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DigitalBird Motion Control Update

A project log for Digital Bird Motorized Dual Action Camera Slider

Part1 of the Digital Bird full Camera motion control system which includes Camera Slider, Pan Tilt Head and Video Turntable all WIFI linked

digitalbird01digitalbird01 03/31/2021 at 11:000 Comments

UPDATE   31st March 2021

For any one following this a quick update on where I am with the complete system.

The port over to the ESP32 is know complete and opens up a new world of possibilities due to having so much more processing power, and better WIFI . The ESP32 also has much better certification and will allow me to ship complete kits without troubling over the legalities!

The new mother boards are on the way as I write this and anyone who purchased a kit with the old board will have it replaced free of charge. 

The Nextion display is know a remote which is WIFI linked to all parts of the system and movable between them or just held in your hand.

There are some other small improvements to the slider including an improved method for tensioning the belt and the locking mechanism which is on the introduction video but not shown on the build video. The Nextion display as mentioned is to become a remote and therefore the hinged plate has been revised to accommodate this.

The Pan Tilt head is ready for release and I will be doing this as soon as the new pcb boards arrive. Since making the original overview video the head has undergone a number of improvements. 

1) The head can know accept a 1:50 gearbox on the Tilt which should significantly improve its lifting capabilities on heavier systems. Previously I was using 1:30

2)The Nextion display can know be mounted directly on the face of the head so no need for the additional buttons for IN, OUT and PLAY.  Know there are only two buttons on the control panel one to mount the head the other to dismount all other commands are through the nextion.

3)There is know an RJ45 port on the face of the head ready to accept the up coming focus motor.

4)Because the ESP32 is so powerful all three steppers Pan/Tilt and Focus and controlled by a single CPU 

5) The pan access is know powered by a Nema17. Previously I was using a nema 14 but with the demand to allow the system carry heavier gear this also had to be upgraded. Unfortunately this means the head is also slightly longer, something I was hoping to avoid but form follows function as they say.


The Video Turntable also is having an upgrade. Just as capable but more compact and offering the added benefit of being usable on the slider as a simple Pan Head. This will be released shortly after the pan/Tilt head.

The focus motor is well under way and  I am just awaiting parts before finalising its pcb design and testing. Probably another month or two away before this is ready for release largely due to parts shipping times.

Additional software features Just started working on a method of allowing multiple key frames on the moves which would give us the ability to program say 6 key frames with user selectable speed and Acceleration ramps between each.

That's it for know if you can thing of anything else you would like to see on the system I would love to here from you. I cant promise to satisfy every request but if it is at all feasible I will take a look.  

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