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This is just a very vague idea, but wouldn't it be possible to build an external flash controlled via the headphone jack?
There are several cheap flashes on the market, and almost all can be triggered manually. Whenever you take a picture, the phone simluates that shutter sound of a real DSLR camera.
I'm not big with electronics or even soldering, but shouldn't it be possible to build a device that uses that sudden change of voltage on the headphone jack (the "sound signal" is nothing else than a change of voltage) to trigger an external flash?
Sounds good, but there are so many parameters for syncing a flash device which make it very difficult (I think)...
The phone makes the sound by the looks of it after it has taken the picture, the flash needs to be before the photo is takes so for the method you're thinking a custom app would be needed to make a sound before/as the picture is taken.
I'm no real whiz when it comes to electronics but outputting a sound/signal from the audio jack and have it picked up by some device designed to trigger a flash shouldn't be too complex (more than complex enough for myself ) The problem is going to lie in the program itself. To do it you're going to have to have a camera program load and play a sound and almost instantaneously take a picture. There can not be ANY lag or allowance for latency in this or the flash will be out of time with the snapshot. If the phone is in the middle of doing something else while a photo is taken (background apps or something) then this might delay the loading of the audio file and put the flash out of sync with the snapshot.
just my 2 cents
Perhaps the sync doesn't have to be perfect. If you set a large shutter time (if that is possible at al) the flash would only have to be somewhere between start and stop.
An interesting idea, but if you are going to carry around a DSLR type camera flash, then you might as well carry a small compact camera with a built in flash because size wise there wont be much of a difference. Or if you are thinking of a small LED light to simulate the LED flash of a camera phone, then get something like this turn it on, point and take the picture. I have a dual LED key chain light that I have used once or twice as a flash for the camera (all manual of course).
true but a long shutter time means more chance of blurring the image if it's not held steady
The device wouldn't need to be large, just big enough to hold a battery or 2 (most LEDs require 3v the super bright ones a bit more) and the circuitry to receive the signal and turn the LED on. Unless you can work out a way to power it off the USB port or run a wire inside and run from the battery, then the device wouldn't be bulky or anything.
since you'd need a special app anyway you could just do everything via the usb port then
SgtMoo said:
true but a long shutter time means more chance of blurring the image if it's not held steady
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Not really if the Flash is a real 'flash' and not just a led turning on and of.
this sounds interresting for all flashless devices, i´d suggest to build a camera app thet supports this and gives a signal to trigger the flash. also you could just build the device and suggest support for it to other camera app developers.
can't the usb port of the SGS give out +5V? If yes one can simply attach a led+resistor to the usb port, and you've got flash.
Moved thread to general discussion section
So I have this capture card that I use on my Xbox and its pretty old so doesn't require much power to run or anything like that. Then I noticed that my tablet has a USB port on the side of it and if I plug the capture device in the green light on it comes on. Plus when I plug it into my PC it recognizes it as a camera. So is there some sort of way or app that could capture an external camera straight from my tablet? It would be a much easy way of capturing game footage. If anyone could help that'd be awesome :good:
micracer said:
So I have this capture card that I use on my Xbox and its pretty old so doesn't require much power to run or anything like that. Then I noticed that my tablet has a USB port on the side of it and if I plug the capture device in the green light on it comes on. Plus when I plug it into my PC it recognizes it as a camera. So is there some sort of way or app that could capture an external camera straight from my tablet? It would be a much easy way of capturing game footage. If anyone could help that'd be awesome :good:
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No drivers
Hi all
Bought an RCA front camera as I was hoping I could use the f-cam app to get front and rear camera views and to get the front camera on for 10 seconds after reverse as per the option for the front camera in the factory settings.
So had a pig of an afternoon running the cables and what not but the only way I get the front cam view on display is by the AVIn app which isn’t ideal as it kills the radio and also seems to stall and affect the head unit.
Selecting front in the fcam app shows a warning of missing input and if you set it to activate after reverse the same occurs.
It’s strange for the unit that have the option of this function without actually doing it via the video in feed, Do I need another harness for this specifically for cam input??.
Here is the back of my unit. Can’t do the soldering to the board mod, but hoping there’s an easier way considering it’s part of the operating system.
Danno1975 said:
Hi all
Bought an RCA front camera as I was hoping I could use the f-cam app to get front and rear camera views and to get the front camera on for 10 seconds after reverse as per the option for the front camera in the factory settings.
