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Q0) My issue is not listed here.
A0) contact for support at mecha(at)nodalninja.com
The preferred language is English but you can write in other language, if you feel don't know English good enough for this purpose.
Q1) MECHA seems to rotate more than 360 or less than 360 instead of exactly 360.
A1) When MECHA is idle, enter these codes on each Controller according with the rotator used :E1, E2 or P1
23131< to set E1 as preferred rotator
23132< to set E2 as preferred rotator
23121< to set P1 as preferred rotator
Q2) When press [>] then [2] MECHA roates 90° then press [<] then [2] MECHA rotates -90° but do not ends up in the same position.
A2) Enter in /config a backlash value (around 24-34) then [Apply]
or execute the backlash compensation calibration procedure
12321< for backlash compensation calibration.
After the code is entered, MECHA will turn slowly to right, then power LED will start flashing.
After that, is need to press [p] (power button) when you see/feel the MECHA starts moving very slightly to left
You can use the viewfinder, LIVE view with zoom, other devices attached like a laser pointer, so on..
or simply feel by hand when that small movement begins.
At the end, the LEDs will show, say, ":24" where 24 is the new calibration factor, is around this value.
You can repeat the code if you want to do it better or have more precise ways to determine the small movement.
You can cancel the procedure with any other button when [p] flashing, or press power button right after it starts flashing to have no compensation at all or it will time-out in 5 minutes if no buttons are pressed.
Q3) The rotator seems to have a play, it moves very easy by hand.
A3) For E1 and E2, tighten this little screw just enough until the play is reduced, do not over-tighten:
Q4) MECHA seems to not be precise enough
A4) Follow the steps A1, A2, A3, provided above, for increased precision use uStep without "+" like 16, 32, 64, 128, they have increased precision than 16+128, 16+64.. for current FW
Q5) At powering up, MECHA moves a bit forward and back.
A5)This is normal when the backlash compensation value is set, if it doesn't moves, then is a sign that the value is not set and is better to set it as described in (Q2). This is valid only for the E1 or E2 rotator.
Q6) I don't like the Sound FX MECHA has at starting up.
A6) That is not a Sound FX, is the sound caused by movement MECHA does for compensating the backlash for E1 and E2
Here is a simplified and exaggerated representation of backlash.
To rotate your camera you need to touch it, unless you're Jedi or use MECHA.
In the same way, the motor needs to be in touch with camera part to rotate it.
So the ideal situations will be the follows
The green arrow is the value of backlash compensation known by MECHA, so it knows, when the direction is changed, the extra movement needed, as big as the green arrow, to be able to rotate the camera.
E.g. for 1 deg. of rotation, when the direction is changed, MECHA needs to rotate "green value" + 1 deg.
For better precision, the green value is in steps of the motor.
The initial movement made by MECHA at starting up is in order to exit from a possible situation with unknown "red arrows", situation which can be created by handling or mounting when moving the gear on field.
Of course the camera part need to stay in place when motor is not moving, that is the purpose of the friction ring (Q3), so it should be tightened enough to not allow play even when pressing the MECHA's buttons, and the later is for:
a) comfort, if MECHA has play when pressing the buttons, the movement in opposite direction will feel un-pleasant, like a jump
b) prevent some camera movement when pressing the buttons of the camera itself.
About touch due gravity.
If no friction ring is used for vertical uses of E1 and E2, the gravity will keep the motor in touch but still will allow some play at Zenith and Nadir, or even can cause some extra movement if the weight of the grip pulls the camera over the Zenith a bit.
Is good to understand this first to see what solutions are suitable, one is to use Zenith at 85 instead of 90.
If no friction ring is used for vertical applications, the backlash value can be set to 0 for that particular E1 or E2 rotator.
to be continued..
A0) contact for support at mecha(at)nodalninja.com
The preferred language is English but you can write in other language, if you feel don't know English good enough for this purpose.
Q1) MECHA seems to rotate more than 360 or less than 360 instead of exactly 360.
A1) When MECHA is idle, enter these codes on each Controller according with the rotator used :E1, E2 or P1
23131< to set E1 as preferred rotator
23132< to set E2 as preferred rotator
23121< to set P1 as preferred rotator
Q2) When press [>] then [2] MECHA roates 90° then press [<] then [2] MECHA rotates -90° but do not ends up in the same position.
A2) Enter in /config a backlash value (around 24-34) then [Apply]
or execute the backlash compensation calibration procedure
12321< for backlash compensation calibration.
After the code is entered, MECHA will turn slowly to right, then power LED will start flashing.
After that, is need to press [p] (power button) when you see/feel the MECHA starts moving very slightly to left
You can use the viewfinder, LIVE view with zoom, other devices attached like a laser pointer, so on..
or simply feel by hand when that small movement begins.
At the end, the LEDs will show, say, ":24" where 24 is the new calibration factor, is around this value.
You can repeat the code if you want to do it better or have more precise ways to determine the small movement.
You can cancel the procedure with any other button when [p] flashing, or press power button right after it starts flashing to have no compensation at all or it will time-out in 5 minutes if no buttons are pressed.
Q3) The rotator seems to have a play, it moves very easy by hand.
A3) For E1 and E2, tighten this little screw just enough until the play is reduced, do not over-tighten:
Q4) MECHA seems to not be precise enough
A4) Follow the steps A1, A2, A3, provided above, for increased precision use uStep without "+" like 16, 32, 64, 128, they have increased precision than 16+128, 16+64.. for current FW
Q5) At powering up, MECHA moves a bit forward and back.
A5)This is normal when the backlash compensation value is set, if it doesn't moves, then is a sign that the value is not set and is better to set it as described in (Q2). This is valid only for the E1 or E2 rotator.
Q6) I don't like the Sound FX MECHA has at starting up.
A6) That is not a Sound FX, is the sound caused by movement MECHA does for compensating the backlash for E1 and E2
Here is a simplified and exaggerated representation of backlash.
To rotate your camera you need to touch it, unless you're Jedi or use MECHA.
In the same way, the motor needs to be in touch with camera part to rotate it.
So the ideal situations will be the follows
The green arrow is the value of backlash compensation known by MECHA, so it knows, when the direction is changed, the extra movement needed, as big as the green arrow, to be able to rotate the camera.
E.g. for 1 deg. of rotation, when the direction is changed, MECHA needs to rotate "green value" + 1 deg.
For better precision, the green value is in steps of the motor.
The initial movement made by MECHA at starting up is in order to exit from a possible situation with unknown "red arrows", situation which can be created by handling or mounting when moving the gear on field.
Of course the camera part need to stay in place when motor is not moving, that is the purpose of the friction ring (Q3), so it should be tightened enough to not allow play even when pressing the MECHA's buttons, and the later is for:
a) comfort, if MECHA has play when pressing the buttons, the movement in opposite direction will feel un-pleasant, like a jump
b) prevent some camera movement when pressing the buttons of the camera itself.
About touch due gravity.
If no friction ring is used for vertical uses of E1 and E2, the gravity will keep the motor in touch but still will allow some play at Zenith and Nadir, or even can cause some extra movement if the weight of the grip pulls the camera over the Zenith a bit.
Is good to understand this first to see what solutions are suitable, one is to use Zenith at 85 instead of 90.
If no friction ring is used for vertical applications, the backlash value can be set to 0 for that particular E1 or E2 rotator.
to be continued..
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