If you have a Raspberry Pi controller on the ROV, you may want to use the Raspberry Pi for streaming.
This article may be interesting.
Especially, the reference to fulldepth.
Successful Theta V stream from drone to VR headset 0.25 miles away
Neat that you’re looking to use it in an ROV! I’m actually planning on building a rig to use mine as an underwater camera at some point - not on an ROV but just one that hangs by a wire for scoping out fishing grounds. My plan is to pick up a dive case and then 3D print (and sand and seal) an enclosure that will replace the end cap of the housing. I’m planning on using USB as wifi underwater can be tricky! Going to either use a Pi4 or a Jetson underwater (with additional sensors for direction, depth, water temp, and possibly in the future dissolved oxygen content), then ethernet over powerline to the surface (so the tether can provide both data and 12v over a pair of wires), with another Pi4 or Jetson (or just a laptop to start) to record, decode and display the signal topside. Hoping for under 1s end to end latency, but we’ll see.
Do you know that wifi will work for your planned use? Might be worth considering usb; it means that you can’t just use the straight dive housing, but guarantees a reliable connection and also lets you power the camera externally…
For the wifi client issue – I should also mention that the client mode won’t allow me to enter a wifi password that contains a space, at least with the Android client. If you have a space in your password, try changing it to something else.
Hello again … with the router if it has been connected in client mode and I have been able to access the streaming plugin … I have not tried the direct one but the streaming configuration web seems correct. Now we just need to see how to do it with the mobile … I will try to put a longer name in the ssid and the password also to see if any protocol needs more differentiation … I will do another test … to take a second mobile, same model and brand, and I am going to turn it into an access point so that it is not the one used for the connection with the cam to see if it connects in client mode … I will inform you
What you share is fantastic … the idea is to create a module separate from the ROV’s operation but that is integrated so that thetaV is the eyes of the rov … the problem that I have not been able to solve is how to make the union to receive the 360 image on the surface … I suppose to put the plugin on the pi but I still don’t know how to implement it … any ideas? thanks for the contributions and help
I do not have a good experience with the usb … I have made several live shows with that method and always with charging problems, it consumes faster than it loads, and in a live where you have to have everything ready 10 minutes before the usage times … for something fast if it is feasible for something that lasts more than 20 minutes you risk it turning off. I have even tried with lan like the example that Craig did, I can poenr the link, with ethernet cable and usb with load, but the same problem … it consumes faster than it loads. In the rov I have already tried with usb directly and I get an image but without sewing, two spheres
My idea is to do client mode with Wi-Fi at the pi and control the direct from the surface so I leave the port free for continuous charging.
The Z1 can stream indefinitely over USB at 4K with the following conditions:
Using a cheap inline power meter, verify that the USB port is sending 600mA to 900mA to the Z1. It needs to be over 600mA. Most USB ports can only push data and 500mA while the data is in use. The Raspberry Pi needs an inline powered USB hub with BC 1.2 to charge the Z1. This won’t work with the V. It does work with RTSP plug-in and Ethernet and can stream indefinitely from the V. With the Z1, the USB port won’t charge while the USB OTG Ethernet adapter is plugged in.
perfect Craig, a year ago I started with the Ethernet system for streaming with 5 cameras but I could not maintain the indefinite load with the V. Very good contribution on the Z with USB to Pi … I have not used the Z yet … with the V for streaming with external audio input … but it would be a solution to make the connection with USB in the ROV, I will see more deeply the Z
nothing … I have tried in various ways but I manage to do client mode with the mobile access point … I have also tried it with another independent mobile for the open access point but it has not been linked either … to try with another mobile than Xiaomi
Are you using a y-splitter?
At 4K, the THETA V overheats. With fan, tested for 10 hours streaming straight. Without fan, tested at 27 hours continuous streaming at LOWER resolution.
Write down bullet points for your test configuration in as much detail as possible:
NOTE: When the phone is the hotspot for the camera, you can’t connect to the camera with the official mobile app that is running on the hotspot. This is a problem with the official mobile app. However, you don’t need to connect with the official mobile app to start the plug-in.
