The MECHA Simple Scripting (MSS) Explained

[DorinDXN]

Starting with FW C1E_02116,
The MECHA Simple Scripting (MSS) reached a level of flexibility that allows the easy scripting for common shooting pattern for both MECHA Single and MECHA DAC

For MECHA DAC

MECHA needs to know its starting position,
this can be Parked, Level or Raised.

These conventions are also used in the naming of the preset available from Server.






Considering the quite popular shooting pattern made with kit lenses at around 29mm (FF equiv)

that consists in

1) one row at 0 deg. tilt (horizontal) by 12 positions.
2) one row at +45 deg. tilt by another 12 positions.
3) one row at -45 deg. tilt by another 12 positions.
4) one single position at -90 deg. tilt, a.k.a. Nadir
5) one single position at 90 deg. tilt, a.k.a. Zenith

Considering the Start Level position as in the above image,
this pattern can be programmed by this MSS

SL,0x12,45x12,-45x12,N,Z

Breaked down, you'll recognize the description above:

SL, Start Level
0x12, at 0 deg. tilt a row of 12 positions
45x12, at 45 deg. tilt a row of 12 positions
-45x12, at -45 deg. tilt a row of 12 positions
N, the Nadir position
Z the Zenith position

I'll continue in the next posts, to keep them small in case I need to type the post again.

[DorinDXN]

In MECHA DAC, when the units are paired, which is a requirement for the above script to work,
after start, the LEDs settles in showing the status of successful pairing, like in this image:



If a red LED is lit on Vertical MECHA,



that indicates that while the pairing is established,
the FW version is different on Horizontal MECHA versus Vertical MECHA,
depending on the differences, some of the recently added features might not work.

To have the full benefit of MSS, is recommended to launch an update from Horizontal MECHA and that should sync the FW
by updating both to the latest FW (C1E_02116 at the time of posting these),
resulting in having both MECHAs with the same FW, indicated by no red LED ON.

If you find the update difficult, or don't have success with it less than 10 minutes or so, you can receive support and guidance at

mecha(at)nodalninja.com

[DorinDXN]

With the latest FW on both MECHAs,
if on Vertical MECHA these buttons are pressed one after another
[>][2]
Vertical MECHA will rotate a predefined interval which is 90 deg in this case.
As you might have guessed, this can be used to rotate Vertical MECHA from Parked to Level and back, using the other way sequence.
[<][2]

The sequences tell MECHA to rotate by interval [2]; there is interval [3] (180°), and interval [1] (45°).
The default values of these intervals can be changed in
/config page, if needed.
user: admin
pass: Mecha

As a result, you can go from Level to Raised in one go using [>][3], and back [<][3].
Note: also in /config page there is a check box which establish if left is left or left is right regarding the movements when the buttons are pressed.
You might want to change its status if you prefer a particular behavior over the other.

Starting with C1E_02117 there is the code
[2][3][1][3][<] which changes the sense of rotation if done by buttons [<][>] without need to use the /config page.

If the direction for the intervals above needs to be changed to be more natural, you can use 2313< code as well.

If you notice that instead a 90° rotation MECHA seems to rotate more or less,
that can be caused by a wrong setting regarding the type of the rotator you have.

Please use these codes to specify the type of rotator, alternatively, you can use the /config page.

23131< set E1 as preferred rotator
23132< set E2 as preferred rotator
23121< set P1 as preferred rotator
The code should match with the actual rotator connected for each MECHA, and needs to be entered pressing the buttons of the MECHA the rotator is connected to.

However, if in doubt about the type of rotator, you can try each code, then launch a 90° rotation, and if it is indeed 90°, then the rotator is correctly set.
Alternatively you can contact the dealer or mecha(at)nodalninja.com for more info or help in identifying the type of rotator you have.

[DorinDXN]

Considering the

SL,0x12,45x12,-45x12,N,Z

what needs to be changed, sometimes, in real situations,
instead of a single Zenith, more Zeniths, say, due to flare.
In that case, for example, Z can be changed in Zx2 which will produce 2 Zeniths 180° apart (from 360/2).

SL,0x12,45x12,-45x12,N,Zx2

If you want 2 Zeniths, but 90° apart, then the ZZ convention can be used,
or ^90 which tells that instead of the computed 360/2, to use 90 interval between Zeniths.

