"DiCaControl for PalmOS V2.0" released

[Eckhard Henkel19828]

Today I released version 2.0 of "DiCaControl for PalmOS".

It's a remote control software for PalmOS and QV-3000EX (Freeware).

Version 2.0 includes time lapse functions and support of "Bulb" mode.

Details at:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/dicactrl.htm

Have fun with it!

There is a new page concerning the serial protocol for remote controlling the QV-3000EX:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/qv3kser.htm

Eckhard

 

[Fireball]

Looks great Eckhard

Just downloaded the software but I need to sort a cable out before I can try it. I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks

Fireball

Today I released version 2.0 of "DiCaControl for PalmOS".

It's a remote control software for PalmOS and QV-3000EX (Freeware).

Version 2.0 includes time lapse functions and support of "Bulb" mode.

Details at:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/dicactrl.htm

Have fun with it!

There is a new page concerning the serial protocol for remote
controlling the QV-3000EX:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/qv3kser.htm

Eckhard

 

[rick23035]

Does this mean that you are having problems with your serial cable? I have been unable to get anywhere with Eckhard's software or photoloader for that matter. Either I have a bad cable, a bad camera serial port or I'm doing something wrong.

rick

Looks great Eckhard

Just downloaded the software but I need to sort a cable out before I can
try it. I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks

Fireball

 

[rick23035]

Echhard:

I occures to me that there must be a whole set of commands that Casio didn't provide. These would be the low level file function commands, get file, view directory, etc.

rick

Today I released version 2.0 of "DiCaControl for PalmOS".

It's a remote control software for PalmOS and QV-3000EX (Freeware).

Version 2.0 includes time lapse functions and support of "Bulb" mode.

Details at:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/dicactrl.htm

Have fun with it!

There is a new page concerning the serial protocol for remote
controlling the QV-3000EX:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/qv3kser.htm

Eckhard

 

[Eckhard Henkel19828]

Echhard:
I occures to me that there must be a whole set of commands that Casio
didn't provide. These would be the low level file function commands, get
file, view directory, etc.

rick

Rick,

you'r right.

The description is uncomplete. It's only the description for remote controlling "exposure" functions at the camera.
It's all what I know at this moment. :-(

As you describe the command set has more commands.

Nick Hubbard ("leading edge designs") did some work to identify this protocol. As a result he published a small test utility (including sources):
http://www.anotherurl.com/qv/qv3000.htm

It's a Windows tool, using a serial connection to download all files from the camera to the PC.

There is a source of the "old" QV10 protocol:
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~XG2K-HYS/qvprotocol-e.html

This protocol is NOT used by the QV-3000, it seems Casio established a new protocol - may be it's a bit similar. I have to examine it using Nick Hubbard's tool.

Now I'm playing/debugging with Nick's sources to figure out if I can do some similar stuff on the Palm.

If it's possible to use this protocol on the Palm then it could be possible to start a new project - let's call it "DiCaMail for PalmOS".

"DiCaMail" would use a serial connection from the Palm PDA to the Casio camera. And it would use a infrared connection to a mobile phone to establish an internet connection (that's not a problem).

Then it should be able to select a picture on the camera and send it as an email attachment to the mobile phone based internet connection ...

At this point it's only an idea. The email stuff (SMTP, Base64/MIME conversion) should be easy. May be there will be a problem concerning the serial speed. Nick's tool changes the speed from 9600 bps to 115200 bps and back during the communication. I'll se if the Palm can do it too...

Eckhard

 

[Eckhard Henkel19828]

Does this mean that you are having problems with your serial cable? I
have been unable to get anywhere with Eckhard's software or photoloader
for that matter. Either I have a bad cable, a bad camera serial port or
I'm doing something wrong.

rick

Rick,

did you try to install PhotoLoader on another PC?

If yes and if you got still problems with PhotoLoader using a serial connection for download there might be a problem either with the cable or the camera.

If you had success with this be sure to take the latest version (2.0) of "DiCaControl" - I did some improvement in handling the serial line of the Palm.

Eckhard

 

[Dag Espedalen]

Today I released version 2.0 of "DiCaControl for PalmOS".

It's a remote control software for PalmOS and QV-3000EX (Freeware).

Version 2.0 includes time lapse functions and support of "Bulb" mode.

Details at:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/dicactrl.htm

Have fun with it!

There is a new page concerning the serial protocol for remote
controlling the QV-3000EX:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/qv3kser.htm

Eckhard

Thanks to you and your info I did my first time-lapse today, used my hp-48 to control the camera. Took one picture every 20 sec during 30 min sunset, nice.
This is the only thing I've been missing about the QV 2000 UX

Dag Espedalen

 

[Eckhard Henkel19828]

Dag,

Thanks to you and your info I did my first time-lapse today, used my
hp-48 to control the camera. Took one picture every 20 sec during 30 min
sunset, nice.

