Is WiFi capability available for BYN - D5300 in particular

[linuslorba]

I'm not happy with the cable connection to the laptop, causes a lot of problems with disconnects. Since Nikon now makes WiFi available on newer models, I'm using the D5300 I'm wondering if we can make use of this feature? 

[s3igell]

Search through the BYN Forum.  You'll find that while others also have asked, the reality is that WiFi is not a Supported Connection between the Nikon Camera Firmware and the Nikon Camera SDK.  There is nothing that BYN can do about the Connection - WiFi or USB.

Some Canon users have found that they can use the Canon EOSUtility to initiate a WiFi Connection that persists after EOSUtility is terminated.  But since Nikon doesn't really provide a similar Utility Program...

As for your USB Connection, flakiness is almost always an issue of a Bad Cable, or a Too Long Cable, or unwanted Power-Down Settings in the PC for its USB Ports.

 

[astroman133]

I agree with s3igell. If you could get WiFi to work you would likely find it to be slower and less reliable than a wired connection.

It also appears that Nikon intends that you would only want to control your camera wirelessly from an Apple or Android smart phone or tablet. These are the only platforms where Nikon's Wireless Mobile Utility will work.

The disconnects that you are experiencing when using BYN while wired are either a flaky cable, a flaky connector (either at the PC end or at the camera end), or your PC's Power settings are configured to shut down USB after so many minutes of inactivity. Also, since the USB standard for cable length is short (5 meters), it is possible that the length of cable that you are using is causing issues. It is also possible that the USB hub in your computer is choking on data if your setup is downloading both an autoguider image and a D5300 image at the same time. This is usually caused by using an underpowered laptop.

Things that you can try:

1) Double-check that the cable is completely inserted into both the camera and the PC.

2) Replace the cable with a new, high quality USB cable that is known to be good.

3) If you must use cabling that is nearly as long, or longer, than the 5 meter (16.5 ft.) length specified in the standard, extend the cable length with an Active USB Extension cable.

4) Change your PC's power-saving settings to NEVER turn off the USB ports while on A/C power.

5) Test in stages. For example, test BYN with the camera and a short USB cable that is known to be good. Set up indoors at the kitchen table. Run a capture plan that exceeds what you are able to do in the field, as far as number and length of exposures. If that works, test the camera while the autoguider is also downloading exposures. If that works insert the active extension cable that you will use in the field. When you start to see failures, troubleshoot them before proceeding to the next stage.

While the Nikon SDK is very sensitive to even momentary disconnects with the camera, hundreds and hundreds of Nikon owners are using BYN wired to their Nikon cameras. Those few who have had issues have been able to determine the cause with a bit of troubleshooting. Good luck.

[compeoree]

I would like to control my camera with Wifi as well. It's a D7500 and  I am willing to test out beta versions of the software. I created a Linux drive for my Orion Starshoot Pro by reverse engineering the USB traffic, so I'm up for anything :) 

I successfully established a connection with qDslrdashboard from https://dslrdashboard.info, but I have not done extensive testing and reliability studies. I would just use it, but it lacks all of the cool astrophotography tools and I don't want to reinvent the wheel.

[s3igell]

8 hours ago, compeoree said:

I would like to control my camera with Wifi as well. It's a D7500 and  I am willing to test out beta versions of the software.

See above comment in Post #2.  Then use the Search feature of the Forum.

[compeoree]

Yes, I read the post and yes I understand it is not currently supported. I don't need to search for "proof" that your answer is correct. But my reply is three fold:

1) Add my name to the list of those wanting Wifi support

2)  I am willing to test, if support does become available

3) I'm willing to help someone else hack it out, if necessary.

Clear skies!

[admin]

Wifi is established between the camera and the computer... it has nothing to do with BYN therefore there is nothing I can do in BYN to support WIFI as far as I know.

BYN to connect to the camera connected to the computer, regardless if that connection is wired or wifi. 

I'm not sure how this is done with Nikon cameras, but with Canon cameras (with a wifi capable camera) one has to start the Canon EOS Utility first and configure it for WIFI. Once this is done the computer sees the camera connected thru wifi from that point on and the they start BYE and are able to connect via wifi.  I assume something similar needs to be done here but unless Canon, Nikon does not give there software with the purchase of a camera, they sell it

Regards,

 

[compeoree]

Thanks for the clarification. You would think that Nikon would want people to use their SDK, but alas, one must hack. I'm still experimenting with WiFI, as I'm upgrading from a D50 and Orion Starshoot Pro DSI V2.0! 

It would be really nice to go wireless as the only connection between my scope and my laptop is the camera. I have a Minnowboard PC running Linux (controls an Orion Starshoot Autoguider through PHD2) which is bolted to the pier. I have a local WiFi access point that gives me remote desktop / TCP connection to PHD2. It works pretty well now that the bugs are out. I tried Windows 10 first, but it hit a panic at some point and I had to lug my monitor and keyboard to my remote shack to diagnose!

I'm not sure how the open source software controls through WiFi, I'll do some investigating and testing for robustness. I did try connecting through WiFi, with the open source software and then opening BYE, but BYE did not see the camera.