SL,0x12,45x12,-45x12,N,ZZ

SL,0x12,45x12,-45x12,N,Zx2^90

In the same way, if you want the Zeniths to be 120° apart

SL,0x12,45x12,-45x12,N,Zx2^120

Now if you want the Zeniths to be at 80° tilt instead of 90°, it might help in automatic control points,
as the Zenith is just like any row but at 90 tilt, 90x1 will do the same as Z, thus 80x1 is what is needed for a Zenith at 80° tilt instead.
For 2 Zeniths at 80 tilt and 180 apart 80x2 and for 2 Zeniths 90 apart, we can use 80x2^90 , thus we will end with this script

SL,0x12,45x12,-45x12,N,80x2^90

Suppose that the rows at +45 and -45 tilt must have 10 positions instead of 12, then the script can be changed in

SL,0x12,45x10,-45x10,N,80x2^90

The above apply for Nadirs as well in which case the N, NN, -90x1, -80x1, -80x2^90 can be used.
The Nadir is like a row at -90° of tilt.

[DorinDXN]

Let's take a pause.

Sometimes, to the above we need a pause, say before the horizontal row, or before Nadir, to be sure we are out of view.

The pause can be added using P
so
0x12 will mean at 0 tilt a row of 12 positions
wile
P0x12 will mean the same but with a pause before which MECHA will wait for button [>] to be pressed, or from UI [PAUSE] to be pressed,or from NN IR Remote [>] to be pressed,to continue.

That pause can be used to adjust some camera settings, like exposure, aperture, WB, focus, and what not.

SL,P0x12,45x10,-45x10,N,ZZ

If we want a pause before each row, say for focus, then
SL,P0x12,P45x10,P-45x10,N,ZZ

or even before Nadir and Zenith
SL,P0x12,P45x10,P-45x10,PN,PZZ

To make this even more customized, let's say we want an extra image at the beginning, kind of a clapboard you may want to use, for WB or even for focus, will be a kind of image you need to take again, without the extra elements in it, and the second one to be used in panorama.

As the horizontal row is scripted by 0x12, for the extra shoot we can add another horizontal row, but made only from one position, like 0x1 with pause or not, e.g. if starting from Level we may not need for pause as we can launch the preset after the clapboard preparations are done and we'll have the pause only before the actual row of 12 to start, time to remove, say, the gray card.
SL,0x1,P0x12,45x10,-45x10,N,ZZ

But if MECHA is in Parked position we need for a pause to adjust the camera settings right after MECHA arrives in horizontal orientation for the first horizontal row.

SP,P0x1,P0x12,45x10,-45x10,N,ZZ

[DorinDXN]

Let's take a more dense approach with more photos toward gigapixel imagery

Suppose we want a shooting sequence made out of rows at 15 tilt degrees instead of 45 as we had before

SL,0x36,15x32,30x28,45x24,60x20,-15x32,-30x28,-45x24,-60x20

SL, Start Level
0x36, first row at 0 tilt (horizontal) made out of 36 positions
15x32, a row at 15 deg. tilt of 32 positions
30x28, a row at 30 deg. tilt of 28 positions
45x24, a row at 45 deg. tilt of 24 positions
60x20, a row at 60 deg. tilt of 20 positions
the same for the negative tilts
-15x32, a row at -15 deg. tilt of 32 positions
-30x28, a row at -30 deg. tilt of 28 positions
-45x24, a row at -45 deg. tilt of 24 positions
-60x20 a row at -60 deg. tilt of 20 positions

As are many shots to be taken will take a while,
Now suppose we want only a vertical slice of it, of 45 deg., kind of a preview, also to test overlap and to see if the full 360 around can be used in production, or just simply as a partial panorama 45 deg wide instead of 360 with the same camera-lens combo.

To achieve that, is need to add (45) which tells MECHA that only a bit over 45 degree to be taken.
The resulting MSS script will be:

SL,0x36,15x32,30x28,45x24,60x20,-15x32,-30x28,-45x24,-60x20(45)

As in the examples given above, it can have pause(s) before row(s) or extra 1 position row for clapboard, so on.

We can also add 1 Nadir and 1 Zenith with pause, and even use that pause to replace the lens with a fish eye, or change the focal lens to the shortest (widest angle) extent

SL,0x36,15x32,30x28,45x24,60x20,-15x32,-30x28,-45x24,-60x20,PN,Z(45)

If the preview slice looks good, we can remove the (45)
make some changes regarding the number of shoots per positions (HDR)
ending up with the full 360° around and 150° tall panorama

SL,0x36,15x32,30x28,45x24,60x20,-15x32,-30x28,-45x24,-60x20,PN,Z