Servocity is a great company to work with. just worked with them on a special project of my own. using a worm drive, speed controller, and dual servo driver. and it works great.
Man you make it very enjoyable to watch...and to attempt to build. Quick question: Which gear motors or servos are you using? I need my motors/servos to be as quiet as possible. Keep up the great videos please, we need them out here in YT land! Pete
@Slacknutz The motors are pretty quiet on their own. The pan is a 21 rpm model and the tilt which I still have not finished but have most all of the parts is 6 rpm. The 21 is what you need to move things fast. The speed controller makes it smooth. When the 21 is cranked up and moving at it's max you can hear the motor but it is very low. At slow speeds not at all. I get around it by relocating the mic through xlr cables. I have other videos at tlk40us. Most of the dance ones have cranes
One last question, I've come across some speed controllers from BaneBots - if you type the following into Google:- BaneBots Robot Parts: BB-3-9 ESC ...they are only $28 would they work just as well or in your opinion would it just be easier to buy the servocity speed contollers? Many thanks for your time and I'm looking forward to seeing some of your music video footage. Thanks again.
Like this video...you explain it really well. So the 12v power goes into the speed controller and not into the joystick? If I have two speed controllers for the pan & tilt does that mean I need two 12v batteries (one to each speed controller) ...and if so would the joystick then be able to convert 2 x 12v down to 6v?
Is the joystick designed to take two speed controllers? Or would I need two joysticks - one for each controller? Just want to be sure before I order from servocity !
@kdj69@kdj69 The 12v goes to the goes to the speed controller then back to the joystick. The single joystick is all that is needed to run both the pan and tilt. You will need to speed controllers. One for each. The single power supply will run both. Servocity will help you through the process. The only thing I recommend is buy the motors with a higher RPM. I've got this wild hair to build servos in the crane to lift and spin the unit while I sit in a chair and watch a monitor. Not yet!
@GTImotion I just found out that for each motor you must have a speed controller. These speed controller modulate the power going to the unit. I wish it was the other way it would have saved a $100.
@GTImotion good question. My assumption was that I needed a separate speed control because each motor was controlled individually. Now that you brought it up, I'm going to find out. If one can run both, you just saved me $100. I'll get back with you.
@aldoaoa Best of luck. That's the same way I started. One thing lead to another. I still need to build the tilt and then once that is finished I'm off to rebuilding the dolly. I have all of the pieces to the tilt with the exception of the control box for $100 and a single gear. And then the next biggest component time.
You could build the speed controllers from arduino boards for a quarter of the cost of the Servo City units. You seem like you could learn the arduino pretty easily. Good stuff, thank you for sharing.
@ninjashidan Thanks...it just depends on if you want to make the investment. I've still not finished the tilt, but I've purchased some of the pieces. I think I have another $175 and I'll be ready to start.
That is really cool! I am a still-camera buff and never really got into video but being able to get creative using that setup makes me want to try it now. Thanks!
@droflex1 The entire unit breaks down into several pieces. The dolly is a single unit, the post comes off and then all of the weights come off. The length of the jib breaks into 3 4' sections. The last piece that comes off is the pan and tilt. So it all fits in the back of my small SUV. This is just a hobby, however when I go to a shoot I could use a small box truck to carry what I need. It takes about 45 minutes to and hour to assemble and only 15 to 20 minutes to take a part.
Servocity is a great company to work with. just worked with them on a special project of my own. using a worm drive, speed controller, and dual servo driver. and it works great.
weaponeer 2 weeks ago
Man you make it very enjoyable to watch...and to attempt to build. Quick question: Which gear motors or servos are you using? I need my motors/servos to be as quiet as possible. Keep up the great videos please, we need them out here in YT land! Pete
Slacknutz 3 months ago
@Slacknutz The motors are pretty quiet on their own. The pan is a 21 rpm model and the tilt which I still have not finished but have most all of the parts is 6 rpm. The 21 is what you need to move things fast. The speed controller makes it smooth. When the 21 is cranked up and moving at it's max you can hear the motor but it is very low. At slow speeds not at all. I get around it by relocating the mic through xlr cables. I have other videos at tlk40us. Most of the dance ones have cranes
DIYVideoEquipment 3 months ago
Many thanks for the reply...I understand now.
