Xiaomi Yi Sports Camera - Custom Firmware (Base 1.0.7) - Bitrate Increased to 30Mbps all modes

First of all thank you reverend and others who contributed to this thread so far, I have limited technological skills but I have used the modded firmware for my Hexacopter. I have to say the image is much better with higher rate but however I bought the yi camera hoping to do 1080p 60fps in the air, the footage is super smooth compare with my SJ4000 1080p30fps but the 30-40 rate at 60fps means the image is not as sharp.

I have made a few video of the same condition and clearly the 30fps is super sharp compares with the 60fps and both files have rate of 30M, is there any way to get rate to 60M? I have tested the 45fps mode but rate with the modded firmware shows 15M so I guess that is just standard settings.

Great work and please share more findings

Benson

Here is a video of today in the air and sorry didn't have any 30fps to compare with

 
Benson said:
First of all thank you reverend and others who contributed to this thread so far, I have limited technological skills but I have used the modded firmware for my Hexacopter. I have to say the image is much better with higher rate but however I bought the yi camera hoping to do 1080p 60fps in the air, the footage is super smooth compare with my SJ4000 1080p30fps but the 30-40 rate at 60fps means the image is not as sharp.

I have made a few video of the same condition and clearly the 30fps is super sharp compares with the 60fps and both files have rate of 30M, is there any way to get rate to 60M? I have tested the 45fps mode but rate with the modded firmware shows 15M so I guess that is just standard settings.

Great work and please share more findings

Benson

Here is a video of today in the air and sorry didn't have any 30fps to compare with

Click to expand...


Hi,

just have a look on the thread. There is a link to a video which describes how to modify the firmware with custom bitrates. Its really very easy and does not require a lot of know how.
But I don't know if the YI is able to handle such high bitrates. Just try (with a fast sd card).
 
I managed to install the custom firmware but the quality remained the same firmware stock

bah ...
 
hey guys, just got xioami camera and quialty is bad in 1080 60fps and 240fps... i understand this is a firmware problem...
so i should install this one of evgi?
https://mega.co.nz/#!XFxHSBSB!v9um2cfFriMrL-LrqpnYUbewk3s_ollcxst5DPg3uQI

if i install this version i can't install offical one's?

should i install offical ones? (mine is version 0.7 and there is suggest to update to version 1.something when opening the app)

and i folow this instruction:

To install it's simple:
  1. Download the file above from Mega
  2. Unzip the contents of the ZIP file to your desktop
  3. Rename the extracted file to firmware.bin
  4. Power off the Yi Sports Camera
  5. Copy this file to the top level folder / root of a microSD card and then place that into your Yi Sports Camera
  6. Connect the Yi camera to a power source that is turned on (very important - if the camera dies during this process you have got a dead Yi!!)
  7. Turn on the Yi
  8. You will now hear a constant beeping for around a minute - after this the red light will flash and the camera will turn off.
  9. Remove the microSD card and place back into a PC and ensure that you delete the \firmware.bin file
  10. Place the camera back in your card and start to enjoy higher bitrate video (assuming it doesn't cause the camera to keep crashing!!)



i know this are begainers question, i just dont want to ruin my new camera :)

thanks and waiting for someone to answer!
 
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someone should try to make some good tests, with stock firmware and some customs ones at different settings.
And then post some screenshots of all the results, so we can see the difference.
If nobody does it before, i'll do it when the camera arrives.

i've read somewhere else (sry i dont remember where exactly, but it was on a RC forum) that the 60fps is less sharp than the 30 fps and that it should be a bug firmware side.
 
tremens said:
someone should try to make some good tests, with stock firmware and some customs ones at different settings.
And then post some screenshots of all the results, so we can see the difference.
If nobody does it before, i'll do it when the camera arrives.

i've read somewhere else (sry i dont remember where exactly, but it was on a RC forum) that the 60fps is less sharp than the 30 fps and that it should be a bug firmware side.
Click to expand...

Hello, I'm new here.

Not exactly what you asked but here's a 1080 30fps/60fps comparison (also with an photo) taken from the exactly same position using my Xioami Yi running dezmen's modded 1.0.9 (VBR) and after lens focus fix.

