Anybody tried to control PXW-X70 wih smartphone?

[Andy Wason]

I've got the Sony CBM app running on my Galaxy S5 (android) and can monitor, zoom, record and pause. There are options for iris and focus, but i cant get those to work for some reason.
This might be a handy app for when I'm shooting a wedding reception and the toasts start before i can get to the camera.
Anybody else tried it?
Andy

[Andy Wason]

Ok got it now. The iris and focus have to be in manual mode. I didn't realize the buttons on the side switch between auto and manual as well as select the front thumbwheel for adjustment. There's no slider for focus, just tap on your smartphone where you want to be in focus and it goes there. Sweet!
I don't think I can replay previously taken clips though,as I can't get the browser function to work.

[Robert Bale]

Hey, hoe did you do this, I have a iPhone, and the Mobile app, but just get Device not found, Check "conect" settings and try again ???

[Andy Wason]

Originally Posted by Robert Bale

Hey, hoe did you do this, I have a iPhone, and the Mobile app, but just get Device not found, Check "conect" settings and try again ???

Hi Robert, I just had to fiddle around with it. I know some of the options aren't very intuitive
In x70 menu, select the wifi icon then "ctrl w/smartphone" (I originally thought this meant hold the ctrl key and 'w' but I guess it means 'control with smartphone'

Go to 'wifi' on your phone I'm using android, yours may differ. Select the wifi device that corresponds to the SSID DIRECT xxxxxxxx shown on the x70
type in the obscure password shown on the x70 (Bit of a pain on a phone, upper and lower case required. It'll help if you turn on 'show password' on the phone or I bet you'll mistype it!)
hit 'connect' on your phone.

The x70 should go into standby mode
run the cbm app.
Hit 'connect' in the app. (I think i had to open the menu in upper LHS first
Select the sony device when it comes up on your phone
Go to monitoring and hit the 'show disp' icon in the upper RHS. you should be seeing thru the camera lens on your phone...take the lens cap off!
You need to have iris and focus set to manual before you start, or you wont be able to control them remotely.
hit 'record' on the phone and away you go!

I don't think it supports the 'browse' feature of the app, so you cant see your files or play them back.

[Robert Bale]

Originally Posted by Andy Wason

Hi Robert, I just had to fiddle around with it. I know some of the options aren't very intuitive
In x70 menu, select the wifi icon then "ctrl w/smartphone" (I originally thought this meant hold the ctrl key and 'w' but I guess it means 'control with smartphone'

Go to 'wifi' on your phone I'm using android, yours may differ. Select the wifi device that corresponds to the SSID DIRECT xxxxxxxx shown on the x70
type in the obscure password shown on the x70 (Bit of a pain on a phone, upper and lower case required. It'll help if you turn on 'show password' on the phone or I bet you'll mistype it!)
hit 'connect' on your phone.

The x70 should go into standby mode
run the cbm app.
Hit 'connect' in the app. (I think i had to open the menu in upper LHS first
Select the sony device when it comes up on your phone
Go to monitoring and hit the 'show disp' icon in the upper RHS. you should be seeing thru the camera lens on your phone...take the lens cap off!
You need to have iris and focus set to manual before you start, or you wont be able to control them remotely.
hit 'record' on the phone and away you go!

I don't think it supports the 'browse' feature of the app, so you cant see your files or play them back.

Hi Andy, I get a error after i click monitoring , iPhone says Device not found Check connect settings and try again. I don't have a android phone to try it on.

[Craig Seeman]

Originally Posted by Robert Bale

Hi Andy, I get a error after i click monitoring , iPhone says Device not found Check connect settings and try again. I don't have a android phone to try it on.

Hi Robert,
Same issue here.
iPhone 6, iOS 8.4
Sony PXW-x70 is on Firmware 2.0

In iOS Settings I have no problem seeing the PXW-x70 SSID and have no problem entering the password as seen on the camera. The iPhone appears to connect.

I open CBM on the screen that says Connect on the top.
I select Search and it says Device Not Found.

[Bob Searl]

First setup the camera's menu to Control w/smartphone---it will display the network ID and password.
On your iPhone, go to Wi-Fi settings and make sure that you "see" the camera, and select/connect to it.
You should now have your WIFI settings indicating that you are a "direct connect" to the camera. You will no longer be on your regular LAN.
Now go to the CBM app --select "connect" ---you should have an orange banner on your iPhone indicating positive connectivity to the camera. Likewise, the camera display should indicate "Controlling with Smartphone."
Press the menu box in the upper left of the CBM app. When the new page appears select "Monitoring." You should see the lens capture on the upper half of your iPhone (and no "picture" on your camera display.)
Use the menu icons on the app to additionally select how and what you want to Control on your camera.

When complete push/select the "joystick" button on the camera to disconnect. The connection should drop and your iPhone will reconnect automatically to your regular WiFi if that is how you have it set up.

[Craig Seeman]

"Now go to the CBM app --select "connect" ---you should have an orange banner on your iPhone indicating positive connectivity to the camera"

Much as other users describe, this was failing consistently. Moving the iPhone around the camera it eventually connected. Maybe coincidental but given the very few reviews I've seen in the App Store, it seems to be a common problem.

[Donald McPherson]

That's where I was going wrong. Go to android setting WiFi there you enter the password. Not having an Apple I assume that it will be similar.

[Marius Boruch]

Is it possible to control all of these functions over Wi-Fi when camera is already recording? From what distance it can be controlled? Thanks.