Indicated Grade completely inaccurate.

Do other virb/virb edit users find your 'grade' display shows an accurate figure? Mine shows -10% when I'm actually doing +5% for example. Is this common?

The Virb X does not have a barometric altimeter. It calculates its altitude based on GPS and this can be quite inaccurate. Do not expect to see meaningful results unless you are climbing or descending really fast.

What, 'quite inaccurate' as in showing -10% when I'm actually doing +5%?

I don't think this is acceptable, and I've been misled by the advertising for the camera and the editing software. The inaccuracy defeats the whole point of using the overlay feature to see any altitude related data.

Thanks for your reply, which at least expains why this is happening. :)

What, 'quite inaccurate' as in showing -10% when I'm actually doing +5%?

Yes. GPS-based altitude can fluctuate by 100m in just a few seconds.

I don't think this is acceptable, and I've been misled by the advertising for the camera and the editing software. The inaccuracy defeats the whole point of using the overlay feature to see any altitude related data.

The software feature for the grade overlay makes more sense for cameras that have barometric altimeter. I'm not sure, but I think the old Virb Elite had barometric altimeter.

Also the grade/altitude data could make more sense for activities where altitude change is rapid enough to hide the absolute GPS error, like skydiving or wingsuit-flying. In those activities even a GPS-based altimeter could give some meaningful grade data.

So, first I find that the mobile app doesn't work, as reported by many others here, then I find problems with VirbEdit not running, as reported by many others here, and now I learn that GPS altimeters are completely useless.

However, my old virb basic managed to give accurate alititude data, although it was tricky to get the video aligned with the map.

All this, and the picture quality isn't as good as the old virb basic.

I'm also struggling to find a camera that does have a barometric altimeter, especially as neither the manufacturers nor the sellers websites can be bothered to give me this trivial bit of information.

What cameras do people here use to get good picture quality and accurate data?

I'm also struggling to find a camera that does have a barometric altimeter,

Apparently the latest Virb Ultra 30 has a proper altimeter.

especially as neither the manufacturers nor the sellers websites can be bothered to give me this trivial bit of information.

Perhaps you're not looking hard enough. For example Garmin specifies the presence of altimeter for all of their current models. And other cameras (non-garmin) - with few exceptions - do not provide any kind of telemetry data besides video and audio so no wonder they do not specify what kind of altimeter there is.

Apparently the latest Virb Ultra 30 has a proper altimeter.


So I see.

Perhaps you're not looking hard enough. For example Garmin specifies the presence of altimeter for all of their current models. And other cameras (non-garmin) - with few exceptions - do not provide any kind of telemetry data besides video and audio so no wonder they do not specify what kind of altimeter there is.

I've wasted a great deal of time on this, and have looked quite hard enough thankyou. Garmin don't specify barometric on any info, just 'altimeter' and I've already been conned by that vague bit of information. Most seller sites just copy & paste the nonsense from the Garmin website. GoPro don't have barometric on any of their models apparently. So what's the point of overlays in virbedit, given that hardly any cameras can provide the data to make it worthwhile? The old virb elite, and more recently the ultra are the only ones, yet they sell the whole range promoting the overlay features of virbedit.

Sending the camera back and not wasting any more time on these false promises, and a mostly unresponsive forum with replies from only one person who seems to be defending this not fit for purpose product.

And I still have no reply from Garmin support about the failures of the mobile app and the virbedit software.

Garmin don't specify barometric on any info, just 'altimeter' and I've already been conned by that vague bit of information.

I don't get it. Barometric altimeter is essential for you. You look at the specs at garmin site and buy one device (the Virb X) that has altimeter specified as "no" (took me less than 1 minute to verify this information for all current garmin cameras), and then you wonder that altimeter info is not satisfactory. What kind of information in the specs would make you convinced about the presence or absence of an altimeter, if "altimeter: yes" and "altimeter: no" are too vague for you?

So what's the point of overlays in virbedit, given that hardly any cameras can provide the data to make it worthwhile?

Believe me or not, but overlays are not only about altitude...

Sending the camera back and not wasting any more time on these false promises, and a mostly unresponsive forum with replies from only one person who seems to be defending this not fit for purpose product.

You got the wrong impression, pal. Look at my first answer - tried to be helpful there (and as objective as possible - giving a piece of objective and true information can hardly be seen as defending a product). I understand your frustration when you found out that an essential feature is missing when you thought it would be present, but regardless of the reason for the confusion this is not forum members' fault and pouring your frustration on them - wheather they can help you or not - is simpy impolite.

Anyway, I fully support your decision of returning the device and sincerely hope the return process will go without unnecessary problems. I also wish - without being sarcastic - that one day you will find a device that would suit your needs.