So had a pig of an afternoon running the cables and what not but the only way I get the front cam view on display is by the AVIn app which isn’t ideal as it kills the radio and also seems to stall and affect the head unit.
Selecting front in the fcam app shows a warning [emoji615]️ of missing input and if you set it to activate after reverse the same occurs.
It’s strange for the unit that have the option of this function without actually doing it via the video in feed, Do I need another harness for this specifically for cam input??.
Here is the back of my unit. Can’t do the soldering to the board mod, but hoping there’s an easier way considering it’s part of the operating system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Isn't the front camera meant to be on usb?
hans.vinkers said:
Isn't the front camera meant to be on usb?
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Hi, only for dvr, I have that and it’s working well. But it doesn’t work with F-cam
Also noticed today that the rear f cam app is reversed ie left is right, but when reversing the view is correct. Can’t find any settings for the f-cam app.
Danno1975 said:
Hi all
Bought an RCA front camera as I was hoping I could use the f-cam app to get front and rear camera views and to get the front camera on for 10 seconds after reverse as per the option for the front camera in the factory settings.
So had a pig of an afternoon running the cables and what not but the only way I get the front cam view on display is by the AVIn app which isn’t ideal as it kills the radio and also seems to stall and affect the head unit.
Selecting front in the fcam app shows a warning of missing input and if you set it to activate after reverse the same occurs.
It’s strange for the unit that have the option of this function without actually doing it via the video in feed, Do I need another harness for this specifically for cam input??.
Here is the back of my unit. Can’t do the soldering to the board mod, but hoping there’s an easier way considering it’s part of the operating system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you connected power to the RCA front camera? I do have a switch on my car to give/cut power to front camera itself.
If I don't power it up I get warning sign as well.
Hello! did you solve this problem? Im having the same issue
I have been spending the last week or two reading nearly everything in these android head unit forums. I have but one suggestion I cannot seem to find anyone who has tried it. I will be testing this method out shortly my self. But have you considered a 4 way video splitter. I have no experience with fcam app btw. Also I would mention that I have spent most of my time trying to find threads or posts of people who have used factory front/rear , 360 cameras for parking assistance. So far most seem to only use back up cameras or front camera for DVR(dashcam). American market brands of these types of splitters are 100-300$ usd aliexpress chinacom versions are 20-50$ I will be buying a china version when I get ready to order parts.
Was a solution ever found to this problem?
I am in same situation.
I have "fcam" app but it only shows reverse picture, can't workout which pins are for front camera so running front camera through AVin ....like above this is not ideal
Did you ever figure this out? Currently dealing with the same scenario.
I sorted it by buying a different head unit.. I now have a brosmartek 8227L and front camera works as it has its own input connection. It holds front camera image for 3, 5 or 8 seconds after forward gear is engaged after reverse
Hi to all,
I have the same problem and I found the solution..
So I found this diagram into the forum (https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/android-head-units/vw-head-unit-android-10-t4132083)
As you can see there is an input for f-cam (No9) but if you see the plug (radio cable) the specific pin have no cable.
You must connect a cable for video with a new cable connected to pin No9 and you must also take the cround from another connection (I took it from No40) and with this two new cables you can creat a new female RCA for the F-Cam..
I hope my solution to help you...
simosk78 said:
Hi to all,
I have the same problem and I found the solution..
So I found this diagram into the forum (https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/android-head-units/vw-head-unit-android-10-t4132083)
As you can see there is an input for f-cam (No9) but if you see the plug (radio cable) the specific pin have no cable.
You must connect a cable for video with a new cable connected to pin No9 and you must also take the cround from another connection (I took it from No40) and with this two new cables you can creat a new female RCA for the F-Cam..
I hope my solution to help you...
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Click to collapse
hello, i am now attempting to do the same , what plug did you use on 9 ? and the one for 40 ground you just took it from slot 40 but where does it go on 9?
Mine is strange...
My unit detect the reverse (have a reverse in cable) mute the sound...but doesnt change to rear camera..stays on the actial app
I install redmod...flash original..and nothing change...it happens aleatory...have the reverse over 5 mins and work...later doesnt...maybe willl be the board?
And..i rewire..and change the cam
No one have a issue with your camera?
I wonder if anyone could enable camera 2 api on elephone s8. I tried everything without success. If there was a way to control shutter speed, the phone's camera could give some of the best pictures since they are the most detailed I've seen on 20 Mp cameras. Any ideas?