360° Photography Turntable Controlled Via WiFi

Part 3: New turntable firmware and Android app are ready to download

There were some people that sent me messages and told about the web version a bit slowly at the time of connecting. I have spent my last weekend to rewrite the turntable firmware and a new Android app version that works with the turntable. I have uploaded the new firmware to code section, so just go there and download. Link to download and install the Android app version is as following : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.diyoracle.turntable

You can search DIYOracle in Google Play Store to meet the app. iOs app version is also under development.

Basic steps to use the app:

• Upload new firmware (scroll down to see the instruction)

• Power on the turntable

• Connect to the wifi hotspot that ending with _Rotator360 (ready written in the instruction)

• Open the app, connection is done automatically. If you opened the app before made change to the wifi hotspot, just press Reconnect button and everything ready to go.

Part 2: Load a real bike with the upgraded version

I upgraded the motor and step driver to be able to load up to 170 kg ( other parts are the old ones ), then fixed the controlling firmware a bit. After all, just made a test with my own bike.

Demo 360 viewer with origin images : Real bike with DIY 360 tunrable

Part 1: The low weight version

I own a photography service that mainly provides 360 panorama shooting, 360 product shooting, 360 video, etc. Buying photography equipment always costs me a lot in the past, so I started to make stuff for myself on my free time. Luckily, knowing how to code, and being familiar with computers makes it easier for me to learn to make things for myself. This is my first project:

An Overview

This turntable uses a gear to transmit motion to meet my required accuracy. It can move up to 30 kg with the currently used NEMA17 motor. Just connect your laptop, tablet or phone to its WiFi hot spot. Open any web browser and type 192.168.2.1 into the address, and the turntable is ready to be controlled.

Firmware currently supports configuration of:

• Number of frames per rotation: 36 | 45 | 60 | 72

• Rotations per minute: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

• Delay : 0 | 1 | 2 second(s) between frames

You can control the turntable via the Controlling Dashboard:

• Shot: Trigger camera to shoot

• Backward/Forward: Rotate dish one step forward, or backward

• Pause: Just hold the dish from rotating

• Go: Start the dish rotating automatically, and trigger the camera to shoot with its configured settings.

• Progressing bar shows the current status, such as: 14/36 (frames done)

Cutting Frame Parts

I start cutting aluminum bar to make the turntable frame.

• 4 x 48 cm bars in length that are cut at 45 degrees at both ends

• Another 2 x 48 cm

• 4 x 10 cm (or 15 cm) for the legs

Look for local CNC service to cut MDF panel as attached .dxf files :

• 1 x 2 cm MDF (file named TopFace.DXF)

• 1 x 0.5 cm MDF (SpacerBottomPlate1.DXF)

• 1 x 0.5 cm MDF (SpacerBottomPlate2.DXF)

• 1 x 0.5 cm MDF (BearingHolder.DXF)

• 1 x 0.5 cm MDF (TopBox.DXF)

• 1 x 1 cm acrylic (PlateGear.DXF) (lazer cutting)

Assembly

Put the top box and 4 x bars cut 45 degree at both ending together

And on the other side of MDF panel :

Before installing the gear to the main dish, I thread the holes on the gear to avoid it being cracked.

Now, I continue with rotating components. The plug bearing (6 x 22 x M8) to Spacer Bottom Plate, then tie it with Bearing Holder as in the following photos, but remember to align both the Spacer Bottom Plate parts accurately before put bolts into.

After all that, place the lazy Susan on top, and put screws in all the holes to keep them together.

On the other side, it will look like in the following photos

Importantly, you must calculate to make sure the rotator that is centered accurately.

A M8 bolt was used in the center bearing.

The next step is to attach the main gear dish and the rotator platform.

After that putting all main components above is going to be like this :

Preparing the Motor for the Turntable

We are about to complete the hardware component by making legs for it =)

Electronics

• 1 x 3.5mm Stereo Jack 5 pin

• 2 x Opto PC817

• 1 x socket DC

• 1 x Domino 4 pin

• 1 x NodeMCU ver 2

• 1 x mini DC-DC step down

• 1 x A4988 stepper driver

• Pin header connector

• Male header

• Female header

You can download the .brd file from attachments section

Firmware

Please download the following programs and files:

• ESP8266Flasher.exe

• ESP_DOWNLOAD_TOOL_V2.4.exe

• ESP8266Turntable.ino.nodemcu.bin

• ESP8266Turntable.spiffs.bin

You always need to flash the NodeMCU with ESP8266Flasher.exe first for a fresh installation. To select the right COM port, look at your Device Manager in your computer after plugging in the NodeMCU board.

The parameters that we are using are as in the following pictures:

Click the flash button in the Operation tab and wait for flashing to be done.

You are now ready to flash the firmware with ESP_DOWNLOAD_TOOL_V2.4.exe

In the Download Path Config section, browse for both

• ESP8266Turntable.ino.nodemcu.bin -> addr 0x00000000

• ESP8266Turntable.spiffs.bin -> addr 0x00100000

Other configurations are as in the above picture, click the START button after you have selected the right COM port. Put the NodeMCU back in your board and you can connect the power source.

Turn it On and Have a Try

Open your WiFi selection on the phone and connect to the WiFi hotspot that ends with Rotator360. After that open any web browser and type 192.168.2.1 into the address bar.

Now, try pushing the Backward, Forward, or GO buttons in Dashboard tab and see the dish begins to rotate.

You can make some change on the Settings tab to meet your need. Such as:

• Frames (total shots) per circle : 36 | 45 | 60 | 72

• Speed : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 circle per minute

• Delay : 0 | 1 | 2 second(s) between frames

Camera Connections

Final Product Demo

http://diyoracle.com/wp-content/uploads/360/xa2/xa2.html

Reference

You can read my whole post from here : diy photography turntable

Donation

Please, make donation if you love it https://www.paypal.me/diyoracle