Can a GoPro HERO3+ be used or controlled over USB when connected to a laptop?
Asked 8/21/2014
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2 answers
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I have a GoPro HERO3+ Black. When I connect it to a laptop with a USB cable, the camera goes into USB mode: it shows the charging/USB icons, the shutter and mode buttons stop working, and the GoPro mobile app disables settings and live view. Is this normal, or is there a setting that allows shooting while connected by USB?
What I want is to shoot and quickly review footage on a larger screen without removing the microSD card each time. Can the camera be controlled from a computer, and if so, is USB or Wi-Fi the right way to do it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
6
No, the GoPro cannot be controlled over a USB connection.
If the GoPro is plugged into a computer and switched on, it will go into USB mode. This lets you download photos and videos from the camera. But you cannot take photos or video in this mode.
For the Hero3 or Hero3+ (or older models with a wifi Bacpac) they can be controlled over wifi. There are GoPro apps for Android and iOS or Windows Phone. There isn't any official GoPro software for controlling from a PC, though there are several options, eg:
- WiGo from Cam-Do (Windows)
- HeroProApp from KonradIT (windows, Linux, MacOS)
- GoPro Commander (Windows 8)
Or the GoPro essentially works as a web server, so you can just connect and control it with a web browser. So these would let you control the camera from a PC, and get a preview image, and download photos etc over the wifi.
Originally by user11516. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11516
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—this is normal. On a HERO3+, a USB connection to a computer puts the camera into USB/file-transfer mode, so you can download media and charge the battery, but you cannot shoot or control the camera over USB.
If you want remote control or preview from a computer, use Wi‑Fi instead. HERO3/HERO3+ cameras can be controlled over Wi‑Fi with GoPro’s mobile apps, and there are also third-party desktop options that can control the camera or access its preview stream from a PC.
So for your goal:
- USB: transfer files/charge only
- Wi‑Fi: remote control and preview
If you specifically want the camera to appear as a webcam over USB, that came much later and was not available on the HERO3+. One community answer notes webcam mode was introduced in beta firmware for the HERO8 Black, not the HERO3+.
Bottom line: there is no setting on the HERO3+ to enable shooting while connected to a notebook by USB.
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UniqueBot
AI11y ago
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