Six Hacks For Your Mobile Gear
ACCESSED: Sat Aug 30 2008 14:17:38 GMT-0400 (EDT)
PAGE URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2008/08/29/AR2008082901589_pf.html
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Unless your work requires a maximum of megapixels, the most meaningful
differences between your old camera and a new one have less to do with
image resolution and more to do with the camera's features. Newer
cameras and more-expensive models support the RAW format, let you set
manual exposure times, shoot in burst mode, and perform other tricks--but
with a simple firmware hack, you can add the same capabilities to older
models that don't support them.
This hack works with many Canon point-and-shoot units. Intermediate and
advanced photographers will grow into the high-end extras it provides, but
even beginners will appreciate its quantitative battery meter and other
features.
A camera's firmware usually governs all of its settings, but in this hack
you'll use a separate utility to install a program onto an SD Card and
override your model's basic features. Canon does not support this sort of
hacking; it isn't permanent, however, as the camera will fall back to its
original state when you remove the SD Card. Before you get started, check
the list at the CHDK Web site to see whether your camera is compatible.
Set the camera to Play mode and turn it on. Hold the Func Set button, and
press the Disp. button. A window should identify your firmware; look for a
number with a letter following it. For instance, my Canon SD870 IS
displayed 'Firmware Ver GM1.00C'. With that information, you can identify
the correct CHDK software for your camera.
Download and run Card Tricks, and insert an SD Card into a card reader
connected to your PC. Within Card Tricks, click the SD icon, and select your
card. Be sure to verify that the card size listed is the same as your memory
card's, not a hard drive's or other device's. Click Format as FAT. Click Make
Bootable, and choose Download CHDK. A Web page should open, and it
should prompt you to select your camera's model and firmware version.
Save the zipped file to your PC's desktop without extracting it.
In Card Tricks, choose CHDK?Card and select the firmware file. The
software will transfer the file to the card without unzipping it. Afterward,
remove the card, slide the physical lock switch on it away from the metal
connector, and pop it into your camera. (You'll still be able to record
images.) When you turn on the camera, you should see a brief splash
screen indicating that CHDK is running. Now you can access features
beyond the original specs.
The basic steps above will get you started. Read my more-thorough tutorial
for additional tips and instructions on using the CHDK tools with your
camera.
Control Your Digital Camera With a Universal Remote
Difficulty: Easy; Time: 1 hour
Many cameras, even point-and-shoots, support wireless remote controls,
but camera makers charge a premium for those accessories. You can save
some cash by using any universal TV remote with your remote-capable
camera.
By coincidence, infrared command codes for certain elec-tronics devices
happen to overlap with the commands that trip your camera's shutter
release. The trick is to figure out which VCR, TV, or other device matches
your camera, and to set the universal remote to match. Look online to see
whether someone has already tried this hack with your camera model. I
found that my Canon Digital Rebel supports the same codes that control
MGA VCRs.
If you don't find help for your camera, you can try scanning through the
codes. Make sure that the camera has a memory card and is set to receive
IR (infrared) commands. (Often a mode or menu setting is involved.) As
you go through the remote's options, verify that the camera stays awake
and responsive. (Mine locked up once with a certain code but was fine after
I removed and reinserted the battery.) Push the remote buttons while
attempting to control different electronics brands, and see if any fires the
shutter.
Difficulty: Easy; Time: Five minutes
Some cameras include a common accessory port to accept an optional
wired remote. The Canon Digital Rebel series, for example, uses a 1/32-
inch connector for its wired remote. Instead of the official add-on, just try
swapping in a cheap cell-phone earpiece with a mute button. With the
caveat that some of these things work best when pushed three quarters of
the way in--and that some may not work at all--the earpiece can make a
simple, effective substitution out of hardware you can probably find in your
household junk drawer.
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469 Ancaster Ave, Ottawa, ON K2B 5B6 Canada
http://Information.Architecture.Abacurial.com
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