doc:appunti:hardware:sjcam-8pro
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doc:appunti:hardware:sjcam-8pro [2022/04/26 12:35] – [Dual operating system: GNU/Linux and RTOS] niccolo | doc:appunti:hardware:sjcam-8pro [2022/06/14 11:04] – [Color profiles] niccolo | ||
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- | ====== SJCAM SJ8 Pro ====== | + | ====== SJCAM SJ8 Pro Review |
- | + | ||
- | See also my other page about **[[ambarella_custom_firmware]]**. | + | |
The **SJCAM SJ8 Pro** action camera was introduced in **2018**, it features **4k video** at **60 fps** and **gyroscope image stabilization**. I purchaesd it in 2021 to work alongside my old [[xiaomi_yi|Xiaomi Yi]], mainly because I was interested in image stabilization. | The **SJCAM SJ8 Pro** action camera was introduced in **2018**, it features **4k video** at **60 fps** and **gyroscope image stabilization**. I purchaesd it in 2021 to work alongside my old [[xiaomi_yi|Xiaomi Yi]], mainly because I was interested in image stabilization. | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{.: | ||
Unfortunately SJCAM does not support this camera very much: the latest **firmware upgrade** is from September 2020, despite there are some evident bugs and several aspects of the user interface which should be improved. Thirdy part support is poor: there is no **waterproof case** except the original one, which unfortunately has a plastic window. There is not much documentation about **customizing the firmware** or scripting using the **Ambarella Scripting**. | Unfortunately SJCAM does not support this camera very much: the latest **firmware upgrade** is from September 2020, despite there are some evident bugs and several aspects of the user interface which should be improved. Thirdy part support is poor: there is no **waterproof case** except the original one, which unfortunately has a plastic window. There is not much documentation about **customizing the firmware** or scripting using the **Ambarella Scripting**. | ||
+ | |||
+ | See also my other page about this camera: **[[sjcam-8pro-ambarella-firmware-modding]]**, | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Specs, Pros and Cons ===== | ||
**Pros** | **Pros** | ||
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===== Color profiles ===== | ===== Color profiles ===== | ||
- | The SJCAM SJ8 Pro has two **color profiles** selectable from the **Current Mode Settings** menu: **SJCAM - Vivid** and **Flat**. There is a firmware bug that prevent you changing the color profile if the Gyro Stabilizer is enabled, and the color profile choiche is not remebered after power off. In my opinion the vivid profile is too much saturated, specially it **enhances too much** the contrast from the **blue sky** and the **white clouds**, even when the sky is mainly gray and cloudy (as in the frames below). On the contrary the flat profile is **too much washed out** that you will hardly want to use it. | + | The SJCAM SJ8 Pro has two **color profiles** selectable from the **Current Mode Settings** menu: **SJCAM - Vivid** and **Flat**. |
+ | |||
+ | There is a firmware bug that prevent you changing the color profile if the Gyro Stabilizer is enabled, and the color profile choiche is not remebered after power off. In my opinion the vivid profile is too much saturated, specially it **enhances too much** the contrast from the **blue sky** and the **white clouds**, even when the sky is mainly gray and cloudy (as in the frames below). On the contrary the flat profile is **too much washed out** that you will hardly want to use it. | ||
{{.: | {{.: | ||
{{.: | {{.: | ||
- | You can edit the color profiles | + | You can edit the three color profiles //SJCAM - Vivid//, // |
==== Flat vs SJCAM - Vivid ==== | ==== Flat vs SJCAM - Vivid ==== | ||
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{{.: | {{.: | ||
- | ===== Using the cam without the touchscreen ===== | + | ===== The remote control ===== |
+ | |||
+ | I think that **SJCAM missed a great opportunity** to make this camera a perfect choice by designing a **remote control which is almost useless**. The remote control can be mounted on a wrist strap or used like a nice button tag, the five buttons are: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * WiFi | ||
+ | * Power OFF | ||
+ | * Video start/ | ||
+ | * Single photo shutter | ||
+ | * Photo burst shutter | ||
+ | |||
+ | The **two deadly sins** committed by designers are: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * **No feedback** if you actually pressed for **START** recording or **STOP** recording! If you don't have the camera screen in sight (e.g. you have mounted it on the helmet or pointing backward on your bike) you will never know if you are filming or not! Unfortunately the camera does not have any sound feedback either. | ||
+ | * If you accidentally press the **Power OFF button** you cannot turn ON the camera again. A big problem if you mounted the camera in a position where you cannot reach it with your finger! | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Using the camera | ||
When the camera is into the **waterproof case** you can operate it only with the buttons, the touch screen does not work. My camera was shipped with a spare case back, which is thin enough to let operate the touchscreen; | When the camera is into the **waterproof case** you can operate it only with the buttons, the touch screen does not work. My camera was shipped with a spare case back, which is thin enough to let operate the touchscreen; | ||