One last question, I've come across some speed controllers from BaneBots - if you type the following into Google:- BaneBots Robot Parts: BB-3-9 ESC ...they are only $28 would they work just as well or in your opinion would it just be easier to buy the servocity speed contollers? Many thanks for your time and I'm looking forward to seeing some of your music video footage. Thanks again.
kdj69 4 months ago
Like this video...you explain it really well. So the 12v power goes into the speed controller and not into the joystick? If I have two speed controllers for the pan & tilt does that mean I need two 12v batteries (one to each speed controller) ...and if so would the joystick then be able to convert 2 x 12v down to 6v?
Is the joystick designed to take two speed controllers? Or would I need two joysticks - one for each controller? Just want to be sure before I order from servocity !
kdj69 4 months ago
@kdj69 @kdj69 The 12v goes to the goes to the speed controller then back to the joystick. The single joystick is all that is needed to run both the pan and tilt. You will need to speed controllers. One for each. The single power supply will run both. Servocity will help you through the process. The only thing I recommend is buy the motors with a higher RPM. I've got this wild hair to build servos in the crane to lift and spin the unit while I sit in a chair and watch a monitor. Not yet!
DIYVideoEquipment 4 months ago
Comment removed
kdj69 4 months ago
@GTImotion I just found out that for each motor you must have a speed controller. These speed controller modulate the power going to the unit. I wish it was the other way it would have saved a $100.
DIYVideoEquipment 6 months ago
@GTImotion good question. My assumption was that I needed a separate speed control because each motor was controlled individually. Now that you brought it up, I'm going to find out. If one can run both, you just saved me $100. I'll get back with you.
DIYVideoEquipment 6 months ago
Do the pan and tilt head need a separate speed controller for each motor or can you use only one speed controller to control both motors?
GTImotion 6 months ago
wow!! that is awesome :D it made me think about building one myself, i have already the crane, but it's a tilt-only head. Thank you for the ideas!
aldoaoa 7 months ago
@aldoaoa Best of luck. That's the same way I started. One thing lead to another. I still need to build the tilt and then once that is finished I'm off to rebuilding the dolly. I have all of the pieces to the tilt with the exception of the control box for $100 and a single gear. And then the next biggest component time.
DIYVideoEquipment 7 months ago
i hope to get mine going soon just like urs but in "RC pan & tilt mode"
MIKEY19900 10 months ago
very helpful idea's , thank u and i loved the on target video at the end!!!
MIKEY19900 10 months ago
You could build the speed controllers from arduino boards for a quarter of the cost of the Servo City units. You seem like you could learn the arduino pretty easily. Good stuff, thank you for sharing.
amishjim 1 year ago
Thats very smooth and impressive. Excellent work!
ninjashidan 1 year ago
@ninjashidan Thanks...it just depends on if you want to make the investment. I've still not finished the tilt, but I've purchased some of the pieces. I think I have another $175 and I'll be ready to start.
DIYVideoEquipment 1 year ago
Cool thanks for those info, look great.
caletzm 1 year ago
That is really cool! I am a still-camera buff and never really got into video but being able to get creative using that setup makes me want to try it now. Thanks!
P.S. How do you transport it to location?
droflex1 1 year ago
@droflex1 The entire unit breaks down into several pieces. The dolly is a single unit, the post comes off and then all of the weights come off. The length of the jib breaks into 3 4' sections. The last piece that comes off is the pan and tilt. So it all fits in the back of my small SUV. This is just a hobby, however when I go to a shoot I could use a small box truck to carry what I need. It takes about 45 minutes to and hour to assemble and only 15 to 20 minutes to take a part.
DIYVideoEquipment 1 year ago