Clement7

Great Scott!

Hi Scott! Saw you video! Cool! Especially the part when the SAVS got stuck in a tree. Did you do that intentionally?

I like the bag you're using! Great idea! I'll try to find one like yours to fit the receiver so I can walk with it. How did you attach the patch antennas to the strap? How were you able to record and at the same time connect the glasses to monitor the video? What do you use to record the video? Do you use a video splitter for this /Y connector/adaptor to split the video signal coming out of the receiver? Can you please post pictures on how your connection /receiver setup looks like?

The video glasses looks great as well! The one I got from DFI are bigger. I look like a bumble bee when I wear them. Your pair's size is just right..

Did you have the Ti ON when you did the video at the park?

Oh, btw, I got your email, thanks for the compliments!

Best regards and more power!

scottslc

I'll post some photos of how I put my equipment together. Thought you might like to see the almost finished product of the peace gardens video: http://www.slcity.com/tours/peace/360


Scott

My equipment video: http://www.slcity.com/df/garden/360

Clement7

That is so nice of you to share your secrets! Thanks Scott! I bought a bag already to hold the receiver and MiniDv camera.. I was able to attach the patch antenna to the strap like you did. I just used 3 strips of masking tape per patch. Made life shooting the SAVS a lot easier! Thanks to you and your bag idea! I posted on the other thread that it should be called the ACME WEARABLE SAVS EXTREME CAM RECEIVER (scottsic-inspired). Naming convention used by the old Road-Runner cartoons.

In the another thread I was wondering the type of recorder your'e using since you can attach the video feed from the receiver to it and at the same time get to plug-in your eyewear. My Mini DV Cam shares the same port for video in and out.

Oh, btw, saw the video of the park! Another great work! Especially the tracking parts where you move into a subject and do a flyby past it still focussed on the same spot.. And re the equipment video, ending was really funny when you flew the SAVS into a tree and your shot of trying to reach for it then pausing to salute after realizing you're in the frame.

scottslc

Clement7, thanks! I used Velcro to attach the square antennas to my strap. Also, I use a regular line splitter so i can use my goggles and recorder at the same time. Glas you like the idea.

Scott

Clement7

I went flying Thursday afternoon using the bag, really amazing! No video signal loss/interference at all! Walking around and changing spots it such a breeze! True-one-man-AP-operation!

Re the Velcro, will do just that.. thanks!

Re the line splitter you're using, how does it look like?

I made use of a [link=http://www.easysoftwaretech.com/ysplitter]y-splitter[/link] and these are the results of the video feed to the camera..

[link=http://www.easysoftwaretech.com/before.jpg]before.jpg[/link]

[link=http://www.easysoftwaretech.com/after.jpg]after.jpg[/link]


streaks of lines started to show.. I think I should try a different connector.. maybe the male end is loose, or the y-splitter is deffective... or the wires im using have problems.. I'll do another test..

Thanks again Scott!

Sky High

Clement, did you not see the post about the camera monitor downlink?

www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4417442

Clement7

Yes I did, the one perfect for the Pentax Optio S6!.. thanks Sky! I will consider getting one soon. Meanwhile, I'll try another connector first and see if I can make it work like Scottsic did in his setup.

Sky High

That device has nothing to do with splitting the signal. It is simply a device that allows you to see what your digital camera sees so you can frame correctly. You will still have to find a way to split the signal to record and view with eyewear.

scottslc

Hey Clement7, here's a pic of my splitter: http://www.slcity.com/df/cable.jpg

If I remember right, I purchased mine from radio shack. Nothing special.

I put the elbow in to relieve pressure. Any thoughts on where I could get an elbow for the coax for the antennas?

Scott

Clement7

Hello Scott! I guess it's my connector that has problems, I'll try another one first thing tomorrow morning (one with all female plugs). If it doesn't work, then it's off to the mall for me to look for one similar to your elbow connector and cable.. though I don't think we have Radio Shack here in Manila, only ACE Hardware. Re the version for the antenna, I haven't seen one yet, but should I find one, I'll send you a pair out of gratitude for sharing your work and great ideas to the group. Will keep you posted!

Best Regards!

Clement

scottslc

Hey gang, Talk about a potential fun video shoot, I inquired and have been invited to come video the Mars Desert Research station MDRS in southern utah. Take a look at their web site and tell me the flyer wasn't made for this? http://www.marssociety.org/MDRS/index.asp

They won't have a crew there until October or November, but it's something to look forward to. Will keep you posted!

