Soloshot 3 : FAQ, Manuals, User HowTos and Diagrams Archived Posts
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Soloshot 3 Tech and User Guide Info Archive:
This is an informal Soloshot 3 Blog post to document the disappearing Soloshot 3 articles and technical info that is becoming harder and harder to find on the internet. I decided to use this blog post to pool together the random tidbits of Soloshot 3 info that I have found useful over the years or may find useful in the future as these devices age.
Summary:
0. Soloshot 3 Helpful links,
1. FAQ and KB articles from misc web sites
2. KB articles snapshots from archive from https://support.soloshot.com/
3. Misc Facebook Posts with How-Tos, Guides, Info, specs, misc
4. Misc Reddit or other forum posts
5. Manuals, Pdf Diagrams and FCC Spec docs or related diagrams :
The max panning speed of the Base is 120 degrees per second, and can rotate a full 360 degrees consecutively! The max tilt speed is 60 degrees per second-- 90 degrees upwards, and 50 degrees downwards.
Zoom Lock allows you to precisely frame your shot, and lock the Zoom setting so that SOLOSHOT3 will not zoom (only pan and tilt) when tracking the Tag.
Zoom Lock works well if you have a specific shot in mind. You can dial in the exact zoom for the filming scenario to keep the subject framed as you would like for the entirety of the shot, then go capture the shot.
Examples of when this may work well include activities which involve minimal zoom like Batting Practice, Pitching practice, Tennis practice.
Setting Zoom Lock is easy:
Download the latest software
In Track app, begin Tracking
Go into settings (click at top, and select the gear icon)
Select "Track Settings" and scroll down to Zoom Lock.
Go to Arrows Screen and adjust Zoom as desired, Zoom is now Locked.
Go film yourself!
Note: Zoom Lock will automatically disable if the Base is moved during a Track sessionas the Zoom Lock set for any one filming position won’t be relevant to the new filming location. You can easily go and reset Zoom Lock after moving the Base via the same procedure
If you have followed the Quick Start Guide and see any issues afterwards, with the Tag at least 30 feet away from the Base, Tracking can be tweaked by accessing the Arrows icon within the Track App, found via the pull down (3 horizontal lines at top center of Track App).
Professional sports videographers tend to hold zoom level when the action is high (lots of panning and/or tilting).
Cinematic Zoom replicates this videographer’s rule by holding onto zoom level during periods with the highest action, releasing the zoom hold when action dies down or when the subject moves too far outside of the desired Field of View (FOV) setting.
Cinematic Zoom is great if you want to achieve this type of footage, and want to be sure that a zoom doesn’t interrupt a great play or highlight.
Toggling Cinematic Zoom off may be desirable if you wish to prioritize keeping the FOV setting as close to the value you chose, and don’t mind zooming happening in the middle of high action.
Whichever zoom is right for you, changing it is easy:
Download the latest software
In Track app, go into settings (click at top, and select the gear icon)
Select "Track Settings" and scroll down to Cinematic Zoom. Toggle the button on for cinematic zoom (default), or off for the original zoom as you prefer.
Go film yourself!
SOLOSHOT3 is great at filming in low-light, but there are some things to consider such that you get the best experience.
Choosing one of the 30 frames per second (fps) modes (e.g. 1080p30) is recommended when the lights are low. The higher fps modes (e.g. 1080p60, 1080p120, 720p120) are great at capturing high speed actionbut in lower lighting conditions there may not be enough light to deliver stunning visuals at these higher frame rates.
You can also adjust the Auto-Exposure compensation gain which can help lighten the scene.
You can see how bright the recorded scene is going to look via the LCD display on the Base.
Setting Video Mode is easy:
Download the latest software
In Track app, go into settings (click at top, and select the gear icon)
Select "Camera Settings" and scroll down to Video Mode
Select one of the “p30” modes
Check out the preview on the LCD (after Tracking has begun) to confirm the scene is lighted as you desire
Go film yourself!
