Buddy3D Camera update  

RE: Buddy3D Camera update

It's working, the PrusaConnect Integration is flawless. I installed a cheap 24V to USB adapter and the camera is switched on with the printer. Nightvision is just great.

I'm waiting for some improvement - but all are nice to have (streaming video; timelaps)

RE: Buddy3D Camera update

I was able to upgrade to 3.0.4 with a 256GB microsd card formatted as FAT32, exFAT did not work.

RE: Buddy3D Camera update

Frankly I think the whole design is abysmal and I've seen better looking Butt Plugs 🤪

I am hopeful that the software will get better and utilise the motors and give us live streaming as snapshot is so slow at updating.

RE: Buddy3D Camera update

What irks me about it is they sold it saying it would be updated to make it more usable and to date I can see nothing different. It is a poor upgrade for a printer I spent 3.5k on.

RE: Buddy3D Camera update

I am with you on this and just got mine up and running, it's so slooooooooow. I could take a snapshot quicker with my phone. It would be nice if I you could use cameras like the ring indoor cam which I have pointing at my XL but now Buddy3D cam setup.

RE: Buddy3D Camera update

Thanks a lot

RE: Buddy3D Camera update

Hello! 

Thanks a lot - Work for me too!Hope they will make it to have live-videos and movement through the app! Pic are fine but video is better!

Christian

RE: Buddy3D Camera update

I received my Buddy 3D Camera in January or February. I was able to get the firmware updated, but I had to tether it to an old Samsung Note 8 with the hotspot turned on. I had to do this because the camera couldn't handle the password I had set on my router and WiFi extender. I wasn't willing at the time to switch the password on a bunch of devices just to get the camera to work. The downside is that the phone will switch the hotspot of every day or two. Not sure why, unless the phone is getting to warm.

I just checked today and I noticed that at some point the firmware was automatically updated to 3.0.4. Tomorrow I will try again to get it set up on my WiFi extender. It would work before because the password has one or more spaces in it. This new update is supposed to correct that issue.

It does look like the picture may be a little clearer after the update.

I'm still plagued with it switching back and forth between color and black & white pictures. It seems like it is pretty close to 50-50 split the color change, no matter how good or bad the lighting. Doesn't matter if the overhead light is on and the room is bright, or if the light is off and the room is dark.

I have also ordered the Buddy3D Camera for the Core One. Not sure how long it will take for that to come in. I have also ordered the MK4S -> Core One upgrade kit. Right now I'm guessing I won't see it until May.

The SD card I'm using in my camera is a 32 GB card. I can't say for sure how it is formatted. It's a Lexar 32 GB card. I just took it out of the package and popped it into the camera. It seems to be working fine. Like I said above, the camera did automatically update to the latest firmware.

RE:

I wrote the following email to Prusa Support:

Dear Sir or Madam,

 

I tried scanning the QR code about 20 times to connect the camera to my Wi-Fi, but it failed every time. I hear a beep indicating a successful scan, but the connection fails with three beeps. Some research on the internet revealed that older firmware versions have issues with special characters in Wi-Fi passwords:

https://forum.prusa3d.com/forum/buddy3d/buddy-3d-camera/

According to the manual, the camera updates its firmware after the first connection to the internet, but I can’t establish an internet connection in the first place. A classic chicken-egg problem.

So, I set up a guest Wi-Fi without special characters in the password and scanned the code again—this time, the connection worked. I was then able to check in Prusa Connect and saw that the camera had firmware version 3.0.1 installed.

Now I want to update the firmware, but I can’t trigger it manually. It’s supposed to happen automatically, but nothing is happening. This means I have to keep a separate guest Wi-Fi just for my camera, which I really don’t want to do.

This whole issue has cost me time and nerves, and the problem is still not fully resolved. The questions that come to mind now are:

1. Why doesn’t Prusa provide any notice about password issues with older firmware versions?
2. Why does Prusa ship cameras with outdated firmware when such a major issue exists?
3. Does the new firmware version fix the problem with special characters in Wi-Fi passwords?
4. How do I get back the time I wasted beta-testing and troubleshooting this product?

I’m used to Prusa shipping unfinished products, but this exceeds even my expectations. I love the idea behind the company and am happy to pay the premium for it, but I feel like I’m being taken for a fool in return. I’m very disappointed.

Best regards

I also posted this as a review for the Buddy3D Camera on Prusas Website and gave it one star. But.. they removed it! They removed my bad review. This kinda shocked me.

I got the following answer from Pursas support:

Dear Mr. [redacted],

thanks for your E-Mail. Can you please send me a video. I would like to see how the camera behaves.

Best regards
Sam
Customer Support

To which I answered:

Good day,

I don't understand why you need a video. I described how the camera behaves and there are more people online describing the same problem on your forum. Your camera doesn't update and has problems with special characters in WiFi passwords. The WiFi password problem in version 3.0.1 is already acknowledged by Prusa! It's addressed in a fix in the change-log of firmware version 3.0.4: https://prusaconnect.sleekplan.app/changelog

"Fixes and Stability
WiFi Fixes: Resolved an issue with support for spaces and special characters in WiFi passwords."

Also I realized you removed my review of the camera. This is very concerning to me.

Best regards

I'm speechless. Prusa deleting reviews or asking costumers for unnecessary details to avoid providing proper support was not on my bingo card.

RE:

Edit to my previous comment: I think they didn't delete my review. It just might be a misunderstanding on my part.

RE: Buddy3D Camera update

How can one get to that google drive ? I requested access, but Im ignored so far.

Posted by: @stevo1957

I discussed this with support and they provided the procedure to update the Buddy3D firmware manually to v 3.0.4
I did have to try a few different Micro SD cards though before it would work:

1.Unplug the camera.

2.Download and unzip the file 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mYWUT4ozvVZNvBvvmLUt94w4tu-GfweW/view

3.Put the cus_update_ota.tar file on the SD card.

4.Insert the SD card into the camera and plug it back in.

5.Wait a few minutes till the camera updates the firmware.

It worked for me.

Unless I am imagining it, the image seems to be a lot sharper under this release.

RE: Buddy3D Camera update

That's interesting. I didn't need authorisation when I downloaded it originally.

Just sent you a message.