P4P 4K60 Video Glitches Still Present

[GadgetGuy]

DJI Supervisor Lance confirmed with me today on the phone that the DJI engineers have determined that the 4K60 video glitches still remain, and are not fixed with any currently available FW update. Those reporting it has been fixed either never saw the real problem in the first place, or are not shooting continuous 4K60 video throughout the entire flight of 23 minutes. They are hoping to fix it in a future firmware update. Whether that is even possible remains to be seen. So, until this problem is truly fixed (it certainly isn't yet now!) by a FW update, the jury is still out on whether this is a hardware or a firmware issue. Basically, it is a hardware problem (some rare Black Swan P4P birds may not have it at all, or only 3 times in 23 minutes instead of 18-20 times in 23 minutes of continuous 4K60 video) that they are hoping to fix with FW, but have failed so far, which likely means it will require new cameras to fix properly. Bottom line, if you shoot 4K60, or even 4K30, and you don't have any video glitches, congratulations! You have a diamond in the rough! For those that have 4k60 video glitches, there is no current FW fix that will reduce or eliminate them. You will have to live with them, or not shoot in 4K. All new replacement cameras from DJI installed during a warranty repair still have the same problem. Sending your aircraft into DJI to fix these 4K60 video glitches is a fool's errand.

 

[shockwave199]

4k 30 too? I had heard 30fps doesn't have the problem.

 

[Raptorman0909]

Yeah, I suspect the on-board processing power is just not enough to handle the higher incoming data rate of 4K60 so unless they can really streamline the code I think 4K60 is something that will never be what it should be. Beyond that, the limit of 100Mbps for the saved video makes the quality of 4K60 versus 4K30 suspect.


Brian

 

[GadgetGuy]

4k 30 too? I had heard 30fps doesn't have the problem.

I tested 4K 30 just to see day before yesterday. Same glitch frequency as 4K 60. Keep in mind that everyone has been saying this has been fixed since 1.03.0509, which it hasn't, so there has been all sorts of misinformation being spread, including that the video glitches were only limited to 4K 60. I've also tested turning off video captions, which are now embedded into the actual video file, instead of being writen to a separate .SRT sidecar file, like on the P4 and P4P and Mavic. Unfortunately, turning them off didn't help, and prevents recording vital metadata that could be used to determine triggers for when the video glitches occur. The glitches are of two varieties. At 4K 60fps, 30 frame glitches are the worst. 4 frame glitches are more subtle and more frequent. Both start with the bottom 20-30% of the frame repeating the prior frame. Then the pixelation starts over the lower half of the frame on the succeding frames, until it resumes normal recording. The glitches happen roughly one a minute during a 23 minute continuous video. They start as early as the very first minute, and sometimes happen twice in the same minute, and sometimes not at all for a few minutes. However, upon closer inspection, longer intervals without a glitch usually contain a more subtle glitch of only 4 frames on the very bottom of the frame, where it may not be easily noticed, depending upon the scene.

 

[shockwave199]

Weird. The video is broken into 5 minute chunks for me so continuous is really more like not stopping recording but it is certainly breaking up files throughout. I've only recorded one 14 minute continuous flight so far and did not notice this issue and I notice this stuff. Some birds suffer more than others I guess. I'm not saying I'm immune but for me, so far so nothing- yet.

 

[KykPhantom]

DJI Supervisor Lance confirmed with me today on the phone that the DJI engineers have determined that the 4K60 video glitches still remain, and are not fixed with any currently available FW update. Those reporting it has been fixed either never saw the real problem in the first place, or are not shooting continuous 4K60 video throughout the entire flight of 23 minutes. They are hoping to fix it in a future firmware update. Whether that is even possible remains to be seen. So, until this problem is truly fixed (it certainly isn't yet now!) by a FW update, the jury is still out on whether this is a hardware or a firmware issue. Basically, it is a hardware problem (some rare Black Swan P4P birds may not have it at all, or only 3 times in 23 minutes instead of 18-20 times in 23 minutes of continuous 4K60 video) that they are hoping to fix with FW, but have failed so far, which likely means it will require new cameras to fix properly. Bottom line, if you shoot 4K60, or even 4K30, and you don't have any video glitches, congratulations! You have a diamond in the rough! For those that have 4k60 video glitches, there is no current FW fix that will reduce or eliminate them. You will have to live with them, or not shoot in 4K. All new replacement cameras from DJI installed during a warranty repair still have the same problem. Sending your aircraft into DJI to fix these 4K60 video glitches is a fool's errand.