Adjusting Auto-Exposure Compensation is easy:
Download the latest software
In Track app, go into settings (click at top, and select the gear icon)
Select "Camera Settings" and scroll down to Auto-Exposure
Adjust the Auto Exposure Gain
Check out the preview on the LCD (after Tracking has begun) to confirm the scene is lighted as you desire
Go film yourself!
The Tag can be worn under clothing, or equipment such as a jersey, and still be tracked by the Base.
The front of the Tag needs to be facing outwards to enable accurate trackinga tag which is loose in a pocket may not always be facing outwards and could possibly have reduced tracking capabilities.
High Wind OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) provides enhanced image stability when filming in High Wind conditions with the OpticX65 Camera.
In Track app, go into settings (click at top, and select the gear icon)
Select "Camera Settings" and scroll down to "High Wind OIS". Toggle the button on (it'll turn blue).
Go film yourself!
SOLOSHOT3 runs on non-removable, rechargeable li-ion batteries. To get the most amount of charge/discharge cycles from these batteries, please follow the tips below:
Keep batteries at room temperature (about 75 degrees Fahrenheit) and avoid extreme heat.
For the first 30 charge cycles, partial discharge cycles are recommended.
After 30 cycles, it's recommended to let the battery discharge completely so as not to alter the accuracy of the battery gauge.
For extended storage, it is recommended to discharge the li-ion battery to 40\% and store in a cool place.
Yes, you can. With SOLOSHOT3, you can plug the Base into a USB power source to not only keep the unit from dying, but also charge the unit up a bit during use.
Please be sure to use caution with the cable if you are doing 360 degree turns because it will wrap around the Base. Be sure to leave some slack on the line so as not to damage the charging port. Damage done to this port due to external charges are not covered under warranty.
Use a wall adapter/power source with at least 5 volts and 2 amps. We recommend Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0enabled wall adapters for best results. You can plug the Base into a wall power source, or a portable power source - such as a USB power pack or bank from GoalZero. Using a laptop to charge may not result in charging the Base as many laptop USB ports don’t provide sufficient USB power output.
If your SD card is failing to mount during an update, try the following (Plan A)...
1. Make sure the Base and camera are upright (preferably on a tripod) when doing the update.
2. Try ejecting the microSD card and the popping it back in again. Wait about 5-10 seconds, then hit "Try Again."
3. Have them format the microSD card using their PC to ExFAT. If they use a PC, this will work too but please note that their first attempt at remounting the SD card will fail.
If this does not work try Plan B...
1. Power off Base. Remove OpticX camera from Base, and remove SD card from camera.
2. Power on Base, go to home screen.
3. Go to Update App and follow on-screen instructions for Base and Tag update.
4. Once it asks for the camera update, dock the OpticX camera and hit continue.
5. Once it comes time to format the SD card, insert the SD card into camera and hit continue. It should mount from here.
Yes. SOLOSHOT3 is very flexible and the touch screen makes it easy to turn your robot cameramen into a robotic production crew. You can have 1 Base track 1 Tag, 1 Base track multiple Tags, multiple Bases track 1 Tag or multiple Bases track multiple Tags. As long as the Tag and Bases are on the same firmware you may dock the Tag to each Base prior to filming to be able to select it for tracking.
SOLOSHOT3 has been optimized to give you the best experience and the most control when filming more than one person/subject.
You may associate each Tag with a unique account. The Base(s) will manage everyone's highlights and push them to each user'saccount
With automatic multi-mode, you can tell the Base to follow either the closest Tag, fastest Tag, toggle between tags or even a group of Tags on the Base.
Using manual multi-mode, you can have one person be in charge of which linked Tag the Base follows at any given time using theDirector + Coach Modein
Yes, the Base automatically adjusts zoom and focus to keep you in focus and in the shot!
Cinematic Zoom (default ON): limits zoom changes during periods of action, similar to what you see when watching sports on TV. You can disable this under Tracking Settings if you prioritize maintaining desired FOV during high action.
