tethering cord/usb questions

janstew · 03-31-2011, 07:04 PM

Hi all
I want/need to tether my KM. I haven't yet downloaded the program cause I cant get a cord long enough. I seem to have a lot of conflicting advice.

I want to put the KM on a pole ( which I have already and use with reasonable success ).
The pole max height is 3.6 metres. I rarely use it at that height but may need to so would like to leave that option open. I am also working outside using only the battery on the laptop for power. ( no electricity )

So I need the usb connection from the camera to the laptop.......but what precisely do I need? Some say it must be self powered ( the cord ) others say it just wont work at that length, some say I cant cobble extensions together to get the length I need, some say I can. The local computer shop has no idea

....

So can anyone explain in laymen's terms what I DO need?

cheers
Jan

jboyde · 03-31-2011, 10:17 PM

download the program first (i assume its PKTether) and use the USB cord that came with the camera to see if it works in the first place. It worked fine for my K7 and K20 and the cord doesnt need to be powered but you DO need to have an SD card in the camera.

I have a 15 ft (5 meter approx) extension cord that I havent used yet. I guess we'll both figure out if it'll work.

K57XR · 03-31-2011, 10:20 PM

What about something like this: http://www.iogear.com/press/presskit/datasheet/GUW101KIT/GUW101KIT.pdf?PHPSE...7222c426f536f8
You can get an automotive battery and an inverter to power the hub. You would still need a regular USB cable between the camera and the hub, which you can put adjacent to each other.....just a thought.....

janstew · 04-01-2011, 12:12 AM

Ok sorting out the laptop tonight ( I use mac.....the lappy will be xp )and will download the program and see if its a goer!
Stay tuned lol
cheers
Jan

Stone G. · 04-01-2011, 01:01 AM

Eh... sorry if I dissapoint you, but you mention KM? PK_Tether only supports the following models currently:

Pentax k-x, K7, K5, k-r, K20D, K10D, K200.

PK_Tether | Tethering and remote control software for Pentax DSLR cameras

As for USB Cables, the USB standard says that the maximum length is about 5 meters (as I recall it off-hand) without line drivers. However, you may buy longer cables up to about 10 meters with built-in drivers in any well-assorted computer store. They aren't that expensive.

B.R. / Steen G. B.

janstew · 04-01-2011, 03:19 AM

Darn I cant get it to open anyway.....I downloaded the zipfile on Vista and unzipped it in xp and it tells me........the application failed to initialize properly ( 0xc0000135 )........
The latest version has updates for km/k2000.........if I can get it to work!
Phooey I cant get it to run..........tried opening the zipfile on the vista and copying the files to xp and it still fails to initilize.......I gotta be doing something wrong
cheers
Jan

jboyde · 04-01-2011, 09:33 AM

You also need to download .NET 4.0 from Microsoft update. That's how the program communicates with the camera. Don't worry, its painless. Just look for .NET 4.0 on Google and it should send you to the appropriate Microsoft download site.

Deiberson · 04-07-2011, 04:29 AM

All I want to do is see the image on my screen after the exposure is captured. Is this what I need or is there something simpler? PK claims that you can make changes to the camera from the PC. All I want to do is view the image. Is this what I'm looking for?

kenyee · 04-07-2011, 06:22 AM

Do you need to set the aperture/shutter, etc. from the laptop?

Or do you really need a remote trigger + and eye-fi card?

JeffJS · 04-07-2011, 10:28 AM

Originally posted by Deiberson

All I want to do is see the image on my screen after the exposure is captured. Is this what I need or is there something simpler? PK claims that you can make changes to the camera from the PC. All I want to do is view the image. Is this what I'm looking for?

Originally posted by kenyee

Do you need to set the aperture/shutter, etc. from the laptop?

Or do you really need a remote trigger + and eye-fi card?

PKRemote takes complete control of the camera. Your shutter button becomes your mouse pointing at a box in a window. The shutter button does not release the shutter. Yes, you can see the images after they are taken on the screen of the computer. Images are not recorded to the card in the camera though the camera must have a card in it. PKRemote has an 8 shot buffer that must be cleared or saved when full (it does have an auto save option). Not all shooting modes are supported yet (K5).

