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Cyanview RCP

Intro​

You can control our cameras simply using our free software

But if you need a RCP, we recommand Cyanview

Cyanview is a universal RCP, multi brand, multi model.

A single RCP can control up to 100 cameras (mixing models/brands).

Over various links:

  • Ethernet
  • Fiber
  • RF
  • 4G

They offer a normal model and a joystick version.

For our camera, we recommand the normal model as we don't have iris control. And you will have multiple camera on a single RCP, so the joystick version is not really ideal.

Both versions can be fitted in a desk to match a standard Sony RCP size.

Controls​

Proton cams
White Balance (R/G/B and Color temp.)✔
Exposure (Gain and Shutter)✔
Master Black and Black Balance (R/G)✔
Detail level and crispening✔
User Matrix✔
Multi Matrix✔
Knee✔
Saturation✔
Master Gamma✔
OETF (SDR/HLG/PQ/S-Log3)✔
Color space (709, 2020)✔
Formats (1080i 50/59/60, 1080p 23/24/25/29/30/50/59/60)✔
AUTO (AWB, ATW, Gain, Shutter)✔
RED tally✔

Here is a GIF showing all accessible menus:

Wiring​

You have two ways to connect the camera to a cyanview RCP:

  • using CI0 : easy, flexible/extendable, plug and play, IP, additional cost
  • using PIO : easy, plug and play, USB/Serial, cheaper
  • using PIO-E : easy, plug and play, PoE, cheaper/smaller than CI0

Rule of tumb is:

  • chose CI0 if budget is not an issue
  • chose CI0 if you're planning to control different cameras model/types
  • chose CI0 if you already have Ethernet/Fiber
  • chose PIO if you're OK with USB and extend the serial cable
  • chose PIO if you already have serial/power link to your camera location
  • chose PIO-E if you have PoE and want something small for your proton cam and cyanview workflow

RCP PIO E​

  • Proton camera is plugged direclty on PIO-E
  • The PIO-E provides: data + power to the camera (max 12V 1A 12W)
  • The PIO-E is powered through PoE
  • The RCP can be powered by PoE or 12V (PSU or D-Tap)
  • The RCP and PIO-E communicate over Ethernet

RCP CI0​

  • Proton camera is plugged directly on CI0
  • The CI0 provides: data + power to the camera
  • The CI0 can be powered by PoE or 12V (PSU or D-Tap)
  • The RCP can be powered by PoE or 12V (PSU or D-Tap)
  • CI0 and RCP communicate over IP (including Ethernet, Fiber, etc.)
info

One CI0 has 2 serial port by default. So you can plug 2 cameras on a single CI0 with standard cables. You can even use a single CI0 port to control a camera "bus". In this case, each camera has it's own ID, and this will requires custom cables on your side.

RCP PIO​

  • Proton camera is plugged direclty on PIO
  • The PIO provides: data + power to the camera
  • The PIO can be powered by USB (requires stable 5V and 1A) or external 12V
  • The RCP can be powered by PoE or 12V (PSU or D-Tap)
  • The RCP and PIO communicate over USB
info

If you want to:

  • plug multiple camera : you could use a powered USB HUB
  • control camera further: you can extend the serial cable with straight 6P hirose

Setup​

RCP/CI0USB
Setup
Status
  • Create a new camera by clicking on +
  • Enter a Number (this will order the camera)
  • Enter a Name (this will be visible in web UI and RCP)
  • In Camera Head section:
    • Select Proton for the Brand
    • Select Proton CAM for the Model (Proton CAM, Flex, Rain shares the same control)
    • Select the USB port or CI0 serial/port in Interface: Port

After a couple of seconds (< 30s), it should turns green, meaning you have a bidirectional control.

note

Don't change anything else here:

  • Resolution : changed using RCP itself
  • Frequency : changed using RCP itself
  • Lens : controlled through the camera itself

FAQ​

How to change the format?​

  • Long press on RCP MENU
  • Navigate using the touchscreen to CAMERA > FORMAT
  • Turn the first knob to change the format
  • Once selected, wait 3sec
  • The camera will reboot in the selected format

You can chose between:

  • 1080i50
  • 1080i59
  • 1080i60
  • 1080p23
  • 1080p24
  • 1080p25
  • 1080p29
  • 1080p30
  • 1080p50
  • 1080p59
  • 1080p60

How to flip horizontal or vertical​

  • Long press on RCP MENU
  • Navigate using the touchscreen to CAMERA > LENS
  • Navigate to PTZF
  • Select the second tab: Settings
  • You can flip horizontally by toggling Horizontal
  • You can flip vertically by toggling Vertical
  • They can be combined

My camera stays RED on the RCP​

If you have one on hand, plug the camera on your computer using the PIO

You can try:

  • Unplug and replug the camera in the CI0

  • Check the CI0 power supply (PoE or PSU or D-TAP), display should be ON

  • Check in the RCP web UI, in diagnostic that the CI0 is visible in the list

  • Check in the RCP web UI, in diagnostic that the CI0 is associated with your RCP and not another one

  • Check on the CI0 if the display is ON:

    • it should display <->
    • and your camera number (from the RCP config)
    • in big/bold
    • if it's something else (X, <>, NO ETH, <-> with small number), you have an issue

  • Update the RCP to the latest version using a SWU

  • Update the Proton cam using the Proton Updater

  • Re do the configuration from scratch

  • This will ensure:

    • the camera and the RCP are in sync
    • the RCP is properly configured and no issue from previous tests

At the end, if everything went well:

  • CI0 should display your camera number in bold/big
  • RCP should display your camera in green (both on RCP and RCP web UI)
  • You should have bidirectional control of the camera

Control a camera bus​

Sometime you have a single CI0/RIO port and you need to control multiple cameras on it.

Proton cameras are identified by:

  • unique camera ID (to control one camera at a time, individually)
  • a group ID (to control a group of camera, applying the same settings to everybody, requires a unique "master" in the group/bus)

By default, when you configure your proton cam, cyanview use the id 100 which is our broadcast id. This works if you only have 1 camera per port.

The first step is to check (and change if needed your camera id and/or group using the proton control software):

Here, my camera:

  • cam ID 1
  • group ID 0
  • master of the group

In your cyanview RCP, create the bus:

  • In the web UI
  • In Configuration tab
  • In Feature block
  • Click on + and select Dreamchip bus

Then, you need to select on which CI0/port your bus is plugged in (in my case CI0-20-231, port 1) :

And configure the range of ID present on this bus (0-5 in my case):

And now, you can configure your camera as usual, and instead of selecting the CI0/port as usual (which would use the broadcast id 100), you use your bus ID instead.

And if everything went well, it should turn green within 30s:

In this case, i'm controlling camera ID 1 on my bus. You could:

  • Create other cameras, using the same bus, but different ID's.
  • Have multiple bus on different CI0 ports (here i could have a bus on port 1 and another on port 2) or different CI0.
  • Control a single camera (using the cam id, 1 in my case), controlling multiple cameras (using the bus ID, 0 in my case).
warning

Here, we're only explaining the setup. Pay attention to wiring, especially power:

  • when using PoE, CI0 is regulating voltage at 12V, but is limited at 1A per port.
  • when using external power supply, CI0 is not regulating voltage (so ensure it match both CI0 and camera range). But it allows you to then (with a proper power supply), have a camera drawing more than 12W.

You could also provide power to the camera bus yourself without using the CI0 power, just keeping CI0 for serial/telemetry/control.