To do this please follow the instructions below:
Remove the Tag from the front of your Base
If Tag is ON, press and hold the power button to turn off your Tag
While OFF, press and hold the + button on your Tag, then tap the power button
Your Tag should now be in Update Mode, indicated by an image of the Tag and Base with an arrow between them on the Tag's OLED Screen
Re-dock Tag onto Base and follow the on-screen instructions to continue
If you experience any issue with Tag updates please re-do the above steps and try again.
Insert the mini USB side (the smaller end) of the cable into the bottom of the Base and the regular USB side into a wall adapter of your choice. Note: A PC or Mac may not provide sufficient charging capability.
For fastest SOLOSHOT3 charging:
Ensure the Base is OFF when charging. A blinking Green LED (above the touchscreen) indicates it is NOT powered off.
To power down the unit, press and hold the power button for a few seconds and select the "Power Off" prompt on the Base touchscreen.
When plugged in, a solid red LED on the back of the Base (above the touchscreen) indicates the Base is NOT fully charged. Full charge is indicated by solid green on the LED. If you see neither, it is not charging.
Make sure the Tag is OFF. When docked onto the front of the plugged-in Base, the Tag OLED should show a charging icon. If it does not show this icon, tap the power button on the Tag, and this icon should appear.
The Base's charging LED behavior is as follows:
On power button press, blinks green once for 5 seconds: powering on, battery has enough charge
On power button press, blinks green quickly: not powering on, not enough charge
While plugged in, solid red: charging, not fully charged yet
While plugged in, solid green: charging, fully charged
If you see a red LED and a black screen, it means that it isn't charged enough to turn on.If the red LED stays there that means it is charging, so wait a couple more hours.
1. Power on Tag and Base in a generally open area (away from Buildings, Walls or other Obstructions).
Tip Power on the Base andTag as soon as you get to your filming location. The longer your Base and Tag GPS sensors warm up before use and the more open your filming location, the better your result.
2. Tapto open Track App thentapthe blue Track button to beginyour session. Select the general type of activity when prompted (water,field, terrain orflight)
3. Your Base will automatically go through a calibration process and point toward the tag when complete.
Tip The camera may not point atthe Tagcorrectly whenit istoo close to the base. For best results, make sure your Base is at least 30ft back from the closest point of your activity area.
4. Once calibration in complete, the camera should be tracking your Tag and recording.The Tag wearershould see a “heartbeat” style blink from the directional green LED on the base.
Tip If you don’t think the camera is pointing atthe Tagproperly after walkingside to sideabout 30ft from the camera, place theTag on the ground or a nearby object, logo side pointing up towards the sky, and walk back over to your base. Use the arrows to center theTag in the shot. RetrievetheTag and repeat the walking back and forth to confirm proper tracking. Then, go do your thing!
Additional Tip for Water Mode:
Please ensure Tagisdry before docking.IfTag has been in Salt Water, please rinse thoroughly with fresh water andthen dry
Note: Video preview will begin after successful calibration in Track App, or shortly after launch in MTL and Manual Control Apps.
Troubleshooting Tips:
Exit to Home screen by tapping the top shade (three horizontal lines at top center of screen) then relaunch the App
Undock the camera and redock it to the top of the Base while the Base is powered on, see if issue persists
Power down the Base and power it back on and try again
Another setup option you can try if you have the Tag handy is to do an Auto Calibration with Tag Dockset-up:
Hit CALIBRATE on the Track App once the Tag has the GPS icon showing
Dock the GPS-ready Tag to front of the Base when the tracking mode screen comes up (but do not select the tracking mode just yet)
Select the mode that you want to track in to initiate calibration (field/terrain/water/flight)
Leave the Tag on during auto calibration (while it's spinning)
Once the camera preview appears on the screen, gently undock the Tag (so as not to trigger motion detection) once 30+ feet away from the Base you can look at Base to confirm the camera is pointing at the Tag.
If you don’t think the camera is pointing atthe Tag properly after walkingside to sideabout 30ft from the camera, place theTag on the ground or a nearby object, logo side pointing up towards the sky, and walk back over to your base. Use the arrows to center theTag in the shot. RetrievetheTag and repeat the walking back and forth to confirm proper tracking. Then, go do your thing!
