View Full Version : Using Android smartphone as A7s viewing device


Peter Rush
January 22nd, 2016, 04:08 AM
I'm pulling my hair out trying to use my Android Galaxy S4 - which has NFC to view the output from my A7s using the Sony PlayMobile App - I can get the camera to see the phone to send images but not live view - I know it can be done but cannot fathom it myself - anyone had success with this?

John McCully
January 26th, 2016, 05:39 PM
Peter, I have no direct experience with this question however I was informed that NFC did not have adequate bandwidth to enable live view. If you have wi-fi on your A7s that might be worth a shot.

Cheers...

Matt Bigwood
January 27th, 2016, 07:00 AM
I'm pulling my hair out trying to use my Android Galaxy S4 - which has NFC to view the output from my A7s using the Sony PlayMobile App - I can get the camera to see the phone to send images but not live view - I know it can be done but cannot fathom it myself - anyone had success with this?

Hi Peter, I had a similar problem with a Galaxy phone - make sure Auto Network Switch is off....

https://community.sony.com/t5/Camcorders/PlayMemories-Mobile-on-Samsung-S4-Will-Not-Connect-to-HDR-SA15/td-p/246055

I just tried this with my A7s and Galaxy S5. I didn't use NFC, just made sure the Smart Remote Control app was launched on the camera, then ran Playmemories App on the phone and it connected straight away. Hope that helps!

Peter Rush
January 27th, 2016, 03:25 PM
Thanks guys - works now - seems NFC seems like a red herring!!

Michael Bradshaw
January 31st, 2016, 12:04 AM
Peter, the nfc part of it is that you can set up the camera and the app to connect/ launch the app by touching them together. I have to do it manually now because my movcam cage is in the way but it works well for me when I use my A7s as a static camera in a balcony etc. I also have a small kitchen timer on my main tripod to help me to remember it only records for 30m. I forgot to restart it once and it could have been a disaster.

M.

Dave Sperling
February 1st, 2016, 08:47 AM
Michael - Love the timer idea!!!

I don't often connect A7s for wi-fi viewing with the phone app, but as I recall - doing so automatically switches the HDMI output on the camera to regular HD. We tried using the feature once with the camera and a Shogun mounted where we couldn't reach them (or run wires to them) -- and it seemed that the camera output (which had been QuadHD earlier in the day) switched down to 1920x1080 once the camera connected to the smartphone. Of course we were shooting with talent and didn't have time to mess around with it, so I may have missed something...