Fine!

Casio developers made it easy to use the simple protocol on different hardware.
Don't let's speak about Casio marketing ...

This is the only thing I've been missing about the QV 2000 UX

I didn't get any reply from a QV-2000 user yet.
So I'm interested in the question:

Do all the codes specified for the QV-3000 work in the same manner with the QV-2000?

If yes, "DiCaControl for PalmOS" (developed and tested with a QV-3000) should work with a QV-2000 too.

Eckhard

 

[Dag Espedalen]

I didn't get any reply from a QV-2000 user yet.
So I'm interested in the question:

Do all the codes specified for the QV-3000 work in the same manner with
the QV-2000?

If yes, "DiCaControl for PalmOS" (developed and tested with a QV-3000)
should work with a QV-2000 too.

All commands up to and including L (Focus) works.

These don't work :

M : Changing USB connection to serial and vice versa
Really don't know what's the purpose of this command, nothing's happening.

N : Mode
Does nothing

O : Disp
Does nothing

P : Self timer
Does nothing

I've tried the subsequent letters from Q-Z, nothing. Maybe some really obscure character codes can do something, haven't tried any yet.
Anyways, the commands from A-L covers my needs, much better than nothing.

Dag Espedalen

 

[Eckhard Henkel19828]

I didn't get any reply from a QV-2000 user yet.
So I'm interested in the question:

Do all the codes specified for the QV-3000 work in the same manner with
the QV-2000?

If yes, "DiCaControl for PalmOS" (developed and tested with a QV-3000)
should work with a QV-2000 too.

All commands up to and including L (Focus) works.
...

Interesting.

It's similar to the checks I did with a wired QV-8000 remote control unit connected to a QV-3000: some buttons resulted in expected commands, some not, some resulted in other functions.
I can't believe these behaviors are intended by Casio.
Probably these different behaviors are results of unconsolidated concepts ...

Another interesting check would be to connect a remote control unit of the new QV-2800 to other/older models.

These don't work :

M : Changing USB connection to serial and vice versa
Really don't know what's the purpose of this command, nothing's happening.

It works. "Remocon" uses this function.

Changing "REC" "serial" to "USB" means the camera sends commands through an established USB cable connection to activate the USB driver on the PC to "install" a "virtual drive". As a result you will see a new "drive letter" on the PC. Then you are able to access the camera storage using the "virtual drive" the same way as you would access any other "drive letter" (Windows, I don't know what happens on a Mac).
Now "download" means simple file copy from one file path to another.

Changing "USB" to "REC" "serial" means the "virtual drive" will disappear and the "serial" command mode will be established again.

Eckhard

 

[Fireball]

Lo again

Sorry if the last message was misleading.
No, I didnt have any problems with the cable

What I meant was, I dont have a modem cable for my Pilot so I would have to use the cradle which meant making up a null modem cable to patch my QV3000 serial lead to my Pilot cradle cable.

Any way, made up the cable in question today and stood back in amazment as it worked 1st time

Great little piece of software Ekhard
Thx for taking the time to write it and to distribute it.

Does this mean that you are having problems with your serial cable? I
have been unable to get anywhere with Eckhard's software or photoloader
for that matter. Either I have a bad cable, a bad camera serial port or
I'm doing something wrong.

rick

Rick,

did you try to install PhotoLoader on another PC?

If yes and if you got still problems with PhotoLoader using a serial
connection for download there might be a problem either with the cable
or the camera.

If you had success with this be sure to take the latest version (2.0) of
"DiCaControl" - I did some improvement in handling the serial line of
the Palm.

Eckhard

 

[Hans Keesom]

Hi,

Just downloaded and tested it. As I have a serial-plug it run directly. Great software. Just does what it needs to to, copies all button from the camera onto the Palm and does even a bit more.....

One question, can I use an extra serial cable to control the camera from further away? Would be nice to have the video out connected to a tv and the palm to the serial and just control the thing from more than one meter away. Bird-watching?

BTW, how about an IR version for the IR version of the camera.......

Kind regards,

Hans Keesom

Today I released version 2.0 of "DiCaControl for PalmOS".

It's a remote control software for PalmOS and QV-3000EX (Freeware).

Version 2.0 includes time lapse functions and support of "Bulb" mode.

Details at:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/dicactrl.htm

Have fun with it!