[astroman133]

First, I think that you would find WiFi to be slower and less robust than a wired connection.

The issue with WiFi connections by 3rd party developers for both Nikon and Canon is that they do not provide any guidance and support to pair the two devices and that functionality is not supported by the SDK.

[admin]

Truth be told, a wired connection is way more reliable. I understand that people want one less wire but the camera requires 100% connectivity to the computer.  If that connection is interrupted, even for 1 millisecond, all bets are off the the camera will disconnect from for computer and as a result BYN will stop working.

Remember that BYE/BYN does not communicate to the camera itself... it communicates with the connected camera that Windows sees. When you say BYN does not see the camera you should probably substantiate this by confirming if Windows actually sees the camera in Device Manager... because if it does not then BYN can't connect to it because as far as Windows goes it does not exist.

Hope this makes sense.

Regards,

[compeoree]

Could be, but the convenience of going cord free is enticing to me. I can handle a little slowness, the Orion SS Pro takes forever to download a frame over USB, something like 30 seconds for a 6 megapixel image. A deal breaker would be a buggy connection. I have a suspicion that those 2 minute+ exposures may cause the WiFi to go into low power mode, so some sort of keep-alive may be necessary, if that is even supported. Lots of unknowns.

[compeoree]

Yes, that makes sense. I will check Device Manager, but I think the other software probably just creates a local resource/connection directly to the camera and doesn't enumerate it at the system level.

[admin]

slowness is not as much of an issue, 100% connection availability is key.  As I said, if the camera gets disconnected, even for 1 millisecond, all bets are off.

It's important to note as well that if the wifi connection is fully saturated with data this is manifest as a camera disconnect as far as the SDK is concerned and since a wifi connection and less bandwidth than a wired connection this may be the downside.

Regards, 

[Hoddo]

On 2/1/2020 at 3:03 AM, astroman133 said:

I agree with s3igell. If you could get WiFi to work you would likely find it to be slower and less reliable than a wired connection.

It also appears that Nikon intends that you would only want to control your camera wirelessly from an Apple or Android smart phone or tablet. These are the only platforms where Nikon's Wireless Mobile Utility will work.

The disconnects that you are experiencing when using BYN while wired are either a flaky cable, a flaky connector (either at the PC end or at the camera end), or your PC's Power settings are configured to shut down USB after so many minutes of inactivity. Also, since the USB standard for cable length is short (5 meters), it is possible that the length of cable that you are using is causing issues. It is also possible that the USB hub in your computer is choking on data if your setup is downloading both an autoguider image and a D5300 image at the same time. This is usually caused by using an underpowered laptop.

Things that you can try:

1) Double-check that the cable is completely inserted into both the camera and the PC.

2) Replace the cable with a new, high quality USB cable that is known to be good.

3) If you must use cabling that is nearly as long, or longer, than the 5 meter (16.5 ft.) length specified in the standard, extend the cable length with an Active USB Extension cable.

4) Change your PC's power-saving settings to NEVER turn off the USB ports while on A/C power.

5) Test in stages. For example, test BYN with the camera and a short USB cable that is known to be good. Set up indoors at the kitchen table. Run a capture plan that exceeds what you are able to do in the field, as far as number and length of exposures. If that works, test the camera while the autoguider is also downloading exposures. If that works insert the active extension cable that you will use in the field. When you start to see failures, troubleshoot them before proceeding to the next stage.

While the Nikon SDK is very sensitive to even momentary disconnects with the camera, hundreds and hundreds of Nikon owners are using BYN wired to their Nikon cameras. Those few who have had issues have been able to determine the cause with a bit of troubleshooting. Good luck.

I've been using qDSLR to remotely control several of my Nikons (D500 in particular) via WiFi for years with full control including LiveView and full Neff review without any speed issues. Also used it for taking Astro Light Frame series. So In my view, there is no justified reason why BYN should not be able to do the same - and I wish it could!!!

Steve

[Hoddo]

On 2/11/2020 at 12:14 PM, admin said:

Truth be told, a wired connection is way more reliable. I understand that people want one less wire but the camera requires 100% connectivity to the computer.  If that connection is interrupted, even for 1 millisecond, all bets are off the the camera will disconnect from for computer and as a result BYN will stop working.

Remember that BYE/BYN does not communicate to the camera itself... it communicates with the connected camera that Windows sees. When you say BYN does not see the camera you should probably substantiate this by confirming if Windows actually sees the camera in Device Manager... because if it does not then BYN can't connect to it because as far as Windows goes it does not exist.

Hope this makes sense.

Regards,

I've been using qDSLR to remotely control several of my Nikons (D500 in particular) via WiFi for years with full control including LiveView and full Neff review without any speed issues. Also used it for taking Astro Light Frame series. So In my view, there is no justified reason why BYN should not be able to do the same - and I wish it could!!!

Steve

[astroman133]

The connection between BYN and the camera is managed by the Nikon API. So, if the API supported establishing a WiFi connection by 3rd party apps, so would BYN.

BYE doesn't do that for Canon cameras either. It that case it is because Canon has not published how to pair the camera with the PC. I don't know if the issue is the same with Nikon, or something else.