Spark Live Video Feed

pmshop · Oct 22, 2018

Last graduation season, I was able to mirror the live video feed from the Spark through an iPhone and feed the signal to a Tri-Caster video scoreboard at our local high school.
Problem is, that feed goes to coaxial cable and 480p resolution.

What method is out there to get 720p from the phone to the Tri-Caster - actually, just how do I get a live 720p out...we will figure out how to get to the Tri-Caster.

sirkkelley · Oct 22, 2018

I know that you can live stream to Facebook and to YouTube from the Go4 app, but I'm not sure what the video quality would be. That may be an option.

pmshop · Oct 22, 2018

Yes, the TriCaster is a little limited on inputs. We tried a screen grab but that didn't work out too well in tests.
We tried YouTube Live Stream as well.

So we are looking at a direct connection thing.

We read a piece that lightbridge is used in professional setups but that knocks me out quickly as the only drones compatible are the Phantom 3 Professional and above Phantom series.

Spark 317 · Oct 22, 2018

pmshop said:
We read a piece that lightbridge is used in professional setups but that knocks me out quickly as the only drones compatible are the Phantom 3 Professional and above Phantom series.

Since you put the town of Fredericksburg on the map from an aerial point of view, the school should kick in a little something towards a professional model.

Sell the heck out of band candy, bake sells, etc.

Northwood Mediaworks · Oct 22, 2018

Didnt see this topic over at the other place... might get more answers there. I have never really heard of anyone having great success with the live feeds...

Hayuatma · Oct 22, 2018

Go old school way: point a camera to the phone screen... Hehe...

pmshop · Oct 22, 2018

Hayuatma said:
Go old school way: point a camera to the phone screen... Hehe...

LMAO!!!

Hayuatma · Oct 22, 2018

Now the serious part

I'm trying similar project by mirroring my phone to TV with Screencast (you get full screen by swiping up in DJI GO App). But using Mavic Pro. Mavic Pro uses OTG for phone connection, and occusync for drone connection. Screencast uses wifi. Unfortunately the wireless part seams to interfere each other. I got frequent interference warning on my phone with lower range and unstable screen mirroring (freeze and artifact).
Two things may cause the problem:
1. (Maybe) Phone hardware limitation (using oneplus 5).
2. Signal interference.
So, right now, two ideas come up to solve the problem:
1. Point a camera on the phone screen in a controlled lighting environment (eliminating glare), the "old school" way.
2. Mirror using cable (still searching for the method, as the usb port already used by the rc connection).

Number one solution is "old school", but I think will certainly work.
Number two solution may resolve wireless interference problem (for spark, as of mavic pro, this is still not the solution, because phone usb port used for controller connection), but mirroring a screen will require additional processing power to the phone.

ZPARK · Oct 24, 2018

Isn't Spark only sending 480 video to the phone?

pmshop · Oct 24, 2018

ZPARK said:
Isn't Spark only sending 480 video to the phone?

I think it is 720p

sirkkelley · Oct 24, 2018

It should be 720p cached to the phone.

Locutus40 · Oct 27, 2018

your askingi your spark or dji drone to do to many things its not designed to transmitt data at a good quality to facebook etc... first your asking your cell phone to record audio and video.. play live video... process data.. so theres a hand ful of things... now you ask it to transmitt data..

folks thats a gimic your cell phone does not have the proper processor and outputs and software to transmit data outward to an app.... its using the cpu and gpu.. notice your phone gets hot.. yea dji apps use alot of everythign max out the whole phone or tablet and its not needed to do that the app is way to big anyway at 250 mb when all is needed is around 10... dont know why its so big what its secrets are would be nice to know why it uses so much power on a phone etc
anyway if you want live data you shouls capture the 5.8 ghz signal on an out side source somehow decode it if dji scrambles it sure they do its not a regular 5.8 video feed maybe i dunno.. then send it to a app you made or a live stream or what ever.. using a phone to process it blahh...

pmshop · Oct 27, 2018

Negative ghost rider.

The Spark can have the phone (mobile device) screen mirrored (iOS) and can pull out a 720p silent video broadcast.
The thing is, I got a converter that would step down the signal to 480p to get it to a coax input that the TriCaster could recognize.
We did that successfully during the graduation without the iPhone 6 getting hot.

My issue is trying to find a way to get the 720p signal to the TriCaster.

I have since found this:
https://www.amazon.com/eSynic-Conve...to+sdi+cable&qid=1540674947&sr=8-3&ref=sr_1_3

We will give it a try soon.
Talking the school district into purchasing it

Spark 317 · Oct 27, 2018

pmshop said:
Talking the school district into purchasing it

All that red tape of meetings, reviews, votes, etc. for $35 bucks, heck buy it yourself and save the drama.

lmel2005 · Oct 27, 2018

I think it depends on video signals the tricaster can receive, and the AV input interfaces it uses.

For example, you can use something like this
Lightning Digital AV Adapter

But can tricaster accept 1080p signal, through hdmi?

pmshop · Oct 27, 2018

lmel2005 said:
I think it depends on video signals the tricaster can receive, and the AV input interfaces it uses.

For example, you can use something like this
Lightning Digital AV Adapter

But can tricaster accept 1080p signal, through hdmi?

Yes it does 1080p all the way down to 480p

But the mirrored signal out is only 720p when using this adapter that I have already.

pmshop · Oct 27, 2018

Spark 317 said:
All that red tape of meetings, reviews, votes, etc. for $35 bucks, heck buy it yourself and save the drama.

Naw, the school will keep this adapter.
I have no need for a SDI adapter

lmel2005 · Oct 27, 2018

pmshop said:
Yes it does 1080p all the way down to 480p

But the mirrored signal out is only 720p when using this adapter that I have already.

And you want to upscale it to 1080p?

Cannot tricaster upscale all signals to its native resolution, as every digital display does?

pmshop · Oct 27, 2018

lmel2005 said:
And you want to upscale it to 1080p?

Cannot tricaster upscale all signals to its native resolution, as every digital display does?

I'm sorry to say, we got the cheapest TriCaster out there.
Doesn't even have one single HDMI input :O
And actually, only 4 channels in - all SDI or RCA Coaxial