1080/30: https://mega.co.nz/#!gcwFgATY!vFLV7QaajOHlhaeofVeGXILpeDo5bisI7m0R8uqOvBE
1080/60: https://mega.co.nz/#!xABWyRTD!P15utvLxHa_Ny1ZFnlqpI1kjADYH8ASOFUrQOz4Rde4
Picture: https://mega.co.nz/#!xABWyRTD!P15utvLxHa_Ny1ZFnlqpI1kjADYH8ASOFUrQOz4Rde4

Wonder if that's really a firmware issue.
 
ty diego !
well can clearly see the 30 fps sharper than the 60

bitrate viewer tell me that your 30 fps is around 12000kb and the 60 is around 25000 kbps with a peak at around 27483

its more than twice the bitrate of the 30fps and still less sharp, weird.
 
Easy explanation: More FPS = less light comes to the sensor, because the exposure is shorter. The cam will increase its sensor sensitivity (ISO) to deal with that. Higher ISO = more sensor noise and the imaging processor tries to filter out some of that noise by smoothing/compressing the noisy areas in the picture.

That's the only reason why the 60fps Clip is less sharp than the 30fps Clip. Both were shot indoor with no sunlight.
Especially indoor or after sunset I would not recommend to use high frame-rate modes.

If you compare 30fps and 60fps picture quality again, do it outdoor on a sunny day, so the ISO will still be very low on 60fps mode. I'm sure the picture quality sharpness will then be comparable.
 
BK-Morpheus said:
Easy explanation: More FPS = less light comes to the sensor, because the exposure is shorter. The cam will increase its sensor sensitivity (ISO) to deal with that. Higher ISO = more sensor noise and the imaging processor tries to filter out some of that noise by smoothing/compressing the noisy areas in the picture.

That's the only reason why the 60fps Clip is less sharp than the 30fps Clip. Both were shot indoor with no sunlight.
Especially indoor or after sunset I would not recommend to use high frame-rate modes.

If you compare 30fps and 60fps picture quality again, do it outdoor on a sunny day, so the ISO will still be very low on 60fps mode. I'm sure the picture quality sharpness will then be comparable.
Click to expand...

Thanks for explaining. Here's another 2 shots taken right now in the morning from my window:

1080/30: https://mega.co.nz/#!QFBHyRJY!F2mhDmdXFafCUdjeWfOnhOcIfBqBUC5iA7DGm_ICDv0
1080/60: https://mega.co.nz/#!cRRSBToR!rPhCg01Phd1y8GajjknWfVmWyxrlsiP_EUOMZUl_DPk
Picture: https://mega.co.nz/#!YF53wA4C!LRk8-BzTvX2bxjLrTQ1HPCp7VJHfzEWrmEFQ0YDnS6k

1080/30: https://mega.co.nz/#!oEZiEBAT!ZyFTCRskiqWx883UwCYn0TgtTrhqA9rGJeVweWMSk7Q
1080/60: https://mega.co.nz/#!wZxFHb4R!HqIOG5Qsfk05LAZNdGFDvRnOV0eoEVCtEIaYpB0_W14
Picture: https://mega.co.nz/#!YNgDHBKR!lM5GnKnPYSPKs6ApAIi1cZ8c-JLyr9p9kX-YAhsr0Sw

Indeed there's less sharpness difference, and probably will be even less noticeable in movement.
 
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Hi guys. First of all , thanks all who are involved in the fw modding so everyone can enjoy them.
I'm a bit messed about the different versions when it comes to bitrate-resolution/fps modes.
I have read your explanations several times but i'm still messed.

Could someone make a table with different resolution/bitrates depending on each firmware? I think that could be really helpful and i'd be very grateful(probably some others too), as for now i think i'm not able to have it clear when it comes to stock's/reverend's/Evgenyi's different bitrates based on each resolution.
The only thing i have clear is that i want to flash a CBR fw :oops:
 
Thanks klasjgflsadgasgd,

i've checked the excel within the zip file and seen all modes are VBR , topping (most of them) at 25Mbps instead of 30 as reverend did.
Are those 5Mbps more enough to notice a big difference in image quality improvement?

