Smart Remote: Video not supported on a5000 - workaround attached

[mungewell]

Having just purchased an A5000 I was a little disappointed that the movie function is not available via the Sony Remote API.

So I poked around and found this in "com/sony/imaging/app/srctrl/util/ModelInfo.java"

    public boolean isMovieRecSupported() {
        if (!Environment.isMovieAPISupported()) {
            return false;
        }
        if (this.modelName == null) {
            Log.e(TAG, "ModelInfo is NULL");
            return false;
        } else if (movieRecNotSupportedModelName.contains(this.modelName)) {
            return false;
        } else {
            if ("DSC-15-03".equals(ScalarProperties.getString("ui.model.mame"))) {
                return false;
            }
            return true;
        }
    }

and this

    private static final List<String> movieRecNotSupportedModelName = Collections.unmodifiableList(new C01921());
    private String modelName = null;

    static class C01921 extends ArrayList<String> {
        C01921() {
            add("ILCE-7");
            add("ILCE-7R");
            add("ILCE-5000");
            add("ILCE-6000");
        }
    }

Now, I'm just pissed!

[mungewell]

So what happens if I just change the model name?

$ telnet 192.168.1.102
Trying 192.168.1.102...
Connected to 192.168.1.102.
Escape character is '^]'.

BusyBox v1.13.4 (2012-07-17 15:11:04 JST) built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

/ # bk.elf r 0x003e0005
id:003e0005 size:16 data:
49,4C,43,45,2D,35,30,30,30,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
/ # bk.elf w 0x003e0005 49 4C 43 45 2D 35 30 30 31
id:003e0005 size:16 data:49, 4C, 43, 45, 2D, 35, 30, 30, 31, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 
/ # bk.elf r 0x003e0005
id:003e0005 size:16 data:
49,4C,43,45,2D,35,30,30,31,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,

Yep, and remote movie function works...

[ahmadshamer]

@mungewell sorry to ask here, may i know the required knowledge to start digging this sony firmware. I'm okay with python but it seems some sort of assembly language experience is required. Can you help listing needed tools/skills for this project? Thanks in advance. (btw, im trying to modify my as100)

[mungewell]

The cameras are running a customized Android environment, the "Playmemories Store" applications are effectively just APKs running against a custom framework. The code snippets above are from the 'Smart Remote' APK.

In order to tinker with the configuration keys you need neither, these can be altered either on the command line (via telnet) or via PCMA console tools.

[Muuuuuuuux]

Thank you so much for this Guide @mungewell !!!!
But is there any possebility to automaticly send the token Videos to the smartphone? It just works with Photos :/

[wickedst]

Hi @mungewell - I'm trying to get the Live View feature in the Sony Remote software working on my a5000.

It seems the lowest model number which supports live view is the 6100 so I tried changing to that model name via bk.elf w 0x003e0005 49 4c 43 45 2d 36 31 30 30 - https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/imagingedge/en/devices/#emount

Do you still have this working on your camera today? Thanks

[mungewell]

I haven't used this hack for a while, as of this evening's testing... No, I can not shoot movie with either the 'Imaging Edge Mobile' app, or the 'Sony Camera Api' (project to implement Remote API in Python).

The later of these is/was also having problems attaching to the camera, the XML response during camera discover appears to have changed, which implies that 'Smart Remote Embedded' app has changed.

Despite changing the name on the camera, the only ShootMode that the camera offers is...

trying 'getAvailableShootMode()':
{'id': 1, 'result': ['still', ['still']]}

where previously it had offered... :-(

trying 'getAvailableShootMode()':
{'result': ['movie', ['still', 'movie']], 'id': 1}

[mungewell]

UPDATE: figured out what was wrong. I was using the inbuilt "Smart Remote Control" which is known to be 'bad'.

Once I re-downloaded the one from the "PlayMemories Camera Apps" store I could connect and record movies....

[tengine525]

mungewell,

Hello. I was wondering if you could help me with telnet into my Sony a6000 to change the device ID? I've ran the GUI and installed a few tweaks, however I'm trying to possibly unlock the 'live view' on the a6000 as you did with the a5000.

I can get remote view for the a6000 to work on my phone, however it does not seem to work inside of Sony's Imaging Edge software. My goal is to basically use it as a webcam (without external dongles) if I can unlock the live view.

I realize there are better options, but I have this cam sitting here and if I'd love to use it if I could instead of spending another $100+ on a webcam that is very difficult to find right now.

Thanks.

-edit- I realize this is an old post.