Dear GadgetGuy, could you please upload a video which shows exactly the issue at 4k60fps? Please do not refer to other videos already presented in various threads and forums but just what you have recorded recently.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Weird. The video is broken into 5 minute chunks for me so continuous is really more like not stopping recording but it is certainly breaking up files throughout. I've only recorded one 14 minute continuous flight so far and did not notice this issue and I notice this stuff. Some birds suffer more than others I guess. I'm not saying I'm immune but for me, so far so nothing- yet.

Continous video only refers to the method of recording, and not how many files are generated by the recording.The longer the recording time, the more video glitches will be created, roughly one per minute of recording time on average. Indeed, there are apparently some Black Swan P4P's that may not exhibit the 4K60 video glitches (which is why it is clearly a hardware issue), or only the subtle 4 frame glitches, although the 11 different P4P cameras I have owned all do exhibit the 30 frame glitches and the 4 frame glitches across the bottom of the frame, purchased from Best Buy and B&H over the last 7 months. The new camera replacement by DJI two weeks ago has the worst glitches of all! The original camera avaraged 3 glitches in 23 minutes. The new camera has 18 glitches in 23 minutes. The closer I look at the video files, the more of the glitches I find. Using Premiere Pro CC 2017.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Dear GadgetGuy, could you please upload a video which shows exactly the issue at 4k60fps? Please do not refer to other videos already presented in various threads and forums but just what you have recorded recently.

To what end? The video glitches are already well documented. The fact that they continue to exist has been covered up. These are not the classic gimbal flip, nor just the single gimbal twitch you have reported yourself. They are bonifide glitches of corrupted, pixelated video frames (between 4 and 30 frames are partialy pixelated in the lower half of the frame) which follow a repeated frame from one frame earlier at 4K 60 and at 4K 30. They occur on average about 1 per minute over a 23 minute continous video recording.

The original files have been supplied to DJI engineering, and their analysis confirms they are reproducible and unfixable by any existing FW update, and they have no hardware they can replace existing hardware with to eliminate them. Replacing the camera with a new one from their newest stock does not fix the design flaw causing the problem: too much overhead at 4K 60 for the underpowered processor! They hope to have a FW update in the future to fix the problem, but it has already been 8 months! You can't fix hardware problems with firmware, other than by crippling the capability to prevent using the mode that triggers the design defect. The P5 will be out long before then, including a redesigned camera and redesigned gimbal truly capable of handling 4K 60 without any glitches.

 

[Shammyh]

Some screenshots or video samples would really help explain what's going on here... I for one haven't noticed any obvious issues with my 4K/30 video... So be curious to see what you guys are talking about here.

 

[GadgetGuy]

If you want examples, please see the DJI Forum.
P4 pro jerk frame

 

[Alxy]

The video is not longer available in YouTube. So could you may be upload an example yourself?

 

[Kingpin1965]

DJI Supervisor Lance confirmed with me today on the phone that the DJI engineers have determined that the 4K60 video glitches still remain, and are not fixed with any currently available FW update. Those reporting it has been fixed either never saw the real problem in the first place, or are not shooting continuous 4K60 video throughout the entire flight of 23 minutes. They are hoping to fix it in a future firmware update. Whether that is even possible remains to be seen. So, until this problem is truly fixed (it certainly isn't yet now!) by a FW update, the jury is still out on whether this is a hardware or a firmware issue. Basically, it is a hardware problem (some rare Black Swan P4P birds may not have it at all, or only 3 times in 23 minutes instead of 18-20 times in 23 minutes of continuous 4K60 video) that they are hoping to fix with FW, but have failed so far, which likely means it will require new cameras to fix properly. Bottom line, if you shoot 4K60, or even 4K30, and you don't have any video glitches, congratulations! You have a diamond in the rough! For those that have 4k60 video glitches, there is no current FW fix that will reduce or eliminate them. You will have to live with them, or not shoot in 4K. All new replacement cameras from DJI installed during a warranty repair still have the same problem. Sending your aircraft into DJI to fix these 4K60 video glitches is a fool's errand.

I guess I have a Phantom 4 Pro that is not broken. I have never seen the video glitch with my Phantom 4 Pro. I Purchased my Phantom 4 Pro from Amazon.com in December.

I have seen video examples of the glitch. But not every Phantom 4 Pro has this issue. I shoot in 4K 60 most of the time. And have hours of video, and not one glitch with my Phantom 4 Pro.

 

[John Locke]

I guess I have a Phantom 4 Pro that is not broken. I have never seen the video glitch with my Phantom 4 Pro. I Purchased my Phantom 4 Pro from Amazon.com in December.

