Solex for Solo

richnat · Feb 14, 2017

@Kelly Schrock, any idea if the generic Android tablet I'm using can be the source of some of my problems? Smart shots still not working. I had similar issues with my phone when using the Solo App but eventually got it to work.

Kelly Schrock · Feb 14, 2017

richnat said:
@Kelly Schrock, any idea if the generic Android tablet I'm using can be the source of some of my problems? Smart shots still not working. I had similar issues with my phone when using the Solo App but eventually got it to work.

It could be. There's a lot of Android tablets on the market with varying levels of support for working the way Android's supposed to work.

What sort of tablet is it?

richnat · Feb 15, 2017

Kelly Schrock said:
It could be. There's a lot of Android tablets on the market with varying levels of support for working the way Android's supposed to work. What sort of tablet is it?

Insignia Flex 10.1. (Insignia = Best Buy store brand).

Insignia™ - 10.1" - Tablet - 32GB

I do occasionally get verbal messages that GPS on the device is not found yet other GPS driven apps are working fine. Maybe the GPS abilities of this tablet are weak or its communication of its GPS data is not working or not strong. It does everything else well. I need to test Solex while using my phone (Samsung Galaxy S4) which seems to have much more capable GPS abilities.

BTW: the LED controls are a hoot. (Yes, I'm easily entertained.)

nvpowerdoc · Feb 15, 2017

Wow! I've been out of the Solo loop for about 6 months and looked what developed - Solex! I was having a serious problem with consistent video transmissions with my Solo, so I finally sent it in under Warranty (after 6 months of it practically sitting on the shelf). I now have a re-conditioned model and it seems to fly fine (most of my previous Solo flights were using DroidPlanner and Tower - about 100+ autonomous flights for survey work).

I've read through most of the posts on this thread, watched a bunch of videos by MaYHeM Photos & Video and I'm looking forward to getting Solex (I realize this is not a Tower replacement, but I like many of the features that seemed to be missing in the Solo App). Kudos to the developer!

As far as Tablets go, what does the Developer recommend? Perhaps this might have been discussed within the Thread and I missed it. What are folks having the best success with?

BigTulsa · Feb 15, 2017

Not sure if Kelly recommends it but the consensus I've seen on here and other sites is that the NVidia Shield K1 is solid for using Solex.

Chuck · Feb 15, 2017

nvpowerdoc said:
Wow! I've been out of the Solo loop for about 6 months and looked what developed - Solex! I was having a serious problem with consistent video transmissions with my Solo, so I finally sent it in under Warranty (after 6 months of it practically sitting on the shelf). I now have a re-conditioned model and it seems to fly fine (most of my previous Solo flights were using DroidPlanner and Tower - about 100+ autonomous flights for survey work).

I've read through most of the posts on this thread, watched a bunch of videos by MaYHeM Photos & Video and I'm looking forward to getting Solex (I realize this is not a Tower replacement, but I like many of the features that seemed to be missing in the Solo App). Kudos to the developer!

As far as Tablets go, what does the Developer recommend? Perhaps this might have been discussed within the Thread and I missed it. What are folks having the best success with?

The Nexus 7 (2013) also would be a good choice.

nvpowerdoc · Feb 15, 2017

BigTulsa said:
Not sure if Kelly recommends it but the consensus I've seen on here and other sites is that the NVidia Shield K1 is solid for using Solex.

Does this have the GPS capabilities in it?

BigTulsa · Feb 15, 2017

nvpowerdoc said:
Does this have the GPS capabilities in it?

Yes.

nvpowerdoc · Feb 15, 2017

BigTulsa said:
Yes.

Thanks, went to the specs page and didn't see it.

Kelly Schrock · Feb 15, 2017

richnat said:
Insignia Flex 10.1. (Insignia = Best Buy store brand).

Insignia™ - 10.1" - Tablet - 32GB

I do occasionally get verbal messages that GPS on the device is not found yet other GPS driven apps are working fine. Maybe the GPS abilities of this tablet are weak or its communication of its GPS data is not working or not strong. It does everything else well. I need to test Solex while using my phone (Samsung Galaxy S4) which seems to have much more capable GPS abilities.

BTW: the LED controls are a hoot. (Yes, I'm easily entertained.)

Are you talking about the "Waiting for GPS" voice prompt? That's really the only thing in the app that says anything about GPS. You might already know this, but that phrase is spoken when the Solo is reporting it doesn't have GPS yet. There's nothing in the app that says anything about GPS on the phone/tablet.

Glad you're liking the LEDs.

