Chris Hornby Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Just got a Flycam One Version 2 from Robotbirds and been trying to post a new review. Cant work out to do it though! (even though I have submitted previous reviews!)Anyway it is an excellent piece of kit and improves upon version one in the following ways:Doesnt need a mirror! The lens is movable and can even be servo controlled.The white (green) balance problem has been overcome and the exposure metering is better.There is external power and control connections (so far undocumented)It can take endless still frames every 3 seconds at max resolution. This is a BIG plus.The resolution is higher 480 lines video and 1280x1024 stillsThere is an LCD screen to show what the camera is doing.Controls are accessible when camera is mounted on the plane. I have flown a small parkflyer (E-Flite Gypsy) round the Portland Bill Lighthouse and filmed using this camera. It is Youtube so does not show the full resolution but if you are interested it is at: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MP9AYepNX9oOh yes, If anyone from the management is reading this. I cant remember how to post a review!Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Chris You can do as Timbo does and leave a long thread with pictures or send me a pic of the item and I'll put it in the products section so you can leave comments there.Failing that send me a word document with some picture of the item and perhaps some photos or video and I'll put an article together for the site. [email protected]Super bit of video by the way - I'll nick it for the video section ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Yeh like the video Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hornby Posted December 13, 2007 Author Share Posted December 13, 2007 Thanks for the kind words, Timbo. Dave, thanks for putting my video in the gallery (thanks also for changing myname to Bill )I will put something together and mail it to you.Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Sorry Chris, all changed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Eyers Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Darn good video, but I got a bit worried at the end looks like your landing patch was on the moon. Hope your plane survived. Love to see some more film like thatNorman-E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hornby Posted December 17, 2007 Author Share Posted December 17, 2007 Portland is a bit like the moon. A lot of rock has been removed to build the world's palaces and monuments! Also Portland Bill gets a lot of visitors and has a problem with foot erosion. There are many interesting aerial views on the Island and I hope to document some of them from RC during the breaks in the weather.Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Chris...what an excellent review ! My original flycamone was replaced as it went duff, but the replacement broke almost immediately ( the fiddly little slide switch was jamming in use and just snapped off ) The supplier says he will "see what he can do"....but I am still waiting a material result IYSWIM. I shall suggest the latest version as a replacement me thinks, it sounds much improved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan B Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Hi TimboWould'nt be Robot birds by any chance? I got the version 2 a couple of weeks ago. Charged it up - switched it on - nothing. Spoke to them - long story short - practically accused me of breaking it! Returned it Imediately - still not heard anything since. Can'nt comment on it yet - hav'nt got that far! Me thinks will ring them in a couple of daysAl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Well yes actually, but to be fair, after the first one packed up, despite it being used hard, they replaced it immediately much to my pleasant surprise. I even wrote and complimented him on his excellent customer service The replacement one broke almost immediately ( slide switch as mentioned ) and when I emailed again, he said he was in China on business, and would see what he could sort out on his return. That was months agao, so I emailed again about a week or so ago, and have heard nothing. Another email was sent about 5 mins ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hornby Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 I have been lucky with my flycamone, so far it has remained intact but as you say the switch arrangement is flimsy. But to be fair some concessions needed to be made I guess to get the weight down below an ounce! The flycamone2 switch seems a little more robust but then it weighs half as much again.Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nasa_steve Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 just one critisism of FlyCamOne v2 keep it well away from digital servo's as the camera does some really weird stuff with digitals in the area. i HAVE tested it with standard servo's and it behaves when around those. it just DOES NOT like digitalnasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hornby Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 OK I havnt tried it around digital servos so thanks for the tip. I tried taking stills from my plane and the results were a little disappointing, but they were in very low light, so I am waiting for a bright day!Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nasa_steve Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 mine is now strapped to the top of a funjet awaiting trials hopefully tomorrow fingers crossednasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 I used mine for the first time today and it went well but I had the camera upside down and assumed I could rotate the image in windows movie player...but I can't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hornby Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 You can rotate the image in windows movie maker, (not player) then resave it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essjay Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Hi Chris, got my Flycamone V2 a few weeks ago, but haven't got any aerial shots yet. One thing that bothers me is that there appears to be no way to tell when the cam is fully charged. On the original, it had a green light, but there's nothing on this one. No mention in the instructions (for what they're worth) either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Chris - would you mind directing me to the 'rotate' section pleaseSteveJ - yes know what you mean there, case of hoping for the best I guess? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 As is often the case, Microsoft have designed a way to make a simple task hard, especially the means of discovering the method to use !! Tools menu, click “Video Effects”. To rotate the video to the right, drag the “Rotate 90” video effect and drop it onto the movie on the timeline - to rotate to the left, drag the “Rotate 270” video effect and drop onto the clip on the timeline. Save . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Super thanks Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Hawtree Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I download the FlyOneCam2 driver from their WEB site. My virus scanner detected WIN32:ADWARE-GEN when opening STK02NK.exe so I stopped the installation. Has anyone else had problems when installing the driver? Anyone tried the external power and remote control? I couldn't get it work. Otherwise camera working as expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan B Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Hi VinceI have a bit of an issue with that ref the external power. My FlyOneCam2 was returned to Robot Birds as it was'nt working. I added a power supply but that did'nt fire it up either. Granted Robot Birds returned the unit 2 weeks later and it works fine. Im not sure if it has been repaired or a replacement unit. There was no explanation of what was wrong. However before I returned the unit - the conversation I had with the company that I had'nt blown it up or connected incorrectly - they commented that if you do not get the polarity right that you will Knacker it! However the guy went on to comment that there is a special lead for the external power supply but the hav'nt got them in yet.On looking on their website - the manufacturers website'nt looked since - reading the instructions (with a magnifying Glass!) I can see no mention of this special lead for the external supply. That was 3 weeks ago and I hav'nt looked since.Can anybody else throw any light on this subject? or am I missing something? Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nasa_steve Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 i cannot get my flycamone v2 to work as a webcam even with the driver installed so i have'nt bothered i have a webcam anyway so its not a major problem. but on the other hand it should work if the feature is on the cam. i saw the mention of an external pwr lead but don't really need that feature so if one comes up in the future i might consider it. i took it that you needed to wire one yourself.nasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hornby Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 Dave, another way is to choose video effects and then "Mirror vertical". <idiot mode>I decided to fly mine on my new "Chinook". It got carried away on the wind into a housing estate and try as I might couldnt retrieve it. So somewhere on Portland there is a brand new chinook with flycam2. Reward for its retrieval </idiot> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hornby Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 Here is the pinout of the accessory connector:http://www.flycamone.com/uploads/RTEmagicC_base.gif.gif Pity it is not wired in the standard servo config, but you should be able to make up a connector to take power from a spare channel on your RX (providing you are running on around 4.8 volts) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.