Water: Should be chosen for any sport which takes place on the water, such as Surf, SUP, Kite, Wake, Sailing, Windsurfing.
Field: Should be chosen for sports which take place on a field, or other flat / level ground, even if SOLOSHOT3 may be setup significantly above the playing surface (e.g. stadium bleachers or stands). Examples include Soccer, Football, Lacrosse, Equestrian.
Terrain: Should be chosen for sports which involve some elevation change or if the Tag will be above the elevation of the Camera. Examples include Motocross, Mountain Sports (ski, snowboard, mountain bike), but many activities that may appear “level” but cover a significant distance will actually often be better suited to Terrain mode.
Flight: Should be chosen for any activity which takes you to the skies. Examples include: RC plane, drone, paragliding.
Measurements span the width of the screen in meters.
Extra Wide:80 meters (40 meters on either side of the subject)
Wide:40 meters(20 meters on either side of the subject)
Medium:20 meters(10 meters on either side of the subject)
Tight:12 meters(6 meters on either side of the subject)
SOLOSHOT3 targets the above measurements, if the system has less certainty in its tracking it may back out to a wider FOV for a period of time.
1. Make sure the customer is not covering the top of the Tag with their hand, etc. and that they are in a wide-open space with an open view of the sky.
2. Have the customer power cycle the Tag.
3. If this doesn't help, have the customer hard reset the Tag by holding down the power button for 30 seconds.
4. If this doesn't help, have them power on the Tag and pacing it about 30-50 feet from the Base and just setting it down. Don't move it for about 5-10 minutes. Sometimes this helps get a GPS lock in a location that doesn't' have a strong signal.
If all this fails, might be time for Warranty.
Please make sure you are running on the most up-to-date software.
Make sure the Camera is firmly connected to the Base
Confirm if you see time remaining in the top left corner of the Home Screen (e.g. 2h34)
Try ejecting and reinserting the microSD card. Wait about 5-10 seconds, then “Try Again."
Turn off the Base and power it back on. Then go back to the App where you experienced the issue and try again.
Format your microSD card by going to Settings>SD Card>Format. Once formatting is complete, go back to the App where you experienced the issue and try again.
The front of the Tag (with Soloshot Logo) should have an open and unobstructed view of the sky to quickly get a GPS lock. Holding it in your hand, being under dense foliage or near buildings impacts the ability to receive accurate GPS.
Troubleshooting Tips:
Turn the Tag off and on, place it with the front side facing an unobstructed view of the sky. Typically it should obtain a GPS lock within a few minutes.
Try doing a hard reset on your Tag by holding the power button down for 30 seconds, then try the above tip again.
SOLOSHOT3 takes about 3-4 hours to fully charge. We recommend using a Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 Wall Adapter for best results.
When fully charged, the SOLOSHOT3 lasts between 2-3 hours with typical use cases. Please note that livestreaming and 4K resolution will use more battery power.
High Accuracy GPS needed for accurate tracking requires an open, unobstructed view of the sky. Ideally, the Base should be at least 15-20 ft away from buildings or other sky obstructions.
The Base is working to obtain accurate GPS during the calibration processif the calibration process is taking longer than 2 minutes it may be due to Poor GPS signal environment which is holding up calibration process from completing.
If you see “Poor GPS Signal” warning you can:
Move the Base to a less obstructed area
Gently dock a Tag which shows GPS icon (instructions can be seen on Base via clicking on Options)
If you see Calibrating Spinner indicating Time Remaining, you can:
Wait
Move the Base to a less obstructed area
Gently dock a Tag which shows GPS icon (instructions can be seen on Base via clicking on Options)
SOLOSHOT3 's battery life allows for up to 4 hours of use.
If you are using a128GB microSD card, you can record about 20 hours of high-definition footage (1080p30 resolution or lower). Filming 4K resolution is about 5 hours.
Results will vary based on the resolution, compression, bit rate, content, and pre-loaded files.
Some of you might know that a lot of Soloshot problems kan be solved by doing a "hard reset".
Hard reset can be done by
1) While the base is on & unplugged holding down the power button for about 30 seconds while the device is on.
