PonerineM [debug 0.0.5] multi-cam controller for android (add photo mode)

luckylz

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Ponerine-Multi-Cam.png
debug 0.0.5

Download Url: PonerineM-0.0.5-debug.apk (8.08MB)

debug 0.0.5 Features:
1. Added photo mode (very very very simple), please set "Switch to Photo Mode" to ON before connect. Photo mode will not rename and stay in the original folder. Use your own custom autoexec.ash to set the shooting parameters;
2. Added "Move Duplicated Files" option for video shooting with "Rename by Scene" is ON, the duplicated files will be moved to folder /trashbin in the tf card, and the video files won't be deleted.

debug 0.0.4 bugs fixed:
1. Cam name wrong display format issue;
2. telnet in Mac OSX can't rename issue;

debug 0.0.3 Features:
1. Control upto 8 YiCams running in WiFi station mode;
2. Create sync sound on record start or stop;
3. Automatically rename video files via telnet port;
4. Enabled liveview to VLC for android.

Preparation:
1. User shell scripts (click me) or PonerineS (click me) , change all the YiCams to WiFi station mode one by one;
2. Make sure telnet is enabled in autoexec.ash as:
Code:
lu_util exec telnetd -l/bin/sh
3. Android phone must connect to the same WiFi as YiCams;
 
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How to use:
1. Camera status:
after install the apk, by default there's only cam1 shows with name default and ip 192.168.42.1;
001.png
2. Setting menu:
click the top right corner label: For XiaoYi Sport Camera , will popup setting menu:
002.png
3. Camera setting:
[Camera Enabled] - add to connect list;
[Camera Name] - display name in main screen;
[Preview] - ON after connect, preview in VLC for android;
003.png
4. Advanced setting:
[Scene Name] & [Counter] - video custom rename rules;
[Rename by Scene] - ON will apply rename video files;
[Buzzer on Record Start] & [Buzzer on Record Stop] - camera will buzzer for 1~2 times after record starts or before record stops. this function is used for multi-cam video files synchronization;
[Volume Low on Disconnect] - after apk connect all the cams, buzzer volume will be set to mute. ON cams will resume to low buzzer volume, for the status judgement.
[Load Camera Setting] - ON after connect will check the cams resolution setting, better set to OFF.
004.png

[Camera Rename Rule] (updated in debug 0.0.5)
by default video files will store in folder: /DCIM/100MEDIA (or 101MEDIA, 102MEDIA, ...)
if [Rename by Scene] - ON, after record finish, apk will automatically rename to:
[YYYYMMDD]-[Scene Name]-[Counter][Camera].mp4
and move to folder: /DCIM/[Scene Name]

for example: Today is 2015-09-17, [Scene Name] is "running", [Camera] 1,2,3~8 will use letter a,b,c~h, [Counter] 2-digit starts from 01 automatic increase 1 for next file.
1st record will be:
CAM1: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/running/20150917-running-01a.mp4
CAM2: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/running/20150917-running-01b.mp4
...
CAM8: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/running/20150917-running-01h.mp4

2nd record will be:
CAM1: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/running/20150917-running-02a.mp4
CAM2: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/running/20150917-running-02b.mp4
...
CAM8: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/running/20150917-running-02h.mp4

if change the [Scene Name] to "swimming", [Counter] will reset to 1.
1st record will be:
CAM1: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/swimming/20150917-swimming-01a.mp4
CAM2: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/swimming/20150917-swimming-01b.mp4
...
CAM8: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/swimming/20150917-swimming-01h.mp4

2nd record will be:
CAM1: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/swimming/20150917-swimming-02a.mp4
CAM2: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/swimming/20150917-swimming-02b.mp4
...
CAM8: the video file will be rename and moved to folder: /DCIM/swimming/20150917-swimming-02h.mp4
 
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How to use:
[Connect] - connect to all cams set to enabled;
[Record] & [Stop] - start or stop record videos;
[Buzzer] - buzzer manual sync sound during recording.
001.png 002.png 003.png
before & after rename:
004.png 005.png
 
Lucky,
You did amazing work for people like me who want to shoot sphere 360.

I follow your post since 8-10 days, reads every post and try to understand, waiting my 6 cameras to deliver, but could not control myself so I borrow 1 camera from friend, did tried & testing few times and finally its connected and successfully record with single cam.