I have seen video examples of the glitch. But not every Phantom 4 Pro has this issue. I shoot in 4K 60 most of the time. And have hours of video, and not one glitch with my Phantom 4 Pro.

This points very strongly to this 4k@60fps glitch problem being a hardware problem.

 

[GadgetGuy]

The video is not longer available in YouTube. So could you may be upload an example yourself?

"The" video? Read the entire 8 page thread, not just the first post. There are dozens of supplied examples.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I guess I have a Phantom 4 Pro that is not broken. I have never seen the video glitch with my Phantom 4 Pro. I Purchased my Phantom 4 Pro from Amazon.com in December.

I have seen video examples of the glitch. But not every Phantom 4 Pro has this issue. I shoot in 4K 60 most of the time. And have hours of video, and not one glitch with my Phantom 4 Pro.

Agreed. Want to trade? Rare "black swan" glitch free P4P's presumably exist based upon a few customer reports such as yours, but DJI has no way of providing one to replace a defective one, and no way to test for the camera being glitch free during replacement. Brand new cameras currently being installed during DJI repair all have the same problem. My P4P camera was replaced 2 weeks ago with a new camera, and it is 6x worse than the one I sent in for repair! "Don't worry. It will be fixed in the next FW release." Yeah, and Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are all real! I now have had 11 P4P cameras and all 11 have had the problem to some degree. It is a hardware problem, with some having the problem worse than others, and replacing the aircraft will not fix the problem, unless you win the lottery. This is also unfortunately not limited to early production units.

 

[GadgetGuy]

This points very strongly to this 4k@60fps glitch problem being a hardware problem.

Exactly. The very best of my 10 P4P's only had 3 video glitches per flight on FW 1.02. The rest even on 1.03 still had 15-20 per flight. When that one best camera was replaced during a gimbal repair with a random new camera, the glitches jumped up to 18 per flight on the upgraded FW 1.03.0509 which supposedly fixed the glitches! Downgrading the FW back to 1.02 made no change---still 18 gliches per flight. Similarly, a brand new P4P from B&H arrived two weeks ago with 1.02 and was upgraded to 1.03 and also has 18 glitches per flight. These P4P 4K 60 video glitches were first reported to DJI last year, 8 months ago! To date, nothing has changed! Any fixes will likely be incorporated into the P5 camera, but DJI won't be replacing all P4P cameras under a recall to fix this issue. That's not their style!

 

[John Locke]

This is also unfortunately not limited to early production units.

Oh great. I just shipped my P4P to DJI to fix the infamous "gimbal squeal". I expect them to replace the craft, like they have the habit of doing. You would think they could figure this thing out and develop a validation test for each camera, assuming the problem is in the camera. Other camera vendors shipping 1" sensors don't have this issue with the same Sony sensor. You'd think this is a priority, to meet their advertised spec.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Oh great. I just shipped my P4P to DJI to fix the infamous "gimbal squeal". I expect them to replace the craft, like they have the habit of doing. You would think they could figure this thing out and develop a validation test for each camera, assuming the problem is in the camera. Other camera vendors shipping 1" sensors don't have this issue with the same Sony sensor. You'd think this is a priority, to meet their advertised spec.

I suspect the camera validation test they have developed has established that every P4P camera they have tested has this problem! Hence, their statement that they are "working on a FW fix", since no hardware fixes exist! After 8 months of sales, the 4K 60 video glitches are not having any noticeable impact upon sales, so advertising specs schmecks! Remember the 4.3 mile range spec of the P4? The 27 minute battery life spec? I suspect less than 1/100 or 1/1,000 of the P4P's are video glitch free. DJI hasn't found one yet, but they do exist in the wild, according to Big Foot hunters!

 

[John Locke]

I just posted the question in the Inspire Pilots forum, asking if the X4S can record 4K@60FPS, cleanly. It has the same 1" sensor, so I would assume they have the same glitch problem, no?

 

[GadgetGuy]

I just posted the question in the Inspire Pilots forum, asking if the X4S can record 4K@60FPS, cleanly. It has the same 1" sensor, so I would assume they have the same glitch problem, no?

Frankly, it's not the wonderful 1" sensor, but the processor that is underpowered for continuous 4K 60 video at 100mbs. At least that is my working theory. It basically burps a glitch periodically, and then resets itself, until it burps again. Eager to hear what they have to say. If no issues, DJI needs to use the X4S on the P4P. The P4P gimbal with all the gimbal flip issues also appears to be not as robust as the P4 gimbal for its camera.