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This page was written a few years ago
Some information needs to be updated, we will do it soon.
Please accept our apologies for not having up-to-date information about this topic.
Nevertheless, we keep offering repair services for this type of damaged footage — with same level of quality as ever — and we will continue to do so in the future.
Feel free to tell us about the content you would like to see in the revised page, using the feedback widget at the end of the page.
Vendor: GoPro
Models (Legacy): HD HERO, HD HERO2, HERO3, HERO4 (Black and Silver Editions) and HERO4 Session cameras.
Status: Routinely repaired.
GoPro HERO is a "wearable camera" that can easily be mounted on helmets, vehicles and be operated while doing your favorite extreme sport.
Despite GoPro models are continuously being improved, previous models are still being repaired by our service.
The GoPro camera creates
Failure modes:
The causes of failure reported by GoPro HERO users with damaged files are:
- Camera locking up (First versions of firmware with Protune freeze very often)
- SoS error message on GoPro LCD
Battery dead during recording- Battery popped out due to intense vibrations during recording (Using adhesive tape can avoid battery from dislodging)
- Card ejected (due to impact) or manually removed during shoot
- Destruction of camera during recording (crash, collision, hard landing, blow, shock, dropped, fell, broken mount)
- Camera submerged causing water damage (camera partially or fully flooded, high pressure during underwater shoot)
- Accidentally deleted original files from card, or formatted card (this causes LRV and HD video being merged, needing a special approach to split them. See our Kayak post for further details)
- "The file is not a movie file" error message when opening the video on a computer
- Unit froze before or after finished recording
- Malfunction while transferring files from the SD card
- Camera turned off while recording
- Use of counterfeit SDHC card
- Bad connection between card and camera
- Extreme temperatures