GoPro live underwater 1080p feed to Garmin 8612 chartplotter

[Hookup1]

Starting a thread here to document my live underwater camera. This is my Winter project for fishing in clear water in the Keys. I searched for cameras and came up nothing I liked. The GoPro is a high quality inexpensive camera but it's really an action camera. It can be adapted to work but isn't always easy.

It's easy to jamb a GoPro camera in the water and record video. It's not so easy to get the live video to the surface where you can connect it to your chartploter.

I'm taking the approach of using a Suptig waterproof housing, GoPro Hero 9 and GoPro Media Mod.



GoPro has a Media Mod that wraps the camera and provides HDMI output but the mod won't fit in the waterproof case. It has a USB C connection to the camera inside the case and external connections to micro HDMI and USB C. The Media Mod will be remote from the camera behind the chartplotter. The two are connected with a long USB C cable that is connected to the camera with a waterproof connection. The Media Mod connects to the chartplotter HDMI and to a USB C power source.

Camera will be mounted on an adjustable length Shurhold pole with a GoPro adapter. Shurhold pole will sit in Cannon rod holder angled behind the boat. The idea is to keep it simple to setup and use otherwise it won't! We will learn a lot first trip out and make adjustments.

So far I have cabled everything up and tested camera with the chartplotter. Working fine. Garmin lets you display the video on either chartplotter. Image can be mirror and rotated if needed. Had to install a GoPro Labs modification to display "clean" HDMI video without any controls or information. That is working fine too.

We'll see!

 

[Ekea]

cool project, cant wait to see how it works out

 

[Hookup1]

Progress report: Not going so well with the GoPro Hero 9 or Hero 12. The Media Mod is problematic. Several issues that don't have solutions. No underwater case available for camera with Media Mod. Media Mod can't be remoted because of special cable, won't charge or power camera with Media Mod. I gave up on the newer cameras.

Ordered a new GoPro Hero 7 Black. Setup this morning. Looks like this is the right camera for the job. Has a built in HDMI connection (no Media Mod is required). Will charge battery or operate without a battery on charging cable. Displaying 1080p video on my chartplotter. Chartplotter can rotate and mirror video. This is the right answer.

Waiting on new camera case and other mounting stuff. I'll put a few pictures together when it's done.

 

[Sea Shift]

This is a wonderful idea! I hope you can make it work. Get Garmin to invest and start selling these setups!!

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

Thats a interesting project!

If your plan is to use the GoPro while trolling over 2 knots i suggest you to use a much sturdier pole and find a way to attach a safety cable in case the pole breaks. The square housing of the GoPro create a higher as expected drag what may damage the pole or the point where the housing is attached.
You may buy the Troll Pro trolling housing for GoPro cameras and tow it on a sturdy mono behind on a planer or similar to lower it below the aerated water from the outboards, or find a way to attach it to a pole to have it on the side.
If you have a buddy with a 3D printer you may design and print a similar housing with a very sturdy pole attachment point
Chris

 

[Ekea]

are you trying to record what you see live?

my gopro is older (i forget which model) and doesnt have a viewing screen on it, but it does connect to my phone and i can see live video through my phone. that being said, once i start recording, the live view is not available . you might not be able to run it to a chart plotter, but probably a tablet would work.

 

[Hookup1]

are you trying to record what you see live?

my gopro is older (i forget which model) and doesnt have a viewing screen on it, but it does connect to my phone and i can see live video through my phone. that being said, once i start recording, the live view is not available . you might not be able to run it to a chart plotter, but probably a tablet would work.

This is really an experiment to see what's under the boat while I'm fishing. During the Winter I concentrate on sailfishing in clear water. Bump trolling live bait or kite fishing while on the sea anchor. I'll also do some slow trolling to cover some ground around 4 to 6 knots and stop to live bait when we find fish. I also anchor up and do some reef fishing on the edge in 60' and in shallow 30' water.

I'm not recording. I want a live camera view on my chartplotter. The camera wifi and bluetooth connections are lost when the camera is underwater. Anyway the tablet and phone screens are hard to see in bright sunlight. The chartplotter is the right display.

The GoPro Hero 7 Black arrived. New in box from eBay. The model is discontinued. They are shipping Hero 13's now. The Hero 7 is the last model they made with a built-in HDMI connection. I set it up and tested it on dry land. Micro-HDMI and USB-C power cables. It worked perfectly. Waiting on a waterproof camera case to arrive later in the week.

I'm still working on mounting. Most likely be a ShurHold brush pole possibly with a Troll-Pro housing. Have a few designs to test. Probably mounting on the Starboard side to keep it out of the prop wash about 4' below the water.

