Do It Yourself - $50 wireless tethering

I saw this posted on engaget a few hours ago.
Looks interesting.

http://petetek.blogspo​t.com …s-tethering-solution.html

The original post
http://www.engadget.co​m …g-for-your-dslr/#comments

That does look pretty cool and the price is definitely right.

1) Won't work properly past a few feet in most situations, the 10 meters claimed only works in a concrete gym.
2) Won't work properly in any place where a WiFi signal is used at high strength (or microwave oven is turned on)
3) Has a risk of slowing down your computer to nearly nothing
4) requires even more batteries than what you need for camera+strobe triggers+etc
5) Not likely to work with liveview and definitely not the video from a 5dmkii.
6) Likely to cause file corruption if the wireless plug was designed for plug and play storage devices rather than the canon drivers.
7) From my experience with wireless usb, its just not yet ready to replace the wires.

basroil wrote in post #7945001
1) Won't work properly past a few feet in most situations, the 10 meters claimed only works in a concrete gym.
2) Won't work properly in any place where a WiFi signal is used at high strength (or microwave oven is turned on)
3) Has a risk of slowing down your computer to nearly nothing
4) requires even more batteries than what you need for camera+strobe triggers+etc
5) Not likely to work with liveview and definitely not the video from a 5dmkii.
6) Likely to cause file corruption if the wireless plug was designed for plug and play storage devices rather than the canon drivers.
7) From my experience with wireless usb, its just not yet ready to replace the wires.

You do realize this guy has been using it successfully don't you?

I use wireless USB for webcams, printers and other functions and I do not agree with 1, 2, 6 and 7. I've had no problems with interference (yes I have a full powered wifi network) and it certainly doesn't slow down my computer. Why would it slow it down any more than a USB tethered ? I transfer data wirelessly to a remote Hard Drive without data issues.

Are you sure it wouldn't work with liveview? Why not? The fact it doesn't work with video is not big issue. Most studio photographers are taking photographs.

Batteries. Yes wireless equipment often requires batteries.

This is a $50 usb alternative to the $994 Canon WFT-E1 unit.
Might not be anywhere near as slick but it may work (and doesn't require a wireless hub like the Canon unit).

I'll build it and test it and let you know how well it works.

chrisb321 wrote in post #7945564
You do realize this guy has been using it successfully don't you?

I use wireless USB for webcams, printers and other functions and I do not agree with 1, 2, 6 and 7. I've had no problems with interference (yes I have a full powered wifi network) and it certainly doesn't slow down my computer. Why would it slow it down any more than a USB tethered ? I transfer data wirelessly to a remote Hard Drive without data issues.

Are you sure it wouldn't work with liveview? Why not? The fact it doesn't work with video is not big issue. Most studio photographers are taking photographs.

Batteries. Yes wireless equipment often requires batteries.

This is a $50 usb alternative to the $994 Canon WFT-E1 unit.
Might not be anywhere near as slick but it may work (and doesn't require a wireless hub like the Canon unit).

I'll build it and test it and let you know how well it works.

Best option is to do just that. If it works well, let us know.


Just because one guy can use it without problems doesn't mean it works for every camera. Some of the wireless USB devices i've seen act as a hub rather than straight cable, which can prevent certain things from working altogether, and sometimes that causes the computer to become unresponsive. Also sucks that it doesn't work during startup, but that's a different matter. Also didn't say it won't work with all live-views, rather that you shouldn't expect it to work.

And 34mW is not high strength. Rather than wifi as the 802.11b/g that you assumed I meant, I just meant a 2.4gh band signal. Most phones output more power than a wireless g network (though generally on a much higher channel), microwaves, and the like. If you have one of those (illegal in the US) 150mW wireless g routers, then maybe something will happen. Not to say all wireless usb devices are on 2.4gh, but seen some (used in a place where there was rougue point blocking, so the thing did have major problems outside a certain range). My experiences with wireless usb have not been positive, but probably due to the fact that any 2.4gh things didn't work properly, including bluetooth. (Damn university. I plan on doing a good analysis on the impact of their wireless system on the public streets closest to their dorms, so I can launch a FCC complaint with them)


EDIT: Thalagyrt, thanks for reading this clarification

basroil wrote in post #7945001
1) Won't work properly past a few feet in most situations, the 10 meters claimed only works in a concrete gym.
2) Won't work properly in any place where a WiFi signal is used at high strength (or microwave oven is turned on)
3) Has a risk of slowing down your computer to nearly nothing
4) requires even more batteries than what you need for camera+strobe triggers+etc
5) Not likely to work with liveview and definitely not the video from a 5dmkii.
6) Likely to cause file corruption if the wireless plug was designed for plug and play storage devices rather than the canon drivers.
7) From my experience with wireless usb, its just not yet ready to replace the wires.

1. Not true, that all has to do with the antennas, placement, and wattage. The power output of this is just fine.
2. You're overblowing interference by a few orders of magnitude. WiFi will cause as much trouble to this as it does to a Bluetooth link. AKA none.
3. Simply no, it acts as a USB connection.
4. It runs off of a wall wart brick, not your camera, as USB is one way power, and your camera cannot provide power from its USB port.
5. Works with Live View just fine.
6. It's just a straight through connection like a standard USB cable.
7. Possibly.

I may have to try this as well.

I may try this device too.... for $50 why not? Instead of mounting it to a flash bracket I'm going to put the device and batteries in a belt pouch and run the USB cable to the camera from the pouch. This way the camera remains light and unencumbered and it definitely beats running a cable from the camera to a laptop. I tried shooting tethered with the long cable and for me its annoying and hazardous to have the cable dragging around on the floor.

basroil wrote in post #7945001
1) Won't work properly past a few feet in most situations, the 10 meters claimed only works in a concrete gym.
2) Won't work properly in any place where a WiFi signal is used at high strength (or microwave oven is turned on)
3) Has a risk of slowing down your computer to nearly nothing
4) requires even more batteries than what you need for camera+strobe triggers+etc
5) Not likely to work with liveview and definitely not the video from a 5dmkii.
6) Likely to cause file corruption if the wireless plug was designed for plug and play storage devices rather than the canon drivers.
7) From my experience with wireless usb, its just not yet ready to replace the wires.

If it does not work, what the heck it is $50.

OK, I gotta' subscribe to this thread!

James Salenger wrote in post #7952049
If it does not work, what the heck it is $50.

50 bucks i what i paid a week ago for 24gb of ultra II cards

Yeah, I'm subscribing too. I dunno if this thread on the eye-fi is along the same lines.
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=696167

dan

Ok, I just ordered the Cables Unlimited Wireless USB dongle from Amazon ($39.99 + free shipping). I'll let you know how it works or not!

Hi guys,

I tested it out last night at about 40 feet in live view and it was happily showing me the image and automatically rotating the image when i went from portrait to landscape. Thats as far as I could test in my flat. Also someone confirmed it worked with a Canon Xt. I'd have tested it against Canon but sadly all my Canon comrades are out of town or live about 1000 miles away. Best of luck to those building one.

Pete

It works! The effective range appears to be about 15 feet or so between receiver and transmitter. I'm running the transmitter from 4 AA batteries in a holder with both inside a Tamrac lens case with a belt loop. File transfers shooting RAW (~12mb) on a Canon 5D take a few seconds... only slightly longer compared to using a cable. VERY SATISFIED with this low cost alternative!