I professionally shoot high resolution 360 still photo (72 megapixel) for real estate and resorts with DSLR and fisheye lens (6+2=8 separate images one by one) since 1 year. All images I did in still environment (i.e. sample apartment without any movement in the scene), I want to shoot with yi cams to capture place with lots of people moving around, like say an event or exhibition where I have to click all images same time.

I might get my 6 cams deliver within day or two, as per your app I am sure I can record 360 video as I can record all cam at once. But what if I want to take photo from all 6 cams at same time.

Please guide me for shoot still images from PonerineM. Hope I didn't miss anything which is there in your app and I possibly forget to check.

You deserve donation for this, and I will donate as I finish my first 360 video.

Thanks once again.
 
I plan to create regular 3D video (maybe with 2 directional microphone using the microphone mod.)
So I will use your app.
Actually looking for a case to align the yi like the gopro dual case but have not found yet.
Thanks in advance for the work.
 
Lucky,
You did amazing work for people like me who want to shoot sphere 360.

I follow your post since 8-10 days, reads every post and try to understand, waiting my 6 cameras to deliver, but could not control myself so I borrow 1 camera from friend, did tried & testing few times and finally its connected and successfully record with single cam.

I professionally shoot high resolution 360 still photo (72 megapixel) for real estate and resorts with DSLR and fisheye lens (6+2=8 separate images one by one) since 1 year. All images I did in still environment (i.e. sample apartment without any movement in the scene), I want to shoot with yi cams to capture place with lots of people moving around, like say an event or exhibition where I have to click all images same time.

I might get my 6 cams deliver within day or two, as per your app I am sure I can record 360 video as I can record all cam at once. But what if I want to take photo from all 6 cams at same time.

Please guide me for shoot still images from PonerineM. Hope I didn't miss anything which is there in your app and I possibly forget to check.

You deserve donation for this, and I will donate as I finish my first 360 video.

Thanks once again.


Its kinda hard to do that yea since video have limitation for bitrate and resolution,
only photo that can provide 4k resolution looking forward for this magic :D
hope ponerine M can Amazingly do that it would be awesome
 
@elitecam your video is great, can you share your post-processing workflow?
 
Also interesting about photo from all 6 cams at one time. Is it possible? May be you can add this function?
 
Lucky,

I successfully recorded with PanorineM, there is only one problem - after connecting all cams to Ponerine my all cams buzzer sound set to mute (I managed to unable, but after connecting with app it again set to mute).
Another point is - Once I record and connect cams to PC but there is no video files in sd card at all, did it happen with anyone else or I did something wrong?

Also need help to take still images from your app.
 
Yes, camera will mute, because I need the sound sync for all cams. Try use the "volume low on disconnect" & disconnect button to reset volume to low;
If you use the rename by scene, the files will keep in the folder /DCIM/scene/
Now still testing the video function, so photo function will be added later.
 
Features update debug 0.0.5
1. Added photo mode (very very very simple), please set "Switch to Photo Mode" to ON before connect. Photo mode will not rename;
MAEDI.jpg

11vd6E.jpg

49gkd.jpg

2. Added "Move Duplicated Files" option for video shooting with "Rename by Scene" is ON, the duplicated files will be moved to /trashbin in the tf card, and the video files won't be deleted.
TbkR6.jpg
 
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Lucky,

I took photo from the app, when I press photo it takes photo, cam status keep showing "taking photo" after press photo button. and I am unable to take another photo. I have to disconnect and connect again to take another photo.
Still facing problem of recoding video, as it shows recoding but some cam stops recording after few seconds and still have no video files in any of the SD cards.

PonerineM also stop responding somtime and not allow me to stop recording, and some of cams hand during this, I have to remove battery to restart the cam.

Do I have to change download folder in "ponerineS" during set it to station mode?

Is it anything with my mobile or camera firmware? (I am using 1.2.13) as updated from official yi app.

I know I am asking too much about my problem, may be I am not doing as per required procedure. But I need to ready by 2nd October as I am visiting "Sunburn Festival" at 3rd october and I want to shoot 360 during the event.

If any other member have succeeded of the same, please guide me.

Thanks.
 
Please try these first:
1. connect 1 cam with default ip: 192.168.42.1, try all the M photo & record function;
2. set cams to station mode one by one, and ping the cam ip in PC;
3. then connect all cams with M.

