weird digital annoying noise on my hero 3 black edition with 64GB sandisk ultra class 10 micro sd card.
The think is the noise is still there with an external mic.
Then, i tried a it with an cheaper micro sd hc and the noise was gone.
So the problem is with the 64 GB sandisk ultra class sd card.
February 16th, 2013 at 3:18 pm
Hi Guys,
The noise is there only when wifi is on in mode GoPro App, no maters what video configuration you chose, the problem is with the WiFi in mode APP. try starting a video with the wifi on, then put it off after some seconds after. It will clearly shows the problem.
I’m using a sandisk 64gb too, but i’ve tried other ones but with the same result.
March 31st, 2013 at 12:36 am
Hi Guys,
Same digital interference and I have definitely isolated it to the Gro Pro App and the wifi mode being in the on mode when recording. I have not yet have the chance to run test to see if the wifi mode on its own is the cause of the digital interference or it occurs when a wifi device is connected to the go pro camera. will run more tests to determine the exact source.
April 5th, 2013 at 11:58 am
Hi there every body
I wondered, whether I could use this mic adapter on my Canon 60d, to do audio monitoring with magic lantern. Did anybody found out, if this works?
Greetings from Switzerland
Damian
April 5th, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Canon’s usb plug has a proprietary nub on the top that normal usb cables are missing. I don’t think you’ll be able to get it to work.
July 5th, 2013 at 4:40 pm
Hi, does this gopro hero 3 mic adapter work with canon cameras like the eos 1100d because it dosnt have a mic plug. Please help!!
July 7th, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Not that I know of. The pin out of the Canon usb port has an extra pin at the top that is missing from normal usb plugs.