Camera options for Uneekor

[JKCapeCod]

Fellow Uneekor users, looking for feedback on successful deployment of 3rd party cameras that work well with my QED. I know a number of users have tested various solutions with moderate success. Uneekor has announced the Swing Motion system but at $1400 it is expensive. We are fairly new to this level of analysis and envision occasional use of the cameras. Any advice not the following would be very helpful. We love our system and the support we have received from the Uneekor team.

1 What model, spec, costs and results
2 Lighting requirements
3. Capture and storage
4 Software requirement
5 The benefits of the Uneekor Swing Motion camera option; Unclear if this comes with a separate software package
6. Overall benefit of a camera system

Thanks so much.

[Matt Gopperth]

Further to the above posts - I'm also looking to purchase some better webcams to run in Ignite. I currently have Logitechs C930e and it has heaps of motion blur with the hands and club shaft. I have considered going the Swing Optix through Uneekor but not sure I can justify the price if there are some alternatives out there. I have had a look at the Kayeton camera listed above - it just seems a lot cheaper than the Logitech I already have which makes me wonder if it will perform any better? Or is it that its a different spec'd camera that works better for swing analysis? Looking at Birdies videos above it seems a lot clearer to what the Logitechs are currently doing for me.

Next question - if I decide to go with the Kayeton cameras - I noticed on Amazon there appears to be a coloured version of the Monochrome camera Birdie mentioned above for the same price. It seems like all the specs are the same. Is that correct or am I missing something? Any reason to go Monochrome over colour if thats the case?

Any guidance would be much appreciated!

[Mattp]

Further to the above posts - I'm also looking to purchase some better webcams to run in Ignite. I currently have Logitechs C930e and it has heaps of motion blur with the hands and club shaft. I have considered going the Swing Optix through Uneekor but not sure I can justify the price if there are some alternatives out there. I have had a look at the Kayeton camera listed above - it just seems a lot cheaper than the Logitech I already have which makes me wonder if it will perform any better? Or is it that its a different spec'd camera that works better for swing analysis? Looking at Birdies videos above it seems a lot clearer to what the Logitechs are currently doing for me.

Next question - if I decide to go with the Kayeton cameras - I noticed on Amazon there appears to be a coloured version of the Monochrome camera Birdie mentioned above for the same price. It seems like all the specs are the same. Is that correct or am I missing something? Any reason to go Monochrome over colour if thats the case?

Any guidance would be much appreciated!

I have not tried the color cameras but my understanding is that the monochrome versions are more efficient from a light perspective. In other words, they work better than color with less light. My experience with the monochromes is similar to Birdies...the cameras are quite clear and not even bad when I don't turn lights on at all.

[Matt Gopperth]

Ok sweet - thanks for that mate!

[GarageDasein]

Will pretty much any USB webcam work with QED? I found these 230 FPS monochrome webcams on Endmund Scientific:
UI-3040LE Monochrome USB 3.1 Machine Vision Camera

"The camera software is easy to use and offers a wide range of driver libraries for ActiveX, DirectShow, TWAIN, LabVIEW™"

[weimoxer]

If you were going to hit the 1k mark with 2 of these, if that is the route you go, I think I would just foot the extra $450 and get the swing optix from Uneekor and then you also have their support.

[IowaCat89]

I don't think the $450 even gets you a lens. Granted, the camera could be better (seems to have a higher FPS) but doesn't look to be more cost effective.

[Daddio]

I got this light from B & H, works really slick, 40 watt. Works way better better than the 4- screw in LED bulbs I had. GVM 800D-RGB LED Studio Video Light
Does anyone know how to separate the swing cam boxes from the main Unicorn screen to another monitor in Ignite?

[birdie]

You can use Ontopreplica, cut the swing cam boxes and move the window to another monitor

[Daddio]

I got one of the camera's birdie recommended on the 1st page.It is way to bright and when the ball arms in QED, it gets brighter until I hit the shot.
Are there any drivers to DL that has the settings to control? I didn't get anything witht he camera. I ordered it on Wed and got it today, surprised the crap out of me!!

[JKCapeCod]

I can't seem to get an image displayed in Ignite, although the camera displays in the Windows 10 camera app. Birdie's video looks good for simple swing analysis. My image with the Optix camera's are very dark and flickering.

[Daddio]

I couldn't either, but then changed the resolution and it worked. Not sure what resolution though.

[leibin]

JKCapeCod and Daddio - did you figure out how to get the image to display? I've tried a few different usb cameras just to test the integration. Windows sees them fine, I checked the 'security' settings for the camera and it's not blocked in Windows, but the MVS software and Ignite SO don't see anything....

[JKCapeCod]

Having variant brightness issues as well.

[Mattp]

Having variant brightness issues as well.

Presuming QED uses infrared (maybe it doesn't?), I've read about one person using an IR filter. Possibly that would help. I'm likely to try eventually but it hasn't been enough of an issue so far for me to stop and try and find the filters for sale.

[JKCapeCod]

Update: We decided to purchase the Swing Optix cameras. After a bit of tweaking and support from Uneekor they are working very well. Integrate well with Refine, Ignite SO and TGC2019.

Lessons learned and a few tips:

1. Upgrade all our recessed BR30's to Philips flicker free LED 5K Daylight bulbs.
2. The 2 spots over the hitting zone placed 100 W version of the Philips bulb
3. Added 2 angled 100W spots toward the hitting zone. Only turn on when we are analyzing our swing. Plenty of light , no blur.
4. Our Lenovo gaming PC is located in a closet, needed a 12M cable. This extended cable works flawlessly, the hardest part is running it through the walls and the ceilings.
https://www.ntcdistributing.com/usb-...-a-to-micro-b/
5. Fixed mount the facing camera on the wall for permanent mounting. We used this bracket: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
6. Your swing always looks worse than what you picture in your mind.

