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Charge phone from Movi?

Discussion in 'Movi Technical' started by SM Stewart, Oct 17, 2018.

  1. SM Stewart

    SM Stewart New Member

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    Hi,

    Movi just arrived. V impressed.

    Some gimbals allow you to charge the phone from the gimbal itself.

    Can you do that with the Movi?

    Thanks.
     
  2. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    I don't think you can do that.

    Andy.

    Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. :(
    The Ground Is The Limit™
    ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
     
  3. Bryan Edmonds

    Bryan Edmonds Chief Mōvi Whisperer

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    You can, but I haven't found a flexible USB C - Lightning Cable that doesn't drag on the motors.
     
  4. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    I sit corrected, Bryan! Thanks for posting.

    I've not found the equivalent of the Hyperthin HDMI cable for USB-C either.

    Cheers
    Andy

    Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. :(
    The Ground Is The Limit™
    ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
     
  5. Harry Young

    Harry Young New Member

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    Would a short right angle cable work, or is the weight and drag of the cable itself an issue?
     
  6. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    I think there are two issues: (1) getting the cable out of the phone and through the counterweight frame and (2) reducing the torsional drag that a less-than-super-flexible cable imposes.

    Andy

    Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. :(
    The Ground Is The Limit™
    ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
     
  7. Harry Young

    Harry Young New Member

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    Ah, I don't have counterweights (yet, still waiting on Moment to stock cases for the Note 9) so I didn't think of that. Good heads up there! The other is what I suspected. Thanks for confirming.
     
  8. Edrolfo Leones

    Edrolfo Leones New Member

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    For USB-C to USB-A, I've had good results with this MFi certified cable. Very thin and flexible, but I do need to rubber-band the retractable center "puck" to the handle or the handle adapter somewhere: https://amzn.to/2AlsHky

    [​IMG]

    I also use a small USB-A adapter between the Movi and the retractable cable: https://amzn.to/2Ajrkm7 until someone makes a

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Rorick Edge

    Rorick Edge Active Member

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    I think that whether a cable is a problem depends on what you are using the Movi for. Michel Ulmann is using the Movi for professional corporate video work and successfully runs a microphone cable to his smartphone because he is not asking for a lot of movement from the Movi's motors. See this thread in the Movi Showcase forum, and especially the link in the second post and the whole of the third post: https://forum.freeflysystems.com/index.php?threads/corporate-video-examples.12778/
     
  10. John Chu

    John Chu Active Member

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    Would a wireless charging pad added - sandwiched between the clamping mechanism affect the operation of a gimbal like the Movi? Would such a set up be possible? That is the wireless charging affect the Movi?
     
  11. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    The problem with a wireless charging pad is that it really is just an electromagnet that induces current into any nearby wires -- that's how it does the charging.

    Whether it induces enough current to damage the Movi is probably something that you could only determine by experimenting, John.

    But as Clint Eastwood said in the movie Dirty Harry, "Do ya feel lucky? Do ya?" ;)

    Andy

    Forensic Software & sUAV / Drone Analyst : Photographer : Videographer : Pilot (Portland, Oregon, USA): Trees=2, Ground=1, Props=11. :(
    The Ground Is The Limit™
    ---------- Forensic Drone Analyst : Forensic sUAV Analyst : Forensic Unmanned Aircraft Analyst : Forensic Drone Expert
     
    John Chu likes this.
  12. John Chu

    John Chu Active Member

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    Yeah, I figured as much.

    It is one of the biggest limitations of using an iPhone for filming---the battery life. I try to top it off in between with a power bank but sometimes, it never catches up. The best bet is to get a second iPhone to use while charging the other. (Prices of pre-owned iPhones on Amazon aren't too bad).
     
  13. John Chu

    John Chu Active Member

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    Dirty Harry also said "A man's got to know his limitations." - in Magnum Force. ;)
     
  14. younghoon Gihl

    younghoon Gihl New Member

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    I have purchased the "AmazonBasics Apple Certified Retractable Lightning to USB Cable" and the "ARKTEK USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapter", according to the article posted by Edrolfo Leones on this forum. And connected to MCR.
    It works perfectly.
    Thanks! :)

    p.s. I have a Moment Wide V2 lens, but unlike the ExoLens Zeiss Wide Angle lens, the edges of the images/videos are bit blurry.
    So instead of iPhone X, I put the ExoLens Zeiss Wide Angle lens on the iPhone 6s.

    However, when using the video capture app, the iPhone 6s consumes a lot of battery power compared to the iPhone X.
     
    #14 younghoon Gihl, Nov 18, 2018
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2018
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  15. Stefan Timm

    Stefan Timm New Member

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    In my experience the iPhone easily overheats when filming and charging at the same time (filming on iPhone Xs at 4k 60fps).

    This on top of the cable challenge, I think it's just a bad idea, unless maybe you're in a cold environment. I do most of my filming in the Caribbean.

    For my information: What exactly is the scenario, where you are not able to charge the phone between shoots?
     
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  16. John Chu

    John Chu Active Member

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    I like to run around the city and grab shots while I can. (I'm not shooting a film.)

    I usually just leave the phone on the Movi and cradle it by the vertical arm and be ready to go and was just frustrated why I so quickly depleted the iPhone battery. Just a limitation of using iPhones to record.

    I just replaced the battery on my 6s and recording in 1080 instead of 4K. That helps a lot.
     
  17. Pavel Houda

    Pavel Houda Member

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    Brian, could you explain where is the spare USB port which you could use as a power source on the gimbal? E.G. Zhiyun 4 puts it on the yaws, so that there is no cable twisting. The only possible port is under the screwed in plate at the bottom. Is there a USB under it? Thanks.
     
  18. Bryan Edmonds

    Bryan Edmonds Chief Mōvi Whisperer

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    There is only one USB port on the Movi. It's the same one you use to charge it. Which is why you need a flexible cable so that it can be routed in such a way that it doesn't drag on the motors, as seen in the photo that younghoon Gihl posted above.
     

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