Picloc 3x setting experience etc.

GeorgeM

GeorgeM

Member
Hi Macin,
You seem to be using potentiometer on the Tilt axis of your DIY mount ( looks interesting BTW !! ;) )
When you have feedback Potentiometer, DO NOT USE Smooth ( ie..Integral ... ie 3rd fader in the Gains Tab ) ... this is causing the tilt axis to overshoot target and cause the slow oscillation you're viewing.

As a Rule:

On Axis with feedback Potentiometer:

1) Apply proportional gain to keep axis in constant level when you move the mount.
2) Apply only small amount of Acceleration - Max I suggest is 200. If it is still slow, then, if you want faster reaction, THEN you need faster servos / higher voltage. ( Picloc can take 2S lipo direct !! )



On Axis without feedback Potentiometer: ( Self balancing with 360 servo working a speed control motor )

1) With relevant gains all closed, adjust neutral of servo from TOOLZ, so that the 360 servo stops moving.
2) Apply proportional gain to keep axis in constant level when you move the mount.
3) Check that the reversing/direction of the servo is correct as you start increasing gain. ( Servo Tab - R* tickbox )
4) This Gain will also speed up the response of BOTH your stabilization and your control input. Get it nice and happy stabilizing.
5) Apply only small amount of Acceleration - Max I suggest is 200. If it is still slow, then, if you want faster reaction, THEN you need faster servos / higher voltage. ( Picloc can take 2S lipo direct !! )
6) Add minimal amount of smooth. Max I suggest is 200. This will add to the servo's holding power and accuracy. Do not overdo it, else it will start to oscillate slowly.





Macin.. for you, the first set of tips apply.

If you have Pan, ( normally a 360 servo without feedback pot, and Picloc is Mounted on the Pan axis .. stabilizing itself and the complete mount with itself ) .. then, the second batch of tips apply.



Thanks !!!


George
 

GeorgeM

GeorgeM

Member
FYI.. Acceleration and smooth gains are Picloc generated ( synthesized ) servo driving signals.
Their values were left quite open and 'generous', so that one is allowed as much tuning as one wants.

However, my suggestion is to use minimal amount of these synthesized gains, and get faster ( and coreless ) servos if you need better response to stabilizing.
 

S

ssjheli

Member
Hi George
I have send you a few mails regarding a return adr to get my PIC-LOC repaired. Please send me your adr so I can return it to you!!!
problem usb port unstable and now it does not work anymore.
Søren
Rotorcam
ssjheli@gmail.com
 



S

speedracer

Member
Hi George!

I tryed to contact you via email without success. Now i try it over this forum and hope for your answer.

I have a 3-axis camera mount with three 360 deree servos with 1:5 gear translation, one for each axis (no potentiometers).
The order is pan-roll-tilt and Picloc 3X Pro is mounted on the tilt axis.
Firmware and Picloc Tools is the latest from your homepage.

I calibrated the gimbal with your videos and now stabalisation works pretty fine.

1. problem:
If I move for example the tilt axis with the stick on the remote it does not remain in the position I moved it. If i release the stick to center, the axis also goes back to its center. The problem is the same on each axis. This is different to your videos and i can not find this setting in Picloc Tools.

2. problem:
Same problem than in post #1060.

3.problem:
Solution of the servos. If i move the stick the axis is not moving soft but ~2° by 2° after the 1:5 gear translation. This problem perhaps results from problem 1.

I hope for your answer.

Greets, Speedy
 

luftaufnahmen ostsee

luftaufnahmen ostsee

Member
speedracer said:
1. problem:
If I move for example the tilt axis with the stick on the remote it does not remain in the position I moved it. If i release the stick to center, the axis also goes back to its center. The problem is the same on each axis. This is different to your videos and i can not find this setting in Picloc Tools.
Click to expand...

You have to put it into slew-mode. I think you find that under "functions".
 

GeorgeM

GeorgeM

Member
Thanks Derek for replying in good spirit. !! That's Bringing you closer to a free, NEW Picloc-3RSX :) :) :)

One other thing @Speedy.... because the 'old' tutorial videos on my website, do not show well how to do a 3x 360 servo setup... and I apologize for this.... so...

When you are mounting Picloc inside a 3x 360 servo driven gimbal, like a PhotoShipOne 3X PRO, or a Copteroworks, or a TRIAX gimbal, make sure that:

1) your Picloc orientation is with the Input/Output Pins looking ither forward or backward.. along the tilt axis. ( Same as in the VR360 demo video on my website)

2) Of course you need to change 'ROLL in arrow direction', to 'TILT in arrow direction'.

3) There was a long standing bug which I could not solve until lately.... ( still even in v56_76 ).. that the TILT and ROLL control inputs in the 'FUNCTIONS' Tab are swapped.. make a mental note of this. ( this is now resolved with upcoming firmware, and is very intuitive to operate. )


Thanks !!

