Problems with new PanaShoot

[Markus W.]

Problems with new PanaShoot

by Markus W. » Thu May 02, 2013 9:23 am

Hi there

I've bought a Panoshoot from Kolor for my Skywatcher Allview, it came with FW 92.
I installed all the new firmwares up to 96. After that panoshoot was unable to establish a WiFi signal for more than 10 seconds.
I needed more than 30 attempts to got a stable WiFi Signal to install the brand new FW 97 manually.

After a restart i got a STABLE WiFi Signal that not dissapers - yeah!

But there are new issues:

- I'm not able to get a Connection to the Internet as described in the Manual (or Video)

- I cannot save the orientation (portrait-left to portrait-right) in the camera Profile. (i've tested it with Chrome and IE 10). It's also not working with my tablet yet. I got the message "saved", but after restart there are the old values...

A wish to the developer:
Set a function to allow or disallow the Limits of the Mount.

Where did i find the MC Firmware 2.15 for Allview? I find only Vers. 2.14 at the skywatcher Website.

Hoping the next update will fix many things... i'm a little bit frustrated at the Moment.

Best Regards

Markus

[javqui]

by javqui » Thu May 02, 2013 12:19 pm

Dear Markus.
Thank you for the report. The bugs that you mention had been fixed and a new update will be released (build#98, web 1.98, API1.2, head driver 1.1) .
In order to help with your Wi-Fi issues, please help us to identify the source of the problem answering the following questions:
- What country you are?. (To set Panoshoot to fulfill the regulatory standards on specific countries)
- The Wi-Fi connection is a SoftAP (direct connection) or an established Wi-Fi network (Wi-Fi router)?.

Panoshoot handle two Wi-Fi modes:
- Infrastructure mode (STA). This is the typical configuration on every device that connect to a WiFi network at home,office or public hotspot.

- SoftAP mode(software enabled Access Point). On this mode, Panoshoot works like a Wi-Fi router to provide connectivity in isolated environments without a Wi-Fi router and will be included in the scan list of “networks available”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SoftAP

Some older devices don't have full support to connect to SoftAP networks (very popular and economic Chinese smartphones (with RTOS, not android) that emulate iPhones, Androids, Nokias (Symbian) or blackberries and some early smartphones/tablets don't support this feature well).
Please test your Panoshoot in a well established Wi-Fi network first and report back your observations (use a laptop to setup the initial Wi-Fi Network.)

[Markus W.]

by Markus W. » Thu May 02, 2013 12:55 pm

Dear javqui,

thank you very much for your very quick Response.

My Country is Germany and i configured WiFi as an established WiFi- Network over WiFi-router.

Regards

Markus

[javqui]

by javqui » Thu May 02, 2013 1:41 pm

Dear javqui,

thank you very much for your very quick Response.

My Country is Germany and i configured WiFi as an established WiFi- Network over WiFi-router.

Regards

Markus

Thanks.
I submit the info to the wireless developer group in order to help you better.

If you have an Android device, I will suggest install the "Wi-Fi" analyzer app (available from Google play store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer&hl=en )
This app will not only help to troubleshoot the issue but will help you to optimize your own Wi-Fi network.
I notice in some high density neighbors and big shows that everybody left the router in the same channel than others (as example channel #11) and create a lot of congestion reducing the transmission speed, but other group of channels (as example channel #1) is absolutely free.

If you can install the app, will be very useful to know the current Wi-Fi channel and the transmission power of Panoshoot. We can discard quickly a faulty unit with these values.

If you have an iPhone, Apple didn't accept this type of applications and they remove all of them from the apple store unfortunately.
Regards
Javier (javqui)

[Markus W.]

by Markus W. » Thu May 02, 2013 5:18 pm

Dear Javier,

i've installed the app and get these Parameters:

WiFi channel of Panashoot: 3 at 2422 MHz (WiFi analyser says the channels 6,7,8 are better)
Transmission power: -44 dBm

Regards

Markus

[Markus W.]

by Markus W. » Thu May 02, 2013 7:08 pm

@Javier

now i can establish a internetconnection via panoshoot. your tip with wifi analyser was great!

Regards

Markus

Now i'm still waiting for the next Firmwareupdate

[Markus W.]

by Markus W. » Tue May 07, 2013 2:43 pm

After updating to #98 panoshoot cannot establish a internet connection. Access to panoshoot over WiFi network is working.

