MultiCam Using 2x GoPro's

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OnboardTV
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MultiCam Using 2x GoPro's

Post by OnboardTV »

My phone is running on Android 6 and I have two GoPro SESSION cameras to play with.

When I'm only using one camera, all is well. I go to WiFi settings on my phone, select the GoPro camera, and after they are tied together I just open HLT and start logging the video and data, a very simple process.

But how do you connect the 2nd GoPro camera to use as PiP? I have read the documentation but could not find the procedure. I saw what is required (multicam app) for triggering another iOs phone to use as the PiP device, or for when using the phone's internal camera + one GoPro camera, but what about using another GoPro (total of 2x GoPro only)?
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Harry
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Re: MultiCam Using 2x GoPro's

Post by Harry »

It is not possible to remote control more than one WiFi action cam at a time. They all require their own network and a smartphone can connect to one at a time only.

The work around is to operate the second cam manually. Start it before leaving the pits and stop it when back. You can add this footage to LapTimer "after the fact". Please read about using external footage in Video Documentation (www.gps-laptimer.de/documentation) - it is one if the last sections.

Harry
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OnboardTV
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Re: MultiCam Using 2x GoPro's

Post by OnboardTV »

Do you think it could be implemented in a future version? I know you can sync up to 50 GoPro's on REMOTE mode but only one cam in APP mode, but the engineering behind it is unclear to me. It looks like Sony found a way to do it with their latest action cam http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/www ... index.html might be worth looking into it?
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Re: MultiCam Using 2x GoPro's

Post by OnboardTV »

****COPIED OFF SONY'S WEBSITE***

This page describes the settings and operation for Multi Camera Control with Android mobile devices.
1. Preparation before connecting
2. Connection - Sending the smartphone and camera information
3. Connection - Setting cameras to the Multi Camera Control
4. Operation for Multi Camera Control
The screen design and detailed operations may be different depending on your camera and mobile device.
1. Preparation before connecting

1.1. Install the latest version of PlayMemories Mobile from the <download> site.
1.2. Write down the Wi-Fi information (SSID, Security, and Password) of the smartphone.
On your smartphone, select [Settings] > [Wireless & Networks] > [More...] > [Tethering & portable hotspot] > [Portable Wi-Fi hotspot settings] > [Configure Wi-Fi hotspot]. Write down the displayed Wi-Fi information (Network SSID, Security, and Password) of your smartphone. If the password is hidden, check [Show password].

1.3. Find the Wi-Fi information (SSID and Password) of all the cameras.
This step is not necessary if you use QR codes or NFC to enter the camera information in step 2.2 or if the camera has already been connected to the same smartphone in single connection before.
Wi-Fi information is found on the Startup Guide sheet supplied with the camera. If you lost the manual, you can find them by connecting the camera and the computer with the USB cable, turning on the camera, then open [Computer] > [PMHOME] > [INFO] > [WIFI_INF.TXT] on the computer.

2. Connection - Sending the smartphone and camera information

2.1. Make sure that (Wi-Fi icon) is displayed on the camera.
If it is not displayed, turn on Wi-Fi on the first camera according to the procedures below.
For FDR-X1000V / HDR-AS200V :
Press the PREV and NEXT buttons at the same time, press PREV or NEXT to select ON (not MULTI), then press the ENTER button. Go back to recording modes such as MOVIE or PHOTO by pressing PREV/NEXT/ENTER buttons.
For FDR-X3000 / HDR-AS50 / HDR-AS300 :
Press the UP/DOWN buttons at the same time, press the UP/DOWN buttons to select [ : ON] (not MULTI), then press the ENTER button. Go back to the recording modes by pressing the NENU button.

2.2. Enter the camera information on PlayMemories Mobile.
If this is the first time connecting the camera to a smartphone, follow one of the procedures below. For cameras that have already connected to the same smartphone, just start PlayMemories Mobile.
When connecting via the NFC one-touch function :
Activate the NFC function on your smartphone. Set the camera to one of the recording modes such as MOVIE or PHOTO. Touch the N mark on the smartphone with the N mark on the camera for one or two seconds until PlayMemories Mobile starts.

When connecting by scanning a QR code (FDR-X3000/ HDR-AS50/ HDR-AS300) :
On your smartphone, start PlayMemories Mobile and select [Scan QR Code of the Camera]. When your smartphone is ready to scan, open the camera's battery cover and scan the QR code attached to the back of the cover. When the [Connect with the camera?] message appears, select [OK].

