Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- doc:appunti:hardware:sjcam-8pro [2022/05/05 06:16] – niccolo
+++ doc:appunti:hardware:sjcam-8pro [2022/06/14 09:04] – [Color profiles] niccolo
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 The **SJCAM SJ8 Pro** action camera was introduced in **2018**, it features **4k video** at **60 fps** and **gyroscope image stabilization**. I purchaesd it in 2021 to work alongside my old [[xiaomi_yi|Xiaomi Yi]], mainly because I was interested in image stabilization.
-{{.:sjcam:sjcam-sj8pro-backpack-mount.jpg?direct&640|The SJCAM SJ8 Pro mounted on the shoulder strap of a backpack}}
+{{.:sjcam:sjcam-sj8pro-backpack-mount.jpg?direct&600|The SJCAM SJ8 Pro mounted on the shoulder strap of a backpack}}
 Unfortunately SJCAM does not support this camera very much: the latest **firmware upgrade** is from September 2020, despite there are some evident bugs and several aspects of the user interface which should be improved. Thirdy part support is poor: there is no **waterproof case** except the original one, which unfortunately has a plastic window. There is not much documentation about **customizing the firmware** or scripting using the **Ambarella Scripting**.
 See also my other page about this camera: **[[sjcam-8pro-ambarella-firmware-modding]]**, **[[sjcam-8pro-ambarella-wifi-api]]** and **[[sjcam-8pro-custom-firmware]]**.
+===== Specs, Pros and Cons =====
 **Pros**
@@ Line 120: / Line 122: @@
 ===== Color profiles =====
-The SJCAM SJ8 Pro has two **color profiles** selectable from the **Current Mode Settings** menu: **SJCAM - Vivid** and **Flat**. There is a firmware bug that prevent you changing the color profile if the Gyro Stabilizer is enabled, and the color profile choiche is not remebered after power off. In my opinion the vivid profile is too much saturated, specially it **enhances too much** the contrast from the **blue sky** and the **white clouds**, even when the sky is mainly gray and cloudy (as in the frames below). On the contrary the flat profile is **too much washed out** that you will hardly want to use it.
+The SJCAM SJ8 Pro has two **color profiles** selectable from the **Current Mode Settings** menu: **SJCAM - Vivid** and **Flat**. At bootstrap the camera select another profile, let's call it **Default**, which is identical to SJCAM -Vivid, but it is stored in a different place into the firmware, so it can be customized separately.
+There is a firmware bug that prevent you changing the color profile if the Gyro Stabilizer is enabled, and the color profile choiche is not remebered after power off. In my opinion the vivid profile is too much saturated, specially it **enhances too much** the contrast from the **blue sky** and the **white clouds**, even when the sky is mainly gray and cloudy (as in the frames below). On the contrary the flat profile is **too much washed out** that you will hardly want to use it.
 {{.:sjcam:color-profile-sjcam-vivid.jpg?direct&400|Color Profile SJCAM - Vivid}}
 {{.:sjcam:color-profile-flat.jpg?direct&400|Color Profile Flat}}
-You can edit the color profiles using the BitrateEditor software. But be careful that the profile selected at bootstrap is neither //SJCAM - Vivid// nor //Flat//, but another one stored in some other part of the firmware that I was unable to locate.
+You can edit the three color profiles //SJCAM - Vivid//, //Flat// and //Default// using BitrateEditor (required version 10.7 - Nov 3, 2021).
 ==== Flat vs SJCAM - Vivid ====
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 There are many hackers who produce modified versions of the original firmware. In general they distribute the original firmware patched in several places, mainly to customize framerates, exposure parameters, etc.
+I created a custom firmware to improve some video codec settings and to improve image quality (mainly color balance and saturation). You can find it here: **[[sjcam-8pro-custom-firmware]]**.
 Generally there is **no access to the source code**, so **patching the firmware binary** is a rather delicate task, requiring to know the exact offset of the data into that **specific version of the firmware**, the structure and the lenght of the data and eventually how to **update the embedded checksums**. SJCAM does not facilitate the task, because it distribute different versions of the firmares marked with the same version number.
@@ Line 641: / Line 647: @@
 ===== The TCP API =====
-See the page **[[sjcam-8pro-api]]** about the programming interface (API) offered by the SJCAM SJ8 Pro over the WiFi connection or even in localhost. The interface is offered on port **TCP/7878**.
+See the page **[[sjcam-8pro-ambarella-wifi-api]]** about the programming interface (API) offered by the SJCAM SJ8 Pro over the WiFi connection or even in localhost. The interface is offered on port **TCP/7878**.
 The interface is based on **JSON messages**: you can exchange them over the WiFi connection as the official app **[[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.jght.sjcam.zone|SJCAM Zone]]** does between the Android device and the camera. You can also **connect a PC** to the camera via WiFi and use any programming language supporting TCP sockets.