How to convert 4k footage to use with DJI Go App/Android

[paazel]

Hey all. Recently got a Mavic Pro, and recorded in 4k/30 (edit: incorrectly thought it was 4k/60). Unfortunately Android app can only use the 720p cached video to edit. Can I transcode this footage on my PC and transfer it back to the smartphone to edit with DJI app? What software can I use? Handbrake doesn't work as I suspect it can't decode the DJI codec.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[motard]

Hi, you are a bit confused. DJI Mavic pro don't record 4k 60fps. Why don't you take the card on Mavic and edit in PC? What you have in cell or tab is just cache in HD.

 

[Kilrah]

It is not possible to feed the GO app other stuff than what it's designed to handle.
Use a proper editing app...

 

[paazel]

Hi, you are a bit confused. DJI Mavic pro don't record 4k 60fps. Why don't you take the card on Mavic and edit in PC? What you have in cell or tab is just cache in HD.

Apologies 4k/30

 

[paazel]

It is not possible to feed the GO app other stuff than what it's designed to handle.
Use a proper editing app...

Even if say, I transfer it back to an iPad?

 

[Kilrah]

Yeah, the app won't even see it's there since it won't have added it to its database.
And the editor is not meant for handling 4K in the first place.

 

[KeithLa]

I have imported 2.7k Mavic video files into DjiGo4 and created free form movies with them in its editor. The resulting quality is much better, not just higher resolution but also no audio glitches and A/V sync problems.

Not sure if 4k will work the same but give it a try.

Here's an example:

 

[paazel]

I have imported 2.7k Mavic video files into DjiGo4 and created free form movies with them in its editor. The resulting quality is much better, not just higher resolution but also no audio glitches and A/V sync problems.

Not sure if 4k will work the same but give it a try.

Here's an example:

HOW?? Also your video doesn't seem to be working...

 

[KeithLa]

Sorry about the broken link, try it now. (I had taken it private because I recrafted that particular video on DaVinci Resolve to do better color grading and add some Dynamic Zooms.)

As for how to import videos into DJI Go 4 Editor, go to the Album page and click the import icon in the upper left corner, which looks like a rectangle with an arrow. It will give you options for where locate photos and videos on your mobile device.

As a preliminary step, outside of DJI Go, I copy the source video files I need from the Mavic SD card into the DCIM/Camera folder on my Android phone, so they'll be available to select in the list of videos visible for the DJI Go Editor to import.

There are various methods for copying external video files to an Android device. I use an OTG USB cable with a microSD card reader. Another method would be to copy them from the Mavic SD card to a PC, and then down to the Android device via USB, or a cloud drive.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure how this process would go on iOS, not sure what you use.

Now, with all that said, since my earlier post above I've gotten skilled enough with DaVinci Resolve on my Mac that I am getting marginally better results from that than DJI Go. It is a steep learning curve though.

 

[paazel]

I'm attempting to use Android actually! However I recorded the files as 4K .mov files. Should I try to convert them to 2.7k MP4 in Android first?

Also anyone know how do I remove the 720p videos on the phone? Empty cache somehow?

 

[KeithLa]

Good question, my Mavic files are in MP4 container, but I suspect MOV will still play on Android, and import into DJI Go 4. Give it a shot.

As for deleting the 720p mobile video cache files, you will find a "Clear Video Cache" option in DJI Go 4 app settings (gear icon, upper right on the Me page). That said, I don't bother to use that, because in the Equipment page ("Enter Device"), General Settings, there are settings for Auto Video Cache Cleanup, and Largest Video Cache Capacity, and also a button there to Clear Video Cache. In other words, I just let DJI Go automatically purge older cache videos as it keeps recording. My cache is set to 12GB, on my external SD card.

 

[paazel]

Thanks KeithLa! Will try some of these settings and report back. I know eventually I'll get an iPad or iPad mini to fly with....

 

[KeithLa]

As far as I can tell, I've hit no Android specific limitations with DJI Go 4. My main suffering with that app is audio/video glitches in the final rendered videos when created from the 720p cache files. Very frustrating, since the app otherwise is an easy and fast way to make edited movies with background music.

By way of example, here's a movie I just made from 720p mobile cache clips. Streams smoothly in the app and on DJI Skypixel, but the same video glitches streaming from YouTube.

Makena State Park, Maui | SkyPixel.com

 

[paazel]

SO DOPE!!!!