Pros/cons of using a VBR vs a CBR?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I see that the xiamo record audio at 128kbps and 15khz horrible, there's a way to improve the quality audio modding the firmware? The oficial page of xiaomi says the cam record at 96khz ha!

Other improvemt would be use a raw formar for pictures, and maybe For vídeo and audio.
 
yea, your are right morpheus.
thank you diego for those clips.
there are less differences in those than the kitchen ones
 
Someone needs camera control application on Windows with preview?
 
Flynn said:
Thanks klasjgflsadgasgd,

i've checked the excel within the zip file and seen all modes are VBR , topping (most of them) at 25Mbps instead of 30 as reverend did.
Are those 5Mbps more enough to notice a big difference in image quality improvement?

Pros/cons of using a VBR vs a CBR?
Click to expand...

It's my firmware)))) VBR on high bitrate better than CBR. CBR better on low bitrate.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Cool!
Thanks for the explanation Evgeniy

Any chance of having camera control application under OSX?
 
Hey guys, as I have a good relationship with xiaoyi company, they even kindly asked me to collect suggestions about xiaoyi cam, I guess many of you have received it and tested for a while? Please share here if you have any.
I have started this on rcgroups and got quite a lot, here is the list I have collected so far:

Selectable bit rate up to 45Mbps.

Dashcam style power Autostart/Stop.

Faster boot.

Spare lens at the market, and spare no fisheye lens.

English iOS App is really needed.

Auto start and stop when power via usb is applied. Maybe possible with fw update, who knows.

Builtin mic.

Also Android 4.0 support!

Please make motion detection recording feature.

Make usable lens rectification. Currently the quality is really bad and basically useless.

Windows Phone app

Please offer a $20 or less remote to control the device.

I think all I would want is for them to polish everything up. Everything works, but the lack of detail work on everything, cam, firmware, and app, is noticeable.

Short Wish List

LCD Screen on Cam

Better/Smoother App UI

Firware cleanup to address known issues

So, in short - make longer cables for USB board connection (cheap option for DIY'ers) or just make Yi in new form factor.

Add the ability to shoot with the intervalometer while filming at 1080P30.
"On existing Yi camera
- 2.7k resolution
- in-camera timelapse (movie file out instead of hundred of pics)
- exposure lock
- Auto White balance lock
on Future cameras:
- 4k
- optical stabilization
- High rate FPS for smooth slow motion (480fps and up)"

"1. Full featured, like what the guys have suggested: LCD, stabilization, etc...
2. Light-weight, without LCD and other heavy components. For FPV usage."

Really need black one

PROBLEMS OF XIAOYI:
Faulty lens focus factory adjustment.
Battery fast discharge.
Mic sound problem.
WiFi sound noise.
WIFI Connecting
 
@samiluo
I think that all those ideas are great, but some of them have more priority than others and there are some things missing. From my point of view the importance of the problems that i hope to be solved are these ones:
1- Improve iOS app development, I mean translations and including at least the same features that the Android app has. It seems that they forgot that iOS exists (And windows phone too)
2- Solve the sharpness problem with the video. The sharpness in the photos is excellent, but for some reasons in the videos there is a lack of it, and it's really important.
3- Give a solution to bricked cameras. I don't want to compare companies, but SJCAM shared the file to recover/unbrick their SJ5000+ a month later from releasing their camera, and that gives much confidence to potential buyers. The risk of bricking the cameras is so big that even if I know how to manage the firmwares I'm not going to use the AFT with the Yi until Xiaomi releases the .elf file and the procedure to enter the camera in the mode to use the DirectUSB or whichever software is needed.
4- Solve hardware problems and give an official solution for those that don't want to send back their cameras.
5- Release the Ambarella SDK. :D:D:D:D:D
6- Everything else in your list.

Thank you very much, I hope they listen to you, because in the last weeks they have not answered none of my messages in the official chinese forum.
Regards.
 
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