VP - Systems - Remote Controlled Cameras. - Creative Uses of CHDK

databoy

VP - Systems - Remote Controlled Cameras.

« on: 01 / April / 2008, 03:08:14 »

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It looks like someone has commercialised some of the functions of CHDK into a remote controller.
Very few details on the site. It looks like a standard PICAXE chip interface with IR and radio controller.
Most of the technical details are available on the net from hobbyist sites.
It would not be hard to replicate the commercial design.

CAMremote-1

VP-Systems - Remote Controlled Video &
Photography

VP-Systems - Remote Controlled Video & Photography

I downloaded all the hardware and software documentation from the PICAXE site last week.
I asked a software question in a different part of the forum and will ask a similar question again here.

The PICAXE chip can convert IR and radio codes to a programmed pulse code. It has already been done for remote photography using other cameras; surely those codes could be interpreted by CHDK to user defined applications.

« Last Edit: 01 / April / 2008, 03:18:33 by databoy »

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fbonomi

469
A570IS SD1100/Ixus80

Re: VP - Systems - Remote Controlled Cameras.

« Reply #1 on: 01 / April / 2008, 13:30:13 »

I am developing a IR->picaxe->CHDK remote system, I will post more news when my A570 arrives and I can test it properly :-)

Their system (actually systems) seem nice in terms of flexibility. The gameboy hack is coool!

EDIT: actually, reading better, their system is not for doing IR->picaxe->CHDK, but (just for cameras that already have an IR sensor), to make picaxe -> IR -> Camera

« Last Edit: 01 / April / 2008, 13:51:42 by fbonomi »

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databoy

Re: VP - Systems - Remote Controlled Cameras.

« Reply #2 on: 01 / April / 2008, 22:36:24 »

fbonomi,

I posted the following url's under micro controller links.
Some of the camera hardware interface design work has been implemented in other projects.
The hardware ideas may be useful to you.

Tom2000's Home Page:
Tom2000's Web Page

Source code for aerial photography with a Kodak DC20 camera:
http://www.vermontficks.org/rc01ca.htm
Schematic for the above camera:
http://www.vermontficks.org/rc01sa.gif

Demo of a PICAXE controlling a Cannon A40 zoom lens:
CHDK Serial Comms Prototype - AOL Video

Sony IR Control Demo:
http://www.picaxe.orconhosting.net.nz/irdemo.bas

Sorry for the re-post of the links. Not all the visitors read all the posts.

FOOTNOTE:

I am sceptical of people advertising products on the internet. I have seen it too many times ideas pilfered from other sources and commercialised. The advertising reads like the best invention since sliced bread; but the product does not live up to the hype.

In Australia we have Silicon Chip magazine which publishes some great projects; the source code is retained by the author, only the executable is published.

There has been some criticisms on this forum of the CHDK developers not publishing the comments to their development code. I do not blame them; eventually some unethical enterprising person out to make a fast buck will commercialise their efforts from a country with sloppy copyright laws.

You only have to look at the Linux community and the problems with pilfering open source code.

« Last Edit: 01 / April / 2008, 23:17:06 by databoy »

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fbonomi

469
A570IS SD1100/Ixus80

Re: VP - Systems - Remote Controlled Cameras.

« Reply #3 on: 03 / April / 2008, 04:38:55 »

yes thanks , I have seen those links.

As per the commercial side of opensource projects, I don't see it as a problem.

That's the way o/s goes, (see linux and RedHat, just to mention a case) and in my opinion (and of many others) a good commercial venture based on an open source project helps the project, rather than harming it.

Coders who think otherwise usually don't publish their code :-)

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databoy

Re: VP - Systems - Remote Controlled Cameras.

« Reply #4 on: 03 / April / 2008, 05:30:45 »

I agree with you; I have no problem with companies like RedHat, IBM, Ubuntu and alike commercialising Linux because they put something back into the community. I was thinking more of those companies and individuals who capitalise on open source; modify the code, then refuse to release the mods back into the community so everyone receives the benefits. Like DIVX which started out as a hacked Microsoft codec. Was open sourced to re-write and legitimise the codec, then closed sourced and commercialised. Some of the original developers and contributors then started the XVID project.

Projects like CHDK would die if there was no feedback and user input. It takes a lot of heads to solve problems.

« Last Edit: 03 / April / 2008, 05:41:24 by databoy »

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Russel_Sprouts

3

Re: VP - Systems - Remote Controlled Cameras.

« Reply #5 on: 07 / April / 2008, 17:41:56 »

In this case, seems they already had the software in place. Advent of CHDK just enabled their app to interface with a wider range of cameras.

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