Deiberson · 04-07-2011, 10:34 AM

All that I'd like to do is take a shot with my camera and have the result come up on my computer screen. I still want the image to be saved to the card....if that's not possible, I can live with it. But at this point I'm not looking for any functionality from the computer other than a screen to view the image so its something better than my lcd on the back of the camera.

rawr · 04-07-2011, 02:12 PM

Originally posted by Deiberson

All that I'd like to do is take a shot with my camera and have the result come up on my computer screen.

What camera do you have? If you have a Pentax k-x, K7, K5, k-r, K20D, K10D or K200D, then PKTether should work for you.
PK_Tether | Tethering and remote control software for Pentax DSLR cameras
This is the interface:
Name: PK_Tether.jpg
Views: 1588
Size: 50.5 KB

Name: PK_Tether.jpg
Views: 1588
Size: 50.5 KB

Remember this is for Windows written using the .Net framework, so step one of the installation is to ensure you have the .Net framework v3.5 or better installed. (You probably already have it on your system if you are running an up-to-date Windows PC).

Once you have the .Net framework installed, then download and run Pktether.

JeffJS · 04-07-2011, 02:34 PM

Originally posted by Deiberson

All that I'd like to do is take a shot with my camera and have the result come up on my computer screen. I still want the image to be saved to the card....if that's not possible, I can live with it. But at this point I'm not looking for any functionality from the computer other than a screen to view the image so its something better than my lcd on the back of the camera.

RAWRs screen shot shows what you get. It basically mimics the pentax remote assistant used on the K10d and K20d. This is a feature by the way, that we were told, I forget by whom, was impossible due to the existing hardware in post K20d cameras. It was Never going to be possible with the K-x type line. Anyway, the Remote Assistant wouldn't save to a card either. There was no limit to the shots but each had to be saved after each shot IIRC. IMO, even the 8 shot buffer is an improvement.

rawr · 04-07-2011, 02:46 PM

With PKTether the image is still saved to the card.

In fact, as the author of PKTether notes, a SD card has to be in the camera for PK_Tether to work properly in the first place.

By the way, Pentax hardware since the K10 always could be tethered. However for the more recent bodies like the Kx, K-5 etc, nobody (including Pentax) had bothered to write the software to do it.

CORRECTION: The recorded images may not be saved to the SD card, but will be saved direct to disk. I just tested PK_Tether with my K200D and K-x and in both cases the images were saved to the computer but not to the camera's SD card.

Also I found that PK_Tether works best (is more responsive) if the 'Autosave' option is turned on. Also note that if you set things up to shoot RAW+, the volume of data movement will make PK_Tether seem to work rather slowly.

JeffJS · 04-07-2011, 04:13 PM

Originally posted by JeffJS

PKRemote takes complete control of the camera. Your shutter button becomes your mouse pointing at a box in a window. The shutter button does not release the shutter. Yes, you can see the images after they are taken on the screen of the computer. Images are not recorded to the card in the camera though the camera must have a card in it. PKRemote has an 8 shot buffer that must be cleared or saved when full (it does have an auto save option). Not all shooting modes are supported yet (K5).

Originally posted by rawr

With PKTether the image is still saved to the card.

In fact, as the author of PKTether notes, a SD card has to be in the camera for PK_Tether to work properly in the first place.

By the way, Pentax hardware since the K10 always could be tethered. However for the more recent bodies like the Kx, K-5 etc, nobody (including Pentax) had bothered to write the software to do it.

CORRECTION: The recorded images may not be saved to the SD card, but will be saved direct to disk. I just tested PK_Tether with my K200D and K-x and in both cases the images were saved to the computer but not to the camera's SD card.

Also I found that PK_Tether works best (is more responsive) if the 'Autosave' option is turned on. Also note that if you set things up to shoot RAW+, the volume of data movement will make PK_Tether seem to work rather slowly.