2) Ignore any prompts on screen and continue holding until the device starts to reboot.
3) At this point, you can let go. It looks like Soloshot3 is doing a restart after 15 seconds, but wait 30 seconds, no matter what.
4) After 30 seconds, don’t touch base until Soloshot has restarted. This could take a couple of minutes.
The hard reset simply reboots/refreshes the system but does not reset the unit back to default or factory firmware. Think of this like restarting your computer after a week of use.
But did you know that according to Soloshot it is a possible solution for issues related to battery level, even if batteri is showing more than 50%? This is called "Deep Charge".
1. While your base is not plugget in, do a hard reset, then do 1 more.
2. Now plug your base into the power an do two more hard reset
3. Let your base charge for 12 hours.
4. Do two more hard resets while the base is plugged in.
surfercook Opti65 had been tracking very poorly for a few weeks. Hard reset fixed a coupla issues. No more colored stripes in the preview screen and almost perfect tracking now.
https://app.soloshot.com/video/ec4f417d-2a88-49ff-92e3-5d1c2a9eaf03?fbclid=IwAR3XNpZflU5FMyW88RL2MWLcJvTCXHC70VdG2olHul6FMQnozuy7FyuCo7M
Charles Justin Bentley
Marc Halikas how did you do a hard reset?
I bought one used and it has an account registered to it and I want to remove it and add my own.
ReplyShare34w
Marc Halikas
Hard Reset is performed by booting base up and then holding power button down for about 30 seconds until it restarts. This will usually fix a variety of problems from camera pointing upwards to removing the colored/striped preview screen.
Only way to to remove the old account is to send the base back to SS. They have to do a factory reset and from what I've heard, it ain't cheap. You will need the old users email and/or user name and password to at least change the password on that account. Personally, I would never buy a used SS. Too risky.
Terje Rensvold
Some possible solutions :
- Rub the terminals on both base and tag before charging.
- Put a bit of downward pressure on the tag for a couple of seconds when docked.
- A tag can look "dead" but in reality it's powered on in a weird state where the display is dark. Try holding the power button for 30 seconds or more which forces a hard power off, then putting it on the charger
From Email Correspondence with SS Tech Support regarding Calibration
Passing info on from:
Joseph A (SOLOSHOT)
Feb 26, 10:27 AM CST
Hi Sue!
Thank you for reaching out.
With our most recent firmware (released 2/21/18), the setup has changed slightly for more efficient tracking.
1. Power on the Tag
2. Power on the Base. Please note that if you are filming from an elevated position in Water Mode, (ie: sand dunes, cliffs, jetties, piers, etc...) power up your base near the water and wait for the sensors to initialize before moving up to your filming location for best results.
3. Check Tag and make sure there is no line through the GPS icon
4. From the home screen on the Base, select Track
5. Click the blue track button and begin tracking (select activity if prompted)
6. Begin Calibration
7. Dock the Tag to the front of the Base
Users don't HAVE to dock the Tag, it's just an option to make it better for people who are getting bad GPS signals, have issues with tracking, or lengthy calibration. If the user is having positive results with the previous steps, they can continue with that method.
8. After calibration is complete, when the camera preview shows up, undock the Tag and head out at least 30-50 ft in front of the Base. Walk a few steps left to right from camera (not to and from)
9. The Camera should now be pointing at you, tracking, and recording. You would also see a green blinking LED light facing you, similar to a heartbeat rhythm.
10. Minimum distance will eventually decrease to around 10 ft, but it is recommended to be at least 30 ft away during filming for the best experience.
I hope this helps! If the problems persist, please send in video for review so that we may further diagnose and issue a replacement if applicable.
Best,
Joseph A
Team SOLOSHOT
------------------
More questions to SS and their responses.
Joseph A (SOLOSHOT)
Feb 27, 11:00 AM CST
Hi Sue.
My Question:
#1 What is occurring by docking the tag, after you press the calibrate and prior to the 3 sec when the base starts spinning.