There is a new page concerning the serial protocol for remote
controlling the QV-3000EX:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/qv3kser.htm

Eckhard

 

[Eckhard Henkel19828]

Hans,

Just downloaded and tested it. As I have a serial-plug it run directly.
Great software. Just does what it needs to to, copies all button from
the camera onto the Palm and does even a bit more.....

Nice to hear.

One question, can I use an extra serial cable to control the camera from
further away?

Yes.

I grabbed through my "serial-cable-and-adapter-collection-box".

The result was a combination of 7 cables and 3 adaptors in a summary length of 18 meters...
It worked!

I don't know what maximum length will work.

Does anybody got experiences with long cables?

If you are interested to customize your own cable you might be interested in the following:

The botteneck of my cable combination was an old modem cable I did built in ancient times to connect 2 PCs (386) for playing MS Flight Simulator. This cable has only 3 wires: Send, Receive and Ground/Shield.

The serial connection between the Palm and the camera doesn't use any hardware or software flow control.
No RTS/CTS/DTR/DTS or XON/XOFF.

... Bird-watching?

Why not?

Let one bird watch the other. The shutter button on the Palm display should be big enough to be used by a bird. ;-)

BTW, how about an IR version for the IR version of the camera.......

I did some simple tries to address the IR for remote shutter. It didn't work.

And I was not very interested to make further tries because in my opinion it's not very useful - you would be more limited in the position of the IR remote controlling Palm related to the camera in comparison to a cable connection.

Eckhard

 

[Eckhard Henkel19828]

There is a new page concerning the serial protocol for remote
controlling the QV-3000EX:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/qv3kser.htm

Is anybody out in the world who uses this protocol for software development?

I published a solution for PalmOS and gave a hint to Marco from Italy who wrote a remote control software for good old Apple Newton.

"JoeCool" offered a tool for Windows he got from Casio support. Casio does not provide this tool ("Remocon") on a web page.
"Remocon" doesn't have an interval feature.

Now I'm thinking about writing a tool a bit similar to "Remocon", "DiCaControl for PalmOS" and "CAME": "DiCaControl for Windows".

Before I start to develop it I'm interested in:

Does anybody work in developing a Windows remote control software with interval support for QV-300EX?

Another idea is to write such a tool for Windows CE 3.0 ("Microsoft Windows Powered" / "Pocket PC") - it could be used by a "Cassiopeia E-115" or ""Cassiopeia EM-500".

Any interest in this?

Eckhard

 

[Maurice Delaney]

Eckhard,

I've been using QV-Autocam from http://www.beausoft.com for a few years now and have made bug reports and suggestions for enhancements from time to time (I'm in software support & development). So when ReMoCon appeared, I forwarded all the files to QV-Autocam's 'author' Bob Prangell. He was on holidays but gave a quick reply

"That's very cool; I'm on holiday this week (amazing eh?) but I will take a
long hard look at this soon..."

Now I can't speak for what he's going to do but I do note 2 things:

• QV-Autocam has 'Advanced AutoCam' options which are designed for webcams complete with options to take photos, copy & delete from the camera, rename them and FTP them to a remote site.
• From his website he makes the point that the software doesn't work for more recent models

I think he will be interested in doing just that,

Maurice

There is a new page concerning the serial protocol for remote
controlling the QV-3000EX:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/qv3kser.htm

Is anybody out in the world who uses this protocol for software
development?

I published a solution for PalmOS and gave a hint to Marco from Italy
who wrote a remote control software for good old Apple Newton.

"JoeCool" offered a tool for Windows he got from Casio support. Casio
does not provide this tool ("Remocon") on a web page.
"Remocon" doesn't have an interval feature.

Now I'm thinking about writing a tool a bit similar to "Remocon",
"DiCaControl for PalmOS" and "CAME": "DiCaControl for Windows".

Before I start to develop it I'm interested in:

Does anybody work in developing a Windows remote control software with
interval support for QV-300EX?

Another idea is to write such a tool for Windows CE 3.0 ("Microsoft
Windows Powered" / "Pocket PC") - it could be used by a "Cassiopeia
E-115" or ""Cassiopeia EM-500".

Any interest in this?

Eckhard

 

[Melih Ozbek]

Hi,

Couple of hours ago, i attached my TrgPro (palmOs 3.5) to Casio QV3000 with serial connection (serial cable of Casio, hotsync cable for notebooks of TRGPro and a handmade cross serial adapter). And it worked perfectly.. Control of the camera from Palm is fast and easy, and time lapse feature is working perfectly.. I will post some examples later on this page..

It is useful and fun..

Regards,

Melih

Today I released version 2.0 of "DiCaControl for PalmOS".

It's a remote control software for PalmOS and QV-3000EX (Freeware).

Version 2.0 includes time lapse functions and support of "Bulb" mode.

