SOLVED: How to create DJI Go 4 movies with original HD video files

[KeithLa]

OP note, 7/31: I figured this out today, see my subsequent post below. Here's the original question:

I've been getting the hang of creating decent Free Form and AutoEdit movies with DJI Go 4. But these are created by default using 720p clips in my Android device video cache.

Is there any way to create movies in DJI Go 4 using the original 1080p HD or 4K files recorded on the Mavic SD card? In the editor there's an "HD' button at the top of the screen, but it's reporting an error message even with the app connected to the Mavic via the remote controller. And so far, I haven't found any way to download original videos into DJI Go 4 from a connected Mavic.

 

[Kilrah]

You can download the source footage while connected but not if shot 4K or high frame rate 1080p, max is 1080p30.

 

[KeithLa]

Ah, thank you Kilrah, that seems like part of my mystery here, my 1080p footage is 60fps (though I'm not sure why I set it that way).

Do you happen to know, is this a transmission limitation, or is the DJI Go 4 Editor just unable to edit 1080p 60fps source material? In other words, if I manually imported 60fps source files into the DJI Go 4 Editor "Album" page, can those be used to create movies? (I'll give this a try, as well.)

Moreover, I'm not clear where DJI Go Editor finds the video content it displays on its Album page. I suspect it auto-imports DJI_Record cache folders on the mobile device (local and SD), but I'm not sure what it does with manually imported files, e.g. are they physically copied, or just linked?

Has DJI published user documentation for the DJI Go 4 Editor? I've searched but found none.

 

[Kilrah]

What you see in the album is the video cache. There is no way to import stuff manually other than from the aircraft (when you do so it downloads the files but also generates metadata / indexes / populates databases about the content, which would not be present if you maunally put files so it won't see them).

The limitation is likely becasue transfer times from aircraft would be even more ridiculously long with the larger files generated by 1080p60 and 4K.

GO4 editor is really a basic thing not intended for more than social media sharing by people who don't care about quality. I always avoid spending time on these consumer programs becasue it's obvious I'll have lost it when it soon enough shows its limitation.

 

[KeithLa]

Ok, well that's probably my own situation at this point, outgrowing DJI GO's capabilities.

I guess my next move should be finding a good mobile app for video editing, in the same vein but a bit more versatile. I don't want to make pro level stuff, just short sequences with music backgrounds, but ideally in the source video quality.

 

[KeithLa]

Hey, I figured out how to do this. It *is* possible to quickly import 1080p source files from the Mavic SD into DJIGo4 via USB, vs. slow wireless connection to the Mavic.

The key step is copying 1080p source files (MP4, in my case) from the Mavic SD card to my local Android device DCIM folder. DJIGo4 Editor's import feature (upper left arrow icon in the Album) will see those MP4 files and let them be selected for import into the DJIGo4 Album. Happily, it doesn't recopy the video files, it just creates metadata (not sure where) linking to the those MP4 files, so they appear in the DJIGo4 Album, and are available in Create Movie Free Form or Create Movie AutoEdit.

I use an OTG cable with SD card reader to copy the source files from the Mavic SD into the DCIM folder on my Android phone, but there are probably other methods. I actually find it easier to use a PC to select which MP4 files to copy.

The first free form movie I created using 1080p source files turned out nicely. Unlike movies I created from the 720p cache videos, I've had no audio dropouts, audio/video stays in synch for precise scene transitions, and final output looks to be 1080p. Haven't tried yet with 4K, that would be interesting to see working, too.

Only downside is losing recorded audio captured in 720p cache videos. And unfortunately, it doesn't seem possible to regenerate ("complete") a movie created with the 720p video cache files by copying over the 1080p originals.

I'm particularly happy to discover this, since having tried a bunch of Android video editors, free and premium, I still prefer DJIGo4's free form movie editor, surprisingly. It has the best music library I've found, and a fast, decent transitions, and an efficient editing user interface. Biggest drawback is lack of audio and video fades.

 

[relemtonaushim]

Great Information having a problem with it. but I think you solve it thanks man! Keep up the Great work.

 

[Nakita Mosquita]

Also...because I like the DJI editor for ease of editing, but wanting to use the original footage which I download to my Macbook...here is what works.
From the DJI editor, choose import videos from local library (which I have previously airdropped from my Macbook to my iphone library). Then...the DJI app is working with whatever the original footage was shot in. Although there is a step or so introduced, it is easier than removing and working from the sd card.

 

[KeithLa]

From the DJI editor, choose import videos from local library (which I have previously airdropped from my Macbook to my iphone library).View attachment 63458

Thanks Nakita, I'm not sure if there's a service like AirDrop to transfer videos from a Mac or PC to an Android device, but will explore that further.

 

[Mike4884]

Well just found out something cool with 2018 iPad A10 9.6 in model I couldn’t do with my galaxy s9+ .. I recorded a few 4K 30fps vids and was able to download them to iPad! Pretty cool I can’t do that with android just 1080p