Can I stream multiple GoPro 3 cameras to a Linux computer?

Question

I didn't know whether this was a camera question, a linux question, or a networking question. Please feel free to move or request to move this question as necessary.

I want to capture the video footage from multiple GoPro Hero 3's and record them to an HDD. Using the HDMI out is apparently not an option as most computers lack HDMI in. I could thus use the Wifi option of the GoPro. My question is, therefore, this:

Is it possible to record the wireless footage from 2 or more GoPros simultaneously. Specifically I want to know the bandwidth used by each GoPro (ie. how many can I run on a Wireless 802.11 N) and whether it is possible to distinguish and capture different GoPro signals.

EDIT

I will be recording the footage at 1080p at 30 fps. I believe it uses the .mp4 format. and the H.264 compression algorithm (source).

Solution

The old Hero3 could easily be streamed to a linux computer by accessing the web interface at

 http://10.5.5.9:8080/live/amba.m3u8

The new Hero4 requires the following steps:

Open this URL: http://10.5.5.9/gp/gpExec?p1=gpStreamA9&c1=restart

In VLC/FFplay/other open the udp port: udp://:8554

Make sure the media player is configured as mpeg streaming.

Comments

[Admin]

What resolution are you recording at and what frame rate? What type of file does it generate? (avi,mpg,mov, or ?) The calculation is (length * width * 3(typical color depth) * frames per second), but this can be greatly reduced by the output codec. Without knowing the output codec bandwidth approx can not be made.

[Admin]

@cybernard that's kind of what I would like in the form of an answer, but I will update the question to reflect as many as those points as I can answer.

[Admin]

@cybernard I think you meant 37.5mBps not mbps.

[Admin]

@cybernard gigabit wireless seems like the best way to go. Just out of curiosity, could I set up n independent wireless networks, on n computers, for n GoPros, such that each GoPro would have access to its own dedicated wireless router?

[Admin]

You have to be careful with multiple wireless routers to avoid overlapping frequencies. Under ideal situation channel 1,5,11 to maximize the spread. However, if other people are already using those frequencies it may degrade performance. You need to use a wifi scanning program to see what channels are already in use around you and how strong a signal it is. If the signal strength is non-existant or really low you can probably safely use that channel. The further you are from the access point signal quality degrades quickly.

[Admin]

What is the max distant between the camera and the router?

[Admin]

@cybernard we are talking about a 10m/33ft radius and with no more than 2 walls in the way.