I tested the Z1 with a hotspot and it worked fine with no problems.
Tip: Do you have the camera in Developer Mode? If so, attach Vysor to the camera and see if there is an error message on connection.
theta V camera latest updated version. Wireless Live Streaming add-on latest version. MI8 Android 10 phone. I have tested with 5ghz and 2.4ghz. If you connect the camera with the mobile with the access point, blue wifi. I have also managed to connect client mode with physical router. When I complete the client mud settings I press the camera button for a few seconds and the Wi-Fi symbol starts to flash green. The mobile loses the connection with the camera. The camera keeps searching for the Wi-Fi connection, it blinks green. I restart the phone application and when I can’t make the connection through the camera, I try to do it from the mobile phone, at that moment I get the message that the camera is not found and that maybe it is not compatible … the blinking of the Green wifi turns off and the blue symbol starts to blink … Yes, I have managed to do client mode through the router and if the green LED was fixed, I could also control the camera from the mobile in client mode. I still have not managed to do the client mode with the mobile
If your phone is the hotspot, you can’t use the mobile app from your phone.
ok I supposed … that’s why I tried another mobile with the same access point and it didn’t work either. furthermore, the camera never connects to the access point … the green led blinks until it turns off …
It seems like you’re doing everything correctly. I can’t replicate the problem with my phone and camera. I can use my phone (Google Pixel 2) as the hotspot. However, it’s possible that it doesn’t work on all phone hotspots.
Although it’s not working, you can at least feel that you really tried the best you could. If you have it working on the Wi-Fi router, it should work on the mobile phone hotspot. We’re stuck at the moment.
Yes, the truth is that I do not know where to continue to try to remedy it … I want to sincerely thank you for all your collaboration and the time you have dedicated to me … you are incredible … thank you very much
Good morning Craig, in the end I have managed to pair the ThetaV in client mode with the mobile. When things don’t work out it’s always better to start over from scratch so I reverted the phone to its original state and started configuring and updating all systems again. When everything seemed to be fine again I tried pairing and it worked perfectly. I have done it with two different ThetaVs and with two different mobiles and everything has worked correctly. I just wanted to thank you for all the help and confirm that the client mode connects with Xiaomi phones. By the way I am already with the ROV configuration, I am waiting for the ThetaZ to arrive to perform the configurations and tests, I will tell you about it. In a week in Europe it is Easter and we hope to be able to do a live show with the Discover the Sea Project of 45 minutes of immersion. If we are not able to configure it to go live, at least we will make the recording and then we will broadcast. The idea is to do a live immersion to make a projection in the Squares and Parks of the main European cities, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Berlin, …, but the Pandemic I do not know if it will allow us since the restrictions have returned severe mobility. Let’s see if we can do it at the end … a greeting and thanks😉
Where do you intend to publish the live broadcast or recordings? What is the Discover the Sea Project? I would be very interested to see it.
Hello Jcasman, Jesse,
Thank you very much for your interest in the Discover the Sea Project. The intention is to be able to carry out the broadcasts Live, for now and until we solve the connection of the camera and the ROV to be able to control the camera from the surface and receive the data, we will continue making the recording and then broadcasting the contents. I leave you a synthesis of the Project that you can also find on the website - https://www.subacutic.com/Descubre-el-Mar.html - and on our instagram account @subacutic
@IMAX_PLAY , first congratulations on getting the video to work for your project. I hope that your company appreciates your determination and commitment to the project. This is a great personality trait that I am sure helps you overcome many obstacles in life.
Second, thank you for reporting back on the success. It is gratifying to hear that you will be able to share the wonderful undersea world with other people. Increasing interaction with the natural ocean is a great way to help people to appreciate underwater plants and animals and thus work to protect the environment. With all the environmental challenges future generations will face, it is critical that people experience the beauty of the ocean today.