[domi67120]

by domi67120 » Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:16 pm

Hello,
I got a new panogear from Kolor three weeks ago. It came with Panoshoot (FW build : 99, web site 1.98). I had difficulties getting started, but I can now set up some mosaics and start shooting test panoramas. Nevertheless, I still have questions about some strange behaviour of panoshoot. These are summarised below. But first, some information about the configurations I use for tests;
· A desktop PC running W7 and IE10
· A Macbook pro running OS X 10.7.5 and Firefox v20.0 (I also tried with Safari)
· An iPad2 running IOS 6.1.3 with safari as browser and now Chrome.
A contrario of Markus W., I never had any wifi connection problems. STA and SoftAP connections can always be established promptly and safely (I am in France and my network provider is Orange). Just one problem with my iPad2 though: using safari under IOS I cannot navigate to the configuration menu, but this is due to a browser support problem (I believe).
Another thing I noticed: whatever the hardware platform, operating systeb or browser (including Safari on the iPad2), the Digital Joystick Pad is always working (at least the first time you use it).

Currently I am using the PC with IE10 or the iPad2 with Chrome: they behave the same and are apparently fully functional. Safari on the iPad2 just does not work and I am not quite sure about Firefox on the Macbook pro.

My first question is about Battery Management.
Using a dual LiPo battery pack that came with the Panogear pack, fully charged (Voltage reading with an external meter = 16.65V), I get a red Icon as battery on the various menues and the power reading is 10.65V (Yes, I tried both 8*AA and LiPo as power source; it seemes that Panoshoot remembers the settings read from the AA power supply (which last was 10.65V) and does no update when LiPo is installed instead. "Calibrate Battery Sensor" does not change or update anything). When using the LiPo pack, if I change to 8*AA in the Power Source menu under Battery mgmt, I get Green icons, but still with the 10.65 voltage readin.
The English documentation shows an 17.8 reading with LiPo. By the way, the documentation lists 3 options for power source. I have 4 on my Panoshoot: it also indicates "None".

Second question and much more important.
Under the Mosaic Profiles Function, define Mosaic by FoV works fine. I have problems (may be because of lack of understanding) getting the Define Mosaic by Corners to work. What am I doing:
· Put the tripod in a position I want to be Yaw=0, Pitch=0
· Power up the device
· Go to the Smart Calibration Menu, click on "set current position as center" (0,0)
· Go to the define Mosaic by Corners menu
· Use Digital Joystick to move to Top Left (eg; yaw -40, pitch -20)
· Click 'top-left' 1st time (yaw gets assigned the -40 value, pitch still old value)
· Click 'top-left' 2nd time (yaw still -40, pitch at -20 - yaw and pitch updated)
· Use Digital Joystick to move to bootom right (yaw 43.3, pitch 23.6)
· Click bottom right 1st time AND THEN, Top-Left Pitch gets changed to 23.6, while bottom right yaw gets the correct value of 43.3
· click bottom right a 2nd time and bottom right yaw and pitch values are correct, but top left pitch is still wrong at 23.6
· Save these values.
The mosaic run does not produce the expected results/
Is Mosaic by Corners functional?? Did I misunderstood something??

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:34 pm

Has it takem 3 weeks to get this far with your Panoshoot?

Never used a Panoshoot (perhaps that's why I still havea little hair left?) but using Papywizard to configure a Mosaic shoot by setting corner co-ordinates I'd expect the upper corner to have a postive value for pitch and the lower corner to have negative value for pitch; relative to the 0/0 reference point.

[domi67120]

by domi67120 » Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:52 pm

Hi Andrews,

you are right: me too would have expected from (0,0), yaw to the left to be negative and pitch down to be negative. Not the case with Panoshoot. May be due to another option : They have a 'Camera Profile' menu with an 'orientation' parameter (Portrait or landscape, left or right). The otion you choose may have an impact on the +/- setting (I have not tested this yet) but definitely should not have any impact on modification of the lower corner setup once you have defined the upper corner coordinates.

Panogear from Kolor (at least the model I received) now ships withe the Panoshoot interface only wifi capable. In the past Panogear probably shipped with a bluetooth transmitter/receiver allowing for full connectivity with Papywizard. This is gone (iPad2 Under IOS is Bluetooth capable, but unfortunately Papywizard is not ported to IOS and @### Applestore rules will not make the port easy).
But I want to wander with my iPad2 to control Panogear (800 gr vs 3 Kg for the Macbook pro), and whereas Paywizard may do much more for me, I am constraint to use Panoshoot which seem to have great potential but is apparently still 'under development' as I can read from the very poor french user guide.