SS Answer:
1. Docking a tag during calibration will leave the zoom wider initially so that SOLOSHOT3 can pick up the subject at further distance to make more accurate corrections before zooming in.
My Question:
#2 If you have had successful tracking prior to this software release, is this procedure still recommended.
SS Answer:
2. Yes, these steps are the most efficient way to track and film going forward.
UPDATE by Joseph: I misspoke on the second question. Users don't HAVE to dock the Tag, it's just an option to make it better for people who are getting bad GPS signals, have issues with tracking, or lengthy calibration. If the user is having positive results with the previous steps, they can continue with that method. I apologize for the misinformation.
My Question:
#3 What if you are tracking with multi tags. Only one tag can be docked at a time. How would you cause another calibrate with the second, or third tag?
SS Answer:
3. You would only need to dock one of the Tags.
My Question
#4 The new procedure seems to be adding step to compensate for problems introduced by the latest software release. When can we expect new firmware to fix for this calibration/tracking issue to be released?
SS Answer:
4. These steps are the most efficient way to track and film going forward, and not a compensation for firmware problems.
WEATHER MODEL RUN TIMES Manual Convert from Tropical Tidbits Z Time and update to be accurate from NHC All the times are EST and approximate. GFS (out to 384 hours) 0z: 8pm 6z: 2am 12z: 8am 18z: 2pm ECMWF (EURO) (out to 240 hours) 0z: 8pm 12z: 8:00am NAM (out to 84 hours) 0z: 8pm 6z: 2am 12z: 8am 18z: 2pm CMC (out to 180 hours) 0z: 8pm 12z : 8:00am UKMET (out to 72 hours) 0z: 8:30am 12z: 8:30pm HWRF: 0z: 8pm 6z: 2am 12z: 8am 18z: 2pm 0z: 1:30am 12z: 1:30pm NOGAPS (out to 180 hours) *00z = 8:00 AM *12z = 8:00 PM DGEX (out to 192 hours) *00z = 8:15 AM *12z = 8:15 PM AI is WRONG but here are the results of my prompt: What times are all of the hurricane related and weather models updated including the Euro GFS nam hrrr cmc and icon models please print the results as a table, include a column for time in EST timezone format the time in AM/PM Bard AI: Sure, here is a table of the times when the major hurricane related and weather models are updated, including the Euro, GFS, ...
world-famous magician and endurance artist David Blaine taught me how to hold my breath From a blog by M FERRISS ---------- For four months, David held the Guinness world record for oxygen-assisted static apnea (holding your breath after breathing pure oxygen): 17 minutes and 4.4 seconds. His record was then surpassed by Tom Sietas on September 19, 2008. David’s record for doing what I’ll describe is between 7 and 8 minutes. I was born premature and, unlike David, I couldn’t then remember the last time I held my breath for more than one minute. It has always been my physiological Achilles heel. What were the results of his training? My first baseline test: 40 seconds. 15 minutes later: 3 minutes and 33 seconds (!!!). Out of roughly 12 TEDMED attendees he also taught, all but one beat Harry Houdini’s lifelong record of 3 minutes and 30 seconds. One woman held her breath for more than 5 minutes. Here is a photograph of the session. I’m sitting in the vest, four people to the right o...
06/23/2023: a bodyboarder was arrested in Panama City Beach after violating the ordinance and unfortunately running from police, circumstances of the incident can be found here . Ordinances in 3 Northwest Florida Counties that have outlawed the sport of Bodyboarding : The Problem: Each ordinance defines "S urfboard and Surfing ". By omitting a bodyboard with flippers, the sport of bodyboarding & all bodyboarders are prohibited by law. Resolution Proposal: The "Surfing and Surfboard" definition should be changed to include ".. a bodyboard with flippers." Highlighted below per ordinance show where a change is needed. This change will provide the same level of safety by continuing to prohibit boogie boards used by swimmers while at the same time permitting Sport of Bodyboarding. Help Us Make a Change! Contact Panama City Beach City Council (Bay County) Link to Ordinance 1494 Chapter 7 (12)(e) CHAPTER 7 OF THE CITY'S COD...
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