[dudley286]

Thanks for the great info and #6 cracked me up!!! I am terrified to actually see my swing or what some might call a seizure.

[gojoholo]

What's the distance from the tee to the face-on camera? Do you get your whole swing in shot? How close could the camera be and still see everything? When I get my sim built I'll have an offset hitting position, so only about 3.5 to 4ft from tee to side wall.

[stevnkrn]

I'm considering getting the Kayeton cameras mentioned above but based on what I've read the lens needs IR filtering for us with a QED. I like the idea of needed less light, and the black and white image is not an issue for me. What size lens does the Kayeton camera use and where would I get the correct lens with IR filtering? Based on the size of my room I think I would need a 2.1mm lens.

[leibin]

I have a couple of gopro knock offs that do 240fps at 720p coming by Monday and will report back if and how they work out

[leibin]

Well, the knock off's didn't work as webcams contrary to the description stating they did. I was able to get it to 240fps at 720p, but the image was so dark that you would have had to light yourself up like the Griswald's house to capture anything LOL. Does anyone have a gopro 8 or 9 on hand they can test as a webcam for the swing camera? I'm 99% sure both of those versions support running as a webcam without special cables, ect....

[pauleywauley]

Well, the knock off's didn't work as webcams contrary to the description stating they did. I was able to get it to 240fps at 720p, but the image was so dark that you would have had to light yourself up like the Griswald's house to capture anything LOL. Does anyone have a gopro 8 or 9 on hand they can test as a webcam for the swing camera? I'm 99% sure both of those versions support running as a webcam without special cables, ect....

I just picked up a GoPro Hero8 tonight. I'll let you know if I can figure it out. 👍🏻

[leibin]

I just picked up a GoPro Hero8 tonight. I'll let you know if I can figure it out. 👍🏻

Looking forward to hearing how it goes! The seller on those knock-offs wrote back and said in webcam mode they were limited to 1080p. That would have been fine but I have a feeling that it would have been limited in FPS, too. Of course, using it as a web cam wasn’t an option anyway

[stevnkrn]

I bought a $62 Spinel camera from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e=UTF8&psc =1) and it works quite well as a swing cam. It's black and white but 120 fps. Unlike some of the other cameras listed in this thread this one it is readily available from a U.S. supplier. In my case it took 3 days from order to delivery. It came with a 2.1mm lens with an IR filter so I don't see any flickering from the IR LEDs in my Uneeker QED. I like it well enough that I ordered a second one. The video at 1/8 speed looks very similar to the video birdie posted using Kayeton cameras.

[14MPH]

stevnkrn (I don’t know much about cameras so pardon my ignorance!)
1) how would compare Spinel vs Kayeton in terms of specs, software/ease of use/plug n play, costs etc - and therefore, what made you choose Spinel?
2) what lens options would I need to consider/cater for?

Given I would be ordering from the US to Australia, I am not keen to pay extra shipping costs if I can order camera and lens options in one go. Hence seeking guidance on how to make the choice on the above camera options.

Any pointers are appreciated - and yes the risk is mine to follow any advice but I can live with that as most things I have learned from this forum have been positive/for the better!

[stevnkrn]

14MPH (I hope that is not your swing speed I think the Kayeton and Spinel camera specs are pretty similar. I would not hesitate to get either one. Actually I was going to get a Kayeton camera until I found the Spinel camera. I knew I wanted at least 100 fps and the 120 fps the Spinel came with fit that spec. At 120fps you get good slow motion views of the body positions but there is some club blur in the videos. Not ideal but for the cost difference between these cameras and the Uneekor Swing Optix cameras it was something I could live with. The fact that it was a monochrome camera didn't bother me because neither me nor my swing look pretty enough to justify being in color. I wanted to capture my swing in slow motion and B&W video does that just fine.

I chose Spinel for two primary reasons, cost and availability. I believe both cameras come from China but the Spinel cameras were in stock at a US supplier and available on Amazon prime at the time I ordered mine. Cheaper and faster are a tough combination to beat. The fact that the Spinel didn't have a housing was not a concern for me because I knew I could design and 3D print a housing for it.

As for lenses, the Spinel came with an IR cut filter, which you need to work with a Uneekor. Without the filter the flashing of the IR LEDs inside the Uneekor that illuminate the ball will be visible on the video. The Kayeton camera doesn't mention whether or not a filter is included, which was a concern of mine at the time. The lens my Spinel came with I believe is a 2.1mm. That works well if you have at least 7 feet (~2 meters) from the camera to the ball position. If the cameras mounts closer you will need to move to a 1.8mm or 1.7mm. I actually have a 1.8mm in my rear view camera because I have some space limitations there that works, but I may try a 1.7mm at some point.

I hope this helps 14MPH. I don't think you will be disappointed with either camera. Just make sure you get the IR cut filter on the lens.

[14MPH]

Thanks stevnkrn much appreciated!

Ps - I don’t even know my average club or swing speeds! Hoping a lm will bring some sense of measurements over time that will guide me towards consistency and game improvement. Hence the relentless investment of time to hopefully land with a decent set up so that I am at lesser mercy of a small white ball that seems to own me on the course! 😂