Scott

scottslc

A little different video for me, fun to make though. Couple of friends wanted to film a sword fight. A little challenge keeping the hover on a moving target. Ah well

Scott

http://www.slcity.com/df/knights

Clement7

Scott, I bow to you. That is one AMAZING video done using the SAVS! WOW!

This will give a lot of us SAVS owners another idea of the SAVS' applications and its capabilities!

Blackdragan

Scott,

What image stabilization software are you using?

Thanks

John

Clement7

Hi John, I believe Scott uses Adobe Premiere Pro with a 2D plug-in to stabilize his images. I got this info about his equipment and software at his web site [link=http://www.slcity.com]www.slcity.com[/link]

For Apple users, like me, you can try iStabilize as a standalone app or as a plug-in for iMovie by [link=http://www.pixlock.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id= 18&Itemid=82]Pixlock[/link]

If you bought your DF from DFI Canada, you can download a free copy of their Video Stabilizer Software through the following link: [link=http://www.rctoys.com/private/videos.html]http://www.rctoys.com/private/videos.html[/link] SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN..

I hope the links I posted above can be of help.

Clement

scottslc

Blackdragon, I use adobe premier pro with the 2s3d plug in. I downloaded the free one from rctoys but cant figure out how to make it work. Anyone using it?

Thanks, Scott

scottslc

Oh, thanks Clement7, it was fun making it. The whole thing was shot rather quickly with no retakes. A few scenes could have been done nicer. Ah well.

Fun times
Scott

Clement7

It sure is fun shooting aerial video, Scott.. Especially when the weather's cooperating.

I went out flying Friday afternoon.. It's so windy out here in Manila (Philippines) today, wasn't able to fly high enough to get any decent aerial footages.

Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

Blackdragan

Here is a video which reached 731' at its highest point. You will notice the foreground buildings begin to disappear as the Draganflyer climbs higher and the background buildings seem to come closer. This is do the height of the Draganflyer and not from any horizontal movement other then a very small amount of drift. The building by the blue water tower is a local hospital and is over 8 blocks away from where I was shooting. The quality of video is not very good do the video interference at the higher altitudes and the low light from the setting sun. At least you can get an idea of how things look from this height. www.netline.ws/dragon/731feet.wmv

scottslc

Hey Blackdragon, love to see your vid but the link doesn't seem to work. Can u repost?

Thanks!

731 feet? Scares me just thinking about it...

Scott

Blackdragan

Scott,

Give it another try. The link should now be working. Thanks.

Clement7

Amazing what you did, Blackdragan!.. I haven't seen any rc heli shoot a video at that height and that stable.. only with a DF can you manage to do something like that.. I envy your weather out there, the wind is so calm and so still.. so perfect for AP work!

Sky High

Blackdragon. Goood grief that's high!!!! There's no question how you got it up there but how in the world do you see it to keep orientation and prevent it from drifting? My biggest fear when I go really high is that it will drift and if that happens you have to not only bring it down but also back to you laterally. How long can you maintain that altitude or do you just send it up until you can't see it at all and then slowly let off of the throttle? When I go so high I can barely see it, I let mine almost freefall for a couple of seconds to get it to a managable height and then give it enough throttle to recover for level flight.

Sky High

Clement, did you not see the link to TAG that I posted earlier? They make helos that can fly themselves.

TAG Info
www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4459857

Here is another company that makes some high end hardware/software for autonomous flight. Check out their demo videos of that helo just sitting in the sky like it's got good since.

www.carvecsystem.co.uk

Blackdragan

Sky,

After I had reached the highest altitude, I stayed there for around 2 minutes. At that altitude you can still physcially see the Flyer, however, it is very hard to see the direction it flying or moving. The reponse to your stick input seems to be in slow motion and it is very hard to sense or see any physically response of the Flyer. Being you can not accurately see the response, your stick input has to be smooth, steady and in small degrees. The tricky part is bringing it back down. After you begin to lower the throttle, there is at least a 30 second delay before you can even perceive any kind of change in altitude. It almost seems like it still wants to climb or just sit there and float. It is really amazing how long it takes it get a physical sense that it starting to decend. Once you see you are losing altitude, it still takes quite a while to get back down. During the decent, I never cut the throttle and let it free fall. I want to keep it as stable as possible, so I slowly starting backing the throttle down to 75%, 60%, 50% and then to around 40%.

Blackdragan