Using built in WiFi for image retrieval - Feature Requests - CHDK Forum
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Using built in WiFi for image retrieval

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Offline JvdP

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Using built in WiFi for image retrieval
« on: 28 / August / 2013, 04:21:37 »
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One of the biggest head aches for us time lapse people is the retrieval of images without moving the camera. Generally, USB is the way to go, but there are a lot of situations where USB is sub-optimal. For example when you have several camera's, when camera's are hard to reach or when you don't want to have to use a computer. It gets even more complicated when you have a combination of these factors.

A common and usable solution is to use Eye-Fi cards. But it is not always certain the cards will work nicely with CHDK and a lot of Canon's P&S camera's have a known bug switching off the card during exposures. Furthermore, the cards are expensive and very difficult to get a hold of for non-US folk.

Then I noticed that a lot of camera's being released lately have built in WiFi. There are even apps for most smarthpones, tablets and computers to connect to the camera and retrieve images. Brilliant! But it only works when the camera is in Playback mode and thus useless during time lapses.

To cut a long story short
Would it be possible to tap into the built in WiFi and enable the transfer of pictures right after exposure? I suppose the WiFi part of the camera's has been secured somewhat to prevent unwanted access but it should be possible. Has anybody tried this?
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Offline waterwingz

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Re: Using built in WiFi for image retrieval
« Reply #1 on: 28 / August / 2013, 08:22:15 »
Seems to be a continuation of this thread :  http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=10592.msg104531#msg10453

There is one thing you can do immediately that might help.  If your intervalometer script (timelapse) is taking shots at a rate slower that once every four seconds (approx) then you can easily have the script switch to playback mode between shots to allow picture transfer.   If you set the lens retract delay to 1 minute in the Canon menu,  this will not interfer with your lens (zoom) setup.

Incidentally,  the Ultimate Intervalometer script that you downloaded does this automatically in one of its power saving modes.
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Offline JvdP

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Re: Using built in WiFi for image retrieval
« Reply #2 on: 28 / August / 2013, 08:38:55 »
Thanks for the quick tip! Although I'm not sure how the topic you linked to relates to my topic. I'm aiming to use WiFi but the topic is regarding USB triggering.

Making the camera go into playback mode is not enough, you also have to get it into the WiFi transfer mode. Is this possible to do through script?

The camera doesn't keep WiFi connection when it enters capture mode.
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Offline reyalp

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Re: Using built in WiFi for image retrieval
« Reply #3 on: 28 / August / 2013, 13:32:39 »
Quote from: JvdP on 28 / August / 2013, 08:38:55
Making the camera go into playback mode is not enough, you also have to get it into the WiFi transfer mode. Is this possible to do through script?
You can send key presses to the Canon firmware, so presumably you would be able to do this with CHDK. However, AFAIK no wifi capable cameras are currently supported by CHDK.

I recently acquired a wifi capable camera (elph130) but I haven't really started porting, and haven't played with the factory wifi stuff at all yet.
« Last Edit: 28 / August / 2013, 16:45:57 by reyalp »
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Offline JvdP

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Re: Using built in WiFi for image retrieval
« Reply #4 on: 28 / August / 2013, 16:04:37 »
Nice idea. Any hints where to find more about scripting keypresses?

I have an IXUS240HS (ELPH320HS) which is working with CHDK fine. It's not official yet.
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Offline reyalp

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Re: Using built in WiFi for image retrieval
« Reply #5 on: 28 / August / 2013, 16:45:40 »
Quote from: JvdP on 28 / August / 2013, 16:04:37
Nice idea. Any hints where to find more about scripting keypresses?
See the "keypad and switches" section in  http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_Scripting_Cross_Reference_Page

you should be able to use click("key name") to navigate through the menu. This will only be usable if the menus always come up in a consistent state, if different items are initially selected, you would have no way of knowing.
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I have an IXUS240HS (ELPH320HS) which is working with CHDK fine. It's not official yet.
Thanks, I didn't realize this camera had wifi. It's hard to keep track of all of all the different cameras...
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Offline JvdP

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Re: Using built in WiFi for image retrieval
« Reply #6 on: 29 / August / 2013, 15:56:41 »
I have tested the WiFi transfer from the camera to the PC. Even though it works well manually, I doubt whether this will work well with a "keypress" script. Keypress scripts are very prone to failing when conditions are not exactly the same every single time.

Every time I upload an image from the camera, it connects to the WiFi network. Connecting to the WiFi network and uploading the image doesn't always take the exact same time. When scripting I would have to build in a waiting time, but I have my doubts that this would be a fail safe solution.

Is there someone who has tapped into the WiFi functionalities through CHDK yet?
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Offline reyalp

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Re: Using built in WiFi for image retrieval
« Reply #7 on: 29 / August / 2013, 16:35:53 »
Quote from: JvdP on 29 / August / 2013, 15:56:41
I have tested the WiFi transfer from the camera to the PC. Even though it works well manually, I doubt whether this will work well with a "keypress" script. Keypress scripts are very prone to failing when conditions are not exactly the same every single time.
Yup. Those are the cards you have been dealt though, it's up to you how to play them...
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Every time I upload an image from the camera, it connects to the WiFi network. Connecting to the WiFi network and uploading the image doesn't always take the exact same time. When scripting I would have to build in a waiting time, but I have my doubts that this would be a fail safe solution.
Yup. The most reliable approach would probably be to observe how long it typically takes, and then add some very significant safety margin (2x? 5x?)

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Is there someone who has tapped into the WiFi functionalities through CHDK yet?
FWIW, I am effectively the lead developer of CHDK at this point. When I say CHDK doesn't do anything with onboard wifi (it doesn't), asking again is unlikely to get you a better answer....

There may be eventprocs http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Event_Procedure or levents http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/LogicalEvent that could help you without any new CHDK code. I haven't looked much yet, but there do seem to be numerous eventprocs with names containing wifi, wireless and wlan. If you are up for some reverse engineering, you may be able to find a better solution.
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Offline JvdP

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Re: Using built in WiFi for image retrieval
« Reply #8 on: 29 / August / 2013, 16:43:56 »
Quote from: reyalp on 29 / August / 2013, 16:35:53
FWIW, I am effectively the lead developer of CHDK at this point. When I say CHDK doesn't do anything with onboard wifi (it doesn't), asking again is unlikely to get you a better answer....

There may be eventprocs http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Event_Procedure or levents http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/LogicalEvent that could help you without any new CHDK code. I haven't looked much yet, but there do seem to be numerous eventprocs with names containing wifi, wireless and wlan. If you are up for some reverse engineering, you may be able to find a better solution.
I'm sorry I repeated the question, I wasn't aware you were the lead developer. I should have looked in your profile.

CHDK is amazing. Already. But I also know how a drive for continuous improvement can make products better and better. I imagine a future where CHDK can do even more than today.

Nothing comes for free, I know. So I'm willing to help with anything I can. It's just that I'm not much of a programmer, let alone someone who can reverse engineer. What I can do, though, is test things on my WiFi enabled cameras. Just tell me what to do :)
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Offline waterwingz

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Re: Using built in WiFi for image retrieval
« Reply #9 on: 29 / August / 2013, 18:01:03 »
Quote from: JvdP on 29 / August / 2013, 16:43:56
I'm sorry I repeated the question, I wasn't aware you were the lead developer. I should have looked in your profile.
The give away is the 6671 posts listed under his username (over on the left hand side of the forum thread).
« Last Edit: 29 / August / 2013, 18:11:55 by waterwingz »
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