Zenmuse GH4 Owners thread


P

PMaughan

Member
Timtim said:
We are on all the latest firmware ( except on the camera itself)
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I'd update the camera too, it's dealt with some of the HDMI output issues I've had with the GH4 when connecting to some Blackmagic boxes so seems to be a bit more standard compliant.
 

T

Tahoe Ed

Active Member
Timtim said:
An Update on our gimbal problems:

We got our brand new, just shipped in from China, replacement gimbal, and at first we thought this had solved the problem. I fired up the S900 in my office, and the video feed was good. So I took it outside and left it in the garden for 30 minutes (ambient temp around 1ºC) - the video image was rock solid. So we charged everything up and went to test fly today. 2ºC and a chilling wind: lots of power cycles without luck and only 1 out of 4 flights with working video. During all these flights the pilot's camera and screen worked perfectly. We even did a successful RTH test, so know that all controls and communication are good.

We realise now, that once the HDMI board has got an image, it generates enough internal heat to keep it warm and the video feed working. So back in my garden we did some tests, which conclusively prove that unless the area around the base of the camera, and particularly the HDMI board are warm, you get a red fault LED on the board and no image. Once you have heated up the area (see video: 2 mins with a hair dryer) you get a green flashing LED and all works fine, however many times you power cycle. But then leave the S900 for 20 mins in the cold, and the image never appears, just a grey screen.

We think we have been sold goods that are not fit for purpose and will investigate our options....

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Video:
Video showing a temperature related problem with the DJI S900 Z15 GH4 Gimbal. This is a replacement gimbal and has the same problem as the first one we were supplied with. This is on a brand new, professionally built S900. We have done about 25 flights with the video feed only working on 30% of them. Our flight logs confirm it is on the cold days that we have this problem

We did this whole test twice with the same results
test sequence:

1. leave S900 outside for 30 minutes (outside temp 3ºC with light wind)
2. Switch on camera (4K 25 fps, but other settings yield the same result)
3. Power up S900 and gimbal several times - result: no image
4. Heat up underside of gimbal, where the HDMI board is located with a hair dryer for 2 minutes
5. Power cycle S900 and gimbal 3 times - result: good image every time

The video image works every time at room temperature and only becomes a problem once the ambient temperature goes down below around 5ºC

Solution in cold weather: use a hair dryer or temporarily attach a hand warmer to the underside of the gimbal before powering up

Why are we sure this is the problem?
1. With the camera removed from the gimbal, it outputs a perfect image to a monitor via an HDMI lead when cold, even at -6ºC ( we tested this in a freezer )
2. Video transmitters have been swopped over and both work with the GoPro/Pilot's camera
3. When in a warm office or above 7ºC the image works fine
4. This is the second gimbal that has exactly the same issues

Click to expand...

Can you send me the SN of your unit? I have informed DJI and they would like to research the issue. Thank you.
 

T

Tahoe Ed

Active Member
Tim, thank you for providing that information and analysis. R&D has designed a new HDMI Board and Cable that eliminates the low temperature problem. Please contact DJI directly. China is sending replacement boards and cables to the US, Germany and Japan. They can arrange for the board and cable be sent to you if you are comfortable in doing so or you can send the gimbal in for the required repairs.
 

Timtim

Timtim

Member
Tahoe Ed said:
Tim, thank you for providing that information and analysis. R&D has designed a new HDMI Board and Cable that eliminates the low temperature problem. Please contact DJI directly. China is sending replacement boards and cables to the US, Germany and Japan. They can arrange for the board and cable be sent to you if you are comfortable in doing so or you can send the gimbal in for the required repairs.
Click to expand...
Oh wow, that's exactly the response we want. No problem installing ourselves, just hope they can get this done before chinese new year
 

Dave_EP

Dave_EP

Member
Add me to the list of people with problems. I need to power cycle 2, 3, 4 times to get a video feed instead of the white screen.
 

scotth

scotth

Member
Same. If I'm in the middle of a shoot I swap the batteries one at a time so I don't have to power off the copter and gimbal, which forces me to go through the whole ritual again.
 

