building usb-remote-cable

Racenviper

drippinsnowman
I have CHDK compatible, wireless shutter remotes. These are professionaly designed, built to order modules. I will happily give away the design files in the spirit of open source. Assembled modules cost $50.00.

Email: DanielRoy119@gmail.com for design files, photos, or if you are interested in purchasing a complete module.

Technical Specs:
over 100ft wireless range.

Photos? Does it work with the current SDM software?

drippinsnowman

I'm setting up a little website this weekend so you can browse the pictures and everything.... I also have wired versions available too!

Microfunguy

Racenviper
Does it work with the current SDM software?

Daniel may not know what that implies ........

Simply, while the button is pressed we require 5V to be present on the USB V+ .

Some people may want to control up to eight cameras so the output of the receiver needs to be able to drive that load.

Typically, that is a resistor from USB V+ to the base of a transistor and another resistor from base to ground.

On my A620, the input resistance is 20K so for eight cameras it is 2K5.

That requires a current of 2mA ... not a problem 😀

David

drippinsnowman

I've completed a little website where you can find the schematics for my wireless shutter system. Please visit CHDK Remote Shutters - Wireless CHDK Compatible Shutters

Microfunguy

No Eagle PCB layout like we have on the SDM site ? 😀

I will put a link to your website in about three weeks time when there is a new release.

Incidentally, with SDM you turn-on the camera and immediately operate the USB release .. that is it .. no scripts required.

David

Microfunguy

What transmitter and receiver modules are used ?

drippinsnowman

Regarding the layout files, I prefer to use ExpressPCB because of the limitations of the freeware version of eagle. Also, I have not yet decided whether or not I will release the .DXF layout files or the .pcb (ExpresssPCB) layout files.

If you would like David, I will place a link to your SDM site from my Wireless Shutter site.

Regarding the transmitter/receiver modules, I use 315MHz and 433MHz modules. There are many places that manufacture them and they cost approximately $8.00/pair

acorrias

Hi
I've posted a new topic. Perhaps I should post it here but you could follow this link:
DIY wireless remote with a chinese door ring bell

I's about an experimental hack on a low cost (5€) chinese door bell and the transformation in a wireless remote controll.

It's just ready. I've to get the right solid state relay in order to complete it.

thanks
Alex

drippinsnowman

I have some completed wireless doorbell shutter systems that I'm selling for US$35.00 including shipping. I only make $9.00 profit and that is because it takes me about an hour to modify the doorbell. One transmitter can shutter any number of cameras to facilitate SDM photography. For more information or to purchase one visit http://home.comcast.net/~danielroy119/site/.

😀

Bg~

What transmitter and receiver modules are used ?

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=7813

I posted this earlier in the thread. They aren't meant to be used directly, you may need an additional controller, but from what I've briefly tested, they do work for sending simple button pushes. These particular RX/TX are made to be paired with an encoder/decoder I think. There is a chip (unfortunately I don't recall the part number) that is made to work with it. A google search on "remote keyless entry" may turn up some information if you're interested.

cheebert

Hey I saw an old post on how someone used a four port passive USB hub to fire four cameras at once. Has anyone actually tried this? If so how many cameras? Could I possibly cascade multiple hubs to trigger say sixteen cameras?

Why might you ask? Well, this would certainly be cheaper than the megabuck rigs they used for Matrix!

I hear light bulbs going off....hehehehe...

/brian chee

Microfunguy

cheebert
Could I possibly cascade multiple hubs to trigger say sixteen cameras?

A number of members on the Yahoo 'StereoData Maker' Group have triggered 8 cameras :-

StereoData Maker

In the Photos section you can see pictures of such a rig.

They are being used for creating lenticular stereo prints (the type you can view without special glasses).

David

mcsquared88

I have an Energizer Energi-to-go USB charger (http://www.energizer.com/products/energi-to-go/cell-phone-charger/Pages/cell-battery-charger.aspx). It's a little thing that takes 2 AA batteries and has a little plug (looks like a microphone jack but smaller) into which can be plugged different adapters for different phones. You then plug the other end of the adapter into your phone and it will charge the phone from the AA batteries. The USB model comes with a standard mini-USB plug. Since the documentation for the remote trigger suggests trying it by connecting the camera to a computer (which normally outputs 5 volts via USB, instead of the 3 volts expected by the remote trigger), I figured I could get the same result using the USB charger. I tried it and it works. The adapter is quite short (about 3 inches), so some sort of mini-USB extension cable is probably needed, but it definitely works. I assume there's no harm because the camera is designed to be connected to a PC.

PhyrePhoX

funny, i got the same thing (energi to go), never thought about using it for usb remote. on the other hand, i already got a real usb remote, so why bother 😉
thing is, you still need a switch, unless you just want to plugin and plugout the connector in order to take pics.

Jucifer

So I followed fingalo's tips on modifying nexa/proove/... remote controllable power socket and came up with these. I sliced all three receivers in the package.
The new housing is 72mm x 50mm x 22mm in size.
I also put in a switch to ...well, switch the unit off, when not in use.
Then there's the channel selector.
And of course two USB sockets. (There might have been enough room for even third one.)
I decided not to glue the board in place, just in case I have to fix something later... :/ (After all, I did manage to short/break something when modifying one the units: half of the voltage gets to J201 even when the switch is off... fingalo, help me! :I) The power switch pushes the board down and keeps it in place.

fingalo

Nice boxes, I like your approach of fixing the channel switch 😁. I always find it tricky to get the mechanical parts acceptable when doing some homebrew 😉

Cythrelo

I'm not much of an electrician, but I bought an LED flashlight keychain that uses two CR2016 cells (3V each), and I'm wondering if 6V would be safe to trigger my S5?

I tried one CR2032, but 3V isn't enough to trigger it, and I can't fit a button-shape 1.5V in there to get 4.5V. I just want to make sure that 6V isn't going to kill my camera.

Microfunguy

Cythrelo
I just want to make sure that 6V isn't going to kill my camera.

People will say that the USB specification is +5V, but that is actually irrelevant for our purpose.

The USB V+ is connected to a resistor that goes to the base of a dual-transistor switch before connecting to the DIGIC processor.

On my A620, that resistor is 20K so the current is one quarter of a thousandth of an amp !

Assuming other cameras are similar, 6V is fine.

If you have access to a multimeter you can measure the resistance between the outer pins of the USB connector.

DO NOT user the audible continuity range of the meter !

David

Cythrelo

Thanks! I feel much less nervous now, and I just about have the remote together, so I'm about to give it a shot.

I do have a multimeter, but the contacts are way too big to fit in the little USB port of the camera.

jetzt

Well I usally also like current limiting instead of voltage limiting, but in that case two cheap resistors
could do a voltage divider and would be much safer. (Perhaps not electrically, but for nervousity.)

(Really simple: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spannungsteiler
or:

)

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