Has anyone tried loading P3P firmware onto a P3A?

[NeuralChris]

Just wondering if we might be able to trick the P3A into thinking it's a P3P and allowing 4K recording? I'm guessing it's probably locked by serial number though.

 

[Meta4]

That won't work. It's not a software limitation.
The Advanced camera is lacking the hardware to do 4K video.

 

[robinb]

It will not let you put the wrong software on (on the latest firmware), will just blink at you.

 

[Oso]

If you for sure want the 4K, you can install a P3P camera on a P3A and then install the P3P FW. I haven't done this myself, but I have seen it posted here many times so I assume it's good info.

 

[swoopair]

If you for sure want the 4K, you can install a P3P camera on a P3A and then install the P3P FW. I haven't done this myself, but I have seen it posted here many times so I assume it's good info.

I did the reverse. After I broke my p3p camera off, I bought a p3a camera, installed it, put on the p3a firmware and it worked like a charm.

When I fix my pro camera, I'll put it back to the way it was.

 

[StevenQX]

That won't work. It's not a software limitation.
The Advanced camera is lacking the hardware to do 4K video.

That's not true imo. The hardware is the same but obviously it will not be possible to flash the p3p fw to the p3a. It need some hack sure but the p3a cam could do 4k like the p3p cam.

 

[Meta4]

That's not true imo. The hardware is the same but obviously it will not be possible to flash the p3p fw to the p3a. It need some hack sure but the p3a cam could do 4k like the p3p cam.

Not at all.
The hardware is very similar but the Pro camera has additional chips and a fan that the Advanced lacks.
The Advanced can't be hacked to do 4K.

 

[StevenQX]

Not at all.
The hardware is very similar but the Pro camera has additional chips and a fan that the Advanced lacks.
The Advanced can't be hacked to do 4K.

Have you seen both completely disassembled? Because externally they looks exactly the same. Like naza and naza lite.

 

[Meta4]

The fan on the top of the Pro is conspicuous.
The chips inside are harder to see but I trust the DJI guys that explained that they are there.

 

[StevenQX]

The fan on the top of the Pro is conspicuous.
The chips inside are harder to see but I trust the DJI guys that explained that they are there.

Imo, until i will see a disassembly video that shows the differences between the two cam, they are exactly the same piece of hardware. DJI obviously has the interest to make people think that they're not the same.

I've worked on p2v+ camera firmware and there is a lot to do if someone has time and knowledge. Luckily for DJI atm there are no warez guys with the passion of quadcopters...

 

[Mako79]

It will not let you put the wrong software on (on the latest firmware), will just blink at you.

You missed a step. You need to remove the silver stickers and change them to gold.
I will be putting on my red stickers on my P3 Advance tonight and "upgrading" to the P3 Standard firmware. The red stickers will give me 2.7K.

 

[Meta4]

Here are the two gimbal bases side by side. The cooling fan on the Pro is conspicuous.

 

[Mako79]

Here are the two gimbal bases side by side. The cooling fan on the Pro is conspicuous.

What if i told you that the fan was like the gold stickers and they just hooked it to the 5V and made it cosmetically spin...
Lol

 

[rrmccabe]

Lmao at this thread. @neauralchris. Just wait till tomorrow and you will have 2.7k. Something I can't do as a p3p owner but would really like. 4k is a pain but I find 2.7 tolerable and just as good in 99% of the cases I use it.

 

[Mordor]

Strange.....only the fan is different....
Also, when working, there is a lot of air....don`t see the advantage of that little fan...

To be absolute sure would imply open the insides of both cameras and compare.....now im curious...

 

[StevenQX]

Here are the two gimbal bases side by side. The cooling fan on the Pro is conspicuous.

That's the only "hw" difference imo. Just to cool down the same chip more stressed when processing 4k. But as you can see also on the p3a there is the same slot to put the fan.

 

[Oso]

That's the only "hw" difference imo. Just to cool down the same chip more stressed when processing 4k. But as you can see also on the p3a there is the same slot to put the fan.

I doubt that the BOM cost is much different between the P3A camera and the P3P camera. Perhaps only that fan is the difference in cost. It makes sense from a supply chain and a manufacturing perspective for both cameras to be exactly the same and have functionality determined by FW.

I don't know if this is the case here, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

 

[StevenQX]

I doubt that the BOM cost is much different between the P3A camera and the P3P camera. Perhaps only that fan is the difference in cost. It makes sense from a supply chain and a manufacturing perspective for both cameras to be exactly the same and have functionality determined by FW.

I don't know if this is the case here, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

Yes, i think exactly the same and I'm quiet sure about that. 4k print and a fan mounted at the last step of the process are the only differences.

 

[Meta4]

Yes, i think exactly the same and I'm quite sure about that. 4k print and a fan mounted at the last step of the process are the only differences.

So why is it that DJI can manage to stretch the Advanced camera to 2.7K with the latest firmware update but not the Pro camera?
It would seem to suggest that the cameras are not identical.

 

[Joao Carlos]

I have my P3A in bits on table now (stress cracks shell exchange) and it has the fan?

I did by accident tried to load a P3P firmware on my P3A and it simply did not accept. Of course changing the hardware (camera) it would probably recognize as a P3P.

P3A also has the micro fan indeed. I did the same last week, replaced my (brand new) stress cracked shell for a new upgraded and reinforced one. Check it out: P3 Paint & Reinforcement project. | DJI Phantom Forum