#In this page, we will explain the firmware upgrade for the HD Hero (not needed for the 960). As you'll see below it is definately worth installing even if you won't be using the new features.  You should always download the latest GoPro free firmware for the camera since they usually contain bug fixes or make the camera run more efficiently.

How do you know what version you firmware you have on the camera?  To tell what firmware you have, take a picture, then look at the exif meta data for that picture and you will see the firmware listed. It will look something like this: OH01.01.01.46.  In the various programs, the version number goes by many names.  In Bridge it's 'application', in Thumbsplus it's 'camera version' and in EXIF Pilot it's called 'creation software'.  If you don't have a graphics program that will display exif data (adobe bridge, thumbsplus, exif pilot, etc), and you don't want to download a free program (EXIF pilot), you can change the extension on a gopro jpg to .txt and open it up in notebook on a pc, wait a few minutes for it to load and near the top should be version number. 

Go to GoPro's support page for exact information on installing the firmware, downloading the camera firmware file and helpful videos:   www.gopro.com/support

THE NEW LCD BACPAC REQUIRES A NEWER FIRMWARE UPGRADE than you may already have if you previously downloaded a firmware upgrade - Feb 1st, 2011 or later.

NOTE:  Copy the firmware zip file from the GoPro website to your computer, and extract out the firmware file inside the zip file and put it on the camera's SD Card at the main directory (don't put in subdirectories in card).  Do not put the zip file itself on the SD Card.    Do not have the camera connected to the computer when doing the actual firmware upgrade.  You can also do a fresh format on the card before copying the firmware file.   Then follow the instructions in the link above.

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            Overview video of the firmware upgrade and new menu system

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#OVERVIEW of the HD Hero firmware
this page updated 2/11/11

#Cheatsheet:

We have created a cheat sheet - rtf, pdf for the new menu settings.  Feel free to download keep with the camera.    Cheat sheet for 960.

            

#BUG FIXES:

9999 time-lapse bug:  no longer creates multiple folders when you go over 9999. 

Still Image low light:  There was a bug when the light level would go down with time-lapse, the exposure would jump making the exposure suddenly change.

Indoor Color balance:  No longer goes really yellow indoors.  Very good auto color balancing now.

File number:  You now get continuous file numbering, no matter if you erase the card or take out the battery.  No more duplicate numbers at same event!

Clock no longer resets when the battery is removed.

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#New features added:

ONE BUTTON MODE:  This cool new feature allows you to turn the camera on and instantly start recording video (or time-lapse).  To stop recording simply press the power button.  Camera stays in this mode until you turn it off.

LIVE VIDEO FEED OUT:  When this is off, you can view playback of files when you plug in either the HD plug or SD video plug.  When this is on, you can now view live video out WITH AUDIO!  Note:  SD bottom plug is ALWAYS 4:3 aspect ratio and ads black lines at top and bottom when a mode is 16:9.  the HD plug varies depending upon the camera mode you are in.  NOTE: If you want to play back files on you camera to watch on a tv, you must turn this feature back off.  When the camera is recording, HD PLUG DEGRADES TO SD.

ON SCREEN DISPLAY: Related to the above. When the above is turn on, this controls whether you see the on-screen icons in the video out. Icons such as recording mode, flashing red light, recording time indicator and battery level.  Turn this feature off if you want a clean video out image.

NTSC / PAL TV SYSTEM:  This is not a new setting but is enhanced.  Now when you change the mode, it not only changes the frame rate on video out, it ALSO changes the recording frame rate on the SD Card.  NTSC: 30 or 60fps, PAL: 25 or 50fps. 

DATE / CLOCK:  This is also an enhanced setting. Before when the battery was removed, you lost your clock settings.  Now that doesn't happen.

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#The revised menu system in it's entirety (red means new with firmware):

ONE BUTTON MODE:  This has different behavior than other settings, in fact it's not even a setting, it's a new camera mode!  when you turn the this mode on, you no longer have access to anything else on the camera.  Here's how it works:

• Turn on this mode:  change from onF to onO by pressing the shutter button. 
• Turn the camera off.  It is now in One Button Mode.  When you now (and forever) turn the camera on, it will INSTANTLY start recording.  Note: If you have your camera set to start in any one of these mode: time-lapse, stills, triple shot, then the camera will start in time-lapse mode when you use the One Button Mode.  Otherwise it will start in video mode.
• To stop recording, turn off the camera.

       To get out of One Button Mode: 

• Turn on camera, it will begin recording.  Press and hold shutter button for 3 seconds, SEt will appear,
• press shutter button again to get into the One Button Mode setting, press shutter button a third time to turn onO to onF. One Button Mode is now off.