 

[Hookup1]

Here is the GoPro Hero 7 Black in it's waterproof case. Cables will need to be siliconed in to waterproof the housing.

Attached to a ShurHold boat brush pole with their GoPro mount.

Last photo is a Garmin 8612 screenshot of the camera video feed.

 

[Hookup1]

GoPro 7 Black doesn't like charging the battery in the waterproof case. Appears to overheat and shut down. Same problem with the newer cameras. Without the battery it will run all day.

One of the mounts I'm considering is on the cavitation plate on one of the F150's. Not sure it's deep enough. I'm slow trolling or drifting so it may work. Could troll on one engine as well. Advantage there too is I could trim the motor up and talk to the camera with the remote!

 

[luckydude]

Hookup, not sure if you care, but I find this topic fascinating, I'm following along. Just a "rah rah, keep going please".

 

[Hookup1]

Hookup, not sure if you care, but I find this topic fascinating, I'm following along. Just a "rah rah, keep going please".

Thank's! I'm sure others are interested as well. Won''t get the boat in the water until mid-January. In the meantime working all my tackle and teasers. I'll know in a couple of days if the camera is useful.

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

GoPro 7 Black doesn't like charging the battery in the waterproof case. Appears to overheat and shut down. Same problem with the newer cameras. Without the battery it will run all day.

This is not only a issue with GoPro, most Action and underwater cameras do that as the housing don't let the heat dissipate.
I had GoPro 1 - 4, several cheaper action cams and then professional UW photography housings and cameras and all did the same overheating.
Now i use a Insta360 R 1 inch without 360° function and without UW housing as i use her on the Motorbike as i don't dive a lot anymore.
The second problem with that is that the housing will create condensation and the lens fog up, either by charging and/or some models when recording as the camera heat up as well. You may try this in a bucket with same temp water as your boating area.

To avoid/limit that
1° load the camera in a room with A/C on
2° use the drying strips for GoPro dive housing, take care that they don't dislodge
3° don't leave the camera on the sun, store it in a fluffy towel or in a bucket with seawater
4° let the camera cooling down after charging

One good thing on your idea is that you will notice a fogging up lens quickly.

Chris

P.S: I just stumbled over this tread in THT, some informations may be interesting to you
https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/1340183-go-pro-bottom-while-fishing-2.html

 

[Hookup1]

The plan now is to fabricate and enclosure for the camera and attach to to the lower unit. Could be fiberglass or 3D printed. The camera has a 70 degree x 118 degree viewing angle so it can be pointed down and still see the surface. Also the motor can be rotated or tilted to give additional camera control. Should be far enough below the surface. Option to troll with one motor to reduce turbulence.

 

[igblack87]

Haven't read the whole thread on THT but this is very similar, and its current.

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www.thehulltruth.com

 

[Hookup1]

Haven't read the whole thread on THT but this is very similar, and its current.

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www.thehulltruth.com

Thanks. Some interesting mounting and videos. Difference though is they are recording video. I’m interested in a live view. I have a few ideas for mounting I’m working on now. I’ll post something later this week.

 

[igblack87]

i'd be curious for some pictures and live feed...maybe you can stream to GG for us all

 

[Ekea]

my concern with the anti-ventilation plate mount would be bubbles. if that motor is running, it will be pushing bubbles through the exhaust and block your view. even if not running that motor, when trolling, you get a lot of turbulent swirling of water with bubbles right behind the boat

i hope i am wrong and that this works out, but just something to consider. id think mounting it on a power pole that you could deploy while trolling might be better, especially if the camera has good image stabilization

 

[Hookup1]

my concern with the anti-ventilation plate mount would be bubbles. if that motor is running, it will be pushing bubbles through the exhaust and block your view. even if not running that motor, when trolling, you get a lot of turbulent swirling of water with bubbles right behind the boat

i hope i am wrong and that this works out, but just something to consider. id think mounting it on a power pole that you could deploy while trolling might be better, especially if the camera has good image stabilization

I'll know mid-January when I'm in the water. Need to do some testing before committing.

 

[DennisG01]

It's kinda funny... when you first said you were going to mount it on the anti-ventilation plate... I thought "nah, you're just going to see the transom since the plate isn't low enough". Then I saw your picture with it mounted facing aft and thought "well, that doesn't help if it's facing backwards"... then I realized "Duh, the fish aren't ONLY in front of you" Silly me!

I think, for the most part, you should be good with the mount on the anti-vent plate (in terms of staying in place during hole shot). But maybe adding two "tie bars" from the housing forward to two lower unit mounting bolts for a little more reassurance?

 

[Sauza45]

Don’t know your boat setup, but what about mounting it to your swim ladder. That way you could get it lower in the water but also raise it out of the water while under way.