Rusty,
I’m curious if you’ve experimented with adding additional cameras on the BlueROV2?
I was thinking along the lines of some GoPros in dive housings fed into the electronics tube.
(I’m interested in understanding what it will take to have multiple video feeds to the surface)
-Tony
Tony,
We typically use a GoPro mounted on the front of the battery enclosure to capture extra footage, but we don’t have it connected to the video stream. If you want to stream more camera, you should be able to do that by adding USB cameras (Advanced Electronics w/ Raspberry Pi) or by adding an inexpensive video switching board (analog w/ Fathom-S).
We haven’t done this yet ourselves, so I can’t speak to exactly what’s required.
What does your setup look like?
-Rusty
Rusty,
As for my setup, I’m running an OpenROV now, which is helping me to see where my needs are.I’m really looking forward to buying a BlueROV2 in the next weeks, just working out all my questions and plans before ordering.
I really need to be able to capture high quality video front, down, and maybe aft. I am planning on buying with the advanced Elecs pkg (FathomX) and four lights. I probably will eventually need more lights (facing down) for building photomosaics/photogrammetry. Dive area is NJ coast, water is quite murky (20ft vis at best case, usually much less).
-Tony
Hi Tony,
Okay, sounds good. I’m glad you’re interested in the BlueROV2! I think it will work well for you.
If you are okay with non-streaming cameras for recording, then I think GoPros will work great. Since the water is so murky, I would definitely recommend trying to space the lights as widely as possible so that you don’t get much backscatter from particles that are nearby in the water. It might help to extend the lights beyond the normal edges of the frame.
Best,
Rusty
Tony,
Found this little extender module that may be of interest: http://www.arducam.com/multi-camera-adapter-module-raspberry-pi/ Just note that is going to take some serious modifications to get to work as the forward part of the BROV2 hull is already tight with a RPi3, Pixhawk and Fathom X board. Maybe you can get a RPi3, load up the companion software, and play with it before buying a full BROV2 kit. I’m also not quite sure how you would go about doing the hull penetrations and waterproofing the RPi cameras. Does QGC even support multiple cameras right now?
If you need to just capture HD video in the directions you specified, I agree with making up a payload sled with GoPros would probably be the way to go. I’ve been toying with the idea of creating a sled add-on with one or many downward facing cameras, 4 Lumen lights pointing downwards, and an additional battery. The whole thing would be able to plug into one of the blank cable penetrator ports on the back end of the BROV2. Just some thoughts.
Kevin
Tony,
As an experienced user of GoPro cameras in underwater, natural light (see my youtube channel: Richard Fast), be advised the auto color balance is really bad once the red disappears below 20 feet, or so. You will get nothing but green. This is not the case for the BR recommended Sony video board sold here. I found it maintains good color balance all the way to 100 feet. The red is gone, but the remaining colors are correct. If you are going to use a GoPro plan on investing in some really good color correction software, and spending a lot of time in the editing room. If I were going to spend the money on a BROV2, I would invest in small in-line DVR’s and record video from separate board cameras. This is especially the case in low visibility water, as you say you will have.
Also, no two GoPro cameras interpret color the same. When you try and meld together the different camera outputs it will drive you crazy.
Just something to think about.
Richard