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There are many hackers who produce modified versions of the original firmware. In general they distribute the original firmware patched in several places, mainly to customize framerates, exposure parameters, etc. | There are many hackers who produce modified versions of the original firmware. In general they distribute the original firmware patched in several places, mainly to customize framerates, exposure parameters, etc. | ||
+ | |||
+ | I created a custom firmware to improve some video codec settings and to improve image quality (mainly color balance and saturation). You can find it here: **[[sjcam-8pro-custom-firmware]]**. | ||
Generally there is **no access to the source code**, so **patching the firmware binary** is a rather delicate task, requiring to know the exact offset of the data into that **specific version of the firmware**, the structure and the lenght of the data and eventually how to **update the embedded checksums**. SJCAM does not facilitate the task, because it distribute different versions of the firmares marked with the same version number. | Generally there is **no access to the source code**, so **patching the firmware binary** is a rather delicate task, requiring to know the exact offset of the data into that **specific version of the firmware**, the structure and the lenght of the data and eventually how to **update the embedded checksums**. SJCAM does not facilitate the task, because it distribute different versions of the firmares marked with the same version number. | ||
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The best approach is to use the **[[https:// | The best approach is to use the **[[https:// | ||
- | You can refer to the page **[[ambarella_custom_firmware]]** with my notes about customizing the SJ8 Pro firmware using BitrateEditor. You can also refer to the program I wrote which can extract files and partitions from the firmware files: **[[https:// | + | You can refer to the page **[[sjcam-8pro-ambarella-firmware-modding]]** with my notes about customizing the SJ8 Pro firmware using BitrateEditor. You can also refer to the program I wrote which can extract files and partitions from the firmware files: **[[https:// |
===== SD Card partitioning and formatting with GNU/Linux ===== | ===== SD Card partitioning and formatting with GNU/Linux ===== | ||
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=== SendToRTOS and RecvFromRTOS === | === SendToRTOS and RecvFromRTOS === | ||
- | There are two specific commands to interact with the **RTOS**, the //other// operating system running on the camera. The two commans | + | There are two specific commands to interact with the **RTOS**, the //other// operating system running on the camera. The two commands |
< | < | ||
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- | ===== TCP API ===== | + | ===== The TCP API ===== |
- | The camera offers an **API** over the **TCP protocol** | + | See the page **[[sjcam-8pro-ambarella-wifi-api]]** about the programming interface (API) offered by the SJCAM SJ8 Pro over the WiFi connection or even in localhost. The interface is offered |
- | The protocol was at least partially | + | The interface is based on **JSON messages**: you can exchange them over the WiFi connection as the official app **[[https:// |
- | Executing that script at camera | + | You can also send messages from the camera |
- | + | ||
- | * At bootstrap, the RTOS executes | + | |
- | * Using the command | + | |
- | * The GNU/Linux environment has the **busybox** software, so it is possible to use the **telnet** command to establish a TCP connection with the API server at **localhost:7878**. | + | |
- | * The required **JSON commands** are sent to the API server to disable Gyro Stabilizer, select the Color Profile | + | |
- | + | ||
- | **WARNING**: | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Here there are the three files that must be created on the root directory of the SD card: | + | |
- | + | ||
- | **autoexec.ash** | + | |
- | + | ||
- | < | + | |
- | sleep 5000 | + | |
- | t ipc rpc clnt exec2 '/ | + | |
- | </ | + | |
- | + | ||
- | **autoexec.rc** | + | |
- | + | ||
- | < | + | |
- | #!/bin/sh | + | |
- | / | + | |
- | </ | + | |
- | + | ||
- | **api-set-options** | + | |
- | + | ||
- | < | + | |
- | #!/bin/sh | + | |
- | # | + | |
- | # Send some commands to the TCP: | + | |
- | # Set the color profile to "SJCAM - Vivid" and enable Gyro Stabilizer. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | # We should get the token number from msg_id 257, but this script | + | |
- | # is executed at boot, so the token should be always " | + | |
- | T=1 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | # A pause of 0.5 is required for each command to be completed. | + | |
- | # By trial we discovered that a pause of 0.4 is not sufficient. | + | |
- | S=0.52 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | { | + | |
- | echo ' | + | |
- | echo '{" | + | |
- | echo ' | + | |
- | echo ' | + | |
- | echo ' | + | |
- | echo ' | + | |
- | echo ' | + | |
- | #echo ' | + | |
- | sleep 1.0; | + | |
- | } | telnet localhost 7878 | + | |
- | echo | + | |
- | </ | + | |
===== Tips ===== | ===== Tips ===== | ||
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* **[[https:// | * **[[https:// | ||
* **[[https:// | * **[[https:// | ||
- | * **HTTP API** | ||
- | * **[[https:// | ||
- | * **[[https:// | ||
* **[[https:// | * **[[https:// | ||
* **{{.: | * **{{.: | ||
* **{{https:// | * **{{https:// | ||
doc/appunti/hardware/sjcam-8pro.txt · Last modified: 2023/06/09 12:21 by niccolo