By the way, what kind of router you're using? I tried more than 3 kind of routers with no problems.
 
I will start soon creating 360 degrees video's, this app looks very helpful for that! There is only one thing that is not clear for me. When using this app, is it necessary to have all the camera's in station mode? Because then you always need a wifi network/router available? Or is it also possible to use one of the Xiaomi Yi in AP mode and the others in Station mode?
 
I am using Linksys WRT54G, also tried on D-Link DIR-505 (I thought if I set cams with dlink 505, which is small and easy to carry so I dont have to change cam IP setting every time I change the location of shoot), Also tried at friend's place on his router. But never able to record files on SD card.

Anyway, I gave all cams my friend who can make wired option to click/record all cams at a time, wait for him to reply. I will share the same if succeeded.

And I will sure do the process of ping from PC when I ges all cams back to me.

Thanks for prompt reply.
 
I will start soon creating 360 degrees video's, this app looks very helpful for that! There is only one thing that is not clear for me. When using this app, is it necessary to have all the camera's in station mode? Because then you always need a wifi network/router available? Or is it also possible to use one of the Xiaomi Yi in AP mode and the others in Station mode?
1. yes, all cams need to enter station mode when connect to wireless router;
2. better use wireless router if you need to connect to 6 or more cams; cos xiaoyi ap mode, can only connect max 5 client ( 1 of these will used by mobile phone already, so totally can use 5 cam: 1 ap & 4 sta);
 
1. yes, all cams need to enter station mode when connect to wireless router;
2. better use wireless router if you need to connect to 6 or more cams; cos xiaoyi ap mode, can only connect max 5 client ( 1 of these will used by mobile phone already, so totally can use 5 cam: 1 ap & 4 sta);

Okay thanks for the answer! Then I will try to create a small router with a Raspberry Pi and a battery to use it in the field :).
 
Hi Luckylz!

Andy_S posted the following regarding time-syncing multiple Yi cameras:

It DOES work. If you want time-sync your cameras, you just need to launch this shell command
ntpd -q -m -p your.ntp.host.IP
-q : quit after host clock is set
-m : don't daemonize (runs in forward)
-p : peer address
After that just do sleep 1 & trigger SOMEHOW the shutter. it COULD sync... (provided cameras process the trigger itself at the same speed...)
You have to realize, that to sync perfectly you cannot have more deviation than 1/250s of the recording start.
The purpose of synchronizing cameras this way would be to enable high-quality 360 video capture. Even if cameras are started close to the same time, without accurate sync there are stitching artifacts in the final stitched 360 inage.

Do you think it would be possible to integrate a "synced start" feature into PomerineM? I'm running a rig with (luckily) 8 cameras, and ntpd sync would be such a huge breakthrough for myself and many others.

If you're interested in creating some 360 videos with your own Yi cams, check out vrcolony.net where I'm posting a bunch of tutorials on this topic :)

Cheers,
Jason
 
Hi @jreinjr
I've read Andy_S idea about time-sync from internet time server. But I think that way mostly for picture mode (timelapse).
In video mode, I don't need to 100% sametime to start multiple cam. just start all cams, and make a buzzer by app, later in VR software can automatically sync the video use that buzzer sound.
 
Hi @jreinjr
I've read Andy_S idea about time-sync from internet time server. But I think that way mostly for picture mode (timelapse).
In video mode, I don't need to 100% sametime to start multiple cam. just start all cams, and make a buzzer by app, later in VR software can automatically sync the video use that buzzer sound.

Hi lucky, thanks for the reply :)

I'm already able to line up my videos based on the audio track in software. However, what we're looking for is a way to start all cameras within a few milliseconds of each other.

To explain why - imagine we're shooting at 60fps. That means that, even with software sync, two cameras can be 1/120th of a second out of sync with each other. If one camera starts "half a frame" after another camera, they can't be truly synchronized in software. This is the main problem with all current DIY VR rigs. It may not seem like a big deal, but it is extremely important for capturing 3D 360 video.

Using WiFi to directly trigger all cams won't work - the delay is too slow. However, syncing the internal clocks of the cameras (which are accurate to the millisecond) and then telling the cams to start filming at a specific time in the future could theoretically start all cameras within a few milliseconds - right?
 
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