VIRB/VIRB Edit File Naming

Hi Gang

I have the VIRB Elite and it takes great videos. In the Grenadines with an underwater case. Fantastic!

The file naming conventions are totally screwy. I took a six movies on the first day and they were numbered VIRB0001.MP4, VIRB0002.MP4, ...VIRB0006.MPG. I imported them into VIRB Edit and then erased the card. So far so good.

I then took six videos the next day and they were numbered starting with 0001 again. Once downloaded, the videos were renumbered starting VIRB0007.MPG while the videos downloaded directly to my backup drive overwrote those from the first day. Not so good.

All the other cameras that I have default to continuous numbering (this can be changed by starting a new folder each day or month but I leave the default) so that VIRB0001.MP4 (or .JPG) will not be reused until after VIRB9999 is used.

The associated GPX files are named using a time date format that is almost impossible to match with the relevant videos/pictures.

Please, a little more consistency and user-friendliness in file naming.

Thanks for your consideration.

Mike Venables

0 Former Member over 10 years ago

I do the same and only delete the files on the SD when the card is full.
Normal cameras have the counter in the camera and even after switching SD, the counting goes on, it looks like the VIRB only looks at the µSD.
I hope they can change that, but the firmware guys are not so good in communicating...

0 CKLUPTON over 10 years ago

Yes. This completely sucks. You have to render your videos, move them, delete them then delete the Garmin path AppData\Local\Garmin because Garmin will get confused about the naming. Half of mine had clip thumbnails that had a question mark on them. At a minimum they should allow you to change the sequence during import. I just can't believe that they have it so VIRB00001 will end up destroying a great picture or video from just a few days before.

Love the VIRB, though.

0 geomonster over 10 years ago

Importing video through the VE interface will not overwrite any existing files with the same file name. It's only if you manually copy files into existing folders that you'll see this happening.

But I agree, if the Virb quit starting file naming from 001 each time, it would help a lot. Especially if you use time lapse photo mode and end up with thousands of photos in multiple folders with identical names.

0 mike_v over 10 years ago

Even if nothing gets over-written, you still end up with files that are renamed when downloaded using VE vs. the original name when downloaded to my backup drive. The file numbered 0007 when downloaded using VE is the same as the second 0001 on my backup drive.

Further, using VE to "rename" a file just changes the label within VE. It doesn't actually change the filename.

Mike

0 geomonster over 10 years ago

Yes, but the most important part is that nothing gets overwritten if you use VE to import. I also back up important stuff by copying the folders off the camera to my hard drive, but I name the folders appropriately. I don't just copy them all to one folder hoping for the best.

I'm not trying to say I like the way the VIRB names the files, but there's no danger of overwriting any if you're careful.

0 Silvertrophy over 8 years ago

Has there been taken any action to end this numbering chaos? :confused: I also stumbled upon it's effects and second the troubles you come accross having dozens of same named files around your hard drive(s). A consistent way of numbering would help such a lot.

The current firmware version is still the one from February 2015. :eek:

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=6565

It would be great to have one more update to finally make the Virb Elite run as good as possible for those users who really like it - including me.

0 kaidoloor over 7 years ago

Dear Virb support, please allow a device or import level preference to include year-month-date-hour-minute-second-code in the filename. The virb0000... is really useless when handling files from a number of camaras.

Otherwise a happy user.

Kaido