GoPro MAX2 Labs Firmware

[dnewman-gpsw]

Official Labs firmware is still a few days away. The Quality Assurance team is testing for any regressions in the base camera functionality. When QA is done, Labs firmware will be posted in the usual place.

However you can get access to a pre-release, just like the embargoed reviewers and external testers.
Temporal link: <removed - official release now live>

Much of MAX2 Labs feature are similar to HERO13, with a few exceptions. Here is some bonus Labs features on MAX2:

Added IFRM=1 for I-frame only encoding. Likely the first action camera with an all I-frame encoding option in HEVC. Recommend to run at least 180Mb/s using BITR. Still very experimental.
Added LOWL=1 for a low light mode, technically it is the same a GCMP=1, but easier to remember. All this does is bias the camera to use a longer shutter when shooting video.
Added preset friendly B001 to B999 for bitrate control e.g. B180 in a preset name will be 180mbs
Added preset friendly NR01 to NR99 for noise reduction percentage e.g. NR25 in a preset name will be 25% noise reduction
Added mVMxy <- Max2 video 360 select, supporting F/R - front/rear, and S/L - standard/Log
Added mVHxy <- Max2 video HERO select, supporting F/R - front/rear, and S/L - standard/Log
Added DPTS=x (1-15) depth change smoother, 1 - fast, 15 - smooth. 360 experimental.
Added DPTP=x (1-7) depth change speed, 1 - slow, 7 - fast (like DPTS with a different implementation). 360 experimental.
Added DPTL=x depth lock stitch after x seconds, 1 - immediate, 2-99 - seconds, 100-99999 - milliseconds. 360 experimental.
Added GAMA=2.2 for HDRI work, gamma equivalent of LOGB.
Added ALLI=1 for optionally ALL Integer frame rates: 24.0, 25.0, 30.0, 50.0, 60.0, 90.0, 100.0
Improved EXPQ to be more precise (now used for HDRI imaging in MAX2)
Improved 64BT=1, now defaults to a 64GB chapter, but *64BT=64000 still works.
Fixes for repeating triggers like speed and IMU

For those want of play with dual fisheye, and confirm the True 8K claim and use the resolution calculator: https://gopro.github.io/labs/360res/
The command for enabling this mode is mVMr8Dd8. This is not recommend for any post workflow, just useful to look under the hood of MAX2.

[shagadeli]

This is impressive development, specially the ALL-I.
I'm performing a deep comparison with DJI and want both to be on their best.

[dnewman-gpsw]

ALLI and IFRM are deferent features, so I'm not sure your ALL-I is which one. Yes there is a lot happening. ;)

[RikshaDriver]

I'm not quite following how GAMMA=2.2 corresponds to HDR work. Did you mean SDR?

Does GAMMA replace the LOGB pipeline in this instance?

And what are the parameter ranges?

[dnewman-gpsw]

GAMA not GAMMA, as all commands are four character codes. When I started computing HDRIs (real HDR), with 9 exposure from -8 EV to +EV, for 24+ stop dynamic images, it was easier to use 2.2 Gamma. The gamma is for JPG encoding, that is used to compute the HDRI, linear is bad in 8-bit. I might be update to get LOGB to work for HDRIs, but GAMA is working now. I will be post QR Code and post processing script shortly.

[RikshaDriver]

Ah HDRI images... I was thinking of a video feature.

[ryevisuals]

any word on if the max 2 will eventually support HLG hdr video? It's at least recognized by resolve's color management

[dnewman-gpsw]

No HLG on MAX2. GPLog could be recognized by NLEs, some third party color management tools do already. Request if from you NLE vendor.

[shagadeli]

Could someone test EXPN? I use 1/120 as minimum to avoid blur and stiching artfacts, however when setting expn to 120, the camera behaves as expx, limiting the max shutter speed and overexposure.

Just wanted to check if its a bug or a mistake on my end.

[dnewman-gpsw]

It is working correctly, you just have them swapped

EXPX: Max Shutter speed (shortest exposure time), 1/x format. EXPX is a good control to set the look for stabilization in lower light. Input Data: 24 to 8000, representing 1/24 and 1/8000s, 0 to disable. e.g. $EXPX=120
EXPN: Min Shutter speed (longest exposure time), 1/x format. EXPN is a good to ensure you have motion blur, you may need ND filters. Input Data: 24 to 8000, representing 1/24 and 1/8000s, 0 to disable. e.g. $EXPN=240

You want to use EXPX.

[shagadeli]

That makes sense, I've it permanent on my original MAX and 11, somehow got the min and max the other way around. Thanks!