I just got a message on Facebook from someone who modified the firmware to allow full LED control, which is pretty cool. Once I'm able to figure out if the drone I'm hooked to allows that, I'll add support for it in Solex too.

richnat · Feb 15, 2017

Kelly Schrock said:
Are you talking about the "Waiting for GPS" voice prompt? That's really the only thing in the app that says anything about GPS. You might already know this, but that phrase is spoken when the Solo is reporting it doesn't have GPS yet. There's nothing in the app that says anything about GPS on the phone/tablet.

Glad you're liking the LEDs. I just got a message on Facebook from someone who modified the firmware to allow full LED control, which is pretty cool. Once I'm able to figure out if the drone I'm hooked to allows that, I'll add support for it in Solex too.

No, not the waiting for GPS prompt. I heard something about waiting for DEVICE GPS. It was also heard while flying and with 10 or more satellites locked.

Kelly Schrock · Feb 15, 2017

richnat said:
No, not the waiting for GPS prompt. I heard something about waiting for DEVICE GPS. It was also heard while flying and with 10 or more satellites locked.

Yeah... I can guarantee it's not Solex talking about that.

Thanks for the info.

SteveReno · Feb 15, 2017

nvpowerdoc said:
Wow! I've been out of the Solo loop for about 6 months and looked what developed - Solex! I was having a serious problem with consistent video transmissions with my Solo, so I finally sent it in under Warranty (after 6 months of it practically sitting on the shelf). I now have a re-conditioned model and it seems to fly fine (most of my previous Solo flights were using DroidPlanner and Tower - about 100+ autonomous flights for survey work).

I've read through most of the posts on this thread, watched a bunch of videos by MaYHeM Photos & Video and I'm looking forward to getting Solex (I realize this is not a Tower replacement, but I like many of the features that seemed to be missing in the Solo App). Kudos to the developer!

As far as Tablets go, what does the Developer recommend? Perhaps this might have been discussed within the Thread and I missed it. What are folks having the best success with?

I think @Kelly Schrock recommends the Nvidia Shield

BigTulsa · Feb 15, 2017

SteveReno said:
I think @Kelly Schrock recommends the Nvidia Shield

That link is actually for the Shield TV box.

Here's the tablet:

NVIDIA - SHIELD K1 - 8" - Tablet - 16GB - Black

Kelly Schrock · Feb 15, 2017

SteveReno said:
I think @Kelly Schrock recommends the Nvidia Shield

Yep... That's a great tablet.

richnat · Feb 16, 2017

I was trying to calibrate viewing angle. I got through the whole process fine, but when I to go SAVE, an error message pops up saying "can't view this video now". I can repeatedly press OK and it pops up again and again. I have to close the app to get video back and get control back. It then wants me to complete the calibration again and I always get the same results.

This was done using my Galaxy S4 phone and a GP 4 Black. I have the latest Solex version at 1.3.2. Am I doing something wrong?

Also, let's say I get the calibration working, do I have to change the calibration each time I change the view in the camera, say from MEDIUM to WIDE?

SteveReno · Feb 16, 2017

BigTulsa said:
That link is actually for the Shield TV box.

Here's the tablet:

NVIDIA - SHIELD K1 - 8" - Tablet - 16GB - Black

Thank you Sir, I stand corrected & revised that link.

BigTulsa · Feb 16, 2017

SteveReno said:
Thank you Sir, I stand corrected & revised that link.

No worries. I have that tablet too and after some issues initially with the wifi on it (which I think was me installing too much stuff on it), I factory reset it and now the only apps are what is installed by default and what I call the Big 4 for my GCS. Since I have a DIY hex and a Solo I have the Solo app, Solex, QGroundControl and Tower on it. Works great with Solex now. Wish the weather would allow me to use it more. It's either raining or too damned windy for the Solo right now.

Greg Parker · Feb 16, 2017

Kelly Schrock said:
Yep... That's a great tablet.

Why with a screen that is not as bright and consequently less visible in sunlight is the Shield better than the Nexus 7? Bigger is nice but if you can't see it as well where is the advantage?

BigTulsa · Feb 17, 2017

Greg Parker said:
Why with a screen that is not as bright and consequently less visible in sunlight is the Shield better than the Nexus 7? Bigger is nice but if you can't see it as well where is the advantage?

I patently disagree. I have both the Nexus 7 and the Shield and the Shield, for me anyway, is hands down better. It's just as bright as the Nexus and has better processing power and better video processing. I tried the Nexus (granted mine was a first generation 2012) and the video was always really choppy. Plus you can't upgrade it any further than Lollipop on the 2012 I'm pretty sure. I can't speak to the new Nexus 7 but the Shield is not much bigger than the 7 I have.