Timtim

Timtim

Member
scotth said:
Same. If I'm in the middle of a shoot I swap the batteries one at a time so I don't have to power off the copter and gimbal, which forces me to go through the whole ritual again.
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That's a good idea. Since stating this problem, I have found around 25 other people with the same issues and there must be many others who have yet to fly in cold conditions. I'm glad DJI have taken this on board, and just hope the ship out the new boards quickly
 


scotth

scotth

Member
I get the white screen every time unless I boot up in 29.97p, even though it's downconverted to PAL. I then have to switch the camera to 23.98p without shutting anything down. If I need 24p, I have to then change the system frequency, reboot the camera, then come back to 24p. Every single time. But at least it eventually works. The new Panasonic firmware did not make a difference, btw. I also get a wicked stuttering in the feed, or dropped frames... but I've learned to live with that.
 

Stratifier

Stratifier

Member
I've got this white screen too (It was in my office and not cold, sorry for the statistics...) Both camera display and feed. Power cycled and good to go again but scared to get this on a job.
 

scotth

scotth

Member
Stratifier said:
I've got this white screen too (It was in my office and not cold, sorry for the statistics...) Both camera display and feed. Power cycled and good to go again but scared to get this on a job.
Click to expand...

As you should be. I have a spare copter with a Z15-GH3 gimbal as a backup. In order to get 4K out of it, I use the setup that folks were using before the Z15-GH4 came out, which is a thin hdmi ribbon cable connected from the camera to an AV converter velcroed to the back of the gimbal. I then run the composite video up to the iOSD. Obviously you can only get a few turns before things get tangled up so you need to pay attention, but it's better than nothing. You can do the same thing as a workaround on the Z15-GH4. Cheap piece of mind.
 
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Timtim

Timtim

Member
Tahoe Ed said:
Tim, thank you for providing that information and analysis. R&D has designed a new HDMI Board and Cable that eliminates the low temperature problem. Please contact DJI directly. China is sending replacement boards and cables to the US, Germany and Japan. They can arrange for the board and cable be sent to you if you are comfortable in doing so or you can send the gimbal in for the required repairs.
Click to expand...
Sounds like my dealer is going to source the replacement board from Germany for me, as I got no response from filling the DJI support web form
 

Timtim

Timtim

Member
scotth said:
As you should be. I have a spare copter with a Z15-GH3 gimbal as a backup. In order to get 4K out of it, I use the setup that folks were using before the Z15-GH4 came out, which is a thin hdmi ribbon cable connected from the camera to an AV converter velcroed to the back of the gimbal. I then run the composite video up to the iOSD. Obviously you can only get a few turns before things get tangled up so you need to pay attention, but it's better than nothing. You can do the same thing as a workaround on the Z15-GH4. Cheap piece of mind.
Click to expand...
Good idea scotth, I have an old HDMI board lying around so have connected that up. It appears to work well in the cold, but will have to test fly to be absolutely sure
 

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Dave_EP

Dave_EP

Member
Mine came up first time three times today, then on the fourth flight it white screened for three power cycles! It wasn't even cold!
 


Buzz_Roavr

Buzz_Roavr

Member
Benjamin Kenobi said:
Happened to me today. Only once and it was cold. Never seen that white screen before with the camera on.
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Hurrrah! Sorry Ben lol! I was beginning to think you were superhuman when it came to DJI gimbals ;)

Thanks for the intel Tim, this cold issue would make perfect sense with my setup. I am on my second gimbal with the same issues. If i test at home and carry out of he workshop to TO the feed is generally fine but it has let me down on site a fair few times now.

I got my gimbal tail end of last year so haven't run it in warmer temps yet.

Interesting. This should be a recall issue surely?
 

Benjamin Kenobi

Benjamin Kenobi

Easy? You call that easy?
Now I've seen it I understand why it is such a sore subject....it sucks!!!

I've asked the shop to send me a replacement HDMI board so hopefully I can sort it out before it gets any worse.
 


C

Captain Kangaroo

Member
Well it was a total PITA for me today. Arrived onsite for a job and nothing but a white screen. Tried rebooting 20 or so times and nothing. Lucky the job was just stills at various heights and i was able to yaw to the right directions and just fire the shutter a few times to get the shots. But if this was a film shot i would have looked a prize tit. Especially after driving 4 hours to site!

Stats - was warm after being in the car for the trip!

On the way back i stopped at the services and just plugged in in the back of the car and it worked every time. Tried 30 mins later and it worked. Got home and it worked....

Whats it all about???
 

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