I posted this heading some time ago with no responses -So I’m posting it again.
Hey, lets start a list of improvements we’d like to see in QGroundControl.
PLEASE ADD YOUR COMMENTS
I’d really like to know that I’m still recording the video stream when ‘values’ is selected (depth, etc.)
—show the record status icon in all menus.
This might be old school but long ago, camcorders used to display a red REC icon in the window. We have regressed and now need to know that a red circle is not recording and a throbbing square means recording is “ON”. Stupid simple is good -I want the ‘REC’ back!
A better arrow in the compass is needed. With bad water clarity and a little sun on the display it’s impossible to quickly see which of the ‘three points’ of the red arrow is actually your heading. Red and white arrows are also confusing (which is North?) Simple arrow from center to heading value is best.
Video overlay. seems a lot of work has been done on this subject, but I am not a programmer.
It sure would be nice to have the company name and data displayed on the video in real time. Editing (adding) in post is not an option.
Voice annotation over video would be nice along with above, maybe even a small text box to type notes as the video is recording.
While our software team does contribute to/help maintain parts of QGroundControl, we’re not the primary developers. The correct way to make feature requests is as GitHub issues, which can then be discussed by the developers, and if appropriate it may be implemented by someone who has the requisite skillset and available time. If you’re interested, here’s one I raised recently
As to the particular points you’ve raised, most of them are no longer relevant in QGC 4.1. The new interface separates the video recording widget from the telemetry, and changes the compass arrow. Telemetry data and a timestamp are included in a subtitle file that gets recorded with each video.
I made this short example video recently for a different purpose, but it happens to show all of those aspects:
On the video overlay front, if company name/information is important you can raise an issue for it, but in the interim you can add a line to the subtitles file that runs for the whole video duration. Alternatively you can set a logo in QGC and then do a screen recording instead of a normal video recording, at the cost of not being able to hide the telemetry/widgets in the recording later.
I expect live voice annotation is unlikely to be added, but you can open an issue for it if you want to. Video notes are perhaps a bit more likely, as they could be saved as part of the subtitle file, but it would still be a significant amount of work to implement, so I wouldn’t expect it to be added particularly soon. At this point QGC is best suited to monitoring and controlling vehicles, rather than making detailed inspection notes/event recording. I agree that simple ways of recording events and jumping between them in later playback could be very useful, but QGC currently isn’t well set up for that kind of workflow.
If you’re after QGC alternatives, I’m aware that Eiva (@NaviSuiteMobula) makes NaviSuite Mobula, and Mission Robotics (@wholm) have their own topside software (which I believe requires their electronics replacement), both of which are more tailored to inspection/event tagging workflows
I’m unsure whether that kind of functionality is available in the other alternatives in Third Party Products/Ground Control Software.
Hi @salvor1 as mentioned by @EliotBR the NaviSuite Moubla is a full ROV control and inspection software and comes with built-in DVR, video overlay and eventing tool that allow you to record data, video with user-defined event tablet/collection that can be exported in many industry standard formats. Let us know if you want to try out and we will setup a trial license for you ok!
Is there any way to get the old UI back with the sidebar telemetry? The new version has the telemetry on the bottom overlayed over the video stream, which is a huge downgrade as far as usability goes.
There would be a huge improvement if the record button would change color when you push it… or/and recording time would be visual underneath, like counting time.
Then it would be easier to see when you are recording and when you are not.
Fair enough. I believe it’s supposed to count the recording time underneath (I’m pretty sure it used to at least), but if I’m remembering correctly the counter isn’t implemented when viewing a stream that’s presented to QGC via MAVLink (which is what BlueOS does).
You could submit an issue (or thumbs up/comment on this one) in the hopes someone wants to do the relevant development work, but I don’t expect anyone from Blue Robotics will end up making time to develop this in QGC, as our control station development efforts are now mostly focused on Cockpit.