Below is a quote from the Kolor website about Panoshoot shipping with Panogear.
'Panoshoot is the universally compatible Wi-Fi remote control solution for Kolor’s Panogear. Wireless controlled panoheads typically offer short ranges and fast battery drain. With Panoshoot, the control options are diversified to offer a variety of platform interfaces and distance options to photographers. This wireless controller for the Panogear motorized panoramic tripod head has HTML5 compatible internet capability that extends control distance by utilizing online connectivity. The Panoshoot is a wireless module controller with a fully integrated web server that enables Wi-Fi control through a browser based application'

Bien Cordialement,
Dominique Lux
D800, Nodal Ninja NN1, Nikkor 105 1:2.8G ED, Nikkor 50 1:1.8G, Nikkor 300 1:4D, Nikkor 24-120 1:4G, Nodal Ninja NN1, Panogear with Panoshoot

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Mon Aug 05, 2013 6:05 pm

Panogear from Kolor (at least the model I received) now ships withe the Panoshoot interface only wifi capable. In the past Panogear probably shipped with a bluetooth transmitter/receiver allowing for full connectivity with Papywizard. This is gone (iPad2 Under IOS is Bluetooth capable, but unfortunately Papywizard is not ported to IOS and @### Applestore rules will not make the port easy).

The Bluetooth interface is still available from the developer, and also from SkiVR now their new Web shop is open:

http://www.papymerlin.com/interface-%C3%A9lectronique/

http://magasin.skivr.com/en/accessoires-panogear/155-module-bluetooth-pour-tete-motorisee-panogear.html

Papywizard is still available of course, but there will never be an IOS port of Papywizard. And Nokia N800/N810 Internet tablets are pretty cheap now via ebay if you want a handheld Papywizard platform.

http://www.papywizard.org/

And there is a Panogear controller for Android - called PandroidWiz. This uses papywizard style prest shooting patrtern definitions for all types of pano shoot at present:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fvh.panoramic.pandroidwiz&hl=en

And the T&C touch controller - previously marketed by Kolor but no longer - is still available from the developer too:

http://www.typeandcolour.de/index.php?ln=de&tp=hhc_home

And also from SkiVR:

http://magasin.skivr.com/en/accessoires-panogear/152-controleur-tactile-pour-rotule-panogear.html

Last edited by mediavets on Mon Aug 05, 2013 6:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Artisan New]

by Artisan New » Mon Aug 05, 2013 7:00 pm

Hi Andrews,

you are right: me too would have expected from (0,0), yaw to the left to be negative and pitch down to be negative. Not the case with Panoshoot. May be due to another option : They have a 'Camera Profile' menu with an 'orientation' parameter (Portrait or landscape, left or right). The otion you choose may have an impact on the +/- setting (I have not tested this yet) but definitely should not have any impact on modification of the lower corner setup once you have defined the upper corner coordinates.

It depends entirely on the viewpoint, while the camera moves to the right the motor moves counterclockwise and while the camera moves up the motor turns counterclockwise. Thus up = down and left = right. Had the same problem....so I had to revers the axis orientation...in my own code.

Greets, Ed.

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Mon Aug 05, 2013 7:21 pm

Hi Andrews,

you are right: me too would have expected from (0,0), yaw to the left to be negative and pitch down to be negative. Not the case with Panoshoot. May be due to another option : They have a 'Camera Profile' menu with an 'orientation' parameter (Portrait or landscape, left or right). The otion you choose may have an impact on the +/- setting (I have not tested this yet) but definitely should not have any impact on modification of the lower corner setup once you have defined the upper corner coordinates.

It depends entirely on the viewpoint, while the camera moves to the right the motor moves counterclockwise and while the camera moves up the motor turns counterclockwise. Thus up = down and left = right. Had the same problem....so I had to revers the axis orientation...in my own code.

Greets, Ed.

If you wish to create user friendly system then I think the viewpoint of the human user might be more appropriate than the viewpoint of the motor?

Last edited by mediavets on Mon Aug 05, 2013 7:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Artisan New]

by Artisan New » Tue Aug 06, 2013 9:14 am

No, no I which to create a system that is robot freindly.......what I really would which to create is Panorobot that:

1) I can send out to shoot it's own pano's (including finding location wearthy of pano shooting in the first place).

2) That can shoot, stitch and upload the #### (under my name of course) to either 360 Geocities (for sphere's) or the Gigapan site (for Giga's)

3) That can answer all of Klauses remarks on the Kolor forum....

Now that is what I would call a Gigapanoramabot....but I'm working on it.

Greets, Ed.

Last edited by Artisan New on Tue Aug 06, 2013 9:14 am, edited 1 time in total.