George
 


GeorgeM

GeorgeM

Member
Bit of both....
Name's meaning is a secret for now :) ... Name could have been Picloc-3X SR; Picloc-3X RS; Picloc-3XSR ; Picloc-3SRX ; or Picloc-3RSX.
I chose the latter.
It is equivalent to the Picloc-3X Standard.... but in a smaller and more efficient form factor.
Uses the best available sensors which I can afford to put in it, without pushing the price any higher.
 

S

speedracer

Member
Hi!

I have all axis in slew mode. That is my problem. If i uncheck "slew mode" the servos don't move at all.

I will try your tips little bit later because i have to reorganize all cables. They are all to short if I remount Picloc. Please please please make a note at your tutorial. it can save much time for further customers.

Greets
 

S

speedracer

Member
Hi Gorge!

Now i remount Picloc with Arrow direction in Tilt Axis (cable socked to front) and change the setting to "Tilt in arrow direction". I also have to reverse the tilt servo. The stabilisation works pretty fine but i still have the problem with the radio. The axis always went back if i release the stick. Checkbox "Slew" is checked for all axis in functions tab...

How can i solve this problem?

Greets, Speedy
 

GeorgeM

GeorgeM

Member
Ok... One more step.

In the Functions Tab -> Slew Setup Tab, Your Radio channels should be in the deadband when the sticks are central. What Do I mean ?

So..
With your radio sticks at center, sub-trim your radio's TILT, ROLL and PAN channels from your digital or analog sub-trims, so that the numbers with the value of the channel's position are colored REDish.
This means that the mount should not move when you are not commanding the sticks to do something.

When you do move the sticks, the value's background color changes to blue... this means that the stick is active and you're commanding something.

PiclocToolz offers even more flexibility, by being able to adjust this deadband window, so that your stick command is comfortable, and also your Stick Power.. ie the velocity of the camera's movement when YOU command it.
This value also interacts slightly with your P-Gain on the servo. If P-Gain is low, you need a lot of stick power. ( not my recommended PID tuning strategy.) ( See post #1061 for that... 360 servo tuning )

If you're into action shooting, you want to still have good velocity of the gimbal, therefore, crank stick power UP.... else... leave it at default, or go lower for smoother starts and ends on the camera moves.
The slew command already contains a smooth logarithmic ramp, which is already built in.
This feature will evolve into more (optional) sophistication later on.

Ok... so this should get your gimbal dialled in as you're probably intending.

If not, 10 minutes on skype and I'll fix it for you online, from here.

George
 

S

speedracer

Member
Ok, now I set all sub trims to 0uS and the value fields of all three axis have a red background. If i move the stick, the background get blue and the tilt move a little bit. If i choose a greater stick power, the tilt move more degrees. But in both cases the tilt go back to center, if i release the stick to center. It would be great, if you can help me via Skype. I will provide a webcam, so you can see, what i mean. I just sent you my Skype nickname via private message. Please add me on Skype and send me the time you have 10 Minutes time for me. That would be great. Thanks a lot.

Greets, Speedy
 




S

speedracer

Member
@graham_newton: Yeah, perfect. Now the axis remains in position. I assigned a 1-way switch, which is either in go-to-home or e-stop position.

With the 2-way switch it works, but now I have another problem: If i want a e-stop I had to switch into go-to-home first and then into e-stop. The e-stop switched from the middle position works only sometimes, and not on every switching.

Problem 1 solved, Problem 2 and 3 still alive ;-)
 

J

jrlederer

Member
speedracer said:
@graham_newton: Yeah, perfect. Now the axis remains in position. I assigned a 1-way switch, which is either in go-to-home or e-stop position.

With the 2-way switch it works, but now I have another problem: If i want a e-stop I had to switch into go-to-home first and then into e-stop. The e-stop switched from the middle position works only sometimes, and not on every switching.

Problem 1 solved, Problem 2 and 3 still alive ;-)
Click to expand...

I haven't used my PicLoc 3x Pro in quite some time due to investing in a higher-end system, but if I understand your problem, it's that ur trying to use a 3-position switch to toggle a 2-position setting. If this is the case, then yes there will be situation where the switch only sometimes appears to function. Imagine the middle position being indeterminate as it probably has a pwm value that lies in the middle of the two extremes. Thus, unless i misunderstood your issue and you actually do have 3 functions you are trying to select from, you would, necessarily, need to throw the switch to the extremes (not just one click, but two) in order to indicate a mode change. Another solution so that each time you make a single position switch on a 3 way switch that you only have 2 selections for might be to set your positions values from something like SW1＝{-100%, 0%, 100%} to possibly SW1＝{-100%, 100%, -100%}, in which case (though it would not be the most logical or intuitive setup, admittedly) you would definitely be toggling the mode each time the switch traveled to an adjacent position.
 


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