CamCheck

FAQ: Why can't my AIBO see anything except in a very bright room ?
A: Install a LifePlus stick, and tweek the camera settings

CamCheck is a simple RCodePlus program you can run on your ERS-2x0 or 31x AIBO. You run it to test the camera response (with different settings) to the current lighting conditions. CamCheck will give you information on the ideal settings for AIBO's camera for your lighting conditions. You can use it to find the right settings, and then use \CUSTOM\PLUSCON.EXE on a LifePlus stick (version 2.52) to set the ideal camera settings.

Supported AIBOs

- ERS-210 supported.
- ERS-220 supported.
- ERS-311/312/31L supported.

Required Hardware:

An ERS-210 model AIBO OR
An ERS-220 model AIBO OR
An ERS-31x model AIBO (311 Latte, 312 Macaron or 31L Pug)
A Pink Programmable Memory Stick (AKA "PMS" or RCode stick) - ERA-MS008 or ERA-MS016, $34->$39
A memory stick reader to install the software (Use only Sony brand stick readers)

Installation:

Put an available PMS stick into your computer's stick reader
Select any folders you see at the root of the stick (usually OPEN-R and CUSTOM) and delete them. Do not format the stick.
Download the proper RCodePlus runtime for the model of your AIBO.
- For the ERS-210: RCode Plus 2.52 'A' (210)
- For the ERS-220: RCode Plus 2.52 'A' (220)
- For the ERS-31x: RCode Plus 2.52 'A' (31x)
- (Save this .ZIP file on your computer. You may want to use it again later.)
Unzip this RCodePlus file to the root of your PMS memory stick.
Download the very small CamCheck program camcheck1.zip (3KB)
Unzip that file on top of your RCODE/PMS stick (replacing any files it asks about).
Put the memory stick inside your AIBO and start it up.
Play with your AIBO. Follow the instructions (see below).

Capturing

With the room lighting set to how it is normally when you play with AIBO, place AIBO on the ground, facing several colored objects (Pink, Blue and Green). If you have Aibo Recognition, make sure he is facing the charging tower (or at least the 3 color plastic pieces). Start up AIBO. He will stretch, lay down and then proceed to take 29 photos (with photo sounds). Once he starts taking photos, do not move him or change the objects within his field of view (or the lighting). It will take a few minutes, and he will eventually shut himself off. Remove the memory stick and immediately take it to your PC (if you run the stick again, it will take new photos, and replace the old ones).

Look at the pretty pictures

Put the stick into your PC's memory stick reader, and open the folder "\PHOTOS" on the memory stick. There should be 59 files new files in that folder (29 .BMPs, 29 .JPGs and BEST.TXT). There may also be an old file called "HERE.TXT" which you can ignore.

If you are running a newer version of Windows, turn on "Thumbnail" view to see the .BMP and .JPG files as small images. Sort the thumbnails by file name.
If you have another image viewer program with a similar thumbnail/preview feature - you should use that. The actual image quality matters less than the color blocks you can see. Images are in pairs (eg: SNAP0111.BMP, SNAP0111.JPG) one for each camera setting. The .BMP image shows the results of the color detection (distinct blue, green and pink regions are desirable). The .JPG image shows the camera photo.

The 27 different camera settings

Most of the photos (and bitmaps) are the same photo taken with different camera settings. For example SNAP0xyz.BMP and SNAP0xyz.JPG are for the camera settings 'xyz'.

'x' is the white balance (1 = inside, 2 = outside, 3 = fluorescent)

'y' is the camera gain (1 = low, 2 = med, 3 = high)

'z' is the camera shutter speed (1 = slow, 2 = med, 3 = fast)
There are a total of 27 different photos/bitmaps. SNAP0000 and SNAP0999 are special.

The 'best' camera settings (SNAP0000)

Of the 27 different camera settings, the CamCheck program picks one it thinks is the best. It is "SNAP0000.BMP" and "SNAP0000.JPG" and should be at the top of the list.

The default camera settings

At the bottom of the list (SNAP0999.BMP and SNAP0999.JPG) is the default camera settings (ie. what AIBO will actually use).
GEEK: AFAIK the default camera settings for all sticks is the same [I think the same as SNAP0222 (xyz = 222)].

Now the information you can use

If the 'default' photo (SNAP0999.JPG) is dark and the 'default' bitmap (SNAP0999.BMP) shows no color distinctions, then then AIBO will not see too much with the current lighting.

If the 'best' photo (SNAP0000.JPG) does not look clear (and relatively bright), and the best .BMP (SNAP0000.BMP) does no distinctly show different color ranges, then there is zero chance that AIBO will *ever* see the color markers. The only solution is to adjust the lighting.

So what - what can I do with those 3 numbers

Right now, nothing much. For now, you will have to adjust the lighting, not the camera.

In the future: you will be able to use the best camera settings to adjust the camera of AIBO. In the mean time, you are stuck with adjusting the lighting.

GEEK: If you have your own RCodePlus program, you can use the AP_DEVCTL to set the camera settings. If you have the LAN setup and one of the Life Plus sticks (used with Aibo Scope LIVE!) you can adjust the camera settings dynamically [email me for a newer version of Aibo Scope LIVE!]

Try out different lighting

Sunlight works best. Fluorescent lamps work second best. Incandescent lamps (including Halogen) work the worst.

For now, only the default settings (SNAP0999.BMP/JPG) matter.