Newbie Looking for help

[davidnjill]

I just bought a P4P+, and the quality of the video so far, is less than impressive. I was wondering if I needed to format the supplied 32GB micro SD card? Or perhaps you could recommend a micro card that would help eliminate the choppy, or pixelated videos. Thanks for any help.

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

I fly the P3A and have no issue with this card:
(older usb reader version) Amazon.com: Lexar High-Performance MicroSDXC 633x 64GB UHS-I U1 w/USB 3.0 Reader Flash Memory Card (old U3 version) LSDMI64GBBNL633R: Computers & Accessories
(Newer version) Amazon.com: Lexar High-Performance microSDXC 633x 64GB UHS-I/U1 w/USB 3.0 Reader Flash Memory Card - LSDMI64GBB1NL633R: Computers & Accessories
You know the video feed is only 720p max correct? The camera will record in much higher definition of course and a GOOD card is needed for the write operation.

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

Also try lowering the recording format to 2.7k or even 1080P.

 

[Meta4]

I just bought a P4P+, and the quality of the video so far, is less than impressive. I was wondering if I needed to format the supplied 32GB micro SD card? Or perhaps you could recommend a micro card that would help eliminate the choppy, or pixelated videos. Thanks for any help.

Formatting the card or using a bigger/faster/more expensive card will make no difference t picture quality.
The first question is ... are you looking at the video stored on the SD card and not the cached video in the app?
If yes, the problem is most likely to be in your computer or the software you are using to view videos.
Try downloading VLC media player and see if it is any better.
If there is still a problem, try recording at 1080p resolution and see if that makes any difference.
If it's fine that indicates the issue is the playback device just isn't up to handling 4K.

 

[Bermuda Sunset]

Also try lowering the recording format to 2.7k or even 1080P.

I think you are right, the default recording on a new AC is 4K, I never checked and when I excitedly bunged the sd card in my laptop, expecting to see super sharp video all I got was jumpy grainy, blurry stuff. Went to 1080P ,,,,perfect

 

[davidnjill]

Thanks everyone for all of your. help. I did update the firmware on the controller and the P4P. That made no difference. Then I called DJI support.......Then I lowered my recording format as GrammatonxXXxCleric had suggested. BOOM! Spot on. Then to really hone it in, I also slowed the fps to a slower setting (I don't recall the actual setting, but it was the lower of the two). Then as Meta4 had surmised, I also came to that same conclusion. My television isn't 4k capable, and I just bought a Dell Desktop to plug into the TV. I don't think either one will handle the 4k. I'm ok with that. I can live in a 2.7k world. Lol. Thanks again for everyone's help at resolving my issue. Oh yeah, also I made another rookie mistake, I had been flying with the foam Gimbal stabilizer on. I forget to remove it on all of the 3 flights I've made. In case you were wondering what a half-hour on hold waiting on tech support from DJI amounts to: "Please calibrate the Gimbal. If that don't work, bring it in. Sorry you had a problem. Good day". Thank God for all of you guys! [emoji6]

 

[Jim Roof]

I just bought a P4P+, and the quality of the video so far, is less than impressive. I was wondering if I needed to format the supplied 32GB micro SD card? Or perhaps you could recommend a micro card that would help eliminate the choppy, or pixelated videos. Thanks for any help.

WHAT are you looking at your video on? Are you viewing it on the controller or are you pulling the memory card out and reading the video on a system that is capable of displaying 4K video?

Here is what MIGHT be happening:

1. You are viewing your footage on your remote control screen. In this case, you are very likely NOT looking at the footage that your P4P+ actually took, but rather, looking at the transmitted stream that gets saved in a video cache whenever you shoot video. This video is lower resolution, lower bit rate and subject to glitches that will make it look like junk when compared to what was actually photographed.

2. You are looking at the actual 4K footage, but on a system that is choking on the amount of data that must be processed in order to view it, or you are looking at h265 footage without the benefit of having a good h265 codec installed.

I can tell you that the P4P+ is capable of producing astounding video quality in 4K. If not, then something is wrong and the odds are that the something wrong is a basic misunderstanding of the workflow involved in shooting and viewing 4K footage.

 

[davidnjill]

I pull the card out of the bird and watch the video through my PC. I am very unfamiliar with 4k. I'm new to photography all together. I believe you're right though. I think somewhere between the P4P and my pc, something is choked down. I'll have to look for the h265 codec. Thanks for the heads up Jim!

 

[Jim Roof]

I pull the card out of the bird and watch the video through my PC. I am very unfamiliar with 4k. I'm new to photography all together. I believe you're right though. I think somewhere between the P4P and my pc, something is choked down. I'll have to look for the h265 codec. Thanks for the heads up Jim!

h265 is fairly new as I understand it. It is a very high efficiency codec developed specifically for 4K. My P4P+ remote won't even play the h265 videos from the card when I insert it. And, if this is any indication, Adobe has yet to include support of it in either Premiere Pro or After Effects.

It may be a little while before h265 gets settled in.