Yes, I can read the notes too

03-31-2011, 07:04 PM	#1
janstew Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Forbes Central West NSW Posts: 311	tethering cord/usb questions Hi all I want/need to tether my KM. I haven't yet downloaded the program cause I cant get a cord long enough. I seem to have a lot of conflicting advice. I want to put the KM on a pole ( which I have already and use with reasonable success ). The pole max height is 3.6 metres. I rarely use it at that height but may need to so would like to leave that option open. I am also working outside using only the battery on the laptop for power. ( no electricity ) So I need the usb connection from the camera to the laptop.......but what precisely do I need? Some say it must be self powered ( the cord ) others say it just wont work at that length, some say I cant cobble extensions together to get the length I need, some say I can. The local computer shop has no idea .... So can anyone explain in laymen's terms what I DO need? cheers Jan

04-01-2011, 03:19 AM	#6
janstew Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Forbes Central West NSW Posts: 311 Original Poster	Darn I cant get it to open anyway.....I downloaded the zipfile on Vista and unzipped it in xp and it tells me........the application failed to initialize properly ( 0xc0000135 )........ The latest version has updates for km/k2000.........if I can get it to work! Phooey I cant get it to run..........tried opening the zipfile on the vista and copying the files to xp and it still fails to initilize.......I gotta be doing something wrong cheers Jan Last edited by janstew; 04-01-2011 at 03:30 AM.

04-07-2011, 02:12 PM	#12
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Deiberson All that I'd like to do is take a shot with my camera and have the result come up on my computer screen. What camera do you have? If you have a Pentax k-x, K7, K5, k-r, K20D, K10D or K200D, then PKTether should work for you. PK_Tether \| Tethering and remote control software for Pentax DSLR cameras This is the interface: Remember this is for Windows written using the .Net framework, so step one of the installation is to ensure you have the .Net framework v3.5 or better installed. (You probably already have it on your system if you are running an up-to-date Windows PC). Once you have the .Net framework installed, then download and run Pktether.

04-07-2011, 02:46 PM	#14
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	With PKTether the image is still saved to the card. In fact, as the author of PKTether notes, a SD card has to be in the camera for PK_Tether to work properly in the first place. By the way, Pentax hardware since the K10 always could be tethered. However for the more recent bodies like the Kx, K-5 etc, nobody (including Pentax) had bothered to write the software to do it. CORRECTION: The recorded images may not be saved to the SD card, but will be saved direct to disk. I just tested PK_Tether with my K200D and K-x and in both cases the images were saved to the computer but not to the camera's SD card. Also I found that PK_Tether works best (is more responsive) if the 'Autosave' option is turned on. Also note that if you set things up to shoot RAW+, the volume of data movement will make PK_Tether seem to work rather slowly. Last edited by rawr; 04-07-2011 at 03:29 PM. Reason: Correction

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03-31-2011, 10:17 PM	#2
jboyde Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New York Posts: 328	download the program first (i assume its PKTether) and use the USB cord that came with the camera to see if it works in the first place. It worked fine for my K7 and K20 and the cord doesnt need to be powered but you DO need to have an SD card in the camera. I have a 15 ft (5 meter approx) extension cord that I havent used yet. I guess we'll both figure out if it'll work.

03-31-2011, 10:20 PM	#3
K57XR Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 830	What about something like this: http://www.iogear.com/press/presskit/datasheet/GUW101KIT/GUW101KIT.pdf?PHPSE...7222c426f536f8 You can get an automotive battery and an inverter to power the hub. You would still need a regular USB cable between the camera and the hub, which you can put adjacent to each other.....just a thought.....

04-01-2011, 12:12 AM	#4
janstew Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Forbes Central West NSW Posts: 311 Original Poster	Ok sorting out the laptop tonight ( I use mac.....the lappy will be xp )and will download the program and see if its a goer! Stay tuned lol cheers Jan

04-01-2011, 01:01 AM	#5
Stone G. Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Zealand, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,516	Eh... sorry if I dissapoint you, but you mention KM? PK_Tether only supports the following models currently: Pentax k-x, K7, K5, k-r, K20D, K10D, K200. PK_Tether \| Tethering and remote control software for Pentax DSLR cameras As for USB Cables, the USB standard says that the maximum length is about 5 meters (as I recall it off-hand) without line drivers. However, you may buy longer cables up to about 10 meters with built-in drivers in any well-assorted computer store. They aren't that expensive. B.R. / Steen G. B.

