I’m looking for a solution to back up GoPro SD cards & Camera’s without having to take the laptop with me. I want to be able to insert the SD card and it copies the data to a HDD.

I have thought about using a Pi with a card reader and HDD, with a script that runs automatically, copying over the data.

I was wondering if anyone had a more elegant solution or if there is anything on the market that already does this that doesn’t cost the earth?

More cards is the cheap solution, how much are you filming between backup? Batteries are a bigger problem than cards for me

Put the card in your phone and connect the HD via USB OTG?

…I’ve just checked, and that would certainly work on my phone

I used to have a really ghetto 2.5″ HDD enclosure that had a CF slot for back in the days when a 4GB CF card was huge and expensive. Daily dump of the CF card to the disk when travelling meant I had a backup of the photos that stayed safe in the hotel room, and I always had space.

https://www.wdc.com/products/portable-storage/my-passport-wireless.html looks like a modern alternative. Throw more money at the solution and you can find photographer-specific models with displays and HDMI output for reviewing images too.

(though the pi + usb hdd + scripts would be an interesting hack, and you could also run something like a preview app on the rpi so you can plug it into a TV to review the footage)

more cards

go-pro app to phone.

swap SD card when its full. they can take a massive amount of abuse.

I can fill a 128gb SD card in 3-4 days with video and photos and need it for 2-3 weeks worth of footage. I will say most of it is complete rubbish, you just never know when someone will crash or capture something spectacular. 😆

More cards? At £50 a card that is an expensive solution!
I have 6 batteries, a charger and a 20ah portable powerpack 😉

aracer, I have an iPhone, not sure I can do that?

rossburton, you are thinking like me, can use it for more than just file transfers. 😉

I’ve used the GoPro app, they use the low res version, at least when I’ve trimmed and posted that footage it has and my iPhone is only 128gb and even less free.

If I were in your position I’d definitely get one of those WD Passport Wireless things after looking at the difference between the normal model and the Pro model, and save the RPi hack for something less important 😉

No, probably not with something lacking basic functionality like that 😉

Surely the easiest way is to just go through each day’s footage (you’ll know if there was anything worth keeping!) then just download a few clips to your phone then dump the rest. . If the phone fills up, upload to YouTube.

I’ve got a Gorpro Session on my motorcycle helmet and the software on my phone is all I’ve needed really.

Have a look at the QuikKey, you plug your memory card into the key and then into your phone and will be able to copy the files to whereever from there it works a lot quicker than over the gopro’s wifi.

Milkie » aracer, I have an iPhone, not sure I can do that?
No, probably not with something lacking basic functionality like that

Shouldn’t be necessary, all done over wifi. Phone connects wirelessly to camera.

Everyone saying “use your phone” needs to re-read this line:

I can fill a 128gb SD card in 3-4 days with video and photos and need it for 2-3 weeks worth of footage.

Assuming a full card in 3 days and three weeks of footage, that’s almost 900GB.

Uploading to youtube 1) takes forever 2) massively downgrades the video quality.

Everyone saying “use your phone” needs to re-read this line:

I can fill a 128gb SD card in 3-4 days with video and photos and need it for 2-3 weeks worth of footage.
Assuming a full card in 3 days and three weeks of footage, that’s almost 900GB.

Yeah, but I also read (and know from experience) that most of it will be rubbish, so that’s why I suggested trimming it down and dumping the rest as he goes.
Some rough menatal arithmetic gives around 4 hours of footage a day, 20 days is 80 hours. No way is he going to be bothered going through that when he’s done!! Edit as you go….. 🙂

Easiest way to keep the lot is to take more cards. I’ve just bought a Samsung 64gb card for £14 delivered….. who pays £50 for an SD card these days?

PeterPoddy, I’m not sure I can go through 4-8hrs of footage each day 😯
Uploading to YT takes ages, might not have internet and the quality is very poor compared the raw footage. It maybe 6 months before I get to edit the footage, and transcoding it a few times degrades the quality severely.

QuikKey is for Android, damn you’s Apple!

rossburton, I’m thinking the Passport pro maybe the best and easiest way to go, although the RPi is a lot cheaper…

20 days is 80 hours. No way is he going to be bothered going through that when he’s done

You can see why it might be 6 months before I edit! With multiple camera angles, its a bit shorter than 80 hrs, sometimes there might be 4 cams filming the same thing. Once its all synced watching time can be drastically reduced, especially on double speed. 😉

As much as I love tinkering with Linux boards and stuff (its my day job after all!) I’d be willing to pay a bit of money for the reassurance that a Passport Pro is likely to Just Work. 😉

Speaking of which I need to dig out my RPi and turn it into a wireless speaker thingy for Plex…

QuikKey is for Android, damn you’s Apple

There is an apple version too, it’s a tenner more expensive though.

Just clicked, are you THE milkie?

If so then this makes a bit more sense.

😳 Probably! Unless there is another mountain biker with mediocre skills filming everything going by the same name. 😆

From the mighty Tavistock?

Hands On with GNARBOX for Storing and Editing RAW Photos On the Go

Found it. Knew I’d seen something recently.

Tavistock? That’s not me!

I like the gnarbox, think the Passport pro is in the lead at the moment as it can used as a video server for breaks and storage back up.

+1 – I have several RPis and it wouldn’t be at all hard to set something up with one of those, but it’s all a bit of a faff.

Exactly what connectivity does an iPhone have though? Is the issue the lack of SD card slot, or does it not have USB OTG either?

You used to be able to get a SD reader so they probably still exist, but it’s the capacity which is the main problem here.

I have thought about using a Pi with a card reader and HDD, with a script that runs automatically, copying over the data.

I guess by in the field you dont mean in A field, but a hotel or bunkhouse and you have a car to carry kit and not carrying it all on the bike?

If so, my Synology NAS has a port for SD or USB on the front, plug something in and it has a button on the front to back-up the contents of the card/usb to a folder on the hard drive. Doesn’t need any connection to anything, just a power socket.

EDIT: They call it USB Copy 2.0. Might end up more expensive than a Passport Pro, but thought id mention it as it might be useful if youve not already got a NAS.