How is Everyone Else Importing External Videos?

[Dubbedown]

I use my GoPro 3 to record external videos. After copying the videos over (as MP4), I import them with iPhoto. Once it's part of my iPhoto library, I then turn on iTunes to sync up the photo library (folder points to iPhoto).

On the phone I'm able to spot the video in the Photo Library but it is NOT in the Camera Roll. The imported video stays in its own folder, which is preventing me from linking the video to my laps in the app.

I've been able to import & overlay videos before but not sure why this time around it's not working so well. The one thing I noticed though is when I try to relink the video from the individual lap, my Video List has a section for GOPRO HERO3/3+ and it says:

Videos stored on GoPro HERO3/3+. Access is not available for this app edition or cam type-or MultiCam is disabled currently.

But I've always had the most expensive full feature version of the software (Grand Prix)... is there now an upgrade fee to overlay external videos?

[Harry]

Hi,

For HERO4 cams, LapTimer allows access to the GoPro's SD card since version 19. This feature includes listing of videos in Video List, as well as downloads to the smartphone. Due to the HERO limitations it is slow to transfer, but it works. For HERO3/3+ cams I needed to disable that feature as it proved to be not reliably. You can enable this access in LapTimer's Expert Settings but I cannot recommend it.

The easiest and fastest way to transfer footage now has changed: start iTunes on your desktop, connect your iPhone, select it, select Apps from the left, scroll down to the File Sharing area, and select LapTimer from this list. Now, drag the .mp4 file from your GoPro's SD card into the folder/directory shown for LapTimer. Once completed, you will see the video in LapTimer's Video List / LapTimer Recordings.

The Photo way should actually work too. Please verify the video has really been synchronized by browsing for it in Photo and viewing it here. The term "Camera Roll" in LapTimer's Video List is misleading, actually LapTimer shows all videos available in Photo.

- Harry

[Dubbedown]

Thanks, using file share worked.

2nd question - why is it that when I compare the lap time displayed on the overlaid video vs the time actually shown on my phone (phone display is visible in video), they are apart by 2 seconds? If you look t the video below, pick any moment where the phone isn't showing shift alert and you can see times are different.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ztEPIAKLxo[/youtube]

[Dubbedown]

I think I figured it out. In previous versions of the app, the laps would link automatically with the GoPro files. I'm not sure if my phone was acting buggy or its a revision in the app but this time around the laps didn't link directly to my GoPro 3 data. While it recognized an external camera was used, I had to relink the videos. It now seems laps don't correspond to videos.

When I press overlay, it says something like "processing lap 16 of the day" but in actuality it's lap 18 of the day. Harry, any idea why this is happening?

[Harry]

No, that's not the reason. The reason real time views are behind is latency from GPS. So when LapTimer receives a position from GPS, this information is actually around 2 seconds late (i.e. references to the position you have been 2 seconds ago). For similar reasons speeds and other data are behind while driving too. As you used gap time display, LapTimer compared this two seconds old position to the reference lap, so it is behind two seconds too. OBD has less latency, but still is around 1 second late.

The good news is, LapTimer compensates all of this when recording data. So sensor latencies are compensated and data recordings as well as video overlays are "correct".

Harry

[cheeser]

The easiest and fastest way to transfer footage now has changed: start iTunes on your desktop, connect your iPhone, select it, select Apps from the left, scroll down to the File Sharing area, and select LapTimer from this list. Now, drag the .mp4 file from your GoPro's SD card into the folder/directory shown for LapTimer. Once completed, you will see the video in LapTimer's Video List / LapTimer Recordings.

I am using a Samsung S5 and GoPro3 and am trying to do the same thing. Do I simply drag/drop the GoPro file into the same folder/directory LapTimer uses in the S5?


thanks

Jeff

[Harry]

Exactly. Place it in any of the folders LapTimer display's in Video List.
An updated video documentation (including Android specific parts) will get available soon.

- Harry

[cheeser]

Exactly. Place it in any of the folders LapTimer display's in Video List.
An updated video documentation (including Android specific parts) will get available soon.

So I have done both to test both android and IOS....copied two test .mp4 files to my S5 on the android side, and then copied to my IPAD. I prefer working on my newer IPAD as it is faster for overlays and easier on the fingers.

All videos show up on both devices, but the only ones that are linked to the laps are the HLT recorded versions, but not the .mp4 files. I am using the gopro as the master, and the phone camera for PIP.

I thought HLT 19.x would now link the gopro videos automatically or do I have to tell it manually?

thank for your time.

jeff

[Harry]

This depends. In case the cam has been remote controlled by LapTimer, the app has added a video entry including sync information already. The only thing that needs to be done here is Re-Linking the placeholder with the actual video copied: select the video placeholder (showing OFFLINE or No VIDEO) from the lap and scroll to the bottom of this dialog. Press Re-Link and select the video. In case the video has been recorded manually, you need to add the video to the lap (Edit + New Video) and set the sync point manually too. Finally, when using a HERO4, both downloading can be done from within LapTimer and linking is performed automatically.

Harry

[cheeser]

Ok...HLT triggers the recording so I followed your instructions and it linked correctly.