START UP MODE : This tells the camera what mode you want to start the camera in when you turn it on.

• Go into SEttings, press front button twice to get to the second menu item
• F means video (film), P means pictures (stills), 3 means triple shot, PE5 means time-lapse

VIDEO RESOLUTION (note: you cannot change stills resolution).  video resolutions listed on back of camera: 

• Go into SEttings, press front button three times to get to the third menu item
• r1 = wvga (wide dvd), r2 = 720p-30fps,  r3=720p-60fps,  r4=960-30fps,   r5=1080p=30fps

EXPOSURE METERING:  This tells the camera how you want to expose your scene.

• Go into SEttings, press front button four times to get to the forth menu item
• Cnt=center metering. You want this 90% of the time,  SPt=spot metering.  Only use this if your subject is in front of a bright or dark background AND your subject is directly centered in the frame.  If you subject moves around from the center the exposure will vary.

ORIENTATION: This tells the camera if you want to shoot the camera upright or upside down.   Note:  If you editing software supports orientation, you can simply rotate in editing.  Also note that when this mode is turned on, ALL ICON BLINK making you think something is wrong with the camera.  There is no other visual indicator telling you that you're in upside down mode.

• Go into SEttings, press front button five times to get to the fifth menu item
• UP=normal mode,   UPd=Upside down mode.  All icons blink when in this mode!

LIVE VIDEO FEED OUT:  Turns on or off the live video feed.

• Go into SEttings, press front button six times to get to the sixth menu item
• LFF=live video off,  LFO means live video on.  No playback mode when this is on.

ON SCREEN DISPLAY: Related to the above. When the above is turn on, this controls whether you see the on-screen icons in the video out. 

• Go into SEttings, press front button seven times to get to the seventh menu item
• oSO=On screen icon display is on,  OSF=On screen icon display is off (no icons in video output)

TIME-LAPSE SETTINGS: Settings for the interval between still images

• Go into SEttings, press front button eight times to get to the eigth menu item
• P1=1 picture every 1 second, P2=1 still picture every 2 seconds,  P5=every 5 seconds, P10=every 10 seconds, P30=every30 seconds, P60=every 60 seconds

BLINKING LED: Setting to turn the LED on or off

• Go into SEttings, press front button nine times to get to the ninth menu item
• bLO=blinking on, bLF=blinking off

BEEPING SOUND: Setting to turn the beeping on or off

• Go into SEttings, press front button nine times to get to the ninth menu item
• bPO=beeping on, bPF =beeping off

NTSC/PAL TV STANDARDS:  This changes the frame rate for different countries.  USA is NTSC (30/60).  Europe is PAL(25/50).  When changing the setting the camera will SHUT IT SELF DOWN and automatically restart to configure the new frame rates.

• Go into SEttings, press front button ten times to get to the tenth menu item
• nSC=NTSC American standard , PAL =PAL European TV standard.

DELETE LAST FILE: Choosing this deletes the last file on the SD Card.  File can be a video or still.  Use caution because when you are in playback mode on the camera what you think is the last file may not be because you can only watch videos OR you can watch stills, but you cannon scroll through and watch the two types at the same viewing.

• Go into SEttings, press front button eleven times to get to the eleventh menu item
• LSt is your only option.  Press shutter once, then a second time to confirm deletion

DELETE ALL FILES:  This deletes all files on your card by doing a quick format.

• Go into SEttings, press front button twelve times to get to the twelfth menu item
• ALL is your only option. Press shutter once, then a second time to confirm deletion

STANDBY SHUTOFF: This tells the camera whether it should shut off when it is dormant (inactive).

• Go into SEttings, press front button thirteen times to get to the thirteenth menu item
• OFF=Do not turn camera off when dormant.  Use if you are using the video out signal (like a webcam). Otherwise, this is not recommended because it will run down your battery.
• 60=turn off camera after 60 seconds of inactivity, 120=turn off camera after 120 seconds, 300=turn off after 300 seconds

LCD SCREEN SHUTOFF:   This tell the optional LCD screen if it should automatically shutoff after 60 seconds or stay on

• LCF:  Never shut off
• LCO: Shutoff after 60 seconds.  Pressing any button on the camera turns the LCD screen back on.

DATE/CLOCK: This changes the built-in camera clock/date.  With firmware update the clock settings remain when battery is removed. When you get into this setting, the BUTTONS REVERSE roles.

• Go into SEttings, press front button forteen times to get to the forteenth menu item
• Y09-Y30=year,   01-12=month,  d01-d31=day, H00-H23=military time, 00-59.1.1=minutes

ESC: Escapes out of the menu system.