Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera - Hotwire! Hardware Mods, Accessories and Insights - CHDK Forum

Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera

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Hi,

I'm trying to control a 1000d using the "little one", as in my ixus I have the fantastic "lightning detector".

I just need a way to tell the IXUS to send a "1" to the usb port. Then I'll figure out what that "1" is, and I'll use it to connect to the cable that controls the bulb of the 1000d.

Any idea on how to send a bit to the usb of the IXUS?

Tnx!
Ixus 80IS fw ver. 101a - CHDK ver. 0.9.1-678 (13 jan 2009) - GCC 4.3.2

Re: Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera
« Reply #1 on: 07 / August / 2009, 13:17:59 »
Any idea on how to send a bit to the usb of the IXUS?

No, you cannot do that.

However, you can easily turn the 'Print' LED on/off and use that to control a phototransistor.

The difficult part is excluding bright sunlight and keeping the phototransistor stuck to the camera.


David

Re: Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera
« Reply #2 on: 07 / August / 2009, 14:28:09 »
The problem is that with my camera led control is not possible (I already tried) :(

Simply my camera doesn't support "set_led". It's an ixus 80is. I read about the problems here: http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=2044.300

It seems strange that no control (not even of the print led) can be possible, given that when the camera loads the CHDK, the print led blinks.

Do you know how can I make that very led blinking (but not using the normal way to control leds, that unfortunately does not work)?
Ixus 80IS fw ver. 101a - CHDK ver. 0.9.1-678 (13 jan 2009) - GCC 4.3.2

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Offline Anaglyphic

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Re: Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera
« Reply #3 on: 07 / August / 2009, 15:09:03 »
It doesn't matter. The 1000D has a pre-focused, mirror-locked shutter lag of 87ms, so if your SD1100 running CHDK and the MDFB script is taking ~100ms... you will always miss the lightning.

If you have to wire up an external circuit to make the DigiELPH trigger the dSLR sending a pulse high, you'd be much better off just wiring up a reverse-biased photodiode lightning trigger, which will react in microseconds and add no overhead to your 1000D's 87ms. (Google will find you many such circuits for light activated camera triggers)
Since we cannot know all that there is to be known about anything,
 we ought to know a little about everything.
-- Blaise Pascal

Re: Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera
« Reply #4 on: 07 / August / 2009, 15:36:06 »
The problem is that with my camera led control is not possible (I already tried)

Try temporarily replacing your DISKBOOT.BIN with the SDM version from here :

http://stereo.jpn.org/eng/sdm/index.htm

Try script commands blue_led_on and blue_led_off.

Also try the set_led command.

Do either of them work ?

Re: Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera
« Reply #5 on: 08 / August / 2009, 12:09:59 »
It doesn't matter. The 1000D has a pre-focused, mirror-locked shutter lag of 87ms, so if your SD1100 running CHDK and the MDFB script is taking ~100ms... you will always miss the lightning.

Thanks...I supposed that the dslr was far faster...

My compact is amazigly fast (40 to 80ms), but an overhead of 87 is too much...

Tnx also to Microfungy for your tip...but I'm not going to try...basically because my efforts will prove worthless for the above mentioned considerations... :(

I'll build something with an Arduino...and let's see if it works:)
Ixus 80IS fw ver. 101a - CHDK ver. 0.9.1-678 (13 jan 2009) - GCC 4.3.2

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Offline Anaglyphic

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Re: Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera
« Reply #6 on: 08 / August / 2009, 17:38:15 »
My compact is amazigly fast (40 to 80ms)
No, it isn't. I have 4 SD1100s, and unless yours is somehow different than mine... You probably used a software tool like MD_Test2 to benchmark your MDFB. Well, it lies.

I'll build something with an Arduino...and let's see if it works:)
There are already a few triggers out there for Arduino boards. I myself love Arduinos. Check out Maurice Ribble's project,  Camera Axe for a ready-to-go solution. Works well in daytime storms too.

Another thing you could do, take an Arduino and few LEDs and make a millisecond timer, one that's accurate. And re-test that SD1100 correctly. :D
Since we cannot know all that there is to be known about anything,
 we ought to know a little about everything.
-- Blaise Pascal

Re: Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera
« Reply #7 on: 09 / August / 2009, 10:45:03 »
Tnx Anaglyphic! Anyway the camera is fast enough to take excellent lightning captures, so either lightnings in my region are slow  ;) , or it's fast enough (even though I cannot assure the test was telling the true).

Anyway, before buying (and wiring) the Arduino...I was thinking about using my blackberry. It has got a camera...a usb port...so I just installed the SDK to see if there's something like a luminosity check.

I'll keep you updated...
Ixus 80IS fw ver. 101a - CHDK ver. 0.9.1-678 (13 jan 2009) - GCC 4.3.2

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Offline Anaglyphic

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Re: Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera
« Reply #8 on: 09 / August / 2009, 17:50:43 »
Since we cannot know all that there is to be known about anything,
 we ought to know a little about everything.
-- Blaise Pascal

Re: Sending a "1" to the usb port to control the shutter of another camera
« Reply #9 on: 13 / August / 2009, 13:06:39 »
Ok, I checked out...it's impossible with the BB...there's no method to ask the BB which is the level of luminosity. You can only write a program that invokes the camera application, then you can store the photo, delete it etc...etc... but nothing low level :(

I'll do it with the Arduino, and maybe I'll use the BB to set up parameters or read variable status.

But first...let's buy an Arduino;)
Ixus 80IS fw ver. 101a - CHDK ver. 0.9.1-678 (13 jan 2009) - GCC 4.3.2

 

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