[devnulluk]

I'm planning to use my MAX2 for adding to Streetview (Mapillary and Kartaview), I've previously been using a Fusion with 1 second photo timelapse and see that's not an option for the MAX2.

I feel IFRM will be a godsend to getting good individual frames out of the camera for this purpose.

Excited to give it a go.

[Matsemann]

Agreed. Timewarp on MAX1 had some heavy compression noticeable when extracting still frames (too different frames I guess), and timelapse pictures both too slow and not horizon adjusted (I guess it assumes a more stationary setup). But timewarp + IFRM and a high bitrate could give some nice control. Especially paired with DIST, wihch captures every X meters.

However, the DIST description is a bit confusing and missing a few words, @dnewman-gpsw .

For shorter distances or a higher speed, you the new TLV sample rate for 4Hz (p4), for the best distance precision. e.g. mTr5Xp4$DIST=5

What does it mean?

I already have some custom tooling for my MAX1 ( https://github.com/Matsemann/matsemanns-streetview-tools/ ), that takes a video, extract the frames every X meters, applies a nadir etc and stitches back to a single video. And uses an external gpx source since the MAX1 is a bit noisy. Looking forward to simplify this a lot with MAX2!

[devnulluk]

Your streetview tools looks great and would help me a lot, thanks for making it public and sharing the link here.

I'm learning how fickle google can be, I've already had to tidy and smooth GPX files and using EXIFtool to fix the metadata from the camera to match the GPX timestamps (and being a Fusion, the two views need stitching as well), the nice thing though with the Fusion is it'll do 1 second time lapse as photos, which can then be made into a video.

I'm trying to add some of the local public footpaths/trails near my office. A challenge to get me out and exercising during my lunch hour.

[dnewman-gpsw]

Official Labs firmware for MAX2 is now available

[dnewman-gpsw]

Yes, scan that and then press record, the file will be dual fish eye. When you scan, it will say "Dual Fisheye Enabled" for a second. This mode only works in 8K video 8-bit. BITR control is less accurate in I-frame mode, but is effecting the bitrate in my tests. I-frame mode is more sensitive to the scene, low information scene will be lower bitrate. When I set $BITR=200$IFRM=1$NR01=1 is low light, I got 300mbs. Very experimental.

[silverqsy]

I see, that make sense. I was using 10bit. So is this a hard limitation that we cannot have dualfisheye AND 10bit at the same time? Or is it something possible in future firmware update? it matters a lot for my potential VR180 mod...

[dnewman-gpsw]

The dual fisheye more was only to show up competition, that MAX2 is natively video high resolution. ;) Processing 33% pixels (many black) is not efficient, so not 10-bit.

[silverqsy]

Totally agree, I like what gopro is doing with the cubemap projection, and in my resolution/detail test at that projection it blows competitors out of the water, even those costs many times more.

but the thing is when modded into VR180, without gopro's software support, It's very hard to convert non-fisheye footage into SBS 3D VR180. That's the only reason I wound want dual-fisheye AND 10bit AND high bitrate.
Btw, Kandao, The manufacture of QooCam 3 Ultra actually is kind enough to provide official software support for my VR180 mod, which greatly contribute to the fact that Q3U VR180 mod becomming the go-to option for entry-level VR180 cameras. I know this might be too much to ask but it would be amazing to have similar software support from you guys. With that I won't be needing dualfisheye output at all. I've already made some progress on the hardware mod part, 2 sensors can be seperated easily and I'm only waiting for extension/longer sensor cables to make the whole thing work.

Anyway, sorry for derailing the topic a little bit. if you are interested in my VR180 mod project, feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected] to continue the conversation, thank you so much for your replies and have a great day!

[dnewman-gpsw]

It should technically be easier to convert EAC to SBS 3D, as the EAC is normalized, where every fisheye lens has different distortions. You can even convert EAC back to an idealized dual fisheye. This is really not reason to use dual fisheye beyond education value. If you can implement using 10-bit EAC then Labs is the place to add support, just like Labs did for the naked-GoPro FPV community.

[nandodiver]

@dnewman-gpsw if you create a dive mode for 360underwater (removing all the lens distortion) i will get one Max 2

great work...

ps: also we need underwater case for the Max 2
pps: in the single lens mode might be better than the gopro 13

[dnewman-gpsw]

With a bubble style dive case for 360, you don't need a custom DIVE mode, and you don't have front glass to water creating distort. This is why the many half dome dive housings for HERO Black camera also don't need to use Labs DIVE mode.

[ryevisuals]

link broken

[dnewman-gpsw]

Fixed