04-01-2011, 09:33 AM	#7
jboyde Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New York Posts: 328	You also need to download .NET 4.0 from Microsoft update. That's how the program communicates with the camera. Don't worry, its painless. Just look for .NET 4.0 on Google and it should send you to the appropriate Microsoft download site.

04-07-2011, 04:29 AM	#8
Deiberson Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 734	All I want to do is see the image on my screen after the exposure is captured. Is this what I need or is there something simpler? PK claims that you can make changes to the camera from the PC. All I want to do is view the image. Is this what I'm looking for?

04-07-2011, 06:22 AM	#9
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	Do you need to set the aperture/shutter, etc. from the laptop? Or do you really need a remote trigger + and eye-fi card?

04-07-2011, 10:28 AM	#10
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by Deiberson All I want to do is see the image on my screen after the exposure is captured. Is this what I need or is there something simpler? PK claims that you can make changes to the camera from the PC. All I want to do is view the image. Is this what I'm looking for? Originally posted by kenyee Do you need to set the aperture/shutter, etc. from the laptop? Or do you really need a remote trigger + and eye-fi card? PKRemote takes complete control of the camera. Your shutter button becomes your mouse pointing at a box in a window. The shutter button does not release the shutter. Yes, you can see the images after they are taken on the screen of the computer. Images are not recorded to the card in the camera though the camera must have a card in it. PKRemote has an 8 shot buffer that must be cleared or saved when full (it does have an auto save option). Not all shooting modes are supported yet (K5).

04-07-2011, 10:34 AM	#11
Deiberson Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 734	All that I'd like to do is take a shot with my camera and have the result come up on my computer screen. I still want the image to be saved to the card....if that's not possible, I can live with it. But at this point I'm not looking for any functionality from the computer other than a screen to view the image so its something better than my lcd on the back of the camera.

04-07-2011, 02:34 PM	#13
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by Deiberson All that I'd like to do is take a shot with my camera and have the result come up on my computer screen. I still want the image to be saved to the card....if that's not possible, I can live with it. But at this point I'm not looking for any functionality from the computer other than a screen to view the image so its something better than my lcd on the back of the camera. RAWRs screen shot shows what you get. It basically mimics the pentax remote assistant used on the K10d and K20d. This is a feature by the way, that we were told, I forget by whom, was impossible due to the existing hardware in post K20d cameras. It was Never going to be possible with the K-x type line. Anyway, the Remote Assistant wouldn't save to a card either. There was no limit to the shots but each had to be saved after each shot IIRC. IMO, even the 8 shot buffer is an improvement.

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04-07-2011, 04:13 PM	#15
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by JeffJS PKRemote takes complete control of the camera. Your shutter button becomes your mouse pointing at a box in a window. The shutter button does not release the shutter. Yes, you can see the images after they are taken on the screen of the computer. Images are not recorded to the card in the camera though the camera must have a card in it. PKRemote has an 8 shot buffer that must be cleared or saved when full (it does have an auto save option). Not all shooting modes are supported yet (K5). Originally posted by rawr With PKTether the image is still saved to the card. In fact, as the author of PKTether notes, a SD card has to be in the camera for PK_Tether to work properly in the first place. By the way, Pentax hardware since the K10 always could be tethered. However for the more recent bodies like the Kx, K-5 etc, nobody (including Pentax) had bothered to write the software to do it. CORRECTION: The recorded images may not be saved to the SD card, but will be saved direct to disk. I just tested PK_Tether with my K200D and K-x and in both cases the images were saved to the computer but not to the camera's SD card. Also I found that PK_Tether works best (is more responsive) if the 'Autosave' option is turned on. Also note that if you set things up to shoot RAW+, the volume of data movement will make PK_Tether seem to work rather slowly. Yes, I can read the notes too