When connecting by entering the password :
On your smartphone, start PlayMemories Mobile. When the SSID of the camera appears, select the camera and enter the password found at step 1.3.

The details of the above procedures are described in <Connecting Action Cam to a smartphone>.
The Auto power off function may turn off the camera automatically while you are operating. You can change the time or disable this function if necessary.
2.3. Select Multi Camera Control.
When the Wi-Fi screen appears on the smartphone, select (Setting icon) > [Multi Camera Control Setting]. When the [What is the Multi Camera Control setting?] screen appears, read and select [Next].

2.4. Enter the smartphone information on PlayMemories Mobile.
Enter the smartphone Wi-Fi tethering setting noted in step 1.2. For the second camera or later, selecting [Enter the same info as before.] allows you to enter information easily. When you finish entering, select [Next]. The smartphone information is sent to the first camera, and the setting for the first camera is complete.

2.5. Repeat for the other cameras.
When you are asked [Are there other cameras to be used with Multi Camera Control?], select [Yes]. In the next [How to continuously set the same setting to other cameras.] screen, select [OK]. Repeat the same steps from 2.1 to 2.4 for the other cameras.
When you finish the settings for the last camera, select [No].

2.6. Start Multi Camera Control.
When you are asked [Use Multi Camera Control now?], select [Yes].

2.7. Activate Wi-Fi tethering on the smartphone.
When the message to turn on Wi-Fi tethering appears, select [Settings]. When the smartphone opens the [Wireless & networks] screen, select [Tethering & portable hotspot] and check [Portable Wi-Fi hotspot].

3. Connection - Setting cameras to the Multi Camera Control

3.1. Set all cameras to the Multi Camera Control mode.
For FDR-X1000V / HDR-AS200V :
Press the PREV and NEXT buttons at the same time, press PREV or NEXT to select MULTI, then press the ENTER button. Press PREV or NEXT again to select CRRNT, then press the ENTER button. Repeat this procedure for all the cameras.
For FDR-X3000 / HDR-AS50 / HDR-AS300 :
Press the UP/DOWN buttons at the same time, press the UP/DOWN buttons to select [ : ], then press the ENTER button. Press the UP/DOWN buttons again to select CURRENT, then press the ENTER button. Repeat this procedure for all the cameras.

3.2. Start PlayMemories Mobile.
If the [Wi-Fi tethering of the smartphone is ON.] message appears, select [OK].

3.3. Confirm that images of all the cameras are displayed on the smartphone.

4. Operation for Multi Camera Control

4.1. Operating all cameras at the same time
A: Images of the connected cameras. To operate the cameras individually (step 4.2), tap on the image of the camera you want to operate.
B: To change the recording mode for all cameras
C: To start/stop recording or to release shutter for all cameras

4.2. Operating a single camera individually
A: To go back to multiple mode (step 4.1)
B: To change the settings for the selected camera
C: To change the recording mode for the selected camera
D: To start/stop recording or to release the shutter of the selected camera
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Re: MultiCam Using 2x GoPro's

Post by Harry »

To allow a configuration like the one described for the Sony are:

#1 Implement an infrastructure network topology instead of the ad hoc mode (1:1) used so far.
#2 Dynamic IP address assignment so multiple cams can have their own IP address in a joint network.

From my understanding this is something that can be done by a firmware update, not additional hardware capabilities required.

I have not been aware of Sony's implementation of #1 (the procedure shown above), but I know about #2. LapTimer implements #2 already for Sony cams and searches not only for a predefined address like that used bei GoPro (10.5.5.9), but for any Sony cam in the network connected and advertising its services. However, it stops after finding one and ignores other cams currently.

But actually there is a #3 needed to allow multi (action) cam operation in the future. The text copied shows this is simply nothing one wants to handle. I'm a pretty technical guy but regularly fail with configurations like this. You can't do this without a manual, and even worse, you need the manual ever single time you set the cams up for operation. :-(

#3 One button connection for an arbitrary number of cams. One needs to create an infrastructure network an all other need to join automatically. Without this #3, a multi action cam scenario will be too frustrating to get LapTimer support. ;-) Apple seems to be the only company implementing ideas like this...

- Harry
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