Details at:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/dicactrl.htm

Have fun with it!

There is a new page concerning the serial protocol for remote
controlling the QV-3000EX:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/qv3kser.htm

Eckhard

 

[BMM]

Has anyone had any success using this software with a Handspring Visor? The problem I see is that the Visor uses USB instead of serial. I'm thinking it might work if the serial synching cradle is used with a null modem cable, but has anyone actually done this? Of course, it would be bulky using the whole cradle.

Couple of hours ago, i attached my TrgPro (palmOs 3.5) to Casio
QV3000 with serial connection (serial cable of Casio, hotsync cable
for notebooks of TRGPro and a handmade cross serial adapter). And
it worked perfectly.. Control of the camera from Palm is fast and
easy, and time lapse feature is working perfectly.. I will post
some examples later on this page..

It is useful and fun..

Regards,

Melih

Today I released version 2.0 of "DiCaControl for PalmOS".

It's a remote control software for PalmOS and QV-3000EX (Freeware).

Version 2.0 includes time lapse functions and support of "Bulb" mode.

Details at:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/dicactrl.htm

Have fun with it!

There is a new page concerning the serial protocol for remote
controlling the QV-3000EX:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/qv3kser.htm

Eckhard

 

[RonM]

I'd really like to try DiCaControl with my QV-2000UX. Question is, where do I get the serial cable which connects to the camera? Page 97 of my manual refers to it as the Digital Transfer Cable, but no such serial cable came with my camera. The packing list on page 18 of the manual shows the USB and video cables, but not the serial. Is this some type of generic, generally available cable?

Regards,
RonM

Today I released version 2.0 of "DiCaControl for PalmOS".

It's a remote control software for PalmOS and QV-3000EX (Freeware).

Version 2.0 includes time lapse functions and support of "Bulb" mode.

Details at:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/dicactrl.htm

Have fun with it!

There is a new page concerning the serial protocol for remote
controlling the QV-3000EX:

http://home.t-online.de/home/eckhard.henkel/qv3kser.htm

Eckhard

 

[RonM]

Duh! I had the cable all along, but it was still in the box because I never expected to use it, since I have USB.

Plugged the cable into QV-2000UX. Used a null modem adapter to connect it to the Palm cradle. BUT...couldn't get any reaction from camera. I think the adapter isn't really a null modem, it's not labled. Running continuity tests on the pins it seems to be some sort of crossover adapter. Each pin is continuous with the pin on the other side that mirrors it. I'll try again after I get the right adapter.

RonM

I'd really like to try DiCaControl with my QV-2000UX. Question is,
where do I get the serial cable which connects to the camera? Page
97 of my manual refers to it as the Digital Transfer Cable, but no
such serial cable came with my camera. The packing list on page 18
of the manual shows the USB and video cables, but not the serial.
Is this some type of generic, generally available cable?

Regards,
RonM

 

[rick23035]

Eckhard:

Don't know how I missed your reply but I didn't spot it 'til just now. Sorry about that. I'll check out those links you provided and thank you for your answer.

rick

Echhard:
I occures to me that there must be a whole set of commands that Casio
didn't provide. These would be the low level file function commands, get
file, view directory, etc.

rick

Rick,

you'r right.

The description is uncomplete. It's only the description for remote
controlling "exposure" functions at the camera.
It's all what I know at this moment. :-(

As you describe the command set has more commands.
Nick Hubbard ("leading edge designs") did some work to identify
this protocol. As a result he published a small test utility
(including sources):
http://www.anotherurl.com/qv/qv3000.htm
It's a Windows tool, using a serial connection to download all
files from the camera to the PC.

There is a source of the "old" QV10 protocol:
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~XG2K-HYS/qvprotocol-e.html
This protocol is NOT used by the QV-3000, it seems Casio
established a new protocol - may be it's a bit similar. I have to
examine it using Nick Hubbard's tool.

Now I'm playing/debugging with Nick's sources to figure out if I
can do some similar stuff on the Palm.

If it's possible to use this protocol on the Palm then it could be
possible to start a new project - let's call it "DiCaMail for
PalmOS".

"DiCaMail" would use a serial connection from the Palm PDA to the
Casio camera. And it would use a infrared connection to a mobile
phone to establish an internet connection (that's not a problem).
Then it should be able to select a picture on the camera and send
it as an email attachment to the mobile phone based internet
connection ...
At this point it's only an idea. The email stuff (SMTP, Base64/MIME
conversion) should be easy. May be there will be a problem
concerning the serial speed. Nick's tool changes the speed from
9600 bps to 115200 bps and back during the communication. I'll se
if the Palm can do it too...

Eckhard