I now also have a RunCam Split 4 available for testing, connected to an F405-CTR with ArduCopter, in case more debugging is needed.
This one has the same 2 physical buttons as the Hybrid, one of which is again start/stop. The other however doesn’t switch to QR reader mode but instead menu mode. This brings up a menu that can be navigated with the 2 physical buttons.
Additionally, a joystick/pad can be connected - I have yet to check if it brings up the same (HD/4k settings) menu or a separate one for FPV settings (PAL/NTSC, aspect ratio etc.) only but I assume the latter.
Maybe RunCam should stick to just one variant to make things a little easier…
CAM_RC_CONTROL only configures methods to enter the menu, so if I don’t want to enter the menu (and instead just emulate pressing the 2 physical buttons), I could practically ignore it completely?
Yes you could set it to zero to disable menu entry
Likewise, RCx_OPTION = 79 only refers to the menu, so I don’t need it either?
Correct
RCx_OPTION = 78 is the one to assign a channel/switch on the transmitter to pressing the 2 physical start/stop and mode switch buttons?
Correct
CAM_RC_TYPE has the following options: “RunCam Split Micro/RunCam with UART” and “RunCam Split” - but without a UART, there is no cam control possible?
By UART here I mean “joystick control over UART” which not all cameras have. The issue is that you need to know how to get in and out of the menu. Currently the code caters for 3 different kinds:
Cameras that have two buttons one of which switches between OSD and non-OSD
Cameras that have two buttons one of which switches between OSD, Picture mode and non-OSD
Cameras that have no buttons but support joysticks
The default behaviour is to support (1) & (3) (type 1), the odd one out is (2) (type 2)
The two cameras you have now include extra options!
While menu navigation would be nice to have as a bonus, the by far most important thing to me and the thread op is simply a switch on the transmitter that starts and stops recording at high/low position. So recording could be started manually at launch, without opening the hatch again to press a tiny button on the RunCam Hybrid/Split. Sometimes it takes a few minutes from connecting the battery/closing the hatch to the actual launch, and the 4k video recorded during these minutes is just wasted sd card/disk space.
Yes understand and this works on all the RunCams I have that support video recording
Urgh, so ultimately we are going to have to support 2-key and 5-key modes at the same time. I suspect for now it makes sense to be able to configure which one you want.
I think I’ll then focus on the Split 4 and leave the Hybrid aside for now, because the Split is in a tiny copter, much more convenient to handle for testing than a wing.
Thanks, I was a lot more successful now. I found out that I can start/stop recording in the following way on both RunCam Split 4 and RunCam Hybrid - with 1 difference:
RCS4:
Right stick right -> menu appears instead of AP OSD (and can actually be used, nice!)
Right stick right -> both AP OSD and menu disappear - as long as no menu entry is blue = selected!
In that mode (which shows only the recording format) recording can be started/stopped by right stick up or down
Right stick left -> back to AP OSD
RCH:
Right stick left -> AP OSD disappears
In that mode (which shows only the recording format) recording can be started/stopped by right stick up or down
Right stick right -> QR mode (can probably be used to adjust HD settings)
Right stick right -> back to AP OSD
So while recording via switch is still not possible (runcamcontrol low/mid/high has no effect in any state), this seems like a viable way to start/stop recording.
Question: I saw a message “PREARM: IN MENU” or so, but only on the RC4. But I guess the whole RunCam control is disabled while armed anyway, so the AP OSD cannot disappear in flight? For even more safety, maybe a check for minimum throttle could be included, so that all the right stick actions only work when the left stick is down, even while disarmed.
In any case, I had almost given up on this - I’m glad I tried again!
It was on F405-CTR (RCS4) and F405-Wing (RCH) using the latest versions you had posted for those.
Anything that works is ok with me personally. But RunCam should really send you some samples, with all the work you put into this already. They probably only tested it with BF and maybe INAV themselves.
I use the bigger pads for FC connection and the smaller ones for a joystick (analog menu only, not the menu brought up by RunCam control) - although according to the manual, the smaller ones are sometimes also used for FC connection, but only in case of FW update via app… I guess they couldn’t make it any more confusing.
Yes, I also think the only way this can ever be solved completely is for you to have those cams yourself.
EDIT: The joypad is used for both menus after all. Analog (FPV) menu is entered by long-pressing up, otherwise it’s the digital menu.
For the Runcam4 4k set CAM_RC_TYPE=3
For the Hybrid using the Video/QR menu (bigger UART pads) set CAM_RC_TYPE=3
For the Hybrid using the Race menu (smaller UART pads) set CAM_RC_TYPE=1
On the Hybrid video start/stop will only work with the Video/QR menu. There is currently no way to control both menus at the same time.
I’ll get to it asap. In the meantime, could you briefly explain how it’s supposed to work if it works correctly, i.e. what the stick movements are supposed to do? Especially start/stop, because last time I had it working via right stick up or down - but while the menu is shown, that probably won’t work because it then navigates the menu. Thanks!
